XXVII.

Chairwoman Bae came out of Wendy's hospital room after around thirty or so minutes that day, looking the same as she usually did, face unreadable, nonchalant. Joy stood up immediately, walking towards her, much like a dog would to its master, and greeted her with a bow.

"You didn't do such a very good job today," the Chairwoman said.

"Apologies, chairwoman. I will take full responsibility."

"It is just right you do so, don't you think?"

"Yes, chairwoman," Joy replied in an almost monotonous voice and the whole exchange struck Seulgi wrong, as if she was watching Joy, who was very much human—as to what those warm hands of hers remind Seulgi—act not so very human at all. And maybe Seulgi had developed a small attachment to the secretary then, after spending quite a few hours with her, because for one, she felt some slight pity towards Joy—to how she had grown up to be this way, in the arms of a stranger yet considering that stranger a family and considering the love that that stranger provided as love when it clearly was not—and lastly, she was intrigued by Joy's actions, by her well-trained mannerisms and by her somewhat alluring beauty.

Seulgi must have seemed out of it then, and perhaps she was; she wasn't really the type to confront people that easily, especially Chairwoman Bae, though she did admit that she had a knack for being too carefree, too amicable and brave in social situations. But Seulgi stood up from where she sat in one of the chairs outside Wendy's hospital room and approached the both of them.

"Long time no see, chairwoman," Seulgi greeted, too brightly and bordering disrespectful in Joy's opinion.

"Kang Seulgi," the Chairwoman acknowledged. "Still the same as always, I see."

"Same to you too, chairwoman."

"How is your family doing? I have no doubt that you still have not spoken to them, no?"

"Not since my first year of university."

"Not interested in family matters still? Even after all this time? Even after you have gotten yourselved involved in it, in one way or another?"

"I care about Irene but not about my family business."

"Irene is still unaware, I presume."

"It's not like telling her will make much of a difference."

"Maybe not. Maybe it will. Who knows but none? The future is always uncertain."

"I trust you wouldn't tell. It's my business after all."

"Indeed. Not that I care much for your business. Oh, how I do wish you would grow up and start taking on important responsibilities, hm?"

Seulgi laughed in response and bid her farewell. She realised that she must certainly ask Irene later about what had gone on during the time she and the chairwoman had been in the hospital room talking to each other. She assumed a sort of deal had taken place but knowing Chairwoman Bae, it must have come with a difficult set of conditions.

Joy followed suit, again like how a servant would to its master, and before she could go any further, Seulgi had grabbed her gently by the arm, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"It's—it's been nice meeting you," Seulgi said and she meant it. It must seem delusional to others, but to her, she felt comfort in Joy's company, as if they had known each other for years and had met again after a long time of being apart. Something felt familiar despite none of it being so whatsoever.

The chairwoman must have noticed it because she stopped from walking and stood, though not looking back, perhaps as a way to give them privacy or maybe she just did not bother about the two at all.

Joy's eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by the sudden forwardness of Ms. Kang. She must have expected no more from her though considering how Ms. Kang had been nothing more but forward with her actions since their first meeting. She looked at Ms. Kang and then at her own hand, feeling Ms. Kang's fingertips on her palm, electrifying and tickling as it crawled along her skin, and then feeling something hard, something solid, a rectangular piece of card placed firmly upon her hand. A business card?

Ms. Kang beamed her usual bright smile and said, "If you ever need to talk to someone."

But Joy looked at her strangely, unfamiliar with it all and thinking if she would ever need to talk to someone throughout her life. Would a secretary such as her have the privilege to freely have her own social life? To start one and actually form connections with people she wanted rather than people, businessmen and businesswomen, the chairwoman had told her to build a connection with? Most likely not. Most likely never.

The chairwoman coughed then, the signal for them to leave, and she walked away, followed by Joy who looked back once more, just to see a face still filled with a smile accompanied by vigorous arms waving them goodbye.

* * *

"Something on your mind?" the chairwoman asked Joy. The blurred whizzing view of trees and houses could be seen from the car window.

Joy blinked, realising where she was, who she was. "No, nothing, chairwoman."

Of course there was something on her mind. It was the thought of Ms. Kang, the way her bright smile seemed to have etched itself onto Joy's memory, like a sun that burned its mark on the cloudless sky. She wondered what the smile meant, if it was a facade to hide a deeper purpose, but then