I just can't take my eyes off you
Tell me anything you wanna do
I just can't take my eyes off you
Nothing I can do about it

-eyes off you (prettymuch)

46. eyes off you

"You are late, again."

"And you are untidy." Soojin eyed the room, almost turning away and exiting the moment she stepped in. "Again."

The little room was in chaos. Per usual. Every time Soojin entered the room, she was reminded of her college days. Clearly, she was just as messy as her roommate, even more if she was truthful. The pungent smell of old food, books and papers scattered and empty food containers in line with the empty plastic mugs. More than the mess, Soojin was concerned for the boy who was on yet another all-nighter. 

Yoon Jaehun sheepishly smiled at the response. For a twenty year old, he knew how to melt a frustrated Kang Soojin. One smile and she was all soft. Not that Soojin could ever be angry at him more for than five minutes. He knew how much she adored him and likewise.

"Noona," Jaehun greeted her with a wave, still reading his notes. "Don't mind the mess, I'll be cleaning before I sleep."

It was almost 2 am by the time Kang Soojin reached home. The apartment she had rented was close to her office premises, a ten minute bike ride away. Although she had rented it for herself, Yoon Jaehun was a pleasant guest who had managed to lighten Soojin's very dull life. He was honestly more family than her own family. 

"Here," Soojin threw a box of sour candy sweet at the boy who caught it with a grin. "Don't overdose on the sugar."

"Gomwao Noona, you are the best!" 

Soojin smiled at the kid, shaking her head as she kept the motorbike helmet on the sofa. She slid the mess from the sofa with her right hand and slumped on the soft cushion. "How long are you going to pull all-nighters Hun-ah?" She asked, massaging her forehead that ached ever since she got the e-mail. "You are going to crash soon if you do not rest well." 

Jaehun turned in his chair, a frown on his always happy face. "I cannot help it, studying law is way tougher than I expected."

"True," Soojin sat up, clearing the mess from the sofa. She folded the clothes, and lined all the books neatly. "But if there is anyone who can do it, it is you." She beamed at the boy, who looked at her with utter respect. Picking up the clothes, she cleared the empty mugs and ruffled his hair ever so softly. "Don't overwork yourself, you can do it. I believe." 

"Well," Jaehun set his hair back to the right side. That was his response to Soojin's hair ruffling gesture. "You should not overwork yourself either, Noona. This is two weeks in a row that you are home so late."

Soojin sighed, "my senior hates me. He just HATES me." 

Soojin's team leader—Choi Dae-Hyun—was a strict-no-nonsense guy who was way too particular about the work and termed as a perfectionist in the office. Something Soojin called a person with 'no life'. He was always early to work, late to leave the office and Soojin wondered if he even had a life outside the four walls of his cabin. It did not help that he was young, really handsome and even more arrogant. 

"No matter how much I try, there is no pleasing him." Soojin munched on the sour bites Jaehun offered her. "That man is never happy with anything. NOTHING." 

Jaehun chuckled, munching on the sour bites—two at a time—listening to Soojin vent about the same guy since half a year now. He had never seen Soojin so irritated as she was whenever she'd speak about Mr. Choi from work. Her nose would turn reddish, ears flaring and tone all squeaky. 

"I told him I am done with the work he gave me, everything perfect, dotted the i's and dashed the t's but you know what he did?"

"Gave you a new assignment?"

"GAVE ME A NEW ASSIGNMENT!" Running her hand through her hair, Soojin's humph echoed through the room. "I hate that man." With that Soojin took all of the coffee mugs and placed them in the kitchen sink, soaking them with water. 

"Be careful Noona," Jaehun raised his voice as he peeked through the little hallway, "there is a thin line between love and hate." 

"The only thin line is my patience." Soojin poured a hot cup of coffee from the already brewed coffee maker and added two spoonful of sugar to it. "I might end up in prison for murder if this is how it keeps going."

She placed the coffee mug on the holder besides Jaehun's laptop. She then cleared all of the boxes, pushing them into a trash bag and lined the books neatly, all while ranting about her senior and the way she could readily accept prison time than bear the man. Jaehun sipped the coffee and looked at the girl, rambling and ranting, meanwhile clearing all of the mess. 

He could have interrupted her and asked her to either breathe or stop, but he did not want to end up being the reason Soojin would be in prison. He valued his life—thank you very much. But, Soojin ranting about her senior was the only source of entertainment for the law student and he looked forward to having such meaningless conversations with her. 

Also, she looked super scary (albeit cute) whenever she'd go all 'bloody murder'. 

"And, how DARE he talk about me social life?" She continued, placing the books in a neat pile. "When he has no life of his own! Such a stupid idiotic—"

Jaehun smiled, sipping his coffee and watching his Noona go on a cleaning spree whilst also clearing her mind. The stress of his exams due in a month lessened as he listened to every single detail Soojin told him. He knew everything about the girl's present, from favourite people to talk to, favourite kpop bands (only one) to her likes and dislikes in movies, food and people. Everything except her past.

"Noona—breathe breathe—there is smoke coming from your ears!" Jaehun's exasperated remark pulled Soojin out of her trance. She grunted in response and placed the trash bag in the corner of the room. 

"YA YOON JAEHUN—"

"Mian-" He held his ears, sheepishly smiling. "How about we just take deep breaths, listen to your favourite singer and call it a night? I think I'll rest too?" Jaehun cleared the study table, without noticing the color fading from her face. 

Her favourite—only—singer was Han Seojun, the leader of the K-pop band 'Starlight' and he was the last person she wanted to think about. The thought of even being under the same roof as him was causing a nervous breakdown, despite having nothing to do with him anymore. 

Tomorrow could literally go missing from her life and she wouldn't mind. 

_

It was 9 am when Kang Soojn reached her office premises. After drinking one cup of espresso—which Jaehun had made for her—she rushed to the lobby of the glass building hoping to scan her card on time. Even a minute delay could cost her half a day. She had already gotten so many leaves because she could not make it on time and all because she worked her ass off the previous nights.

The atmosphere in the office seemed uptight and edgy. She wondered if the CEO or some higher up was visiting, given the way everyone around her were acting. But, every other day was the same—considering they always had celebrities or famous people visiting the office—so Kang Soojin shrugged it off and made her way to her little cubicle. The best thing about the corner she sat in—a place she loved because of the view out of the little glass window—was the absolute solace. 

Soojin like being around people, she really did. She liked listening to people talk about their days, stories and lives, engage in conversations and feel like a part of their lives. She had no life of her own. Her office and small apartment were the only places she was found. Except Jaehun—who often studied in the library on weekends—and her senior, Mr. Choi—whom she despised—there weren't many people she knew. 

So the little cubicle was her second home. It was chill, and reminded her of the silent nights of her long chaotic life. At a time, even silence was expensive—so she appreciated every silent moment in her life. Although, a little fun would do her no harm, she knew she had probably no fun things left in her life to do or experience. 

Her blessing in life was to survive. 

Maybe in the next life she'd have some fun, a fruitful job, friends to hang out with and family to sit back with. 

For this life, she was done. 

The whispering and incessant chatters of the fellow colleagues got Soojin's attention. While she walked past them, they wished her a good morning and she smiled, wishing them back. However, the moment she sat on her seat, her fellow female colleagues jumped on her. They took the empty chairs and leaned in closer. 

"HAVE YOU HEARD?"

Soojin frowned, flipping her laptop open and looked back at the giggling ladies. "Heard what?" She asked, typing in her password and opening her email application. "Are you finally getting married Jinah?" She teased the brown haired girl. 

"ANI, something way way better than that!" 

"Yes, you won't believe me but I SAW HIM in the morning." The other woman slapped them both on their arms, getting Soojin to squirm away. 

Jinah squealed in excitement, clasping her hands with the former—Soojin glaring at the duo. These two were acting like kindergarten kids when they get their favourite candy—worse even.

"Saw who?" Soojin shrugged, scanning through her new e-mails and internally screamed at the new work allotted to her despite not the old not being finished yet. "Just kill me already." She whispered to herself.

"Not yet," Lee Jinah giggled winking at Jung Ha-na, who tugged at Soojin's arms in cute squeals. "I cannot believe you are so oblivious to everything that happens around you..." 

"YA KANG SOOJIN, HAVE SOME FUN!" Hana yelled, enough to garner attention from the other colleagues who shushed them. "Sorry—" She waived them off, facing Soojin again.

Lee Jinah shook her head, chuckling at the girl. "Ya, Kang Soojin won't know what fun means!" 

"YA!" Soojin pouted, feigning anger as she faced the two ecstatic girls. "I have fun too." 

"Yes yes, I am pretty sure you and these work files have tons of fun."

Kang Soojin froze. 

"Just having a little fun," Han Seojun chuckled, leaning over the counter again, "oh wait." He paused midway, his eyes boring into hers. "I'm sorry, I don't think you know what fun means." He teased her again and Soojin glared at him.

"I have fun too."

"Oh, sure, you and your books have a lot of fun," He smiled, nodding and emphasizing on lot, "which of them here are your best friends though?" 

Guess some things do not change. 

Aah, what was she even thinking. That was ages back. She should not dwell on the past, especially if it would only bring her home to a heavy heart. Each of the words Seojun had told her a decade back was imprinted in her memory, each conversation helped her live an extra day. Each time she wanted to give up, a smiling Han Seojun helped her move forward. 

Wait—

"What do you mean by him?" Soojin turned to face Jinah and Hana, "who did you guys—" 

"Kang Soojin, Mr. Choi wants to see you," An office boy dropped by. He held the files for her as he waited, "in his cabin."

The trio dispersed with a sigh. Soojin on the other hand, mentally prepped herself for another shitload of work and assignments that would soon cause her to retire from old age by the time she was done. She tied her hair in a bun and adjusted her pale yellow blouse, brushed off her pants and took another deep breath. 

Her dark circles were slightly evident despite being buried under concealers and no amount of energy drinks could get her to wake up from her zombie-like state. So she practically pushed herself towards the glass cabin on the other side of the floor and almost dashed into someone. 

"Here—" The office boy dropped the files in her hand, "I have to attend to Director Mun now." 

Soojin almost cursed out loud in frustration, nevertheless she turned her heel to enter the cabin. The files were blocking her view, and her arms were aching from the heavy load she was carrying. The box files were leaning to one side and were about to fall with the way Soojin was balancing them.

just a minute more, she told herself, a minute more and my arms would be free. 

She reached the cabin and could see two men in a conversation with Mr. Choi. The cabin door was shut and she could not for the love of God open or knock without dropping everything—including her dignity—

"Team Jang-nim (SIR)—" She managed to yell. "I CANNOT—"

That took both, the Team Leader and his guests in surprise as they turned to see a girl with files towering her height. Before Kang Soojin's arms gave up, and her shoe heel twisted at the tug in the carpet—two things happened.

The cabin door flung open, and two pair of arms helped her hold the files intact right at the moment she dropped them. One of them held the files, wrapping his arms around the boxes, the other held the files by placing his hand over hers. Slowly, the files were placed on the desk and Soojin could finally see—something other than those horrendous files. 

"gam-sa-ham-ni—(thank yo—)" She stopped, midway when she came across the people who helped her.

A very strikingly handsome Lee Suho looked at her with an elated look she had never seen before. She then looked at Mr. Choi, who was the one who held her hand over the file. And with a nervous gulp, she turned towards the cabin and found the man she had been thinking about since a decade. 

Han Seojun.

A different looking, extremely standoffish and displeased Han Seojun—seated on the chair and watching them in a unamused look. His eyes met Soojin's—an intense blank stare—and then fixated on the way Mr. Choi held her hand with the file and then hers again. 

She quickly withdrew her hand and her gaze and took a deep breath. 

Now was a good time for someone to wake her up from this dream. 

Where is Jaehun when you need him?

_

a/n thoughts on newest addition Yoon Jaehun and Mr. Choi ? 

also, feel free to suggest any songs (kpop/kdrama ost/english/bollywood) for the story or any chapter, I intend to use a lot of music for the chapters.