our reality | p a r t t w o

< k i m s e o k j i n >
[ 11 / 07 / 2017 ]

SEOKJIN PULLED INTO the parking lot of the restaurant, Woori Garden, located in the Gangnam District. This was a pretty popular place and (to his knowledge) pricey. The team manager of the company loved coming here for weekly to almost daily company dinners, or to just get drinks with some of the employees.

Checking his watch to make sure he wasn't too late, he relaxed into the car seat, releasing the breath of relief he didn't know he was holding in. "That idiot got me worked up over nothing," Seokjin muttered under his breath, raking his fingers through his hair.

Seokjin looked over his reflection in the mirror once more. His light brown hair swept to the side, exposing his forehead and enhancing handsome looks.

Glancing back at his watch, he figured he could go in now. He climbed out of his black convertible, closing the door behind him.

Walking up to the building, Seokjin's mouth began watering at the familiar and delicious smell of grilled Dak gulbi (닭갈비), along with all sorts of different spices hanging thick in the area around it, making his stomach grumble in hunger. Seokjin licked his lips as he grasped the handle to the glass doors and pulled it to open it.

Upon entering, he noticed a table in the back with more than a few men sitting around a table. With their coats discarded onto their chairs, sleeves rolled up, and ties tucked in their shirts, they all looked like the stereotypical middle-aged group of men you'd expect to see having a company dinner.

Before he could walk to the table, Seokjin felt a hard tap on his shoulder, to which he turned to see Ki-woon standing behind him. He stood with his arms crossed and a grimace on his face, making Seokjin laugh uncomfortably.

"Hey, man." He went to give him a high five, but Ki-woon slapped it away.

"Don't 'hey, man' me, Kim Seokjin, you are late! I was this close to being completely chewed out by that asshole," he hissed angrily.

Shit. "Sorry, sorry. I got held up in traffic." he laughed, trying to calm the tension down.

Ki-woon arched his eyebrow in doubt. "There was no traffic today." he seethed.

Seokjin sighed raising his hands in surrender, but Ki-woon continued, "Seriously, what the hell! You're the heir of a multi-billion dollar company, you can't be like this all the time. You need to act more like it, the reputation of our company is on your shoulders."

Seokjin's expression went dark as quickly as the realization hit him like a truck. Oh yeah, what was I thinking, he thought grimly.

Even if it was meant as a joke, which Seokjin really doubted it was, it reminded him of what he was supposed to be like. Like his father.

우리의 현실을 | our reality

Seokjin's entire persona changed into that of his poker face. "Right. I apologize. Let's go take our seats at the table."

Something in him felt saddened, but deep inside he knew what the truth was. He was the successor of a multi-billion dollar company, the son of the founder and chairman. He wasn't meant for a laid-back life, not anymore.

Not noticing the sudden change in Seokjin's behaviour, or even the affect his words had on him, Ki-woon noded tightly and lead the way to the table.

The two made their way over to the table on the far side of the restaurant. The middle aged men having noticed the arrival of the two, gave their full attention to them -- well, more only to Seokjin. He felt his face tightened as he clenched his jaw, but managed remained expressionless.

Seokjin knew what the truth was as he peered out to these men before him; there was no friendship or joking around. Not in the real world. There was just business and sucking up in order to rise to the top. Ki-woon wasn't a close friend, but a coworker who just happened to have been lumped with the successor of a successful company.

Facing these same men who he knew would backstab him at any given moment if they were offered a higher status in exchange, Seokjin made sure to put on his best poker face as he faced them.

Man-sik, the vice president of the company (and the slimiest man alive in Seokjin's opinion), gushed excitedly. "Seokjin-ah, you're here! We can finally start!" Some men laughed along while others smiled.

It was all fake, that was almost too obviously. But, Seokjin went along with it and laughed too, taking a seat at the table.

Rolling up his sleeves and tucking his tie in his shirt, Seokjin went to grab the tongs so he can man the grill, but they were snatched away by Ki-won before he could even touch them.

Seokjin looked at him with a confused expression; it was customary for the youngest of the group to offer to do this kind of thing.

Man-sik, who sat beside him, laughed. "Ah, we can't have the future chairman manning the grill, now can we? That's the lower employees' job!" he jested. The rest laughed along with him, though Seokjin noticed the underlying hard looks and sneaky glances at one another.

Seokjin could do nothing else but laugh along with them. This was the reality, and he needed to be on his toes at all times. Even if he didn't want it, this was his life now.

[ Until the flowers bloom again, stay there a little longer. ]
[ 꽃 피울 때까지, 그곳에 좀 더 머물러줘 ]