OUTING II

"Don't be silly boss. My parents won't let you go if you do that." Hana laughed faintly while saying these words.

Jacob couldn't understand why he was feeling that way but he wanted to hear more of her laughter. He liked the sound of her laugh, like a feather tickling his stone-cold heart. He wasn't really a cold person but he had never experienced the same emotion that he felt towards Hana, which was also the reason why he was confused.

"Why won't your parents let go of me?" Jacob asked with mere curiosity. He wanted to know what kind of parents she had since he didn't get to talk to them the last time they were in the hospital.

"I am the precious daughter in our family. A man who will suddenly turn up to ask permission for an outing will be forced to marry me."

Not only Jacob but everyone else were looking at Hana. She looked so serious when she talked so they couldn't tell if she was joking or if she was telling the truth. Among all the staff in Book 'n Chill café, Hana and Jacob were the two people that they couldn't fathom at all. They were so difficult to understand.

"Are you so shock that you are backing out now?" Hana chuckled when she saw his disbelief. "No worries boss, I'll talk to my parents about this. I will let you know whatever their decision is tomorrow morning."

"That would be great." Jacob released a heavy sigh. He wasn't ready to get married yet and he didn't know Hana well-enough.

Lily sat closer to her and was really curios about Hana's life. "Will your parents really do what you said earlier?"

"Hn."

"Ehhh?! No kidding?!" They all gasped in surprise with what she said.

"Did you think I was joking earlier?" They all nodded their head and that included Jacob. Hana laughed at their cute reactions. It had been so long since she get to joke around her colleagues. "I was just joking."

Sigh.

Their heavy sighs were proof that she was successful with her joke. "My parents are really nice. They are a bit strict for some reason but they love me so much." She didn't want to talk much about herself so she immediately changed their subjects. "So, you got the venue for the outing. What about the food?"

"Boss and chef Alex are always in charge of the food." Lily commented.

"What about the games?" Jacob asked them.

"We can assign the games to..."

They talked about the outing for an hour and decided to stop their meeting and continue it on the next day. When they all went down from the second floor, Liam, Jacob's best friend was also preparing to open the bar.

"Yo! Going home already?" he asked Jacob who was following behind Hana. "Oh! Isn't this the pretty lady in the hospital?"

Everyone turned to look towards Hana once again. She lost count of the times that she got everyone's attention in one day and she hated it. She didn't want anyone to pay attention to her. "Yeah. I visited my grandmother." She smiled faintly and turned towards Jacob. "I'll go ahead boss. My brother is waiting for me already."

"Okay. Don't forget to tell your parents about the year-end outing." Jacob reminded her.

"Hn." She then turned towards Lily. "Let's go. Adam will drop you off to school."

"Bye everyone!" Lily and Hana bid their farewell and left.

Liam nudged Jacob with his elbow. "You didn't introduce me to her."

"There's no need." This cold reaction made everyone frown but they didn't stay any longer.

"Bye boss! Bye sir Liam!"

They left one after another, leaving Jacob with Liam.

"You guys were talking about your outing? Can I come?" Liam always tag along whenever they have an outing since he didn't have any family left. Jacob was his sworn brother and the only family that he got since college.

"Of course, you can. And I am reminding you again, don't try to make passes with my employees."

Liam put down his dry towel and the wine glass that he was holding. "You are like a mother hen protecting her chicks. What if I honestly like someone from your employees? Will you still stop me?"

Jacob placed the empty tray of refreshments on the counter and looked at his friend, eye-to-eye making sure that he can see all fleeting emotions. "You can like anyone from them but not Hana. Everyone else but her. You can't like Hana."

After saying his piece, he turned around and left. He was just about to open the glass door when he paused his hand mid-air. "Don't let anyone know about what I said tonight." Then, he left to go home and retire for the night.

Liam blinked his eyes twice, unsure if he heard him right. "I can like anyone but Hana? Was that the pretty girl in the hospital? Eh? He didn't want me to like her? Does that mean he likes her? Did I just discover a secret?" Liam was talking to himself with obvious mischief. "Now that I know it..hehe..let's see what you are going to do." A mischievous plan was formulated in his mind that instant.

It was the first time that Jacob took interest in someone and he was thrilled with the thought.

Jacob went home with indescribable expression. He didn't know why he said those words to Liam earlier. He was fine with Liam liking someone from his employees but the idea of him liking Hana tasted bitter in his mouth. He didn't like anyone liking her. He didn't like the idea of other men paying attention to her.

"I should really ask a psychiatrist with what's happening to me." Jacob murmured to himself. "I might as well ask my sister for any recommendation."