Unlonely

The Assimilation

Breakfast brought a visitor for both of them.

"Park Su-Chan," the man introduced himself. Bowing to Seri and Jeong Hyeok, they asked him to join them to eat. The man was grateful but briefing them, as instructed by Jung Man Bok, was strange since Seri and Jeong Hyeok sat at opposite ends of the dining table.

When Park Su-Chan turned his head to look at who was speaking to him, he felt like he was watching a tennis match. However, he did not wish to complain. He was there to do his job.

"These are the plans drawn up for the telecommunications company Jung Man Bok-ssi recently acquired. He wishes to hear input from both of you," Park Su-Chan explained.

Seri made a face. "I told Uncle Man Bok that I do not know anything about that business."

"He has faith you will provide valuable insights, Ma'am," the man said.

Yoon Seri nodded but the frown remained on her face.

"You'll do great," Ri Jeong Hyeok assured.

Seri heard his comment but did not say anything to acknowledge it.

Jeong Hyeok sighed. "If you'll excuse me, Yoon Seri, Park Su-chan. I shall take my leave. I have some matters I need to attend to."

Once he was back in his wing of the house, Jeong Hyeok went directly to the room he had set up as his "office". Office is a term he used loosely. Sure, this room would be his primary place of work while he lived in Man Bok's home. However, because he was still a part-time professional gamer, his office consisted of a place in the room that consisted of a desk with dual computer monitors, a headset, a gaming mouse and keyboard, a customised CPU to handle the requirements of the games he played and a gaming chair.

At the opposite side of this gaming setup, there was a more traditional office with a laptop, a pen and a notebook, but not much else. He placed the folder Park Su-Chan provided earlier on this more traditional office desk.

Jeong Hyeok sank into his chair. It was cowardly but he wasn't ready to face Seri unless he absolutely had to. He didn't have a good excuse as to why he didn't call her after that unforgettable first kiss.

He had her mobile number, her home address, her email address but he didn't use them. He found himself drafting messages to her a number of times but never got around to sending any.

What should he have said? Hey, thanks for the kiss? Can I have one more? Would you like to see me again?

All his ideas made him sound like a jerk or a creep. At that point, he hadn't been in a serious relationship and had never pursued anyone before. Yes, he was in University, but he was either studying or playing games and being with a girl was the last thing in his mind.

Sure, he was a hormonal teenager, but he didn't know how to go about getting a girlfriend in real life so most of his experience was from watching movies or imagining things from what his college roommates were sharing with him.

It was also because of these roommates that he happened to be in that club that night. They gave him a flyer advertising the charity event held by a group of girls from a nearby school, which had the photos of those who were hosting the event. It was there that he saw Seri's photos.

In spite of the rejection when they were still in high school, there was still a certain pull to her and he went, hoping to at least catch a glimpse of her.

She was the first one he saw when he arrived.

Seri had always been one of the prettiest in any room she was in and that night was no exception. Even from afar, he found himself smiling whenever he caught her laughing at something. It was because he had been watching her for awhile that he noticed the change in her expression when she was pulled into the game of Suck-and-Blow and how he picked up on the intent of the other boy who had the card on his mouth.