Those Three Words

. . .

"Okay thank you Dylan--AHHHHH!"

Upon stepping inside the grandiose hall of Pontecelli Penthouse, Zeirenne dropped her phone out of surprise. Jin was right in front of her face.

"Where have you been?" he asked with a restrained but sharp voice. His chest sprung up and down, just like hers.

Zeirenne heaved a sigh of relief, "You scared me! Tsk!" She threw a light jab on his chest before crouching down to reach her phone.

"You didn't answer my question. Where have you been? And why do you want Dylan to investigate some people?" Jin hissed, "Tsk. You got startled because you're hiding something from me."

Zeirenne scratched her head. "Hihi. You heard it?

He stood still waiting for an explanation, but her marbled eyes pleading like a cute kitty made him surrender, "Alright. You don't have to tell me anything. You'll probably make up another lie if I force you anyways."

It was her turn to pout, so childish he couldn't stop himself from smiling before pinching her cheeks.

"By the way..." she said after a short pause.

As if reading her mind, Jin ruffled her hair, "Don't worry. She's alright. I was her doctor after all." He took his phone out of his pockets, "Here."

She took it from his hands and she was greeted by a news article. It was an announcement informing the mass of Farrah Young's condition. She was finally safe.

"Thank you, Jin," Zeirenne said while handing the phone back, "But why are you here? You should be keeping her under close watch."

"I'm better off watching over someone else. Someone who needs me more than she does."

Zeirenne rolled her eyes, "Self-proclaimed."

She turned her back against him before making her way towards the elevator. Within a second, he was already walking by her side, even leaning his head to whisper in her ears with his spine-tingling voice, "Just a simple 'Thank you' for me?"

The elevator door dinged and they both stepped inside, "Why? What more can you possibly need?" she rolled her eyes before pressing for their floor.

"How about you..."

Jin started inching himself closer, even trapping her on the corner with his arms. In response to this, Zeirenne gritted her teeth before clenching her hand into a tight fist.

"Stop acting creepy! Tsk!" she threw a punch towards his abdomen but he was fast enough to catch it. He started laughing.

Even more irritated by his laughter, Zeirenne started throwing consecutive punches towards him. Landing heavy blows on his chest for real.

"Ahahahahahaha--ouch ouch ahahaahah," Jin flinched playfully, "Alright alright I'll stop teasing you."

"Hmp," she flipped her hair while crossing her arms in front. Jin couldn't stop laughing at her cute gestures.

"I just wanted to ask for a hug," he said while rubbing his arm that took some heavy damage.

"Hug?" Zeirenne furrowed her brows before looking around as if there were people around who might be listening in on their conversation, "Are you on drugs?"

"No. I'm serious."

Her face folded into a grimace, "Why are you so... hyper today?" she asked and he simply shrugged before muttering something under his breath—even though it was enough for her to hear.

"Well... If I don't force some energy out then how am I supposed to cheer you up?"

Zeirenne raised her head to meet his gaze, and saw nothing but sincerity. One thought crossed her mind: He was trying his best to be bubbly despite his cold demeanor just to lift her spirits up.

Somehow, this realization struck Zeirenne in an unexplainable way. With his words warming her cheeks, she found herself looking away to avoid his gaze.

"You don't have go that far..."

Jin faced her. Determined to catch her gaze to no avail, "Believe me... for you I can go further."

Something skipped a beat before silence engulfed their short elevator ride.

Zeirenne who had nothing to distract herself with, started fidgeting her phone, finally turning it on after it went dead from the drop. She was praying to the god of elevator (whoever it may be) for a faster journey—feeling uncomfortable from the heavy thumping she was bearing inside her chest.

To her prayers, the elevator dinged after a minute, but before she could step out, Jin grabbed her by the arm. "Zeirenne..." he called her name in a desperate voice, almost as if he was pleading, "You heard it loud and clear. Didn't you?"

"Huh? The what?"

Jin shook his head, "Stop acting clueless, I know you remember everything I said that day."

She spun her eyes around, reaching every nook and cranny of the hallway just to avoid his stare.

"I said it..." he took a deep breath, "I-I said--"

Jin's monologue was interrupted when a sudden buzz reverberated around the empty hallway. Zeirenne looked down to see Dylan's caller ID flashing on the screen.

"Hel-"

"Are you alright?! What happened?!" Dylan said across the line. From his voice, it was apparent how he's been running around in panic. Just like how Jin was coping before Zeirenne came.

"Ohh Im sorry, Dylan. I'm alright. SOMEONE appeared out of nowhere and scared me out of my wits. I dropped my phone. Sorry for making you worry."

They both heard him sigh, "Okay. Then that's good to hear."

After the call ended, silence engulfed them once again.

"Uhm... you were saying something?"

Jin ruffled his hair before turning his back on her. He rested his hands on his waist and Zeirenne watched his back flexing from the heavy breaths he was consuming.

"I-I..."

This time, it was his phone that interrupted him. He reached for it inside his pockets, irritation apparent on his voice, "What is it Colton?"

"Mr. Yang..." Colton said on the other line, "Are you with Miss Lin?"

Jin looked back to Zeirenne who was still standing the same spot, but now she was finally meeting his gaze with a curious expression, "Yes. She's here with me. Why do you ask?"

"Oh. This is nothing then..." Assistant Colton hesitated, "Just that... someone sent an email to one of our webpages saying they have your girlfriend. It seems to be a prank after all."

Jin glared at Zeirenne and she looked at him as if saying, "What?"

"Okay. Thank you for telling me Colton. We'll get to that later," he said before putting the call down.

He started marching towards Zeirenne, and once again, her wandering eyes avoided his at all cost.

"Tell me what happened," he demanded, "Or I'll have to watch you even in your sleep."

. . .