Pen and Knife

“Pwah! Pour some more!” Jieun roared as if she had already won the great battle of pretty drunkards.

“More! More! More!”

“Ohhh! Ms Lee's pumped up!”

“Get her more beer!”

The audience is loving it. It started as a nervous celebration, and now they're hyping up their big boss, even Mr Shin, who ultimately caused the chaos. If he hadn't said you and Jiheon had a past, this might have gone more smoothly, but he did.

“Tch. Chug. Chug.” Jiheon saw how Jieun took a tall glass of beer like it was nothing, knowing she would definitely take it as a challenge. "Pwah! Fill it up!" She slammed her empty glass on the table and demanded more as she licked her foamy lips.

“Ohh! Ms Baek's not backing out!”

“She’s really having fun!”

“Pour her some more!”

Those guys are really hyping them up; you know that there’ll be consequences for their actions tomorrow. But you know that tomorrow is still far away since the night’s still young.

“Why would I back out? You all know I'm the best drinker here!” Jiheon proudly stood up, bowing to her sides, proclaiming herself the best drinker.

“The last time I saw you drink, you were kissing the floor mindlessly,” Jieun muttered, smirking while watching her glass slowly getting filled.

“Ms Lee…” You tried to stop her from provoking Jiheon more, but you ended up receiving a death stare from her.

“W-w-what? Did you say something, Ms Lee?” Jiheon leaned closer, but she did not clearly hear what Jieun said. Her hair brushed through your cheeks, a direct hit of her perfume and conditioner straight to your sense of smell.

“I didn’t say anything… wait, are you drunk, Ms Baek?” Jieun noticed it and pushed Jiheon’s face away from you.

As you know, sitting between two alpha drinking females is not a good idea from the start.

“Me? Drunk? Ms Lee, aren’t you the drunk one? You kept whispering something.” Jiheon fired her shots into Jieun; her grin matched Jieun’s smirk.

“Uhh… Ms–” If Jieun glared at you when you tried to stop her, Jiheon did the same.

“WHAT!?” Jiheon looked at you.

“WHAT??” Jieun as well.

They both glared at you at the same time as if you were their enemy instead.

“N-n-nothing.” You looked down at the table, staring at your glass filled with beer, which you couldn’t even take since Jieun drank a lot and you had to drive her home.

The two kept bickering, throwing shade at one another. Jieun will call her a lousy secretary, and Jiheon will call her a bully boss. The boundary that was between them seemed to disappear that night; they looked like bickering friends instead of boss and employee.

“Sir, drink!” Mr Shin is dancing while someone sings a very unpleasant song. Those guys have already forgotten everything and are having fun, unaware of what’s coming tomorrow.

“I won’t; I have to drive.” You responded, looking at Jieun and Jiheon going head to head, exchanging glares and mockery.

The night out thankfully came to an end after a few more bottles and hours. In the car, you took glances at Jieun almost every minute. She seemed calm, but she still drank a lot, and apparently, you did not know her alcohol tolerance since she rarely drinks that much.

“Uhh, Ms Lee?” You called her, taking a glance over your rear-view mirror again.

“Don’t talk to me.” She responded, staring outside with blank eyes and an expressionless face. It’s not the response you were expecting from her.

“A-are you drunk? You shouldn’t have drunk too—” 

“I said, don’t talk to me.” She clicked her tongue, and you subtly saw that she even rolled her eyes.

“Okay, ma’am, understood.” You clenched the steering wheel and drove like you always do.

The drive went smoothly as you parked in her spot. She opened her door by herself and walked away. As you thought she was not going to talk to you that night, she stopped and turned around.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"About Ms Baek."

"About the two of you."

"...Why?"

She tilted her head, throwing a barrage of questions that you never thought she would ask one day.

"It happened a year ago." You stopped for a moment. "I never thought it was something you needed to know." You added, it’s the answer to her questions.

During that time when you and Jiheon were still together…

Jieun’s your boss; that’s just it.

“I get it.” She bit her lower lip and crossed her arms; that’s her habit when she feels really annoyed. “I was just your boss.” She really did get it; that’s exactly how it is.

The silence settled between you. Neither of you looked at the other as if a glance was forbidden,

For the first time that night, you didn't know what to say; you were guilty of something you did not even know.

During that time when you and Jiheon were still together… Jieun was your boss.

Nothing more.

"Ms Lee..." You gathered every bit of courage you had left just to call her name. You still didn't know what to say. But somehow… You felt like you couldn't let her leave without saying something.

“I was just your boss…” She repeated. She then raised her head, finally looking you right in your eyes. “And you’re my secretary, mine.” She added while her lips slowly curled up into a smile.

You watched her in awe. The parking lights fell on her like a spotlight, illuminating a smile you never thought you'd witness that night.

“And it’s not Ms  Lee! It’s Jieun, remember?” She had to remind you that you’re alone with her. “Good night!” She quickly added, then turned around and hopped her way to the building.

She always had that strange talent of brushing sadness aside with a smile. Somehow, seeing her leave like that eased the weight in your chest. Before you realized it, you were smiling too.