“Mother,” I uttered softly as I brushed my fingers on the photo of us we took in Tokyo, Japan. “You've always loved Japan’s plum blossoms (ume).”

          I bit my bottom lip, a whirl of nostalgia forming my reverie. In an instant, I watched as Mother elatedly spread her palms, allowing the plum blossoms to fall onto her calloused ones. Contented, my heart bloomed in happiness. Her wrinkled eyes, wise smile, and sophisticated curls cascading down her shoulders depicted the most beautiful scene ever. It was a moment carved on my mind.

          She seemed fulfilled, less bitter. All her worries and devastation vanished from a shed of tear at that moment.

          “Silly me,” my mom sniffled then. I vividly recalled her wiping the tear that stained her rosy cheeks and gave me the most meaningful look.

          Someone once told me that everyone smiles in the same language. I believed in it for twenty years of my life, until Mother shed that tear under the stunning scenery of ume. I thought she had teared from sadness, but little did I know, it was a tear of happiness.

          Visiting Tokyo’s plum blossoms was her very last wish before she left me.

          I was born into an affluent family. No one has not heard of the Bae family in South Korea. We own the biggest fashion corporate in the country, Gloria. Everyone knows Bae Jinhyuk and Lee Soomin as the chairpersons of Gloria and of course, not forgetting the heir to Gloria, Bae Jihye.

          Bae Jihye is the head Marketing executive of Gloria as well as its future chairperson. Newspapers and magazines had published articles of her success in assisting the company to greater heights. She is also the role model that professors and parents sing the praises of.

          On the other hand, no one knows me, an illegitimate child of the family – Bae Hyejin.

          I had to work twice as hard as my half-sister, Jihye. Despite the differences in our background, we shared the deepest kinship and affinity. She was always a kind-hearted and open-minded individual, tolerant to Ms. Lee and Father’s stressful demands and thoughtful to my needs growing up. As the elder sibling, she supported me throughout my livelihood and I could not be more grateful to her.

          “Hyejin,” Jihye called out, crossing the threshold of my room with a slice of tiramisu cake and a warm cup of milk. “Guess who got your favourite dessert?”

          In an instance, I peeled the silk duvet cover off me and plopped up on my bed, pining for the piece of cake. “Tiramisu cake!” I exclaimed, eager to devour it. “You’re back from your dinner appointment with Mr. Williams?”

          “I am, and it was so stressful,” Jihye heaved a sigh, tucking herself on my bed beside me. “I couldn’t even have a proper meal without racking my brains to persuade them into an investment.”

          I chuckled at her complaints about the dreadful dinner and shoved a spoonful of the dessert into my cavern. “And you know what we always say?” I grinned in anticipation.

          “Meal appointments are the worst!” Both of us exclaimed in unison and broke into a fit of laughter at our chemistry.

          A chime notification on my iPhone grasped both of our attentions. I promptly adverted to my phone and scrutinized the contents of an email sent to me. It mentioned the outcomes of my interview and details of the start of work. In a flash, all that cheery and joyful emotions vanished. What came was a dreadful and dire silence.

          “You’re always aloof from Gloria’s affairs. Yet,” Jihye paused in her words, her face grew serious. “You’re really agreeing to it?”

          My heart sank instantly. We knew what she was referring to, and I knew it so well that it brought uncomfortable churns to the pit of my stomach. I swallowed my saliva and bit my lips. The tiramisu on my tongue no longer felt warm and sweet. Instead, it felt like a bitter block of ice.

          “Hyejin,” Father said, sitting me down with him and Ms. Lee, and greeted me with solemn faces. “You’ve been kept out of Gloria’s affairs all this while.”

          I nodded. Ms. Lee gave me a tight smile before continuing, “how do you feel about it?”

          I my lips in apprehension. I could not tell their motive behind this supposedly courteous conversation. “I’m good with it,” I carefully confessed. “It’s reasonable considering I am not adequate enough to be involved in any enterprise concerns.”

          I gave props to myself for being seemingly vague as to my adequacy. In terms of my status, or my capabilities? I wondered myself too.

          “You’re twenty,” Ms. Lee told me. “It’s about time you step out of your comfort zone.”

          I felt my stomach lurch in dreadfulness when I anticipated Father’s words.

          “We want you to provide us with insights on Oh Couture’s next Summer release.”

          Breaking from my reverie, I nodded my head. “I don’t have a choice,” I uttered. “It’s an order from Ms. Lee and Father.”

          Jihye furrowed her eyebrows upon my dejection. “You know you can always voice out your displease, right?” She cooed, gently rubbing the back of my hands. “You’ve never been implicated into this whole enterprise affair before. It’s full of politics and... it’s a mess! I’m worried, Hyejin.”

          I mustered a small smile. “I understand your concerns,” I told her. “But I have to do it. They don’t show it, but they expect something from me. I’ve been lucky to be under their care and shelter for the past twenty years of my life and it’s time for me to contribute to the family too.”

          I witness my sister shaking her head, still creasing her eyebrows. “You don’t understand. What they’re asking you to do is unethical,” she insisted. “Do you know of the consequences once something goes wrong?”

          “Have some faith in me, will you?” I chuckled in an attempt to lighten up the conversation. “After all, I’m still a daughter of the Bae family! I have some capabilities right here.”

          “You’ll be the death of me,” Jihye rolled her eyes. “Seriously, you still got to be careful, alright?”

          I nodded curtly, smiling, “I will.”

          In my heart, I was uncertain. A wave of mixed emotions hit me but I eschewed it all from affecting my resolute.

          “So, you’re Bae Hyejin huh?” The Human Resource executive confirmed, amusement lacing his voice. “The chairperson’s new secretary – the position of a hellhole.”

          I shrugged, indifferent. “Cheers to that then,” I deadpanned. “I’d like to see how much of a hellhole this position is.”

          He laughed, patting me on my shoulder. “Oh Sehun's got a feisty secretary.”

          “You flatter me,” I muttered, a coy smile playing on my lips.

          Jongin (He later introduced himself) toured me around the headquarters whilst briefing me on my scope. I mentally noted the puzzled looks people were giving me as I was a new reporting figure. I held my head high and stride alongside Jongin with confidence. 

          “Your reporting time is 9 am in the office, and at 10 am, you will have to pick Mr. Oh up from his house. At 7 pm when you knock off, you will also have to send Mr. Oh back home.”

          I raised an eyebrow, mustering all the might in me to abstain from rolling my eyes. “Great, I didn’t know I signed up as a chauffeur,” I remarked.

          “Poor Hyejin,” he cooed, giving me a suppressed laughter. “Groceries are within your scope too, once per week. You best bet you know how to cook because he might request you to. He’s unpredictable.”

          I ridiculed, “and I’m reduced to being his helper.”

          “Pretty lady, this isn't all,” Jongin laughed. “And because that is not all, this position has its constant vacancies where previous secretaries quit in fury.”

          I bit my bottom lip, indignation lacing my tongue. I could not quit like other secretaries. No matter the hard work and dedication, I have to persist. Otherwise, I would be too ashamed to face Ms. Lee and Father. And Mother.

          Breaking away from my reverie, I glanced at my watch that was hitting ten in the morning. “I’ll be off to fetch the chairperson,” I notified Jongin, blurting out my phone number. “I’d need you to text me his address, thanks.”

          “Hey, what about the car keys—”

          Paying no heed to his question, I walked towards the lift and made my way to the car park.

          Jongin grinned as he scrutinized my retreating back view. “Gutsy,” he muttered under his breath, dazed. “And that’s hot.”