“Holy Yoonji and Chaerin were totally meant for each other! Have you seen their chemistry!? They're so hawt ohmagadd”

 

“Why did I agree to do this again?”

Chaerin is a woman who knows what she wants, but even she can be swayed. Such is the case with Aerin. Aerin is confident, and Aerin is manipulative, and above all Aerin knows how to effectively use aegyo. And Chaerin is weak to aegyo. She isn’t afraid to admit her weaknesses, but she is afraid to deal with their consequences. That is why she is gulping like a fish out of the water as she stands in front of the oak office door, same door the CEO of Lim Enterprises walks through every day.

“It would be good for you!” She can hear Aerin’s hoarse voice ringing in her head, followed by the disgusting noise of a stuffy nose being blowed. If only Kim Aeri wasn’t sick today. Chaerin had such great plans for today - stay in bed and watch And the City all day long. Instead she was forced into heels and dress, entrusted a recording device and told to make the family proud.

And now she is standing in front of the same door the CEO of Lim Enterprises walks through every day. Only the most successful, most influential woman of the century. No biggie.

She knocks on the door again, this time more faintly, hoping that the woman doesn’t hear her and she can pretend that she’s tried. And so she knocks. Once. Twice. Thrice. She waits a few more seconds, but there’s no response. Good. She’s tried. Now she can finally return to And the City.

Alas, the universe has other plans.

“Come in.”

The voice is calm and demanding, but also very pleasing to the ear. Chaerin contemplates whether or not she should react, but in the end the voice of Aerin inside of her head wins, and she twists the beautiful handle. Inside, the office is just as gorgeous. Everything is tastefully done - the furniture is made of expensive oak as well, and is serving as a perfect contrast to the otherwise very modern-looking office. Everything is edgy, a party of grays dancing around in perfect harmony, one woman sitting regally on her throne amidst it all.

Lim Yoonji.

Chaerin can only stare.

She is, indeed, a sight to behold. Edgy features connected by soft create the art that is Lim Yoonji. Hair black as night, eyes the shade of ash, skin white as snow. Even the woman herself fits the aesthetic of the office. To Chaerin it makes sense. She is one with the company, after all. If the office is a harmony of grays, then Lim Yoonji is the canvas where all of those grays mix.

“Welcome, Ms…” The woman trails, and Chaerin is reminded that she must stop her staring and start behaving like a normal person.

“Kang Chaerin, Ms. Lim. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She makes her way to the desk and stretches her hand in a handshake. Lim Yoonji’s hand is firm and gentle at once. Chaerin doesn’t want to let go.

And yet moments later she does. She forces herself to seat herself in the chair stationed in front of the desk, and as she does she fixes the edges of her dress nervously. Lim Yoonji’s eyes notice all. She watches with cool amusement as she sips on her cup of tea. “I was told you are conducting an interview for your university, Ms. Kang?”

“Ugh, yes. I mean, not really. It was my roommate's job but she got sick and she forced me into this and now I have to do this.” The words splash from her lips like a fountain of truths, and Chaerin shuts the water with an embarrassed blush. But it’s so hard not to make a fool out of herself in front of the most influential woman of the century. She is so regal, so confident, so gorgeous… Chaerin has a hard time not going insane. How do people work around her? Perhaps this was why she was such a successful businesswoman? She just glamoured all of her partners into complete domination.

“Don’t be so nervous around me.” The woman chuckles, and it’s as warm and bitter as dark chocolate. “Relax and ask your questions. I’ll try to answer all of them, but I can’t promise.”

Chaerin has to take a deep breath before she can comply. Then she reaches for her handbag and withdraws a folded piece of paper. Inside, a list of questions awaits. She reads it out.

“How old were you when you started your business?”

“Twenty-one.”

Twenty-one!? That’s so young. Chaerin herself is twenty-two and nowhere near close to even thinking about her own career. “And how old are you now?” She has the urge to ask.

“You come to an interview without knowing how old I am?” Lim Yoonji raises a perfectly styled brow, but then yet another chuckle escapes her lips. “Of course, you were forced into this. Right. I am currently twenty-five. Will be turning twenty-six in three months. How old are you, Ms. Kang?”

When she speaks her own age, the woman chuckles once more. “So young.” She muses. “Continue.”

“What do you think contributed most to your success?”

“My hard-working nature and my ability to get whatever it is I want.”

Bold claims. But then again, she is talking to the most influential woman of the nation. Such a woman is allowed to have bold claims.

“Have you devoted your entire self to your company?”

“It wouldn’t have reached its height otherwise.” Lim Yoonji responds as if the answer is clear as day.

“Do you think that your career was built at the expense of your personal life?”

“At times. But not always.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Chaerin raises her eyes from the list, embarrassed. She was so engrossed in the reading, she didn’t even realize what it was that was written. Damn Aerin. Who the asks things like that!?

Lim Yoonji looks surprised as well, but she quickly composes herself back to the beautiful greek statue that she is. “No, Ms. Kang. I do not.”

The next question slips off Chaerin’s lips involuntarily, but she simply cannot help herself. “A girlfriend?”

This time, Lim Yoonji smirks. “Not currently, no. What about you, Ms. Kang? Do you have a girlfriend?”

Under the strong, gray gaze of the woman, Chaerin doesn’t know how to react. The best she can do is answer truthfully. “Not yet.”

“Interesting.” Lim Yoonji says, and her eyes gleam with a sinful sort of wickedness that makes Chaerin want to both touch the woman everywhere she can and cower in complete fear. It’s a peculiar feeling, and she can’t understand whether she enjoys it or not. All she can do for now is just endure it. It’s so sinful it hurts. But the pain is sweet, all-consuming.

But Lim Yoonji just sits on her throne and smirks. “Very interesting indeed.”

To be continued... (this one really does get continued, and is actually finished after two years of writing. POVs vary.)

Nothing can beat girl on girl.

NOTHING.

A/N:

This time on "crappy fanfics for your children's birthdays" - an actually kind of normal fanfic? Or not? What is this about? Why is Yoonji so dark? Why is there an interview being conducted? Why so many grays?

So this came out a few days (like a week and a half) late, but I was totally sure that Chaerin's birthday was by the end of March. I'm sorry Jey-chan! I hope this belated present makes up for my stupidity ^^