Taemin taps his foot on the floor, getting more and more agitated by the minute. He considers himself to be quite the patient person, but considering how long he and his father have been waiting for his father's friend for the past thirty minutes, he does not know if he can stop himself anymore from just bolting from this meeting.

"Taemin, just a few more minutes, okay? Yun-Gyeom tells me that they're on their way." Mr. Lee looks to his son who has his arms crossed in annoyance, face contorted in irritation.

"Isn't that what he told you fifteen minutes ago"? The more Taemin voices out his complains, the more he gets agitated, "And isn't this kind of insulting, dad? You clearly told him that the meeting will be at 1 o'clock—"

"Son, this isn't just a meeting between business partners, okay? He told me that Minho had forgotten something from the office and that they just had to drive back to get it." He gives his son a fatherly look and continues, "This is a meeting between friends, so we can let their tardiness pass."

"But—"  Taemin's upcoming complaint is cut off by a man's deep voice.

"Yun-Jae!" Taemin's father waves at someone behind him, and he has to turn in his seat to see who has just arrived.

Walking towards them are two men. The first of the men is a man who looks to be in his 50's. He is in a suit very much like what Taemin and his father are wearing, looking all respectable and professional. He is a man of an average stature, and Taemin is almost surprised at the height of the other man lazily walking behind him. The taller man looks to be in his 20's, looking much better in a suit than anyone Taemin has ever seen. He almost forgets that this tall man is the reason why he had to wait for half an hour in a stiff restaurant filled with old businessmen and women -- almost being the key word. The tall man has a bored expression on his face with his hands in his pockets as he follows the older man, looking like he is not apologetic at all for the delay he has caused -- and that is what ticks Taemin off again.

"Yun-Gyeom! I'm glad you made it!" Taemin's father rises from his seat to greet the pair, and Taemin follows his suit. He still has his eyes on the tall man, and while the man known as Yun-Gyeom is smiling at them enthusiastically, he is looking off elsewhere, appearing completely uninterested. When the two newcomers have reached the table, the older men shake hands. Taemin has stopped paying attention to the tall freak of nature by this point and instead smiles at Yun-Gyeom. The loathsome tall man does not even bother to acknowledge him, as does Taemin to him. They all sit down as Yun-Gyeom starts to speak.

"I'm very sorry for the delay. Minho had this problem, you see..."

"No worries." Taemin's father turns his gaze to the younger man, "This is Minho, I presume?"

"Ah yes, yes." Yun-Gyeom smiles at Taemin good naturedly, just as Yun-Jae did to 'Minho'. "And you must be the Taemin your father keeps talking about?” Taemin smiles at him as well, already finding the man pleasant to talk to.

Proper introductions are made, with Taemin trying his hardest not to strangle Minho as his greeting was met with bored indifference and Minho greeting them with as much enthusiasm as a 100-year old librarian.

Yun-Gyeom apologizes on his behalf, explaining that Minho had had a rough day at work. Taemin’s father nods in understanding, but Taemin is still annoyed. He is annoyed at how Minho is just nonchalantly texting away with his smart phone, not paying any attention at all to their fathers’ discussions. Whenever one of the two older men would address Minho, Taemin would grimace with how the young man would only give monosyllabic responses, probably too busy texting his girlfriend or his douche-y friends. Taemin decides right then and there that he does not like Choi Minho.

Minho is pulled from his texting when Taemin’s father asks him a question. He is about to reply, but the man beside Yun-Jae replies for him. He is a little irked, because no one ever cuts Choi Minho off from speaking. He looks over to the offending man (who honestly looks like a teenage girl with his long hair and lanky figure) and sees that he is talking to his father with a slight smile on his face. Having probably felt Minho’s stare, he looks to Minho’s direction, and suddenly he is glaring at him.

What the hell is he looking at me like that for? After a few moments, Minho shrugs it off as his imagination and continues with his texting. The appetizers are served and he gives his fingers and his phone some time to rest as he places it in his pocket. He involves himself in the ongoing discussion, and at first he feels comfortable. But then he feels a pair of eyes on him.

He locks eyes with Taemin, and the boy is still looking at him in a way that says, ‘I-don’t-like-you-go-away.’ before the boy looks to Yun-Gyeom and laughs easily at the joke the old man cracked.

Minho is puzzled, but then he figures that if the boy does not like him, then Minho does not like him either. He does not have time for prissy, feminine-looking brats.

“Speaking of work,” Yun-Jae speaks while the main course is being taken away, “Taemin, Yun-Gyeom and I have come up with a solution for the problem we’ve been having.”

Taemin furrows his brows as he gingerly wipes his mouth with the napkin. “What problem?”

Yun-Gyeon answers for Taemin’s father, “You’re looking for a job, right my boy?” Taemin is unsure with where this is going, but he silently nods his head. “Well then, you can work for my son here, Minho.”

Taemin slams his napkin down on the table just as Minho slams his fork down with the same intensity. “WHAT?” Both their voices almost crack with the one-syllable word.

The two fathers glance at each other with amusement in their eyes and Yun-Jae laughs as he speaks, “I told you they’d be up for it. Sit down, you two.”

The two young men grudgingly take their seats, looking at each other with expressions of shock and frustration. Taemin is the first to tear away from their shared gaze, questioning his father, “Work for him?” He points an accusing finger at Minho. Yun-Gyeom laughs, not at all insulted with the way Taemin is talking about his son, because he is very much aware of how difficult his son is. Minho though, is the complete opposite.

“Yah, what’s that supposed to mean?” Minho loses the lazy composure he previously had, “I’m supposed to be the one saying that. Have him working for me? I’d rather take back that idiot Myungsoo.” He crosses his arms stubbornly and both fathers shake their heads.

“Son, with the way you kicked Myungsoo out, he’d never come back to you.” Yun-Jae and Taemin are looking questioningly at Yun-Gyeom, asking for a quick explanation, “He had the security throw him out on the streets after he messed up some paperwork. It was on Christmas and there was a marching parade. We had to pay for the hospital bills and all that.” This served to horrify Taemin even more.

He is about to complain to his father, about to tell him that this is a terrible idea and that nothing good will come of it— but he knows that he has no right to. Yun-Jae took him in when he was a lost kid on the streets with nowhere to go. Yun-Jae has been nothing but a loving and a dedicated father, and Taemin owes his life to the old man. The least he could do is to do as he is told.

With great despair, Taemin quietly agrees to the arrangement. His father pats him on the back, and that helps him cheer up a bit, knowing that he has made his father proud in one way or another. Yun-Gyeom is also happy with his approval. And again, Minho is anything but.

“No way. He may be okay with this, but I’m not. I can just make Victoria find me another P.A.”

His father tries to reason out with him, “Minho, just give Taemin a chance. Knowing his father, I am more than a hundred percent sure that he is a good kid.”

Minho looks from his father to Taemin. He eyes the boy up and down who is uncomfortably fidgeting his seat, aware of Minho’s judging look. And then Mimho suddenly smirks. Eh, he’ll probably just end up quitting by the end of the week anyway.

Minho smiles at his father and puts on what Taemin thinks is the most annoyingly fake smile he has ever seen in his life. “Fine, I’ll let him be my assistant.”

Wow, I’m honored. Taemin is proud of himself for being able to hold back his sarcastic retort, settling on a roll of his eyes. He does not know if he is glad that Minho does not see it.

“Yah, assistant. Work starts on Monday, 7:00 a.m sharp.”  

///

Long foreword is long. :o Liked it? Hated it? Tell me whatcha think!