47 The Feelings of Chung-Ho
Chung-Ho came out of the lift and slowly started moving towards the script department. He had a feeling of pride in his heart. He knew he fought with other people to finalise Nivritti for the job. All others wanted to hire someone from South Korea as they would know about the local customs and language. They would also be aware of the idol situation prevalent in Korea.
But Chung-Ho saw her resume and her overwhelming talent. She even had a glowing recommendation. Even his network of other scriptwriters in other companies informed him they too were trying to recruit her. He advocated hard for her recruitment. All others said yes when they were informed that she is fluent in Korean.
And since the day she arrived, she has been working diligently for K&Q. Today she didn’t even think about herself, she protected ASD and helped K&Q avoid a big scandal. He felt as if his own daughter was getting such accomplishments.
She gave them an amazing idea which was approved in an instant by the CEO. Her idea would make this Rencontre even great. Never in the history of K&Q has it happened that an employee was given bonuses one after the other. First her idea for Rencontre scored her a bonus and today she got another one for saving Jung-Hwa and Jae-Hwa. He was too proud.
Suddenly he realised, he has been there for Nivritti, but Jae-Hwa too needed his attention. He had to talk to both girls. He had his hand on the handle of the door, but he could not open it and enter. He kept thinking about both the girls.
The ding of the lift broke his concentration and he saw Nivritti walking towards him.
Nivritti was concerned, “are you okay? What are you doing outside?”
“Was waiting for you,” he smiled at her.
“For me, why?”
.....
“Just coz,” he said proudly.
She smiled back at him, “come on! Mr Choi, let go in.”
“Hey! What happened to CH?” rebuked Chung-Ho.
“You said not to call you by that,” teased Nivritti.
“As if you never called me, CH,” playfully he hit the back of her head.
“Just teasing.”
“Follow me to the conference room,” he made his voice extremely serious.
“What? Why?” she asked, worried.
He started laughing, “I am not going to scold you, Ritti, just follow me.”
“Okay.”
Chung-Ho pushed the door opened and they both entered the room. Everyone glanced at them but as soon as they saw Chung-Ho, they went back to their work.
“Jae-Hwa, follow me,” he commanded.
She shot a look at Nivritti who just shrugged her shoulders. She stood up from her seat and followed Chung-Ho and Nivritti. The moment she entered the conference room, Chung-Ho faced her.
Softly he placed his hands over her head and patted her. “I am sorry for what you had to endure today. Not only in the restaurant but in your own department.”
Tears dropped from Jae-Hwa’s eyes. “Please don’t cry,” he pulled her in a bear hug. Jae-Hwa let herself feel everything and bawled. Even Nivritti could not control her tears. She just stood away from them and looked at them lovingly. “Don’t worry, no one will say anything to you anymore, I promise,” Chung-Ho assured her.
“Why is everyone like this?” sniffled Jae-Hwa.
“You know they are possessive about ASD. They have seen them grow from nothing to the best boyband in the world. Even if they sneeze, they talk about it. When such a situation will happen to them then they will learn,” his voice had a hint of anger.
“I was so scared,” sobbed Jae-Hwa.
“You don’t have to be anymore. If you hear anything about yourself, come and tell me, and I will show them who I really am,” Chung-Ho gritted his teeth.
“I don’t think anyone will say anything after how badly Ritti scolded them,” noted Jae-Hwa.
“Oh come on! Anyone would have done that,” protested Nivritti.
Chung-Ho broke the embrace but never let Jae-Hwa leave his side. He held her hand and talked to Nivritti, “no, you were brilliant, you were brave, you were loyal, you were a good friend. I am so proud of you. I am so happy that you chose us, that you chose to work with me.”
Nivritti clenched her jaw and tried hard to fight her tears. She curled her lips in O and exhaled loudly to avoid crying. “CH! I am already crying, do you want me to cry a river?” she teased him.
“No, come here,” he too was smiling and crying simultaneously. He pulled both the girls close and hugged them adoringly. After a minute or so, he let them go and said, “now, go back to work. Scripts are pouring in.”
“Yes, sir,” both girls saluted him and smiled at him.
They all came outside smiling yet wiping their tears. A few of the writers glanced at them trying to find out what they were talking about. Chung-Ho cleared his throat to signal them that he was still angry, and they immediately went back to their work.
Nivritti and Jae-Hwa too went back to their seats and started their work. Nivritti unlocked her screen and the script that she left open, greeted her. The Rencontre team kept reading the scripts and placing the good scripts in the “Kyung-Soo” folder.
Suddenly all the screens in the script department were hijacked by the pop of the internal messenger. A message burst from the CEO was sent to every computer in the K&Q building.
“IT HAS COME UNDER THE LIGHT THAT EMPLOYEES OF K&Q ARE MORE ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO GOSSIP AND SENDING MESSAGES VIA GRAPEVINE. THE MANAGEMENT HEREBY GIVES THE PERMISSION TO EVERY HOD TO QUASH EVERY GOSSIP AND FIRE PEOPLE WHO WOULD WASTE THEIR TIME GOSSIPING RATHER THAN WORKING DURING THEIR WORKING HOURS. RENCONTRE IS AROUND THE CORNER, AND WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT NOT SPREADING RUMOURS. IF THE NAME OF ASD WOULD BE HEARD UNDER ANY WRONG CONTEXT, THAT PERSON COULD FIND THEMSELVES A NAMED PARTY UNDER A DEFAMATION CASE. NO SLANDER, NO VILIFICATION OF ANY KIND WILL BE TOLERATED.”
Everyone looked at each other but had no courage to speak. Jae-Hwa peered through her cubicle and looked at Nivritti who just smirked at her. She tried hard to stifle her laughter, but her eyes kept laughing. She was happy that Bong listened to her and gave a firm scolding to everyone.
No one spoke a thing about Jae-Hwa or Jung-Hwa after that. In fact, they avoided looking at Jae-Hwa with shame. Yet a few of them wanted to know where Nivritti and Chung-Ho went. It was later on spread through the grapevine that they went to see the CEO. Now, they wanted to know what happened inside the cabin. They knew that neither the legal team nor the PR team would ever spill any beans.
It was their job to stop any scandal so why they would fan any rumours anymore?
The evening arrived and it was 5.55 when it occurred to Nivritti that Jae-Hwa still sitting in her seat reading the script.
She stood up and went to Jae-Hwa’s cubicle. “What are you doing?” shouted Nivritti, quietly.
“What?” inquired Jae-Hwa, confused.
“Go home, now,” ordered Nivritti.
“Huh?”
“Go home, girl.”
“I will go after finishing a few more scripts,” replied Jae-Hwa.
“No, no, that will be too late,” cried Nivritti. “Shut down the computer and leave.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Jae-Hwa, confused.
Nivritti looked all around thinking of an excuse. “Um... we had a traumatic experience. We should leave on time today and rest.”
“I am fine. You are with me, I will always be fine,” Jae-Hwa hugged her dearly and went back to her system.
“I am not staying with you. I am leaving. I have a lot of chores to do,” lied Nivritti.
“I can help,” chimed Jae-Hwa, excitedly.
“Jae, go home, stay with your parents tonight,” ordered Nivritti.
“But Ritti!” protested Jae-Hwa.
“Do you want me to tell everything to CH?” threatened Nivritti.
“No, I know he will take your side. Fine, I am leaving,” said Jae-Hwa, defeated.
Nivritti grinned like a Cheshire cat. “Good girl!” she chirped. “Oh, I so hope that PJ is ready,” she murmured.
“What?” asked Jae-Hwa as she could not hear what she said.
“Nothing, just leave,” repeated Nivritti.
“And you?” asked Jae-Hwa while shutting her system down.
“I am coming too. I will get down at the lobby, you go all the way down to your basement,” Nivritti could not stop smiling.
“Why are you acting weird?” asked Jae-Hwa.
“What? I am not acting weird. I am perfectly normal,” shouted Nivritti in a high-pitched tone and started laughing like an idiot.
“Ritti!” Jae-Hwa raised her eyebrows.
“What?” Nivritti defended herself. “I am just tired. You know fighting with those men, then with JJ, then with that manager and again with JJ, then saving you again from these vultures, then the meet with CEO, then crying with you,” Nivritti rolled her eyes. “Emotions after emotions have worn me down,” she exhaled loudly.
“Right, sorry! But you have to tell me what happened inside the Hu-ssi’s cabin,” said Jae-Hwa.
“Let’s meet tomorrow for lunch and I will tell you everything and you tell me everything,” smirked Nivritti.
“What everything?” asked Jae-Hwa, confused.
“How will you spend your night? How your parents took care of you, all that?” Nivritti did some damage control.
“You really are acting weird,” noted Jae-Hwa.
“I told you the reason,” Nivritti faked a yawn.
“Fine, if you say so.”
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