Michelle
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I have been avoiding Hyunmin like a plague for the past few days, he has made a few attempts to talk to me or rather apologize but I decided not to give him audience.
In a way what he did that day helped me now not to get to comfortable with everyone around especially not my boss, even if he is been going to alot it's just not my place to comfort him and I'm happy he stop me in time before I got too attached to him and cross anymore boundaries.
I really didn't want to admit to myself but I felt hurt that day even I came up with a hundred and one excuses why his action was justified, I couldn't help but fell so angry at him to the extent that I couldn't stand being in the same place with him.
I stopped staying in his office unless it was important, I stopped talking to him about anything else but work and I stopped smiling around him hoping that all these would make him angry too or at least make him as cold and aloof as before so I wouldn't feel I was overacting.
Who was I kidding though?
Everything I was doing had an adverse effect cause he suddenly became nicer and friendlier to me which confused me even more.
I arrived at work 9pm on Tuesday wearing a simple white sleeveless turtleneck blouse with a brown high waist trouser, a brown bag, a pair of white open-toe heels, with some simple earrings and a bracelet. Looking pretty has become an everyday thing for me since my make-over and my attendance of Sayuri's school of elegance as I like to call it.
I walked to the elevator to go up and the door was about to close when someone suddenly blocked it and walked in.
For one unknown reason or the other we coincidentally came to work at the same time and he was now standing next to me, He was silent but I could feel him staring at me every few seconds, I knew he wanted to say something but I just didn't want to hear it.
I know you're thinking that why is she keeping malice for so long?
Well it's not exactly easy to forget or even forgive all the hurtful things he said but deep down I knew I wasn't really angry with him I was just disappointed to find out he thought I was getting close to him for benefits or that i was trying to replace someone, it just really hurts to know that's what he thinks of me.
"I don't do this oftentimes but I know when I make a mistake and I own up to them, I…. I'm Sor…. Sorry for the way I treated you that day"
I looked at him in surprise, I knew he was trying to apologize but I always thought he would try to wiggle his way out of it by talking indirectly like he always does. I heaved a sigh before I began
"I forgive you Sir but I want to make things clear, I was never trying to be your friend to get any benefits or out of pity for what you've been through neither did I ever want to be anyone's replacement, I just genuinely cared but as always my feelings were taken for granted so I think it's better we keep our distance and keep things professional from now on. I don't want to be..."
Disappointed again!
I said the rest in my mind, he looked at me for a moment but then looked away before sighing sadly.
The elevator kept moving smoothly but then suddenly it stopped and the lights went off, not many people know this but I'm claustrophobic (i.e a phobia of being in enclosed places) I immediately started panicking and sweating, I ran towards the buttons and pressed them frantically.
Hyunmin was busy on the phone calling God knows who and I couldn't care less as I was having problems of my own.
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I watched Michelle as she kept pacing, banging the door, and screaming for help, I tried calming her down but it wasn't working cause things only got worse. She continued banging the door for a while as we where stuck in the elevator for hours but then I noticed her hands started trembling, she started gasping for air as she slipped and sat on the floor.
I rushed to her side to prevent her from fainting as I took off my jacket.
"Michelle! Michelle!! Calm down we will be out of here soon please try to breathe, where is your inhaler"
I thought she was asthmatic which is why I ask for her inhaler
"I'm…. I'm not…. I can't breathe it's….. it's small here and… and it's suffocating me"
I couldn't quite understand what she was saying and her gasping got worse until she fell unconscious, images of YeonJu's accident started displaying itself in my mind like a movie. I tensed up and I started panicking too.
"Michelle! Michelle!! Please wake up please don't close your eyes, please!"
I was almost in tears from the fear and anxiety I was feeling at that moment, when I suddenly heard the voices of the some men on the other side of the door.
"Sir, there was a malfunction within the elevator so we're going to have to pull the door open"
"Just do it already and make it fast!"
I yelled angrily in fear of what would happen to Michelle if we stayed any longer in the lift, I looked at her and her face was starting to look very pale and tired.
The men soon opened the door, I wasted no time and scooped Michelle into my arms.
As I walked out of the the lift l saw so many staffs standing at the entrance with worried and anxious looks on their faces that immediately turned into looks of surprise as soon as they sighted me carrying Michelle but I didn't have the patience to talk to anyone cause all I wanted was to save Michelle.
I rushed up to my office while carrying her with a speed even I couldn't believe, I took her to the private bedroom in my office and placed her on the bed before I hurriedly called my family Doctor.
The Doctor arrived about 20 minutes later, he did a check-up on her and administred some drugs and injected a drip (sorry guys I don't exactly know the medical name for it but am sure you understand ｡◕‿◕｡) to her arm.
I anxiously watched everything he did from a couch across the room.
"Is She doing alright Mr.Koo?"
"She fainted out of shock and exhaustion, She will sleep for a while cause of the drugs I gave her but she will wake up around 6-7 pm, So please let her have enough rest till then"
"I thought she was asthmatic?"
"According to what have you told me I believe she is Claustrophobic which is why she panicked while you both were stuck in the elevator"
" Well, I have to take my leave now Mr.Kim"
"Thank you very much Mr.koo"
I shook hands with him and watched him leave, I turned back to look at Michelle as I slowly walked towards the bed and sat down beside her.
She looked as peaceful as an angle while sleeping though she can be a handful when awake, I smiled at the thought and I moved closer to her.
I cupped her cheeks with palm as I observed her beautiful facial features, I had never had the chance to see her face up close but I could say she is nothing short of beautiful.
"You look gorgeous even in your sleep and It's funny I just noticed that, you really gave me a scare back there Michelle. When I saw you laying unconscious in my arms I felt so scared of losing the same way I lost YeonJu, I didn't now how important you've become to me until that moment"
"I know you said you forgive me but I can feel you're still angry at me and it's justified. Please forgive me Michelle and let's be friends again like before"
I smiled at her again before moving away and I walked out of the room so Michelle wouldn't wake up to seeing me gawking at her like a pervert.
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I slowly fluttered my eyes open and I looked around the strange environment I found myself in before I saw Jiyoon sitting beside me with a worried expression.
"Michelle! Ooh thank God you're awake"
I sat up on the bed with the little strength I could muster and Jiyoon wasted no time to give me a tight hug before realeasing me.
"I was so scared when I found out you were stuck in the elevator, I thought I was going to faint but thankfully you were with the Chairman"
"Where is He now? Is he alright?"
"He went out a while ago to go do something and he is fine"
"Ooh Goodness if only you saw how scared the Chairman looked when he was carrying you here, I've never seen him looked so anxious"
"He…he… carried me here?"
"Yes he did and he even cancelled all his meetings today, he stayed by your side longer than I did while you were sleeping"
I really didn't know what to make of everything Jiyoon was telling me, does he really care about me that much? For him to do all the things Jiyoon said.
I heaved a sigh feeling somewhat guilty for being too harsh on him.
"To be honest with you Michelle, I think he likes you but doesn't know how to show it, The chairman doesn't get close to anyone especially ladies and he never let' anyone get close to him either but the way he stayed glued to you the whole day...… just shows how he sees you differently from any other lady"
"I even saw him caressing your face and your hair, ooh God! You both looked so cute I wanted to take a picture but I didn't do it though"
I smiled at Jiyoon who was squealing and grinning happily as I said in a low voice
"That Pervert?"
We both continued chatting when Hyunmin suddenly walked in.
"Jiyoon is she….."
Hyunmin paused mid sentence when he saw I was awake, he quickly walked towards me.
"Michelle are you okay? How are you feeling?"
"I feel very thirsty but am okay"
He immediately stood up and walked to the mini fridge in the room, he brought out a chilled bottle water.
He gave it to me after he had opened it and I accepted it with a smile, Jiyoon gestured with her hand that she was leaving, she walked out quietly meanwhile Hyunmin was too busy looking at me to notice Jiyoon's absence.
"Thank you very much boss for saving me today, I owe you one"
"It's alright Michelle, I'm glad you're okay but I didn't know you were claustrophobic"
"well, I don't usually tell people about it cause I felt it would go away eventually and I thought it was kinda of embarrassing"
"It could happen to anyone and it's not embarrassing, I mean people can develop phobia for the weirdest things like..."
He moved closer and whispered to me
"I haven't told anyone about this but promise you me you won't laugh at me"
"Alright, I promise I won't laugh"
He looked directly at me for a moment in hesitance but I kept a straight face to show I was serious.
"I have a phobia for insects especially Spiders"
I looked at him and blinked a few times trying my best to hold the laughter in but I just couldn't do it and I burst into laughter.
"I….. I just can't believe it, a whole you afraid of….of Insects"
Hyunmin creased his brows and frowned his face giving an offended expression.
"You promised you wouldn't laugh at me"
"I'm so sorry, I couldn't hold it cause what you said sounds so funny, I'm sorry"
We silently looked at each other for a moment before bursting into pales of laughter.
I was seeing this side of him for the first time because he usually would always keep a straight face and look so unreachable but here he was laughing and smiling happily.
I felt special to be one of the few people to hear his laughter.
"If I may ask, when did you develop it? I mean claustrophobia"
"I can't tell for certain when it started but I think I was since I was 8 years old. I remember playing hide and seek with some of my friends, I hid in a small store room but unfortunately I got locked in and I stayed there for a whole day. Everyone was looking and I was even reported missing but thank God I was found the next day though unconscious"
"Hmmm, so that's what caused it"
"I believe so, cause I once told my therapist about it and she said claustrophobia could be caused by a traumatic childhood experience"
"What about you? What caused your phobia"
"I got stung by a bee when I was playing at a park, I think I was 7 years old when it happened and I've hated insects since then"
We continued chatting about different things completely losing track of time.
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"Are you sure you're alright?"
" I'm fine don't worry"
I decided to go home after a while but Hyunmin insisted on dropping me off even though I tried to decline he just didn't take a NO so I accepted anyway.
Jiyoon was also stubborn about taking me home but I eventually convinced her I was fine so she could go home and rest so she left a little earlier than me, the elevator was Out Of Service so we had to take the stairs.
I thought I was really okay but I guess sleeping for long hours took a toll on me, we were one step of stairs away from getting to the receptionist floor when I started feeling my spin and I felt dizzy, I was so close to falling flat on my face when I suddenly felt Hyunmin's strong arms around my waist catching me in time.
"Are you sure you can walk? I can carry you again if you can't continue"
I really wanted to say yes cause I always wanted to feel him close but the suspicious looks I was getting from some of the staffs passing by made me think twice.
"No thank you Boss, I can manage on my own"
He looked unsatisfied but he nodded his head and we continued walking till we got to the car, I greeted Mr.Changhak as he drove us towards my apartment.
"I can go on from here Hyunmin there is no need to follow me to my apartment, I'm okay now"
"No you haven't completely regained your strength so I can't leave you alone, Let's go"
He said with a definite tone, I rolled my eyes at him cause he was being stubborn again.
"Alright, fine let's go"
He stayed glued beside me the whole time we were going to my apartment afraid I would feel dizzy again, I couldn't help but feel warm inside seeing how caring and protective he was of me even just as a friend and it made me happy.
We soon got to the front door of my apartment and we had to bid farewell.
"Hyunmin, Thank you very much for everything you did for me today I really appreciate it"
"It's nothing more than a friend should do"
I smiled at him and slightly nodded my head
"You're right, Thank you for being my friend"
He smiled at me and he looked like he wanted to say something else but he held back.
"Good Night Michelle"
"Good Night Hyunmin"
I turned around and walked into my house still wondering what it is he wanted to say.