Im Nayeon lay still on the couch, an empty bottle of whiskey now rolling on the floor towards Jeongyeon. 

Jeongyeon was rooted to the spot. 

"Ms Myoui," she said as she approached the now red faced secretary, still seated on her swivel chair, back against the shelf.

Mina looked up as Jeongyeon approached her and she stood up slowly.

Jeongyeon stopped in her tracks, waiting for her secretary to say something.

Mina looked up and smiled. It was a fake smile, definitely not an accurate reflection of the raging fire she was feeling inside her.

"Ms Myoui-"

Mina put up a hand. 

"Ms Yoo. I'll be taking a day off tomorrow." 

Jeongyeon was flabbergasted.

"D- day off ?"

"Yes. I don't think i can bear to see your face any longer."

She proceeded to leave. She grabbed her handbag and was headed to the door when Jeongyeon called for her. 

"Ms Myoui, let me-" 

"Do not follow me," Mina said with a stern voice. All the while with a big smile on her face.

Jeongyeon decided to reach out a hand but Mina turned around again, staring daggers at her boss. Jeongyeon backed down, beads of sweat already forming on her forehead. 

She left.

Jeongyeon could finally breathe. 

Mina was scary. 

"This was not how it was supposed to go," Jeongyeon lamented. 

She spotted her best friend, out and laying still on the couch. She went over and waved a hand over her friend's eyes. "She's definitely out of it," Jeongyeon muttered. 

She sighed and left. 

 

 

...

 

 

Im Nayeon woke up, her head spinning.

"Where am i ?" Nayeon thought to herself.

She recognised the desk, the shelf and the couch and sat up immediately, looking around for that certain person who could ruin her life with a snap of her fingers.

But she didnt find that person. Instead, she found a Japanese girl sitting on the couch opposite her, fast asleep.

Nayeon got up and walked up to her secretary. Nayeon shook her and she got startled, waking up.

"Ms Hirai ? What are you doing here ?" Nayeon asked. 

"Oh ! Ms Im you're awake ! Ms Yoo told me to take good care of you. Seems like i dozed off while doing so."

"I... uh... thank you Ms Hirai. But you should get going now I can take care of myself."

"Ms Yoo told me to take good care of you and I will," Momo said with a bright smile.

She got up and went to pour a glass of water for Nayeon. She looked over at her boss and smiled. 

Nayeon smiled too.

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Jeongyeon sat on her bed, her phone in her hands and typing away. 

"Ms Myoui. You must've been very excited to kiss me. Since you anticipated it so much, you must've been very disappointed."

"It dosen't feel right," Jeongyeon said to herself. She deleted that message.

Ms Myoui. I am sorry. 

"The simpler the better," Jeongyeon said as she hit send. She chuckled.

"The first step is always the hardest. Now saying sorry isn't so hard anymore." 

Jeongyeon sighed. 

Mina stared at the message on her screen. She began typing. She stopped. She looked over the message again and nodded. She hit send. 

Jeongyeon sat on her couch with a book. Her phone sat on the glass table before her and she sneaked a peek at it every few seconds, anticipating a message from Mina. Unknowingly, she had flipped to the next page and she flipped it back. 

Her phone buzzed. 

She sat up immediately, tossing away her book and picking up her phone. 

Ms Myoui: Sorry ? Did something happen between us ? I don't know what you are sorry about.

Jeongyeon was puzzled and her eyebrows knitted together to form a frown. "What happened between us ? How is she able to forget that sweet yet dymamic moment ? This sentence is very hard to interpret," Jeongyeon said to herself.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 ?

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Jeongyeon sat at her dining table, deep in thought. She was holding a cup of coffee to her lips but didn't drink from it and just held it there. She set the cup down on the table. She had no appetite to scarf down her breakfast too. She sighed. 

A servant walked towards her and bowed. "Your secretary is here," she announced. 

Jeongyeon looked at her servant in confusion. She looked away. 

"Why ? Why did she come on her day off ?" Jeongyeon asked herself. Nevertheless, she sprang out of her seat and made her way hastily to the front door. She tripped and lost a slipper but pressed on and ignored it.

She came face to face with Ms Kim Dahyun, with her hands behind her back, a bright smile on her face. Jeongyeon stared daggers at her other secretary. She snappes out of it. "Why are you here so early, Ms Kim ? Don't you usually wait outside ?" Jeongyeon asked. "Yes ma'am. But Ms Myoui told me that she can't come to work today so... she asked me to tie your tie for you in her stead." 

"W-what ?" 

"Ms Myoui told me that there was nobody to tie it for you if she isn't here," Dahyun stated. Jeongyeon frowned. Dahyun whipped out a monotone tie from her pocket, cradling it in her hands. She stepped forward. Jeongyeon stepped back. "No ! Stay right there," Jeongyeon said, putting her arms up in a defensive stance. 

"Don't come any closer."

"I can do it well," Dahyun insisted. 

She moved forward again. 

"Ah- no." 

Jeongyeon took the tie from Dahyun's hands. 

"Stay right there..." 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Mina sat at her desk at home, a bowl of cereal in her hands. She took a big scoop and shoved it in . She put the bowl down and flipped open a notebook. 

< Bucket list for day off >

"I'll make sure that i thoroughly enjoy every moment of today," Mina said to herself. "The first place i need to go to is an amusement park..." Her mind trailed off to the day when Jeongyeon took her to Everland, her boss emerging from behind the fountain, riding the rides together, Mina fulfilling her life long wish of riding a merry-go-round...

Mina frowned. She put her pen down and pouted. She turned in her swivel chair and spotted Hardworking Cow, lying peacefully on her bed. She stood up and picked it up, setting it down on her chair. "Hardworking Cow, let's not look at it each other today. No hard feelings but its because you keep reminding me of a certain someone." Right at that moment, Mina tripped and she pushed her chair. She watched as the chair hit her wardrobe. An exact representation of what happened the previous night. Mina's cheeks flushed red at the thought of it and she had a mini fit, kicking her feet and flailing her arms about in embarrassment. 

"Ah... why did i close my eyes ?" 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Yerim ran into the office as fast as her legs could carry her. She was late to work. She arrived at the office panting. "I'm sorry for being late," she announced to her four colleagues in the office. Chaeyoung looked at her watch and sighed. "Ah... you're a whole 14 minutes late, Yerim ah." Yerim bowed and apologised again. "Yah, are you starting to slack off already because Ms Myoui isn't here ?" Jihyo asked. "No it's not that. My family moved to Yangpyeong recently and so i live quite far from work now..." Yerim clarified. "Yah. Stop talking about your family affairs and get ready for work," Sana instructed. Yerim bowed and scurried off. Sana put down her work and turned to Jihyo. "By the way, why is Ms Myoui not at work today Ji ?" Jihyo shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe something is wrong with her ?" 

"There's nothing wrong with her." 

The four women in the office scrambled out of their seats and stood at attention. They knew who's voice that belongs to. 

"Stop talking about someone that isn't here but work harder to make up for the fact that she isn't here." 

Jeongyeon walked off. 

The four women nodded and resumed their work. Dahyun made her way to her desk in the office. At this moment, Sana stood up, heading for a meeting. Both women stood in each other's paths. Dahyun looked down and smiled shyly. Sana rolled her eyes. Dahyun moved to her left and Sana moved to her right. Once again they stood in each other's way. "Aish get out of my way will you !" Sana said as she pushed Dahyun in irritance. Dahyun stood rooted to the ground. Sana scurried off. Dahyun looked down at her chest and brushed it. She pouted. 

"Good morning, ma'am," Yerim greeted as Jeongyeon walked past the secretary's desk. 

Jeongyeon slowed down, looking at the empty chair where a certain Ms Myoui was supposed to sit. She made her way into her office. 

She frowned. 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Mina sat on a bench, a popsicle, her legs crossed on the bench. She was in the park, overlooking the many playful kids in the playground, playing catch with their parents. For a moment she reminisced a time where she and her mum had done the same thing. Shrieks of laughter would fill the air as Mina was caught and was held tightly in her mother's arms. She was only five years old then, and it didn't last long. 

Mina sighed. She was bored. 

She fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled a number. 

"Hi Irene ! Lets meet up today if you have the time- Oh you have a PTA meeting at the preschool ? Ah ok..." 

"What are you up to Eunha ? Lets meet up today if you- Oh you went to get fillers on your face ? Ah alright then hope it turnt out well..." 

Mina put her phone down in defeat. None of her friends were free and could spend some time with her. "What am i going to do when i quit ?" Mina huffed. 

She spent some time brooding, with her hands folded across her chest. She remembered the promise she made back when she was little. 

"Yes..." 

 

 

"I will find that boy first." 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Seungyeon walked into the office, her bag slung across her shoulder, a file in her hands, with her usual white mask plastered in her face. Tzuyu noticed her and stood up. "Who are you ?" Tzuyu asked. "Oh ! You're the person that visited Ms Yoo the other day ! I recognise you by your mask," Chaeyoung stated. Jihyo looked down and caught a glance of the name on the file. "You're Noir..." Jihyo stuttered. Seungyeon pulled the mask down slightly. Sana let out a breathless gasp as she bowed. Seungyeon smiled. "I'm a fan, Ms Noir," Sana claimed. "Yes, it's truly an honour to see you in person like this," Tzuyu giggled.

"What's going on here ?" 

The whole office shuddered and bowed at their boss, who stood a couple of feet away with her hands in her pockets. 

Jeongyeon stared at her sister.

Seungyeon stared at her sister.

The other four girls stood uncomfortably in silence, not daring to say a word. 

Jeongyeon walked back into her office. 

Seungyeon sighed and turned to the four girls. "I'll get going then." The four girls nodded and stared as Seungyeon walked off in the direction of Jeongyeon's office. "Oh my goodness... now i understand why she doesn't show her face in public at all. On tv she already looks so stunning but in real life-" Sana basically moaned at that point. "Sana yah you gay is showing," Chaeyoung pointed out. "Dosen't she seem like such a big hit ? She's sure to attract everyone to come to our art center," Tzuyu said. "Wait a second. Now that i'm thinking about it, Ms Noir came by today and the other day... maybe she's close with Ms Yoo ?" Chaeyoung asked. "I don't think so. Don't you think there was a whole lot of tension in the air just now ?" Tzuyu stated. "Yes... how exactly are they related ?" Sana asked. 

"I know their secret." 

Everyone turned to Jihyo. 

"Both of them are sisters." 

The other three girls gasped. 

"Yes. The actress Noir is the eldest daughter of Yoo Group."

Everyone in the office turned to look at Jeongyeon's office. 

𝘕𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺.

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Jeongyeon sat with her fingers intertwined, resting on her lap. Her sister sat exactly opposite her, her arms folded across her chest. 

"I just stopped by the planning department's meeting. I took a look at their plan and, the concept didn't seem too bad." 

Jeongyeon sat up. "You don't need to report these kind of things to me for it's just one of the many projects that 𝘮𝘺 company is running." 

"Do you really have to phrase it like that ?" 

"It's merely the truth." 

"Well, fine. I'm sure this is nothing to you, since you're so high and mighty. But i don't think mum and dad have the same attitude toward this. The two of them are quite happy about the fact that we're working together."

Seungyeon sat forward. 

"This is why i came today. To tell you not to unnecessarily stir the pot and create strife when they think we've made up and are so happy about it." 

"Isn't that something you should be telling yourself ?"

"What ?"

"Because i'm not the one that creates strife."

Seungyeon stood up and left. 

Jeongyeon sat in silence for a while.

"Good thing Ms Myoui is using her paid time off today," Jeongyeon said to herself. 

Yerim held open a notebook with a page with Seungyeon's signature freshly written on it and she took selfies with it gleefully. Her phone screen switched and it showed Mina's contact. Yerim put down her notebook and answered the call.  

"Yes Ms Myoui... ah... alright. I'll make the adjustments to her schedules. By the way Ms Myoui, what are you doing on your day off ? What ? Nothing ? Oh... alright then. Goodbye !" Yerim put down the phone. "She should really be getting out of the house..." Yerim muttered. Just at this moment, she noticed a figure walk out of the vice chairperson's office. She stood at attention and bowed. 

Jeongyeon looked at her secretary. 

"Cancel my whole schedule, Ms Kim."

"I have an important business to attend." 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Mina strolled along the street, step by step making her way to her house. She looked at her phone in dismay. Her eyebrows frowned and her lips formed into a pout. "No one replies to my text, and i have nothing to do," she lamented. She put her phone down. "Now that i think about it, i don't have anyone to hang out with or plans on a day like this because of the vice chairperson," Mina said to herself. 

"It's because i have to devote all my time to him. For gods sake, Ms Yoo-" 

"You're talking about me ?" 

Mina was startled and she jumped. She stared ahead and low and behold, Jeongyeon was standing infront of her, a couple of feet away. She was leaning against her car, arms folded across her chest. Her left eyebrow was raised. 

"Ms Yoo ? I- uh- i mean, what brings you here ?" Mina stuttered. 

Jeongyeon walked towards Mina, her hands in her pockets. She stopped, standing directly infront of her secretary. 

"I thought you would think about me like you do now, so i came here to see you myself," Jeongyeon stated. 

Mina stood there in silence. She cleared nervously. 

"Shall we hang out today ?" 

"What ?" 

"I took my day off today to hang out with you, Ms Myoui." 

Mina chuckled. "You don't have to. I'm very busy today," she claimed. 

Jeongyeon eyed Mina suspiciously. "You seem to be just walking around the neighbourhood, so what's so busy ?" 

"I'm busy walking around the neighbourhood." 

Jeongyeon raised her eyebrows. 

"A- anyways, how did you know I was home ?" Mina asked. 

"I heard Ms Yerim talk to you on the phone." 

Mina made a mental note to herself to strangle Yerim tomorrow. 

"Be honest, Ms Myoui. You wanted me to come see you, didn't you ?" Jeongyeon asked. 

Mina laughed. "You're great in every way, Ms Yoo. But you're especially great in getting the wrong idea." 

"I am great in every way. So allow me to entertain you today, Ms Myoui." 

"I actually plan to go somewhere further from now on." 

Jeongyeon eyed Mina from her top to bottom. 

"In those clothes ?" 

Mina looked down, spotting her yellow checkered bottoms, her white t-shirt and her pink slippers. Her face turned red in embarrassment.  

Jeongyeon smiled. 

"Let me make up for it." 

Jeongyeon pulled out a piece of paper from her interior coat pocket. 

"Especially for you, Ms Myoui. I have even prepared a schedule," Jeongyeon started.

 

"First, we'll eat at premium dining lounge as we listen to an orchestra's performance. Then, we'll get on a yacht to enjoy some cruise time. We'll then move quickly to the airport from the riverside by a helicopter. We'll fly to Japan on my private jet. We'll have sushi for our late night snack and come back. Then we'll-" 

"Hold it," Mina put up a hand. 

"I have no intention to do all of that." 

Jeongyeon looked confused. She folded the piece of paper and put it back into her pocket. 

"Why ?" 

"It's my holiday today. I'll spend the day as I please. I won't do as you say." 

"Then i'll do as you say today." 

"You won't be able to." 

"I will." 

"You won't." 

"I will." 

Mina's lips formed into a smile as she hatched a plan. Her smile slowly turned into a grin, a slightly evil one. 

"Well, then..." 

 

 

...

 

 

The two were standing at a bus stop. Jeongyeon had her hands folded across her chest and Mina was bursting with excitement. 

"You want to go on a bus trip." 

"Yes." 

"Not a trip to Europe or the Mediterranean, but a trip where you take a bus and tour around the city ?" 

"Exactly," Mina replied. 

Jeongyeon put her hands on her hips. "Ms Myoui. Don't try to go against my style and just do whatever you want to do." 

"But it's what i want to do. I always get on crowded buses on my way to or from work. I've wanted to travel on a bus to its final destination in broad daylight without much thought," Mina claimed. 

Jeongyeon looked away in disbelief. 

"But it must be hard for you, Ms Yoo. You hate riding a car that's driven by a stranger. That's why you always make me drive for you after you had a drink. It must be hard for you, isn't it Ms Yoo ?" Mina teased. 

Jeongyeon huffed and looked away. 

Mina smirked. 

A bus came to a stop infront of them. 

"Let's go," Jeongyeon said. 

"We're really riding the bus ?" 

"I said that I would do whatever you want today." 

"Wait really ?"

Jeongyeon walked up the steps to the bus and eyed the interior suspiciously. She took out a wallet and was about to pay the bus fare when Mina stopped her. "I'll pay the bus fare," she stated. Mina called out the number of tickets she'll be paying for to the driver and placed her wallet on the reader. 

*Insufficient funds*

Jeongyeon looked surprised. "Does this thing inform you of this humiliating information too ?" She proceeded to fish money out of her wallet when Mina stopped her again. Mina's face turned red with embarrassment and she took money out of her wallet. 

"I'll pay." 

They made their way to the seats. Jeongyeon spotted an empty seat and offered it to Mina. "No you sit here Ms Yoo-" Mina stopped. Jeongyeon stared at her blankly and raised her eyebrow. Mina, realising her blunder, promptly sat down on the seat herself. Jeongyeon noticed other pasengers holding onto the seat's handrail and she did the same thing. "This was designed without considering tall people like me," she claimed. "You hold that," Mina stated, pointing at the hanging strap dangling just next to Jeongyeon's face. She grabbed it and held on. The bus came to a screeching halt. Jeongyeon's eyes were wide open as the momentum threw her falling. Onto Mina's lap. They stared wide eyed at each other for a moment. 

"You should've sat here if you were going to be like this," Mina said. 

A few snickers and murmurs could be heard coming from the back of the bus. 

Jeongyeon pulled herself up, her eyes still wide open, slightly ajar now. 

A humiliation. 

Mina tried her best to keep in a snicker.

 

 

...

 

 

The sunlight came and went by fast. 

"What great food you want to eat that you're making us travel this far ?" 

"We're going to my favourite restaurant," Mina pointed ahead of her. "It's there." 

The sign placed outside the restaurant read "Go Skin". 

Jeongyeon sighed and stopped in her tracks. "Pig skin... this make me want to go home," she stated. 

"Well then go home," Mina shrugged as she walked forward

"I'm going to where you're going, Ms Myoui. I told you that i would do everything you want today," Jeongyeon claimed as she wagged a finger at Mina, walking forward quickly. 

Mina chuckled. 

Jeongyeon walked into the restaurant. She eyed her surrondings with great discomfort and folded her arms across her chest. She cleared . Mina walked up to her, standing beside her. "Two servings of pork skin please," Mina called to the employees. 

They sat down at a table. Jeongyeon put her arm on the table but it slipped off. Mina chuckled. Jeongyeon put both arms on the table, her fingers intertwined. She gave an uncomfortable smile.

As soon as the food was set down infront of the two, Mina began grilling. She had grilled a few pieces of the skin to a crisp and she gestured for Jeongyeon to try some. Jeongyeon sat with her arms folded across her chest, looking around uncomfortably. Mina smiled and she nabbed a piece of skin with the tongs, handing it to Jeongyeon. The vice chairperson picked up her chopsticks and was about to grab the skin when Mina pulled it away, putting it in instead. Jeongyeon stared blankly at Mina. Mina smiled as she chewed on the meat slowly. Jeongyeon chuckled. As she crossed her right leg over her left she accidentaly kicked the table. "Oh my. Did you just kick the table because I didn't give you that piece ?" Mina teased. 

"Of course not. It's a misunderstanding." 

Jeongyeon looked around the restaurant. 

"By the way, do you like this place ?" Jeongyeon asked. 

"It's not that I like it, but it's where I used to come whenever I dined out with my sisters and my dad."

Jeongyeon nodded. 

"My family was knees deep in debt, so we couldn't afford to go to a Korean beef restaurant." 

"I see. What kind of person is your father ?"

"He's a rocker." 

Jeongyeon stared wide eyed at Mina. 

Mina laughed. 

"He's the guitarist of a band. I told you before that he was badly scammed while running an instrument shop at Nagwon Arcade, right ?" 

"Yes you did. That's why you were working at such a young age." 

"To pay for my sisters' tuition, he rashly went to work at a construction site and got himself injured. He also borrowed money from a loan shark to make a big hit but it did become one but in a different sense." Mina smiled.

Jeongyeon nodded. 

"And it was all because he did something he wasn't interested in. But at least he's doing something he likes now. And my sisters have achieved their dreams, so it's all good now."

"Haven't you felt resentful to your family ?" 

"No, not at all. It's not like they did it on purpose," Mina shrugged. 

"People say that it's valuable to sacrifice yourself in life. But it's actually not. You just lose yourself by suffering and sacrificing. In any circumstance, the most important person, is yourself. Never forget that you're the most precious and the most important in any moment."

Mina looked surprised at the sudden wisdom coming out her boss's mouth. She smiled. 

"Why are you smiling ?" Jeongyeon asked. 

"I guess the past nine years were indeed a long time, seeing how the comment out of your narcissism came to me as a comfort," Mina stated. 

"What do you mean "narcissism" ? That's rude," Jeongyeon said. 

Mina chuckled. 

"Eat up." 

Jeongyeon looked at the grill plate. She took the tongs from Mina and grabbed a pair of scissors. 

"Here, i'll grill them."

"What ?" 

"You're on holiday, and i'm fitting myself to your lifestyle today so i'll try doing this too." 

Mina stared in awe as Jeongyeon picked up a piece of skin and snipped at it. She looked at Mina for approval. Mina laughed. 

Jeongyeon smiled. "Did i forget to mention that i'm so perfect that this would be a breeze to me ?" she claimed. 

"Yes you did. One too many times, in fact. You even said that you were skilled and prodigious as a child before," Mina stated. 

"Indeed. I was so smart that when I was nine i was in fourth grade." 

"So you make mistakes too," Mina claimed. She held up two fingers. "Nine years old was in second grade."

"Yes it was. But I was so smart that i skipped two grades."

Mina nodded in acknowledgement. 

"But fourth grade wasn't a fun time for me."

Mina was waiting for what Jeongyeon was about to say next. 

"I was put in my sister's class. The school must've thought they were doing a favour to me. But i was ridiculed. I was called incompetent by my sister's friends."

"They said I was rude and I picked fights with them often." 

"But you had your sister around to defend you right ?" Mina asked. 

"No." 

Mina raised an eyebrow. 

"My sister..." 

"She was the worst." 

"She was the worst kind of sister." 

Mina nabbed another piece of skin and chewed on it. 

𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 ?

 

 

...

 

 

"What do you want to do now, Ms Myoui ?" 

"I don't know," Mina shrugged. 

They were now walking along the streets aimlessly, Jeongyeon with her hands i  her pockets and Mina walking with a skip in her toes. They spotted a claw machine placed just outside of a convenience store and Mina ran over to it. There were dog plushies, cat plushies and even cow plushies in the machine. 

"They're cute," Mina said. 

"You still like stuffed dolls," Jeongyeon mentioned. 

"Have I told you I like dolls ?"

"You wrote it in a survey before that you want to receive a stuffed doll from someone you like," Jeongyeon stated. 

"Right. That happened," Mina grinned. 

"Can i try this ?" 

Jeongyeon nodded. 

"Let's do this," Mina said as she slot a $1 coin in the machine and began to get a stuffed doll for herself. The claw moved around in the direction Mina moved the joystick to. It stopped directly above a dog plushie. Jeongyeon smiled as she stood just behind Mina, observing her look of determination. Mina smiled as she hit the button. The claw moved down, grabbed the doll, and dropped it. First try. Failed. "It's the first try, that's why," Mina claimed as she slot another coin in, determined to get it the second try. Second try. Failed as well. Jeongyeon sighed. The next three tries were close. The claw refusing to hold onto the doll and everytime it dropped, Jeongyeon and Mina cried out in defeat. 

"Move, Ms Myoui," Jeongyeon said as she nudged Mina aside. 

"It's frustrating watching you do this." 

"This is harder than you think. You won't succeed that easily," Mina stated. 

"I've figured out its mechanism already." 

"Angle and timing." Jeongyeon moved the joystick. 

"Are most important like this," Jeongyeon said as she hit the button. 

All the while staring at Mina. 

Mina watched as she claw went down, grabbed onto the dog plushie. 

Failed. 

Mina burst out laughing and Jeongyeon huffed. 

"I guess mechanism and actually playing the game are two different things," Mina stated. 

"I couldn't focus because i had to explain," Jeongyeon clarified. 

"Again." 

She failed. 

"Precise angle and exact timing." 

Failed again. 

"Come on..." 

Failed the tenth time. 

The next hour that passed was full of Mina's laughter and Jeongyeon's disappointed sighs. Everytime the plushie refused to hold on, Mina burst out into laughter while Jeongyeon tapped the machine impatiently. 

For what seemed like forever, Jeongyeon failed again and again. Mina smiled at the sight of her boss being all flustered. 

Jeongyeon failed once again. She reached for her wallet. 

"How much is this machine ?" 

"Ms Yoo, it's time to go," Mina said, grabbing onto Jeongyeon's hand and leading her away. 

"But- how much is this-" 

 

 

...

 

 

The two stood outside Mina's house. 

"Why don't we withdraw some money and-" 

"That's enough, Ms Yoo." 

Jeongyeon looked down. 

There was a long pause. 

"You're coming to work tomorrow right ?" 

"Of course, Ms Yoo." 

"I'll return to fitting myself to your life again."

Jeongyeon smiled. 

"I'll see you tomorrow then." 

"Alright." 

Jeongyeon walked over to her car. 

She opened the door and looked up. 

Mina smiled. 

Jeongyeon smiled too. 

 

 

𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩.

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

Mina grabbed her handbag and was about to walk out of her house when she spotted Hardworking Cow. The doll was still on her swivel chair, facing her wardrobe. She turned the chair around and picked the doll up. 

"Hardworking Cow, guard the house well today as well," Mina said, booping the doll's nose. 

Her phone rang and she picked it up the call. 

"Hey Sharon~" 

"I told you before to stop calling me that, Chan."

"What can i say ? I'm used to it." 

Mina chuckled. 

"Any reason for why you're calling me ?" 

"Oh yes I actually have. You know how i'm a journalist right, and I do a lot of research, sometimes on cases from way back, like a few decades ago." 

"Yes, I know that."

"Okay so I found out from a few of my buddies who did more digging than me that there was a child involved in a kidnapping case that happened back in 1994." 

"Okay... and why are you telling me this ?" 

"I was getting to that Sharon." 

"Just tell me already, Chan." 

"Alright so the child involved was the daughter of Yoo Group, and she was kidnapped for four days. It took place in the redevelopment district which is now Everland."

"In the redevelopment district ?"

"Yes, the company blocked all reporters from covering the case, so there's no other data that she was in the fourth grade at that time. And it was also reported that the company's eldest daughter was in fourth grade at that time."

Mina remembered what Jeongyeon had mentioned the previous night. 

"No... the vice chairperson was also in fourth grade at that time..." 

"Oh really ? Anyways, i'm just telling you this since you're working for them and it might interest you. I'll have you know that I had to ask for many favours to get that information so be grateful Sharon." 

"Oh okay... thanks Chan..." 

 

 

...

 

 

Mina walked along the streets. 

Lost in thought. 

𝘚𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 ?

𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 ?

𝘖𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳...

A car rolled up along the sidewalk. The drive honked a few times. Mina didn't notice it. 

"Ms Myoui !"

Mina finally snapped out of it and turned her head. 

"What are you thinking about ?" 

"Good morning, Ms Im !"

"Come on, get in the car," Nayeon said. 

Mina looked hesitant at first, but decided to get in the car. 

"All right, let's go-"

"Um Ms Im ?" 

 

 

...

 

 

"What ? A kidnapping ?" 

"Yes." 

"Have you heard anything about it from Ms Yoo ?" 

Nayeon sighed. 

"Well... Jeongyeon and I have been best friends for a really long time but she's never mentioned something like this to me before. She also rarely talks about her childhood." 

"So... you don't know anything about it then." 

Mina looked disappointed. 

"Right." 

"But..."

Mina looked up. 

"Can i ask what prompted you to look into this case ?"

Mina sighed. 

"I don't recall exactly..." 

"But i think..." 

"I was locked up inside an empty house for a day..." 

"What ?" 

"There was a girl beside me in that house..."

"And I think that it was Ms Yoo."

"Well, you said that Jeongyeon and her sister were both in fourth grade at that time." 

Mina nodded. 

"Did that girl tell you her name by any chance ?" 

"She did. But I don't remember." 

Nayeon nodded. 

"But what made you think that it was Jeongyeon ?" 

Mina sat in silence for a while. 

"It's just my hunch." 

Nayeon nodded. 

"Why don't you ask her directly ?" 

"I thought about that before. But she hasn't mentioned anything about it at all so there must be a reason for that." 

"It's nothing exciting really. It may have scarred her, so I can't ask her." 

Nayeon smiled. 

"I'll just be happy finding my childhood friend." 

Mina stood up to leave. 

"Oh by the way," 

Nayeon looked up. 

"Please pretend that you didn't hear any of this, Ms Im." 

Nayeon smiled and gave Mina a thumbs up. 

 

 

...

 

 

Yerim walked out of Jeongyeon's office just as Mina approached the secretary's desk. 

"Oh Ms Myoui ! Did you have a good day oof yesterday ?" 

"Yes I did, Yerim." 

Mina peeked inside the office, seeing Jeongyeon working diligently, flipping through documents and binders. 

"Oh, Ms Yoo came in early today since she left early yesterday. She said that she had a lot of work to be done." 

Mina smiled and Yerim walked away. 

Jeongyeon looked up from her documents and saw Mina looking at her from outside her office. 

She raised an eyebrow. 

"Why is she looking at me like that ?" 

"She'll wear my beautiful face out."

"But then again, I wouldn't have a face anymore if peoples' gazes could wear it out." 

She raised a hand. 

Mina waved. 

She put down her bag on the secretary's desk and pushed the door open to Jeongyeon's office.

"Did you need me, Ms Yoo ?"

"Ah, yes. I have too many books in my study, so I would like to get rid of what I don't read. Would you be able to help me ?" 

"Of course, Ms Yoo." 

"When works with you ?"

"Anytime." 

Jeongyeon looked surprised. 

"Is that so ?" 

Mina nodded. 

"Then how about tonight ?"

"That works just fine." 

Jeongyeon looked surprised again. 

"Why are you so cooperative all of a sudden ?" 

"You gave me all the strength I needed, so I would like to help you out as much as I can." 

"What ?" 

"Ms Yoo." 

Jeongyeon intertwined her fingers. 

"Is there something you want to tell me ?"

"I'm so happy that we met again like this."

Jeongyeon smiled. 

"Me too."

Mina grinned. 

"I'll be off then." 

Mina bowed and walked off. 

Jeongyeon smiled as she watched her secretary walk out of her office. 

"We saw each other last night, and she's that happy about seeing me again today ?"

Jeongyeon smiled. 

"Is she head over heels for me now ?"

 

 

...

 

 

"Are you headed out for the lunch meeting now ?" 

Jeongyeon stood infront of Mina and nodded. 

"It's not about work, so you don't have to come. Just enjoy your lunch, Ms Myoui." 

Mina walked forward. 

She reached for Jeongyeon's tie. 

"I wanted to help fix your tie, Ms Yoo." 

Mina looked up. 

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you sooner." 

"What ?"

Mina smiled. 

"I was just talking about your tie."

 

 

...

 

 

Jeongyeon sat in the car, her arms folded across her chest. 

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘴 𝘔𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘪 ?

"She's definitely acting weird today. It seems like her feelings for me has deepened about three times," Jeongyeon thought to herself. 

She smiled to herself. 

"Was she that moved by my actions last night ?"

Dahyun stopped the car at a red light. 

Jeongyeon looked out of her window and spotted a claw machine. She remembered the events of last night and smiled to herself. "I would be in big trouble if I won a stuffed doll for her now. Her feelings for me would surely be deepened by tenfold," Jeongyeon thought to herself. 

She had an idea. 

She clapped her hands, rubbing them together. She was stood infront of the claw machine, her fingers latched onto the joystick and her eyes on the prize. 

Her 1st try. 

Failed. 

Her 2nd try. 

Failed. 

Her 5th try. 

Failed once again. 

She got closer and closer but the doll just refused to be grabbed. 

After about half an hour of trying, two kids were now standing behind her, watching her stress out over a claw machine. 

"She's so bad at it !"

Jeongyeon turned around. 

"What did you just say ?" 

"You're horrible at it." 

"Move over now, mrs jobless."

"What ? Jobless ?" 

"Yes. My mum said that those who don't go to work are jobless." 

Jeongyeon smirked. 

"You kids are saying that because you don't know who i am. I bet that at least 1 or 2 of your home appliances and your toys were made by my company. In simple terms..."

"I'm rich." 

"If you're rich then why are you playing a claw machine to win a toy ?" One of the kids asked. 

"Exactly. Can't you buy 100 of those ?"

Jeongyeon wagged a finger at the two kids. 

"Wrong. Then it wouldn't be fair play." 

"A toy like this is only valuable when you win it. So kids..." 

Jeongyeon put a finger to her lips.

"Shh !"

The kids nodded. 

Jeongyeon cracked her fingers. 

She moved the joystick. 

The claw moved along with it.

She stopped it, just directly above a dog plushie. 

She nodded and hit the button. 

The claw went down, grabbed the toy.

Jeongyeon's eyes widened. 

The kids' mouths gaped open.

The claw dropped the plushie in the chute. 

Success. 

Jeongyeon shouted in victory and the kids behind her did the same, clapping and cheering for her. She high fived the two kids. 

She picked up the stuffed doll and nodded.

She beamed. 

 

 

...

 

 

Jeongyeon approached the secretary's desk slowly. Her hands were positioned behind her back. She spotted Mina working on her own things. She walked up to the desk and stopped. 

"Ms Myoui." 

Mina stood up 

"There's a guest for you." 

"What ?" 

"I wanted to thank you for helping me enjoy my day off." 

She whipped out the dog plushie from behind her back. 

"His name is Remember Me." 

"Oh ? This is..." 

Mina laughed. 

She took the plushie from Jeongyeon. 

Jeongyeon smiled. 

Tears welled up in her eyes. 

Jeongyeon noticed. 

She sniffed. 

"I'm sorry i didn't remember you." 

Jeongyeon laughed nervously. 

"I get that you're moved, but it's just a stuffed toy, why are you tearing up ?" 

Mina smiled. 

"Ms Myoui !"

Yerim peeked from behind the wall. 

"We're stepping out to get a coffee. Would you like one too ?" 

"Ah yes I would like one too ! Actually, i'll go grab them !"

Mina placed the dog plushie down on the desk and scurried off. 

Yerim bowed to Jeongyeon and followed her. 

Jeongyeon was baffled. 

"Her eyes were tearing up."

"Was she that moved by it ?" 

Jeongyeon smiled. 

 

 

...

 

 

"3 lattes and 3 Americanos, please," Mina said to the person at he counter.

She spotted a box containing packets of caramel sweets. 

"𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦..."

"𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺, 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘢. 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺."

"𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 ?"

"𝘠𝘦𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘺. 𝘌𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺."

"𝘌𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺."

Mina grabbed a packet. 

 

 

...

 

 

She walkes back to the secretary's desk, coffee in hand. Sweets in hand.

"I feel bad, Ms Myoui. I should've went," Yerim said. 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Oh ? You bought caramels as well ?" 

"Ah, I was planning to give them to someone."

"Someone ? The person you're seeing ?" Yerim teased. 

"Oh no... it's just someone that I want to thank." 

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭...

Mina smiled to herself. 

"By the way, have you heard ?" 

"Heard what ?"

"Apparently Noir was kidnapped as a child." 

"What ?" 

"It's in a blog post that she wrote before she became famous. She deleted it straight away, but some fans kept a screenshot of it." 

𝘕𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺.

"Can I see it ?" 

 

 

...

 

 

"In the allies of the empty redevelopment area, I could always catch a whiff of cement. The black steel gate always made a sound when it was being opened. It was impossible to peek through the honeycomb-patterned windows. I prayed while looking at the ropes hanging across the living room. If I could cross them and escape this living room, just like the abandoned stuffed bunny over there. I was abandoned, and I gradually lost my liveliness."

"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭" 

"𝘕𝘰 𝘪'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵." 

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘺𝘦𝘰𝘯." 

"𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶." 

"𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 ? 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦 ?" 

"𝘠𝘦𝘴." 

"𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘰... 𝘠𝘰𝘰..." 

"𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘭. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯."

"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘠𝘰𝘰 𝘚𝘶𝘯𝘨..."

"That's right." 

"Yoo Sung..." 

"Yoo Seungyeon..." 

She didn't notice the figure standing a few feet away from her. 

She stood up hastily.

Jeongyeon stared at her secretary. 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

"Yes, it was my sister." 

"Seungyeon was the one that was kidnapped." 

"But that dosen't explain why she has a different surname from you-"

"She changed her surname just after the incident." 

 

Mina nodded. 

"Then can I ask you something, Ms Yoo ?"

"Go ahead. Nobody is here."

"What's up with the scar you have on your leg ?" 

"Why are you asking about that suddenly ?" 

"I assumed that you had bad memories you want to forget and coupled with the scar on your leg I-"

"That scar." 

Mina stopped.

"I somehow ended up with it as a kid."

"What ?" 

"Did you stare at me like that all day, because you thought that I was the kid that you were looking for ?"

Mina's eyes were red. 

"I'm sorry I was mistaken." 

Jeongyeon looked away. 

 

 

...

 

 
Mina walked along the corridor. 

"Mina !"

Mina looked up. 

And there stood a woman she didn't expect to see. 

"Have you been well ? I came by to sign a contract, so I thought I should look for you. I actually came by yesterday, but your colleagues said you took a day off." 

"Yes, it was my day off." 

"I wanted to call you, but decided that talking to you face to face would be better."

"I want to apologize for not telling you earlier that Jeongyeon and I are sisters." 

Mina looked down. 

"Is there something wrong Mina ?"

 

 

...

 

 

"So you are saying that the two of us were locked in there together ?" 

"Do you have absolutely no recollection of being there with me ?"

"Actually, because of the trauma I experienced of being kidnapped, I may have forgotten a few things, and my memory is foggy."

"How much do you remember then ?"

"Do you want me to tell you what i remember ?"

Mina nodded. 

"Her and I have always been in bad terms ever since we were kids."

"What ?"

"I meant Jeongyeon and I." 

"Just like now, she was very boastful. She was better than me at everything and we were always compared. Then when I was in fourth grade, Jeongyeon skipped two grades and ended up in the same class as me."

"That clever girl quickly won over my friends."

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥.

"Later on, she sided with them and bullied me." 

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵.

"She laughed at me for being weaker than her." 

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.

"One day, Jeongyeon took me to the redevelopment area. She said she would go buy drinks and told me to wait there."

"She didn't come back." 

"And while I was waiting for her..." 

"Well, you know what happened," Seungyeon raised a cup of coffee to her lips.

Mina was dumbfounded. 

From outside the café, Dahyun stopped the car at a red light. 

Jeongyeon sighed as she stared out of the window. 

And saw her worst nightmare. 

 

 

...

 

 

Mina sat at a bus stop. Her bag was on her lap and she rested her hands on her bag.

𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 ?

She fished out the pack of caramel sweets from her bag and stared at it.

She took a deep breath.

 

 

...

 

 

Jeongyeon sat in her arm chair in her living room at home, her tablet in hand. 

The sound of footsteps on the marble floor told her her secretary had arrived.

"Ms Yoo. I am here."

"Go to the study first." 

"Alright. I'll start sorting out the ones that will be published as revised editions."

Mina walked away. 

She sighed. 

 

 

...

 

 

Mina ran her fingers along the hundreds of books in the study. She grabbed some of them one by one, piling them on her arm while double checking with her tablet. She was just about to pick a book when she noticed a file placed next to it. She picked that out instead. 

[Applicants for Ms Yoo Jeongyeon's secretary]

Mina chuckled and flipped the file open. 

Her resume was placed at the very top and she cringed at her photo from nine years ago. She had bangs and her hair length was cut short, just above her shoulder. 

"Oh my. Why did I look like such a country bumpkin ?" 

She spotted her mediocre qualifications.

Her academic results were listed as well.

"Did you want to brag that your results were in the top one percent ?" Mina chuckled. 

She felt embarrassed and flipped the page. Other secretary's resumes were there too. 

"Cambridge graduate"

"Certified professional secretary"

Mina was confused. 

"Why did she pick me instead of all these people ?"

"Do you want to know why I hired you at that time instead of all those people ?" 

Mina turned around. 

"What ?" 

Mina gulped. 

"Yes." 

Jeongyeon walked forward.

 

 

 

 

 

"Because you are Mina."