Gongnyong Ridge

[ Gongnyong Ridge ]

[Ahn Jeongwon; 11.45 am]

Guys? Any of you guys are free now?

It's urgent. I have to see the director.

[Ahn Jeongwon; 11.48 am]

I need help. Anyone?

[Ahn Jeongwon; 11.50 am]

I ordered fried chicken for our lunch, we will eat at Songhwa's office as usual, but can someone please take the order first at the lobby and give the man a tip?

Read by 2

[Ahn Jeongwon; 11.52 am]

Thanks!

'Gyosunim!'

A woman's greeting from the left made Ikjun stop whistling and turned to where the voice came from. With enthusiasm, he waved his hand, his gesture inviting her to come closer.

'Gyeoul-ah, this afternoon we have some free time. Please do take a break before we start a meeting later in the afternoon to discuss the plan for tomorrow's surgery.'

Instantly Gyeoul nodded her head in reply.

'Gyosunim, are you going out for lunch now?' Gyeoul asked as she kept pace with Ikjun's footsteps.

Ikjun wrinkled his brow then tugged on his ear slightly. 'Since when do I eat lunch outside? I always have my meals here.'

'At… Chase Songhwa gyosunim's office?' Gyeoul gave him a broad smile then giggled after seeing Ikjun blushing out of the blue. Professor Chae Songhwa's office is a multi-functional space. More often than not, it became a cafeteria or food court for the Gongnyong Ridge boys.

'Right then, off you go. I will see you in the meeting room later.' Ikjun made his final remarks before jogging his way in the opposite direction of Gyeoul towards the lobby. He continued to whistle as he tapped on his phone screen, checking if there are any incoming messages from the others, but none seemed to have responded to Jeongwon.

Ikjun began to slow down his footsteps, carefully scanning the lobby, looking for a figure with an attire that at least looked like the uniform of the restaurant where Jeongwon had ordered the food. His eyes caught a young man, seemingly in his twenties, with gray converse shoes, two paper bags in his hands, and a face indicating he was in search of someone.

Since no one else around appeared to be the deliveryman, Ikjun walked out straight in confidence to the young man. As he was about to take another step, Ikjun stopped, blinking a few times in his stiffening posture. Petrified in a split second, Ikjun came back to his senses and dashed forward.

———

'Ahn Jeongwon gyosunim?'

Songhwa giggled and shook her head. 'Ah! No, I'm his friend, Chae Songhwa. Ahn Jeongwon has something urgent coming up, and he sent me down to pick up the order from you.'

'Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know. I was told to deliver this to Ahn Jeongwon gyosunim.' the young man said, beaming at Songhwa.

'No problem, it's not your fault.' Songhwa smiled at him. 'Are these paid already?'

'Yes. All good. I only need to do the final checking and make sure everything you need is inside.' the young man informed her. He was doing the final check on the content inside right when someone lent a hand to hold the paper bag.

'Waah, this smells so good I can tell myself, drooling just by sniffing the aroma.' Ikjun said, friendly and warm as always. Ikjun offered to receive and hold the package, as in return, he used the other hand to slip an amount of tip to the young man's hand.

'Thank you.' Ikjun made his final remark. The young man brightly smiled at him and politely bowed before he left.

Ikjun watched Songhwa as she turned around, both hands on her white coat's pocket, gallantly walked to the direction where he had come from.

'Annyeong!' Ikjun patted her shoulder and peeped. Songhwa held back a smirk and playfully pushed him away. 'You didn't reply to Jeongwon's message. I didn't know you were coming downstairs to pick up the order. Why didn't you reply? If I knew you were coming then-'

'Then you wouldn't bother to come here.'

'No.' Ikjun tried to stop her. 'If I knew then, you wouldn't have to come all the way down just to get these after the meeting.'

Songhwa breathed. 'It doesn't matter. I need to get out of my office once in a while, too, getting some fresh air.' Though she tried her best to conceal it, her eyes spoke a thousand words. Some words that are only visible to Ikjun's eyes.

'Wae?' Ikjun blocked her way, stretching both of his arms. 'What's wrong? Did the meeting go well?'

'It did.'

'Then what went wrong?'

'Nothing.'

Songhwa wouldn't say a word afterward. Her lips were securely sealed. She caught a few glances at Ikjun, only to realize he had been staring at her the whole time. They stood in front of the elevator door, waiting for one to carry them upstairs.

The very least or minimal contact and skinship he could do in public whenever others are around and on duty is to stare, speaking a language only the two of them would understand. However, it didn't put any less to the amount of love and affection he gives to Songhwa. Ikjun could see her tired and weary eyes for being pretty much restless in the past few days.

The 'ding' sound coming from the metal door caused Ikjun to break his prolonged staring at Songhwa. She stepped in as soon as the door opened, Ikjun followed. A few people were already inside, causing the two to stand a little far from one another. Songhwa stood in the middle, at the very back. Ikjun was a few steps away, standing adjacent to the glass.

It took the elevator to stop at three floors to give Ikjun and Songhwa a little more space to move and breathe. Seizing the opportunity, Ikjun brushed his hand on Songhwa's as he shifted closer to her in that packed elevator. Songhwa felt Ikjun's hand against her right, and it felt as if he had passed an electric current and rush of energy to her; she liked it.

Ikjun tried his best to look natural, keeping his eyesight straight as his fingers stroked the back of Songhwa's pam. She did not turn to look at him, instead, biting her lower lips trying to suppress a smile. Ikjun slid his palm upward and interlocked his fingers with Songhwa's. A small gesture, yet the contact felt as if he had lit a thousand little fires on the back of her hand. He gently squeezed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of her temperature. Songhwa noticed his grin that caused her to broke out a subtle smile, squeezing Ikjun's hand tighter in response.

When the elevator reached their designated floor, the two waited until they were the last to exit the confined space. Ikjun pulled Songhwa's hand and made her walk side by side with him. Ikjun lifted their joined hands and softly kissed the back of Songhwa's hand.

'Should I ask them to eat downstairs instead?' Ikjun asked.

'Why would they do that?'

'So you can have the rest of lunch break to lay down and get some sleep for a bit?'

Songhwa rolled her eyes and scoffed as she pushed her office door open with her back. 'No, don't ask them to do that. It's okay, and I can still take a break after lunch. I have Seok-Min helping me with the work.'

'Besides, I have already passed my busy days this week. What is left to do is enjoy the rest of the week and sort out some reports.' Songhwa continued, leaning against the table, folding her arms as she watched Ikjun prepare the food.

'But you will be busy until next week.' Songhwa pouted. Sadness clouded her features.

'No one is ever too busy with anything.' Ikjun stopped what he was doing and avert his attention to Songhwa. 'I may get a little busier than I used to, but you know me, don't you?'

She nodded.

'I'm always hanging around this hospital no matter how busy my schedule is. I know where your office is. I also know the way to your office, so I can come whenever I want.'

Songhwa nodded again. This time she threw herself away to look up to the ceiling, avoiding Ikjun's eye contact.

Ikjun headed towards Songhwa, putting them in close proximity so that there was hardly any space between them.

Ikjun leaned down, using his hand to brush some of her hair behind her ear. His hand, however, didn't leave the crook of her neck as he tilted his face towards her. Ikjun started fast, then stopping, having their lips centimeters apart from each other.

Using both of his strong hands, Ikjun lifted her and made her sit on the desk. In response, Songhwa's legs began to surround Ikjun as he pulled her closer by the waist.

On the second Ikjun pressed his lips against hers, footsteps can be heard from the hallways outside.

'Gongnyong Ridge,' Songhwa whispered.

'What?'

'Did you check? Did they say they were coming?'

Songhwa immediately pushed Ikjun's shoulder, making him almost slip. In the nick of time, without warning, the door slammed wide opened.

'Lunch!' Kim Junwan excitedly clapping his hands with eyes pinned on the foods. Junwan took a small piece of chicken skin and chewed it vigorously.

'Wah, this tastes surprisingly good. I didn't know they had a barbecue flavor. I love thi-'

Junwan's expression hardened, terror overtook his face as he gave Songhwa a strange look.

'Yaa..'

'Mwo?'

'Why are you sitting at the table?'

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