One after another walks up to the desk and bow 90 degree to a man and a woman picture. They turn to a little boy kneeling beside the desk and bow to him before they take a seat on the side of the room. An old woman walks up to Nichkhun with a bowl of congee in her hands.

           “Nichkhun-ah, you have to eat something.” The old woman say. Nichkhun stubbornly ignore the old woman as he kneel silent beside the desk.  “Nichkhun, please listen to halmeoni.” His grandma say in grieve. “You haven’t say a word for a week. You haven’t eat properly for a week. You can’t keep this up.” 

            Nichkhun grip his hands tightly onto his pant as he stare intensely at the wooden floor.

            She kneel and place the bowl beside him. “I know you are hurt and lonely right now, but you still have me. You still have halmeoni.” His grandma say in tears.

            The little Nichkhun looks up at his grandma with his eyes redden and watery. “Halmeoni….” His voice tremble in pain.

            “Let it out.” She embrace him. “Let it all out. You will feel better.”

            The little Nichkhun wraps his arms around her, crying his heart out.

            “Good. Good.” She say as she pat his back lightly.

            “Yes, be a good little boy and let it all out.” A man in his mid-40s in black suit say as he walks to them with two men following behind.

            The embrace end with intense glare shock at the man.

            “There is no place for you here.” Nichkhun’s grandma says with hatred.

            “Omma, he is my brother. I come to pay my respect. Beside…it was an accident. Everybody will die one day.” He say with ease. 

            “Respect for what? Respect for taking everything away.” She continues. “Leave.”

            “Omma, I’m your son.”

            “I don’t have a son like you.”

            “I give him a house didn’t I?” He stares fierce at Nichkhun. “And moreover, he’s just a little kid, not capable of taking over the enterprise. It should have been mine from the start.”

            “Leave.” She demand.

            “Fine! I’ll leave. From now, don’t come begging me.” The man say before he walks away.

            They watch him leave, Nichkhun grit his teeth as he eyes flared. Halmeoni look at the little Nichkhun and touch the side of his face. “I’ll go heat the congee up for you” she say. She hold the bowl with her right hand and stand. She leave the room. The little Nichkhun stand and look around the room as if he’s looking for something sharp. He leave the room with empty—down the hall, he grab onto pen sitting on the desk, and hurriedly pursue his uncle but fall to the floor.

            “Ow!” A girl cried.

            The little Nichkhun sit up and immediately look at the young little girl. He stand and went to help her up.

            “Are you okay?” He asked.

            “It hurts.” The young girl pout.

            The little Nichkhun take a look at her hand and blow gently at the pain spot. “Mianhe.”

            She look at him and then at the pen on the floor. “Where were you going?” She asked. “You look mad.”

            “I—I… nowhere.” He lied.

            She looks into his red eyes, “Did you cry?” She ask. The little Nichkhun ignore her question. She smiles and take out a candy from her little pocket. She hand it to him. “Eat it. It will cheer you up.”

            The little Nichkhun blankly looks at the candy in his hand and then at the young girl smiling warmly at him.

            “There you are!” Nichkhun’s grandma say as she runs to him. “You scare me. I though run off. Please let me know where you are going first.”  She say with ease. “Lets’ go back.” She hold his right hand and pull him with her.

            The little Nichkhun turn his head around and look at the girl waving goodbye at him before she walks away with a smile. A smile that imprinted

* * * *

Fifteen years later……..

It’s a sunny day, but the air is cold. People strolling in the street with thick coat and glove. In a small café shop called The Street fills with customer laughing and talking to each other, while a young girl with semi-cold expression cleaning from table to table. Another girl in black pant and white top with a blouse over her walking to her.

“Jiyeon, I need a favor from you.” Said the girl.

Jiyeon stop and looks at her. “What is it?” She ask.

            “So, I have an assignment that need to be complete this week. However…”

            “However, you don’t have the time for it.” Jiyeon interrupted her.

            The girl smiles as she grab Jiyeon left hand and swings it back and forth. “Yes, you are absolutely correct. This assignment is really important. If I don’t complete it, I will not graduate in time. Can you please help me? Please. Pretty Please?”

“Sure. So what is the assignment?” Jiyeon asked.

“Okay, the assignment is to interview a successful businessmen or entrepreneur and write a two page report about it. I will do the writing. I just need you to take note and record.”

            “I can interview any successful people right?”

            “Umm……” She hesitate for a second. “That person you need to interview is the heir of Horvejkul Enterprise.”

            “What! Guk Joo, you can’t be serious right?” Jiyeon asked. Guk Joo stay silent as she nervously looks down at the floor. Jiyeon sighed, “The heir of the Horvejkul Enterprise is not someone easy or accessible.  Have you read the news these days? Many business or companies have tried to meet with him, hoping to make an alliance but fail. You think a go like me can get a hold of him?”

“I know it’s hard. I’ve sent many emails for you already. I’m still waiting for them to reply back.” Said Guk Joo. She grabs Jiyeon hands, “Please Jiyeon. I really need your help. If it wasn’t for this final project and business proposal, I would do it but I can’t. I need your help, Jiyeon.” Guk Joo uses the puppy eyes techniques to beg her. Jiyeon tries to ignore it, but she could not resist it.

            “Fine, I will give it a try. I can’t promise you anything.” Said Jiyeon as she pick up the cloth again, getting ready to clean the next table.

            Guk Joo embrace her tightly with joy. “Thank you Jiyeon. You are the best.”

            Jiyeon smiles as she lightly pat her back. “Okay, lets’ get back to work before we get yell.”

            Guk Joo let go of her and nodded. Both went back to work.

* * * *

            A tall man in his late 20s walks into a luxury and modernize tower that has more than 130 floors with two other men walking behind him. Everybody in the building, either standing or sitting, stand up and bow 45 degree to him as he walks pass them. He step into the elevator, waiting patiently to arrive at his floor. He step out and walks down the hall where the secretary stand waiting at the twin doors to his office.

            “Good morning Mr. Horvejkul.” She greeted him.

            “Morning.” He greeted her in return as he walks to the door.

            “There are a few email asking from a student at Yonsei University, asking to have a short interview with you for her final project.” The secretary reported to him.

            Mr. Horvejkul shot a dull look. He was not interest in this short of meeting or interview, especially when he have other dozen of paper to fill and look through. He enter his office. The secretary walks back to her desk and reply back to the sender. 

            “You’re late.” The man say as he seat on the couch.

            He smirks as he walks to his chair and takes a seat behind his dark brown desk. “You’re early Taecyeon. What are you doing here so early?”      

            The man in black sleek suit stood and walks to him with a smile. “Just come to say hi.” He said as he take a seat across the table.

            Nichkhun lean back against his chair as he hold up his favorite dark brown with special red encrypted words on it.

            “Look at the file on your desk.” Taecyeon say. He eyes at the files sitting on the table. “Your rival have cause quite a stir in the market. The stocking is decreasing.”

            “What is he up to this time?”

            Taecyeon shrugged his shoulder with is lip purge outward. “I don’t know, but it’s not doing any of us good. I talked to Yunho this morning, he’s working on it right now.” He continues as he looks out the window. “Nichkhun, be ready to receive complain calls.”

            Nichkhun smirk as he put his pen down.

            “So I’ve been hearing that you have been at this club a lot lately.” Taecyeon teasingly said as he give a flirty look, “Is there a special someone there at the club that draw your attention?”

            Nichkhun let out a small laugh before he pick up the file off the desk. “Rumor? Half is true. I’ve only been there once just for a short pointless meeting.”

            “Oh really? You were photo with a woman by your side that whole night.” Taecyeon added.

            “You are an expert at photography, you should know.”

            “I do. Yunho is also an expert too, but he have been quite busy with something else lately. Shouldn’t a bachelor like you find a woman to settle down?”

            “Should you too?”

            The two men just laugh it off.

            * * * *

            The next day, Jiyeon take the bus to Horvejkul Enterprise headquarter down in Gangnam district before going to work. Seating by the window, she watches building, stores, and people walking in the street passes her. Suddenly, a nervous stir inside of her as her heart beat fast. Looking up ahead, the distant to the Horvejkul Enterprise headquarter keeps getting shorter and shorter. The bus stop just ten feet away from the building. The moment she step out of the bus, her body freeze like a mannequin place behind the window in the mall. She was astound by what she sees in front of her.

            “Wow.” It was the only word that Jiyeon could think off. Jiyeon nervously grab onto her bag and begin to walk to the main entrance of the Tower. Right at the moment Jiyeon enter the tower, a black Maserati GranTurismo 2015 drive up to a reserve parking spot and parked.

                 Jiyeon walks up to the service desk, “Hi, may I ask is Mr. Horvejkul here in the building?”

            “He is not.” Said the service lady.

            “Can you tell me when he will be here?”

            “I can’t really tell you when he will be here. May I ask your name?” The service lady asked.

            Nichkhun enter and head to the elevator by the customer service desk.

            “Park Jiyeon, a student at Yonsei University.” She answered.

            Nichkhun stop—turn his head and glance at her.

            “Is there a possible way I can reach Mr. Horvejkul? I have an assignment that is due in two weeks, and I need to interview him to complete this assignment.” Jiyeon plead.

            “I am not allow to give out Mr. Horvejkul information, but you do need anything please give a call to his secretary. Here is the secretary phone number.” The service handed her a small business card.

            “Thank you.” Jiyeon bow her head lightly as she takes the card.

            Nichkhun smiles as he walks into the elevator. He take one last glance at Jiyeon as the door slide close. Right before the door was completely close, Jiyeon turn around, and by chance, she sees the man in the elevator. Their eyes meet for the first time. His gazes was intense yet seductive. It was drawing her in. She feels her breath shorten as she looks into eyes. Inside her head, she keep thinking ‘can a man like him really exist’. She’s attract to him just a glance. The moment the door close, they gaze break off. Jiyeon looks away and take a deep breath before she exit the building.

            The elevator stop, Nichkhun step out and walks to his office. This time he stop—turn around and look at the secretary. “If there’s a girl name Park Jiyeon call and ask for an interview, please send her call to me. “ He said.

            “Yes sir.” The Secretary say.

            Nichkhun enter his office.

            “You usually don’t like interview. You think it’s a waste of time.”

            “That is true, Yunho.” He agreed with his head slightly to the left. “However, I admired the girl stubbornness, moreover, I am a member of Yonsei University. I think giving her thirty minute of my time won’t hurt.”

            “You’re interest in her.” Said Yunho with confident.

            “How many times have you been to that restaurant for the past years?” Nichkhun change the subject.

            With a defeated smile, Yunho take a seat, “A lot of times.”

            “Did you even have a decent conversation with her beside her taking your order?” He asked.

            “Twice.”

            “Impressive. I think it’s about time you take the next step. Don’t let her wait to long.”

            “I think I can handle that on my own. Should I be mentoring you about relationship?” Said Yunho.  

            “True, but I’m just giving you some advice Yunho. I think it’s about time you make your move before she flies away.”

            The conversation was interrupt by a phone call. Nichkhun pick up the phone and answered, “Hello.”    

            “Mr. Horvejkul, Park Jiyeon is on line one.” Said the secretary lady.

            “Thank you.” Said Nichkhun before the secretary lady hang up. He looks at Yunho who smile and nodded his head. Yunho left the room. Nichkhun looks at the blinking light.

To be continue………………………