Akinetopsia

15 : Sober

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Jiyoung wiped her puffed face as she cook the instant noodles she bought earlier. There are also bottles of beers and gin that she bought for herself.

"You're planning to drink alone?"

Ethan has his arms closed on his chest as he look at the bottles of beer on the table. He's sitting on the floor because the table is too small but there's a sofa on his back. He's patiently waiting for Athena to finish cooking.

"Why not?"

Athena shortly answered. She walked towards him and put the noodles on the table. She prepared two bowls for the both of them

"Let's eat."

Ethan looked at her direction, trying to find where she is.

"Why?"

Athena stopped what she's doing and looked at him as he asked.

"What do you mean?"

she asked him. She took a portion of noodles from the bowl and put it on her small plate.

"you told me you want to resign. Why?"

Ethan took some noodles too and started to eat while having a conversation with her.

"I have no other choice,"

she answered shortly.

"I can't understand anything. Can you tell me what did that b***h told you?"

"Hey. She's your sister,"

she glared at him, Ethan just rolled his eyes and shifted his vision on the printed paintings on the wall.

"I consider her as no one. So what did she told you?"

he asked her again while sipping his noodles.

'Should i tell him?'

she kept hesitating. Her eyes wandered around, seeing the gin bottles on the side of the table, she opened one and drank.

"Hey!"

Ethan prevented her from drinking the gin on the  bottle whole by pulling the bottle away from her hands. Athena awkwardly looked at him, glaring at his direction.

"Give that to me!!"

she yelled at him and tried to take the bottle from his hands but Ethan shook his head and drank everything in one go. Athena realized that she already drank on it but he still went to finish the small bottle in a single go.

"You still have a story for me to tell. You can't drink more."

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"So that's what happened....."

Ethan whispered, eyes half closed.

Four empty bottles of gin.

All were drank by Ethan.

She was surprised by Ethan's alcohol tolerance. She only drank half a bottle. Ethan prevented her from drinking by taking the gin placed on the side of the table and drinking them by himself. To deal with that, she sat besides him on the left. They shared the last gin bottle as Athena started to narrate what happened earlier.

"yeah...."

Athena looked down. She felt guilty. She's ashamed of herself.

She was shocked as Ethan gently pulled her chin upward.

She was met by a smiling Ethan.

"You should never believe her. She's a liar. Nothing from her words are true. Don't mind.... her,"

He said, laughing slyly.

'He's drunk... '

Athena shook her head.

"It's hot here...."

Ethan looked up and leaned his head on the sofa on his back, giving Athena the full access to look at his neck.

Athena gulped, blushing with the thoughts that suddenly ran on her head. 

"hot..."

He kept whispering, suddenly taking his coat off. Athena's eyes went wide.

Athena started to loosen his neck tie.

"I'm sorry... the aircon is not working right now because i still-"

"I'm not complaining about the air condition, Athena."

he whispered between his deep breaths. her ears rang after she heard him calling her real name. 

"Chairman you-"

Ethan looked at her with his eyes half-closed, stopping her from saying the next word.

'ethereal.'

It was a different side of Ethan you won't see everyday. he is clearly drunk already, his eyes were half closed, his lips were slightly parted as he continued to sigh. His black hair is now tousled on his forehead, sweats made strands of his hair stick on his forehead giving him a more messy look. Athena can't help it but to stare at him.

"I think y-you should go home now-"

"Why should I?"

Ethan stared at her. Athena looked away, her face starting to heat up.

"Athena..."

he called her name again with a slightly rough low-toned voice.

He crawled towards her position, moving to her front and locking her on her position. his right hand leaned on the sofa on her back while the other one is leaning on the floor to support his weight. Athena isn't doing anything. She was stunned with his sudden actions. Their he leaned closer towards her, smiling slyly.

"You're cute when you are blushing,"

he smiled at her, looking at her lips as their faces now only an inch apart. She can smell alcohol and strawberry mint on his breath.

"You know that you are my first ever assistant right?"

Ethan chuckled. Athena tried her best not to react. She want to go back to her position but Ethan locked her on her current state. one wrong move and she'll close the gap between the two of them.

"I kinda liked your attitude that's why I hired you,"

Ethan said bickering a little, moving closer to her to the point that their foreheads already hit softly. 

They stared at each other's eyes for a moment.. Ethan's eyes slowly drifted on her lips, her eyes stared on his soft lips too...

Ethan's hand moved towards her chin, slightly raising her head to align her closer. Athena was unable to move. She was captivated by Ethan's lips that she can't help but to pause and stare.

Ethan closed his eyes. Athena did the same and shut her eyes too, their faces closing the distance from each other.

Athena felt his soft plump lips clashing on hers. The feeling was ecstatic. he held her nape and pulled her closer, giving him more access on her lips. Her hands traveled on his hair, holding on him so he won't let her go. 

That was the first moment Athena felt something building up on her stomach. As if electric sparks constantly electrifies her, she got goosebumps and she felt wings fluttering on her stomach. They were butterflies. The kiss wasn't even passionate. It doesn't meant anything to Ethan but for Athena, It felt like something.

And she's aware it is not right.

After a few second, Ethan pulled away, smiling at her like a child, before his eyes shut close once again, his head slowly falling on her shoulder, he already fell asleep.

She can feel his body on her. It was warm, yet comforting.

She can't move. no, She doesn't want to move.

She don't know what to do. Ethan was calmly sleeping on her shoulder but their position is too awkward and uncomfortable for the both of them.

"Chairman..?"

After a few seconds, she finally came back to her senses. She tapped Ethan's shoulder, trying to wake him up.

"Hmmmm~"

he hummed cutely on her neck sending shiver all through out her body.

"You should go home now.."

she said, putting his head away from her shoulder because she can feel his breath on her neck.

"Drive me home..."

he whispered while bickering.

Athena looked at the window seeing his car outside.

She took her phone out and was about to call secretary Lim but to her surprise, there was a text message from the secretary.

-The car key is on his pocket. Please drive him home no matter what.-

Athena looked at Ethan. He just laughed at her.

"Sorry but i don't have any intentions leaving here without you. Pfft- too bad for you Athena~"

she blushed hearing her first name escaping  from Ethan's lips again. 

Athena just tilted her head.

"Let's go now. I'll drive you home."

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"You're still worrying about what she said?"

Ethan asked her while closing his eyes as he saw her expression. Athena was silent all through out the ride, contemplating with what she should do.

"Yeah... I can't help it,"

she said while stirring the wheel. The car stopped on an intersection, waiting for the red light to turn green.

Ethan smiled at her, holding her hand while the car is still not moving.

"I'll never let go of you."

she looked at his direction. He's trying so hard not to laugh.

"You should hear yourself."

Athena tilted her head, Ethan just laughed like a child.

"I'm dead serious!! With me, You shouldn't worry about anything!! "

he yelled like a small boy while laughing.

She just nodded her head.

"Okay.. As you say so... "

she can't help it but to laugh.

"There you go. You're laughing now.... Mission accomplished Ethan!!"

he told himself and goes back to sleeping.

"What's with you..."

Athena said while laughing.

'So this is his true nature behind that thick huge walls guarding him?'

Jiyoung can't help it but to smile.

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