Lost and Found (Jirose)

Seulgi

"Alright everyone, that's a wrap for today! Chim, I will meet you again in precisely hour. You can have this break, we'll talk later--"

"Chan we can finish the preparations right now--"

"Later, I still have other things to do," Chanyeol said curtly and turned on his heel. "Sehun, make sure all the documents are ready. Irene, I will report back on the reports you handed me by today latest and Kai, please make sure the other departments are on schedule for the press conference. I want them to give me the run down details by this afternoon."

"Yes, sir, right away," Kai said as he strode past Jimin.

For a brief moment, their eyes met. Jimin could have sworn he saw something akin to emotion flash in Kai's usually expressionless face. 

But what was it exactly?

The moment was over in a blink as Kai walked past before the other man could react. 

"Chan, do you want something from the canteen? They have delicious brownies--"

Chanyeol waved dismissively, sending his brother off with his usual, if rather strained, smile. "Thank you bro, but I'm busy. I'll meet you later."

>

"Don't you think Chanyeol is pushing himself recently?" Jimin confided worriedly as he picked up his chopsticks. "He looks like he needs a break...he must be stressed because of the press conference tomorrow... all the pressure must be taking a toll on him..."

"Eh, don't worry about the boss, he's just a perfectionist," Chen assured. "He's organised events of this magnitude before."

He and Baekhyun had accompanied Jimin to the canteen for lunch so that Jimin wouldn't be alone. They stayed away from the rest of the employees on Chanyeol's instructions, and Jimin even wore a regular worker's tag.

According to Chanyeol, this would help to soften the blow that he anticipated with Jimin's revelation as the new joint CEO.

"Yeah, Yeol just wants everything to be perfect... for you," Baekhyun chimed in. "We haven't been employed here long-- we were one of the new recruits after Chanyeol's cleansing--but he...always, uh, always spoke highly of you."

"Oh yes quite, he was...very, uh, very emotional when he found out you were still alive," Chen nodded.

"I wish I could ease off the burden somehow," Jimin sighed. "Pay him back for all his patience and kindness he's showing me and Chaeyoung. He's been so welcoming...all of you are, so thank you for that."

"Eh, don't mention it."

"Friends and family of the boss are our friends and family too..."

But Jimin didn't hear them: a sharp, pretty woman with an icy glare flitted across his line of vision, capturing his attention.

Seulgi strolled by their table without so much as a single glance in their direction, walking with precise controlled movements across the canteen.

Jimin wasn't the only one to notice her: male employees also checked her out; female employees looked on enviously.

But nobody greeted her.

"Ahh, the ice queen herself," Chen said lightly when he noticed Jimin's unfocused gaze. "I heard you two had quite the uhh...rocky relationship?"

"Do you have any idea what I could have done for her to hate me like this?" Jimin asked despondently. "She has never given me a proper chance to apologise. I wish we could start off on the right footing again by tomorrow..."