“Chief Yoo,” Mina chimed to politely announce her presence. She entered Jeongyeon’s office and found the heiress overlooking outside the building.

“The furniture has arrived,” Mina informed, head hung low.

The whole fiasco awhile ago was handled by Mina well. She humbly asked for an apology but Jeongyeon doesn’t really seem to mind. But Mina does. She really does. Mina felt rather… humiliated, for lack of a better word.

“Mina,” she heard someone call her name. It was Jeongyeon. Repeating the scenario earlier left her unaware of her surrounding and now Jeongyeon’s only a foot away from her and still walking further towards her.

“You seem to be spacing out. Is there a problem?”

You. Mina would like to say but instead she faked a smile.

“None at all, Chief Yoo.”

“Well, I have.” Jeongyeon spared Mina a serious glance, moving closer to the girl.

Mina felt tensed, her shoulders slowly reaching her ears.

“I cannot exit this room if you’ll keep on blocking me.” Jeongyeon was quite close and Mina could almost swear it felt more like a whisper.

"’m sorry, Chief Yoo.” Mina quickly moved backwards and gave Jeongyeon space to go out.

Mina heard Jeongyeon chuckle and watched as the chief go and talk to Sana and Momo.

It makes sense now. The reason why their department office is a lot smaller than others was because there were only four of them in the team. Mina heard of it before: rumors that the board do not see the need for the new department and the proposal will be likely turned down. Something about they already have an IT Department and the Marketing Department can handle managing what the proposed department will do, anyway. The whole department now feels even more like a mockery of Mina’s effort. Setting up the office now, Mina can sense the rage growing inside her.

“Head Myoui.”

Mina’s ears perked. It was Sana.

“Yes?”

“Chief Yoo is asking if you’d like to change clothes.” Sana was eyeing Mina’s stilettos.

“Does it displease her that someone looks more office appropriate than her?” Mina asks sarcastically.

“Oh, no, Head Myoui,” Sana denies. “It’s just that we’ll be setting up the office today.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we’ll be literally setting up the office.” Sana grins. “Oh look, Miss Myoui. Chief Yoo has already started.”

And there Jeongyeon was, lifting the sofa with Momo like it’s nothing. Mina’s eyes landed on Jeongyeon’s toned arms. Whatever.

“Chief Yoo,” Mina calls. “I wasn’t aware that we’ll work like this today. I’m afraid I have no clothes to change into.”

“Oh,” Jeongyeon frowns. “Guess you’ll have to work like that then.”

--

“I hate her,” Mina tells as she absent-mindedly pokes her food.

“It’s just her first day, Mina.” Jihyo chuckles.

“I know but she’s infuriating!”

“Come on, she can’t be that bad. You told me yourself she lifted the heavy ones.”

“How am I supposed to know we’ll lift furniture today?” Mina continues. “That was not part of my job description. She’s the chief, she should know that.”

“You know she’s new to this.”

“Exactly why I don’t understand why would they make someone as unexperienced as her the department chief?”

Jihyo just gave her a look.

“Oh right. Because she’s an heiress.” Mina rolled her eyes. She has a lot more to say.

“You have to hold on a little longer, Mina.” Jihyo reminds. “She won’t stay in that department for long. You’re right, she’s the heiress. She will most probably move on to a better position in a year or less. By then, you should be the chief.”

“Yeah?” Mina says. “Well, not unless she has any more siblings her family wants to be trained.”

“She’s an only child, Mina.” Jihyo tells. “So chillax and eat your lunch. She’s all we’ve talked about today.”

Mina’s face fell. “You’re right, I’m sorry. How’s the department?”

“Same old. Same old. They wanted me to tell you they miss you though.”

“Do they?”

“Come on. You know they adore you.”

“Only because they overwork me and I don’t mind.”

Jihyo laughs. “Can you blame them?”

“No.” Mina laughs, too. “Not really.”

“You said there are only four of you?”

“Yeah. But I guess Jeongyeon’s didn’t think it through.”

“What do you mean? Do you think they’re incompetent?”

“Nope.” Mina smirked. “They're Japanese.”

--

“Mina,” Jeongyeon greets her as she enters. The heiress was on the floor screwing something on what seems to be one of the desks. “You’re early.”

Mina took a quick look at her watch. “I’m actually just on time, Chief Yoo.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jeongyeon looks up to her. “But I sent you guys a text saying you can come in an hour late, I won’t mind.”

Mina immediately fished her phone out of her bag. The girl is right. She did text her.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to read it before coming here.”

Mina looks around. Almost all of the furniture has been put together. On top of one of the desk is a box of pizza.

“Take one if you like,” Jeongyeon offers. “I can’t finish the whole box myself.”

“Chief Yoo, was that your lunch?”

“Yep.”

Mina feels bad but she won’t admit it. Jeongyeon stood up and check the sturdiness of the desk. “You can just call me Jeongyeon, y’know?”

“It’s okay, Chief Yoo. I am not really one to address my boss by her first name.”

Jeongyeon shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat, Mina.”

Mina, though, wishes Jeongyeon would stop referring to her by her first name. Somehow, knowing that Jeongyeon is her boss, it is making her feel uncomfortable.

A knock on the door caught Mina’s attention.

“Mina, can you get that for me?”

Mina need not be told another time and went to open the door. It was apparently one of Jeongyeon’s butlers who came to deliver something.

Mina thanked the middle-aged man. Holding the bag, she walked to hand it over to the young heiress.

“Chief Yoo, it was a delivery for you by a certain Mr. Sung.”

“Oh,” Jeongyeon spared her another glance. “That’s not for me. That’s for you.” Jeongyeon’s eyes trained on her feet. “It’s just shoes. Your feet must be hurting from wearing those stilettos all day.” Jeongyeon smiled.

“Oh no, Chief Yoo. It’s fine.” Mina tries to hand over the bag. “I can handle it. I’m used to walk on these all day long.”

“Just change into that Nike Cortez, Mina.”

Jeongyeon didn’t really give her much space to argue and although she really could use the shoes, Mina still refuses to forgive her for intruding.

“Thank you, Chief Yoo,” however, is what she says instead.

“Always too formal, aren’t we?” Jeongyeon says, chuckling.

Mina could swear Jeongyeon is mocking her but she is not really in the position to show her true feelings.

Mina changed into the shoes Jeongyeon gave her and found out it was actually a new one. She wonders if she has to pay for them. She stood up and albeit uncomfortable about the fact that the shoes don’t match her outfit, she can’t help but feel relieved. Jeongyeon’s right, her feet hurt.

It was quiet for a while. Jeongyeon was immersed in making a list of things, probably things to buy, while Mina chose to sort all their office supplies, all the while making an inventory.

Mina saw Jeongyeon take another piece of pizza not that she’s paying the evil heiress any attention.

“Ouch!” Mina yelped. While watching Jeongyeon, she caught a paper cut on her forefinger.

“What happened?” Jeongyeon says, immediately walking towards her.

“It’s nothing, Chief Yoo.” Mina quickly tries to brush off the matter but it proves futile because Jeongyeon’s now holding her hand, tending to the wounded finger by instantly bringing out her handkerchief.

“How people gets paper cut, I will never understand.” Jeongyeon brings Mina’s finger closer to her eyes, examining how deep the wound is.

Mina feels uneasy with how close she is with her boss and how this time, she can’t seem to move away. Jeongyeon is so close and it’s making Mina feel something. It’s driving Mina even crazier because now Jeongyeon had pulled Mina’s hand closer to , blowing onto it in an attempt to make the sting go away after cleaning it with alcohol. Mina winces from the pain. Mina wants to say that blowing onto wounds are not really hygienic but all these snide remarks are left at the back of Mina’s tongue because her cheeks are now burning red. From the heat, Mina claims. It’s hot today.

If Mina’s cheeks weren’t red then, it is now with how she and Jeongyeon are sharing an eye contact Mina finds hard to avert. Why is she not doing anything? Why are they looking at each other like this? Like they're about to-

“Omo!” It was Sana and she had just opened the door. Beside her was Momo, looking equally shocked.

However, Jeongyeon did not let go of Mina’s hand but instead reach for the bandaid. She carefully placed one on Mina’s fingers.

“You’re here,” Jeongyeon greets the other employees with a smile. “Mina got herself a paper cut.”

Mina doesn’t understand what just happened but it seemed like Jeongyeon saved her from explaining the awkward situation just now.

“Thank you again, Chief Yoo.” If this was for the wound or for what had just happened, Mina leaves that for Jeongyeon to decide.

--

a/n: we've been through a lot these last two weeks. personally, it pains me to know but i hope that she gets through these bravely. i know we all believe in her. i also know you feel the same. personally, i wrote this one to distract me from the agony that is waiting. but i hope we find comfort in the fact that our minari is on her way of getting better. *fandom hug*