With the sun lighting up the paths of people’s days, I walk amongst them to my office with my Blackberry in hand. Constantly texting, I walk my way from the Subway station to across the street where The Cho Sun Ilbo stood.

  As I walk through the entrance, pushing the glass door with my briefcase in hand I got myself greeted by the guard standing by. I merely gave him an indirect smile and walked pass him to the elevators and pressed the number 30 among the 35 buttons there. My eyes were still glued to the screen of my Blackberry as I texted a fellow colleague regarding the details of this article I was writing. The only time my eyes did leave the screen of my Blackberry was when I looked up to see if I had reached my floor.

  Once it did, I inched my way out of the packed elevator as another inched their way in. I walked pass cubicles and cubicles of fellow colleagues who were either typing on their computers on the articles they were working on or discussing the details with their fellow cubicle-mate about the good and bad of the topic of their article.

  My cubicle was right in front of the editor’s office – well not exactly in front, a few tables away maybe and set my briefcase under it before settling in my seat and switched on my computer to start searching for my article.

  “Hey Hannah!” greeted a familiar voice. I looked up and saw Jo Kwon walking my way with what seemed to be a tall hot cup of coffee. He placed the cup in his right hand on my table and said, “For you.”

  I eyed him and smiled widely before saying, “Don’t tell me . . . my favourite?”

  “The one and only de-caffeinated latte you’ll get from Starbuck’s baby!” he said enthusiastically and I smiled wider.

  Taking a sip of it, I closed my eyes as I cherished the feel of the warm liquid slide down my throat and settle in the pits of my stomach. Nothing better to start a day than a good hot cup of coffee I’d say. “Ah . . . that is good.” I said and placed it back on my table so I could start on my article. I opened a new document on Microsoft Word and started typing the title.

  “So, how’s your article on-” Jo Kwon started but got cut off when I finished his question for him.

  I finished his question and even answered for him, “On the specialties of country-life that city-life doesn’t have to offer? Great, if only I had a good example or idea of what to write.”

  “Ooh, maybe the boss will give you a two week work trip to Switzerland!” Jo Kwon said, filling my head with the images of how it would be there. “I hear Switzerland is a great place.”

  “But with my trip to Rome the last time for my article on the wonders of Rome, the boss has already spent billions of won on me.” I told Jo Kwon. “I don’t think the boss would let me go that far.” I reasoned.

  He rolled his eyes and said, “Oh really? What difference does it make one trip to Rome since she’s sponsored your trip to Australia, America, Africa, Spain even France! Two lousy weeks in Rome is nothing to her!” Jo Kwon replied back as a matter of fact and crossed his arms.

  I shook my head and told him, “I’ll think about it. Maybe if I have time I’ll discuss it with the boss when I have the chance.”

  Jo Kwon was about to leave me alone when suddenly my editor, Hyori called out to me. “Hannah-ssi, in my office . . . now please!”

  “Well, now is your chance. Be quick honey, because when you plan early . . . you get the best of the best.” Jo Kwon added and left me at my desk to go back to his which was at the other side of the floor.

  I let out a sigh and took another sip of my coffee before standing up and head straight on to my editor’s office. Inside, the place looked homely and peaceful, unlike the office outside. She had plants on every corner and instead of concrete wall as her wall; there was a wall of clear translucent glass that overlooked the people below. She sat behind her table, reading some article she practically pulled out of the tall stack in front of her.

  She didn’t look when she said, “Sit.” When I did, then did she look up and flashed me a smile. It looked kind of enough to make me relax from going into anxiety due to the seriousness of the atmosphere. “So how’s your article going? Any ideas on what it’s going to be?”

  It took me a moment for my mind to grasp the idea that my editor, Hyori, who looked so serious on the outside, seemed so kind on the inside. Her hair was loose and she had spectacles on. Not the normal, in trend black-coloured and square-framed spectacles but the big, semi square ones in a tiger print you never knew existed.

  I was still new and rose up to this level due to my ties. They couldn’t deny their testimonies anyway because they had to hand it to them, I was good. My articles were hits the moment I hit the papers.

  “Hello?” Hyori sudden said as she waved the of her pen in front of me and said, “Aren’t you going to answer me?”

  “Oh,” I said, snapping out of my thoughts and said whatever that came to mind. “It’s going well.”

  Hyori eyed me and raised an eyebrow as she asked, “Just well?”

  “It’ll be on your desk before you know it.” I concluded.

  She sat back in her seat and looked at me, studied my face for a brief moment before saying, “Alright,” and then continued doing what she was doing. “You can leave now.”

  I stood up and gave her an awkward bow before going out of her office. It was a bit of a relief being out of there. I walked back to my desk and started on my article. I moved my mouse to awaken my hibernating computer and took out my note pad from my briefcase. The notepad was my guideline in facts and activities on what went on in Seoul and in Bussan.

  I was practically halfway to my article when my Blackberry suddenly beeped. Without any hesitation, I straight away checked my inbox to see the message to have come from whom. A smile carved its way up my lips as I saw the message displayed on my screen.

  It had said:

Where are you? I miss you.

  I replied immediately after. I said,

I am coming your way.

  I packed up some folders set aside under my table in the drawers and stood up from my seat. Looking around, I took a sip of my coffee and then placed it back on my table to leave it before making a move to the elevators so I could get to the 35^thfloor.

  The folders I gripped were to be signed by the man upstairs. He was in charge of what happens in the building. He reviews my articles after it’s been seen by my editor and chief. Despite the folders I held had not been seen by my editor, I decided to take matters into my own hands and ask them to be signed personally.

  Once the doors opened, I stepped out and had eyes on me the moment I stepped foot onto the floor. The top floor was an executive floor. High ranking officers and journalists were able to sit here. I was on my way, I just needed more work and more research and perhaps a few more years until I get a spot among these exclusives.

  I walked straight up to the office, turning the small metal knob in my hand and pushed the door open. I locked it as soon as the door clicked shut and cleared my throat.

  The man sitting behind the table had his back to me. When he turned around, he was on the line. He was probably discussing the number of produce and items needed like ink and paper and prices. As soon as his eyes landed on me, he mirrored the expression I had on and I waved my hand with the folders.

  He broke eye contact so to say in hushed tones, “I think I’ll have to call you back later. I have a meeting now so I’ll get back to you later.” As soon as he hung up, I placed the document in front of him and pointed my index finger to the dotted line that required his signature. He looked up to me and then said, “Has this been checked by your editor in charge?”

  I dwelt with the decision of choosing. Should I lie or tell the truth? Perhaps a little truth wouldn’t hurt. I shook my head to the question he asked and he did the same by shaking his head too. He even added the ‘Tsk, tsk’ sound effect. He stood up and buttoned up his blazer before walking over from behind the table to join me at the opposite of where he once sat.

  “Hannah, oh Hannah,” he said timidly in nothing but a whisper in my ear as he leaned in closer until his left shoulder bumped into mine. “You do know the protocol right?” he asked again and this time, his lips brushed against the very skin of the side of my neck.

  He placed his hands on my hips as he pushed me against the table from behind. I turned around and curled my arms around his neck before saying in the same timid tone he spoke before, “Well I’d do anything for you even if it were a moment.”

  Next thing you know, once nose-to-nose had become lip-to-lip. Both us nipped and as the both of us made-out in his office, not caring about the people outside as he took me away in his embrace.

  When he pulled away, my breath was uneven; I was in an unstable state, practically drunk from his intense kiss. Despite his retreat, my arms stayed where they were and we still had our foreheads leaned against each other. Looking into his eyes that held so much, I couldn’t help but fall all over for him again.

  “I love you, Hannah-ssi.” He whispered in my ear as we continued to be in each other’s embrace.

  “I love you too, Changmin.” I replied before pulling away and get back to my office to work on my article as he continued to do his job by calling back the man from before since he was the proud owner of Cho Sun Ilbo.