The CEO and his Appointed Secretary
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Chapter 7:
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They both step into the elevator as Jihwan reaches out to press the button leading to the last floor.
Jaehyun mutters a low thank you as he struggled hard to keep his eyes away from staring at his secretary's behind.
He was doing a very bad job.
Jihwan bobs his head to the music streaming in from the elevator vents as jaehyun shuffled with his collar feeling very awkward due to the silence surrounding the both of them.
He wanted to talk to Jihwan.
And the fact that Jihwan wouldn't make a move to speak to him unless being spoken to irked jaehyun a lot, more than he could ever admit.
For some reason, Jaehyun feels the strange urge to impress Jihwan, with everything. He wants to win him over so desperately he's willing to do anything.
Like interrupt the awkward silence.
"So Jihwan-ssi... ." Jaehyun starts clearing his throat to sound more audible. "How old are you?."
That was a weird way to start a conversation.
But it was the only way jaehyun knew how; he was an awkward person. Usually, he left the job of the conversation starter to Taemin most times.
But his best friend isn't here, so he needs to man up like the big boy he is.
Jihwan glances at him, a light look of confusion crosses his face before answering. "Older than you, sir.. I mean , Jaehyun-ssi."
"Oh .. ." Jaehyun raises an eyebrow at that as he is taken aback and surprised. "You don't look a year older than me, I would like to think that you are years younger than me instead."
Jihwan pauses for a while as if re-thinking about what was said before replying. "Why, thank you, CEO Jeon. I would like to take that as a compliment."
"It is a compliment ." He replies determined to take the flirting up a notch. "Seeing you at the company party, I didn't envisaged your to be my future secretary."
"And why is that?." Jihwan asks intrigued.
Jaehyun shrugs slightly. "Secretariats aren't usually this beautiful. I couldn't keep my eyes off you at the party even after the sleazy introduction my grandfather gave." He whispers lightly as if it were a secret.
"What makes you think I didn't notice?." He replies back with that same twinkle at the side of the eyes.
Jaehyun looks surprised. "Why didn't you say anything? You didn't have any sort of reaction to it."
"I have had more attention from both genders for like half of my life. Should I have cried because a certain chaebol was taking interest in his future employee? I should have blushed, hm? Is that what you are insinuating? Ohhh! Look! The future CEO is staring at me! Oh whatever shall I do?."
That seemed to be a slight jab at Jaehyun's ego as he frowned at why Jihwan responded that way and dramatically too at that.
"Secretary Park ... ." Jaehyun started. "I didn't mean it that way.. I simply __."
"Oh it's alright. You don't have to apologize to me. I was getting ahead of myself, it was just a harmless joke." Jihwan said immediately but still had that mischievous glint.
"Right .. ." Jaehyun was still not satisfied and had a hunch that his secretary was making fun of him, and the joke was not simply a joke, it was literally mocking him.
The situation become awkward and stuff after the slight inconvenience made by the joke.
Jihwan was still bobbing his head to whatever was playing while tapping his feet a little bit as Jaehyun loosened the knot of his tie a little bit wondering if the elevator was good and why it was taking too much time to get to their floor.
"Do you dance?." Jaehyun asked out of the blues.
Secretary Park arches an eyebrow at the question as a dark shadow looms over his face for a short minute.
"Uh I don't mean, dance as in a professional career, like I mean, do you dance. Like do you dance at parties, occasions, clubs ... ." Jaehyun stops himself from uttering more words as it was evident Jihwan didn't like where this was going.
"Let's refrain from personal questions, CEO Jeon, I would like that you stop."
"Oh! Jihwan-ssi... I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just __."
"Do I look like a dancer?." Jihwan asked in return as his lips quirked up slightly. "Have you seen me dancing? At where did you say again?." He pretends to think before clicking his tongue. "Oh yes, you mentioned a club. Is my face familiar to you?."
Jaehyun remained silent not knowing how to reply to those questions. He didn't want to get in the bad side of his secretary worried about saying something that might offend the shorter guy.
"I'm just joking." Jihwan suddenly says clearing the air. "Again."
"Oh haha." Jaehyun nods letting out a fake laugh too. "If you hadn't revealed your age range already, I would have guessed you to be younger than me due to being this ...." He pauses trying to think of a word that wouldn't come off as offensive to him.
"Childish .. ?."
"No!." Jaehyun immediately interjects. "No, you are not." He was extremely careful of what to say to his secretary so he wouldn't get reported to his grandfather for being so 'rude' to his employee.
His grandfather might punish him for that too.
After all, 'Jihwan' seemed to be everybody's favorite. Including the clients of the company.
Which makes him wonder what Jihwan must have done to have gotten to the position of being this trusted by everyone.
"It's fine, you can say your thoughts around me, CEO JEON. I don't bite." Jihwan releases a light chuckle at that. "That wouldn't be possible now. Your grandfather certainly give one of the most important jobs to someone younger than 23, would he now?."
"Oh please.. ." Jaehyun scoffs now irritated upon the mention of his grandfather getting into the conversation. "I'm 23 and I'm being made the chair man already, how does that sound?."
"Believable. Your grandfather knows what's best for you." Jihwan replied muttering the last part. "Besides I was given this position at 23."
"23 is the limit then." Jaehyun said smiling tight lipped.
He was confused.
No, enraged.
His grandfather still thought of him as a small child who doesn't deserve to be the CEO of their company.
But then suddenly, an outsider, who is at the same age bracket with him is fit for his own position.
Fair play at its highest.
'must have done something really impressive for him to notice' jaehyun spoke to himself lowly feeling insecure all of a sudden about his own secretary.
"What was that, sir?." Jihwan asked, with that same smile on his face, the same smile that could make you spill all your most hidden secrets if he smiled at you.
"Nothing.... ." Jaehyun dismissed him.
Secretary Park.
Jaehyun mused as he stared at him.
Now he wasn't only curious in his secretary sexually.
He was curious to know him on a personal level.
Curious to know what he might have done to impress his grandfather.
To impress the board of DIRECTORS.
Because no one has ever done that, not even him who graduated from Harvard or his best friend who graduated from a Saint Ivy's college.
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TBC