Prince Caspian -Jung Yoonoh NCT

43. The New Intern

There is a new intern.

She's very pretty. Her face is tiny and heart-shaped. Her huge eyes are framed by thick, sooty eyelashes. She has two dimples when she smiles. Her hair is spun silk, reaching down to her shoulders. She is a goddess.

Damien is salivating over her when I reach my cubicle. For once, he ignores me. His attention is all on the beauty.

He is speaking to her now.

"Do you want coffee? Or tea? I could make one for you in the pantry. I'm good at it. I'm good at everything." He laughs. It sounds like a donkey's bray. "Hee haw. Hee haw." I wonder whether he's hiding a tail inside those pants. 

Beauty doesn't laugh; instead she dimples prettily, and breathes, "No, thank you. I just drank coffee a while ago." 

I cough, and Damien notices me for the first time; he blinks, trying to recall my name. I can't decide whether I should be happy or offended.

"Yiseul," he says. There is an apology in his eyes. He is telling me silently, I'm sorry, but I've moved on. "This is Nicola See, she's an intern, same as us. Nicola," he lingers over her name reverently, "meet Yiseul." He looks at me over her head. His eyes are filled with regret. They are saying, You can't blame me for moving on, can you? I mean, just look at her.

"Hello." I say. "You came later than us."

She flashes her dimples, and says, "My father knows the CEO? It was a last-minute decision? Mark...I mean, Mr. Jung kind of slipped me in?" She dimples again. "Does he __ do you guys know what time he gets in? I'd like to say hello, and thank him for being so nice to me?" She turns everything she says into a question.

Mark.

I am seething with jealousy.

She calls him Mark.

She can't wait to see him.

My smile sours.

"Oh, wow." Lisa pops her head from behind her cubicle. "You know Mr. Hottie Jung personally?"

"Our families know each other? We're um, special friends?" The way she emphasizes special makes me sick.

Lisa is excited.

"You mean, you and him..."

"I really can't say anymore?" Nicola looks coy. But I know she's just dying to tell us more. 

I turn away and slink back to my cubicle.

Nicola's voice drifts to me.

                - I danced with him all night? -

                - they said we were the perfect couple? -

                - my parents adore him? -

                - he calls me Nic? -

I wonder if this giant stapler works. Maybe I should try it on her mouth.

I am in a foul mood when the text comes.

Darling, are you at the office?

I text back sullenly, Yes. 

Like you care. 

My phone beeps.

I'm coming in in a while. I'll see you. 

I wait for him to send a heart emoji.

I wait for ten minutes.

Nothing.

Radio silence.

Maybe he sent it to Nic.

Nicola is laughing coyly. She has a tinkling way of laughing. Maybe she has bells instead of teeth. 

3.00 pm.

The doors swing open.

Jae and the suits stride in.

I hear a gasp from Nicola's cubicle, and the legs of her chair being scraped back.

I hear the pitter-patter of her dainty feet running.

I grit my teeth.

I am not looking.

I am a busy bee. I have files to go through. Numbers to key in. Figures to check. I am the busiest intern in the world. I -

Well, maybe just a peek.

My eyes flick laser-sharp in the direction of Nicola's breathy giggles.

Nicola's flirting with him.

He's smiling, laughing a little. He's saying something, "Nic, you're a sight for sore eyes." She's so happy she almost keels over. "Whoa," he laughs, and steadies her. He's got his hand around her arm. I almost throw up.

He doesn't look tired at all. 

My boss, Mr.Mark Jung. Beautiful Jae. My fiancé.

He looks tall, immaculate, and devastatingly gorgeous.

He is wearing a cream shirt today underneath the black suit jacket. It is buttoned all the way to the top. His tie is black. He is Superman; underneath all those layers, he is ripped muscles and hard bones and steel. He's got the laser eye stare too, and oh shit, it's directed right at me.

I duck.

Shit, oh shit. He caught me peeking.

Shit, oh shit. He's strolling over here. He's stopping at Lisa's cubicle. He's smiling, and saying, "How're you doing?" And she's blushing - Lisa doesn't blush! - and giggling - Lisa doesn't  giggle!  - and mumbling - Lisa doesn't mumble! - "Oh, yeah, fine, just fine, Mr. Jung, thanks."

He strolls past Damien who salutes him sharply (what???), and barks, like a soldier, "Sir! Mr. Jung! Sir! It's! A! Pleasure! Sir!"

Jae ignores him.

Now he's at my cubicle.

"Miss Jung." He is smiling. "How are you today?"

"Mr. Jung. I'm fine, sir." I clear my throat. "Just fine."

"That's good..." He taps a long, slender finger against his mouth. 

A speech bubble forms above my head; "Kiss me, Jae," it reads. I prick it with a pin. 

He turns away, and then stops. "Oh, could you come over to my office later? My secretary says you did a great job with that documentation you did the other day. I've got a bit more, it just came in this morning, she's bogged down with some other work, and I'd really like to have it done by today..." What a bare-faced liar. His eyes are laughing. 

"Yes, sir. Of course," I say primly. "What time would you like me to go over, sir?"

He glances at his watch, and looks at me, and smiles crookedly, "In half an hour?"

"Yes, sir."

He nods, and walks away. His entourage follows.

Nicola is frowning. Lisa is looking at me. Her eyes are suspicious. She's not dumb, she knows something is going on. She's staring at my face. I think I'm flushing. Damien is sulking.