8.25am

I'm so late.

Oh God, I'm so late.

I was supposed to have my first day of work today but my alarm clock didn't ring, ruining my plan of going to work early and making a good impression on the boss. I can already fee- no, I know Sica's going to skin me alive and carry me to the North Pole and dump me there even if I'm her best friend. 

“Kwon Yuri! Where the hell are you?” Jessica's voice blasted through the phone and I suddenly regretted answering the phone in the first place.

“I'm coming! I'm wearing my shoes, Sica!”

“You better be quick, you black bean. Ice Deer is here and she's going to skin you alive during your first meeting with her. Pabo, I didn't get you this job to allow you to be late.”

“I'm sorry, Sica. I'll come right away, please put in a few words for me.” 

“You got it, Seobang.”

I smiled at Jessica's sweet tone at the end of the call. She loved me too much to scold me over and over again. After all, we've been best friends ever since we were wearing diapers. 

Oh my, where are my manners? I know I haven't got any but let's try this again. 

I'm Kwon Yuri, 22 years old. I just graduated from law school a few weeks ago and I was finding a job when Sica told me about a vacancy as a secretary for her superior. I hesitated after hearing what Sica had to say about her superior and it was gave me chills. 

21 year-old Im Yoona is a CEO of her own company that launches sunglasses, clothes and shoes. Winter, Summer, you name the seasons and she has the perfect recommendations. 

I cursed, seeing how I chose to wear skinny jeans a body-hugging white shirt. Looking at my bike from the house, I smiled and mounted it. 

Sorry, Sica. I know you don't like me riding my bike but I don't have a choice right now. 

Jessica's sarcastic voice was ringing in Yuri's ears the moment the tanned girl walked into the office. She shouted, “Kwon Yuri-ssi. The sun has risen up from the West already.”

Yuri sighed and turned towards Jessica, the older girl sighing at her best friend's messy appearance. Yuri's hair was disheveled like she had been through a rough time before coming here without combing her hair; her shirt buttons were coming off too. 

Jessica shook her head and hurriedly combed Yuri's hair with her fingers, buttoning the buttons for her, “You're such a kid sometimes. Can you fix yourself without me around?” Yuri smiled and patted her best friend’s head affectionately, “Thanks, Sica. Where's the Ice Deer?”

The two best friends were walking along the hallway towards Yoona's office and everyone was staring at Yuri with a sympathetic gaze. It was as if she had just been sentenced to death without her knowing. 

“Jessica, leave us to talk.”

Yoona’s gaze turned horribly sharp when she saw Jessica enter the room with Yuri behind her. The tanned girl looked at the blonde and shook her head pleadingly. 

“Yes, Miss Im.”

Yuri turned around with her head hung down, looking at her feet shamefully. She was slightly more than 30 minutes late and she heard that Im Yoona couldn't stand people who were late, even if it was 5 minutes. 

“I heard from Jessica that you were buying some food for the elderly couple who sells second-handed clothes by the street near the office.”

‘I love you so much, Sica.’

Yoona smirked; she knew it was a lie to cover up. “Looks like you were being a kind-hearted person, huh?” She was purposefully saying things to make Yuri come out with the truth. She knew everything about her employees and she knew that Jessica was best friends with her new secretary so it was natural to come up with lies. 

“No. Truth is, I over-slept this morning and realized that there was an important meeting with a customer. I forgot to arrange the things required and I rushed here as soon as I could.”

Yoona was surprised by Yuri's lack of ability to lie through such situations. In fact, the truth was out before she could drill her even further. “At least you're being honest with me. That would have been a good start if you weren't late though.” Yuri smiled nervously at her superior and bowed apologetically. 

The rest of the employees had their ears pressed against the doors of Yoona's office, wondering if Yuri was still alive after being late for almost 30 minutes.

“I'm sorry, Miss Im.”

“That's fine. You can leave now. Bring up a pot of coffee for me. Tell Jessica and she'll pass it to you.” Yoona turned around to look at the scenery, keeping up her cold appearance. 

“Yes, Miss Im.”

Yuri walked out of the office with a normal smile, wondering why everyone was staring at her worriedly. She looked behind her and there was no one behind, it had to be her. 

“What's up?”

“Are you a ghost?”

The tanned girl looked at the elementary-looking schoolgirl and shook her head weirdly, watching her place her hands all over her face and body. Jessica walked towards the petrified Yuri and pulled the girl away from Yuri. 

“ByunTae, get your hands off my best friend or I'll tell Hyoyeon.”

Taeyeon pouted at Jessica’s nickname for her and bowed slightly, “I'm Kim Taeyeon and I'm 23 years old. I work alongside Sica as the main designers.” She stretched out her palm in front of Yuri with a warm, friendly smile.

“You're 23?”

“I know. I get that a lot. I look like a kid, don't I?”

Taeyeon chuckled at Yuri's reaction and headed back to her desk, picking up her phone. 

Everyone was busy crowding around Yuri, not aware that their boss was standing outside her office with her arms crossed as she glared at all of them angrily. “Did I hire all of you to gossip or talk?” The cold voice of Im Yoona bounced along the walls of the office and the temperature in the room dropped drastically. 

Jessica pushed Yuri to her seat in a hurry before scrambling to hers just behind. This was certainly a bad start for Yuri as Yoona's secretary. 

Yoona was pacing up and down in her office, wondering why Yuri had such an effect on her. She knew that she let Yuri go despite her strict rule of punctuality. 

‘Why did I soften so easily? Am I drunk early in the morning?’

Im Yoona was a very strict and cold girl; furthermore, she protects herself very well and makes sure her emotions are always locked away from anyone’s line of sight. She built this company from scratch and she was always uptight about anything that concerned the company. 

Yuri entered the office after receiving permission and started to read from her clipboard, “Miss Im. Miss Seo Joo Hyun from SH Enterprises called to schedule the next meeting for the merging of the Winter Collection 2k14 and the Winter Goods.”

“Schedule it for next Friday.” Yoona muttered, looking at the ring on her right index finger. She caressed the band and looked at it with tears in her eyes. 

Yuri saw Yoona raise her hand to bring it to her eyes as she placed the pot of coffee on the desk, walking towards her boss who was standing with her back facing Yuri. Yuri tapped Yoona's shoulder very gently and turned her boss to face her. She was horrified to see tears rolling down Yoona's cheeks.

“Are you okay?”

“M-Miss Im, what's wrong? Did something happen?”

Yuri was frantic and she brought her hands up to Yoona's face, wiping away the tears hastily. Yoona shook her head and looked away from Yuri, making sure she couldn't be more embarrassed than she already was. 

“I'm fine, Yuri. You can go back to work now. Something got into my eyes and I couldn't get it out.” Yoona whispered, pretending to rub her eyes painfully.

The tanned girl walked cl