The Diamond Race | discontinued

chapter 23

23:00 Seoul, South Korea 37.5665° N, 126.9780° E

"So, you and Rosé?" Chen's eyes peered at Chanyeol just over the folder he was flipping through.

"What about us?"

"Are you two a thing?"

"A thing?" Chanyeol swallowed. "No, not at all."

"I like you."

"Oh? Do you now?" She laughed.

"You took some time to answer that." Chen's eyes narrowed as his lips pulled up into a smile.

"I'm just surprised you asked." Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wouldn't it make much more sense for her to do you that favor if she was your girlfriend?" Chen pressed.

"Look, Chan."  

"It's Chen."  

"Chen, look. Rosé and I were never a thing, okay? Never. We were childhood friends before. Now our relationship was strictly business."  

"So how much did you do for her?"  

"Not a lot. A decent amount, I guess." Chanyeol tapped his forefinger against the metal table. "Most of my projects were just me. Rosé stopped by here and there to ask for help with new stuff every now and then."  

"How'd you get the nickname Virus?"  

"Oh that?" Chanyeol leaned back in his seat, and scratched his cheek. "I rig all my stuff. There's a chip in every product I make. I mean, what if I send a client their product and they don't pay up? Well, once activated remotely, the product starts to malfunction, because of the chip."  

"That's crude."  

"It's effective. I've been ripped off a lot. And I hate being ripped off."  

"Does it explode?"  

"Nah," Chanyeol shook his head. "I'm not that mean. The circuits fry and all that, but no explosion."  

Chen nodded slowly. Just as he was about to open his mouth, the door to the room swung open. A man, roughly the same height as Chen, stood in the doorway.  

He and Chen exchanged a look, and Chen abruptly stood.  

"Well," Chen looked to Chanyeol with a knowing smile. "Looks like our time together is up."  

Chanyeol glanced between Chen and the other man rapidly.  

"Don't worry too much. Xiumin doesn't bite." Chen laughed.   

Chen turned to Xiumin. "Chanyeol's been cooperative."  

Xiumin merely nodded.  

Xiumin somehow managed to remind Chanyeol of his horrible high school history teacher and a high school freshman simultaneously. That was terrifying. It was something in his straight posture, with his hands behind his back. Xiumin had a youthful face, young and innocent if not a little plump. His gaze was neutral, yet Chanyeol felt his blood run cold.  

"Hello Chanyeol."  

"Hi." Chanyeol answered meekly. Oh, what he would give to be talking to Chen instead of Xiumin.  

Xiumin sat across from Chanyeol after Chen closed the door behind him.  

"I'm here to talk to you about your options."