Out in public

"You got it. I don't want any kind of misstep that would spoil my whole plan," instructing Shik about her plan, Jae knew that Ji-Hoon wouldn't let her do things as she like so, she took the probability to make it look like a tragedy. "But mam, what about Jin-Ae? How are you gonna call her here?" Shik came up with a genuine question because according to her plan she must be here, however she didn't get him any answer but an evil laugh. "Leave that on me, go," while he tried to make sense of what she just said, as per his sense Jin-Ae wouldn't even do anything asked by her so how she gonna make her appear her almost in no time, this confusion was taking him over.

"Hello, you know at what time you have to come, mind what said otherwise it can be hard for you."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Paying attention to what I saw, a smile grew up on my face after receiving a text from him, no doubt it was a discomfiting moment for both of us however none of us interrupted it from taking place neither me nor him, turning on my phone to get him an answer. I was hoping that some luck flowed and it would come true, I thought that it was starting of their love story, unknown to what was coming in life.

Firstly, it was as like Sung-Ho was stuck with words, and now the same was with her, surfacing with lots of but barely stood with any.

Filling the room with my small steps, phone in her hands, thinking for a correct phrase.

"Why can't I think of anything?" I said and immediately came up with simple words.

"It's alright but can we continue to stay in touch," for typing the last words with trembling hands, my heartbeat started to beat fast because I wasn't aware of how he gonna react to my text.

Not giving it much thought I turned off my phone and seemed to get busy with my work so that it wouldn't make me feel weird. Trying my best to stay focused on what I was doing, I ended up checking her phone in case he texted me. "Shit, what is taking him so long to just drop a simple text," lots of stupid questions that didn't make any sense to the situation, showed up in my head. I slapped myself lightly on arm.

"He must be stuck with something," affirming the same phrase over and over again, I added a long sigh to make it comfortable for me, it was new to me to get any connection of him as it happened for the first time so obviously it made me feel awkward for some reason.

I was so busy in my imagination of him that I even didn't realise his text for a moment ago, looking for what he sent me, I cleared my throat and mentally prepared myself for what's coming next.

[Sure.]

Just this word, shit I was imagining some romantic phrases from his side because he was one to make all this happen, gulping down half a glass of water, I left him on seen, slight hint of annoyance and disappointment expressed all over my face however I could feel the corners of my lips twitch up into a smile. I blew out the breath of disappointment and gathering some strength to head downstairs, being a lazy girl it was hard for me to do something that my heart didn't beat for, leaving my phone on the couch.

"Hey Ari," my face glittered after catching the sight of her in the living room as it was not usual to get her here every day. Stepping beside her, I raised a question to her, keeping my hand on the other side of her shoulder.

"Didn't you go to the company?" She didn't spare a glance at me because she was working with something, weaving small socks, I tried to ignore the fact that she was pregnant because that wasn't possible this early so, asking her straight was the only option left. "I was not feeling well today," her words came before my question which stunned me, "She isn't feeling well, what does it have to do with these socks," these thoughts were enough to catch my attention so coming up with what I decided, I opened my mouth to raise the same question, which grew inside my small head.

"Perhaps, are you pregnant?" the moment I whispered, her stares got wide, mouth hung half-open in my direction, I flinched by her scaring stares at me. "Hey no," she spoke aloud enough that her voice could be audible if someone was standing outside the mansion.

"These are for my friend, she is pregnant with a baby so I wanted to make these. I enjoy my time in these types of activities," her words worked well for me.

"Mam, there is a phone for you," Aunt came up in our sight with a phone in her hand, with an effort to pass it to Ari.

"Who's here?" Ari asked.

"Mrs," Aunt utterances gave a disgusted look on my face after knowing the person.

"Hello, mom, what was it?" Ari asked, keeping those half prepared socks beside her.

"I am sorry but I kinda need your help with something in the company, I wish if you could make it," Jae was seriously playing evil around everybody, hurting everybody's feelings just satisfying herself with something that would never happen.

"Alright," Ari hung up the call with an upset look, as it got easy for me to guess the situation. "What happened?" I asked.

"I have to go to the company," she whispered turning around to face with, I grew worried for her because she wasn't well enough at that moment to make it to the company today.

"You stay here, I will go. You are not feeling good and I will explain the situation. Don't worry," I cheered her by cupping her cheeks and left a quick peck on her forehead, again gonna make it clear that it was usually around us to act like this.

"Are you sure? It's okay I can ask the driver to drop me there?"

"I said I can go," I said, in addition to asking Aunt to grab my purse from my room and phone to leave from there.

"Here," she whispered, handing me, my belonging, finally ready to leave from here.

"Bye," I bid bye in her direction, gradually getting disappeared from her sight.

_______________

"I am sure, Jin-Ae won't let her come here in a bad situation, and it gonna make things easy for me. Thank you Ari for falling sick today," Jae roamed around the office, filling the space with her evil laughs, everything was on her way but the ending was not known to her.

Holding up on her plan, she waited for 30 minutes to get the news of Jin-Ae arrival as well as media arrival. "Mam, Jin-Ae has come here," Shik was helping her in this plan, however, it didn't sound good for him, to help a mother who gonna spoil the life of her daughter, but being loyal to the work, he agreed with the mention of promotion from her mouth. That's where his greed spoke before humanity because he knew if the news gets out in the media then her life would go as Jae wanted.

"Great, now do what's remaining," her wants didn't have any end, every time greedy for money, fame. She was all dependent on money for making everything happening her way. Giving a head nod, Shik got out from there, finally giving their plan the last finish, flattening oil on the floor.

Hiding from the crowd, he did the same near the elevator. Looking around after committing what was wrong, he got up and acted normal when got in the sight of the crowd in the company.

"Hey Tae, What a coincidence," I was surprised to get his presence in our company on the same day, lucky enough to get in the same elevator.

"Wow, what are you doing here?" Tea asked me, after giving the expression of surprise.

"Just needed something to get done," showing him a head nod, and the silence spoke between us for a good minute. "Let's go," he said once noticed that it gonna open soon. I nodded before stepping out. However, it was shocking to see a lot of media presence there on the same floor, I looked around him with a questionable look.

"Ah, there is a press conference," he muttered, showing me a good expression that made my heartbeat get a slow pace.

Remembering the next occurrence, I lost my balance suddenly and my feet slipped on a watery substance which was on the floor, in addition, I was about to fall when Tae took me in his arms, my heartbeat was beating so fast, fear grew over my face, not wishing to collide with the floor I closed my sights, but when realised someone's grip around my waist, opening up my sights to get a sight of that person, I breathed a relaxing breath, "Are you alright?" he asked me in a worried tone but I assured him with just a head nod.

But the sound of people's whispering, sound of clicking pictures dropped in our ears, Tae made sure to hide my face with his hands, because he was aware of that happening.

"STOP CLICKING PICTURES, ALL," he shouted and warned them with strictness in his tone but none of them stood on his saying instead of that they came with multiples questions that sounded against Jin-Ae.

"Are you two dating?"

"For better relation in business, are you gonna marry each other?" those rubbish questions were uncomfortable for both of them, but for saving Jin-Ae from this mess, he hurriedly got inside the space where the press wasn't allowed.

Putting her down Tae made sure to ask if she was alright, "Are you alright?" Jin-Ae didn't know how to come up with the answer because being the daughter of a big businessman, she never faced all this however today all this occurrence took her by surprise.

Instead of further saying she nodded while gulping the water.

"Well done, now let this news come up in front of people," Jae said to someone on call while having a full view of that happening on her screen. "Yes, Mam," heard a voice of a man from another hand and she hung up the call.

"HAVE A GOOD LIFE AHEAD, MY DAUGHTER."