unburdened

chapter 13

The following week brought its own challenges.  Lyra could tell immediately Monday morning that Mr. Kim was in a dark mood.  He was there before she arrived, as usual.  But that morning he called for her before she could properly hang up her coat.

She rushed into his office with a mug of coffee.  He obviously had started a pot when he first got there.

He did not respond as she sat the cup down, only gestured for her to sit opposite him.

For the next several minutes he gave instructions on file after file, handing her each one as he was finished.  Her hand ached as she raced to jot down the details he was giving.

Finally, he finished and looked her for the first time that morning.

“This will be a very hectic week.  We have much to complete on this project,” he said.

Noting her nod of understanding, he stood and picked up the large stack of files.  She followed behind him, already thinking how to organize the work. He took them into her office and placed them behind her desk.

“This…..all of this is priority.  I need this done asap.  If you run into issues or find you need assistance, notify me immediately,” he instructed.

“Questions?”

Nodding at the silence that followed, he returned to his office and closed the door.

Lyra fell back in her chair and blew out a hard breath.  She did not know whether to be panicked or pleased that he had entrusted her with this much work. 

This was her chance to do something well.  She pulled her hair back and looked at the first file.  She was determined to make Mr. Kim proud. 

They worked through lunch, neither noticing the silence in the office. 

Lyra had sorted and prioritized the tasks and had just finished the one she had picked as most urgent when the click of Jin's door opening broke her concentration.

She smiled at him as he walked out and handed him the first file.  He took it from her, surprised that she had finished this task.

He looked over it briefly, then smiled, “well done.  I will review this when I get back from my meeting.  Please put it on my desk.”

As he was waiting for the elevator, he turned to her and frowning asked, “have you been at your desk all morning?”. 

At her nod, he sternly shook his head. “don’t do that.  Take breaks.  Make sure to eat lunch. Don’t get sick,” he instructed.

She smiled as he entered the elevator, “I'll bring you lunch when I return,” he said as the elevator doors closed.

Lyra found that she loved the challenge of real work for Jin.  He had slowly been giving her more tasks, but these projects gave her a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

JK found himself with a similar problem.  With the Gala approaching half the company was busy flirting or planning or sneaking around corners to do things he did not want to watch on security cam. 

He called in his whole team to be on alert.  Now was not the time to make mistakes.

In the middle of the madness, JK found himself missing Lyra.  He had not seen her out of her office this week.  He had been looking for opportunities to flirt or plan with her, but there were none.

He texted her several times.  She always answered, but usually much later.  He did not like this.

He had called Tuesday to ask her to lunch but she said she could not leave her desk.

“Wednesday?” he asked.  She hesitated before turning him down again.  She sounded disappointed, but it weighed on his mind.  Was she having second thoughts?

On Wednesday he casually dropped by to check on her.  She looked up when the elevator doors opened, cross at the interruption. 

Then he watched her face light up, her smile bright and happy when she saw it was him.  The little bounce she gave in her seat and her unconscious tiny clap of her hands stroked his ego like nothing ever had. 

Whatever was going on, she was undeniably glad to see him.

“Jungkook!!” she said, sounding a bit breathless as she called his name.  Just that one thing had his body responding to her. 

Damn!  She did things to him.

As she heard the elevator arrive, Lyra looked up from a set of calculations she had checked three times.  She hated math!! She did not have time for an interruption right now. 

She frowned as the doors opened planning to send whoever it was abruptly away.

But then the doors opened and her heart started slamming against her chest as Jungkook was slowly revealed.
She was stunned to see him there. 

It had only been a few days, but her need to observe every detail of him took her by surprise. 

She noticed the rugged boots he wore and the slim black jeans.  She did not notice that she lingered over his muscular thighs, but he did. 

His hands rested in front of his belt and she noted the thick veins of his hands and forearms.  His shirt was tight across his chest and shoulders.  But then her traveling eyes found his face.

She blushed as he quirked an eyebrow at her, those eyes shifting colors as he correctly read the desire in her.

Then he smiled and she was lost.  That smile that lit his entire face.  The slight scrunch of his nose, the narrowing of his eyes, his full lips so expressive.  She did not realize she was staring until he laughed.

“I've missed you too,” he said, taking delight as the blush stole into her face and down her delicate throat.

She looked away, trying to regain her composure as he came to stand in front of her desk.

Then he noticed the stacks of files and documents.

“Whoa!  What's all this?” he asked.

He did not miss the pride in her face as she answered.

”Mr. Kim has given me these files to complete.  It has been really challenging, but I love it.  I have been working really hard, but he seems pleased with my work,” she finished with a broad smile.

“I know you do a good job.  I am proud of you!” as those words came, they surprised even him.  He said them before he thought, but he knew them to be true.

She sat and heard his words, not fully grasping them at first, then feeling the emotion as they sunk in. 

He was proud of her.  And she could tell by the look on his face that he was sincere.

She blinked back tears.  It had been so long since anyone praised her.  She had forgotten this feeling welling up inside her. 

And to know that he had noticed her hard and honest work was overwhelming. 

Then, as it was never far from the surface, the ugly thought intruded. What about the other things?  What if he knew the truth?

He saw the struggle cross her face and no idea its origin, he only knew she was upset.

He came around to kneel in front of her.  Seeing a tear drop from her lashes, her reached and wiped it away with his thumb.

“Shhhhh,” he soothed, “don’t get upset.  Jin will kill me.

As if summoned, just then the elevator doors opened to reveal the man in question.

He stopped short to see his friend, and  chief of security, kneeling in front of his secretary.

“What the hell?  You haven’t even taken her out properly.  Get up off your knees and stop bothering her,” he demanded.

He smirked up at Lyra before he answered. 

Never taking his eyes from her's, he snapped at Jin, “I haven’t properly taken her out because you are working her to death.  She has no time for me.  I insist you remedy that!”

Lyra was too busy watching JK's face as he smiled up at her to catch the teasing, familiar tone between the two men.

She was shaken from her study of Jungkook when Jin called her name.

Actually, he had to repeat it twice before she heard him.

“Ms. Min………Ms. MIN”

Finally having her attention, he asked “have you had your lunch break yet?”

She admitted that she had not and did not miss the anger on Jin's face.

“I told you not to skip meals or breaks. Leave. Get lunch.  Take this scoundrel with you when you go.  I don’t advise you go to lunch with him. That is your choice.  But if you do allow him to take you to lunch, make him take you to the new place two blocks over,” he said sternly.

He gave JK a look that had him pulling Lyra out of her seat and toward the elevator. 

She was protesting, reaching for her purse and coat. 

She completely missed the genuine smile on Jin's face as they left.