७६

Wonwoo scurried out of the elevator as soon as the doors open. "I'm sorry, sorry." He apologised walking through the crowd. The employees gave him strange look but he cared less as he made a beeline towards the Production department. He was about to walk in directly but stopped himself and peeked from outside. "Where is she?" He muttered to himself. Rumi was nowhere to be seen. When he had woken up in morning the bed beside him was cold and empty.

"Noona? Noona!" Wonwoo walked out of the room calling out for her.

"Wonwoo-ya what happened?" Youngjae asked walking out from the kitchen. "Noona? Where is noona? She wasn't there, where did she go?"

"Calm down, calm down." Youngjae put his hand on Wonwoo's shoulder. "She's fine." He assured. "Rumi received a call from work so she had to leave early. You went to bed late so she didn't wake you up." He explained trying to calm him down.

"But hyung yesterday-" Youngjae nodded his head. "She's fine. Don't worry."

How could he not worry after witnessing her like that? So the first thing he had done was calling her but she didn't answer any of them. Yes, she might be busy with work but that didn't put Wonwoo's mind to rest. He had to see her, hear her to know if she was really fine or not. "Still not picking up the phone? Noona, where are you?" He asked peeking inside. "Should I go in and ask?" He muttered to himself when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Uh huh, I'm caught. He thought fixing his mask and turning around to face the person. Eo?

"May I help yo-Wonwoo-nim?" It was Rumi's intern. Wonwoo let out a sigh in relief thanking the gods it was someone he was familiar with. Wonwoo nodded greeting her in small voice. Aerum flustered glanced around cautiously and gestured Wonwoo towards the emergency stairs. Wonwoo nodded and followed her there. Aerum glanced up at him, "Is everything alright?" She asked noticing that he looked troubled.

Wonwoo pulled down his mask and nodded his head. "De. Everything's fine. It's just noona- I mean Rumi-ssi have you seen her? I didn't see her in the department earlier."

Aerum furrowed her eyebrows. "Team jangnim? No, I didn't see her since morning." She replied shaking her head in answer. Hearing that the worry on his face escalated. "Ah wait! Let me call and ask Jaewoni he was supposed to assist team jangnim today." She said pulling out her phone and dialling his number real-quick.

"Really? Thank you." Wonwoo said bowing towards her in gratefulness. "Ah aniyo please don't-" Aerum shook her head when Jaewon answered her call.  "Eo Jaewon-ah, eodiya? Are you with team jangnim?" She asked as Wonwoo anticipatedly stared at her. "Eo? You are." She said giving a thumps up to Wonwoo who mouthed 'noona, where is noona?' "Ah-ah okay. Where is team jangnim? Is she near-by?" Wonwoo gestured towards the phone. Aerum nodded, "Her phone, is it not with her?" She asked. "You don't know?" She repeated looking towards Wonwoo who had a dejected look on his face. "Um, is she busy? Ah-ah okay. She is. But she is okay right?" Aerum asked. "She is okay." She gave a okay sign to Wonwoo. "Eo? Aniya-aniya, I was just asking. It's nothing. Ah, you must be busy right? I shouldn't take your time anymore. Bye." With that she quickly hung up before he starts questioning her odd call. "Wah I dodged it." She muttered in relief.

"Gamsahamnida." Wonwoo bowed towards making her step back and shake head no. "And I am really sorry for troubling you like this."

"Aniyo-aniyo. You don't have to really, Wonwoo-nim. In fact I'm rather grateful that I was able to be one of the waves that helped sailed this ship."

"De?" Wonwoo looked at her in question. "De? Ah nothing." Aerum slapped her mouth for slipping out. Wonwoo nodded even though he found her weird. "Haha." Aerum awkwardly laughed. "Then I should get back to work." She said pointing towards the door. "Ah de, de." Wonwoo nodded. "Once again thank you for you help." Aerum smiled quietly left this time not wanting to blurt out anything else.

"Here, team jangnim." Jaewon handed a water bottle to Rumi as soon as she settled down in a chair. "Eo? Eo gomawo Jaewon-ah." Rumi smiled unscrewing the bottle and drinking. "Um team jangmin?" Rumi hummed glancing up at him. "Are you not feeling well these days?" Rumi furrowed her eyebrows.

"What makes you think like that?" She questioned.

"Ani, it's just you look very tired than usual. And I just received a call form Aerum earlier, it seemed like she was worried about you?" Rumi pointed towards herself as if asking 'me?' Jaewon nodded. Rumi shook her head. "I'm alright." She replied screwing the cap on the bottle again. "And isn't it normal to get tired at this age?" She said placing the bottle on the table on front.

"Aye-he, team jangnim you are not that old." Jaewon said making her laugh out loud. "Jinjayo!" Rumi laughed nodding her head. "Aarso, aarso." She smiled. "But what's with Aerum suddenly? Worried about me? Did she say anything else?" She asked searching for her phone in pockets but they were empty. "Aniyo, she just asked if your phone was with you or not? And then if you were okay or not?" Jaewon answered with furrowed, himself confused with Aerum's odd behaviour.

"My phone? I think I left it somewhere?" Rumi said realizing about her missing phone. Both were on their feet looking for it. "Did you keep it somewhere and forget it?" Rumi ran her fingers through hair thinking about it and shook her head. "Mwolla." She sighed. "Then how about last time you used it? Do you remember where you used it for last time?" Jaewon asked. "If it had been around here then someone must've noticed it by now." He said showing his phone screen which displaying him dialling her number. Rumi nodded, "It should be around here somewhere I remember talking with oppa and then-ah!" She exclaimed suddenly making Jaewon jump at her loud voice. "I must have left in the car! I was talking with oppa and then I placed it on the passenger's seat. Right! I forgot it in the car." She jabbered already making her way towards the car. "How did I even forgot to bring it along?" She scolded herself unlocking the car. Dipping in, "Here you are." She said picking the phone from passengers seat. It lit up showing notifications. "Missed calls from Wonwoo-ssi!" She exclaimed then looked around covering her mouth. Fortunately no one was playing attention. "Fuck, he must've been worried. I left early today." She blabbered to herself while dialling his number.

"Yeobosaeyo?" Rumi took in a deep breathe. "Hello? Noona?" Just from few words one could hear the worry it carry.

"Wonwoo-ssi..." She could hear him let out a sigh of relief. "Mianhaeyo." Rumi guiltily apologized. There was no response from other side. Rumi bit her lip, he is really upset. "Wonwoo-ssi, I'm really sorry I forgot my phone in car and realized when Jaewon reminded me. I'm sorry, really sorry." Rumi explained. Still no response. "Wonwoo-ssiii... please say something."

"What do you want me to say noona?" Came in his clearly upset response. "Huh? You straight up left early in morning, didn't answer any of my calls nor my texts after what happened last night, what am I suppose to think noona!" He exclaimed. "Tell me noona, what am I to do when you pull stunts like this? Should I just wait and worry to death?"

"Wonwoo-ssi what are you saying?!"

"Then what should I say?! Do you know how worried I was? I even went to look for you in your office you're weren't there! At last I had to take help of Aerum-nim, I don't what I would've done without her help."

"Aerum?" Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. "Ah that's why she called! And were we wondering what's wrong with her." Rumi laughed in realisation which didn't stay on for long.  "NONNA!" Wonwoo scolded. "Seriously noona? Do you really think this is time to be thinking about that and laughing?"

"Ani." Rumi replied with small smile. "I am just happy to know that Wonwoo-ssi was worried about me."

"Of course I was." She could practically see him rolling his eyes. "Hehe." She giggled. "I am sorry Wonwoo-ssi. I really am. I promise I'll make it up to you!" She apologized. "Hmm...and how are you going to do that?" He asked in calm voice. Rumi smiled, "What do you want me to do?"

"Mee- Wonwoo hyung~ Mwohae~" A whiny voice filled Rumi's ear. There was commotion and soft voice of Wonwoo asking the person to get off him and leave his room. "Wae~ what were you doing? Ah? Were you on the phone?" "EO, off you go!" "Ani, who is it?"  "No one important! Go away." "Oh it is someone important!" There was his distant voice before Wonwoo's voice filled her ear once again. "Hello."

"So, I am no one important huh?" Rumi asked in teasing voice. "Noona..." Rumi laughed, "Okay, okay I'm sorry. So what were you saying earlier?"

"I was asking you to meet m- Hyung, I forgot to ask earlier, did you see the message? We have meeting tonight." Rumi could hear him let out a sigh. "When did this happen?" "Now?" "Aish-"

"Wonwoo-ssi?" Rumi called gaining his attention. "Let's talk later. You seem busy and I have to get back to work too."

"But-"

"I will call you back again okay? I promise."

"Arraso. Bye."

"Eo, bye."

"Yeahhhh!" The ruckus around the restaurant was too much, considering the thirteen insane men were gathered around for drinks. Hyun who was tasked to tag along with them stared at the staff in sympathy. "Yah yah yah, dubu dubu, pass it to me here." Hoshi shouted from one corner of the table. Hyun watched it being passed through seven others before it reached him. "Aish why there's only one piece left?!" Hoshi exclaimed with mouth filled with rice. Aigoo, they were already rowdy but their outfits weren't helping at all. Hyun muttered to himself watching thirteen men dressed in old printed shirts and leather jackets. He felt embarrassed sitting among them and for god knows what reason Vernon kept giving him glances. Is there something he wants? Hyun thought looking at his table and then back at him but he averted his eyes. What does he want?

"Hyung! Join us!" Chan called over from their table. Hyung? When did that happened? "Aniyo, I am fine." Hyun shook his head. "Oh come hyung, it's weird y'all sitting there alone." Chan said while others started to urge him to join them on their table. Hyun glanced at his partner who pulled out his phone pretending to receive a call and slipped out of there. Traitor. Hyun cursed through his teeth while getting up.

"Come here hyung." Chan pulled a chair beside him when Vernon exclaimed from other. "Yah, don't. Let Hyun-nim sit here!" He said giving up his seat and sitting on the chair Chan had pulled. Everyone stared at him strangely including Hyun before returning back to chaos.

"Water?"

"Eo! Gamsahamnida." Hyun thanked Wonwoo who filled his glass for him. "You're not drinking?" Hyun asked noticing his water filled glass. Wonwoo hummed nodding his head. "At least one must be sane." He replied. Hyun let out a small laugh sipping on his water when he felt someone's eyes on him again. He glanced up to see Vernon was staring him from other side. Seriously what's wrong with this guy? He thought leaning towards Wonwoo. "Umm, does Vernon-nim have a habit of staring after getting drunk?" He asked.  Wonwoo furrowed his eyebrows, "Not that I've noticed-" Indeed, he was staring. Vernon looked away when Wonwoo looked up. "Maybe he does?" Wonwoo replied staring at Vernon who kept sneaking glances. "Did you say anything to him before?" Hyun shook his head, "Not really." That's weird. Wonwoo thought and shrugged his shoulders thinking he must've gotten drunk. "Don't mind him he must be drunk." Wonwoo replied.

'Ohhh hoo look at them whispering in each others ears!' Vernon mentally exclaimed.  'Oh my god, oh my god hyung is so cute! Serving him food! This so exciting!' He mentally squealed as Hyun smiled at Wonwoo thanking him. 'So exiting, so thrilling, so romantic! They really make a cute pair don't they? Oh oh look at them sneaking glances at each other. So cute~'

"Vernon? Vernon! Yah Chwe Hansol!" Seungkwan screamed finally getting his attention. "Pass me that bowl." Seungkwan said. "Whoa, I almost went deaf." He muttered passing him the bowl. Seungkwan stared, "You drunk already?" He asked waving his hand in front of his face. "Who me? Not yet." Vernon replied shaking his head and getting up. "Where you going?"

"Washroom." Vernon replied making his way towards it when Wonwoo tagged along.

"Gwenchana?" Wonwoo asked. Vernon grinned and nodded his head. Wonwoo chuckled looking at his dazed smile, that guy was dead ass drunk. "You'll hold up right?" He asked to which Vernon gave him a thumps up. "Okay-" Wonwoo's phone rang cutting him off. A smile formed on his face as soon as he saw the caller id. "I need to take this you go ahead." Vernon nodded and went along.

"Yeoboseyo?" Wonwoo answered the call.

"Eodiyo?" Came in her slightly breathy voice. "Out for meeting." Wonwoo replied. "Ani, I mean I don't see you with others?"

"De?" Wonwoo started looking around. "You are here?" He asked excitedly. "Eo. Are you done with your meeting?" She asked. "Yeah, I mean we were just finishing up the dinner." Wonwoo said still trying to look for her. "Araso, then when you are done come out. I'm waiting across the street." He was already making his way out there.

"Wonwoo hyung I'm done are you-eo?" He saw Wonwoo walking towards the exit. "Where's he going?" He started following him and stopped right at the door. "Oh my, my they are already sneaking out." He giggled covering his mouth watching Wonwoo climb on the bike. "So thrilling." He said and went back inside giggling to himself.

"Yah were you taking a dump or what?" Seungkwan asked as Vernon settled down beside him. "Ani." He shook his head. "Where's Wonwoo hyung?" Seungkwan asked. "Hehe." Vernon giggled. "He ran off with Hyun-nim, hehe." He giggled again picking up his glass downing it in one go.

"Eo?" Seungkwan gave him a strange look and glanced across the table at Hyun chatting and laughing with Jeonghan and Seungcheol. "You need to slow down at that bro." Seungkwan said shaking his head at Vernon who kept giggling to himself.

A/N:

Ay-yo! Guess who's back after a decade!

PS : I'm ready to take it. Come at me with all those curses!

Love,

Alba💜