Office Diaries - Chapter 177

“What the heck did I let you talk me into?”

Peter grumbled as he looked at his crimson sweater with distaste. The color was just too cheerful, opposing his current mood. “You even made me wear this,” he complained as he pouted.

Jun Kim rolled her eyes heavenwards as she counted to ten. Lately, the author’s taken to throwing unbelievable tantrums and mood swings. As expected, the new novel became not only a hit to the readers but also became the talk of the town due to its ‘sheer amazingness’ as the critics put it. Due to this, there had been talks about making it into film and the writer had been invited to many shows such as this one.

Usually, Peter wouldn’t want to take part in any activity promoting his books. He was just interested in writing them and beyond that, he didn’t care. Jun told him, however, that Anjee would be watching this show and it’s his chance to get in touch with her.

Since their misunderstanding months ago, the two of them didn’t have the chance to speak to each other again. Peter feared that Anjee hated him.

“Mr. Anter Kim?” the production ȧssistant called out and Jun raised her hands and pointed at Peter’s head.

“Ah Mr. Anter Kim, you’re next. Please follow me,” the man continued and Jun half dragged the writer with her as they walked after the ȧssistant.

When they reached the set, Jun Kim nearly pushed the writer and she glared at him when Peter hesitated.

“What are you dillydallying here for?

When Peter obediently walked towards his seat on the set wearing a small smile as the host welcomed him, his editor finally sighed with relief. Since that day when she discovered Peter’s not so secret love, gone was their strictly professional relationship. Jun Kim felt more like a mother hen than an editor these days and the heartsick writer’s driving her insane. She just hoped that this plan Ken Han cooked up would work. If not, she’d lock the writer and the singer in a room and throw the key somewhere no one could ever find!

“Are you ready?” Ken Han asked and the singer beside him smiled nervously. “Just relax. This isn’t your first show,” the president continued reminding Anjee that she should get used to appearing on television.

Since the day the song “Don’t Ask Me If I Love You” was released to the public and she was presented as Oracle’s new singer, Anjee had been whisked to one show and another, singing the heartbreaking ballad about unrequited love over and over again.

“Okay,” she answered timidly as she sat down on one of the chairs as she waited to be called.

Ahead of her was a monitor showing the actual show being taped, but she ignored it. Her mind was focused on calming herself down and cheering herself on a little bit. Since she walked out of Peter’s house some months ago, she never returned there. On a whim, she changed her phone number and was now regretting her actions.

She missed Peter. She missed him so much.

“Aren’t you going to watch your fellow guests being interviewed?” Ken Han asked then and she glanced at the monitor, an apology already at the tip of her tongue but froze upon seeing the screen where her “fellow guest” was shown. “Pe…ter?”

Ken Han didn’t show any reaction. He glanced naturally at the monitor and pretended innocence.

“Peter?” he asked lightly knowing full well who she was talking about. He glanced at the man being introduced to the audience and smiled. “Oh, that’s Anter Kim, you know, the famous suspense-thriller author.”

“Y-Yeah…”

On the surface, both Ken Han and Jun Kim brought their respective protégé to the show for promotion. But in reality, this was the set up they planned for the stupid couple to meet. The president of Oracle Music normally wouldn’t do any personal arrangements like this one, but since his girlfriend would be put on the spot if he didn’t do anything, he totally took over the plan.

Writers were scary random creatures that needed stable mental and emotional states in order to create, in his opinion. If it were other authors, he wouldn’t really worry about Jun Kim being stuck. But this was Anter Kim, Niji International’s precious golden goose. He was one if not the bestselling authors of the publishing company. The company of course would take matters about him seriously, and it was even possible for it to make both Jun Kim, and Niji’s top dog, Tohru James to cater to him 24/7 just so he could be in good writing condition.

Since he already knew it would be like that, Ken Han wouldn��t wait for it to happen. Ergo…

“Do you need to warm up? You will be going on stage soon,” he reminded the singer and Anjee finally broke her stare from the monitor.

“Ah…no— I mean yes, I’m ready” she answered and Ken gave her a knowing stare as if he didn’t believe her. Anjee laughed at his face as she shook her head.

It was obvious that she was shaken by the fact that Peter was here. But she should have known that they were bound to meet like this since his book came out.

“Do you like that writer?” Ken asked and Anjee almost choked.

She did tell him about Peter but she didn’t tell him about him in detail like who exactly he was. It was why he was surprised when Jun Kim mentioned that “Peter” was Anter Kim. Ken just knew that he was her childhood friend— her best friend and that she thought that she was having a painful one-sided love.

“Er… yeah,” Anjee answered. “I like his books.”

“Oh?” Ken raised his brow. “Have you read his latest book then?”

He was talking about Pathos, but Anjee shook her head.

“I still didn’t have the time. I will buy a copy later,” she answered as she stood.

It was time…