Chapter Five

I apologize for any mistakes and any typos or any grammar or whatever errors in this chapter. Please bear with me.

“Leeteuk thinks that it is the best if we could put you under Soo.”

“WHAT?????” I’m really, definitely, absolutely shocked like hell. There’s like a very huge stone just fall on my shoulders.

Miss Taeyeon smiles watching my first reaction, “why? Are you scared?”

I quickly hide my true feelings about this matter even though at this moment, I feel like , “no, why would I? It’s just I’m surprised. I mean, this is so sudden.”

Miss Taeyeon smiles, “you are going to work under Soo, and Sunny is going to work under me. It’s not like Sunny couldn’t cope with Soo and I couldn’t cope with the way you work. But we believe that you deserved and more capable to work with Soo, especially in the marketing department. When we review back your cv and Sunny’s cv, I too think that marketing department needs you more than this department. You can’t use all of your experiences if you stay here. You have a bright future with Soo. Besides, Soo needs someone like you as her secretary.”

I’m dazed. ‘She’s capable of doing any job’. What Miss Sooyoung has said to me this morning is still buzzing in my ears.

“Do you agree if we transfer you to the marketing department and work under Soo?” Miss Taeyeon asks.

I become speechless. There’s no word I could say at this time.

“I could give you some time to think about it if you need it.”

“Wait, who plans all this?” that question comes out of my mouth first.

Scooting her chair closer to her desk, she says, “it doesn’t matter whose idea or who plans about this, but this company emphasizes career, future and the best for its staff.”

I breathe in a deep breath, “you don’t like me to be under your wings anymore?”

She quickly denies it, “don’t you think that way, Jessica. Your performance is very good. But if you could go and advance much more further, why don’t I give you that chance? And working under Soo is the best chance you can get. Engineering is okay, but you can’t be proactive here because there’s a lot of technical stuff you don’t know.”

She has a point tho. My heart whispers. “But isn’t Sunny would be disappointed if she knows about this? I mean, you all think what’s the best for me, but how about her? She should get the chance to learn from Miss Sooyoung too.”

“That’s right. But let me tell you something. Both of you won’t perform as much as we expected if you guys stay where you’re right now. Sunny has just start working here about one month earlier than you. There’s not so many differences if you switch places with her.”

I feel suspicious about this. Is this ‘switching place’ really desired by management or its desires by someone? “Can I clarify with you about one thing?”

Miss Taeyeon nods.

“If management thinks that I’m suitable for marketing, why you don’t arrange our places from the beginning? I believe Sunny is already comfortable with her place and her work there.”

This small woman smiles a bit, nodding slowly. “Soo cannot wait. Whenever her secretary’s chair got empty, she can’t wait too long.”

“Why did her previous secretary quit?”

“Her husband got a transfer to Beijing for three years. So, immediately, Leeteuk opens up an advertisement. I was not in a big rush to have a secretary. Your place was empty for six months before you were here. But, when Leeteuk did the ads, I decided to tag along. But Soo, she’s in trouble if she doesn’t have someone to help her.” She’s quiet for a while.

She continues, “I can’t deny the fact that Sunny can learn so much from Soo, because that Choi is a high-tech person. You look at how she’s doing her work, you know how she is, right?”

I nod in agreement. It’s my turn to not deny Miss Taeyeon’s word. I once went to her office, when I have to drag my feet to the upper level to meet Sunny. That was the first time I went into her office when Sunny was arranging a bunch of documents in her room. There was a laptop on her desk, and the other one was a pc beside the laptop. The desk didn’t have so many paperworks on it, unlike the most of the other managers. Maybe Miss Sooyoung is a very well organized person. Or perhaps she has a secretary who knows how to manage her office. There’s so many odds, but clearly, Miss Sooyoung only brings her laptop every time she went out to attend a meeting at the client’s office!

I lose my train of thought when once again Miss Taeyeon continues talking, “I am a manager of an engineering department, but I’m nothing like Soo in terms of the way she works, or the way she handles the department. As I said before, Sunny can learn from Soo and yet she is still learning. But Soo could not have that kind of secretary, she wants somebody like you. When we look at your personal file, you already have those experiences that Soo needed. Just the only thing you need to learn is, understanding Soo’s work styles. If we talk about tender or proposal, I think you already know that. In fact, Leeteuk have given your previous employer a call, he asked about your capabilities at work, he received more ‘A’ than ‘B’. I know you’re good. So, if you work with Soo, you just need to learn her rhythm and how she works. Other things, would be a piece of cake!”  

I’m still dazed. The atmosphere in this room is so quiet and the only thing that could be heard is the sound of the air-conditioner. I feel stressful. “Do you think I can work with Miss Sooyoung?” I’m not sure with my own ability.

She nods. “Don’t you feel confident in yourself? I know you can do it, Jessica. Even Sooyoung thinks the same as me. You aren’t afraid, are you?”

Once again I feel like being challenged, but I keep hiding my real feeling. “Afraid? Why should I? She is just a normal human being like me too.”

Miss Taeyeon smiles, “okay then.”

I smile back at her with an uncertain feeling because I still couldn’t accept the fact, “if you think this transfer is good for me, then I accept.”

That woman! Can I work with that tall woman who rarely smile and not friendly at all? I have no idea.

She smiles, “are you sure?”

“Of course. You said it yourself, I will get many chances of learning if I work under Miss Sooyoung.”

She just stares at me.

“Does Sunny know about this?”

“Soo should have told her now.”

I remain silent for a while, starting to feel sad to leave my boss who I start to consider as a good friend. “When I should report to Miss Sooyoung?” I ask slowly.

“Anytime. When do you think you are ready?”

“That soon?”

She smiles cynically, “is there something else you want to tell me?”

I smile back at her. I feel so heavy to leave this place even though it’s only just switching to another department, “well, I already feel comfortable working with you. I don’t know how it’s gonna be when I start to work with my new boss. I guess.. it is part of learning for me.”

She smiles wider. This time, she looks happier. “Sooyoung is okay. Maybe she’s not a very friendly kind of person to all of you, but once you know her, I bet you will like it. She is a fine person.”

I quickly reply, “I don’t mind that. As long as I do my work at the level she wants, other things aren’t matter to me.”

“I know you can do anything I asked you to do. That’s why I keep on telling you that it’s better if you work under Soo. You can do so many stuff. This is for your own future, Jessica.”

I couldn’t agree with her more. I’m sure that I can go much further there. It’s just all this while, my chances are limited. That limited chance was blinded by my good relationship with Miss Taeyeon.  But, Miss Taeyeon has a point. Maybe I could learn many stuff once I start working with Miss Sooyoung. I stay silent for a moment.

“So, do you agree?”

After a few minutes, I smile and I nod slowly.

“I will let Leeteuk and Soo know about your agreement. We will see about when you will start working with her, okay?”

I nod and get up, leaving the room. Once I plop my onto my chair, I continue the task I left before. Even though my fingers are busy clicking the keyboard but deep in my mind, as if I could hear everything Miss Taeyeon have said to me in my ears. It is still buzzing. I sigh in the silence of the office. I think I’m brave enough to get through this, but at the same time, I feel scared. Can I face that beautiful-handsome woman as long as it takes?

My phone rings ten minutes later. Sunny’s voice could be heard so slowly from the other side of the phone, half whispering.

“So, did Miss Taeyeon tell you anything?”

“She did, how about you?”

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