Anexthetxc - Anexthetxc - Tumblr Blog

forced hiatus due to the hurricane that's barreling right towards me not to mention the hospital locks me in tomorrow night so I probably won't be around bc I'll either be working and won't have power

"I really can't," she said back.

It would be a sure way to ruin her reputation and business she'd started entirely on her own if it got out she had a crush on one of her clients. The growing popularity around her name could be taken down in one day if word got out, and she'd lose everything. It was, after all, just a silly crush.

Sorom's eyes went over his form again, stopping at his face since she finally built enough courage to look at him in the eyes again. Then a warmth flooded her belly that made her feel like a girl again with that excitement of a crush.

"I'll be alright." She pushed herself off the wall. "Things will -- did you just call me by my name?" she asked, realizing she hadn't heard him use honorifics. It actually made her crack a smile, effectively diffusing the awkwardness she'd felt.

 hyunwoo  watched  sorom  stumble  over  her  words,  the  slight  blush  creeping  across  her  face  not  going  unnoticed.  he  leaned  back  slightly,  giving  her  a  bit  more  space,  though  the  teasing  smile  on  his  lips  remained.  ❛  take  your  time.  ❜  he  said,  his  voice  softer  now,  trying  not  to  fluster  her  more.  ❛  tomorrow's  perfect.  ❜  there  was  a  pause  as  he  noticed  her  avoiding  gaze,  and  something  in  her  demeanor  shifted.  his  smile  faded  just  a  touch,  replaced  with  a  look  of  quiet  curiosity.  ❛  sorom,  ❜  he  started,  his  voice  gentle  but  direct.  ❛  is  everything  okay  ?  you  seem  ..  a  little  distracted.  ❜  he  wasn't  oblivious  to  the  effect  he  sometimes  had  on  people,  but  something  told  him  this  wasn't  just  her  being  nervous.  he  tilted  his  head,  his  expression  more  sincere.  ❛  if  something's  on  your  mind,  you  can  tell  me.  ❜

She'd made the playlist three hours, but he didn't need to know that. The mall was only twenty minutes away. Harper shrugged and tried not to let the excitement of sitting in the nice car show too much. Then there was that weird, exciting but scared feeling all over again she had as she wondered if he'd speed off again like he had last time.

"Let's go shopping! I need a new fall wardrobe and new shoes today. We can't leave until I get a new sweater, too. And we get to pick out one outfit for each other that we have to wear one night out to dinner."

 the  next  afternoon,  as  he  pulled  up  and  saw  harper  standing  outside  her  home,  he  gave  her  an  approving  once  over.  casual  but  still  stylish,  just  like  her.  he  lowered  the  window  and  grinned,  nodding  toward  her  as  she  walked  up  to  the  car.  ❛  looks  like  someone  didn't  take  my  "  relax  about  the  playlist  "  advice.  ❜  he  teased  lightly,  glancing  at  her  phone.  ❛  let  me  guess,  we're  about  to  listen  to  hours  of  perfectly  curated  road  trip  songs,  huh  ?  ❜  he  flashed  her  a  charming  smile,  then  added  with  a  playful  tone.  ❛  i'm  honored.  i'll  expect  nothing  less  than  a  perfection  while  we  cruise.  ❜

It didn't seem like much of a charity event. Not with the luxurious accommodations, the expensive wine and food, or the even more pricey dresses the women wore. A bunch of rich people boasting about how much money they have and how great they are because they give a small fraction of it away -- it was suffocating, but somehow, Ari enjoyed the horror of it.

She walked around holding a glass of champagne with freshly manicured nails clinging against the glass, blending in too well among the crowd. Ari stuck close by to the live orchestra playing and watched as some of the couples danced; she quite enjoyed the music. But her gauze was looking around for the son of the hosts; wherever Hyunwoo was, he did a great job at hiding. She'd shown up alone not wanting to cause a scene to his parents. Of course her father had gifted a generous donation to the night's even. Big enough it seemed to get the attention of the surrounding bodies that every so often peeked over at the single woman wondering where she'd come from and why she'd shown up alone.

 hyunwoo  smirked  at  ari's  parting  words,  shaking  his  head  as  she  left  the  store.  ❛  you'd  better  be  careful  saying  things  like  that.  i  might  just  take  you  up  on  it.  ❜  he  muttered  under  his  breath,  watching  her  go  with  a  thoughtful  expression.  after  that  hyunwoo  had  left  home,  making  sure  ari  and  her  men  had  left  the  place.  sighing  when  falling  on  his  bed,  just  looking  around  the  room.  the  image  of  ari,  someone  so  capable  of  smiling  throuhg  it  all  but  still  visibly  affected,  lingered  his  mind.  he  had  always  admired  her  strength,  but  that  admiration  was  mixed  with  concern,  especially  knowing  something  bad  was  going  on.  he  sent  her  a  casual  text.

 [  sms  :  ari  noona  ]  i  hope  you're  alright.  drinks  on  me  next  time,  nothing  weird  involved,  i  promise  !

 it  was  his  way  of  offering  her  a  small  escape,  again  from  the  life  they  both  danced  around,  if  only  he  knew  the  whole  truth  about  ari's  life,  he  would  be  in  total  shock.  but,  at  least  both  families  were  involved  with  same  thing,  that  runs  everything  ;  money.

Seoyun could handle the agitation and screaming, but as the frustrated customer took a step towards her, she actually took two steps back. She tried to stand her ground, and was about to threaten back security when Yunho bravely took the confrontation away from her.

The man seemed to calm down. Actually, Seoyun thought the man looked actually a little intimidated? No. He actually looked scared. Whatever authoritative tone Yunho used was enough to make the man stumble back and cower to where he stormed angrily out of the hotel, leaving behind his bag.

Seoyun swallowed, unsure of what had just happened. She calmly collected herself and reached out for the man's bag, mirroring what she'd done earlier with Yunho and handing it off to reception to find its owner should he come back. "I...I guess I should be thanking you," she said to Yunho with a confused, taken back tone.

Yunho watched as Seoyun stepped away. He could hear the altercation from where he sat, and even if the man wasn't shouting, his sensitive ears would've picked it up, anyway. And he wasn't backing down, either, even with the owner approaching to settle the situation.

With a sigh, Yunho stood up. "Watch and learn, my little cub," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Yunhwa's head. The boy watched him intently; he was intelligent, the other half of him adding to that wit. "One day, you'll be dealing with people like this, too."

Yunho stopped beside Seoyun. "Excuse me," he said by way of greeting, his voice pleasant. When the man turned to them, Yunho allowed a subtle hint of aggression to roll off of him. It was the tiger in him demanding a lesser being submit. "I suggest you lower your voice and approach this more calmly. Whatever the situation is, the aggression isn't necessary."

"What gave me away?" Sorom asked, bowing her head and moving towards the direction he guided her. She still felt a little breathless since it felt like she overreacted, though the thought of that car needing any kind of work was too much. It wasn't as though she couldn't afford it -- she just felt silly.

"Is it...normal to feel like this?" she asked the mechanic. "This unsure and confused all the time? I don't want to seem like an idiot, but I really didn't know what to do when the light came on."

the  grime  was  a  result  of  his  work  before  as  her  own  was  deemed  as  fine.  “  actually,  free  of  charge.  it  was  fine,  maybe  needed  an  oil  change  but  we  do  that  for  free.  “  as  a  vice  president  of  a  mc,  haneul  had  a  voice  in  say  so  about  the  price  range  of  his  work.  unlike  the  prospects  who  take  the  commissions  by  a  start  pay.  classic  keith.“  here,  take  one  of  our  cards  just  in  case  something  does  happen  [  .  .  .  ]  first  time  having  a  car?  “  he  politely  inquired.  he  waved  in  the  direction  to  lead  her  towards  the  reception.

"Ah..." Hana didn't think she could study enough to try and match up with a lawyer, though she'd seen Seoyun's old schedule met with a lot of lawyers regarding contracts.

"So I should prepare to deal with angry customers, then?" she asked, thinking of all the reasons people would be coming to Gaya and wondering if she should prepare to set the mood when people come in to the office. "Don't worry about the social engagement. I'm great with remembering faces. And names. If it requires studying, I can get it done. Just sometimes have to stop me if I start talking too much."

Does it really matter? Gaya almost escalates further. "Excuse me—" she starts, but Hana stayed calm and collected explaining her point of view. Gaya crosses her arms, tilting her head slightly, studying her. “You’ve got nerves.” It is too soon for Gaya to admit that she likes Hana’s boldness, but she couldn’t deny that her strong personalities is a plus and what the former assistant lacked terribly. "Kang and Associates. The firm is my family's, but I run it now. I've been a lawyer for exactly ten years, and since taking the reins, I'm not on court anymore but I handle everything else—from overseeing cases to managing the firm's future direction. But, it's not just the work at the office. I have social obligations as well. It’s not my favorite part of the job, but my reputation demands it. So, I expect my assistant to manage not only the professional side but also those social engagements, the same way you did for Soyeon."

"For you, it's probably the perfect amount. Excessive to anyone else normal." Kimi grabbed the last of her belongings and threw it in her purse. There wasn't much of a nice dress code for her date, opting for something a little too casual and not impressive. Like she'd said, it was last minute and a quick meet up.

"He's just as busy as I am with work. I actually think he's meeting me right after work and was the only time he had -- it seems like we have more in common than I thought." And if it didn't work out, at least she had done something interesting since the last month was only work. She didn't even have a decent paycheck to show it off. "Is there any other self defense advice you need to give me before I go?" she asked Jace.

　　"Okay, the sarcasm is not appreciated but it did make me feel better, so I'll let that part slide." He added, "Dangerous things have happened in less precarious situations. But you definitely have the right idea with the coffee throwing."

　　"I'll have you know I'm already thinking of emergency situations. I'll be perfecting them while you're gone." He cleared his throat in an attempt to maintain his serious composure. "But really. You don't have to text me every 10 minutes. I'll probably be playing Fortnite. But I will lose my game for your safety, you understand that right? Text me as much as you want, but you have to admit, every 10 minutes is a little excessive.

Send me a ♥ for a kiss! Send me a ♥♥ for an even deeper kiss! Send me a ♥♥♥ for more then a kiss~

Sorom's back hit the wall in her own studio. She was stuttering and finding a hard time speaking in her own studio.

"I--I'll try not to," she stuttered out, feeling her face get all hot under his stare. Reality snapped back soon after, clearing her throat and staring at the ground when she remembered why it really could be just a crush. Whatever feelings she had couldn't be a reality and he probably had a girlfriend. Of course someone like him would. "Um. I should have the shirt ready by tomorrow. Is that alright?"

 hyunwoo  watched  her  fumble  over  her  words  with  a  sly  grin  tugging  at  the  corner  of  his  mouth.  ❛  oh,  noona,  you  really  don't  have  to  explain  yourself.❜  his  tone  was  teasing,  but  there  was  a  softness  behind  it,  like  he  was  enjoying  watching  her  squirm  but  didn’t  want  to  push  her  too  far.  he  leaned  in  a  just  a  little,  lowering  his  voice  playfully.  ❛  though  i  gotta  say,  i  didn't  realise  i  was  getting  the  vip  treatment.  should  i  be  flattered  ?  ❜  his  eyes  sparkled  mischievously,  catching  how  her  gaze  lingered  on  him.  ❛  but  hey,  if  you're  making  time  for  me,  i  might  well  give  you  a  reason  to.  ❜  straightening  up,  he  shot  her  a  wink.  ❛  just  don't  let  your  assistant  get  all  the  fun.  ❜

…bruh.

"A thank you? You're two hours late! I thought something happened to you!" Kai snapped, closing the distance between them and shoving her finger in tot he middle of his chest. "You're so lucky that I actually like you or else I'd actually be punching you!"

ꕤ᭢͏ུ    ．           “   how about a well deserved   thank you, silas   accompanied with an invitation to go out for drinks later   ?   ”   he suggested instead,   smirk appearing on his lips.   “   i wouldn’t necessarily say no to a hug,   though.   ”

"--plenty of lighting, do you hear yourself?" Kimi scoffed, partly out of disbelief and a little out of humor that Jace was getting so worked up over something common. "It's in a cafe. I'll make sure if he tries to kill me to pour hot coffee in his face. Then I'll attack him with a pastry."

She rolled her eyes even though she was smiling in amusement. She also patted the top of his head. "But, yes. If I need a hero to come and save me you know you're the first person I'll call. But please let me have this one date without getting concerned! I'll even text you every ten minutes if that would make you feel more comfortable."

　　"It also sounds unsafe." Jace tells Kimi, watching her as she grabs her phone. "What if he tries to kill you? Or worse, what if he's really boring?" He chuckled to himself. "Wait- I have an idea." Jace grabbed his own phone and pulled up Kimi's number on speed dial. "If something goes wrong, call me. Or text me. Like, if you want to bail on the date early, just text me and I'll come up with an emergency call." Jace smiled softly at that prospective situation, no doubt putting his creativity to use. But regardless, he still feared for his friend going out with a complete stranger. "Where are you going out? Is there plenty of lighting there, people around?" His Type-A personality was really shining right now.

Hana wished she could disappear in to the wall. Her eyes were wide, but still managed to keep a professional composure otherwise. "See you around!" she said, though that felt like the wrong thing to say back to him. "I'll -- I'll contact you when we have some time." As if her other hand wasn't clenched around his card soaked with the sweat from her nerves.

Youngsoo tilted his head as he wasnt expecting to be asked that. "You dont have to make our meeting high on the priority list. We both have busy schedules but, I'll try to meet up with her again. See you around??"

Doyun wasn't the type of person to just forget about someone like that. She might've had lots of people pin after her, though when she's left ghosted by someone she quite liked, it was hard for her to just move on -- she pursed her lips not wanting to say anything that would make him feel worse, silently accepting the tea and warming it between her hands.

"That doesn't make you stupid," she chuckled, a grin forming at the corner of her lips. "I guess I don't move on as quickly as you'd think. But I'm sorry that you're still struggling with whatever it is that's going on. If you needed...a friend..." Doyun felt like she was intruding again on his life. He probably wouldn't want her hanging around and being that person who would try to help just to get in the way and make things worse; she just wanted to offer her support. "I probably shouldn't say that. Just know if you don't want to be alone anymore in this, I'm never far from you, Wonjoo."

            wonjoo knew she was going to say something like that, though there was still a sense of appreciation regardless. " i know i should have communicated better. " it was tough to admit that he wasn't being all that truthful to her about his lifestyle, and that's probably why he tries his hardest not to get close with anyone. but she was an exception. as much as he wanted to stop seeing her, he really couldn't help himself. though as time passed and with him constantly putting off the act of reaching out to her, he became more and more reluctant to show himself.

" i'm really sorry i didn't tell you earlier, noona. or that i didn't reach out. " standing up briefly to fix himself a cup of black coffee and pour hot water into her teacup, wonjoo hands the cup over to her. " i really don't deserve your kindness after everything. " he adds, " unfortunately, it's still something i am also working out, still. and i know it's wrong - but i really assumed you would just move on from it all. that's stupid of me to think too, huh ? " he understood he couldn't dictate anyone's feelings at the end of the day, but he assumed someone like doyun would have suitors left and right, and that he could be easily forgotten.

the duality of men

"You'll sleep with wonderful dreams if you decide to kiss me back one day."

Harper was gone behind her door before he could respond, the smallest sly grin on the models face. Despite the innocence it held, there was always that little part of her that wanted to make Hyunwoo flustered though he barely seemed affected by her touches.

The next afternoon Harper stood outside her home again holding her purse and her phone. Dressed in skirt and crop sweater, and comfortable shoes just in case they'd be doing a lot of walking. Despite his advice, she'd worked a little too hard on making the perfect driving playlist.

 hyunwoo's  eyes  softened  as  harper  kissed  his  cheek,  and  he  couldn’t  help  but  chuckle  lightly.  ❛  i  better  have  sweet  dreams  after  that.  ❜  he  teased,  his  usual  confidence  in  his  voice.  he  stuffed  his  hands  into  his  pockets  and  gave  her  a  playful,  lopsided  grin.  ❛  don't  work  too  hard  tonight,  okay  ?  we've  got  a  big  day  tomorrow.  i'll  be  expecting  top  tier  music  choices.  ❜  he  said,  turning  to  leave  but  glacing  back  one  last  time.  ❛  see  you  tomorrow,  noona.  try  not  to  miss  me  too  much.  ❜  flashing  a  grin,  walking  away  with  that  casual  ease  he  always  had,  as  if  her  kiss  ion  his  cheek  had  barely  fazed  him  -  though  the  faint  blush  on  his  cheeks  said  otherwise.

"If you miss me too much to wait for that time, you let me know," Ari said, giving a small wave to Hyunwoo before she stepped out of the small, cheap store and met back up with her drivers who took her to her father -- which was an old warehouse with the runaway in the middle of a group of hitmen and her father.

Ari didn't get her hands dirty, personally. Though they were tired every so often from clenching her fists so hard they'd be sore, still having a hard time stomaching the time it takes to torture information out of someone. It wasn't until the body was being dragged away and disposed of that she was able to breathe again. Her father lovingly kissed her on the forehead and told her things would get easier with time. She believed him.

 at  the  mention  of  the  charity  events,  he  let  out  a  low  chuckle.  ❛  oh  you'd  fit  right  in  at  one  of  those.  a  room  full  of  my  parents'  friends,  pretending  to  care  about  world  peace  while  sipping  overpriced  champagne.  you'd  love  it.  ❜  his  expression  softened  just  a  bit,  though,  and  he  added.  ❛  i'll  let  you  know  when  the  next  one's  happening,  but  trust  me,  it's  not  as  glamorous  as  you're  imagining,  so  be  prepared  to  be  bored.  ❜  but  of  course,  hyunwoo  wanted  ari  to  come  and  keep  him  company.  ❛  is  that  gonna  be  the  next  time  we  will  meet  ?  ❜

If it wasn't as loud and was more calm, Harper doubted that's where they were considering her travel group loved to draw attention to themselves and thrived off the busy atmosphere. However, after circling the floor twice, she didn't know where else they could be and unfortunately needed the break from noise.

"Yes, thank you," she politely responded, bowing her head as a show of appreciation even though she was becoming increasingly nervous. Her arms crossed over her chest to show her discomfort around the moving bodies -- usually her extroverted self loved meeting new people, but this was a little too much for someone who grew up so sheltered. "Is there...anywhere that's more quiet than the lounge?" she asked, about ready to just call a ride back to her hotel and call it for the evening.

　　Jimmy was busy with basic visual surveillance of the casino. Sure, there were plenty of security guards here, but there was to be no slacking off, and Jimmy didn't trust anyone enough to get the job done like he could. With a cold expression, he strolled aisles, the clang of slot machines, screams of victory, and cries of defeat rang throughout the establishment. It would make sense if someone got lost, but that was the plan. No clocks on the walls, the constant flowing of booze, and no windows, which concealed whether it was day or night. This was all part of the plan to obtain as much money from the gamblers as possible. With the best employees in the business, the establishment sure earned its reputation — despite Jimmy's general lack of faith in everyone.

　　As a woman approached him, he wore a cordial mask. Customer service was everything if he wanted returning customers. "Lost your friends, huh? Are you sure they aren't in the lounge? It's not as loud in there. I can walk with you and show you where it is."

Doyun knew she deserved that, too. Insecurity didn't suit the influencer well as she still was half a step behind him when he held her hand, not feeling like they weren't touching even though he was guiding her towards the car.

"Do you...hate me now?" she asked, silent, eyes on the ground and far from the bubbly, happy woman that was usually there. At this point, she didn't know what had caused her to turn in to such a mess of a person, and she knew that it couldn't be just Minjun doing this. If anything, she was bringing him down with her and the fear of losing him because of her attitude made her almost lock up. "Are you just as miserable as I feel sometimes? Did we...do that to each other?"

perhaps  it's  his  lingering  frustration  clouding  his  judgement,  but  everything  she’s  saying  feels  like  a  flimsy  excuse  that  does  little  to  soothe  his  agitation.  knowing  that  anything  he  says  could  only  escalate  the  situation,  he  chooses  silence,  letting  his  frustration  simmer  beneath  his  furrowed  brows.  “wouldn’t  be  the  first  time  you’ve  forgotten,  anyway.”  he  mutters  under  his  breath,  a  part  of  him  quietly  questioning  if  this  is  all  worth  it.  but  he’s  always  cared  too  deeply  and  hates  seeing  her  cry.  his  heart  protests  as  he  takes  her  hand  in  his,  yet  the  warmth  between  them  feels  different  now,  almost  strained.  “we’d  better  get  going  before  the  storm  comes.”  he  says,  almost  too  matter-of-factly,  as  he  leads  them  towards  the  direction  of  the  parking  lot.  

To her, it wasn't worth the abuse he went through. Seeing someone she cared so much about stressing over his future and being overworked to settle an evil father just didn't make it worth it. Sky was too precious of a person to handle this sort of abuse.

But Amara wouldn't try to be the one to change his dreams, if that's what she could even call it.

"You're too good," she mumbled, her hands coming to press gently against the sides of his neck to keep his proximity. There she was, holding her boyfriend even though she'd killed someone a few hours earlier for money. Though considering the hit, she wasn't taking an innocent person from the world. That's what she kept telling herself; she wasn't killing good people.

Amara let their comforting silence linger for a bit longer. A few more moments of close touches and having to pull away so she wouldn't keep him there at work any longer. There were still more files she needed to sort through.

"Ok," she whispered, unwillingly pulling away despite wanting to stay that way all night. "If it's even possible, I want to get you home and clean so you can relax. You've worked so hard today."

Allowing her to gently move him was the easiest thing in the world, especially in times like this, when it felt like that whole world rested square on his shoulders. But he couldn't think on that too much, lest it make the weight feel even heavier than it did.. than it always did.

Eyes slipped to an almost desperate close at that gentle kiss, Sky having moved so, so easily with her touch, in a way that only she could ever manage. He leaned in himself, to press a feather-soft kiss against her lips before brining their foreheads to rest against each other's. Silence lingered for a few heartbeats before the future CEO managed a soft, heavy breath.

"I know..." Both hands moved, taking gentle hold of Amara's as his mind sifted through a lifetime's worth of thoughts. "I know that I'm... young. That so much could change.. Maybe even change for the better but..." Lips pressed for an exhale, eyes slowly slipping open as brows knit,

"But that.. That's why I have to see this through.. Because so much can change. There's so, so much I want to change here. I want to change how this company does things. I see the potential to help.. so so many people if some things change in how its run. And after so long, I'm so close to that. To running a business that grows and thrives and helps others too. If I..." A heavy swallow came with a single shake of his head, brows knitting closer together.

"If I quit now, so close to that change, the chance? If I never at least tried I.. I don't think I'd be able to rest."

241004

She deserved that. Minju was kind, compassionate, and for him to still offer to drive her home after essentially bailing on him on their anniversary made her feel even worse.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, the words hard on her tongue because they were so difficult for her to say. Work was beginning to overwhelm Doyun and the stress of it was causing a rift in their relationship, which at this point was starting to dissolve just as quickly as her work contracts were popping up. "I didn't...realize until halfway through signing the contract about the time. By then, it was too late for me to text you."

Doyun reached out her hand to him. It was a silent offer, not request, to him if he was still willing to take it. The tears in her eyes were getting thicker.

continued from here, @anexthetxc

“so,  not  even  a  text,  huh?”  mj  replies,  disappointment  lacing  his  words.  it’s  just  like  her  to  avoid  the  apology  that’s  needed;  perhaps  it’s  his  pent-up  frustration  bubbling  to  the  surface,  making  it  difficult  for  him  to  handle  the  situation  with  any  semblance  of  maturity.  but  being  mature  doesn’t  mean  he  has  to  sweep  everything  under  the  rug  and  pretend  it’s  all  okay,  right?  “i  waited  there  for  an  hour  like  a  goddamn  fool  all  because  of  you.”  the  night  was  supposed  to  be  a  celebration  of  their  anniversary,  a  milestone  that  now  feels  hollow  and  unworthy  of  celebration.  instead  of  responding  directly  to  her  suggestion,  he  simply  turns  on  his  heels,  the  tension  radiating  from  him  palpable.  “i’ll  drive  you  home.”