I would be lying if I said I have gone back to normal. Every morning it feels wrong not preparing for work. I still stare at the scratch sketches from the storyboard project I’ve been given weeks ago. I still have post-its stuck on my computer screen and desk, reminders for Mr. Oh. I still haven’t erased my ‘give Mr. Oh a morning call :)’ alarm and his number is still on the top of my speed dial list. It’s been a week and a half since I resigned and it still doesn’t feel right. I thought it only felt that way because I haven’t gotten over it yet, but it’s been a week and a half, I should be over it now. I miss Mr. Oh’s face. No, you don’t. Shut up, Haerin. You don’t miss that beautiful, handsome face. Why would you? No. You don’t miss his face. Yeah, you don’t just miss his face. You miss him, period. No, I don’t. I don’t. I don’t miss Mr. Oh. Why would I miss someone who has made my life a living hell? Because believe it or not, you kind of had a little crush on him. No, I only admired him because of how amazing he is with what he does. I can adore someone for that. Yeah, right.

“Haerin, come on,” I hear my brother call from downstairs as I glare at my reflection in the mirror. Girl, you look like a rag. Thanks, you too. I frown at myself and grabbed my bag before heading downstairs. My brother refuses to leave me at home to do nothing so he decided to take me to his restaurant today.

We both get into his car and I fasten my seatbelt. He settles on the driver’s seat and then speeds off to work. Morning traffic isn’t usually a problem, but today, there are roadblocks because they’re doing a part of the street that’s causing so much traffic. The car ride is slower than usual.

“By the way, Yoochun told me he can hook you up with an interview some time this weekend. It’s a production house, too. Open for internship,” He tells me and I nod as I look at the pile of cars across ours, “Hae, are you okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I ask him.

“I don’t know,” He shrugs, “There’s been a lot of spacing out happening lately. You don’t seem alright ever since you resigned,” He tells me and I release an exasperated sigh. He’s actually been bringing this up every morning. I just don’t want to hear it for one second, please. It’s not like I don’t think about it enough. Heck, I’m so bothered by it; it’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about.

Having President Oh give me occasional calls to convince me doesn’t help either. He keeps on asking me to come back and even told me I’ll get paid if I do. I just don’t think I can work there anymore. Besides, I’ve already lost my streak. Mr. Oh will never trust me again, not that he ever did anyway. And this way, I don’t have to face fake office rumors and the foursome will finally stop messing with me. Mr. Oh got rid of me and I got rid of the ugly experiences in the office. It’s a win-win. Isn’t it?

The cars finally move but still not as fast as usual. When we make another stop, I look out and right there is the Two Moons building. My eyes widen upon the sight of it. I would be lying if I say I didn’t miss it. I miss it a lot. I worked in that building. A familiar car pulls across its entrance and someone gets off from the backseat. Black hair. Tall. Lean body. Black coat. The car moves away, giving me a full view of the person’s back. I stare at him. Don’t turn around, don’t turn around, don’t turn around. But he does…and there he is. The handsome Mr. Oh. He looks like he’s waiting for someone. He eyes at his phone and I jump a little from my seat when my phone starts alarming like crazy.

‘give Mr. Oh a morning call :)’ it says. I gulp and look out the window to look at him again. My brother asks something but I don’t answer him. Mr. Oh looks down on his phone again. Call him. No. Why would I? I don’t work for him anymore. Then remove your alarm. But- just as I thought. Give him a call now.

Mr. Oh peeks at his wristwatch and look my way. I sink on my seat and my brother’s looking at me like I’m a crazy person. Just give him a morning call, Haerin. I sigh and look at my phone screen. I dismiss the alarm and scroll to find his number on my contacts. Oh Sehun.

Should I press that call button? I hesitate as my thumb hovers on the small phone symbol on my screen. I sit properly and look out at him again. He’s waiting. Go call him. I crease my brows and look at my phone. I take a deep breath and finally press the call button. Just when I did, Mr. Oh looks down on his phone and my heart skips two beats. Dugeun, dugeun. My eyes widen upon seeing him press the phone on his ears. And then he frowns.

I hear someone over the phone say that the number I’m trying to call is busy. I don’t take my eyes off of Mr. Oh. Suddenly, a lady in a pretty black dress and stilettos approached Mr. Oh. She takes her phone away from her ears and so does Mr. Oh. He looks annoyed and angry. Mr. Oh gives her his laptop bag and she gladly takes them as I see him open his mouth and tell her something like he’s reprimanding her. My heart breaks upon the sight of Mr. Oh and his new secretary. So he did replace me. Of course he would. Why wouldn’t he?

For a moment there, I thought he picked up my call. Idiot. What would I even say to him? Hi, Mr. Oh, good morning. I don’t have any clue what your schedule is for today but I hope you have a great day. Don’t forget to eat lunch and take your eyes off your computer for at least half an hour to rest your eyes. Also, I miss you…r company. Yes, I miss your company, especially Aubrey’s desk. I’ve bonded with it quite well.

Right. As if that would work.

I wonder how that girl is holding up. How long has she been working there? Maybe from the day I got fired, right? I guess you can’t come back now. I wasn’t planning to. You were thinking of it. I sink on my seat again as my brother continues to drive to the restaurant.

My brother’s restaurant is the fancy kind, someone who would pay big money for a small serving. They call it high-end; I call it robbery. But nonetheless, my brother and his team serve great food. And as far as I know, they actually allow catering now. They used to not do that but Eunhee thought they’d get more money if they catered events. Also, now there’s a part of the restaurant that’s buffet, a part that’s regular dining and part VIP. My brother gets regular customers that are employees of huge companies. Well, his restaurant is placed in a busy city, there’s no way he isn’t getting customers that are actually CEOs and presidents of the company.

“Is Yoochun oppa around?” I ask him as my brother pulls over the back of the restaurant.

“Yeah,” He tells me as he picks up his chef’s attire at the backseat of the car, “They’re expecting you today,”

“They?”

“Yeah—Yoochun, Junsu, Yunho and Changmin,” He slips in his uniform, topping his white shirt and I roll my eyes at him, “They missed you,” He continues.

“Why the sudden reunion, I thought Changmin was out of the country?”

“He got back two days ago. I told you, but you were busy in your own bubble, you must have forgotten,” We get out of the car and my brother hangs an arm around me as we walk towards the backdoor of the restaurant. He gives me a tight half hug and I gladly give him a hug back, “It’s all going to be alright, sis. You’ll work your way out of this situation and find some place else to take your internship. Some place where you don’t have to be dying,”

“It wasn’t bad, right?” I ask as I stop and he stops his tracks as well. He gives me a confused look, “Resigning and all that, it wasn’t bad, was it?”

“Well, it was sudden even for me,” He tells me and I give him a look as it isn’t the answer to my question, “But you know, you’re home most of the time and I get to see you for dinner and you’re not getting sick. I like it,” My brother grabs me again and wraps me in a warm embrace.

“But if you want to go back there, I’m alright with it. It seems like the company is making you happy. It’s your dream, not mine, so who am I to stop you?”

“The thing is, I like working there. It gives me a sense of fulfillment to do what I do in there but…I don’t know. I just can’t keep working for a rock,”

“A rock?”

“Yes, a rock. My boss is as hard as a rock. He’s cold as ice and he’s not nice,” I cross my arms and glare at the backdoor of the restaurant. I hear my brother chuckle.

“Aww, sweetheart,” He chuckles at me, “It’s the real world. Not everyone’s nice. Besides, your boss can’t be that bad. I’ve talked to him over the phone and he talks respectfully and nicely. In fact, he apologized to me for taking up so much of your time. And he promised me you’ll be home for dinner the next day—and you were, surprisingly,” I gape at his statement.

Mr. Oh…apologized? He is capable of doing that?

I think back to the time he forced me to sleep and gave me a ride home before he went to the office. I remember his face perfectly, that chuckle, that smile. I remember sitting in the backseat of his car as we’re outside my house and he told me “you’re the best I got, so don’t get sick,” dugeun, dugeun. I’m the best he got…well, I was. Now I’m just like everyone else who quit on him. Not the best now, are we? I sigh and look down.

I miss my grumpy boss.

“Just take your evaluation form, signed by your previous boss and remember, you need a certificate as proof that you’ve done hours in Two Moons,” Yoochun oppa tells me over the phone as I stand across the building of Two Moons. He talked to me yesterday about his connections. Turns out he knows someone that can get me an internship program in a production house. But there are requirements to be submitted before considering me. It would be easy to get in if I hadn’t worked for other companies, but since I entered Two Moons—and resigned—I need a certificate of proof that I’m no longer part of the company. Production houses are usually very confidential. Apparently, there are company spies going around so they’re being extra careful.

“Alright. Thanks, oppa. I’ll see you in the restaurant as soon as I’m done here,” I tell him and hang up. God, this building is intimidating me once again the way it had when I first entered. I take a deep breath and walk inside. I go through the glass doors and my heart is beating to an uneven, unusual beat. Stop being so nervous. I reprimand myself and continue to reception to get a visitor’s pass. The receptionist asks me the usual, what am I here for, who am I going to see, which floor should I send myself to and if I had appointments. So I tell her that I’m here to work on my internship documents before my transfer, that I have to see Mr. Oh so he can sign my evaluation form and certificate, that I need to be on the 41st floor, and that I don’t have any appointments made with them because it’s an urgent thing.

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