Soul's POV

Later that day, Hyejin eonni and some staffs visited me, they are Minji and Soyeon eonni. I've also got closer to them lately.

"Ommo! You didn't have to visit me!" I exclaimed when I saw them coming in.

"Why shouldn't we?" Minji smiled.

"Welcome." Jin stood up and greeted.

After that, I noticed they were a little silent than usual. And they kept elbowing each other. They slowly approached me. I briefly introduced Jin to them and vice versa.

"So, how are things in the office?" I asked because no one was talking.

There were some moments of silent until "Mianhe!" Hyejin eonni suddenly blurted out.

We all looked at her. She's nearly crying. Minji and Seyeon eonni were just quiet.

"Eonni, why are you-

"It was me who locked you there!" she revealed, with her tears already flowing from her eyes.

Jin and I were shocked with her sudden confession.

I looked at her with my jaw dropped.

"I didn't mean it," she sobbed. "It was Soyu. S-she who instructed me to do it," she explained between her sobs. "She threatened she'll fire me if I won't. I'm worked so hard to attain my position. I was only protecting my job. I w-was afraid of what she might do!"

I didn't expect she would tell me the truth.

"I'm really sorry Sujeong, If I had known you'd be hospitalized like this, I wouldn't have agreed to her. I'm so sorry."

I remained silent for a few seconds, internalizing everything.

I sighed. "It's okay eonnie! Don't blame yourself too much. If I wasn't sick, I wouldn't be hospitalize." I assured her. "It was partly my fault," because as Jin have said, I did, quite abandoned myself.

"Still, I'm sorry! I was so called your eonni, the head of our department but, I feel so bad for not able to protect my subordinates," she said.

"I've already forgiven you eonnie. I understand your position."

"I feel so bad and guilty-

"Eonnie, don't worry about it. I understand. By the way, Miss Soyu! She'll be angry if she'll learn you told the truth!"

"It's alright I'm ready to face it," she answered.

"But eonnie! What if she'll fire you?"

"It's okay."

"No! Eonnie, let's just keep everything a secret. I won't tell anyone that she's the mastermind. "

"But you are the victim. Are you going to let this injustice-

"-eonni, we're going to keep this a secret, right?" I looked at everyone in here. I made my word final. And they all agreed in the end even Hye jin eonni.

"Thank you, Sujeong," Hye Jin said teary eyed.

She reached for a hug and I hugged her tightly. I don't feel a single grudge against her.

"But eonni, do you have any idea why Soyu is bullying me so much?" I asked.

"I don't have any clue." she sighed.

I didn't do anything wrong as far as I know. Actually, she's the one who did bad things from the very beginning, when I auditioned at Woollim.

"I think I do." Minji answered. We all looked at her and curiously waited for what she's going to say. "It's all because of Sungkyu."

"What?" I just exclaimed. Sungkyu again?

"She likes Sungkyu,' she added.

Okay.

It was a short statement but I think it all makes sense now.

"Everyone knows that. But how would that make Sujeong be a part of Soyu liking Sungkyu?" Hye Jin asked. I exchanged meaningful looks with Jin. Only the two of us knows why. But I wonder how Minji came up to that idea.

"She's jealous," Minji answered.

"Huh?" Hye Jin and Seoyeon went confused.

I also looked at Minji. Does she know I have a past with Sungkyu?

"I don't know if this will make sense but," Minji sighed. "I once saw Sungkyu nd Sujeong together and also noticed how Soyu became furious about it. And it happened not only once."

"Wow, I didn't know you were that observant?" Hye Jin eonni asked.

"I did start becoming observant. Because I was once her victim," she said with her head down.

We just remained silent and listened to her.

"I was a huge fan of Infinite. So I wasn't able to control my feels whenever any Infinite member is around. Of course I always follow them and talk to them. One time, Sungkyu and I had a really nice chat. Just talking about some food, I joked, we laughed when Soyu saw us and there, she started torturing me."

Minji wiped the tears that formed in her eyes.

"At first, I thought, I deserve that because I'm being a nuisance to the members but she's being too much! I needed my job so much so I had to beg for her to stop and I had to promise I will distance myself from Infinite."

There was a long silence. We didn't know this thing happened.

Seoyeon patted Minji's back and calmed her till she stopped crying.

"Maybe that's what I'd do too, promise her that I will distance myself from Infinite?" I asked.

"Maybe," Jin answered. But even she was unsure of what she said.

"Then maybe I could help," Hye Jin eonni added. "I won't give you task that will involve mingling with Infinite."

I can't help but just nod.

But, something is bothering me.

Did Soyu knew my past with Sungkyu? Why would she get jealous? Because why would she, in anyway, suspect that I'm in good terms with Sungkyu when all we did was fight each other when we saw each other again?

I'm really confused.

-----------

After 3 days of confinement at the hospital, I've gained strength and went home. And finally I was able to get back to work. It was hard to face everyone in the office with all their questions. Good thing, Hye Jin eonnie did all the explanations with their series of 'what happened? Why were you absent?'.

So I'm now here doing my job like nothing happened, doing the usual things. Except that, I'm free of Miss Soyu's machinations cause' she's been absent for days. Hooray!

Still, Infinite is promoting so I haven't seen them in Woollim Ent.

It's my plan not to talk to them anyway so all is well. Because of what I've learned from Minji, it's better to stay away, so I could save myself from getting kicked out.

So here is my deal. I won't talk to any Infinite members anymore especially to Sungkyu and I'll work like an invisible employee whenever Miss Soyu is around if that's what she wants. I won't talk to them unless they talk to me.

Maybe that would be a good compromise.

But before that, I want to atleast say some words of thanks and apology to Sungkyu. So I won't be called as an ungrateful person. And also to free myself from my conscience. I'm really thankful that he went to my aid when I needed help. I'm thankful that he somehow cared and didn't abandon me.

Come what may, I'll just thank him.

"Infinite is coming. Did someone printed the script for the radio broadcast already?" Hye Jin eonnie later asked everyone in the office.

Infinite is coming? They haven't been in the office since I started reporting after being hospitalized. For some reason why do I feel anxious?

Should I talk to Sungkyu today?

"Sujeong?"

Argh. I don't know how to talk to Sungkyu. I mean, what I did is embarrassing!

"Sujeong?" I felt someone tap my shoulder. I looked at my back and saw Hye Jin eonni's worried face.

"Are you alright? Are you still sick?" she asked.

"N-no! I was just, ahm... thinking." I said. Did she saw me slacking at my work?

"Oh! I got worried. You were staring at the monitor and unmoving. Just tell me if you feel sick or anything okay?"

I nodded. "Yes eonnie." I gave an assuring smile.

"And don't worry about Infinite. I will stick to what we've talked about previously," she whispered.

I gave her a nod. Atleast I have someone who got my back at the office.

She went on with her job and I started doing mine. Hye Jin eonni has been so nice to me for this past days and even helps me with everything. I guess she's really guilty of what happened. Though I don't feel any grudges against her.

Now I'm back with my dilemma. Why does it feel so hard to say what I wanted to say to Sungkyu? It's just a simple 'thank you'!

"They're here. Seoyeon, please give them the script. I guess they went straight to the practice room," I heard Hye Jin eonni commanded.

Unexpectedly, my heart raced faster after hearing that!

I'm just going to talk to Sungkyu! Why do I suddenly feel anxious?

I excused myself to the comfort room.

I checked if I'm alone and then I checked myself on the mirror. "Okay! This is it. Just approach him. And then say thank you and sorry then that's it! It's so easy! Ahaha!" I talked to my reflection. "You can do this Sujeong."

Why do I feel anxious anyway? Is it because, I'm afraid Miss Soyu might catch me talking to him? Or because I'm embarrassed of what happened?

Or because it's Sungkyu?

Urgh.

I don't know. Come what may.

I'll just tell him what I wanted to say and free myself from burden.

Yeah whatever.

I went out of the comfort room.

And never did I thought something as surprising as this would happen to me today.

I just nearly bumped to Sungkyu who's currently on his way to the men's comfort room!!!

We just looked at each other's face. I felt lost and I can't even remember what I was supposed to say.

"I-ahm... I... H-hi?" i found myself stammering. He just nodded at me and then he went inside the men's room and left me there.

I'm.so.dumb!

I just missed the perfect chance to tell him what I wanted to say before I completely purposely avoid Infinite, especially him!

This isn't the best moment to stammer Sujeong!!!

"Why are you so stupid?" I knock at my head. It would look so embarrassing to wait for him outside the CR so I just walked away with my shoulders down.Now, I have to gather myself again before I could say it.

And on my way to the office, I didn't notice that all other members of Infinite are coming my way. And it's too late to go back or hide away because Sunjong already saw me and he's running towards me.

"Noona! I heard you were sick? Are you okay now?" he asked.

I just looked at him and and in a moment all the other members are now circling around me asking the same question.

I gave a big sigh.

I guess ignoring Infinite wouldn't be as easy as I thought it would be.

~author's note

I was so sleepy while writing this! I'm so sorry!  I promise I'll give better updates on the next chapters . 

huhu!