The entire room looked marvelous to Soojin. No, scratch that. The whole company looked marvelous to her. She regretted that she didn’t take the chance to see what was inside of the Wu Corporations yesterday. It was because of that President Kris anyway.

Once she stepped inside the moving doors—that’s how she calls it—that typical, rich scent of buildings welcomed her. Wu Corporations was definitely something, she admits. The tabletops were made of glass and most of the walls were made of glass. The atmosphere was cold and there’s that feeling of… being in an important company.

She did what she was told to do by that President Kris guy. Approaching the woman behind the welcome counter, she told her she was a guest of President Kris. At first, the woman didn’t even believe her. It made her wonder whether it was her clothes that made it cynical for the woman to consider or the way she talked.

She didn’t even think about what to wear before coming. That man never said anything about dress codes so she wore anything she wanted to. Besides, she wasn’t really an employee of the company anyway.

When she was finally allowed to go up and see him, she heads for the elevator. On her way up to the 32^nd floor, she could feel the curious eyes of the people behind her. She was standing in front, just near the door, and she was with a lot of other employees who wore formal garments. It felt strange though, being stared at and pretending as if you don’t even notice.

It was like she possesses a certain disease or something.

After arriving at the 32^nd floor, she was met with a different kind of impression. The people were quiet and extremely focused on their works. There was this odd feeling of superiority hanging around the air, like it was watching their every move. Maybe this is how President Kris manages his company.

But she kind of felt a little sympathetic for them. She hated the feeling of being inferior to others. She hated the feeling of someone trying to ruin or control her life just because that someone is the higher authority or is older than she was. She hated it.

On her way to searching Kris’ office, she met Song Qian, Kris’ secretary. When Soojin mentioned her about being Kris’ guest, she thought she saw fear in her eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if President Kris was some scary president, after all. Everyone seems to be so terrified of him. Just the mention of his name makes them snappy.

It’s like telling them that the world was going to end in a minute.

Song Qian encouraged Soojin to proceed to the office, giving her that wistful look. It was like she was trying to say something but Soojin couldn’t decipher what it was. She gave a polite bow before leaving.

Entering the Kris’ office was like entering Disneyland, except that Soojin has never went to Disneyland before and that the walls were all gray or a bit of silver. There were about 2-3 frames of abstract paintings hung almost on every wall. His table, which looked like it was made out of maple wood, was full of papers and documents piled everywhere. There were only two small table lamps—one near the door atop at a wooden table and another on the glassy table beside the office lounge chair.

It looks comfy. For her, that is.

“Oh, wow,” she managed to blurt out, wandering her eyes around. She was clearly enjoying the view. If she had the chance to rebuild their car shop, she had decided to put up an office just like this for her father. And then it’ll be the two of them, managing the car shop together. If appa still cares, she thought resentfully.

“Seriously, this is amazing,” she added, not even noticing the man sitting behind his desk. “If I live in this kind of house, I would never go out again.”

“Sit down.” She heard him say. Soojin jolted into a halt, feeling a little taken aback with his supposed ‘greeting’. Maybe it’s why they’re scared, Soojin pondered, studying Kris’ serious face. Just look at this guy’s face. He looks like he’s ready to kill someone anytime.

Soojin quietly obliged. She leaned back, crossing her arms. “Sorry,” she says. “I was distracted by your office. It looks so clean”—she gazes around—“and… pretty. But the colors are boring. It’s all black, gray and silver. Don’t you ever put a little bit of color to lighten up your world?”

He cleared his throat. “If I ever want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.”

Soojin pursed her lips. “I’m just saying.” She shrugged her shoulders. “So, what should I do? What am I supposed to do now that I’m here?”

He gave her an amused smile. “You’re my private secretary now,” he declares, clasping his hands together. “That means you have to be there wherever I go and whenever I ask you to. And here.” He reaches for a black paper bag and hands it over to Soojin.

“What is this?” Soojin asked, peeking over the paper bag.

“Open it,” he urged.

Inside the paper bag was the familiar Apple-labeled, rectangular box. It’s those boxers where iPhones are usually kept inside to—wait. When she realized what it was, she looked up instantaneously, flabbergasted and immobile.

“What…” she trailed off, unable to complete her sentence.

“Because you don’t have a phone,” Wu Fan explained, shooting her a tickled look. Soojin proceeded to obtaining the box out of the paper bag, completely awed at the idea of him giving her a phone. She was a stranger but he still freely gave her one. He gave her a short side-glance.

“I can’t contact you if you don’t have one,” he continued, crossing his arms. “Besides, that doesn’t cost a lot. You have to bring that wherever you go, understand? And”—he glanced at her outfit—“what are you wearing? You’re supposed to look like a secretary, not a club singer.”

Soojin looked up, shooting Wu Fan a glare. “And you should stop being such an ,” she spat back. “You know, I didn’t even really want to admit this but I guess I couldn’t stop myself. You’re attractive, I get it. You… have the look but you’re so debauched that I don’t even want to stand near you. No offense. Just saying the truth.”

He glared back. “If I want your opinion, I’d—”

“Ask for it,” she finished, cutting him off. She knew what he was going to say next anyway.

He rolled his eyes, sighing dejectedly. “What did you bring?”

She shot him a quizzical look, not knowing what he was talking about. When he motioned at the paper bag positioned on the table, near Soojin, she gasped. Turns out she had forgotten about the lunchbox she made for herself this morning. How could she?

Tossing the phone at the side, she aimed for the lunchbox when Wu Fan beat her to it.

“No!” she screamed, trying to get the lunchbox back. “Yah! It’s mine!”

“What’s this for?” He asked, pinching his eyebrows. He undid the cloth that was wrapped around the lunchbox, exposing three colorful containers.

Soojin remembered cooking this morning. Since her wicked stepmother had woken her up from her deep sleep just to cook breakfast for them, she had thought about preparing some for her lunch, too. Being a private secretary, she pondered, could be really tedious so she brought food just in case she gets hungry while working.

She’s never been a private secretary before. In fact, she’s never stepped inside a building as big as Wu Fan’s. She was a mere daughter of an auto mechanic, nothing more and nothing less. Auto mechanics don’t own giant buildings that smell so good.

They own those greasy, smelly shops.

“That’s my lunch,” she told him, looking at the lunchbox with such longing.

“These look good.” She heard him mutter while staring at the grub with such admiration. She blinked, taken aback by the strange look on Wu Fan’s face. It was like… he was longing for something. He looked desolate but relieved. She wondered whether he hasn’t had breakfast to make that kind of look on his face.

She made a vague sound in . “…Are you hungry? Did you eat breakfast?”

He merely shook his head, didn’t even bother to take a glimpse of her. He was so engrossed at the food.

She blinked, rather perplexed on what to feel about this. He looked like a kid. No, he looked more kind of lost. “Go ahead,” she urges, a baffled look coloring her face. “Y-you can eat it. It’s not like I’m hungry anyway.”

And he did. He didn’t even hesitate or consider that it wasn’t his lunchbox. The poor boy looked hungry. But one thing amused Soojin: she wasn’t even mad.

♣ rackcity —

college is finally starting for me so updates will be slow.

i have to focus on my studies and more on my real life.

people are so competitive sometimes, they don't know how to have fun.

i swear. but i promise to finish this story. wish me luck!