Third Person 
 

“MINJU WAKE UP!!” Yuri yelled as she marched towards the taller girl’s room. 

After the altercation that happened last week, Minju came into Yuri’s room crying and devastated because she had just lost her only source of income. It took her a whole night with a tub of chocolate ice cream to comfort the older. Not knowing what to do, the first thing Yuri suggested was for the lady to work with her. She forgot the fact that the environment can be too much for a sensitive, soft-hearted girl like Minju. But what can she do? Her friend was dredging to earn money.  
 

“Minju, wake up. You have your interview today.” Yuri warned for the last time which automatically woke up the sleeping beauty.  

“Okay.” She softly yawned as she looked at her friend exiting the door to continue getting ready. That also indicated Minju to get ready.  
 
 

Flashback  

Exhausted, that was what Yuri can describe what she felt. She had a laborious day at her office, busy due to her CEO had been ordering her staff around more lately. She unlocked their apartment with her key card, sighing because she can finally rest.  
 

The apartment was unusually silent. Lights were turned off and no music echoed throughout their small home. Yuri sensed that something was off, but her exhaustion got the best of her curiosity. She opened the door, taking off her tight heels first then shortly massaging her feet. Yuri got a change of more comfortable clothing. About to lay down, she heard sniffles and it was getting louder as it got closer to her door. Once the door opened, it displayed a crying fox. 
 

“Oh my god! Minju what happened?” Yuri rushed to the older’s side and welcomed her with open arms. The latter is very sensitive so this alarmed Yuri, she then noticed that her eyes were puffy and red. Giving time to relax, the Busan native allowed Minju to hug her for a while. Normally their dynamic consisted of bickering and teasing. 

Once Minju settled, Yuri walked towards her bed and motioned the latter to sit with her. The fox-eyed girl could only nod before following her friend. The two stayed quiet for a while, only Minju’s heavy breathing could be heard throughout the room.  

“I got fired today.” She started. “I was cleaning around and I accidentally bumped into this woman and she spilled her drink on the both of us. She got really mad and started yelling at me about how expensive her suit was. I was going to pay for it back, really I had no intentions to snub her.” Minju sobbed, taking Yuri’s hand as if she was guilty of something else. “And then my manager came in, at that point everyone was already watching. She then ordered him to fire me. That lady acted so mighty. Just because I was a worker at a cafe doesn’t give her the right to take my job away. It took me weeks to look for one. What am I supposed to do now Yuri? My family needs me. My loans aren’t even touched yet. I have no way to earn money and I don’t want to put all the bills on you, you have other necessities to wo--” 
 

“Work with me!” Yuri interrupted the rambling girl. Minju looked at her confusedly.  
 

“But you said that there were no available jobs.” 

 “Okay, I lied. I just didn’t want you to work there because it could get very stressful and I don’t want to you get hurt. I’m sorry. I know how easy things could affect you and as your friend, I wanted to protect you.” 
 

“You lied to me?” 
 

“I’m really sorry. If you want a job as soon as possible, the company is currently looking for a secretary. But I’m warning you that the CEO can be over the top. Would you be able to handle the stress?” 
 

Minju looked down and thought for some time. She couldn’t bring herself to get mad at her friend because Yuri was indeed correct. And she hated that. She could’ve had a better-paying job by now. But she knew deep down that her friend was only thinking of her. Sometimes, Yuri would pay the bills to their apartment by herself when Minju had spent all of her money on her family.  
 

“Okay.” Yuri titled her head as she waited for the girl in front of her to proceed. “I’ll do it.”  
 

  Yuri swore she almost broke her neck. She was expecting her friend to yell at her for pulling a ty move. But instead, she was facing a now more collected Minju.  

“Really?” 
 

“Yes. When can I apply?” 
 

“I’ll reference you! Now let’s go get you ice cream.” Yuri happily dragged Minju out of the room to go to the store. It was her way of apologizing and making the older feel better. 

After getting ready, Minju has chosen to wear a puffy sleeve jacket in baby pink with the same color skirt. It was a more feminine look than Yuri’s office fit. She also slightly curled her hair to give it wavy locks partnered with makeup that is subtle.  
 

“Finally you’re ready. Now let’s go before I get fired also.” Yuri joked, 
 

“Haha, hilarious.”  

“You’ll be fine. Not many are applying for the spot, and I doubt they’ll be as resilient and adequate as you are.” She reassured, then went to walk out of their apartment first.  

The two ladies used Yuri’s small, modern sedan that her parents gave her for her birthday. Truth to be told, Yuri wasn’t poor in where they’ve struggled with having to pay rent, but she wasn’t also rich enough to be called rich. They were simply living comfortably.  

Minju had no idea what to expect. Yuri rarely talked about her company, in fact, she doesn’t even know the name of it. Whenever they talked about their jobs, it was mainly Minju who shared. The short girl never mentioned anything unless she asked. 

 The drive was unfamiliar to the passenger. Maybe it was because the road they’re in leads to the taller buildings of Seoul. She wanted to question the driver but kept it to herself instead. Traffic got worse as more cars congest.  
 

Fifteen minutes later, the car slowly pulled up to a--what Minju described as, skyscraper. In shock, she turned her head to the focused hamster-like woman.  

“What the hell.” She mumbled under her breath when they walked in on the view of a luxurious, expansive lobby. Yuri greeted all the staff as they bowed back to her. They hopped on one of the elevators and the lady pressed on the 50th floor.  

“Yuri 50th floor?!” 

“Deep breaths Kim, there’s a lot to explain but we don’t have the time for that right now. Hold onto your documents and relax. You’ll need that for later.”  

After what seemed like ages, the elevator finally dinged and it opened to a hallway that directed to an office. Chatters and the sound of clicking heels can be heard from where they were. The pair started walking towards the noise, one was serious and the other nervous. A lady came into their frame and stood in front. Minju noticed she was smaller than her best friend.  

“Yuri-ssi. You are barely in time.” The woman pointed out,  
 

“I am aware Nako-ssi. Anyways, this is Minju, my friend. She is applying for the secretary position--” 

“Did I hear that right?! She is going for secretary??” A voice interrupted, this one belonged to another shortie. The new lady had bread-like cheeks. 

“Yes, Hitomi. She is.”  
 

“Wait, is there something wrong with the job?” Minju scratched her head. 

“Well--” 
 

“As I mentioned, it can be a lot to deal with for most people.” Yuri cut off, implicitly looking at Hitomi who just zipped .  

“Enough with the chit-chat. Time to work before she yells at us. Minju-ssi you can sit at a grey bench down that hallway. We would love to get you started but we’re quite packed right now. Someone will call your name in a bit to let you in.” Nako explained as she dragged the two including her friend to their desks. Minju amusedly stared at them as Hitomi and Yuri were complaining about how Nako’s grip on them was too tight. She sauntered towards the bench. A blue sign with “AYJ”  on it was plastered on the wall the bench was in front of.  
 

“Must be the boss.” Minju thought as she sat down on the soft object. Everything seemed expensive as the interior was well-designed. Businesses weren’t Minju’s cup of tea so she had no idea who she might actually work for. The lady anxiously waited and the sounds of hands pressing on the clicky keyboards did not help. She then remembered Hitomi’s surprised reaction when Yuri mentioned her plan. Minju was confused. How bad could it be? Especially working for a high-end company. Surely, it wasn’t that bad. If it was, then why are they still there?  

The door slowly creaked and brought Minju back to her senses. A familiar face towered her. That duck-shaped lip and bangs that covered her forehead. 
 

“Kim Minju?” 
 

“You??” The fox-eyed lady widened her eyes, in disbelief because what were the chances that they’d see each other in a big city like Seoul.  
 

“Ah yes. By the way, I am Choi Yena, the Chief Operating Officer of Ahn Corporations. I was sent here to fetch you. There are two other officers that will accompany me to interview you. Usually, we don’t hold interviews but you are applying to be the secretary of CEO Ahn, therefore we do need to officiate that.” The silent girl could only nod in return as her anxiety worsened. She had a bad feeling about it. Did that stop her from entering? No.  
 

Yena led Minju to the room. She noticed that half of the walls were glass, the other contained lavish paintings and high-end furniture that could bankrupt someone if one ever breaks them. Minju thought that the CEO is definitely arrogant as one’s setting could tell about their whole being. This one liked to flaunt their wealth. It was also bigger than she thought. More doors were spread.  
 

The two stopped at a table with multiple chairs. This must be where they’ll hold the interview. It was wide with a white marble top. Yena motioned Minju to sit while she went to grab the other two. She explained that they were probably in their private areas. A few minutes later, a slim woman with a round face and small nose walked in. It was not Yena.  
 

“Good morning! You must be Kim Minju. I am Kim Chaewon.” She introduced as she held up her hand. Minju hesitated but shook the lady’s hand nevertheless.  
 

“Hello, good morning too.” Minju smiled back. 

“I’m guessing you’ve met Yena already. Anyways, I am the Chief Marketing Officer of Ahn Corporations.” They both sat down after getting to know each other. Chaewon had her laptop with her, typing while they waited.  

Minju didn’t know why but her stomach suddenly churned, sensing something ominous. Just right then, heavy footsteps crept up. The repeated tapping got louder and louder. The two ladies faced the direction of the resonance. There was Choi Yena with a tall, cold-looking lady with her hair tied up.  
 

“Oh my god.” It was the same woman who she bumped into last week. The one that humiliated her publicly and was the sole reason she lost her job at the coffee shop. The one that also caught Minju’s eyes.  

“Kim Minju,” She smirked as she made her way to them. Yena followed behind her, tensed with the situation while Chaewon was oblivious to the thick atmosphere.  
 

“How are you?” The tall woman was now standing face to face with Minju, acting way different from last week. She was civil.  
 

“I’m good Ms.?”  
 

“Ah right. How rude of me. The name is Ahn Yujin.” The fox-eyed girl wanted nothing more than to slap that smirk out of the tall woman’s face and also to kiss her. Yujin was wickedly attractive. She should hate her guts, but that attractive face of hers swerved Minju. The two stared at each other for too long while Yena and Chaewon suffocated from the tension the two emitted.  
 

“Anyways we are complete now!” Chaewon enthusiastically clapped, breaking off the awkwardness. The three officers along with Minju settled on the comfy office chairs they each had. They all had a copy of the applicant’s resume, which Minju handed them beforehand. The trio took their time to scan the paper. 

“Let’s get started, shall we? It says here you graduated from SNU as a psychology major and that your only working experience is at Angel’s cafe. Do you mind explaining that for us?” Chaewon asked, 
 

“Yes. As you may know, the job market for good-paying psychologists is extremely competitive. I, unfortunately, could not find one. I needed money to pay off my student loans so I temporarily accepted a job that provides me a source of income while I wait for an opportunity to pass by.”  
 

“Being a psychology major has no connection with being a secretary. Why should we accept you?” Yujin inserted as she dropped the papers she was holding and looked at Minju straight in the eyes as if she was provoking her.  

“In her defense, secretaries aren’t necessarily required to be in a specific major,” Chaewon said, holding her hands up in the air when Yujin glanced at her.  

“I do agree with Ms. Ahn and she is definitely right. But I also believe I am capable of being a secretary as it requires to be hard-working and organized, qualities that a good secretary should possess.”  
 

“There is much more to that Ms. Kim, you must know how businesses work. Plus, there are other graduates who have more experience than you. Those we don’t have to teach. With you, we have to start with the basics. There are other applicants out there who are also as hard-working and organized as you, probably even more.” The CEO spat, it was the two of them again. But now, they’re in a professional environment, they couldn’t act foolishly. 
 

“I believe so too. Though a secretary is much more than a business graduate. They must be willing to learn along the road as things constantly change. Some might’ve had a rough start with barely any knowledge, like me, but if they can keep up with the pace of the company, why can’t they get a chance also?” 
 

“I love your efforts Ms. Kim but you have no background of business whatsoever. I expect the best of the best. My company is not just a charity that hands out jobs for those who need it. I demand perfection, it’s how we stay on top.”  
 

“Hate to interrupt you Yujin, but I think she is qualified. It says here that while being in SNU, she was a diligent student who maintained a high GPA despite working part-time. That clearly shows she has nice time management and she’s smart. Plus she’s honestly the best applicant so far and we are in rush to give you a secretary.” Chaewon defended Minju once again, pointing out the information she had given to back up her statement.  
 

“Yeah, it seems like a nice point.” Yena commented, the first sentence she let out after a while. Yujin did not like being teamed upon, but they were at the office therefore she couldn’t whine about it.  

“Come on Ahn, I’m advising you.” 

“Alright! Just don’t call me by my last name!” Yujin gave up and rolled her eyes. It was unprofessional of her but since they weren’t in a crowd of investors, she let it slide. Minju internally jumped as she was most likely going to get the job on the spot. 
 

“I’ll give you a few weeks. If you can’t keep up, I’m firing you.” The CEO warned as her voice was laced with mischievousness. “Your starting salary is around 100,000 won. That could raise depending on how good you are. You’ll have a day off per week. Some weeks might not have any.” Yena added. 

“Noted. Thank you so much!” Minju bowed at the three multiple times before they gestured to her that she could leave. She wanted to scream in euphoria. The pay was ten times better than her cafe. She didn’t fear her new boss. Though she should be. Regardless, Minju was excited about the new adventure.  
 

As she walked out, someone called her. “Wait up Ms. Minju-ssi!” It was Kim Chaewon.  

“Oh Ms. Chaewon, is there any problem?” She worriedly asked, assuming they might’ve changed their minds last minute.  

“Hahaha no.” The lady laughed, “I just wanted to say that you did a great job. No one really went up to Yujin like that. They all falter as soon as she asks a question. Anyways, can’t wait to work with you. See you soon.” She smiled and before Minju could reply, Chaewon immediately went rushed back to the room. 

Minju exited the hallway where she saw Yuri and Hitomi secretly eating bread. The two walked up to her, curious about what happened as she took longer than expected. Usually, interviews like that went on for only 3 minutes after entering. However, Minju took more than 10 minutes. A new record, they mutually agreed on. 

“So… How was it Minju-ssi?” Hitomi asked as she offered a piece of the food she was eating. Minju shook her head and kindly rejected the petite woman. 

“It was good! They said I can start soon!”  

“HUH?!” 
 

“What.?” 
 

“YOU GOT IN??” 

“Yep.” 

“LET’S CELEBRATE THEN! SAMGYEOPSAL ON YURI TONIGHT.” Hitomi excitedly ran back to Nako’s chair to spread the sudden agenda. The latter had her eyes set on Minju, an unreadable expression she had. The newly hired secretary patted her friend’s back and departed due to the small commotion she had accidentally created, leaving Yuri there. 

Since she rode with Yuri earlier, Minju decided to commute back instead of waiting since she would wait the whole day if she stayed. She hopped into a bus that was fortunately vacant. The ride was peaceful, the faint noise of the radio relaxed Minju’s erratic heartbeats. It was still quite early, not too hot nor too cold. She enjoyed every little thing that she saw.