Just Let Me Love You | A Park Jimin Fanfic

Chapter 16 - The Visit

Yun Hae rubbed her neck and groaned inwardly. She glanced at her watch.

8:00 PM

She cleared her throat and tried to direct everyone's attention to the screen.

"Gentlemen, your reputational ranking among your industry peers is relatively high, which means you're doing something right. However..." she pointed to a dip in the graph. "This right here is concerning."

"Based on our research, the company was embroiled in a controversy around this time," she continued. "This dip concerns me because it poses grave reputational risks. In your industry, reputation is everything. Controversies should not be swept under the rug. These types of problems should be addressed actively based on a sustainable crisis communication management plan."

"What do you propose, Ms. Soo?"

Yun Hae motioned for her secretary to distribute a stack of folders around the room. "We have prepared a draft crisis communication plan for your review. The plan highlights every reputational risk imaginable and how to address them properly." She glanced quickly at her watch.

8:45 PM

Looks like another all-nighter for me. A slight commotion outside the conference room momentarily distracted Yun Hae. She was about to take a quick peek when her attention was called back to the meeting.

"We are satisfied with the plan, Ms. Soo," the client said. "Please proceed with implementation."

Yun Hae smiled and bowed, "I'm glad you found everything satisfactory, sir. We will do our best and once again, thank you for trusting FleishmanHillard."

She heaved a sigh of relief as the meeting drew to a close. The country manager approached Yun Hae and gave her a pat on the back, "Job well done, Yun Hae. As always I can count on you to throw it out of the park."

Yun Hae laughed, "Have you been watching baseball with your husband again, Sarang sunbaenim?" She enjoyed a loving mentor-mentee relationship with their country manager who understood the struggles women face in the workplace having worked her way to the top. Yun Hae owed much of her success to her mentor who gave her all the right opportunities.

"Ah, you know me too well. Get some rest, okay?" Sarang said as she squeezed Yun Hae's shoulders. "By the way, take the next three days off. You deserve it," she winked.

"Thank you, ma'am, but I don't really need three days off," Yun Hae protested. Her boss smiled and reassured her, "I'm sure we'll manage, Yun Hae. Now, scoot!"

What was that about? Yun Hae shrugged. Might as well take advantage of the forced leave she thought.

It has been two weeks since the concert and to take her mind of Park Jimin (and their kiss), Yun Hae pre-occupied herself with work, spending several long nights at the office, doing anything and everything to stop her from obsessing over Jimin.

Not once has he sent her a message and admittedly, it made her feel a little sad, all her apprehensions and insecurities bubbling to the surface despite herself.

Yun Hae and Min-Ah drove in silence. Yun Hae gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles where white. I kissed him.

"I kissed him, Min-Ah!" Yun Hae blurted out. The car screeched to a stop. Yun Hae looked helplessly at her best friend. "I kissed him," her voice trailed off into a whisper.

"So?" Min-Ah raised her eyebrow. "What's so wrong with that?"

"I'm 10 years older than him, for one," Yun Hae fumed. "Secondly, he's a kpop idol. He can have any woman he wants - actresses, fellow idols. Who am I? Why would he be interested in me?"

"You should really get some rest, boss. You've really done a lot for the company and you've never taken any days off since you started. Per my computation you have about ---" her secretary said, pulling her back to earth.

That man be damned. How dare he make me feel this way? How dare I kiss him twice?!?! How dare I expect him to text me?!?!

"Okay, okay. I get it. You all want me out of here," she said weakly. Her secretary looked panic-stricken, "No, it's not like that, boss. We love you here. You're the best boss anyone could ever ask for."

"I'm kidding," Yun Hae grinned.

"Hey! What's that smell? Is that food?" She sniffed the air and rubbed her stomach, "Smells divine. Who would bring food to the office at this time?" She turned to her secretary, "I'm going to ambush whoever brought food, I have no shame," she said, arching her brow.

Yun Hae walked quickly, her steps reverberating in an almost empty office. Remembering the commotion earlier, Yun Hae asked her secretary, "What was that earlier?"

"Oh... uhm, nothing boss," her secretary replied, flustered.

"Oh-kaaay," she rolled her eyes. People were acting weirdly all of a sudden. She brushed it off and kept walking.

The smell of food was getting stronger as she neared her office. Yun Hae spied two of her staff all giddy and giggly while shooting her knowing looks from their cubicles.

"Why are you girls still here? Go home!" She urged. "Don't follow in my footsteps, please? I'm the only one allowed to spend long nights here. Go on, go home."

"We'll be on our way soon, boss." They said before collapsing in a fit of giggles.

"Uh, boss," her secretary began. "Someone's here to see you," she said, opening the door.

Yun Hae looked at her questioningly, "Who? Do I have a client meeting I don't know about?"

"Not exactly," said the devil himself.