Chapter 2

Even

"You're late,” muttered the cousin, Minju.

She was already waiting for Sakura in front of their house. She entered the car and as soon as she shut the door, Sakura immediately drove away.

"Hey, slow down, take it easy! What's wrong with you?"

She looked at her cousin's face, shocked. The older girl seemed pale and panicked as if she had just committed a crime. She had never seen her like that.

"Did something happen between you and Ken-chan?" she asked.

Sakura wasn’t really listening; her mind was still confused with what had just happened. She couldn’t stop thinking about the stranger that she just met.

What was her name? It's Eunbi isn't it?

"Unnie, are you okay?"

Sakura snapped back to reality and turned her head to look at Minju.

"Uh, what were you saying?"

"Geez, did you drink bad milk or something?"

“I-I'm fine."

"Yeah right."

Sakura let out a heavy sigh, "It's just that… I met someone."

"A hot guy?!" Minju's eyes were filled with excitement.

"No... more like a hot girl."

Minju's face expression changed immediately, "What?!"

Sakura stopped her car as they reached Minju's college, “Okay we’re here.”

"Wait, what do you mean a hot girl?!"

Sakura reached the backseat to grab a small brown paper bag.

"Here's your sandwich, hurry up or you're going to be late."

Minju absent mindedly stepped out of the car with her sandwich in one hand.

"I have to go now, take care, Minju-ah."

“Hey, wait-

But Sakura already drive away.

Minju stood there as she watched Sakura's car disappeared from her view in a dash as if she was chased by someone.

"What just happened?" she mumbled to herself.


**


"She's late."

Said a woman with long dark hair, crossing her legs on her chair, as she taps on her watch. She kept her eyes fixed at the corner hoping that her friend will show up any minute.

"There she is…"

Sakura came rushing through with bags in one hand and her coat on the other. Her clothes were crumpled and was slightly panting as if she was running to get to the office. Messy Sakura. A rare sight.

"Hey Kkura, are you okay?" asked the long hair girl with a curious tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Why does everybody keep asking me that? I’m fine."

Sakura walked to her table and put down her all of her stuffs she was carrying on all at once. She slumped herself on the chair and leaned back with her eyes closed.

Another girl with naturally pouted lips came with two cups of coffee in her hands. She stared at Sakura with a concerned expression.

"Kkura unnie, are you okay?!"

The girl put down the cups on the nearest table and rushed to Sakura's side. She put one hand on Sakura's forehead and another hand on her own forehead.

"Hmm… you're not sick."

"I'm not sick, Yena."

Sakura gently pulled away Yena's hand from her forehead.

"But why you're late? You never came late to work."

"Big deal. You guys came late almost every day. Especially you, Hyewon."

Hyewon scoffed, "Hey, it takes time to finish a big breakfast!"

She continued, "Saku-chan, you're not like us. You're the Miyawaki Sakura who always planned her time and life 10 years ahead."

"Well today, nothing happened the way I planned it. That's for sure," Sakura muttered.

"Had a bad morning, unnie?" Yena asked.

Sakura sighed and nodded.

Yena gave her an encouraging smile and patted her back.

Sakura looked at her colleagues that were surrounding her, all perfectly dressed up. Something is off.

"Why are you guys early today? Do we have an early meeting or anything?"

Hyewon and Yena both looked at Sakura in disbelief.

"Have you forgotten?" Hyewon asked.

"Forgot what?"

Hyewon chuckled, "Hey, we're going to have a new boss today!"

"I-It's today?"

Sakura totally forgot about the new chief editor that will come that day. The post had been vacant for a few weeks since their former boss; Mrs. Yang quit the job to accept better offer.

It was hard for Sakura to focus on anything since the incident at the café earlier. Eunbi's face kept popping up in her head for every few minutes. She can’t shake off the look on Eunbi's face when she pushed her away and scolded her in public, and the tears that followed not too soon after. Also the milk that she accidentally spilled on Eunbi's expensive looking coat. She felt the need to apologize to Eunbi, and send the coat to the dry cleaners. At least.

If only I was a bit nicer to her.

Sakura shook her head.

Whatever, at least I'll never meet her again.

"I heard that your new boss is just a bit older than you."

A tall and slim guy walked towards them.

"Heechul oppa, you know about her?" asked Hyewon.

Heechul smirked, "There's nothing in this office that I don't know, dear."

"25 years old, to be exact," he added.

"Her family just moved back to Seoul from Tokyo. She grew up in Japan for a while."

"Just like Kkura unnie."

"Well, I’m a Japanese. Where else should I grow up?” Sakura mumbled by herself.

He continued, "The word has it that she's pretty strict. They said she’s kinda cold."

"Cold?"

"Icy."

Hyewon shrugged, "But isn't it too young for her to be the chief editor for our department?"

"This girl got excellent academic records. She's a smarty pants. And to top it all…

"Hmm..?"

Heechul smirked, "She's the niece of our magazine's founder."

"Director Kwon's niece?!" said all three girls in unison.

"That's true, and her name is..

"Eunbi," said a voice from behind them.

Sakura got chills all over her body upon hearing the voice.

It's the same sweet voice. The same name.

She has ideas in her head and it's all pretty terrifying so she refused to turn around.

Hyewon, Yena and Heechul turned to the direction of the voice. All three of them stunned at the beauty that was Kwon Eunbi.

"Hello."

"Yes.."

Hyewon bowed a little and pulled the stunned Yena with her.

"I'm Kang Hyewon, and this is our intern, Choi Yena."

Hyewon nudged Sakura to turn around, but Sakura stood still.

"Hi, I'm Kim Heechul from the fashion department, nice to meet you."

Sakura could hear footsteps getting closer but her body couldn't move. She didn't want to move.

"And you are?"

Sakura hoped she's wrong. She hoped that her ears deceived her, and that it's not the same voice she heard earlier that morning. She took a deep breath and turned to face her new boss.

"I'm Miyawaki..

Sakura couldn't finish her sentence, as her hopes falls down.

It is the same Eunbi.

Eunbi was equally surprised. She froze.

They both stare at each other for a few seconds, no words exchanged. The atmosphere is awkward and Sakura is pretty sure she could smell milk from Eunbi's coat. Or maybe it's just her.

..Sakura."

Sakura finally able to finish her sentence after much struggling.

An amused smile crept up on the older girl’s face, "Nice to meet you, Sakura."

So we meet again.


 

**

"He's late," muttered Sakura.

She was waiting for her boyfriend at their favorite Japanese restaurant that evening. It was a popular place and they had to book for table weeks before. Sakura glanced at her watch and it was already half past eight. She could feel eyes on her from others, probably for occupying a table without ordering for almost half an hour, and it was making her uncomfortable.

Suddenly she saw a man entering the restaurant. Her boyfriend is here, finally. Takada Kenta. He’s tall and good looking, the people around him had to double take as he passed by. His face beamed as he saw his girlfriend. He walked with his long strides towards her as if it was a runway. He hid something behind him, a bouquet of pink roses; hopefully would be able to soothes his girlfriend for turning up late.

He arrived at their table but his girlfriend pretended not to see him. She looked away, sulking. He leaned lower to Sakura's level and met her eyes,

"May I take your order ma'am?" he asked jokingly.

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