It was the middle of October in the year 1994. Liu Broadcasting was booming, being amongst the highest grossing broadcasting networks in South Korea. Their merchandises were selling like pancakes. All of their talents were getting fame with their respective projects. Their long-awaited dramas and variety shows were soon enough big hits once put up on the screens of the commoners in South Korea.

In this scenario however, the CEO of LBS was frowning sourly as he sat in his chair, his elbows on the maple wood table. His eyes bore a hint of skepticism and doubt when he stared gravely at the two standing individuals in front of him.

“Appa, I am sorry but I cannot lie to you anymore.” The man bowed so low that his head almost reached the ground. The one beside him was a toddler with short hair, looking on the floor, as if he was going to expect a beating.

The CEO’s eyes turned into slits, slowly gazing at his son who he would share all his wealth to and to his grandson who would take his son’s place soon after.

“Joseph is not actually what you think he is.”

He clasped both of his hands and placed his chin above them, studying them meticulously. He saw his son’s face which was covered with beads of sweat. “What is it that I don’t know about Joseph?”

“Joseph’s real name, appa, is not actually Joseph.” He looked at the boy from the side and held his shoulders firmly. “Appa, I’d like you to meet Amber Josephine Liu…”

“Amber? What is this insubordination? Why is a boy named Amber Josephine?”

“She’s a girl, appa, and she’s adopted.”

There was a meek silence that hung in the atmosphere that day; a gruesome silence that turned into shouting and pushing and shoving and retaliating. Until the only things left were torn parchments, some broken china and a promise; a promise that from now own, Grandpa Liu was disinheriting his granddaughter or grandson or whatever it is the right to the Liu Companies. He had set it on stone that Amber could never ever set foot there again.

Along with the rest of her family.

***********

“So, you like me?”

Two people standing in a cemented sidewalk were looking at each other intently, under the sallow street lights. The one dressed in a tuxedo gazed at the other with a smile that crept up to her cheeks, while the beautifully-dressed lady stared at her, shocked at what she had uttered.

“Amber, I…” She started.

“You like me as a boss right?” Amber held her smile but now it looked more strained.

“As a… boss?”  The other girl stuttered but her expression bore a hint of relief. “Yes! As a boss! I like you as a boss, stupid!”

Amber raised her brows. “Soojung, you really sound excited. I’m the best one in the world, right? I mean, who can handle a mean and bossy secretary like you?” She crossed her arms and looked at her with a smirk.

Soojung pointed at her menacingly. “Now, I think that’s the other way around, you dork!”

“What?” She half-mockingly made a pout. “You are bossy and a bit mean sometimes, and you totally take me for granted.“

“What? And how about you? You always goof off around work, you drink so much that you black out, and I think the only secretary that can handle you is a masochist!”

“A masochist? A freaking masochist? Well, what does that make you?”

“I’m the only secretary who can tame you, stupid.” Soojung grinned, impressed at herself.

“Wow, so I’m like the wild animal that needs domesticating. That’s the first time I heard someone describe me like that.” Amber made a snarky gesture and turned around in mock annoyance.

Soojung snickered at her boss’ reaction. She was so devastatingly cute without trying to. She cleared , walked to her dumb boss and held her hand, dragging her along.

“Where are you taking me?”

Soojung replied with a grin that sent Amber’s heart to a mini-sprint, “I’m taking you for granted, silly.”

Amber scoffed at her reply, “Was that supposed to be a joke?”

“If you want to. Let’s just walk home, shall we? This is near our house.”

“So I’m walking you home? Without my consent?”

“Sort of like that.”

Amber shook her head in disbelief. This girl is just… She looked at her back speculatively; her long and gracious hair, her dress that fitted her porcelain skin. She stared at their hands and she felt the fast beating of her heart.

“What am I supposed to do with you Soojung?”  She thought.

Soojung, as if she read her mind, looked at her and smiled from ear-to-ear. “From now on, let’s be friends. Okay, stupid?”

Amber gulped and nodded. “Yes, princess.”

_____________

Sulli was also walking home after her shopping tirade with Sunny. She felt she needed the stress-relieving hobby because she was always worked-up at work. With all her deadlines and paperworks, she thought it would be damn near improbable to get the work done today. But she did, with a little help from her inspiration of course, who she happened to bump into awhile ago. With that as a boost, she seemed to breeze through her deadlines.

She saw a strange girl sitting on a window display of a pastry shop. She noticed that she was fumbling through her purse, trying to find something. Sulli spotted  50,000 won on the ground just a bit far from the strange girl’s eyesight, so she decided to help her and pick it up.

“Umm, I think you dropped this.”

The girl had short shaved brown hair with a bit of fringes on the side and she looked quite familiar. She had tanned skin like she travelled from the Mediterranean or somewhere tropical. This girl was a foreigner, that she was sure.

The girl eyed the money and looked at her with round eyes. “Kamsahamnida!”

­Sulli eye-smiled. Her accent was a bit off, along the lines of an American foreigner.

“Are you okay now?” Sulli spoke in English.

“Yes, I’m alright...” The girl smiled toothily but suddenly frowned. “No, I’m not. My bag got slashed and all the pocket money I had going here was gone. The only money I have is this 50,000 won and it almost got lost. Good thing there are still people like you. Thank you for saving humanity.” She smiled and raised her hand for her to shake.

Sulli eyed her and at her hand. She seemed good-natured from her perspective, so she shook it and told her, “Do you have a credit card or an ATM card? There’s an Automated Teller Machine around the corner.”

“I know. I tried using the blasted machine but I can’t understand… Hangul that much.”

She shook her head disapprovingly at her, “I’ll help you there, okay? Just as long as you’re no scammer or anything.”

“I’m not! Honest to God!” She exclaimed. She raised her hand, as if to pledge, and said. “You want me to pinky promise?”

Sulli giggled. “No. Just get up.”

“Thank you! What is your name, by the way?”

“I’m Sulli. And you?” They were walking side by side now, and as she stared at her frame, the girl replied “Hi Sulli! I’m Jackie.”

________________________

Amber drank her heart out with her driver, L, in a bar somewhere near their company. She faced him with a worried look and spluttered, “L, I think I’m in love with my two secretaries.”

L gave her a knowing look and held her shoulder. He knew this was going to happen. His boss was a bit in a fickle with those two employees. She would go eat with Suzy, but this one time, he saw her spending the night in Soojung’s house. He also remembered Amber ordering him to go to Soojung’s house to get breakfast which he found odd because there were so many restaurants and café’s near their company. It dawned on him that she wanted Soojung’s cooking. 

L sighed and told her, “Boss, you can’t be in love with two people all at once. You can feel two entirely different things for them but it can’t be the same feelings.”

The lady thought about what he said. “If what you say is true, then, how can I distinguish who I really like?”

“That’s for you to know, boss.”

“Very helpful, L.”

L  laughed at her boss’ abysmally profound situation. Amber fumbled her fingers and sighed.

“Awhile ago, when Soojung and I were walking, she held my hand. It felt infinite. Just she and I walking and laughing like it’s the end of the world. When we reached her house, she hugged me and I felt it. I’ve never felt this with Suzy before. This whole new feeling washed over my senses.”

“It looks like you don’t need help boss. It’s just there.”

She stared at her glass and drank the remaining contents.

_______________________

Morning after.

Suzy entered Liu Advertising with a determined expression. She was going to get her way today. She was sure of it. She was sick and tired of Su-yeon unnie telling her what to do. She didn’t care about the consequences. Maybe Amber’s memories would be forever locked in her subconscious. She couldn’t live off of the past. If Amber really liked her like she said she was, then, maybe...

She entered her quarters and left her belongings on her desk.

She knocked at her boss’ office twice then entered.

Amber was sitting at her desk holding her temples. There was a cup of coffee at her table still untouched. When she entered, Amber looked surprised. “Suzy! Suzy I’m sorry. I- I- want to apologize—“

“Amber, I just have one question to ask, and then, I’m going to leave you with what you were doing.”

She stared at her, not knowing what was happening. “What?”

“Do you like me?”

Amber was nonplussed. “Suzy-- Suzy, regarding that, it’s just hard to explain to you—“

“It’s just a yes or no, Amber. Do you like me?”

They stared intently. Suzy was walking towards Amber with a defiant face, as if she was giving everything up just to say this.

“Suzy, I-“

“Yes or no, Amber.”

They were now inches apart. Suzy leaned on her desk and gazed at Amber unflinching at her stares.

“I--”

Suzy didn’t stop to wait at Amber’s answer as she smashed her lips on hers.

___________________________

Amber was shocked and stood up to where she was sitting. She didn’t respond to Suzy’s kiss at first but it felt good. She wondered how it was like to kiss Suzy. She never thought it would be happening this soon. Suzy’s hands were on the side of her face, forcing her to kiss back. She tried hard to suppress her desires but she gave in and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she heard the door creak. She squinted, trying to see who it was behind Suzy. She saw the two most beautiful eyes. Amber saw panic and anger in there.

The person was carrying a paper bag and two coffee tumblers.

It was Soojung.  

******************

Oh oh. So that was exciting.

Sorry for the late updates guys. I'm not on hiatus. I just got busy and with our babies' comeback, I felt I had neglected this story. I'm finishing this. So don't worry! 

And can we croon at how there are so many behind the scene footages of Kryber? :)))) How about that encore stage where Amber was carrying our princess with her hand in between her... Oh God.

Thank you for all the subscribes and comments! Those 4 upvotes are well-appreciated guys! Thank you!

I also need your opinions on how I'm going to end this. Kryber? Suzber? Aiber? Sulber?

Even if it hurts my OTP, I will do whatever you ask. :) Thank you again! Author out~