Jinyoung took the coat, which had been hung on the back of his chair, and put it on, adjusting it on his body. Taking his wallet and phone, afterwards, he walked towards Mark, who was talking on the phone and glancing at him occasionally.
"Okay, thanks. So it's fixed, on Thursday, at 5pm, then...Oh, no, I don't mind. Thank you so much. See you then."
Once he hung up the call, his eyes averted to Jinyoung and smiled, getting up off his chair.
"Ready?"
Jinyoung nodded. "What did he say? Was it okay?"
"Yes. I'll go meet him on coming Thursday. Don't worry, he's interested in this deal as well. So shall we go now?"
Mark grasped Jinyoung's hand in his. Once again, he was thankful to have Jinyoung by his side; not only personally but they had good harmony in work as well. Because Jinyoung understood him from the very trivial personal interests to the professional issues, his bond with Jinyoung had grown stronger everyday.
He would never let the younger go, even though the future ahead of them was still a mystery folded.
"We're like ditching Mrs. Young everyday at the lunch time. Great that she is not at all a complaining type," said Jinyoung. Today as well, they were going out for lunch, instead of finishing it at the cafeteria.
"She doesn't seem to mind. She might even know what is going on between us now, if she is really observant."
"Hey, Mark!" The door was opened, and Gayoon was there standing in the doorway.
Mark tightened his grasp on Jinyoung's hand; both of them watching as Gayoon walked to them.
"What's it again, Gayoon? I told you to please stop coming during the office-time."
"Well, well," her eyes were all on their clasping hands, "It's not the office-time, is it? In fact, even a few minutes late for the lunch time," she turned to Jinyoung afterwards, with a smile that Jinyoung felt so fake, "Would you mind if I borrow Mark from you for a while?"
"Yes, I do mind. Sorry, he already promised me that he would take me to the restaurant. Insisted, to be exact."
"Oh, really?" She quirked her eyebrows in sarcasm and went to the other side of Mark, clinging to his arm.
Jinyoung had expected Mark would shove her right away but he didn't.
"Mark, what's today, do you remember? Well, it has been so long since the last time I celebrated my birthday with you. Please, I want to treat you today. Will you let me? Please only today," she urged Mark, as if her life depended on it.
"Umm, Jinyoung," Mark looked at him and Jinyoung could not believe that look. Did Mark want to give in to her words?
"You want to go?"
"No, but-"
"I'll just go to the cafeteria, then. Have fun," Jinyoung slipped his hand off Mark's grasp, and left them, ignoring Mark's calling him behind.
Pissed off that Mark had been hesitant about which to choose, Jinyoung strode along the way to the cafeteria.
He spotted Mrs. Young, as he entered the cafeteria, and waved at her.
"Jinyoung hyung!" Jinyoung turned to the voice, from his familiar table. The trainees waved at him, as they saw he was alone, not trailing behind the CEO.
"Hyung, could you sit with us?" Minhyuk requested. Wanting to relieve his frustration, Jinyoung headed for the cheerful group.
They introduced him to their new HR manager, and gave him an unoccupied seat, which was beside Youngmin, but Leesung changed the seat with her in a second, to be next to Jinyoung.
