Back
/ 83
Chapter 46

४४

24H | SEVENTEEN

"Mmm..I'm done." Rumi collected her tray and stood up. "You guys enjoy. I'm leaving." She smiled and politely bowed. Seungcheol nodded with a little wave of his hand. "What are you doing this evening?" Hoshi asked straining his head back to look up at her.  "Hmmm, my hands feel itchy today, want to kill something, wanna to be my victim?" She asked with a sweet smile on her face. Both Seungcheol and Wonwoo splatter with laughter.

"Yah, do you know you are psychopath?" Hoshi asked his eyes wide at her brazen words. Rumi just smiled and started walking off. "But I still love you my soulmateu!" Hoshi called receiving a middle finger in return. "Aish, she's too vulgar." Hoshi complained laughing. "Be lucky she doesn't beat you up. If it was I then I would have." Seungcheol commented. "You already do." Hoshi retorted back and was about to get hit when Wonwoo stood up with his tray. "Yah, eodiga?" Hoshi asked turning to look at him.

"I'm done too." Wonwoo replied not waiting to say his bye and rushed off.

"Eo? How come he's done? Normally he eats slow." Hoshi looked at Seungcheol in question.

Seungcheol nodded and patted his hand instead of hitting. "Don't worry he's going to teach Rumi. Let us eat. Or are you saying you don't want to eat with me?" He asked his eyes going wide in warning. Hoshi was quick to shake his head no. "Good, meogeo (eat up)"

"Rumi-ssi jamkkanmanyo!" Wonwoo called falling step into step with her. Rumi did not stop nor decreased her pace just gave him a tight-lipped smile in response. "Let me return that for you." He used one hand to hold his own tray while using other to take her tray. "Eo? Okay, thank you for that. Then I'll get going." She thanked him and started walking the other direction. "Ah? Wait. No." Wonwoo glanced at the trays in his hands and then at Rumi's leaving back. "Aish...Rumi-ssi wait!" He called again hastily placing the trays on the conveyer belt and ran behind her.

Rumi was already at the elevator waiting for it to come. She tapped her feet anxiously, hoping it would arrive faster but Wonwoo was quicker. "Rumi-ssi I want to talk to you for few minutes." Rumi turned to him with forced smile. "Wonwoo-ssi, I'm really sorry but my lunch time is almost ove-"

"You still have fifteen minutes left." He cut her off.

"De?" Rumi knitted her eyebrows in question.

"You still have fifteen minutes left before lunch time is over. Your lunch time ends at two right? It's still one forty-five." Wonwoo explained pointing towards the watch on her wrist which she was about to use for excusing herself. Rumi quickly put her hand down and looked away. "Just few minutes Rumi-ssi." Wonwoo requested leaning towards his side to meet her eyes.

Rumi sighed and turned towards him. "Okay." She nodded; a broad smile on appeared on his lips as furrowed eyebrows relaxed. Why is this man so handsome? Look at him smiling, does he even know what he has done to me? Rumi thought waiting for him to going on. "What it is that Wonwoo-ssi wanted to talk about?" She asked choosing to look at her own hands rather than his handsome face. "Ah well actually-" He suddenly stop making her look up, Wonwoo was looking around so Rumi followed him wondering what he was looking for when her wrist was grabbed and she was being dragged. "What-Wonwoo-ssi!" Rumi whisper shouted looking around, they were being stared at. "Wonwoo-ssi what are you doing?" Rumi exclaimed when she found herself at the emergency stairs. What is this? Is he trying to get revenge on her for last time?

"Miahaeyo." Wonwoo apologised bowing his head. "I wanted to talk and didn't think it was appropriate to do it in front of the elevator." He explained, Rumi nodded her lips forming a line. Wonwoo looked away, took a deep breath, and turned back to face her again. "Actually, I wanted to talk about what happened that night." He started. "That night, we talked and said lot of things. Rumi-ssi apologized, I apologized. I know the way I apologized might've hurt Ru-"

"Wonwoo-ssi if you are trying to saying sorry for something like hurting my feelings then please don't. Because you haven't. Like I said I'm not fragile hearted. I completely understand your side. I'm not hurt. Sad? Yes, maybe. But I can get over it. So please just don't apologize." Rumi said with a pronounced sigh.

"No, Rumi-ssi it is not that. I wasn't sorry-I mean I was-am sorry but for completely different reason. You've misunderstood-"

"Wonwoo-ssi you don't have to really." Wonwoo shook his head. Her not letting him finish his sentence somehow made him lose his patience. "I didn't misunderstood anything-" A groan left his mouth as he grabbed Rumi by her shoulder and pushed her into the wall. Rumi's eyes went wide, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You did." Wonwoo said in his deep voice, it was lower than his normal voice. "You did Rumi-ssi. And I know it is my fault. I should've been clearer." Too close, too close. The siren went off in Rumi's mind. "But that night you kept apologizing for the things you shouldn't for and I was so embarrassed that I just blabbered out things without giving it a second thought." Wonwoo explained shaking his head at his own self. "The way I apologized made Rumi-ssi misunderstood me. Actually, I was apologising for the things I said and names I called you in front of the members in the canteen that day. I was apologizing for my childish behaviour, for getting upset over such a childish thing as not receiving Rumi-ssi's attention. I was apologizing for not being able to apologize sooner because I was embarrassed of myself. I was apologising for being a rude person, getting drunk and causing you trouble. Rumi-ssi misunderstood me. I am sorry but not because I was rejecting Rumi-ssi's feeling. I never thought of rejecting Rumi-ssi's feelings. I-"

"What?"

"De? I am sorry-" Rumi shook her head. "No? Then? I never thought of rejecting Rumi-ssi's feelings?" That's it. Just as he finished repeating those words, Wonwoo found him against the wall with Rumi trapping him, suddenly the situation was reversed. It was like déjà vu. Wonwoo's widened eyes stared from her hand beside his head, against wall. His eyes went from her hand to her eyes. Her eyes had darkened then usual but still had the glint like that of a predator's watching its prey. "Wonwoo-ssi." Her voice, the way his name rumbled out sent knots in his stomach. "Mwo haseyo? (What are you doing?)" Her voice just as low and rumbling as before. "D-de?" He stuttered out. Corner of her lips lifted as a chuckle left her mouth. Wonwoo gulped at that sound.

"I am asking Wonwoo-ssi again just in case Wonwoo-ssi accuses me of misunderstanding. What are you trying to say?" She asked her face leaning in. "Because to me it sounds like you don't mind me having feelings for you." Her face leaning in closer, eyes flicking to his lips. Feeling conscious, Wonwoo nervously licked his chapped lips. Her eyes darkened. "That Wonwoo-ssi is giving away a ticket to me to flirt my way in your heart." Her eyes flicker to his chest and back to his. "Is that what Wonwoo-ssi is trying to say?" Rumi questioned her head tilting to side as she leaned in closer. Wonwoo could feel her warm breath hitting his lips, his own eyes flickered her full lips. He unconsciously closed his eyes leaning in waiting for them to unite but was greeted with a cold breeze hitting his lips. Wonwoo snapped opened his eyes to see Rumi had back away and was no longer trapping him between the wall and herself.

"I just want to make sure. If not, then Wonwoo-ssi can straight away reject me so I can go away with my sadness and move on." Rumi said with a teasing smirk suiting her face. Mwo? Is she really asking me that? With that look on? After doing that to me? Wonwoo looked away feeling embarrassed. "Or Wonwoo-ssi can say nothing and I would take it as a yes." Wonwoo snapped his eyes to her. She was teasing him ani, more like tempting him with that little devilish smile. "Hmm?" She raised an eyebrow cocking her head to side. Why did Wonwoo find that attractive? More importantly, what was happening to him? Him getting all nervous wreck, leaning in like that and not being able answer her question?

"Umm...fifteen minutes are up. Your lunch time is over." He muttered checking his wrist which had no watch on. "Let's go." He announced opening the door and walking out.

Rumi chuckled shaking her head at his cuteness. "I'm taking that as a yes then!" She shouted following behind him. "Be ready Wonwoo-ssi!" She laughed watching him duck his head and quicken his pace.

Rest of the day, Rumi spent it like she was on cloud nine, a silly smile on her face, in a daze where nobody could reach her nor the words of her captain who was currently looking at her in question. Hyun nudged Rumi who turned towards him with a giggle. "Yah, stop it already." Hyun gritted through his teeth. He was already annoyed with her giggling out of sudden now she was doing it again while in a meeting. "Captain is asking you something..." He said this time using violence.

"Madar-!" She cursed trying to hold her foot but bumped her knee on the table in process. "cho..." She cried holding both her foot and knee. "Sunbaenim are you okay?" Rumi snapped her at Hyun and bared her teeth. Good she's back. Hyun thought looking at her narrowed eyes.

"Agent Rumi are you okay in there?" Gu Hwa asked looking at her, Rumi tsked fixing her posture and waved her hand. "Eo, I'm good. What is it?" She asked leaning back in her chair a scowl suiting her face. A snort was heard at her comment, her ear peeked at it. "Look at her audacity, first she wasn't paying attention now she has guts to be this rude." Rumi rolled her eyes. Whispers like this don't prick her nowadays. "Who does she think she is? So what she was A-ranked agent, now she's demoted so she should act like one." Rumi almost snorted, how do I act like one though? Gu Hwa cleared his throat.

"Let's get back to the meeting ye?" He said looking at each one of them. "Agent Rumi, recently you requested for intel on one of the staff from production department. May I know what result do you received?" He questioned. Rumi nodded leaning forward, "Han Jina, I found her behaviour suspicious. She made attempts to get close to boys. She seemed to have great connections around the entertainment industry so I looked her up. Turns out she's the daughter of director." Rumi explained.

"Do you believe she's involved in this case?" Rumi clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Aniyo. She's some wanna be celebrity." Rumi answered signalling Hyun who nodded and put forward Jina's profile. "She likes collecting celebrities like Pokémon cards, wants everyone to know how good of friends she's with them. In fact, she approached me with same intentions, apparently she believed I was good friends with the idols." Gu Hwa nodded going through the file.

"Is she clear, then?" He questioned; Rumi was about to nod her head but Hyun cut her off.

"That cannot to be confirmed. People like this tend to be very obstinate. They'll do anything to get what they want." Hyun answered glancing at Gu Hwa and Rumi who shrugged and leaned back in her chair. "We can keep an eye on her for the time being." Gu Hwa hummed and nodded his head.

"Agent Rumi take care of it." Rumi sat up. "What? But I don't wan-" "Okay, there's no update on the software yet." Gu Hwa cut her off completely ignoring her whines. "The tech team is still working on it. Recently there was the airport incident, Team TXT were quick to handle it. Good job." Gu Hwa informed nodding at the team as everyone appreciated them with applause. Rumi smiled clapping her own hands; the atmosphere here was totally different from what she was used to. Getting appreciated for such cases is not what she had experienced before. Then again all these agents were the rookies who were on their path to big cases. Encouragement like this will do good for that they going to face ahead.

"That concludes the meeting. Thank you for your good work everyone." Gu Hwa smiled as everyone bowed in respect and exited the meeting room.

"Tsk. What are you smiling about whole day? Do we need to get you check up or something?" Hyun tsked at Rumi who was still smiling like an idiot. Maybe she's still out of it. Hyun thought and was about to pinch her out of her daze but Rumi caught his hand.

"Yah." She looked up at him. "Don't you think you are getting too comfortable here? I let it go once but there won't be a second." She warned leaning closer to him. Hyun gulped and looked away.

"I-I thought you were still out of it." Hyun stuttered. He still wasn't used to her closeness, his heart would skip a beat whenever she would look into his eyes.

Rumi scowled and leaned back letting go of his hand. "I'll break your bones if you even think of doing that again." She growled.

"Are you bullying your junior again Rumi?" A cheery voice said making her look at it's direction. Rumi huffed turning away her head in annoyance. "Captain." Hyun bowed in respect; Gu Hwa smiled patting his back. "She has a habit of scaring away people. When I first met her, she had held a knife against my neck." Rumi scoffed.

"Yet here you are getting on my nerves every damn time." She muttered earning a nudge from Hyun, she turned and glared at him. "Aaizav-" Rumi was about to jump him.

"Okay. What are you doing after work Rumi? How about dinner?" Gu Hwa asked smiling down at Rumi. Rumi tsked rolling her eyes.

"Ah, Captain." Hyun intervened. "Sunbaenim promised to buy me a dinner today." Hyun lied through his teeth. Rumi turned to look at him in surprise. "Right sunbaenim?" He looked at her with wide eyes, Rumi looked more confused. "Sorry Captain, but today Rumi sunbaenim is booked." Hyun bowed his head quickly and pulled Rumi out of there.

"Woah, when did I promised you lunch?" Rumi questioned when they were out of Gu Hwa's sight.

"You didn't." Hyun replied. No matter how much respect he had for Gu Hwa that didn't mean that he liked him getting close to Rumi. His jealousy made him do things he didn't before. "I lied. Why? Do you want to have dinner with him?"

Rumi raised her eyebrow at his tone. "I don't but why do you sound so annoyed?"

"I'm not." Hyun annoyedly replied before letting out a sign. "Forget it." Rumi stared at him and nodded her head, wondering if men also suffer mood swings. "Umm what are you doing after this?" Hyun asked with a soft voice. Ah, I think they do. Rumi thought to herself before answering.

"Heading home, wae?"

"Ani, I was just thinking if you wanted to...maybe...you know, have dinner together...?" Hyun peeked through his eyelashes waiting for her answer.

Rumi stared at him for few seconds before replying with flat, "No."

Crack, if one could hear sound of getting rejected. Hyun pressed his lips together and silently nodded his head. He was already getting rejected. Seems like there's no chance for him.

A/N :

My dear Reader-nims,

I apologize for recent late updates and for upcoming late or no updates. Yes, there won't regular updates like usual, I might post a new chapter or I might not. Reason: I have my last semester coming soon and I really need to do well this semester. Plus as you know typical Indian families, they know you have exams yet to you gotta attain this function and that function. Hence, I have busy schedule ahead of me. Still I try my best to post a chapter . I hope you'll understand this author's suffering. Until next update!

Your lovely Author-nim,

Alba💜

Share This Chapter