Photo credit: shot a love

Italics - thoughts/inner dialogue: male female

“Sir?”  Chaewon’s voice came from behind Doyoung’s office doors after a sequence of knocking.

“Come in Ms. Park,” a mumbled could be heard from the other side – he sounded somewhat more tired than he did earlier this morning.

“Sir, the meeting is due to begin in ten minutes.”

She clutched the folders against her chest awaiting for his reply.  She scanned his desk and inwardly smiled noticing how it was always organised despite the towers of papers stacked side-by-side.

“Alright.”

“Sir… I have also been told that Mr. Jung will not be able to-“

Before she could continue, his phone pinged, drawing his attention away from the piece of paper he was about to sign, “It’s alright.  I know.”

Her eyes followed his hands as he drew out his phone from his inner blazer pocket.  Her lips pursed in a thin line, feeling slightly annoyed when her eyes laid on the piece of fine velvet running down from his collar.

He noticed it had gone awfully quiet for a moment and looked up only to see Chaewon looking frustratingly at him.

He raised one brow, “Is something the matter?”

She snapped out of the trance and shook her head at him, her brows furrowed subconsciously.

“I’ll be outside your office waiting Sir.  Please let me know when you are ready.”

--

As soon as the door had shut behind her, he was the one that began to grow confused and at the same time curious as to why the female who had just occupied the spot in front of him may have been looking at him with the slightest hint of irritation in her eyes.

Did I do something to her?

As far as he knew, they were anything but close.  To him, she was someone who Johnny had recommended the position to.

She was a friendly subordinate.

Three weeks ago, they were introduced to each other via Johnny.  Doyoung could care less about who he worked with, just as long as they got their work done and met with his standards – in which Chaewon ticked off the boxes.

Perhaps she was a bit too cheerful for him but he did appreciate her attempt at easing the awkwardness at their first meeting.

“Nice to meet you Sir, I’m Park Chaewon.  I’m looking forward to working for you,” her enthusiasm and smile made him cringe but nonetheless he acknowledged her politeness.

She assisted him with meetings, organising department files for him to read over and never once did she slack off.

I should have just hired her in the first place.

And if he did, he wouldn’t have to waste his time firing his previous secretary.

How unprofessional.

The last one was a female in her mid-thirties – single.

She would have kept her job if she hadn’t try to flirt with him; obviously she had skipped over the clause in the worker’s contract highlighting that all relationships within the company are kept strictly business.

Doyoung squeezed his eyes at the thought of the woman, a decade older, who tried to run her hands down his forearm as she handed him some files that day.

Ugh.

Johnny had told him how Chaewon was probably the most competent person ever to have worked in the marketing department, given her short amount of time at the company.  At first, Doyoung was unsure but since it was Johnny, he agreed to give her a chance.

Clearing his throat, he suddenly remembered that on Thursdays, Chaewon would usually hand him his regular mint chocolate beverage from Starbucks.  Frowning at