Soojin’s heart stopped at the sound of the bumper crashing against the back fender—or maybe the trunk?—of the car in front of hers. She bit her lip, hesitating whether she should just drive away and pretend nothing happened or stay and take responsibility of it. She got off the car and studied the one in front of her.

It looked expensive. Really expensive. The car looked like the one she just saw at the updated list of most expensive cars in the Forbes’ website. What was it called again? She put her hands on her hips, feeling rather anxious of what she has crashed into.

“Yah!”

She got herself ready to apologize. Studying the wreck she had made, it wasn’t that serious. It was just few scratches and a little tent but it’ll be fixed again before the owner knows it. Heck, she can fix it up on her own if she had to.

Turning around, she was welcomed with a furious gaze from the man she had met earlier. Now that she realized it was that conceited man’s car, she doesn’t feel sorry anymore. She crossed her arms on her chest, smirking at the man.

“Unfortunately, 500 Won won’t pay for the damage you’ve done,” the man spoke sharply, glaring at her. “This isn’t just another goddamn car, you pathetic woman. I bought this from Italy and now you have done damage to it.”

And then it dawned on her. “Oh! This is a Pagani Huayra, right?”

He rolled his eyes. “You have to pay for the damage done, 500 Won.”

She scoffed. She didn’t want to pay for it just because she had caused the damage. She didn’t want to pay for it because of what he has done to the woman earlier. The woman was practically scared to death of him because he was mad at her for spilling coffee on his shirt. He deserved this.

“Yeah, right,” she snapped, walking back to her car. “I’m definitely paying for that. Not.”

He looked baffled when he realized she wasn’t going to pay for it. “Yah! You did this!” he barked. “You have to take responsibility for what you have wrecked, 500 Won. How can you walk away so insouciantly after you’ve done such thing?”

She ignored him.

He strides across the street, reaching Soojin before she could even go inside the car. He shot him such a spiteful glare that Soojin almost fumbled back in surprise. She’s never seen him that mad. “If you’re not going to pay for this,” he threatened, “I’m going to call the police on you. I’ll have you arrested and even your family. You don’t know what I’m capable of, woman. So you better take responsibility.”

Soojin gulped nervously. If her father knew about this, she’s dead.

“Fine,” Soojin replied firmly, jerking her hand away from his grip. She leveled his glare with her own. If she was able to survive her ahjussis and her father, she wasn’t going to let herself lose against this man. She had been through much worse. This would be a piece of cake.

The man smirked. “That’s more like it,” he says. “You don’t back down easily, do you?”

She crossed her arms on her chest, cocking her head slightly to the side. “No,” she answered unkindly. “Are you scared? You better be. I’m taking the responsibility with few conditions.”

The man sneered at her in incredulity. “Conditions? That comes from the girl who crashed into my car?”

She nodded firmly. “That’s right,” she affirmed with resolute. “I’ll pay for the damage I’ve done on your car if you don’t tell or include my father in this accident.” He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him first. “I’m not yet done. Let me finish talking. I’ll pay for it as long as you don’t tell my father, that’s the first condition. Second, you are never to call me 500 Won because I have a name. And… those are probably my conditions for now. But I’ll add some later when I know.”

“Sure,” the man agreed, studying me warily. “I have my own conditions as well. I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to pay the damage you’ve done. Judging from what you’re wearing”—which was a Mickey Mouse print shirt, tattered overallsand shabby Converse sneakers—“you’re a poor, low-life girl who is probably sixteen years old and still studying in a high school or something.”

She wanted to hit him. She wanted to smack him in the face right then and there. “I’m not sixteen years old,” she corrected him sharply. “But I’ll take it as a compliment anyway. I’m twenty-one years old, if that’s what you’re curious about. And I’m not a low-life woman. Poor, yes, but I definitely have values, unlike you.”

“How are you going to pay for this?” the man asked.

“Give me fifty years,” Soojin stated. “Then maybe I can finish paying you.”

The man cackled incredulously. “Yes, and spend the rest of my life seeing you all the time? No, thanks.” He moved closer. “Here’s my condition. Since you obviously can’t pay—which you’re too stubborn to admit—I want you to work for me as my private secretary. Or assistant or whatever they call that. You have to be here right away when I call you.”

“Here? Like this building?”

The man nodded. “Here and wherever I go.”

“And what do I get out of that? For how long?” The idea doesn’t sound too bad. At least she can avoid being imprisoned.

The man tilted his head to the side, pretending to think. He moved his mouth imperceptibly that I almost thought he wasn’t really speaking. “A hundred days should be enough,” he suggested, placing one hand inside his pocket. “While you’re working for me, you have already paid for the damages done to my car. I can also pay for your car while you’re at it.”

Soojin sighed. “Fine. I’ll take it.”

“I need your number,” the man says, digging out his phone from his pockets. “I can’t contact you if you don’t have a phone.”

Soojin shrugged casually. “I don’t have a phone.”

The man chuckled, amusement coloring his face. “Are you serious?” he asked in disbelief. “You must be teasing me. Girls like to have their own phones. At your age, it’s very common. In case you want to apply for a job or something, you need a phone. Come on.” He waved his hand. “Give me your number.”

Soojin scowled. “I’m not joking. I really don’t have a phone.” She ran her hand through her hair. “I don’t need a phone anyway. Besides, I already have a job.”

The man nodded. “Fine, fine. I believe you. So, how are you going to do the deal?”

She scratched the back of her neck impatiently, biting her lips. “I’ll… come here tomorrow,” she offered. “I’ll be here by ten.”

The man sneered at her. “Come here by eight,” he told her. “I’ll be here more than you think I am. And my employees come at seven in the morning. Since you’re going to be my private secretary or assistant, you need to be here early, too.”

She pursed her lips. “I won’t promise. I’m not an early riser,” she grumbled. “What’s your name? In case, I need to ask someone where your office is. From the looks of it”—she glances at the building and then back to him—“it’ll probably be hard for me to find you.”

The man tittered. “It won’t be hard.” He waves the envelope slightly, half-turning to the side as if he was going to leave. “Thanks for this. And before I leave, when you arrive tomorrow, just tell the woman behind the counter that you’re a guest.” He walks to his car.

She scowled, rolling her eyes. “But I don’t even know your name. What am I supposed to say?”

She heard him chuckle even if his back was facing her. “Just tell her it’s President Kris. Thanks for the envelope.”

She stifled back a gasp.

…. She ran into the President Kris.

♣ rackcity —

oh no, it's class in a week and updates would be slow.

i'm sorry. it's my first year as a college so...

hurrrrah! /throws confetti/ wish me luck you guys.

and and and comment, too <3