Maybe it’s true (I’m caught up on you) - 2/?
masterpost
“Good morning, Mr Park!”
Chanyeol shoots a dashing smile to the front desk girl, sending her into a giggling fit when she thinks he’s too far to hear her. He shakes his head with a chuckle and whips out his designer sunglasses as he leaves the hotel he lives at, taking long strides towards the matte black Maserati the valet just parked in front of the building.
“Good morning, Mr Park.”
“Thank you, Jaehyun. Have a nice day.”
Chanyeol drives off; glancing at the rear-view mirror, he spies the valet still smiling at him (lusting after his car, most likely).
Park Chanyeol is a very sought after bachelor: filthy rich heir to the Park Overseas empire, one of the largest South Korean shipping companies; quite the model material, with his long legs and lean physique; handsome and chic, he carries himself with some poise during official events, but is still kind to everyone. It’s a wonder he doesn’t appear more often on gossip magazines after some night of debauchery, rather on financial newspapers thanks to his father’s company’s latest business and his own contributions.
Today, Chanyeol has a business brunch with three representatives of a chinese company they’ve been waltzing around for months to convince them to invest in a partnership. For this semi-formal meeting he’s supported by Lu Han, Park Overseas’ sales representative, who happens to be chinese as well.
“Good morning gentlemen, thank you for coming,” Chanyeol greets in stilted Mandarin and exchanges handshakes.
The maitre d’ leads them to a private room, decorated in exquisite, traditional korean style. This restaurant is one of the many that belong to the family of Chanyeol’s best friend, Kyungsoo, and Chanyeol’s go-to place to impress any potential client (Kyungsoo has more than once jokingly asked for a slice of his profits, considering the near perfect percentage of deals finalized there).
Brunch proceeds relaxedly, business affairs momentarily forgotten to enjoy the food and engage in idle chatter translated mostly by Lu Han, who also has the embarrassing task of reporting to Chanyeol the prodding at his private life and yet another marriage proposal, this time on behalf of the daughter of the only bespectacled member of the chinese rep.
Chanyeol is having trouble not straight out laughing in the older men faces; Lu Han as well, having witnessed this every other meeting. Chanyeol lost count of how many businessmen and socialites engaged him in chitchats over a flûte of champagne, only to casually mention or blatantly show photos of their daughters and trying to set him up with their brats, all for the sake of an union of their families that would benefit only them: nope, he’s having none of that.
Skirting the topic as best as they can, Chanyeol and Lu Han distract the guests long enough to finish their coffees and jump straight into business.
By the time Chanyeol manages to talk the reps into getting in business with Park Overseas and slither his way out of an arranged marriage, it’s well past 2pm. The ghost of a headache starts lurking from a temple to the other; he gives a strained smile to the valet and hurries to the hotel entrance, without paying much attention to an agitated girl and her tired friend standing by the bushes outlining the tiled path that leads to the hotel.
Chanyeol is heading straight for the elevators when he hears his name being called: emerging from the well at the center of the lobby is Yewon, daughter of the head of a small luxury brand, who has been trying to woo him since they were old enough to attend those boring “all business and façade” parties.
(He can sniff out gold diggers from miles away.)
“Chanyeolie!” she exclaims, each hurried click of her stilettos and each tinkling of the damned bells of her bracelet ringing straight through Chanyeol’s ears and brain.
“Yewon,” he greets flatly, his lips barely lifting in a smile. “What are you doing here?”
“Dad had a meeting with some japanese investors but the translator got sick this morning, so he asked me to fill in pretty last minute,” she explains with a sour expression. Surely her father ruined her plans to get her hair and nails done, poor girl...
“What about grabbing some coffee and a slice of the millefeuille you like so much?” Yewon suggests, playfully pulling him towards the revolving doors. Chanyeol can’t help but stiffen when she hooks their arms together and looks up at him, batting her eyelashes. He gulps when he catches a whiff of her sickly sweet and floral, expensive perfume, that adds to his budding headache.
“I’m really sorry, I have a Skype interview in a few, so unfortunately I have to go,” he lies, disguising his wistful side look at the elevators for a regretful one at being unable to spend time together.
Yewon whines and puffs her cheeks out in what’s supposed to be a cute and endearing way to make Chanyeol cave, with the result of making him resent her even more. When the girl finally sees nothing is working, she sighs and detaches herself from Chanyeol, who represses the urge to dance on the spot.
“Okay…Talk to you soon, then!” Yewon is irked her plans to spend some time with Chanyeol seldom work, but bids goodbye chipperly regardless. She goes for a quick hug and sneaks a feather-like kiss on his cheek, then sashays to the exit and turns to wave one last time.
Chanyeol’s smile is a bit more genuine when Yewon leaves --because she’s leaving. Once he’s sure she has left the hotel, he exhales in relief for dodging a chatty and flirty bullet, and wipes the faint smudge of lipstick on his face as best as he can.
He can finally head back home: as the heir of Park Overseas, Chanyeol can live in a stunning penthouse in one of the most exclusive hotels of South Korea, overlooking the city of Seoul, with its private elevator and all the comforts.
Chanyeol has just confirmed the secret code on the keypad and pressed the button to the penthouse, when he hears some commotion in the lobby. The doors are already sliding closed; he glances up in curiosity and finds himself not alone anymore, a flurry of pretty girl appearing in front of him after she manages to sneak in the elevator, leaving her friend behind.
Chanyeol bites his lips to stop a bubbling laugh: it’s going to be interesting.
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