"I can't break his heart now, can I?" Rumi smiled sweetly looking at Hyun. Hyun blinked his eyes wondering if she can really smile like this. He had never seen this kind of expression her face before. It made his skin crawl. Hyun shuddered and looked away.
"Sunbaenim, I think you should stop before Soon Young-ssi starts believing your lies." Hyun calmly said removing Rumi arm from his shoulder.
"Yah! Were you kidding?" Hoshi asked from across the table. Hyun nodded while Rumi chuckled picking up her coffee. "I thought you were being serious!" Hoshi exclaimed.
"Soon Young-ssi, should really not trust sunbaenim's words. Sunbaenim has an old habit of joking like this." Hyun explained as Hoshi narrowed his eyes at her. Rumi just shrugged her shoulders. Hyun glanced at Rumi, hoping that she had not emptied her stomach to him. Other than making impractical jokes she also had a loose mouth. "Isn't Sunbaenim busy today?" Hyun asked wanting to keep check on her. Rumi quite harshly placed her cup down at the question.
"Wae? Can't I sit down and have a little break?" Hyun opened his mouth to retort knowing she was irritated and would blabber something but he was cut off. "This is why! This is why everyone thinks I have a little boyfriend running around me. Don't you know your buzzing is keeping me away from getting myself a boyfriend?" Rumi question crossing her arms. Hyun almost chuckled at that. Boyfriend? Anyone like her can keep a boyfriend? In a fantasy maybe.
"I apologize but I was just trying to help." Rumi scoffed at that. Why won't he go away? Always has something to nag about. Rumi was about to snap something back but Hoshi's ringing phone interrupted her.
"Mianhae. Let me take this." Hoshi apologize before getting up and moving aside to receive the call.
"What the fuck you want to nag about now?!
"What did your loose mouth vomit to him?!
As soon as Hoshi out of hearing both of them turned to each questioning at the same time. Rumi cursed making a face at him, clearly offended about his criticism. His expressions were no different.
"Your mother's-"
"Rumi-ssi mind your tongue!" Hyun raised his voice earning a look from Hoshi. He quickly fixed his face and flashed him a smile. "Don't keep forgetting your identity here. Weren't you asked to keep least contact with idols? Why are you always around them?"
"Well, fuck me! I'm supposed to be from production department here." Rumi whisper shouted. "What am I to do? I can't go like 'oh, I can't go there, I'm supposed to be undercover' when I am asked to go on their site?!"
"I meant when you caught the guy. I know your personality doesn't allows you to behave but at least be careful, will you? Shouldn't you looked around before threatening the guy?"
"Shouldn't you looked around- meh meh!" Rumi imitated him crossing her arms. "Can't you live a day without nagging? And I didn't notice them, okay?! I asked him calmly, warning him thrice!" She said shoving three of her fingers in front of Hyun's face. "But the guy kept getting on my nerves. I tried my best, okay? Doesn't he have all his body parts working?" Rumi scoffed turning her face away annoyed.
"What an achievement you have there." Hyun sarcastically clapped his hands. "What else did you tell him?" Hyun asked nodding towards Hoshi.
"What am I going to tell him, you fucktard?!" Rumi slammed her fist on the table, her voice going high to low by the end of the sentence. "He was questioned before me. He saw everything what happened there. It wasn't much, you know that since you saw the footage." She exasperated throwing her hands in air. Hyun rolled his eyes thinking about how all she does is make problems and complain.
"He confessed everything; from how much he sold the pictures for to whom he sold them to. Thanks to you. He agreed to do anything just to not see you again."
"Good for him. If we ever cross paths again, he'll be missing his balls even in his afterlife." Rumi said grinding her teeth in anger. Hyun sighed shaking his head. It was no point in arguing with her.
"Whatever it is. Remember to control yourself. You are not on field. It's not a hit and done job like you have usually done. We need to be passive up till end." Rumi rolled her eyes ignoring his words since it was not the first time, she was hearing them. He was like a broken record which keeps on repeating same words again and again.
"Uh mianhae." Hoshi returned glancing at both of them, a sulking Rumi and passive Hyun. "Did you both argued?" He questioned looking at them. Rumi scoffed looking away.
"Soon Young-ssi, don't worry about it. We argue all the time. That's how we bond." Hyun smiled reassuring him. Rumi snorted at that. Bond my ass. She muttered under her breath earning a kick from Hyun.
"Madar-" She swallowed it catching the look Hyun threw at her. "Ah, I accidently hit my foot on table." She leaned down to rub her shin. Hoshi nodded his head understanding.
"Okay. I need to go. See you around then." Hoshi said glancing at both of them. Hyun nodded slightly bowing his head. Rumi smiled lazily waving her hand. Hoshi waved back before turning around to leave. As soon as his back was turned, Rumi stood up holding Hyun in chokehold as he struggled flapping his legs and smacking her arm trying to release
himself from her grip. "Ah majda! I forget I wanted to ask you for your number..." He trailed off taking in the position they were in.
Rumi's arm around Hyun's neck hugging him close while she was basically sitting in his lap. Both them frozen as Hoshi stared at them with mouth open from finishing his sentence. "Haha." Rumi laughed hugging Hyun. "He was upset with me because I scolded him earlier. Hyun-ah, mianhae... Noona, was little stressed." She cooed kissing him on his head. Hyun almost jumped away in disgust. "Don't worry, he'll be okay soon. So, what were you saying?"
"Um, your number..."
"Ah, number. Let me see your phone." She put her hand out. Hoshi handed it out as she pressed her digits and returned it back all this while she was still 'almost' sitting in Hyun's lap.
"I'll text then. Bye." He bowed his head staring at Hyun's compressed figure. Hyun gave him tight lipped smile as Hoshi turned and left for real this time. Both of them stood still watching till Hoshi was out of sight. The moment he disappeared both of them jumped apart making gagging sounds.
"You! Don't ever get near me!" Rumi warned.
"You don't ever get near me! Keep your hand and lips to yourself!" Hyun screamed back. Both of them gave each a disgusted look before turning and stomping away.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thud! The door slammed opened earning attention of the gathered crowd in meeting room. Hyun sighed as overly clueless Rumi walked in not aware of the attention she had gathered. "Everyone, please pay attention." Gu Hwa said. Hyun muttered curses under his breath and pressed himself into the corner hoping that the said attention wouldn't focus on him as Rumi had made a beeline to him not before causally picking up the water bottle from the table.
"Why do I have to be stuck with her?" Hyun cried hitting his head on the wall.
"Mwo? Did you say something?" Rumi question gulping down the bottle in one go. "Ah...feels good." She sighed in satisfaction. Rumi had suddenly turned into the errand girl of production team. Something is needed ask Rumi for it. Something is wrong, Rumi will fix. Not a single day, not a single day in life had she felt this exhaust. She rather spent away her rest of the days on battlefield than here. "Ha, why are we here?" Hyun gave her a blank look. "Mwo? Don't give me that look, makes me wanna hit you."
"For the meeting." Rumi rolled her eyes leaning near as Hyun flinched back holding up his fist. "I already asked you to stay away from me!" He whispered shouted.
"This bastard." Rumi cursed backing away. "I know we are here for the meeting but isn't this the security team? What are we here for? Aren't we supposed to be undercover?" Hyun opened his mouth answer her 'questions' but was cut off with another. "Wouldn't our cover will be blown?"
"IF-" His voice rose but stopped before it could gain attention. "If you stop being such an attention seeker, then your cover might stay secure." He said through his teeth. She was about to retort back but Hyun cut her off this time. "Seventeen will be having a concert in next two days. They are gathered here for that." She had 'so what' look on her face. Hyun squeezed his eyes suppressing his anger. "With live audience after a long time. We need to listen in since we will be joining them too." Rumi hummed nodding her head. Finally, some action. She thought. Right now, babysitting adults seemed better than running errands for her.
"And for the record. I am not an attention seeker." She said crossing her arms and leaning back on the wall. Hyun scoffed at that. "Don't make that sound."
"My mouth. I'll make any sound I like." Hyun taunted. Fortunately, she didn't hear it as her ear fell into the details Gu Hwa was discussing.
"I need everyone to be alert and cautious since this will be the first time they'll be out with live audience after pandemic. We have to take care so there are no mishaps. I'm repeating again. I want no mishaps." Gu Hwa instructed staring at each of the member gathered. "If its understood, then we'll conclude this meeting here." Soon everyone stood up leaving the meeting room not without throwing odd look towards Rumi who rudely stared back at them.
"Oh god. You are so embarrassing." Hyun muttered inching away and hiding his face behind his palms.
"How I am supposed to be embarrassing, when they are the ones staring at me?" Rumi questioned back.
"Your mere existing is embarrassing." Hyun commented.
"Yah!" Rumi turned and grabbed the back of the Hyun's shirt collar. "Now you are being too much-"
"Rumi." Rumi stopped and glanced to side. It was Gu Hwa walking towards them. Hyun quickly freed himself while she was distracted and stepped away from her.
"Captain." He saluted standing in attention. Rolling her eyes, she turned towards him and stood with her arms behind her back as if saying 'yes, I am listening, shithead'.
"I apologize for overworking you guys. I know you are supposed to stay low but we are short on staff." Rumi rolled her eyes controlling her mouth this time. "But on other hand I'm somewhat relief to have Rumi there." Hear that she looked up narrowing her eyes at him. "She has been such a reliable agent since the beginning-"
"Oh, that's how you took the advantage to climb up, huh?" Rumi snorted. Hyun pressed his lips slightly nudging her. Rumi glanced at him before turning her attention back to Gu Hwa. "If you don't have anything important to discuss then excuse us. As you said, you are already overworking us."
"Umm... Yeah, sure. You can-" Before he could even finish of his sentence she was already at the door. "Uh-"
"I apologize for her rude behaviour. Excuse us." Hyun quickly bowed and ran behind partner. "Can you for once behave yourself?" Hyun said upon reaching by her side.
"Oh, trust me, I was actually behaving." Rumi laughed in disbelief. "But he had to go and open his gutter again."
"Seriously, I don't know what your beef with him but I know you can't afford to offend anyone right now so please behave and this time I'm not saying this for my sake." Hyun said putting his hand on her shoulder making her stop and turn towards him. She stood staring at him with her lips pressed together. For a second, he thought he had finally offended her after all he was in no position to advice her. Even though they were around same age she was still his sunbae by profession and far more experienced at that.
"Araso." Rumi sighed dropping her head down in exhaustion. "Thanks for the advice but seriously feel like I'll be losing it if he just one more ti-"
"How's this? I'll be saviour. I know it's something big that cost you your position so just try to not lose until you can." Hyun said leaning a little down to look into her eyes since he quite taller than her. Rumi sighed and nodded her head.
"UNNIE!" Both of them jumped in reflex, arms up in defence and attack mode ready to take whoever was coming at them. But to their surprised it was just a duck was stomping towards them huffing and puffing.
"Do I need to know?" Hyun questioned fixing his position.
"I'll fill you in. Let me deal with it." Rumi answered fixing her own expression and putting her sickly-sweet smile. "Jangmi-si." Rumi smiled. Jangmi came to stop in front of them hand on her waist eyes narrowed down on Hyun or more like up since it was like bean stalk and a garden doll stand in front of each other. Rumi almost snorted at their height difference.
"Unnie, why are not replying to my text again?" She asked her eyes still staring down Hyun.
"Umm, I was in a meeting." She replied glancing at Hyun who was growing uncomfortable under the stare down. "Is there something important you wanted to tell? I mean you came looking for me." Rumi asking thinking how the lady had practically started stalking her.
"No, I wasn't. I just saw you standing here. Close. With this..." She trailed off her eyes unwavering.
"Ahhh. He's my junior from school." Rumi explained slapping Hyun's back. Hyun straightened his back in pain before putting on a smile on his face. "Um Jangmi-si, was it something important? Because you see we had really important errand to run." Rumi grabbed her hand. It was like magic; she was melted like ice.
"Aniyo." Jangmi shook her head in daze. "Nothing important. You can leave. I wouldn't want to cause you trouble." Rumi smiled letting go of her hand as both her and Hyun bowed and left her standing there.
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Love,
Alba.