Chapter 117

117 The Progress

Everyone looked at Dae, running away from the room. He said that he was going to the bathroom, but he just wanted to get away from Nivritti. His senseless jealousy was overtaking his creative mind. He always felt threatened by women more intelligent than him, more talented than him.

This happened last time when Song Ha-Eun entered K&Q. When she arrived, she took all the glory and praise for her brilliant ideas. Dae started harassing her and ultimately got her fired. He knew he had to do something similar to that. But that was going to be difficult as Nivritti not only became Chung-Ho’s favourite, but she was now friends with ASD and had direct contact with the CEO.

He had to get creative to get her thrown out of K&Q. he wanted all the glory for the Rencontre for himself. Even though he was the senior, he knew everyone was aware that she thought of the idea. He had to do something that would make people believe that she was incompetent and the idea for Rencontre was her one great plan.

While he went away Kyung-Soo’s manager came with the food and distributed it to everyone. Dae came back and his food was waiting for him. To his surprise, the boys chose to eat with the dance crew.

After lunch, everyone went back to their work. ASD went back to their dance practice and the Rencontre team went back to their script fishing. Dae now started looking for extraordinary scripts. He started rejecting almost all the normal scripts even though they were good.

While he was getting all the footage, while Nivritti asked him for his opinions, he was fine with everything. He even helped her reach the idea of rewriting a script with bad grammar but when she started to outshine him, he started resenting everything.

The boys practised for around 4 p.m. and then the dance crew left for the day. The boys again ran to the Rencontre team and urged them to let them read the scripts. Kyung-Soo again sat next to Nivritti and, this time concentrated on reading the scripts.

Korain and Young-Chul liked a script on Dae’s laptop which made him feel slightly better. For two hours, everyone kept reading and discussing the scripts and then it was time to leave. Thae offered to drive the Rencontre team back to the office.

Everyone said goodbye and Kyung-Soo praised Dae for handling the Rencontre process so well. Dae’s chest puffed with pride. Finally, someone was giving him the recognition he was craving for. Thae dropped them right outside the K&Q building and left for home.

.....

After the Rencontre team entered the office, Chung-Ho wanted to get the progress report.

“How is the search going?” asked Chung-Ho.

“It is going good,” replied Dae while collecting his things to finally leave the office for the day.

“Is King reading the scripts or calling you guys just for fun?” teased Chung-Ho.

“Today everyone from ASD read the scripts,” interrupted Jae-Hwa, excited. Dae pursed his lips and looked at Jae-Hwa with disdain. Why did she interject when he was talking to Chung-Ho? No one asked her. He was talking to him, so must have answered the question. But he just gulped his anger.

“Wow! Great! I thought only King would read it,” replied Chung-Ho.

“No, they came and sat with us, and they even liked one on my script,” said Dae.

“Only one! Seong-ssi, you are slipping,” mocked Chung-Ho, playfully.

Dae clenched his fists and faked his smile, “ha-ha, Choi-ssi. You tease too much.”

“You guys are doing a great job. Keep it up. Did they like any script from your server, Ritti?” asked Chung-Ho.

Dae’s dam of anger was just about to burst. Chung-Ho mocked him because ASD liked only one of his chosen scripts whereas Nivritti said nothing about her scripts, yet she was getting all the importance. In his jealousy, he couldn’t even see that she never spoke between him and Chung-Ho or tried to hog the time while answering Chung-Ho’s query. She just stood behind Dae, silent listening to their conversation. But he was too blind with envy.

“Oh, CH, yes they liked a few,” replied Nivritti.

“A few! Good going. See Seong-ssi, a few. That’s how we want the progress of Rencontre to be. Read more and read fast. I want good results from you,” said Chung-Ho.

Dae clenched his jaw and tried hard to control himself. He didn’t want to show his true colours before his boss. Chung-Ho had the power to fire him without any prior intimidation and getting fired from K&Q would mean that no one in that industry would ever hire him. He had to maintain his good name.

“Of course, Choi-ssi! They are youngsters, they don’t have the responsibility of a family. They can work even in their homes, but I can’t. but don’t worry, I will go home and read more, search more,” said Dae through a fake smile and gritted teeth. He side-glanced Nivritti with animosity. “Now, I will take leave,” he bowed down to Chung-Ho and left the department.

The moment he left the department, he looked at Chung-Ho and Nivritti through the glass door. His anger climbed a notch up when he saw them talking and laughing. He felt as if he was stabbed with a dagger through his heart. He felt as if they were laughing at him.

But inside the script department, no one was thinking about him. Jae-Hwa, Nivritti and Chung-Ho kept talking to each other about the progress they were making.

“Are they enjoying reading scripts?” asked Chung-Ho.

“Yes, very much. After they finished their practice, they came running for more to read,” chimed Jae-Hwa, happily.

“She is too happy,” commented Chung-Ho and looked at Nivritti.

“Well, she talked to ASD for the first time without feeling conscious,” teased Nivritti.

“What?” laughed Chung-Ho. A few people who overheard the conversation too smiled at Jae-Hwa.

“Ritti!” complained Jae-Hwa and hid her face in her hands.

“She never talked in front of them. She was too shy. But today I told her secret to them,” laughed Nivritti.

“Secret?” asked Chung-Ho.

“Yeah, that she is their fan,” teased Nivritti.

“Ha-ha,” laughed Chung-Ho. Suddenly he realised something. “Wait! She gets conscious while talking to them because she is a fan, and you don’t feel any fear because you are... not... a fan?” asked Chung-Ho.

Suddenly Nivritti felt a slight pressure on herself. Every eye in the department was on her, waiting for an answer. She looked at everyone and then her eyes rested on Chung-Ho. Jae-Hwa too stood with her arms folded over her chest. “Um... I am a fan. I listen to their music, but I am not obsessed with them. I don’t treat them as gods like Jae,” replied Nivritti. “I treat them as fellow humans.”

“Hey! I don’t treat them as gods,” pouted Jae-Hwa.

“Really?!” asked Chung-Ho.

“Okay, fine, I treat them as gods. Have you looked at them? They look like sculpted Greek gods,” shouted Jae-Hwa.

“Oh my God! I don’t know you. Give me another team member CH, I don’t know her,” teased Nivritti. Chung-Ho started laughing out loud. Watching him laugh, the rest of the script department too started laughing and then Nivritti burst out laughing. Only one standing while pouting was Jae-Hwa. Everyone was laughing at her expense, and she just sulked.

“Come on, Jae! We are teasing,” said Chung-Ho after looking at her poor face.

“Let’s go, Jae. I will treat you to a coffee,” Nivritti tried to butter her up.

“What about soju?” asked Jae-Hwa, cutely.

The Saturday flashed before Nivritti’s eyes. She knew what would happen if Jae-Hwa would drink. Nivritti shouted, “no! no soju for you, ever.”

“Just a sip,” pleaded Jae-Hwa.

“No, you drunkard, no,” emphasised Nivritti.

“I will pretend this conversation never happened,” commented Chung-Ho and started moving away from the girls. “By the way, Ritti, thanks again for the gift.”

“You are most welcome, CH,” Nivritti bowed down to him.

Both the girls collected their things and Jae-Hwa dragged her to a restaurant. They drank coffee and went to their places.

Jae-Hwa was so happy as her bias sat next to her all day. He read on her laptop every time and even praised a few scripts. For the first time, she talked with the members and finally her fear was gone, thanks to Nivritti.

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It was Nivritti who revealed her secret. It was she who gave her the courage and strength to talk to ASD. If she would not have been there with her, she would never have talked to them or shown them her laptop. They asked her questions, and she answered them, confidently.

The only thing that was bothering her was the behaviour of Seong Dae. She could have easily helped him, but he just bent over her and grabbed his laptop. She didn’t like him touching her. She felt awkward when his whole body towered over hers.

Maybe Nivritti was right. Maybe there was some problem at his house, and he was not thinking straight. Finally, she decided to pay no heed to him and not let his one gesture destroy her beautiful day. Happily, she reached her home and the whole night kept thinking about the hand touch with Jeong-Eun. She could not help but blush in her bed.