Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 178: ‘Never’

Hei-Ran was stunned to hear what Jinhai had just said. Her eyes stayed on him as she continued to stare at him unblinkingly.

This had got to be a joke right? She asked herself, but the look on Jinhai’s face didn’t reveal much. He had to be joking.

Jinhai was also very shocked after blurting such a thing out. He had not planned it. Her question had taken him unaware and that was why he had blurted that out. What was he to do now?

Seeing how stunned she was he didn’t know what to do or say to recant what he had just said.

He could maybe laugh it off and say it was a joke right? But on a second thought, he could just let it be. He could just tell her the truth and let fate take it’s course. He was tired of all this pretence when he could outrightly tell her how he feels. And it was also really going to sound childish and stupid if he says it was a joke and then later he’d also get to tell this same thing to her. Maybe he should just maximize this opportunity.

But, what if she runs away from him and gives him a lot of space? He didn’t want that. Jinhai couldn’t bear the thought of losing her right now. She was talking to him more often and he could pick her up and drop her off daily, he didn’t want to miss any of that.

No, he wasn’t going to tell her now. There was no way he would do that. Hei-Ran hasn’t shown much interest in, so being this bold was going to be foolishness. He would wait, and use the time left for their fake relationship to change her opinion about him, then he can tell her.

.....

Hei-Ran kept looking at him, she blinked her eyes as she looked at him, “You’re joking right?” She asked in a small voice.

Jinhai cocked a brow at her, “Do you want me to? I mean I can-”

“Song Jinhai!” Hei-Ran snapped, letting him know this wasn’t a time to joke.

Jinhai swallowed when he saw the intense look on her face.

“Fine I was joking, I’d never want to do that, but if you want me to, then I don’t mind” He said with a teasing smile.

Hei-Ran felt a weird feeling in her heart when he replied her nonchalantly. It seemed like it was such a bad idea to fall in love with someone her. She didn’t want him to fall for her, but his response was sort of hurtful. She wasn’t feeling disappointed about Jinhai not liking her, but he shouldn’t have been so blunt about it.

Using the word ‘Never’ just confirmed all she had heard over time.

Jinhai frowned when he noticed the flicker of emotion in her eyes. Why was she....

“Then you better don’t” Hei-Ran said before walking out of his office.

Jinhai was perplexed when he saw her leave like that. Had he by chance made a mistake?

...

Eun-sun looked at the phone for the third time, since the lunch break started. Everybody had gone out for lunch except her, as she was waiting for a certain someone who had said he would be back to have lunch with her. She looked around the huge office and of course it was just her sitting there.

‘Was he going to make it for lunch?’ She asked herself. Maybe she should try calling him to ask.

Eun-sun pursed her lips as she stared at her phone pondering whether she should call him or not. Her heart was pounding at that thought.

Slowly she picked up her phone and dialed his number. She felt her heart skip a beat when it started to ring. With every ring her heart thumped hard, she was tempted to hang up when she thought about what was she going to say when he picks up. He was definitely going to shamelessly tease her for calling him to know if he was on his way back. Eun-sun didn’t know what to do but luckily for her he didn’t pick up.

“Eww that’s was a relief” She exhaled deeply, letting go of the breath she had been holding. She didn’t know calling him was going to make her that nervous. In the future she would refrain herself from calling him. It was better to answer the phone when he calls, than calling him.

Eun-sun looked at the time, it was thirty minutes past the start of lunch, and she was sure she wasn’t going to get any good thing at the cafeteria at this time.

She sighed. “This is all his fault.”

Eun-sun was still apportioning blames to Dan-Han when the intercom rang.

“Hello”

“Ms Park, the president wants you at the cafeteria” Secretary Chang-wok informed her.

“He’s back?” She heard herself ask with a smile, which she quickly wiped off her face. That was awkward. She wasn’t getting excited about seeing him right?

“Yes, and he’s requesting for you” Chang-wok replied her.

“Okay” She said as she hung up. She hurriedly jumped to her feet and grabbed her phone and started for the door. Anxiety gripped her and her heart began to pound behind her chest.

Pausing on her strides she hurried back to her seat again, opened her bag and picked up the lip balm Dan-Han had gotten for her and applied a small amount on her lip. She didn’t know why she was doing it but she just felt like it.

Soon Eun-sun made her way to Dan-Han’s private cafeteria. When she stepped in, she saw him sitting at the table with a file in hand which he was fully immensed in, so much that he didn’t notice her presence, or that was what she thought. She stood by the door for a while and she couldn’t help but look at him. His hair was slightly pushing forward as he lowered his head to read his file, his face looked relaxed despite the fact that he had been working since this morning. In one word he looked handsome despite all the stress he must have endured all day, and the serious look he had while reading that file sort of made him look more handsome.

“When you’re done checking me out, come to the table” Dan-Han said without looking at her.

He knew she was there, and was only pretending? ‘Cheeky devil’ Who was checking him out? Definitely not her! Eun-sun felt embarrassed for being caught gawking at him. She took slow steps as she made her way to the table.

“Good afternoon, Mr Lee” Eun-sun greeted with a bow but Dan-Han didn’t look up to her, he only muttered, “Sit”

Eun-sun nodded her head and took a seat right opposite him, but the man still did not look at her. That was unusual.

Was he angry? Did she do something wrong, perhaps? She asked herself. She didn’t think so.

She shook her head and dismissed that thought of her head. Maybe he was just engrossed with his work.

Eun-sun felt a bit uncomfortable with Dan-Han’s awkward attitude. Yes it was awkward. Because the Dan-Han she had come to know would never not look at her, whenever she was around. He always tried to steal glances at her every now and then, but unknowingly to him she was always aware.

Eun-sun was still trying to understand what had happened to the cold man, when Alex suddenly brought their lunch.

The moment Eun-sun’s eyes fell on the food, her eyes grew wide. Damn! how could she forget? She carefully looked up at him again, but he was still reading the document in his hand.

“You should eat and stop staring” He suddenly said in a cold tone, making Eun-sun’s heart skip a beat.

She pursed her lip in embarrassment, she lowered her head to look at the food. Without saying much she picked up her spoon and started eating in silence but he didn’t. It was best to do what he had said since she knew she was already in trouble.

Eun-sun ate slowly, stealing glances at the man who had not bothered to look at her, not even once. Eun-sun finished her food to the last scrumb, and looked at him again.

She had to admit, she didn’t like the silent treatment he was giving her. She wasn’t used to it, as a matter of fact she didn’t like it. She was getting used to him teasing her and talking to her.

After contemplating for a while, Eun-sun lifted her head back to him again and with a small voice she asked, “Mr Lee are you angry?”

Dan-Han’s hand which was turning the page paused but he still didn’t lift his eyes to her.

“What do you think?” He asked as he turned to the last page of the file.

Eun-sun chewed her nether lip before replying.

“I’m sorry” She apologized.

Dan-Han closed the file in his hand and he couldn’t stop himself from looking at her. He also wanted to. He had not seen her face all all day and it was really difficult trying to be angry with her when she was sitted right in front of him.

Dan-Han felt his heart skid at the sight of her face, but he kept a stoic look, he wasn’t going to let her off just like that.

“What exactly are you sorry for?” He asked.

“Ermm.. for” She stuttered.

“For hugging In-Ha, or for not doing what I asked you to do?”

“Wait you saw me hug In-Ha?” Eun-sun asked in surprise.

“That’s not the point!” He snapped. “I don’t know how you’ve been living your life before now that you don’t bother to take your health serious. Do you how scared I was the last time you were sick at the club? I was worried. You had just one job and that was to eat breakfast but you still try to play around with it? Do you not care about your health at all? In one month you’ve given me the greatest scare of my life twice and you’re still trying to play around?”

“Mr Lee you’re shouting” Eun-sun told him in a low tone. He looked really angry. She didn’t know not finishing her breakfast was going to get him this angry. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to, she just couldn’t. ????????nr????????????. ????????????

Dan-Han also didn’t know why he was this angry with her, but she was too careless with her health.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more attentive towards myself. I promise” She promised.