vermilion. || nct taeil [COMPLETE]

chapter 36.

MOON PUBLISHING – 11:46 PM.

By the time the 2nd week of Rin's manuscript mayhem has started, she could no longer recognize her own desk. That's why when a file folder of new potential assistants fell in the middle of her pile of paper, she was confused.

"New assistants?" she whispers to herself as she checks the files one by one.

She instantly flies out of her desk chair and into Taeil's office, without knocking. (she's very sleep deprived at this point so.)

"Sir?" she asks, showing the collection of new assistant files.

Taeil looks up from his laptop and hums. "Oh, that." he blinks, unaffected. It kinda irked Rin off. "I contacted HR and had them look over new resumes for a new assistant. It finally came, huh."

He reaches out a hand, asking for the file folder. Rin stands there, frozen.

"Excuse me?" she scoffs.

"What?" Taeil blinks innocently. "Hand it over, Lee Chaerin."

"You're replacing me, is that it?" Rin accuses, slamming the folder on the desk.

Taeil watches it unfold before him. This is the 5th time in 2 weeks. He closes his eyes and gets up from his chair to close the blinds. He usually does this if he wants to kiss Lee Chaerin or something. But not this time. This time, he's not hiding their relationship but his employee's meltdown.

"I'm too incompetent for you?! What have you found a super assistant that could keep up with everything that you do Lord Moon?!" Rin's voice wobbles as she breaks into a sob.

"Lee Chaerin..." Taeil's having a difficult time being her employer right now. As much as he wants to comfort her as the boyfriend, ever since Rin had started up the editing job, they have a strict rule of keeping it professional at the office. "Rin..."

"No." Rin sniffs, raising a finger. "No calling me Rin at work!"

Taeil sighs, reaching for his handkerchief and handing it over to Rin. "C'mon, wipe your snot," he instructs.

Rin takes the cloth from him and blows her nose with it. She looks like shit. She feels like shit. She's shit. Everything is shit.

"Everything's falling apart!" she wails dramatically.

"Lee Chaerin..." Taeil approaches her hesitantly and pats her head.

"No!" Rin backs away from him. "No physical contact!"

"Rin, those rules are dumb!" Taeil feels frustrated to not be able to act like a boyfriend to her.

"I'm serious, sir! Please stick to the rules we've established." Despite feeling like shit, Rin is adamant on keeping it professional at work. If being professional means having an emotional breakdown in front of your boss, then so be it.

"Can you handle the work?" Taeil asks in concern.

"Yes! Of course, I can! Why would you even ask me that?! Don't you dare go easy on me! Just do what you have to do as an evil boss!!"

"Hey." Taeil intones warningly. "Look, the workload I'm giving you is the normal workload for me. If you can't handle it, it's fine. We all work in different paces."

"No!" Rin declines again. "You wouldn't be saying that if it was a different person,. Don't treat me differently."

"Rin..." Taeil tries again but his girlfriend steps away from him when he advances.