I heard silent squeals from nearby cubicles and consequently heard voices that confirmed my feeling. “Oh, c’mon! You can’t be mad still! I already called Taec and said sorry.” It was Nichkhun Horvejkul, head of the finance department and my boss’s best friend.

“I’m not mad. I just don’t want to talk to you. You’re not that important.” Jang Wooyoung interjected, walking briskly to my direction—a cubicle strategically placed just outside the HR Manager’s office.

“You realize you sound like a jealous girlfriend, don’t you?” The Thai national chuckled and more squeals were heard. The whole HR department took sometime to get immune to the charms of Wooyoung since he took over the position over a year ago. But since Nichkhun’s office was on another floor and girls here didn’t see him often, trust him to cause a commotion whenever he visits. Can’t blame them. The devil was handsome—too handsome for his own good actually. With the body and personality to go along with it. And a fat bank account wouldn’t hurt, would it?

“Hi, Ms. Lee!” He called over his shoulder before following my boss to his office. I raised an eyebrow at the familiarity. We never exchanged any conversation beyond those necessary whenever Mr. Jang would send me an errand. Truthfully, I never liked the guy. For me, he’s too much of everything. Too polite, too handsome, too tall (well, I’m lucky to reach to have reached five feet), too wealthy (though my best friend said nobody could ever be) and too much of a playboy! So whenever he would come looking for my boss or Mr. Jang would send papers up for him to sign, I make it a point to keep the conversation to a purely professional level. I don’t like him getting the wrong idea that every damn girl in this stupid company would throw themselves at his feet.

Certainly not me! Not Kate Lee.

***

“Oh, c’mon! You can’t be mad still! I already called Taec and said sorry.” I caught up with Wooyoung through the executive elevators and followed him to his department. He’s been avoiding me for over a week now and I’m getting tired of his dramatics. He kept ignoring me and it’s starting to piss me off especially when I heard gushing from the females around. I totally hate this but one had to keep up appearances, right? I have a reputation to behold though I’m close to snapping all the time.

“I’m not mad. I just don’t want to talk to you. You’re not that important.” Hallelujah! At last I’m not talking to air anymore. Well, it’s better than nothing right? I know it’s my fault for not showing up at Taecyon’s despedida party but this was just too much. It’s just that the private hangar was a lot closer to my house than the party venue, ok? So when my date mentioned she hadn’t been to Hong Kong, I obliged. See? I’m generous like that.

I followed him to his office but got distracted a bit by his assistant Kate, who didn’t even look up from typing away on her computer. “Hi, Ms. Lee!” I taunted, just to catch her attention. Contrary to popular belief, I am not that dense not to know most of the female population in our company wants me. And those who doesn’t want me, likes Wooyoung. Wooyoung’s assistant had been indifferent to me since day one. Does that mean she likes her boss?

Oh, snap out of it, Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul.  The world doesn’t revolve around you. Or Wooyoung.

It’s just that her extreme dislike of me bothers me. She won’t even make small talk with me whenever Wooyoung would send her to see me or whenever I drop by. So whenever I have the chance, I always . I always try to hold her off in my office as much as possible and make it appear that we were friendly with each other whenever I bump into her.

“You always tease my secretary. Do you have a thing for Kate?” Wooyoung interrogated the moment the door clicked shut.

“Excuse me?” Did I hear it right? His (already) small eyes narrowed into slits. What’s this all about? We were just talking about him being Mr. Crankypants.

“Spare Kate, would you? You know better than to poop in your own backyard.” He busied himself with the pile of documents stacked on his desk.

“I just said ‘hi’. Why are you making a big deal out of it?” I snapped. Wooyoung’s a deadly combination of being a thinker and a feeler. And Psychology just fit him right off the bat. My father’s always praised him for what he’d done for the company. But him trying to read people like an open book all the time freaks me out.

“You don’t even greet your own assistant when you come to work.” He said matter-of-factly and for a second, I struggled for witty comeback. Okay, that much was true.

“Why do you even care? Are you having an affair with her?” Wooyoung’s engaged to Ji Eun.

“Don’t turn the tables on me.” He smirked. Too much for thinking I could outsmart my best friend. “Your father’s already unhappy with your philandering way and I don’t think he would appreciate it if you’ll date an employee.”

Yes. My father owns the Annan Group, the biggest holding company in East Asia. Though he can’t find fault on how I run my department, we always fight about my . . .uhm. . .extra-curricular activities. I inwardly cringe at the thought.

“You’re thinking too far! I don’t like your assistant!” I didn’t even realize that my voice raised a few octaves.

***

I fixed two cups of coffee. My issues with Mr. Jang’s best friend shouldn’t interfere with my work. I was about to knock when I heard the devil himself.  “You’re thinking too far! I don’t like your assistant!”

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

A/N: Hello! The truth that I still have a rough draft of this story completely slipped my mind. I’m not abandoning any of my stories. It’s just that I have too much on my plate lately. I hope you won’t get tire of me yet. Kamsahamnida!

PS: Gorgeouskate! You know this one is for you.