Based on a short story on Ameri Lie's channel.
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PAIRING: Jumin X Euna (MC1)
GENRE: Romance/Drama
[Part Two of the Two-Shot Alternate Jumin Route]
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Euna could admit that while she expected a bit more than a slight widening of Jumin's eyes and the parting of his lips, his reaction told her that he was surprised by the fact that she was the same Euna in the chatroom. That Euna after all could act a bit more dorky, if not confident and maybe a bit of a fangirl when it came to her hobbies.
"Well, hello Jumin, it's nice to see you again." She greeted him with a disarming smile.
It took him two seconds before he reciprocated with a nod, expression neutral. "I could say the same, Ms. Han. This is quite the surprise."
Oh, I bet you do hun.
She chuckled softly. "No need to be so formal, we are friends rather than acquaintances now, yes?"
His stance relaxed a bit more. "Of course, Euna."
They moved towards the sofa in the living room, and she sat down without much preamble. The tasteful way he decorated his penthouse in a combination of soft blues, grays and white made her look idly, but she focused on the man in front of her.
"It's been two months since we last saw each other. At that charity ball C&R held, yes?" She crossed her legs and grinned. "I have to say I didn't expect meeting you again in the most oddest of circumstances."
"As did I," he said.
Euna played with the straps of her bag. "Who knew a day off from the office could lead to this?"
That elicited a grunt that sounded like a disguised snort from him, and it amused her to see such a less stoic expression unlike when they were present at events.
"If you have to ask, I omitted parts of my identity simply out of necessity... and perhaps a bit of fun." An answer that said everything and nothing at the same time. If he was making her work for this conversation, he would have to as well.
"You were unsure of the situation and hiding under an alias would prevent alienating yourself."
Sharp man. "Yes well, it was nonetheless nostalgic."
"Oh?"
In one smooth motion, she pulled out her wallet. Finding her business card, she offered it to him, not breaking eye contact. "See for yourself."
As expected, he took it, scanning the words quietly. The silence didn't last very long. "So, you are the new CEO for Dandelion International."
"That's what it says."
"From what I heard, your father had been in internal conflict with his family, yes?" Jumin ventured. "It came as news to everyone when he announced that he was soon stepping down."
She scrunched her nose. "It was a mess we both had to sort through. So you must understand now, right?"
Those eyes lessened in intensity as the facts slotted into place. He mirrored her position. "I must ask though, why reveal yourself now?"
"For one, Jaehee did ask me to visit." Euna brought a finger up, pointing it towards him. "I also wanted to check in on you personally. Besides, you're not the type to blabber this to the press."
"And the RFA?"
"I'll tell them after the party." She paused for a moment, then sighed. Hopefully he'd see she wasn't a threat or a snake. "On a technicality, I was still a 'commoner' back when we first met. Despite my father's insistence, many of his family members disapproved of me. My attendance during that particular event was a set-up."
Something dark passed by his face, but it was gone the next second. "So you instead took advantage of it."
"Stirring the pot was simple, but your inclusion was a variable nobody expected." Euna laughed, slow and caustic. "Some plans changed. That was why I could no longer participate in events where you were slated to appear. I enjoyed it, but I didn't want you to caught up in our business."
"And now?"
Jumin stared, the same way he did after their first dance. The back of her neck tingled, and she swallowed. Her eyes wandered nowhere in particular, if only to stop the goosebumps.
"... When I was younger, my mom and I lived normal lives," she murmured. "We were out in the countryside with my grandparents, and I loved playing in the fields. That was until we moved back to Seoul, and then I met my father. Everything still feels new to me, so a taste of the old days in the chatroom was a blessing."
"If you reminisce so, then the omission of truth was worthwhile."
"I suppose. But, it's time for me to don the red dress again." Her heart pumped so vigorously then, she couldn't sleep afterwards. He stared at her intently, and it took a lot out of her not to smirk. "Now I don't have to expect more reports of someone trying to find me, do I?"
She will not preen under that look, because despite catching his eye, his heart is another matter. "You are an interesting woman."
"And you are a curious man."
His persistence was adorable however.
