Start-Up (Seo Dal-Mi x Han Ji-Pyeong) [FanFic]

Chapter 31: Jinx

An awkward silence set in between Dal-mi and Ji-pyeong, their eyes refusing to meet each other's. Words fell short to what they were feeling at the moment. Anger and betrayal stood in front of a misunderstood conversation.

While Ji-pyeong wondered why Dal-mi was so steadfast in not accepting help from Do-san during a crisis, she in turn wished he hadn't brought up the topic at all. The old wounds were suddenly exposed, making her experience an inferiority complex all over again. 

A woman trying to succeed in a man's world. There were rules she wanted to break.

Dal-Mi closed the door of the conference room, turning herself around to face the man who refused to see the real reason. "Ji-Pyeong-sshi, which part of me denying to call Do-san don't you understand?"

His eyes locked with hers, trying to read what was going on inside her brain. Every time they circled back to the topic of Nam Do-san, she would deflect it with all her might. Now he wanted to know why.

"I don't understand," he said, maintaining the distance between them. "Why won't you ask for his help in this dire situation? There might be a possibility that you would lose your entire company. Everything you worked so hard for, gone with the wind. Is that really what you want?"

"No, that is not what I want. But I won't call him," Dal-mi said in a fierce tone. "Don't you remember what happened the last time we were in a team? I was undermined for my efforts and he was praised for his coding skills. Should they have made it more obvious that I wasn't good enough?"

"This is not about the past, Dal-mi."

"It is." She said, denying anything otherwise. "It's always about the past that shapes our present and future."

"You are much more capable now," Ji-pyeong told her, trying to bring back her confidence. "You have honed your expertise on business and showed everyone that you deserve the title of CEO. Why let your pride hold onto something that happened over a year ago?"

A year ago didn't seem much far to Dal-mi. She still remembered the ache she felt that day. On the outside, her façade showed she was over it. But if she was being honest to herself, recovering from it completely took a long time than she had originally expected. She engulfed herself into becoming the best she could in her field, the long hours spent studying and managing to open another company for business. Everything she did was to avoid a day like this.

The support that Ji-pyeong showed in those times was the only anchor that kept her from sinking into deep waters. Right now, that anchor seemed to be missing from under her feet.

"Why are you so adamant on calling Do-San for help?" she asked, infuriated. "Is he the only coder out there? He is not even a security expert or a white hat hacker, just a regular developer."

"But you know he can fix this," he said, beginning to grow tired. She was refusing to think rationally at the moment.

"No, I don't know that. And I don't want to ask him for his help. It would have to be over my dead body."