Ji Ho quickly moved out of the way, and he walked past her, to the high table, just beside Seung-ho.
"Thanks for coming" Seung-ho smiled, as they shook hands.
"Team A, please start your presentation "
Ji Ho turned to face the crowd, and she cleared her throat. Seung-ho looked around, but couldn't find Min Ju. He had thought she would be among those presenting.
Ji Ho clamped her sweaty palms together, as she tried to figure out how to start.
She hadn't really thought it through, when she decided to take Min Ju's place.
"Are you planning to waste our time?" Kael's voice boomed through the speaker, and she swallowed.
She started, trying her best not to falter, but she got stopped by another judge. "I can't seem to follow up with what you are presenting. What you are saying, is totally different from what is in the papers given to us" He said, and others nodded.
Ji Ho's lips parted. She had forgotten that the swapped documents are the one with the judges. "Ohh Shit" She cursed.
Eun creased his brows, wondering what the judge was talking about. And the fact that other judges nodded in agreement, means it's true.
He hissed when Ji Ho stammered for the third time. They were losing, and it was very glaring.
Seung-ho stared at Ji Ho, and he shook his head slightly. He had told her this wasn't her field, but she wouldn't listen.
Here she was, embarrassing herself. She had only said a few words more, when Kael's voice boomed yet again, "Next"
She blinked, surprised at the way he cut her off. "Miss Ji Ho" the announcer called, as she was still rooted to the spot.
She folded her fist, till her knuckles turned white, before dragging her feet.
Eun sighed frustratingly. He had really hoped they would win the presentation. He had put his efforts in it, collecting resources and putting them up.
But what went wrong? Why did Min Ju disappear all of a sudden?
His mind went to the papers the judges were complaining about, and he retrieved it.
His brows furrowed, as he read through. This wasn't the documents he gave to Min Ju. Why is it different? It is nothing related to their presentation.
He was still wondering what had happened when a judge spoke up when the other team was presenting; "This is the exact document Team A had presented."
Ji Ho bit her lips as she heard that. She had originally stolen the documents from the other team to implicate Min Ju. But the tables had turned.
"The head project manager of Team A, can you please explain what's going on?" Seung-ho asked, and Eun cursed.
How was he going to explain, when he is totally confused.
He walked to the stage, his head blank. He was about to talk, when a voice stopped him.
"I can explain"
They all turned to the where the voice came from; only to see Min Ju
Kael arched he brows when he saw her "She's awake? But how did she get out of the room? He was sure he locked it"
Eun turned to her. "Where have you been?" He mouthed, but she gave a little smile, before joining him on the stage.
"What do have to say, miss" The judge who had spoken earlier asked.
"Good day everyone" She bowed slightly. "I'm Jang Min Ju. The head presenter of Team A."
Voices came from the crowd. "Head presenter? Where was she all this while?"
"Apparently, I was drugged before the presentation."
"What!" Seung-ho exclaimed.
"Drugged?"
"I was unable to make it to the hall, that was the reason I wasn't able to present." She continued.
"As for the documents, it appears that for some reason, the real documents were swapped.
I really apologize for the confusion this might have caused" She apologized.
"So, what do you suggest we do?" One of the judges asked.
"I would be really glad if you can allow Team A to present again, sir" She said, hopefully.
"What insolence! Your team is obviously incompetent and uncoordinated." One of the judges shot back and she pressed her lips together.
"Your team can do the presentation again" She heard that familiar baritone voice, and she looked up to see Kael, staring intently at her. He had been quiet throughout, watching the whole scenario.
The whole room became quiet, immediately he said that. "Any oppositions?" He asked the judges, his eyes scanning them,as if daring them to go against his word.
The one who opposed Min Ju cleared his throat. "You can present" He said, averting his gaze from Kael's piercing stare.
Eun exhaled in relief, when he heard that. Min Ju smiled brightly, then walked to the stage, her eyes locking with Ji Ho's. Her expression was so blank, that Ji Ho couldn't read her.
Min Ju smirked, before looking away.
Eun distributed the original documents to the judges and everything else was set up.
Min Ju started the presentation fluently. Her teammates, all apart from Ji Ho, looked at her in admiration.
Though Min Ju felt weak, she made sure she didn't fail her team.
Deafening applause filled the hall, as she concluded.
Seung-ho looked at her proudly, while Ji Ho clutched the hem of her clothes, her blood boiling.
Her plan failed woefully. She was the one that got embarrassed instead. She excused herself and stormed out.
Min Ju saw her leaving, and she grinned, before following her.
She cornered her, the grin still on her face. "Where are you going, little sis" She sneered, and Ji Ho scoffed.
"You know, don't you?"
"That what, little sis" The sarcasm evident in her voice.
Ji Ho clenched her jaw, the bitterness and hatred obvious as she walked away, while Min Ju smirked, looking at her retreating figure.
Her mind flashed back to when she took a sip of the water.
She could smell the faint odour of the drug; in her past life, she usually help one of her neighbors to manage her drug store.
She had come across the drug once, and her neighbor had told her what it'. But unfortunately, she already took a sip.
Immediately she sniffed it, she could tell that it was the same drug.
However, the drug effect wasn't that strong, so she didn't sleep that much.
She had heard some footsteps when she was in the bathroom, and she knew that it must be Ji Ho.
When she woke up, and found herself locked in a suite, she had used the intercom to call for a janitor, who opened the door for her.
She had rushed down to the hall immediately.
"It's only the beginning, Ji Ho. You can't kill me twice. I will foil every of your plan and give you a triple dose for every harm you caused me. The naive Min Ju you know is dead."