- I am pleasantly surprised that you called me and invited me to lunch despite the day off. Only on weekends can you take a break from me, but apparently you've become too attached to me. - The wide smile on Jungkook's face betrayed his feelings. Solbin had managed to get used to her boss's bold texts. - In fact, why did you want to meet me?
- You're right. I think I got too attached to you, that's why I invited you to dinner, so I wouldn't feel lonely. - Jeon looked surprised by her words. He didn't expect that his secretary could so suddenly become a little more open to him. So far, she had kept her distance between them, barring some odd pop-ups.
- In that case, I'm glad you're starting to find out more about me. This will make it easier for us to tighten our ties.
Ties?
Solbin blinked her eyelids as she looked into his eyes. Did this mean that he had been hoping all along that something would happen between them, and that the situation from Thailand would be repeated?
The waitress brought their order, and they began to eat their food in silence. The girl thought for a long moment about how to start the topic she wanted to talk to him about just today.
- It's true. It will be easier for us to work together if we tighten our ties. I don't mean to sound arrogant and charge too intrusively into your private life, especially since we share a short, rather awkward past, but....
- Why awkward? - he interjected in a sentence, boldly looking into her eyes. - For me, it was not just a short, awkward past, and you are well aware of this, Solbin. If it was just a short, awkward past, then I would not want to keep you with me at all costs. I did it because I hoped that our history was still ongoing and would be much longer than the time we spent in Thailand.
The gray-haired woman wondered if it was a good idea to invite her boss to a private dinner, since he was starting to be too open about his feelings. So far, he had known restraint in his words, but her invitation was, according to him, something akin to starting a new chapter in their relationship.
- Maybe not for you, but for me, yes, if you consider that I was unaware of my behavior. Never mind that. I don't want to talk about that night. As you stated: I invited you here so we could tighten ties. As a boss and a secretary, we should get to know each other better so that we feel comfortable in each other's company. It will be my pleasure if we learn more about each other.
Jungkook tilted his head, and his lips once again stretched into a smile.
- Solbin, you sound like you want to hit on me.
The girl opened her eyes wide, feeling that her cheeks began to burn with shame.
- No, I just want to get to know you better so that I feel more emboldened in your company.
- Emboldened, you say? - He repeated, happily chewing the food in his mouth.
Solbin felt like kicking him under the table in the leg. He teased her, making her unsure how to speak to him.
- You know very well what I mean. You don't have to tease me.
- It's okay. I'll stop now," he replied in an amused voice.
The young woman pulled her hair behind her ear, and he carefully followed her every move. She didn't pay attention, wondering what questions she should start with.
- I think it will be easier if I just tell something about myself.
- I'm turning into a listener. - Jungkook looked mesmerized as the girl began to speak.
- You already know what schools I graduated from, that I still live with my parents, and that my only best friend is Ara, who by some miracle became your best friend's wife. - The brunet nodded and smiled at these words. - I'm distrustful, which is why it's hard for me to get close to someone. The subject of a relationship causes fear in me. For the moment, it's hard for me to imagine that I could share my life with someone. Maybe that's why I've never been in love before? - She herself didn't know why she was talking about it, why she was opening up just to this man, but something made her want to confess all this to him. - I think it's because I'm the loner type. I don't need anyone more than my family and best friend.
Jungkook forced a slight smile, though his hand tightened on his glass. Her words made him realize that he would have to travel a long and hard road if he wanted to make her fall in love with him. First she had to trust and befriend him properly, although this was already happening since she first decided to open up to him.
- Now I understand why you were so angry with me about what happened in Thailand," he said in a whisper.
She didn't respond. She put her food in her mouth and only lifted her gaze when Jungkook started talking about himself.
- I seem to be your complete opposite," he began, placing his hands under her chin and looking into her eyes. - Although we have something in common. I also have only one best friend. I like to have many friends, but a friend for me is a person I treat like a brother. I don't like to be lonely. I fall in love effortlessly. - Solbin sipped her water, running her eyes to the side. - After all, I'm not the amante type," he added in an amused voice. - I've only had one girlfriend. - He bit his tongue before telling Solbin that she reminded him incredibly of her. - Since then, I have completely devoted myself to work. You could say that I had no childhood. From an early age, I was forced to study hard. My parents wanted me to be a genius, so I had a ton of extra tutoring over the years. As I mentioned to you one day, fifteen years ago, I was kidnapped by a private driver. The strange thing is that I don't remember most of the events of that day.
Chills ran through Solbin's body. This was precisely the topic she wanted to discuss with her boss.
- Don't you remember what happened that day? - She asked, wrinkling her eyebrows.
- My last memory is that the driver took me out into the woods. The doctor explained that it was a traumatic experience for me, so I erased those images from my memory. For this very reason, I don't have a personal driver like other CEOs.
So the witch actually erased their memories for all of them? Solbin was the only one who got them back?
- What happened to the man who kidnapped you?
Jungkook shrugged his shoulders.
- He went missing. It is not known what happened to him. If I had recovered my memories, I would have known that.
Solbin didn't need to know the answer to that question. She knew that he had been killed by a possessed shaman, but she wasn't going to tell him that. However, she wasn't close enough with Jungkook to appear crazy in his eyes. He probably wouldn't have understood the thread with the witch anyway.
*
Ara measured Jin with suspicious eyes as she sat on the couch while he paced around the kitchen preparing food. He acted as if nothing had happened between them.
The redhead watched his every move, but he paid no attention to her at all. She watched his face from afar as he cut vegetables. Her thoughts immediately returned to the moment when he unexpectedly kissed her in the elevator. It was just a gambit on his part, so why couldn't she stop thinking about it?
- Do you want to play like that, bastard? - she whispered under her breath. - All right. Then let's play it together.
She got up from the couch and briskly walked toward him. She forcefully turned him around to face her, climbed on her toes and kissed him much more boldly than how he did it in the elevator.
- What are you doing? - He asked, still holding the knife in his hand. She moved away from him and leaned against the kitchen counter with her left hand.
- Let's see who loses first," she replied.
- What?
- Until our divorce, let's pass the time and prove who is stronger. Let's see if we can fall in love with each other.
- Are you crazy? I wouldn't fall in love with you, even if you were the only woman on earth. No, otherwise. I have never fallen in love and will never fall in love, and certainly not with you," he replied in an amused voice. - Therefore, if you want to fail and ridicule yourself in my eyes, fine. Let's do it.
- To make this game more crazy, let's put a price on defeat," she declared with a mysterious smile on her face. She was confident of her victory because she had a shield, and it was a handsome neighbor. There was no way she could fall in love with this jerk. The only guy she sincerely wanted was Yoongi. - The loser posts a confession of love on social media and writes that it's too late to fix it because he's getting a divorce. This will be shocking to all her friends, don't you think?
Seokjin snorted under his breath.
- As far as I'm concerned, it will never happen.
- Don't be so confident, Seokjin," she said, stroking his chin with her fingers. - No one believed me in high school when I announced that I would be able to snatch the coldest, unavailable guy. I made him cry because of me. He was heartbroken.
The man did not hide his amusement. Ara was famous for telling tales. He may not have known her long, but he managed to see what kind of person she was. She pretended to be strong, while she was as fragile as a candy cane. All it took was a moment to suck on her, and she would crack.
- Remember, Ara... - he began, squeezing her nose with his fingers - ... that I have had many women and have not fallen in love with any. You will not succeed, all the more because you are not my type.
- Do you think so? Apparently, all those women sucked and didn't have that wonderful charm about them," she announced. Lifting her face, she looked at him from a close distance, and her gaze was buttery. - Some women are born special," she added in a whisper.
Jin ignored her. He stood sideways to her and began to finish the dish, and this angered the redhead. Despite everything, the girl only bit her lip, but did not react to it in any way. From that moment on, they were both stuck in a game, and she hated to lose.
- Through the stomach to the heart. This food will make you fall madly in love with me," he suddenly declared, shoving a fairly large portion into her mouth. The girl bit into the food, and although it was delicious, she wasn't going to prove it to him. - You are plump and like to eat a lot, so I have a way with you.
She felt like hitting him over the head when he pointed out that she had a few pounds too much, but at the last moment she managed to control her aggressive impulse.
- Here's the thing, handsome. Women who have more body are more charming and lovable, so just wait until I eat you too.
This was not the answer he expected, and so his face was fabulous. Ara felt like clapping her hands and laughing out loud, but she only did it deep inside. Outwardly, she remained indifferent, shrugging her shoulders reluctantly.