THE MANAGER NIM

69. PAIN AND REGRET

As usual, the underlying aroma of caffeine pervades your nostrils and coaxes your coffee-holic self to get an espresso for yourself, just like the very first day you entered this café. But times have changed and the place where you've humiliated yourself is now a fragment of heaven for you. Now you seek refuge in this warm room filled with coffee beans and pastries, every time life beats the shit out of you.

"Here's your espresso!" Joe nudges you from behind and leans from the counter, carefully handing you your drink.

"Thank you!" your voice sounds as feeble as dying mice. Your eyes dive into the black concoction in your hands and a soft smile appears at the sight.

Hot coffee to appease your wounded soul, more like a safety pin to secure your torn heart.

"So, what's happening y/n?" Joe asks.

"What?" you ask back, not shifting your gaze from the mug.

"You can try to deceive others with that polythene smile, but your little tired eyes recite a poem of melancholy! What's happening?" his tone tightens.

His co-worker gawks at him as if she is hearing his voice for the first time.

"I'm just feeling a bit tired, nothing worrisome!" you assure him, with a weak smile.

"And you think I'm gonna fall for it? How funny! Since the day you arrived back from Las Vegas, for the past week, you've been looking like a brain-dead zombie with a truckload of worries that'll last for this lifetime. If you don't want to tell me, just tell me"

"I don't want to!" you turn your back on him and sip the coffee with a straight face.

"I'm gonna smash that little head of yours..." his words trail off as Jungkook approaches the counter, accompanied by IU.

You turn back towards the counter where Joe is standing with a suppressed frown and continue to sip your coffee, showing no signs of acknowledgment or reaction.

Though you strive hard to keep a poker face to inscribe your indifference, when IU blasts into laughter at one of those lame jokes of Jungkook, someone stabs a knife straight into your gut and twists it ruthlessly.

"Hello!" IU greets you while wiping the tears of laughter. You nod back nonchalantly.

"2 Americanos, one with cinnamon whipped cream!" Jungkook doesn't bother to acknowledge your presence and proceeds to place their order.

"You like espressos?" IU peeps into your cup.

"Yes, they're my go-to drink!" a weird smile like something appears on your lips.

"Cool! But they're too bitter for my taste!" she smiles with her eyes.

Jungkook collects their drink and signals IU to leave, "Why don't you join us y/n?" IU asks softly.

"Hey, so what happened after that?" Joe lunges from the counter and asks you with a curious face.

"I'm sorry, you guys were in midst of a discussion?" IU asks apologetically.

"Yup, we were!" Joe answers before something awkward comes out of your twisted mouth.

"Then please carry on, Noona let's go! We need to discuss our upcoming collaboration, in private" Jungkook says the last word with forced rudeness and drags IU with him. Completely disregarding your presence.

"What in the world happened between you both?! That guy never leaves us in peace!" Joe exclaims in surprise.

"For once he is treating me like an actual manager, and you don't like it?" you're not sure about the others, but Joe can definitely say the smile on your lips is as fake as a mannequin's.