Akinetopsia

16 : Tantrums?

7:39 am

Athena walked out from the house just like the usual. She's late again.

As she stepped outside, she saw the chairman's car parked in front of the door.

"Assistant Saavedra!!"

Secretary Lim called her, moving out from the car's driver seat.

"You're here to pick me up today Secretary Lim? How thoughtful~"

she said chuckling. Secretary Lim shook his head aggressively and looked at her.

"Where is chairman?"

he asked, his forehead creasing.

She stopped laughing and looked at Secretary Lim.

"What?"

"Can you check him out on his room? I think he's still not awake."

Athena's eyes went wide, she rushed inside the house again to check for Ethan.

"Chairman?"

She knocked on the door. The door knob clicked the moment she twisted it meaning, It wasn't locked.

"Chairman? Are you okay? I'm coming in!!"

She said and opened the door.

She saw No-one inside the room but heard strange noises coming from the bathroom side.

"Chairman...?"

She slowly walked towards the bathroom, seeing Ethan throwing up on the sink.

"Chairman!!"

she ran towards the bathroom but then took a pause the moment she realized it was HIS bathroom and he's only wearing a bath robe.

"Are you okay?"

The white door wasn't even closed. She turned her back and patiently waited outside.

"Do you think i am okay?"

he said as he wiped his lips and washed his face. He took a deep breath and walked out from the room.

He's back on his usual self. Athena sighed, trailing her vision on his steps as he walk towards his dressing room

"Tell Secretary Lim I'll be there after 10 minutes."

He shortly said and looked at Athena who is staring at him.

"What? You want to see me changing?"

Athena looked away and scoffed. She guessed that the amount of alcohol he took yesterday was too much for his body.

"Nevermind. I'll go now."

she politely bid her farewell and bowed, walking towards the door and exiting his room without saying anything any more.

'The old him is back...'

Athena cleared her thoughts and walked outside. She headed towards Secretary Lim's direction.

"He said he'll be there within 10 minutes."

Athena faked a smile and walked towards the large gate.

"Assistant Saavedra!"

Secretary Lim called her again. She turned around meeting a perplexed Lim.

"Where are you going?"

he asked her. Athena's forehead turned a frown.

"To the office...? Obviously,"

she told him. Secretary Lim shook his head, pointing the car in front of the house.

"The chairman just texted me. He said you'll come with him to the office,"

Athena looked at him with a surprised look after that statement. She then glanced on the window of Ethan's room.

She can't help it but to smile, walking towards the car and sitting on the seat next to Secretary Lim.

After a few more minutes, Ethan opened the door from the back seat. He then stopped and looked at the front seat seeing Athena there.

"Why are you there?"

he said, sitting eventually. Athena chuckled.

"I need to give you space. You might throw up again and i don't want that on my officewear."

she said, laughing. Ethan sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning his head on his seat and closing his eyes to rest.

"What happened yesterday?"

Secretary Lim whispered, looking at the mirror, finally seeing Ethan sleeping silently.

"He just drank four bottles of gin and canned beers. I don't know if he's stupid or something."

Athena rolled her eyes while Secretary Lim laughed softly.

"It's the first time he's late in the morning so I thought something more intimate happened. the last time i saw him get drunk was like, two years ago? Pfft- that's illegal but no one can stop him. He found ways and he woke up like nothing happened. There's nothing that happened between the two of you? "

Athena looked at Secretary Lim with disbelief, suddenly blushing with her own thoughts.

She then remembered the kiss last night. Athena immediately looked away and pursed her lips.

"Secretary Lim! what are you saying?!! We are not like that!!"

"Who knows? It's not a big deal anymore tho.. I mean, both of you are on the right age to do what you both want. As long as the two of you are responsible enough then you can already have s*x and make a fam-" 

"It's not like that!! Don't you have any family Secretary Yoon? You should know how important that thing you are thinking for a couple!! "

she yelled, looking away.

"Why? Don't you like him?"

Athena was taken aback with his question, she looked at the rear view mirror to check on Ethan, hesitating if she'll answer or not.

"It's not that i didn't."

You can clearly see a small curve forming on Ethan lips. 

"But he's too good for me. Besides, He's a Pessimist, Arrogant, the kind of king that rules with tyranny, He's a perfectionist too and he's merciless and cruel, insensitive and inconsiderate. So i don't think i'll end up with him. Not even a chance."

Ethan's smile faded in an instant.

" You see Assistant Saavedra, Life is short so you need to make the best out of it. You are already hustling with your work at the very young age, you might miss the feeling of falling in love for the first time on your life. It's never too early to fall in love. But it can be late sometimes. You'll never know when your life will end, So you should do whatever you want without thinking of anything,"

This words coming from Secretary Lim's mouth rendered Athena speechless. He was like a fatherly figure that gives her a lesson.

"Besides, I think he likes you."

Secretary Lim said and sheepishly smiled. Athena frowned.

"That's absurd!"

Athena scoffed, turning her head towards Ethan's sleeping figure.

"This man? Huh! Never in my wildest dream!!"

Jiyoung said with exaggeration.

"I can hear the both of you,"

Ethan coldly commented, opening his eyes.

"Do you want to buy some coffee first, chairman?"

Athena ignored his reply and looked at the window, seeing they are near a coffee shop.

"I don't want anything."

he crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed.

"Did you take the medicines chairman?"

Secretary Lim asked him. Ethan looked at the mirror sharply.

"Shut up Secretary Lim."

Secretary Lim can't help it but to laugh with Ethan's annoyed expression. He massaged his temples and sighed deeply.

"Did you ate some-"

"Please don't talk to me. Especially you Athena Saavedra."

he called her with her full name. Athena just nodded her head, biting her lips to stop herself from laughing.

'cute..-'

She immediately erased her thoughts the moment she realized what she's thinking.

'What the hell are you thinking Athena?'

she shook her head and slapped herself.

Athena and Ethan walked out from the car the moment it stopped in front of the company building.

Everyone greeted him. He just walked casually towards the elevator, ignoring everyone.

"ahh...."

he winced in pain as he massaged his temples once again.

As the elevator started to move, countless sighs escaped Ethan's lips.

"Chairman you need to take this medi-"

Ethan just glanced at her direction and walked out from the elevator the moment it reached the top floor, not even looking at the medicines on her palm she readied earlier just in case.

'What's wrong with him?'

he walked to his office without even looking back. Athena just followed him, up until she reached the door.

"Don't come in,"

he sternly said, preventing Athena from coming in to his office.

She walked towards her desk and fixed herself, nodding her head.

"Yaah! Althea Saavedra!!"

Ms. Althea arrived towards her position. Athena looked at her.

"The chairman is late today? That's once in a blue moon!!"

She said with an amused tone. Athena shook her head as if she's surprised.

"Do you know why?"

she stopped applying her lipstick and looked at Althea.

"I don't know. Perhaps he just overslept?"

she smiled and stood up, walking towards the pantry.

"That can't happen! Chairman Mircovich is the most punctual person i know!! He never overslept!!"

Althea defended him as she followed her trails. Athena took some cookies from it's container and prepared Ethan's hibiscus tea.

"Then i don't know. I don't really have any idea,"

she kept avoiding eye contact so that she won't get noticed. But then, Althea aggravatingly held her shoulders and turned her to her direction.

"Answer me honestly Assistant Saavedra. WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY?"

she said, raising her voice a little so that she can intimidate Athena. She failed, unfortunately.

"Ms Althea, I don't really know. Ask him for details if you want to. You won't have anything from me. You're just wasting your time."

Athena said, putting the cookies and the hibiscus tea on a tray. She smiled at Althea and walked towards Ethan's office.

"I told you not to come in right?"

Ethan sensed that the door opened. Without even seeing it, he knows it's Athena.

"Drink this before taking the medicines. It will work to sooth your headache."

Athena said, ignoring him again and putting the tray on the table near the sofa.

"I don't want any of that. Take that away."

"Don't be such a kid Chairman. You need to drink this in order to get rid of your hangover!!"

Athena insisted. Ethan put his pen down the table and looked at Athena, finding her on his line of vision.

"I'm okay now. Take that away."

he said. Athena scoffed.

"Your face look so pale and your eyes can't even look at me properly. You keep frowning your forehead as if you are trying to endure the pain. That's okay for you?"

she said with sarcasm. Sunghoon rolled his eyes.

"I don't want you taking care of me. Go away."

He said. Athena snapped.

"What are you? A child?!! Oh god!!"

Ethan stood up from his seat, slightly annoyed.

"Mind your words Assistant Saavedra. I am still the boss here."

he sternly said and fixed his tie.

"And i am your personal assistant. I know what's better for your health so please, don't be so hardheaded!"

Ethan scoffed, crossing his arms again. Athena walked towards his direction and looked at his eyes.

"What's this fuss all about? What's your problem? "

she asked him. Ethan stared back, leaning his face near her.

"Take back what you said earlier and I'll let this pass Assistant Saavedra."

He said. Athena was puzzle-pated, Her eyebrows curved.

"What are you-"

"If you can't take it back, I'll never do anything you say."

he sat again on his swivel chair and started to scan the files on his table.

Athena hissed, annoyed with how childish the chairman is.

"oh please, i don't even know what you are saying!"

she whispered to herself. Ethan scoffed.

"Huh. Then leave. I won't listen to you until you already took it back."

he said, telling her to leave. Athena rolled her eyes and walked away.

"The hell is his problem again?"

Athena whispered to herself in frustration.

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