***

People said midnight was a friend.

When your thought needed a shelter, it provided you one with its outstretched dark sky. When you felt the ray of hope fading into the depths of darkness, it protected it with starlight. When you missed the warm touches of your loved ones, the gentle breeze was there to hug you lovingly and lull you to sleep. And at times you felt lonely and defeated, the midnight moon became your true and closest companion. All you had to do was to look up and you would receive the midnight’s unconditional love and loyalty.

That was why Chanyeol loved midnight. From all of the time in a day, midnight was his first favorite space. Rather than the white fluffy cloud and warm sunny light of morning, he preferred the cosmic latte sky and the benign ray of moon in night. If most people felt more awake and refreshed in the morning, Chanyeol antithetically would feel so in the midnight. Mental clarity, tranquility, serenity, and all those peaceful feelings, Chanyeol would get all of them at midnight hours.

So, here he was, sitting at the window frame of his library in the second floor of his house. The clock on the wall showed 12.30 am, yet he still didn’t have any intention to lay down on the bed nor to sleep. He was just sitting there, reclining his back at the windowsill, and looked at the starry night sky. An anchormaster classic brass telescope was not so far from him, a mahogany tripod kept it steady. It was a gift from his late father, the last gift before he passed away a year later. His childhood dream was that he wanted to become an astronaut. He even could vividly remember reading pile of astronomy books back then to learn all of the theory and fact just to make her father proud of him. But, times passed, and the dream just simply faded away. As his most favorite figure gone, no one supported him to be an astronaut anymore.

Chanyeol sighed. The sky was unbelievably fair and clear, a good moment for stargazing. This was autumn, Orion and its neighbor must be set on the sky right away. If he was fortunate enough, he probably would also find Andromeda and Celestial Sea. A bitter laugh suddenly released from his lips, despite all the matters that happened to him the past ten years, he still could clearly revive those astronomical thingy. Isn’t it an irony? From all of the things, the one that you had decided to give up long time ago, was the one that constantly intact in your mind. Chanyeol chuckled, life veritably was just a mere series of paradox.

Gazing to his table, chanyeol sighed even more. His memory wandered to the moment four hours back. He carelessly promised his mother to bring Saejin along in Yoora’s wedding party. Hell! Why did he even do that??! How can he became so nonchalant by saying that Saejin must be more than willing to accompany him to the event. Damn his mouth! He obviously was out of his mind. But how he was not!! When his mother was literally suspicious that he was lying, when his mother insisted that she didn’t believe of whatever he said till she met Saejin by herself, and when she heartlessly threaten him that if he was lying, she would directly threw him in a silly arrange married.

All the circumstances left him optionless, and the only solution was just bringing that freaky Oh Saejin with him to the party next week. But still, he should have said that Saejin was busy, or he could simply say that he had a really important overseas trip next week, so that he couldn’t attend the party. It was just as easy as that Park Chanyeol, but why can’t you think about those four hours earlier, whywhywhywhywhy!!??. Chanyeol internally groaned, truly…. speaking was a lot easier than action.

As Chanyeol’s inner self was still conflicted, somehow he already set himself to sit on his chair. There was a laptop on the table, an employee personal data information was displayed on the screen, it was Oh Saejin’s curriculum vitae to be precised. Daniel sent it to him a while ago, since he needed to know a little bit something about his ex-bully. Without waiting, His eyes tried to scan everything, Full name, date of birth, gender, address, telephone number.. that’s it! He needed her telephone number. Taking his cellphone from his pocket, he abruptly typed the number in less than three second. However, when he was about to save it, something about how to name that woman in his contact became a matter. What should I name this person? He thought, tilting his head.

“Oh Saejin…? Huh! She even was not a normal woman who deserved to be named normally in my phone, she was a freak! So no... not oh Seajin” Chanyeol spoke to himself

“A super freaky employee..? No! this is too cruel, I’m not that heartless”

“The ex-bully..? definitely not! Why would I trigger the past by the way?”

“My one and only party companion candidate…?? Hell no!! this is too intimate, she obviously will fly to the cloud nine if she knows this” Chanyeol shrieked, really not fond of the idea.

He thought again, his left palm propped his cheek. Well, his relationship with Saejin was nothing other than the employer and the employee, they weren’t friends either. To sum up, Saejin was totally not an important person for him, he just needed a little bit help from her. That’s all, no more and no less. But maybe the phrase ‘totally not important’ was too much, since he needed her help right now. So, declaring her as someone totally not important wasn’t exactly correct, it was as if she used her for granted, and Chanyeol wasn’t the type of a graceful man, when actually he was.

Aha! Suddenly an idea popped up in his mind, he abruptly gripped his phone. He might need Seajin’s help, but the said woman was still not absolutely important for him. So, perhaps a little bit change in the phrase could be better.

With a cellphone in his hand, and sticking out tongue, he abruptly typed something

‘Not that important person’, that was the right name. A satisfying smile adored his face. A stage between important and not important, called ‘not that important’. That was how Oh Saejin for Chanyeol, nothing really special and significant. He smirked, the suitable name was already chosen and clicking the save option was the final thing he did.

Right now, he just need to think about how to ask her to the party with him, of course in a cool and a graceful way.

***

Saejin was rolling non-stop in her bed, it was one in the morning , yet she barely could sleep. How can she sleep, when the words from her CEO aka Chanyeol aka her junior school bully victim was also running non-stop in her mind.

Yesterday afternoon, after the welcome meeting with the stakeholders, the CEO asked her to meet him in his room. She already expected the worse thing happened like she would be fired or something, but actually she wasn’t. In fact, he just said a couple of sentences to her, but still it made her sad tho..

‘I hope you will be wise enough to not spread our past and make unnecessary fuss, unless you won’t work in this company anymore’

‘From now on.. let’s pretend that we are stranger’

How can he said such things to her?, Saejin mentally whined. She knew, she ever bullied him back then, she greeted him at the café impolitely, and called him ‘Big ears’ in front of many people. She was aware of her act, hence she wanted to say sorry, asked for his apology if she had a chance. But, he already said something like that, making her didn’t have any opportunity to do so. Deep inside her heart, she was actually willing to make up everything, to perforate her wrong-doing, and to slowly mend the the string that already torn apart. Maybe.. just maybe they could befriend again.

But unfortunately the latter didn’t want to, what else she could do then..? Saejin huffed, the fact somehow made her really disappointed. Well, at least she didn’t get fired. Then, she was fine, she has to be grateful with that. I’m fine, I’m fine..let’s go to sleep.

She was going to close her eyes when suddenly her phone ringing. An identified number appeared in the screen, her thump was about to slide the green button but the call suddenly stopped. Saejin furrowed…

Perhaps just some random crazy people.

***

Park’s Company

Saejin slumped to her sit, placing a latte in her desk. Her mood wasn’t really good today since last night she didn’t get enough sleep. She even got a nightmare, about a certain giant monster who was chasing after her in order to drag her to the monster royal ball. It was cringe, she even jolted up from her sleep at 5 am and was unable to sleep again. Therefore, she really needed caffeine today and latte was her best option. Even though she had to get it in a farther away place than usual, because…let’s say, she didn’t want risking herself to meet a certain human with protruded ears.

“Are you okay?” Mirae who sit in the cubicle next to her asked warily

Saejin looked at Mirae, “Kinda!” she shrugged not wanting to give a lengthy answer.

Mirae was just eyeing her in grimace, she knew her bestfriend was not really fine, considering all that happened recently. But she didn’t have any idea how to cheer her up, she was more than sure that Seajin didn’t want to hear about the scandalous dating scandal between the receptionist and the personalia manager either. It wasn’t the time to discuss any gossip, isn’t it?. Mirae pouted and averted her gaze back to her PC, but suddenly she faced Saejin again.

“How about going to cinema this weekend??” Mirae suggested, a glint of glee shimmered in her eyes, finally she got an idea how to pull Saejin from her misery.

Saejin contemplated, “I don’t think, I have a time to do that..” she nonchalantly said

Without her knowing, Mirae was already on her side, “Ya.. come on..!! We’ll watch horror movie!! You like horror right!! I read from the internet this morning that a newest horror movie was going to release this week.. what is called by the way??” Mirae thought for a while, “ahh… Insipidious 4!!”

“It’s Insidious 4” Saejin corrected

“Yeah! Whatever is that! We are gonna watched it, aren’t we?” Mirae asked, full of hope.

Saejin sighed in defeat, maybe going to cinema wasn’t a bad idea, “Promise me you’ll not be a crying baby when we watch the movie!”

“Yes I promise!” Mirae nodded excitedly

“You’ll not shout the lung out when the miserable creature appear!”

“Yes yes I will..!!”

“And promise me, you will never throw the popcorn away when the ghost suddenly embodies fully on the screen” Saejin said in grimace. Last time, when she watched a horror movie with Mirae, her bestfriend always threw a way the lump of popcorn in her fist everytime the ghost emerged. It left her nothing other than feeling ashamed of her bestfriend’s act, and not to forget that she should demand an apology from the people who accidently thrown with the popcorn beads.

Mirae smiled sheepishly, “We won’t buy any popcorn then..”

Her bestfriend always found a way to make Saejin couldn’t reject her, “Well, ok then.. let’s go to cinema this weekend”

The answer was leaving Mirae gasped, “Really really???!!” she cling onto Saejin’s arm, unable to hide her joyfulness

“Yeah..Really..” Saejin rolled her eyes

“Oh my god!! We’re going to watch Insipidious 4!!!”

“It’s Insidious 4 Choi Mirae…” a light chuckle released from Saejin. Maybe watching a movie was really not a bad idea at all. She took a deep breath, her mood was slightly better, thanks to her bestfriend.

However, there weren’t something in this world which was last forever. As Mrs. Kim materialized out of nowhere, “Saejin, The CEO was calling you!”

! What’s this again??!!!

***

Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle. Although he had everything his heart desire, the prince was selfish and unkind. Then one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm. As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince turned the woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances. For beauty is found within.

When the prince dismissed her again, the woman’s outward appearance melted away.. to reveal… a beautiful enchantress..

The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late. There was nothing he could do… he was helpless, waiting for the enchantress to transform him into a hideous beast.

That was the prolog of Beauty and The Beast Saejin clearly remember. If she could compare herself with the story right now, she must be the prince asking for the late apology but it was already useless. She could feel the regretful feeling of the prince, cause she was also feeling the same. Regret, scared, and nervous.

What if she realized the beauty within Chanyeol earlier back then, everything must not be turn out being like this, she would get the long last happy and peaceful career. But right now, everything was too late.. and like the prince, there was nothing she could do, except waiting for her punishment. She might really get fired this time. Perhaps Chanyeol yesterday was not sober enough to realize how fatal Saejin’s act was, that was why he called her again today.. He was like the enchantress who was ready to turn Saejin into anything he wanted to be. Saejin felt distr