Cityscapes (Jumin Han x OC)

Chapter 10

A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other... maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever.

Dave Matthews

~

As I walked to work, I tied my hair up. Today, I'm wearing a pantsuit and flats. I need to manage to look as different from those pictures yesterday as possible. Especially since I can see the press surrounding the building from here. They'll be incredibly dissapointed when they see that Jaehee hasn't lost her job and that the mysterious employee isn't arriving at work today. I even threw on some makeup just not to look "boring." Perhaps all of this will throw them. I've never been so stressed to get to work, despite Mr. Park inevitably yelling at me for getting involved in a controversy after less than a month of being here. Or...maybe he hasn't seen the news.

I rushed into the building, only having a few photos taken of me, and dissapointment as they realized that I wasn't I.

"Miran," I heard from the right of me. I turned and saw Mr. Han. Jumin! Dang it. I quickly saw flashing lights. Just the prospect of two people comminicating was a lot for them. Thankfully, I heard a more feminine call for my name as well. I turned to my left and saw Jaehee. The flashes stopped, because what good is a story where there's no drama. We all got in the elevator uncomfortably.

"So...have you seen the news lately?" Jumin jokingly asked. Jaehee sighed shaking her head.

~

"Assistant Bae!" I heard from behind me. I felt every hair on my neck stand on end. I got up and went into Mr. Parks office. Here we go.

"Oh...don't look so nervous. I just wanted to review my upcoming week," he said. I nodded.

"So...whats the rundown?"

"You have a long morning meeting with the distribitors to lower prices, several afternoon meetings with investors, and dinner with your wife at 8 on Monday. Then..." and I continued to explain his week. I half hoped that when we were done, he would mention the end of my career. Instead, he just nodded and thanked me.

I nodded back and left. I almost jumped in fear when I saw an email from Jumin.

Miran,

My office at lunch.

Jumin Han

Well...that was strict. By the time lunch came around, I was incredibly stressed. I headed off to his office.

"I have time for lunch today, Miran. Mr. Han is having a meeting about a contract," Jaehee said as I got over there.

"It's mine," I said shrugging. Jaehee looked shocked.

"Remember your training," she whispered as I opened the door. It took everything I had not to laugh.

Jumin gestured to the seat in front of his desk. I sat down awkwardly. He handed me a box and a fork.

"I ordered commoner food. I don't know what you like...so I guessed Korean at least," he said shrugging. I opened the box and saw tteok-bokki.

"Well...you weren't wrong..."

He shrugged his shoulders, and looked clearly uncomfortable at the prospect of eating the food. He opted to close his box and instead turn around his monitor and show me a contract as I sat there not eating out of fear.

"Why aren't you eating?" He asked.

"Well you're not and it seems weird," I said.

"It doesn't matter what I'm doing. You need to eat properly."

"It...seems weird to eat in front of you if you don't eat," I said. He rolled his eyes, opened the box, took a bite and looked me directly in the eyes as he did.

I took a bite of my own food. As soon as I did, he spit it out into a napkin, and threw it away with the box.

"I tried," he said. I chuckled a bit. "Anyway, Miran. I've arranged a contract for you. The first clause is essentially that the job only occurs if you lose your one under Mr. Park. The second is regarding your responsibilities."

"And what exactly are those?"

"Didn't you attend a SKY University?" He asked. I nodded. "Then...read."

I went to and he rolled his eyes. "That's too slow. I suppose you were right. Essentially, you act as a personal veterinarian to Elizabeth-"

"I can't practice, Jumin."

"Fine. I'll have the language changed to 'pseudo-veterinarian.' Anyways, that entails watching her if Assistant Kang cannot, weekly checkups, and on-call duties. Note the 'and other duties as deemed necessary.' An open addendum, if you will. I'll try not to overwork you."

I nodded. He continued. "Second, when you're not completing those duties, you should act as an advisor in the Cat department. You have set office hours from 8am to 7pm. These hours are of course, adjustable. Especially in the case of you watching Elizabeth.You will be in the office to the right of mine."

"Sounds okay."

"Finally. Pay. A salary of 86.4 million won. Its a considerable pay raise," Jumin said. "For more work, of course."

Considerable? That was an additonal 20 million. My father wouldn't have to help me pay my rent anymore.

"There is only one issue," Jumin said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"If I have a business trip where I have to take Elizabeth, but I also have meetings unrelated to her, you will have to come."

An issue? Thats an opportunity to see the world.

"Uh...I'm okay with that," I said nodding.

"Great, that takes care of that. I'll email the contract to you. Have a lawyer look it over, and give me a call with any concerns," he said turning his monitor back around. Oh god. That's a call to dad. My father is a lawyer, so I'll have to meet up with him. I'm not ready for the inevitable awkard conversations.

I got up to leave but he stopped me. "You haven't finished eating," he said.

"I thought I would just take it back to my desk."

"Sit down. There's no rush," he said. I did so, not necessarily happily.

"Why do you always listen to me?" He asked.

"To a certain degree its pay grade, but I like to think its respect," I admitted.

"I can appreciate your honesty," he said shrugging. "I don't mean to be dramatic, please understand."

"I don't think that," I explained.

"Good," he said. "I hope it's not wrong of me to steal you away from Mr. Park."

"I suppose he put himself in that position," I said, taking a bite every so often.

"I hope you don't begin to mind my attitude," he expressed.

"I'm used to it by now. Not to mention, I enjoy your disposition."

"Enjoy...it?" He asked confused. Lord, you've said too much. Well, no going back now.

"Your honesty. Your harshness. Your...everything. It all provides for a personality worth getting to know."

"I'm glad you view me as worth getting to know," he said, with that usual slight smirk. He then suddenly cleared his throat and returned to his serious attitude.

We were both on edge after that interaction. Are we...flirting? Of course, not in such a standard way. But...are we? Through off handed comments about each other?

This feels...dangerous! And exciting! And...like he knows it too. I decide to quickly finish my food and return to my desk without a word. I'm not sure if its so smart to take that contract anymore.