I have no idea how I ended up in a ddeokbokki stand with the President Oh. I think it started with him asking, “what happened?” to telling me “I’m sorry, my son can be a . Let’s eat ddeokbokki”. President Oh is nothing like Mr. Oh, personality wise. First of all, he isn’t dressed like that typical president with the suit and tie. He’s in fact wearing a blue floral shirt and khaki pants and comfy slippers. President Oh looks very carefree and energetic. For someone who is 63 years of age, he is definitely hyper. He’s been talking a lot.

“Actually, I’m not staying here for long. Just wrapping up divorce number 4 and then back to England for some golfing with friends,” He continues telling me as I watch him eat a lot of rice cakes. I have mixed feelings about seeing President Oh like this, “So tell me…how was my son? But you know, aside from the fact that he has become your personal devil because that’s old news,”

I gape at him, trying to figure out what to tell him, “Hmmm,” I hum, thinking, “He’s…deadpan? He’s always mad, he’s always yelling, he’s always cold, he’s always...he’s always…he’s…I don’t know. He’s him,” I let out an exasperated sigh and hear President Oh laugh at me. I honestly have no idea how to go further because there’s nothing much on the list of good things to say. Not that Mr. Oh is the devil’s apprentice in a very handsome human form; it’s just that, I’m probably still so upset about having to quit on him because he doesn’t really care.

“I see. He’s still boring isn’t he?” He asks me and I nod halfheartedly, “That boy. What am I going to do with him?”

“Send him off the grid,” I pout and immediately regret my statement. President Oh laughs at me.

“He doesn’t know how to have fun,” President Oh speaks. Finally. Someone who gets me! He looks at me and I give him a timid small smile, “Actually, I thought you were going to save me from all the work,”

“Huh?”

“I did hear from Jongin that they hired an impressive intern that swallowed my son whole during the interview. I don’t know if these things right, but from what I’ve heard, you’re the same girl who barged into my son’s room to wake him up? That’s a first!” President Oh says and I flush upon his statement, “Sehun isn’t used to being embarrassed, he needs to feel that. I’ve been trying to get him to loosen up but he’s just so uptight and so sharp,” He sighs.

“Can I be honest with you?” I ask him and President Oh nods as he shoves ddeokbokki inside his mouth, “I don’t mean this in a very offensive way but I think Mr. Oh needs to feel all sorts of emotions because it’s like anger is the only feeling he knows,”

President Oh drops his utensils so noisily, catching everyone’s attention and claps his hands like I have said something worth this much attention, “Yes! Someone finally gets me! I know right? My son is allergic to feelings and all that crap! I’ve been looking for a cure but people around him are not doing much,”

“Maybe they are but he just isn’t open for help,”

“You think so?”

“Yes, sir. If there’s anything I’ve learned about Mr. Oh after working with him everyday for the last three, almost four weeks, it’s the fact that he thinks he doesn’t need help,” I say confidently and President Oh nods at my answer, “He’s like a floating boat with no paddles. No paddles, no direction. And it’s a little sad to think that he’s going to survive but he’s just going to keep floating without anywhere to be,”

“I like you…your thinking and this whole metaphoric thing you’re telling me…I like it,” He says, pointing a finger at me, “Are you sure you want to quit?” He leans forward and I lean backwards with wide eyes on President Oh.

“Y-yes, sir. I’ve already resigned.”

“But didn’t you say it was your dream to work for my company?” I gasp upon hearing this and he nods at me, “Yes, I have eyes and ears in the office. I’m still the CEO after all,”

“It is. But I can’t work with a—pardon me, sir—stone. Your son is amazing at what he does and there’s no denying that he delivers well at work but…it doesn’t take away the fact that he can’t care for anything or anyone but work,” I tell him honestly and bite my lower lip.

President Oh releases a breath and nods slowly, “I understand. It’s my entire fault anyway. He only cares about work because he grew up with no one to care for and no one caring about him, well at least that’s how it was back then,” No. Don’t use the old backstory ticket on me! I’ve already resigned! I’m not coming back in that godforsaken office where I get treated like ! No!

“Sehun…” President Oh chuckles to himself like he remembered something funny, “He was such a cute and playful kid back then. He likes coming with me to work and I can leave him in my office for three hours without him noticing. He’d be coloring and drawing stuff for the rest of the day. Sehun is such a creative boy. He has a vision for art. He can look at a wall for five minutes and he’s painting it the next,” He chuckles again as I imagine Mr. Oh as a boy. A cute boy wearing cute sweaters and khaki boy pants while he’s laying on his stomach, at President Oh’s office, busily drawing and coloring.

“But ever since his mother and I decided to end our marriage, he changed into this…coldhearted boy. Thinking about it, I feel sorry for my own son. I bet he felt like his mother and I never really cared for him because after the divorce, we both went our separate ways—she found a new partner and I did, too. Sehun must have felt neglected and alone,” I feel a pang of guilt for quitting on him. I imagine a little boy sitting on bed, slowly fading from a little boy to the Sehun that he is now. Mr. Oh…

“I was hoping maybe you could stay for a while? At least finish your internship under his supervision,” He tells me and there’s this hesitation in me. I have mixed feelings about whether or not to go back. I bet I’ve already been replaced the second I resigned. Who am I kidding? Mr. Oh said it himself; there are many who would kill to be in my place, to work for him, to get the incentives and more. President Oh smiles small at me, “Please show my son how to feel,”

“B-b-but why me, President Oh?”

“Why not?”

I plop on my bed and stare at the ceiling. My glow-in-the-dark star stickers are blinking in the dark. I think back to the talk I had with President Oh earlier. There’s just no way I can go back. Besides, what would that make me if I resigned and went back? Not that I have this reputation to maintain because Mr. Oh long believed I have none of that from the day he laid eyes on me, but I need to stand for what I think is right for myself.

But what about poor boy Mr. Oh? Are you just going to quit on him? Don’t you have a heart? You heard President Oh’s story! He’s been left alone and neglected! He practically grew up without parents and became a coldhearted boy! Don’t you want to meet the boy that he used to be before he was the apprentice of all things evil in human form?

“Aaaaaaaaaaaah~” I whine as I grab a pillow and stuff it on my face, annoyed. Seriously. Just go back. You got the slot first. Mr. Oh picked you. That has to mean something. Like he said, he doesn’t like a lot of people. It should mean the world to you that Mr. Oh personally picked you. Come on, Haerin. Besides, you didn’t really want to quit. You know you’re better than this.

No. No. No. No. No. No. I’m not coming back. He can go pick a new secretary. I don’t care. I’m through with him. He’s through with me. We’re both through. It was so obvious all along that he wanted to fire me. I don’t know what kept him from doing so, but there’s always been that feel of not wanting me around. Mr. Oh will be fine. Besides, Aubrey should be back soon. If she goes back, then his problems are solved.

I think back to my first encounter with Mr. Oh. That disinterested face. The way he looked so bored and annoyed during the interview. The way he’s just sitting quietly beside Mr. Joonmyeon and Mr. Dyo. I remember his nonplussed face a