Corporate Strangers

The Dan Thing

Her grip on Jeong Hyeok's face tightened to the point that she's squeezing his cheeks, his lips forming to a pout. The horror he sees on her face is evident, and he couldn't help but ask her, chewing his words, "Seri?"

Seo Dan placed her wine down, her piercing eyes never leaving hers and she lifts a finger gesturing  follow me. She then stands up and makes slow, oddly dangerous walk to the balcony.

Her heart sank, it was equivalent to how she would witness her company crumble in front of her eyes. She felt like a teenager caught sneaking out with her boyfriend. Ri Jeong Hyeok's voice pulls her away from her thoughts when he called her name again, tone a little bit louder.

"Seri?"

She blinks and looks at him. "Jeong Hyeok?"

"Uhm..."

He was looking up at her with confused, puppy eyes, his mouth still forming to a pout. Her hands still squeezed both of his cheeks and she jolts herself when she realizes it.

"Oh, I'm sorry it's just that," she frantically stands up, "Seo Dan saw us."

"What?"

She hissed, "I said, Seo Dan saw us."

"Oh..." He scratches the back of his head, not really knowing what to do or react. The woman in front of her looked like she was about to explode and he does not know what to say. Jeong Hyeok opens his mouth, only to close it back, awkwardly looking at her panicking face.

"She said to follow her," she says, nervously.

"Okay." Ri Jeong Hyeok's voice was calm and composed, a contrast to her shaky ones. "The next thing to do is to follow her, right, Seri?"

"Should I?"

He gently nods.

Seri takes a moment to ponder, biting her lip and staring at the back profile of the woman already at the balcony, gazing at the view.

A minute later, "No."

"Seri?"

"No."

"Okay. Why no?"

She bites her lip again, looking at him like she's about to throw all her problems to him. "You do it."

He was blankly staring at her, lips slightly parted, processing what she just said. She didn't just told him to do it instead.

"Why me?"

"Because I can't. I'll die, Jeong Hyeok. Do you want me to die?"

If not for the situation and that panic in her words, he would've laughed. To be honest, the sight was quite hilarious and this was the first time he saw her panic like she was going to actually die over something.

He tries to keep his voice neutral. "But she called for you. Didn't she, Seri?"

"Well, yes..."

"So?"

He waits for her, sees the change in her expression and looks at her rethinking her thoughts. But then, she glares at him and shakes her head.

"Whatever, you do it."

He nervously laughed, dumbfounded, now starting to get concerned that she is actually going to push through this.

"You know I can't do that."

"And why?"

"She asked for you, not me."

"Then tell her you're speaking on my behalf. Oh wait, I have an idea."