The Boss✓

CHAPTER THREE

JUNG HOSEOK WALKED the road half a mile and turned to the lane leading to his workplace. His face solemn and filled with indignation. Perhaps, he had yet again missed his meal for the afternoon, likely, missing his meal is a usual occurrence in his life. The truth is hoseok is unhappy, with a lonely life not much is expected in his everyday activities and not so much is exciting enough to ignite his plane world.

He let the front doors of sour candy close behind him as three waitresses with cocktail platters maneuvered behind him and served the customers. The patrons, some in suit, others in jean and polo munched on the served fish and drowned on the bottle of alcohol.

Saturday night and every stool at the bar had a butt warming it. As He weaved his way through the crowd of people, his body would often brush or bump on people from which he received several hits and curses along the way until he finally reached the bar area to take his shift as the next bartender.

Hoseok scanned the noisy, smelly, dingy, little bar 'sour candy'. The room littered full of people both old and young, but one in particular caught his eye.

She had just entered the bar and she looked different from the people who would frequent such a perturb place as sour candy. She was like diamond in filth. Her honey eyes scrutinised the place.

It is easy to say she didn't look lost, rather, she looked keen on finding something and when her observant eyes met his he remembered this woman who had just walked in.

"How's things going? I see you still working for that old woman."

"Oh Jisoo, do I have a choice," he mixed some bottles of alcohol and fell in steps with her like they were friends and she hadn't disappeared at all. "I almost didn't recognise you when you walked in. I can see the rumours are true but I did not expect you to come look for me, immediately."

"What now, are you going to lecture me? I 've had about enough complaints from Jennie and I do not wish to hear yours," she quickly rebuffed him. Hoseok didn't care too much for her rudeness. Instead, he flashed her a toothy smile that oddly seemed to hide away his cheerless appearance. "You haven't changed all that much."

Jisoo slewed around a stool and sat herself upon it, and leaned herself on the wooden surface, her black hair lying over her velvet tube dress. "I need a shot of liquor," she ignored his remark.

Hoseok studied her for a full minute, and at last looked away and focused himself on serving Her order.

"Now, Jisoo tell me, what is it that have you coming to me?" Hoseok questioned. "I know you wouldn't go through this much trouble for a glass of liquor when you'd have a dozen bottles on your shelf. Tell me, what is it you need from me?"

She looked at him long in the eye and drank the whole shot of alcohol given to her. Instantaneously, a sour and vile taste slipped into her mouth and it draws Jisoo to the reality of the life she's being living and what had become of her over the years.

Bitter and harsh.

"I want you to come work for me," she told him, settling the cup for another shot of alcohol.

"No," the answer came quick without hesitation.

She had expected that.

He grabbed the cup from her and poured her another shot. "You will earn a better pay with me than the peanuts that old lady pays you. Also, you wouldn't have to worry about the loan you owe the bank. You'll live in a comfortable apartment, rather than the rickety shell you mistake for a home," she tried to convince him.

Her words were tempting and promising. But, he knew better.

"Jisoo, everything isn't about money. Some people are happy being-"

"Miserable." Jisoo cut in.

He frowns. "Wrong. I know why you need my help jisoo and I'm sorry to disappoint you, I just can't help you."

He sighed, "when you were away, I had thought you had gone away to resolve and at least make peace with your past that's why I never questioned your disappearance. Five years later, I did not expect to see you with thesame loathing face."

There were very, very, very few people who witnessed the sad agony of Jisoo's tragic life and jung hoseok was one of those very few people. He as well, watched Jisoo struggle and wallow in the misery of the past. Now, he regrets, and deems himself culpable for not helping her overcome it.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't know you were of good help," she explained.

"You never should have come here in the first place Jisoo, if this is what you wanted to say to me," hoseok said.

"I know you want this as much as I do. Don't you want to be happy? Don't you want this for yoongi? Would you wish to live in misery for the rest of your life regretting you never did a thing to try and make a difference." her words were knives that cut him hard.

"Justice will not be served, unless we take it into our own hands," Her vindictive words were crystal clear in his ears. And for the slightest moment. The renowned Kim jisoo so spoken about, showed a wretch form of herself. Hoseok witnessed a deeply wounded woman scalded by her past, and if he were to look properly and closer he would see the hideous wounds imprinted severely on her skin.

She had a reason to hate.

A wry smile settles on his features and he lifts his head to look at her, "I-i..." his words clipped on his tongue hesitantly, "It's true I also want this. But, I will not help on your sought for revenge. I'm not you jisoo."

He finalised his decision and left his back to her.

Hoseok wondered if rejecting her offer had made him a coward or a dough-face idiot, maybe he was both. Just like her, he didn't move on from the past that lingered so close to both of them and unlike the latter. He was not brave enough to confront it.

Jisoo said nothing more and downed her last shot of alcohol. "Just... just think about it," she muttered.

After sometime, Hoseok heared nothing more than the shift of a wooden stool. His tensed figure relaxed a little bit when he no longer felt the presence of jisoo. He let out a deep puff he didn't realise he'd been holding for long.

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