Anna realized that she has to inform all her friends about her engagement and wedding soon. She couldn't have all of them sulking like her friends at work did.
She stretched her arms and yawned when it was finally time to clock out. She cleaned up her table and put everything inside her filing cabinets so it won't get dusty. Then she packed her things and left her table.
Anna just walked out of the elevator when her workmates greeted her. She froze when she realized that they waited for her.
'What this? Did they notice me not driving my car and prepared to ambush me with questions here just like my friends did at lunchtime?!'
"You are coming with us, right? It's FRIDAY!" they said, singing the word Friday. Anna finally realized what was going on.
She usually joined everyone for drinks on Friday nights. It was their way of letting out stress after working hard the whole week.
"You haven't been going with us recently. It must be why you look tired these days. Let's go and party all night," they eagerly invited her.
After all, she used to go with them all the time. She had been making up reasons to not go for the past weeks.
"Ah, about that, I have a lot to do tomorrow so I can't go. And I feel drained already. I think I'll pass out in one glass. I'd rather not get in everyone's way," she reasoned. But they still kept on insisting on her to join them.
"Let her be. Her grandma is still in the hospital. She will have to visit tomorrow," her friends helped her out, knowing that Lexus' car was already parked somewhere.
They even used her grandmother. It wasn't a lie though. She hasn't been able to visit these the past few days due to work and feeling too exhausted in the evenings.
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, I can't join you," she apologized politely since even her sunbaes (seniors) were there.
"No, it's alright. You should take care of your grandma. Send her our regards. We wish her well. Praying she gets well soon," they said and finally relented and headed to their cars. Except for a troublesome one.
"It's alright Anna, I can always send you home like usual. I know you can go even without sleep," one of her sunbae's remained and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I really can't go. I'm not in the mood to drink," Anna repeated. She wanted to, but she can't. She's not allowed to drink anymore. And just the scent of liquor was making her queasy.
"Oh, in that case, we can head somewhere. Just the two of us alone," he smirked at her.
"You must be pent up with all the work lately. I can help you relax," he whispered in her ear and Anna blushed when she recalled that this was the sunbae that she had slept with before.
It was because she was too drunk to go home one time so he brought her to a hotel. She ended up doing it with him. But that was a long time ago. She can't believe he was suggesting that she should go and fuck with him out of nowhere.
"Sunbae, you are the one who seems to be pent up. You should find another partner. I'm not in the mood," she rejected. She just wanted to go home and sleep until late morning.
"Ow, that's too bad," he said and finally relented when she looked serious.
"Sunbae, let's go," their other workmates called out to him and he finally removed his arm from her shoulders.
"Don't forget you can always contact me when you are in the mood," he whispered yet again and winked before finally leaving her alone.
Anna sighed and waited for everyone to leave before finally walking to where Lexus' car was parked. She flinched when the car felt so cold. There was tension in the air. She raised a brow when he stared at her without saying a word.
'Did he see sunbae?'
"What?" she asked when he just kept looking. It took him several seconds to respond.
"Nothing," he said and looked away.
And just when she thought he was finally going to start the engine, he suddenly leaned in and captured her lips.
"Hey, what's with you? What-" she asked only to have her mouth captured by his before she could finish. She hit his shoulder when she could not push him away.
But then, he deepened the kiss instead and explored her mouth. She lost her strength as he kissed her breathless.
"Who's that fucking bastard?" he asked with narrowed eyes when he finally stopped.
'Ah, he did see sunbae.'
"He's my sunbae. He was just inviting me to drink with everyone," she said and his eyes narrowed even more.
"What did he whisper to you? Why did he have to wrap an arm around you?"
She explained what transpired except for the fact that her sunbae invited her to sleep with him. And yet, he kissed her yet again. He noticed that she held back something.
"You're mine," Lexus said and Anna stared at him.
'Ah, here it comes. The unreasonable possessiveness. We are not even married yet,' she thought as she recalled how her father was possessive of her mother despite his multiple affairs because he thought of her as something he owned. She was his property but he wasn't hers.
"Excuse me, mister, we are not married yet," she showed him her fingers that were free of any ring. She was not even wearing the engagement ring he had given her.
That shut him up. He fell silent and grimaced before finally leaning away and starting the car. They were silent the rest of the drive home.
The atmosphere in the car was too heavy and gloomy. She felt bad for what she said but didn't want to apologize.
'Why should I apologize? I was just stating a fact,' she stubbornly thought. She pretended to be asleep instead.