Monday morning, back at his workplace, Joon saw someone sitting in his chair. In his office. Right when he entered.
"Sir, I told her to wait outside but she said—"
"That's alright," Joon held his hand up to silence his subordinate. He knew who that woman was. He knew it just by the way she was sitting in Joon's chair as if she owned it.
"Leave us alone. And bring me my usual coffee."
"As you say, Sir." Kim Jugyun closed the door behind her, leaving Joon inside.
"Your manners are worse than I expected, Kim Joon."
"So are yours, Park
Haesun-ssi." Joon didn't know what to feel about her. Hate her, or be
thankful. But he certainly didn't appreciate her barging into his office
and claiming it as her own. "I am sure my higher ups wouldn't be as
appreciative of your manners as I am. And I have a meeting this
afternoon so let's keep it short."
Park Haesun stood up.
Her eyebrows were plucked into thin lines that gave her a permanent look
of surprise, or outrage, or enquiry, like those of a startled child.
But below them, her eyelids were tired looking. Her eyes were exactly as
Cyan as described— kohl lined and deep. But Joon found no beauty in
them. Simply a depthless chill. Her hair was pulled back from her face
and her skin stretched over her cheekbones like taut silk, not a wrinkle
defiling her flawless beauty.
"Stay away from their lives." She hissed.
"Like how you did?" Joon arched his eyebrow.
"You… You know nothing about me."
"Applies to you as well."
"I could destroy you," Haesun stepped closer, "in seconds." Joon saw the strength of her bold character in a split second, but it faded away instantly. Weak, soulless, pitable.
"No you can't," Joon
chuckled. He was two heads taller than her. Stronger. But he felt like
an insect under her cold scrutinous eyes. "I don't work for your
family."
"Stay away from…"
"Look here, Madam Song," Joon said. He used her married name to tick her off and it did. Her eyes glazed over and she inhaled sharply. She regretted it. But Joon wasn't going to rub that fact on her face. "I know entrusting your daughter to someone you barely know is hard. I myself would probably kill someone who has bad intentions for Lala."
"Stop saying as if you know them."
"I do," Joon walked to his chair and dusted it, "and I know you care for your daughter. But that's as far as your concern should go, Madam Song."
Park Haesun averted her gaze. She folded her hands across her chest. Her life wasn't easy, and Joon knew that. TK Constructions had a lot of sons, she wasn't even allowed to participate in the race for inheritance since her childhood. When she had tried to vocalize her personality, her family decided to marry her off to another chaebol. Her husband was probably too engrossed in his work, or had affairs behind her back.
Joon marveled at the strengths she displayed.
"You have no right over Cyan. You chose to leave him, Madam Song. Now you can't simply barge into his life."
"I know. But I can —"
"You could have, when you should have. No use wasting time over me. See, aren't you afraid of seeing Cyan?"
"No. I am not afraid of him," Haesun said, her head held high.
"He doesn't resent you. Nor does Lala. But you know what? She knows about you, but still doesn't resent you. She says not everyone has an Eomma, and that's okay. Maybe, years later, when she grows up and actually understands what happened…"
"I know she might resent me."
"No, she won't." Joon
shook his head. A nostalgic smile lit his face up. "Cyan will see that
she doesn't. And I will, too. Rest assured, your daughter will grow up
to be a beautiful person."
"How can I trust you?" Park Haesun's voice cracked.
"You have no other option." Joon shrugged and gestured to the door. "Now, I have a busy day ahead of me. Cyan's in the graphic design department. Twelfth floor. Meet him, if you want to."
"I hope we never get a
chance to see each other again, Mr. Kim. Then, I'll take my leave." The
woman nodded her head curtly and walked outside, slamming the door
behind her.
____________
Once again, like everything was back to normal, Joon met Cyan on the terrace, both of them holding a cup of coffee. They stayed silent for a considerably long time, each one wanting the other to start the conversation.
Finally, Cyan did.
"You know what Lala said to me the other night?"
"What?" Joon's interest piqued.
"She said Cinderella would have been better off if she learnt taekwondo."
Joon laughed. He hadn't laughed the entire week. Lala and her obsession with taekwondo and raccoons.
"And she also wanted Prince Charming to be Raccoon Charming."
"Fair point, honestly."
Joon took a sip of his coffee, as if they were discussing insightful
philosophies about life. "Even if you replace the Prince with a potted
plant, the story wouldn't be any different. Yang's story is so much
better in my opinion."
"Exactly. Yang has depth. He has so many layers. Remember when those red pandas told him he was different?"
"I liked how they captured racism in a children's movie." Joon shook his head. "Made it so basic. And then the plotline with Hiran," he stopped abruptly. Hiran the musk deer. He had big fangs. Yang's love interest, who was introduced in the fourth installment. Joon had wanted to see that movie in the theatres with them, but he didn't.
In retrospect, why didn't he?
"Honestly, children took it better than adults. Every mom in my society was discussing how it showed bad values," Cyan said in a small voice, "but children didn't mind."
"Exactly. People behave
as if being gay has bad effect on children but drinking, smoking
cursing, hitting each other and killing people is normal, right?"
Cyan chuckled. "Lala doesn't mind."
Joon's heart stilled for a moment. Did that mean Cyan was agreeing to his confession?
"We don't… you know what I mean?"
"I met Park Haesun today," Joon blurted out all of a sudden. He watched Cyan's face closely, for any hint of a movement— widening of his eyes, trembling of his lips, scrunching of his nose— but he found none. Cyan didn't say anything. But his expression seemed to say: "And?"
"She uh… she was concerned about Lala."
"So she does know," Cyan nodded. "I thought she didn't care."
"No she doesn't. Yeah no, I believe she cares only when she will pay for the college tuition of Lala."
Cyan burst out laughing. Hearing him, watching him laugh felt nice.
"What, that's true!" Joon threw him a pointed look. "You're the one doing all that for her. She can't just barge in and demand her mother's rights like… now."
Cyan's laughter died down to a faint smile. He had tears in his eyes, but those were from laughing. He was over Haesun. Completely. As if she didn't bother him at all. That made Joon feel all giddy inside.
"What are we, Joon?" Cyan asked, his eyes full of a mischievous twinkle.
"Whatever you want us to be, Cyan." Joon braved a step closer to Cyan and Cyan let him, turning around to rest his waist and elbows on the bannister.
"Sometimes, I want to kiss you," Cyan said with a teasing smile.
"Liar." Joon scoffed playfully. Had they always been flirting like that?
"No, I do. Really."
"When? Elaborate everything. If you miss out even the smallest detail, I won't believe you."
"That would take ages." Cyan shook his head and looked away, bringing the coffee cup to his lips and settling it on the rim. Cyan hadn't flirted ever before. His playful side was new to Joon, but he liked it. He like liked it.
"Then I have all the
time in the world." Joon closed the distance between them, softly
placing his lips on Cyan and silencing every argument within them.
____
𝓯𝓲𝓷.
____
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