The world shattered into a thousand pieces. My life was over—before it even had the chance to begin.
I wanted a fresh start. A new beginning. A peaceful life, free from all the chaos. I had everything perfectly planned.
But, of course—fate took one look at my plans and said, "LOL, NOPE."
I grabbed Jane's shoulders, my eyes wild with desperation. "Jane, please. Tell me this isn't real. It's NOT real, right?! RIGHT?!?!"
She barely blinked, her expression flat. "Nope. It's real. Sorry to break it to you."
Wow. What an absolute bummer of a response. Where's the emotional support? The sympathy?
"HOW?! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!?! I HAD MY ENTIRE NEW LIFE IN KOREA PLANNED OUT, AND NOW IT'S ALL TURNING TO DUST! HUHUHUHUHU—"
I dropped dramatically to my knees, fists clenched, ready to wail to the heavens. But then—a thought hit me.
I shot back up. "WAIT. Jane. Was the suit already delivered?!"
Jane blinked, checking her tablet. "Uh… yeah. It was delivered yesterday. Which means it's probably already there."
My soul left my body.
"JANE, THIS IS GOING TO BE HELL. W-WHY DOES EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE HAVE TO GET F*CKED UP LIKE THIS?!?!?!"
She just smirked.SHE SMIRKED. This was not the time for smirking!
"There's no running now," she said, smug. "You have to face it."
I grabbed her hands. "NO, WAIT—how about this? We abandon everything here and move to another country. Huh?! Sounds good, RIGHT?! We can start over AGAIN!"
Jane's expression didn't change. "NO."
I gasped. "Jane… how could you betray me like this?"
She crossed her arms. "You promised. You said you were going to face your new life head-on. We literally left the Philippines for this, and now you wanna run again? Nope. Not happening."
I groaned, dragging my hands down my face. "Alright, alright! I get it! But this is going to be a nightmare. A full-on, migraine-inducing, soul-crushing nightmare."
I reached for my medicine, popped a pill, and collapsed into my chair.
Jane sighed, walking over to me. She grabbed my hand, looking me in the eyes. "We've got your back, okay? All of us. We're here for you. We owe you big time. I'll help you through everything."
I swallowed hard. "But if they find out… everything I worked for… my brand… it'll all be ruined."
"It won't happen," Jane reassured, giving my hand a squeeze. "I won't let it."
She pulled me into a hug. And just like that, I lost it.
I buried my face in her shoulder, ugly crying.Years of trauma, fear, and exhaustion bubbling over.
If this goes wrong… I won't be able to face the world again.
______________________________________________________________________________________
"Mr. Cha, your suit just arrived," Kim informed me as she stepped inside.
I barely looked up from my desk. "Suit? I didn't order any."
Kim held it up. "It's the one that got ruined during Designer B's boutique opening."
Ah. That suit. I finally glanced at it, memories of that disastrous night flashing through my mind.
"Oh. Right. Totally forgot about it." I frowned. "Why are they sending it back now?"
Kim remained professional, but I swear I saw a flicker of amusement. "It was dry cleaned. Her staff apologized on behalf of her employee for ruining it. As compensation, they're letting you keep the suit that her employee provided that night."
I raised an eyebrow. "Compensation? Letting me keep it? Pfft. Like I'd wear something from them ever again."
She handed me a note. I opened it, skimming the words.
"We're quits."
…We're quits?
What the hell does she mean by that?
Is she still mad?
Is she still playing games with me?!
I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening on the note.
"This woman is notorious for making me angry," I muttered under my breath. "No one has ever done this to me. No one."
Kim shuffled my schedule onto my desk, unfazed by my growing frustration. "Here's your agenda for today, sir."
I didn't even glance at it. Instead, I smirked. "Schedule another meeting with Designer B."
Kim hesitated. "Sir?"
"This time," I said smoothly, rolling the note between my fingers, "I'll have my revenge."
You can't escape me now, B. Your world is about to be shaken.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
A knock on the door.
Jane, ever the responsible one, hurried to check. Me? I didn't even flinch. My eyes were locked on my screen, my fingers moving at lightning speed. Victory was within my grasp.
She came back quickly, looking… uneasy.
"Jovi, there's someone at the door looking for you."
I barely acknowledged her, still focused on my game. "I'm in the middle of something important here. If it's not life or death, shoo them away."
Jane hesitated. "Not important?"
Then—another voice.
"Shush us away?"
Wait.
Wait.
I know that voice.
A chill ran down my spine. My character in the game? Dead. Completely annihilated.
I slowly—very slowly—turned around.
And there they were. Nam. Mr. Park. Standing inside my house like two omens of doom.
My soul left my body. My past sins came rushing back. My entire existence reeled.
I slammed my headphones down and shot up like I had just been electrocuted.
"HEY!!! WHY ARE YOU INSIDE MY HOUSE?!?!"
I spun toward Jane, betrayal etched onto my face.
"AND WHY DID YOU LET THEM IN?!?!"
Jane, utterly unfazed, casually shrugged. "They insisted. Also, they brought gifts."
I blinked. "SO YOU SOLD ME OUT FOR SNACKS?!"
She had the audacity to smile sweetly. "They brought a lot of gifts."
Traitor.
Eventually, we moved to the living room. Jane, now fully embracing her role as my biggest enemy, served them tea and confectioneries like we were at some kind of fancy reunion instead of a home invasion.
Meanwhile, I sat there, gripping my cup like it was the last thing keeping me from screaming into the abyss.
"Woah, your place is huge. This is an entire floor. Amazing." Nam whistled as he looked around, Mr. Park on the other hand comfortably seated like he owned the place.
"I agree," Mr. Park said, sipping his tea like he was in a five-star hotel. "My apartment is barely a quarter of this size."
I waved my fork dismissively, stuffing more cake into my mouth. "It's not mine. B lent it to us. Just a perk of working for her."
Nam and Park nodded as if I had just enlightened them about the mysteries of the universe.
"To bring so many gifts, what a waste," I muttered between bites, eyeing the growing pile in the corner. "There are already tons of untouched gifts over there, and you just added more."
"In Korea, it would be rude not to bring gifts when visiting," Park replied, ever the diplomat.
"Right! We weren't sure what you liked, so we just bought whatever other girls seemed to want," Nam added enthusiastically.
I chewed my cake, staring at them. Suspicious.
"Uh-huh. Is this a gift or a bribe?" I asked flatly.
Silence.
They exchanged glances.
I squinted.
They squirmed.
Bingo.
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" I sighed dramatically, placing my fork down like a judge about to deliver a verdict. "I don't want to waste your precious time. What do you both really want?"
They froze again.
I narrowed my eyes. Why are they here? Are they spying on me? Did I unknowingly sign up for a secret experiment? Am I the main character in some corporate conspiracy drama?!
Then, the unthinkable happened.
Mr. Park—THE Mr. Park—leaned forward.
"Please! Come back and work with me! I NEED YOU!"
I almost choked on my cake.
Then Nam, as if synchronized, practically threw himself forward too.
"I want to treat you out! PLEASE!"
I blinked. Once. Twice.
Then—
"Jane." I turned to my ever-reliable assistant. "Call Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk. Get these intruders out of here."
I stood up, wiping imaginary crumbs from my hands like I was done dealing with peasantry.
"WAIT! NO!" They collapsed to their knees like I had just announced their execution.
"PLEASE LISTEN TO US!"
I sighed dramatically, glanced at the ceiling as if asking the universe why me, then finally—begrudgingly—sat back down.
I was about to regret this. I just knew it.
Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk stormed in like bodyguards in a mafia movie. Their eyes zeroed in on Mr. Park and Nam like predators spotting an easy meal.
They must have overheard the conversation because, in less than a second, Hyun-Jin snapped.
"YOU DARE—"
Before he could launch himself across the room like an unguided missile, In-Hyuk and Jane tackled him mid-air, turning my expensive living room into a budget wrestling ring.
"CALM DOWN, YOU MANIAC!" Jane hissed as she clung onto Hyun-Jin's arm like a lifeline.
"LET ME AT 'EM! LET ME AT 'EM!!" Hyun-Jin snarled, kicking and flailing like a cat getting a forced bath.
Meanwhile, Mr. Park and Nam were gripping their teacups for dear life, looking like two innocent bystanders caught in a natural disaster.
I sighed dramatically, rubbing my temples. At this rate, my apartment was going to be reduced to dust.
I raised my hand.
Like good, well-trained Dobermans, Hyun-Jin and In-Hyuk immediately froze, though they still looked ready to rip these two apart.
"This is no time for drama," I sighed, even though this entire situation reeked of a bad soap opera.
"I'll answer your questions, and then you both leave me alone. Arasso?"
They both nodded like guilty kids about to get scolded.
"You first, Mr. Park." I pointed at him.
He cleared his throat. "D-Do you really work with Designer B?"
I rolled my eyes. "No, I just pretend to work there for the free snacks."
"…Really?"
"NO, YOU DENSE PANCAKE! OF COURSE, I WORK THERE!" I threw my hands up. "I'm the head tailor. I've been working for her for a long time. Nothing more, nothing less."
Mr. Park blinked, processing this information like a dial-up internet connection.
"So… that's why you don't want to work for me?" he asked hesitantly.
I sipped my tea. "No. The reason I worked for you in the first place was because I was bored."
Silence.
Nam choked on his tea. Mr. Park blinked.
"I… I see…" he mumbled. "B-But you can work part-time! I promise I'll treat you better!"
I gave him a long, unimpressed stare.
"Can't. Our schedule is already overflowing." I leaned back, casually popping a cookie into my mouth.
Hyun-Jin cracked his knuckles with a menacing grin. "And if you keep begging, I'll make sure it stays that way... permanently."
Mr. Park and Nam swallowed so hard I half expected them to choke.
This was going to be fun. Hyun-Jin was always reliable.
"But your schedule is completely free for the whole month," Jane chimed in, her tone way too innocent.
This demon. This absolute traitor. Whose side was she even on?!
"You—" I shot her a murderous glare.
Meanwhile, Mr. Park's eyes widened, practically shimmering with hope. "So you do have time!"
Damn it, Jane. This little snake was selling me out.
"Please? Jovi? PLEASE?!" Mr. Park was practically bouncing in his seat. The desperation was unbearable.
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Fine, I'll reconsider—" I turned to Nam. "And you?"
Nam took a deep breath, looked me straight in the eyes, and said—
"I-I want to go out with you."
Silence.
Pure. Absolute. Silence.
Then—
I choked. Mid-sip of my tea. I sprayed it everywhere, instantly drenching myself.
"HOLD UP."
Hyun-Jin was patting my back, trying (and failing) not to laugh. Jane was already recording. In-Hyuk was on the floor, gasping for air from laughing too hard.
Meanwhile, Nam just blinked at me, completely unfazed.
"So… is that a yes?"
"I already told you, we're even. You really don't have to go that far." I sighed, rubbing my temples.
"We've been over this, but fine!" I groaned dramatically, pointing at Nam. "One time. ONE TIME ONLY! Got it?"
Nam lit up like I'd just agreed to marry him.
"After that, you do not mess with me again, understand?" I warned him.
That's when I noticed Hyun-Jin. He wasn't just glaring—his entire body radiated pure murderous intent. His sharp gaze could probably pierce through solid steel, let alone Nam's fragile soul. It was as if he was already picturing all the different ways to end this man.
Shin-Hye really did assign me actual attack dogs for bodyguards.
Meanwhile, Jane casually handed me tissues like nothing insane was happening. Mr. Park, on the other hand, was still frozen in shock—before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
"You two are mentally unhinged." I scolded them, shaking my head. "Go get yourselves checked. Maybe at a psychiatric hospital. I cannot believe you both."
"I'm serious!" Nam whined. "I caused you so much trouble, and I'm really worried about it!"
"Oh, young man," I scoffed, giving him a deadpan stare. "I do not have time for this nonsense. Miss B already took you off the waiting list. Do you want me to tell her personally to change her mind?"
Nam shut up real fast.
Mr. Park, still wheezing from laughter, clapped him on the back. "Well, that escalated quickly."
"No-no-no! I'm so sorry!" Nam blurted out, practically throwing himself into a deep bow like he was apologizing to an emperor.
I sighed, waving my hand dismissively. "Listen, it's fine. It wasn't that big of a deal—just a simple fracture. Barely a scratch." I casually flexed my wrist for emphasis.
"B-barely a scratch?!" Mr. Park and Nam echoed in unison, looking at me like I had just confessed to being a war criminal.
"She's been hospitalized 35 times," Jane chimed nonchalantly, as if she was listing my grocery bill. "Mostly due to accidents in the workshop. That includes deep cuts, bone fractures, third-degree burns… oh, and don't even get me started on her unhealthy lifestyle. So yeah, this? These are small potatoes."
"WHAT?!?!" They both screamed so loudly that I almost dropped my tea.
I flinched. "Damn, are you two trying to send me to the hospital for the 36th time? Calm down!"
"Ain't that way too much?!" Mr. Park gawked at me like I had grown a second head. "Your workshop sounds like a death trap! You shouldn't even be working there—it's basically a horror movie waiting to happen!"
"You should really be more careful," Nam added, shaking his head like a disappointed parent. "You need to start prioritizing your health and safety."
I turned to Jane, who was sitting there, smugly sipping her tea like she had just won a bet. The glint in her eyes told me she was thoroughly enjoying their reactions. She had done this on purpose. This demon.
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "You guys don't have any other questions, right?" I shot Jane a pointed look. "Ms. Jane will see you out. I need to rest. I'm praying that after tonight, you both will erase me from your memory. If we cross paths on the street, please pretend we never met."
I stood up before they could argue, stretching dramatically.
"Oh, and Mr. Park?" I added, turning slightly. "I'll do this once, and only once. After that? I better not see you in my inbox, my DMs, or outside my damn apartment. Goodbye."
And with that, I made a beeline for my room, practically sprinting to avoid any last-minute plea. I shut the door behind me and pressed my forehead against it.
"Haysh." I groaned, slumping against the wood. "Why do they even know each other? I hate this. Let's just hope they won't bother me again."
I barely had time to breathe before I heard muffled voices through the walls.
"Ms. Jane, thanks for tonight. We'll be going now."
"Don't come back!" Hyun-Jin snapped, sounding like he was ready to chase them out with a broom.
"Don't even step foot in this building again," In-Hyuk added, sounding all serious—until Nam spoke up.
"But… I live on the seventh floor."
There was a brief silence.
Then Hyun-Jin deadpanned, "Move."
The arguing resumed, growing louder as I face-planted onto my bed. Jane, of course, ignored the chaos and cheerfully chimed, "Thanks, bye~" like this was a comedy special instead of my actual life.
Finally, Peace.
I sprawled out like a corpse, feeling my soul physically detach from my exhausted body.
This was soooo tiring.
I stared blankly at the ceiling, exhaling dramatically.
"If one more person knocks on my door tomorrow… I'm faking my death and fleeing the country."
-End-