C8 Chapter 8

"I made your pretty face to blush. You look so cute right now." Leo pinch my flushed red cheek, his eyes roaming my face and making me to blush even more like a breathing tomato. In a quick motion, he takes hold of my right hand and begins to lead the walk.

"I want to treat you to anything you want, not just a spicy tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes). I'll buy you everything. Do you still enjoy street food and snacks?" He asks, with his hold tightening on my hand.

"Eoh," I reply. "That has been on my mind, actually. I still like street food a lot. Street rice cake and dumplings are the best," feeling myself like a small kid being pulled by her older oppa. But Leo is only a year older than I, if I clearly remember —yet he make me feel like a kid who needs a special attention. That was how he treated me even back in our high school days. He's the kind of guy who loves to take control, and when he does takes control, all you have to do is —not do anything and just let it be. Because he's good enough to be trusted on that aspect.

Leo abruptly stops walking and let go of my hand as if he's either forgotten or remembered something. Swiftly, he turns his body around and begin to take off his leather jacket, leaving himself in a black and thick looking turtleneck sweater. I'm lost in his beautiful, double lidded eyes as he drapes the jacket around my shoulders.

"It's cold outside," he says. "You need to wear this to keep yourself warm. I'll treat you to some hot egg breads and fishcakes. I know a place nearby that make a very yummy and hot fishcakes." He smiles, and I nod at him with a smile, too, feeling my heart jumping out of position as his arm goes around my waist, securing me to his body. If anything is hot, it's not the fishcake but you!

Oh gosh, I'm glancing around to see if people are looking at us, but thank goodness a lot are focusing on their activities. Only a young woman talking on phone seems to be following Leo with eyes full of both admiration and envy. I'm blushing like a fool, I still can't believe that this handsome man use to like me. I think he still do. Me, Sarah Han, the messed up human being with an anxiety and panic disorder.

My legs halt as my excitement quickly runs down the drain when I look up ahead only to see the group of shareholders, managers, directors, and and Mr Jay in the middle, striding his long legs forward and coming in full force. His hands are buried inside his overall's pockets, his nose and chin high up in the air like the arrogant boss he is. The others are actively following after him almost as if he has tied an invisible leash around their thick necks. Well, let's say their livelihoods partially depends on that, —at least for some of them.

The black overall coat is flying in the air and the universe seems to be having a slow-motion effect on him. The way his pointy loafers are confidently bouncing and leaving their signature on the spotless floors of Hotel Kyros is more than enough to show people how very important he is. The earth is shaking. . . Oh my gosh, they're going to trample on us at the pace in which the group are all coming towards us.

The slow effects sets again, and time seems to be slowing down as the group are getting nearer. I see Mr Jay's side gaze roughly falls down on Leo's hand on my waist for a very brief, tiny moment before he looks away. And like a fast forward or the blowing of a cold wind, he pass by me, causing me to shiver almost as if someone has just splashed me with a bowl of icy water.

None among the other group members seemed to have noticed my existence, but I don't care about them. I'm quite sure that most of them can't even recognize my face. What concerns me is that Mr Jay has seen and noticed everything, but. . . Whoa! I feel so invisible. How is he so perfect at making people feel tiny, like their existence doesn't matter?

"Sarah, let's go. Why did you stop, and what are you looking at? Did you forget something?" I don't even know that I'm completely stuck in one spot until now that Leo's voice has yanked me back to reality. My head has completely turned back and I'm looking at the group with my mouth gaping open.

"Whoa!" I shiver internally. "Sunbae can you see me? Or have I become invisible?"

"Who's invisible to who?"

"Never mind. Let's go."

We head out of the luxurious tall building, the cold air hitting my cheeks as we make for the parking lot down the corner slope to the left. I don't know why I'm still feeling the sensation of being immersed in a cold water. My mind just can't get rid of the way Mr Jay pretended to not see me. I don't think I deserve that as his personal secretary. I may be nothing more than a cheap employee he could kick out anytime he wants to, but to me, I'm beginning to see something different about him; a warm side that a lot of his employees probably haven't seen. Or maybe I'm just stupidly hoping that he's a warm guy inside. I'm not sure about this.

"Hya," Leo calls with a snap of his fingers to my face, and once again, I'm being yanked back to reality. We're already standing by a black, high tinted jeep in the parking lot, and I'm sure that the nice jeep belongs to Sunbae. He has opened the door for me, but he closes it shut as he steps closer to me, trapping me in between the car and his body. The heat coming off his body is waking the butterflies in my tummy once again.

"Sarah, tell me what's clouding your mind?" His warm breath falls hard on my face, and I smell tobacco with a mix of breath freshener in his breath. His eyes are narrowing at me, —his face serious all of a sudden as if willing to listen to me first and then go and punch the guy who's causing me to worry.

Maybe Leo deserves to know that I have more interest in my boss than I do in him. I don't want us to get too comfortable with each other only to end up hurting. What I feel now may be nothing but a fling and a normal attraction towards a guy who use to like and protect me in high school. Now I'm older and I'm not allowing myself to be reckless with two men. I should tell him. He deserves to know. His feelings for me seems to have become rekindled so quick as if he'd never even gotten over me in the first place.

"Urm. . . Sunbae. Earlier, you asked me if I'm seeing someone, and I didn't get to answer you. . . I think you should know that I'm interested in. . ." His finger suddenly press against my lips to shut me up. The intensity of his gaze. . . I can see the same amount of fear written in his eyes just like six years ago when I use to turn him down.

"Forget I asked you about that." His voice is husky and serious all of a sudden, devoid of any hint of soft emotion. He bite his jaw so hard and runs his eyes across my face, narrowing down to my lips. "No, its not going to work that way. I'm going to steal you even if you have a boyfriend Sarah, so long as you're not married, I still have a chance. Scratch that boyfriend or whatsoever he is. Seeing you today has awakened a fire of madness in my head and I'm only trying to stay sane to be considerate for you. My heart is yearning, it's making me feel restless and. . ." His two hands cup my face as he stare into my eyes deeply, rubbing his thumb against my red cheeks. I feel my heart palpitation racing and increasing.

"I want to kiss you." He declares, bringing his face down until our lips are so close to touching, but then he moves his lips up to my forehead and place a soft peck. "I'll have to be patient until I win your heart. Just know that I'm not willing to watch or allow another man to hurt your feelings."

And then he pulls me to himself and hugs me in a tight, bear hug that shows just how much he'd missed me over the years. Gosh, his heart is beating much harder and louder than mine. I don't know what to say to him, but I can't accept his heart. Not now that I'm thoroughly confused.