8. Unacceptable and Unexpectable

"They say fate doesn't care for what you want, It just care for what's best for you. But she wasn't ready to accept that best for her."

YOHANA'S P.O.V.

Finally! It's done at last. I completed my first weekly report to be published in Ryuze. It felt like I completed some kind of challenge that Sang-Tae gave me, "Let's see for how much she lasts." Ugh.. Now I'll show him who this Yohana is.

I got ready in my formals by 8 in morning and decided to have some instant breakfast with some coffee from the store down the corner of street on my way. I could, in not a single way today be scolded by that prick. Reaching the office by 8:30, I passed the reports to my team for proof reading and editing. I need to get it signed by him before noon. By the time it was being edited, I continued with the second one that Sang-Tae gave me personally. I did it some of it yesterday when got bored of weekly report. This one was quite different, seemed like some sort of confidential stuff. Quite exciting to be precise. A couple of case studies and some sort of medical stuff!? Some past records of those.

The weekly report got edited, it was just to be signed by him and then the Managing director. "Here is the final handout of this week Yohana ssi. You can cross check it one last time." My assistant editor Nam Eunji entered the office with the file to get it signed. Now it was done officially and I took off towards Sang-Tae's office.

Entering upon his office, I heard him talking to someone, "Yeah, I'll send you the proofs by tomorrow. You can check it and use it accordingly." What kind of proofs?

"What proofs?" I spoke up getting his attention and he hung up hurriedly saying that he would call back.

"Don't you know how to knock?" He said irritatingly. "You really seem to be lacking many protocols of how to be an employee." Well, yes he was right there. I was at fault there but I ignore that and asked again.

"What proofs were you talking about?" With suspicious eyes, I put forward my question.

"That doesn't sound like your business. Does that?" He shrugged at that carelessly stating. "By the way, what are you doing here? Forgot the way to your office?"

"Yeah, seems like that." Our offices faced each other with quite a distance. Moving forward, I took his wrist and show him time, it was 11:45, and," Still 15 minutes left, Here the official write up of this week's publication." handed him the file. He, just looked at me then the file, again me and then opened the report and thoroughly checked everything. With every page turning, he looked at me with astonished eyes.

Finally at the last page he looked up and, "Something's missing." What! "The whole customer review and product detailed segment is missing. I told you to take every minor details of the notes and you missed such a significant part." With expressionless face he said as if saying, "told you, you can't do this."

"But I took everything in this from the notes you provided me." I defended myself. "There was nothing like you said."

"There was a whole section of that. I thing you lost that portion somewhere." I went inside my mind at that to think if there's something like that. Then it occurred to me, it might have happened when we collided in front of our apartments. See, how much of a bad luck he is for me. "Seems like this is the first mistake you did here, I'll let it pass. Will provide you copy of that section in your office. You can leave now." Why did it feel like that he was very eager to see me out of his office.

Entering my office, received more work. An interview from Russian branch, a number of articles, some product advertisements and cartoons depictions. A week-full of work.

~~~

Finally issued my first publication of the week. Our Managing Director got quite pleased with it. Our whole team was appreciated. It was weekend and I decided to shop and get groceries. Departmental store was filled with everything I need, even packed meals. Groceries, sanitary and some beer. It took me more than couple of hours to explore the place and return. Returning to the building, Elevator took longer than expected to arrive. Reaching 21st floor, I saw a guy standing in front of my apartment peeping inside the peephole. Who could it be when I wasn't expecting anyone at the time. Nor was he looking like some delivery guy. Could it be...? No, why would he come here.

I approached him and patted his back. "Who do you want mister?" He turned around saying, "I'm looking for Lee Sang-Tae." Lol! He was Sang-Tae's friend from Miami, Yeontan I think. "Yohana?" He was actually taken aback to see me. "It's you, right?" I nodded. "Long time hun! "

"Yeontan? What are you doing here?' I asked felling astounded.

"Actually I was here for a business trip, so decided to surprise him. But in the contrary I got surprised looking at you here. What are you doing outside his apartment?" Looking at the things in my hand, "with these? By any chance," his expression changed from that of shocking one to teasing one. "Are you two living together without telling me?"

"WHAT? Not at all. Never. And to tell you it's my apartment. I shifted here after getting a job." I told him pulling him towards Sang-Tae's. "That's his apartment. We just happen to be neighbours by coincidence"

Sang-Tae opened the door at the first bell and they greeted like some best of buddies. Yeontan was about to enter when, " Hey Yohana, you should join too. It will be like old Uni buddies are meeting up. Sang-Tae will cook something delicious."

"No why would I?" I didn't want to spoil my day with Sang-Tae yet I somehow desired to since I was alone on this weekend. "I don't wanna spoil your date."

"Don't worry about that. Not like he is very romantic to date me." Laughing at his own joke he pulled me inside.

Whoaaaa, his apartment was something to be lived in comfortably. It really felt cozy inside. The elegant interior and the lighting, I must say his taste is quite good. "Whoa, your apartment is way better than yourself. How did you find such a thing?" Yeontan asked looking around. Seemed like it was his first time here too. We settled down and had some conversation. "You mean, you and Yohana are working in same firm and living in same building. That's something you call fate."

"I don't want this fate then." I said under my breath sighing.

"Who knows if it's fate or her stalking me." Drunk Sang-Tae surely is a talker.

"Hey, I didn't stalk you. I didn't even know you still existed on this planet." I stated sipping my beer.

The dinner was quite good. We had kimbap and some other dishes with difficult names. But they were very tasty, Got my ears red with too much spice. Yeontan was already over after having the rest of beer and a whole bottle of soju. I had to wash the dishes after Sang-Tae commented, " They say when one cooks, the other have to do the dishes." With just the two of us, the atmosphere changed. There was no topic to converse with but still we were strangely comfortable with the silence. I helped him pick up the dishes from table. Suddenly his hand brushed against mine and it created an electric shock between us widening our eyes. "Did you feel that too?" He asked nervously laughing and I nodded. "Y-you say humans get charged with food and it showed today."

Washing the dishes, he helped me dried them with cloth. It started getting awkward so I started with, "So, you were in USA, how did you get a job here?" I asked.

He was silent for a few moments then spoke up, " Three years ago, I was offered a part time job at a company here. It got transformed to a full time but then I was offered a much higher post in Ryudel, since then I've been working here."

"Quite in demand, you are. Like some rare species. Hard to get." He shrugged at that when I chuckled. I finally felt nice to be around him after so many years. I almost forgot about that incident when we started talking.

"What about you? I thought you'd be settled by now. Didn't get a job in Matthews?"

"No. I declined working there. And was working part time till now. It's my first one full time here and that too such a high post already, like a dream come true. You know my parents, well how would you. I never told you. They never let me work anywhere for long and being a rebellious daughter got them big. I even helped them improve Matthews reputation, yet won't comply to my wishes since I didn't study science according to their will and such things like that." His facial expressions somewhat showed sympathy looking deeply in my eyes.

"Then Ryudel might be your fate. Since they couldn't influence their power here." He said.

"It can't be. With parents like them, I can't have fate like this. This surely is a result of my constant hard work and rebellion." Up until that we didn't realise how close our faces were staring deep in each other's eyes when His mobile rang. I never realised how handsome he was until then. He left the kitchen to talk.

He was left for quite long and I started getting bored so I looked around the apartment. It was a one BHK apartment yet quite big and airy. By the wall, I saw many pots with flowering plants. He made it actually a good place. I was outside a room when I heard him talking, "That's a bonus if he got conscious. I guess you should start by tomorrow, his words can really help us further. I'll send the call records I found and the note downs by tomorrow. We have to end this soon now."

What investigation was he talking about? What does he wanna end? What records? He really is upto something. It could something like he did to Ryan, yeah right, how can a snake become human! I couldn't think of anything at that moment so I rushed out of his apartment without informing him.

~~~

My whole night was spent tossing and turning in the bed thinking about Sang-Tae's conversation on mobile. I won't usually be bothered by anyone's business, but it is Sang-Tae, who once sent my most favourite person behind bars. How can I not be bothered and suspicious of what he does.

Leaving my apartment at 8:20 in morning the first person I met was him in the elevators. "Good morning." He wished merrily and I reciprocated. I couldn't avoid him at that moment nor I wished to to be honest, he seemed to be in a really great mood. "You left yesterday without telling me. I was worried." He asked getting concerned with his eyes on me.

"I wasn't feeling well. And why would you be worried! Its not like I am some kind of your responsibility." I shrugged avoiding his eye contact.

"Yeah true." What else was I expecting? After yesterday's deep discussion in kitchen and my eyes' realisation I started feeling nervous and shaky around him. Above all he wasn't wearing any suit today. Just a black shirt with rolled up sleeves that rose up his level of handsomeness. I can't assume anything else now, especially when I'm engaged and he has a girlfriend and when I've hated him for years and the reason for that. How can I alter these now. "You okay?" He shook me out of my mind and I started sweating with his touch.

"Isn't it hot today?" I asked in this chilly winters nervously parting from him and moving out of elevator hurriedly leaving him puzzled.

Entering the office, I got a call from Vanessa. "Yohanaaa!! I got some news for you." She sounded way too excited. Couldn't even let me reply when she, "Guess what! I was proposed. I'm getting married."

"What! When! How! First of all with whom?" I poured my drops of questions on her.

"You now Daniel." Oh yeah she was dating him for a year, How can I forget that. "He proposed me yesterday with a diamond ring. I'm so excited. You have to come to the wedding."

"Of course, how can I miss YOUR wedding." I was so happy for her.

"Yay, now we both are engaged."

"Ay, don't count me in this word. You know it was unintentional." At that moment, my office telephone rung and Sang-Tae called. "Call you later." And I hung up.

" What do you need now? " I asked entering his office but got astounded to see managing director there out if nowhere.

"Don't you know how to greet your superiors Ms. Yohana?" Sang-Tae asked fake smiling.

Gritting my teeth, I bowed smiling and ," Good morning Mr. Sang-Tae and Mr. Smith," emphasizing on Mr. Sang-Tae, while he just half smirked behind Mr. Smith's shoulder.

"I'm just here to appreciate your work. The articles you wrote for last week were over the top." Mr. Smith turned his nozzel of shower of complements. "And the product description you made was quite attractive, it got us higher profits. I hope to get way better from you ahead in future." I bowed at that thanking him. Surely in a week I quite learnt Korean etiquettes. He left the office followed by me but Sang-Tae pulled my arm.

"You can't leave yet. I have some work." Again that thing. It seems like I can't work around him properly from now on. "Here, " Handing me a file he said, "The administrative department has asked me to write an article on myself and my journey in Ryudel in addition to the directions and briefing of new jobs posts to publish in monthly magazine. So here's the tentative copy of what I wrote. Read it thoroughly and edit it and get it signed by the department by Friday."

"A biography on yourself... what are you? A minister?" I commented under my breath.

"No I'm not. But I can be, if you want." He winked at me smiling. What is it with him today!!? Is he drunk or what! LOL. His mobile pinged and his expressions changed from pleasant to that of tensed. "Fuck." With just that he moved out leaving me alone. Gawdd... What was he up to. He might be into something uptight. Fortunately I was already in his office and his PC was also working on. He might have something in here that can reveal what's going on.

Opening his drawer I found nothing just some files. They were just some finance report going above my head. There were three drawers at each side of his table and some others at the wall behind his chair. There was nothing. Quite a master mind he seemed to be. I checked his PC, he had some hidden folders that I found. But all of them were encrypted with a 19 characters password. At that very moment, I saw a small jewellery box beside his pen stand. It was quite dull looking like many years old. Opening that I saw a pen drive. It must be it, I hurriedly put that thing into my pocket and took off from there before he comes but, "You leaving?"