I

Taeyeon put down her cup, leaning her back to her seat as she watched her two friends talking animatedly in front of her. Puffing the smoke from her cigarette, Taeyeon sighed. She couldn’t understand why she’s joining them, when her both friends do were just talking about their love lives. Watching them acting giddy or swooning over their sweethearts sometimes makes her want to puke.

To make it clear, she didn’t hate love. She believes in it. But she wasn’t the type of person either that would try her best to search it. Love just happens when we least expect it; when we’re unaware. At any time, no matter where we are. Or perhaps, love finds us on its own unexplainable way. Taeyeon wanted love to know her existence, instead of her discovering it first. What she should call herself right now anyway? A hopeless romantic? No. She just simply doesn’t seek love.

Taeyeon looked up on the ceiling, blowing the smoke in circular form. Unlike Yuri who believes that love shouldn’t be missed even in a first few times. ‘If I’d learned I like this person, I’ll go for it, Taeyeon. I will never know that she’s the certain love that I’m looking for unless I try to.’ That was Yuri’s principle of love.

She met Yuri when she was still in University and eventually bonded a friendship with her, unlike Tiffany who was her best friend since childhood. Tiffany though spent her almost teenage life in the US and just came back in Seoul after finishing her high school there. She and Yuri both studied Business and Accountancy respectively while Tiffany in Marketing. Nonetheless, the two got close together through her.

“I’ll go first. It’s so awkward seeing you two going crazy talking about your lovers in front of me.” She said, smashing the burning white gift to the tin cigarette plate on the table. Taeyeon lifted her head up hearing Yuri’s giggle. “What?”

“You should get yourself a life, Tae.”

“I have a life, Kwon.”

“What life? Waking up early, shower fast, eat toast, drink coffee in a hurry, going to work and then burying yourself in paper works or travelling somewhere? Is that what you call a life, Tae? Where’s the excitement in that?”

Taeyeon stopped herself not to roll her eyes. “Yul, I’m not like you two. Since college, you know that I’m too focused with my works rather than wasting my time in ridiculous things.”

“Her life is so semi-straight, Yuree. If not for her smoking and being gay, I would think that Taetae will bring herself in a convent.” Tiffany shrugged, leaning her body forward, propping her arm on the table while putting her chin on her palm.

“It’s not straight, it’s boring.”

Taeyeon waved her hand. “Shoo, both of you should stop meddling my life. I’m happy being like this. I’ll find love in a right time, if this talking is all about that by the way.” She stood up, picking her blazer jacket on her seat.

“Tae, how about your body needs?” Yuri looked up to her with so much concern on her face.

Taeyeon sighed, leaning herself closely to her friends to prevent other people to hear what she’s going to say. “I have my ways. What’s the use of being incognito online and my fingers?” She said mischievously, smirking. Taeyeon straightened herself, has the urge to laugh aloud after seeing their faces.

“Such an eeww, Taetae.”

Taeyeon chuckled. “Bye, guys.” Wiggling her fingers in an inappropriate manner, playfully, teasing her two friends.

“Just go. Shoo.”

Taeyeon laughed. This time she didn’t suppress it.

----

Taeyeon works as a Chief Operating Officer of Emerald and Prestige. A ready to wear business founded by Sunny’s parents and their colleagues. Lee Sunny appointed as their new Chief Executive Officer as a substitution to her older sister, the former CEO, who married not that long ago. Though their father still retained his position as the chairman. It was the same time that the company decided to make the HQ transfer in Seoul and Taeyeon got hired, along with her two best friends from University which she thankfully prayed.

Emerald and Prestige (E&P), focuses on the creation, designs, manufacture and sale of clothing line in America by the oldest Lee, who was acquired his Bachelor of Design from the University in New York. With his wife and other Korean colleagues, they brought E&P to Seoul and opened a sole branch after their first founded store successfully marked a name in US market even though from that time it still considered starting. The company added to take the leather goods in as well as the perfumes for men and women and they distributed under the Emerald Shade Scents and Lily Fragrance brands. The company range was completed by eyewear through their third-party company in Korea in order to practice the use of their local skills which pushed them to add more branches in South Korea. The company was going worldwide and confidently abled to cover the American, Asian even starting to go in European markets.

So, it wasn’t Taeyeon’s fault that she doesn’t have time for love. She was too busy travelling abroad, attending meetings and conferences— that the CEO couldn’t attend to because of her busy schedules and monitoring daily. It was such a help that Yuri was there to back her up in everything even though the younger girl’s responsibility was the company’s financial activities as an officer.

Taeyeon pushed the door to the meeting room followed by her secretary, Seungwan. She walked briskly, simply smiling a bit to all the people inside. She was in a hurry for other schedule, but she needed to meet those people before flying to New York that morning.

“Thank you all for coming at such short notice.” Taeyeon talked while walking to her seat. “Please help yourselves to coffee or tea.” She sighed, fumbling the button of her blazer to open it when sitting. Taeyeon checked the papers in front of her before looking up to their faces. “Can I start now?”

“Err… Ms. Kim, can I say something first about—.”

“Sorry Jongin, I have to fly for New York before lunch. It means I don’t have time to entertain whatever it is. Can it wait till I get back?” She clasped her hands on the table.

Kim Jongin waved his hand. “It’s fine, Ms. Kim.”

“Alright. As you can see with the papers in front of you, I had an online conference with the CEO and the financial officer yesterday, and we found out that the company spending too much in some of the branches here in Korea. And the CEO wants to send her a report regarding this. And it means that all of you, needed to make lists of these expenses concerning the branches under you and the reason why the company shouldn’t impose cutbacks. Remember, it should be reasonable. And we’ll talk it again when I get back.”

“Actually…”

“Yes, Ms. Bae? Any concern?” Taeyeon asked, looking at her wristwatch.