Chapter 26: SINCE YOU ARE JUST FLIRTING
Her boring days passed by quickly. True to her words, she stopped her art hobby for the meantime. She made less conversation with Jacob as well. She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable because of her.
Nonethless, someone had been dropping by earlier than usual. Who else could it be aside from Liam? Before, he would come to the cafe after Jacob closed it so that he can make preparations to open up the bar at night. Now, he had been coming over two hours before the cafe closes.
Not only that, he would strike conversation with Hana like they were close friends. It didn't bother her though since they had spoken to each other before and he knew a little bit of her secret. He wasn't making any passes at her either. He was just being talkative.
"Hey Hana! Have you prepared your things?" Liam asked her as soon as he came inside. He didn't even greet his best friend. "The outing will start tomorrow. You will need proper preparation."
"Of course! I searched for things to bring." She proudly told him about her research and findings.
"Why didn't you ask me? I could've helped you."
"It's fine. My brother helped me."
"Your brother is really reliable." Liam murmured while giving Jacob a look who, in return, ignored him.
"If I won't rely on my brother then, who should I rely on? You?"
"I am one of the example but...you can also rely on your boss." he was clearly doing something to get Jacob's attention but Hana snorted at him.
"Me? Relying on the boss? What is he to me? An employer! Do you want me to lose my job?" Her exasperation made the other staff laugh. They knew what Liam was trying to do but Hana was just oblivious to his intention.
"You won't lose your job." Liam commented before leaving her with his wiggling eyebrows. His mischievous grin was telling her that he was up to something naughty again.
He walked towards Jacob who was scowling at him. He played dumb in front of him and ignored his feelings. "I really like Hana."
"I told you that -"
"That I can't like her." Liam finished his statement. "But what are you to her? Why should you warn me off?"
For the first time in his life, Jacob wanted to punch his best friend but he didn't know for what reason. He looked at his friend before telling him why.
"I promise to her father that I will take care of her at work. That includes warding off evil creatures like you."
Not just Liam, the staff and the customers who heard him were totally surprised. They weren't surprise because he told his friend was an evil creature but because he met his employee's father!
Hana stiffened and looked at her boss with widened eyes. 'What the hell are you talking boss?!' She really wanted to shout these words but she couldn't open her mouth from the stares she got from everyone.
Liam fanned the flames, too. "You are already in the stage of meeting the parents?! Why didn't I know of this? When will she meet your parents?"
Jacob massage his temples from the nonsense Liam had spouted. "You know what, for the first time, I really want to sew your mouth shut!" He glared at him and went back to his work.
"Is it because I discovered a secret? But Hana.."
"There's no meetings of parents that happen, 'kay?" Hana tugged Liam's hand and dragged him out of the cafe. "Can you stop spouting nonsense? And don't talk about what you heard at the park last time."
"So, why did he say that he promised your father about -"
"That was just a coincidence."
"So, you and Jacob -"
"What you and Jacob?! There is no me and him!" she rolled her eyes at him.
While they were outside, Lily spared Jacob a glance who was checking the total money they earned for that day. "Now that I look at them clearly, Hana and Liam is actually a great match. Right, boss?"
Jacob raised his head and watched at the two people who were still talking outside. "I don't care about her match."
Lily laughed upon seeing his reaction. 'I think I discovered something.' She noted mentally to herself. One after another, their customers left since it was almost closing time.
Hana came back with Liam following her. "Come here Hana." Jacob called out to her. She walked towards him with clear frustration from what just happened and Jacob added another frustrating matter to her. "Since you were just flirting for half an hour, I will deduct the lost time from your salary."
"What did you just say? I was flirting?! The hell was that? Tell your friend to never show his face in front of me!" she yelled at him angrily.
It was a side of Hana that they had never seen. She was always humble and frequently smiles at them. They saw her sad expression one time but they had never seen this angry.
"I never knew you think of me that way." Hana's cold eyes swept at him. "Go and deduct the rest of the time. I'm leaving."
She untied her apron and walked inside their locker room to get her things. She didn't speak to anyone and left in silence.
"You've gone overboard, Jacob." Liam told him and went inside the small office room.
"I...I didn't mean to say it." Jacob mumbled with suppressed anger to himself.
Lily wanted to follow Hana but her shift wasn't done yet and she might get fired. If Hana lost her job, she still has a rich family to support her but if she lost her job, she didn't have anyone else to support her
Lily decided to stay and waited for their shift to end before quickly getting her phone to call Hana.
"Lily?"
"Adam?" she looked at her phone and found it was Hana's number. "This is Hana's number, right?" she asked him while tidying herself, getting ready to go home.
"Yes, this is Hana's number." Adam confirmed.
Lily could her the beeping sound from the background and someone talking to a doctor. "Are you at the hospital?"
"Yes. We send Hana here."
"Hana is in the hospital?!" her sudden outburst garnered attention from her colleagues, Liam and Jacob. "What happened to her?!"
Adam massaged his temple from slipping his tongue once again.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone