Jiyeon leave the apartment with a mildly smile. She takes elevator down the main floor and out to the bus stop. A twenty minutes ride from her apartment to the Horvejkul headquarter was nerve wrecking. The stop bus. People getting off the bus. Jiyeon was the last one to get off the bus. She grabs onto the string of her bag tightly, inhale and exhale deeply and walks to the entrance. Entering the tower, she observes the people around her all dress in high quality business casual.

            A tall man walks up to her, “Ms. Park, right this way.” He said as he her to Nichkhun’s office.

            Jiyeon nervously greeted him with a 45 degree bow and then follows him to the elevator. Looking at herself through the reflection of the elevator full-length mirror door, Jiyeon quietly inhale and exhale, trying to get rid of the tense building inside of her. With little time left, she did her ‘little checklist’: hair, lipstick, eyelines, and clothes. All neat and perfect.

             “Wait, I seem too casual. I should have dress nicer. I made an effort in my fashion, hopefully he doesn’t pay attention to it.” She murmured inside her head.

             The elevator stop and the man lead her down the hall to Nichkhun’s office. The secretary stand and bow to them. Jiyeon looks at the thick black door with gold lines crossing each other—forming a diamond shapes on the door. The man open the door. Jiyeon and the man step into the big office. A tall man in a charcoal wool suit standing behind the dark wood table, and beyond that is a floor-to-ceiling window with a view to the whole Gangnam District.

            “Sir, Ms. Park is here.” Said the man.

            “Thank you. You may leave.” Said Nichkhun.

            The man leave the room, closing the door behind her.

            Jiyeon greeted him with mannerly bow. “Hello Mr. Horvejkul. Thank you so much for your help and time.” She said.

            Nichkhun turn around with a smile, “Not a problem. Come have a seat.” He said as he wave her toward the black leather chair.

            Jiyeon walks to the chair and seat. She place her bag on the side of the chair, takes out a notebook and a pen. “Mr. Horvejkul, may I ask….”

            “Please call me Nichkhun.” He said as he walks around the desk to the empty next to her.

            Jiyeon nervously blink before she open again, “Nichkhun—sshi, sorry for dressing so casual.”

            Nichkhun smiles, “No, you look beautiful. You fit well with this style.” He comment her.

             Jiyeon flushes. Shyly and secretly glance at him, she looks at the paper full of question sitting on her lap. She takes control of her again and takes out a little record from her bag. “Sorry, do you mind if I record your answer?”

             “No, not at all.” He said simply.

             “For a young man like you to have a massive empire. What inspire you to come this far? What brought you here?”

             His smiles in a rueful way, but through his eyes are full of vague emotion. A mixture of sadness and disappointment.

            “This is the first question?” He his head and looked at her with a serious expression.

            Jiyeon nod.

          “Lets’ said I don’t have a happy past. Everything was taken away from me when I was just a young teen boy. My parent died when I was only 12. I lived with my grandma since then. I have no relative, no close one, except my grandma. She is what I’ve come this far. Without her, I wouldn’t be here today. Our lifestyle inspire me to be strong. Not everybody can find their light at an early age. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a genius. I am no different than other young people. I was a rebellious kid when I was young. I don’t want to go to school. I don’t care about the grades. I actually thought about just making enough money to live through the days. Until one day, seeing and hearing what I don’t want to hear have given me no choice but to stand up and build my own empire. I want the world to know that the Horvejkul is still here. I am naturally confident in nurturing a good solid ideas, plans, and people, moreover, the ideas of expanding my business.”

          The first part of his answer given her a sorrow and guilty wave through her body. She regret asking him that question… a question that brings back painful memories but the second part of his answer intimidate her.

           “Moreover, I believe that discovering, inculcating, and communicating is leadership. Sometime I believe that there are people were born to take control.”

           “More like a control freak.” She accidentally blurt it out.

           “Control freak? Maybe I am. I’m always holding the mouse, controlling it with my thumb it a gentle way. There are other that said I don’t have a heart, it can also be true.”

           The words that’s came out of his mouth, she could not distinguish if it was a humorous joke or ual joke. The only thing she know is that her heartbeat have quickens and face flushes. She tighten her grip that wrap around her pen.

            I decided to change the question before it get any further, “Do you have any interest outside of work?” She asked.

            “I have varies interests, Miss Park. I like to boxing, strolling in the park or by the lake, horse riding, and jog in the morning.” He flash a smile at her with an intense and seductive gaze.

            Taping his fingers on the arm chairs as he gazes at her lips. His Adam Apple drop with a mild smiles. She glances at him and feels her breath shorten, body heating up. If the room weren’t any quieter, the sound of her crazy heart beat pounding against her chest can be heard in the room.  “What is this feeling inside of me? This heat? No, Park Jiyeon. Get a hold of yourself.”

            “Your investment in other business such as your own restaurant, boxing club, and art museum. Is it an interest or just fun?” She asked.

            “Fun?” He smiles. “It is more like an interest. I love cooking. When I am stress about something or think a lot, I cook to calm myself. Boxing club is like a gym, I indulge in physical pursuit to keep myself fit and healthy. I create the art museum for my grandma, who love art, and so do I.”

            He talked without blinking his eyes. To avoid his stare, she pretend to takes note, writing words he said.  His stares appraisingly at her as if he’s stretching a picture inside of his head. A picture of her shining in the light of the sun with her head slightly till to the left as she moves the pen smoothly on the paper.

             “That sound like your heart is speaking rather than the confident and control freak.”

            “Maybe.”

            She suddenly thought a question, it may be inappropriate for the interview, but it caught her interest. “Do you pay attention to what other people said about you?” She asked.

            “I don’t.” He simply answered.

            His answered confuses her. He does not pay attention to what other said about him, but when she commented on him. He reversed it into a joke as if he knew it meant to hurt or distract him in some way. 

            “There have been news about you being part of a charity, is that true?”

            “Yes. I’m a member and ambassador of Unicef. I love to help children as much as I can. I believe that every little life deserve to discover their life.”

            Looking down at the question papers, she has no interest in asking the next question. The only thing she wishes to do is escape his penetrating gaze that’s flaming her.

            “For a man with such success like you should probably have a girlfriend or a wife, or family?” This question was nowhere on the paper, but somehow it escape as she look into his gaze.

            “No. Beside grandma, sister, two close friend that are like a family to me, I don’t plan on expanding unless I meet someone special.”

            “You have been caught with many beautiful women, none of them catches your eyes?” Her voice does not sound to pleasing as she inquires him her own personal question that she wishes to not escape .

          “No. None of them catches my attention.” He his head with a smiles. “Is these your own question?”

            Jiyeon nervously bite the bottom of her lip as she looks down at the question paper, “Oh no, how does he know?”

            There’s a couple knock at the door, and the secretary enters. “Mr. Horvejkul, sorry for intruding but a guest here said she had an appointment with you and is waiting in the lobby. She wishes to speak to you now.”

            “Yoojin, can you please tell her I have an important guest here with me. Ask her to reschedule for another day.”

            Yoojin appear shock and lost.

            “What so important that make you forget about me?” A beautiful lady enters the room without permission. Her eyes fixes on Jiyeon with jealousy and displease.

To be continue……………………………