KNOCK KNOCK

Without even looking up from the stack of papers I'm working on, I shouted towards the door. "Come in."

"Don't you have scheduled meeting with Sandeul and Hani?" Slowly walking into my office, the lady with golden-brown hair asked while bringing in another stack of papers in her hands.

"I do." I replied, still engrossed in my concept drawings.

"But you're not leaving?" Once again, her question interrupted my focused thoughts.

"I just need to finish drawing up the concept for next week's shooting." Slightly irritated at my disrupted train of thoughts, I look up towards the owner of the annoying voice. "I don't need to tell you that much do I?"

"Maybe not..." Immediately, her volume was down two levels. Looking at her teary eyes, a sudden pang of guilt hit me.

"Byulie-ya, can you smile more?" Even with my eyes closed, I could sense her stares on me while laying in my arms.

"Why?" Opening my eyes, I replied while huddling closer to her. "I have always been smiling"

"From my weeks of observation, I haven't been seeing your scrunching nose smile eversince I became a traveller." Her index finger delivered a teasing poke onto the tip of my nose. "All I saw was that tangled brows on your face."

"How can I even be happy when I don't even know where you went?" I pouted, waiting for her to shower me with more love after acting pitiful.

"Since you know that I'm always beside you... Will you smile for me now?" Her dimple reappeared together with the brightest smile on this planet.

"Yes~ I promise~" Delivering a kiss onto her forehead, I wished that we could remain like this forever.

Gosh.

How can I break my promise with Wheein-ie?

Knowing that I have also hurt the feelings of my personal assistant, I tried to refocus on her good intentions instead. "Hey... Thanks for asking though." I flashed a genuine smile, a long time from which I last did infront of anyone else other than Wheein. "Now can I get back to work?"

"Sure!" As though she was mirroring my expressions, a wide grin was on her face as well. Except that the look of surprise was also drawn on her face.

KNOCK KNOCK

Once again, the polite knocks came from my office door.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" This time round, she did not step in. Instead, the golden-brown haired lady had her head poking in from the side of the office door. "Like a cup of coffee?"

"No thanks." After touching up with some background shading, I glanced towards the girl standing at the door. Shaking my head, I once again smiled as I recalled the promise I made to my princess. "I'm leaving soon."

Closing the door behind her, she stood at the door like a timid soldier. "Can I ask something?"

"Yeah?" Still, my smile was planted on my face. At this rate, my nose muscles are probably going into cramps.

"Did something happen? You seem so much brighter over the past few days..." She asked, avoiding eye contact with me at all costs. "I mean it's a good thing, just that it's such a sudden change... As the saying goes, a sudden change in a person is likely to signal impending doom..."

Picking up my pencil once again, I started on the last piece of my concept drawing. "No, it's not. I just..."

Had something to rejoice about.

I just...

Found that person who makes my day.

And just by knowing that I'll meet her again tonight, I can't help but be in high spirits.

She is none other than...

"Byulie-ya, can you keep this a secret?" She placed her finger onto my lips.

"Why?" I asked, puzzled at her actions. "Everyone thought I was crazy when I said you existed. Now that you really do, I have to show to them that I'm not!"

"It's only for the hour..." She sighed as she sat down beside me. Laying her head onto my shoulders, her hands started to play with mine. "Besides, I don't actually know what will happen when I break a rule... Considering that this is the first one I broke..."

"Then promise me that you will be here every night." Holding her cheeks, I brought her face for our eyes to meet. "No matter what happens. Within this two year duration, you're going to be here with me every night."

"I've always been here, didn't you see me everyday over the past week?" With a wink, she leaned in and allowed our lips to touch.

Yes, that person is her.

She is my Wheein.

"Nevermind." Recalling the circumstances that I may place my love in, I decided to change the subject. "It's way past your working hours, you should go."

"Personal assistants don't leave work till their bosses do." She shrugged her shoulders, seemingly in an attempt to inject some humour into her words. After spending more than a week with her, I have never seen her posture as relaxed as today. 

"Oh, alright, I'll be leaving now." With that, I tucked the unfinished drawing into my backpack. Standing up from my chair, I pointed towards the bookshelf on my right. Place at the front of the third level rack was my workplace camera. "Before I forget, photos for submission next week is in that camera. You can develop them anytime before next Wednesday."

"Sure!" Her golden-brown hair was illuminated by the office light as she shook her head, further complimenting her light skin tone.

She's pretty enough to be a model...

Why did she choose to be a photographer?

Just like how Wheein had only decided to set up a studio after being a model...

She must have a reason...

So... What made this lady change her mind to learn from me?

"See you on Monday." Leaving her with my last scrunching nose smile, I left through the door even though I had thousands of questions I wanted to ask.

At the Bar...

"You look like you're glowing these days~ Anything special happened?" An excited Hani sat down as she placed the jug of beer at the centre of the table. Pushing the used dining plates and cutlery aside, she propped her hands on the table to support her head. Her grin and the wink was obvious on her face, reflecting her inner thoughts. "For example... Having a good relationship with your personal assistant?"

No.

Wheein happened, that's why.

As her earnest eyes kept pressing on for an answer, I threw in a vague one while refilling my cup. "Not quite, but yeah I guess we can somewhat get along."

"You're not shutting people out like Yongsun unnie says you are right?" She probed further, eyes filled with concern.

"Yongsun unnie? Who's that?" Surprised at the mention of an unknown name, I asked.

"Gosh, you don't even know your personal assistant's name?" The pianist started to play a piece and her voice seemed to be drowned out. However, I could clearly hear the surprise embedded within it. "Kim Yongsun, your personal assistant. She is a year older than us. Don't tell me... You're really keeping yourself away from others?"

"I just couldn't find the time to ask for her name." I replied, sipping my beer and looked everywhere else but at her.

Her nagging is going to start again... 

In 5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

"That sounds like an excuse." My attempt was a failure as Hani has now shifted from across me to right beside me. With my hands clasped within hers, she continued. "Byul-ah, I thought you've been seeing the psychiatrist? Doctor Kim also said that you should mingle with people around you. We care and worry about you, Byul-ah..."

The same old words again...

The same atmosphere agai