Translucent white light spreads evenly through the expensive marbled floors of the building as the crisp fresh wind lingered lazily through the busy lobby full of well-suited employees from different department – some were idly chatting by the lounge on the far left side of the building, others on their way to work, while some, just hanging around with a phone in hand. Even with all the boisterous sound in the background, the only sound that matters the most were from the tapping sound of her newly bought vintage carved square high heel leather shoes – the one she contemplated for hours to choose in that one cheap store she found not long ago. Her right hand moved smoothly at the fabrics of her well-ironed attire and brushed off any motes of dust in the fanciest suit she owned. It wasn’t too long before the calculated steps - and the rhythmic sound that accompanies it – were put into halt when she finally reached the heart of the lobby.

Dahyun was very patient with most things in life but when it came to her finally getting employed - finally starting a life of her own, she was very very impatient, her excitement couldn’t quite match anything that happened to her life leading to this day not even her own graduation day! She rarely felt excited and excitement is an understatement to what she’s feeling right now, she was ecstatic, she was literally in cloud nine and everything felt euphoric. She was also very good with people, very sociable and was fun to be with, that’s why everyone loves her, and she rarely gets any cold shoulder from anyone. They often ask her how she does well in her life. But most voice out their frustration about living their own. Dahyun just wants to do well, to live better, and to give back what her parents struggled to give her – being the only daughter of two fruit vendors and all, life was very hard for her too.

She wasn’t shy about her parent’s work, moreover she was very proud of it. She had a loving mother, and a very hardworking father, who despite their tired state would still happily dote on her, and give her the attention she needs. Now, living in a very modern lifestyle and having two fruit vendors as a parent, people often think that maybe that’s why she’s very cheerful and healthy, she gets every vitamin she needs – Dahyun doesn’t think so, growing up she was surrounded with fruits - also doting elderly who loves pinching her cheeks and giving her candy – but contrary to what everyone thinks, she never eats fresh fruits her parents sell but the bruised and close to expire ones and she never complains about it, she just wants to finish all the fruits they gave her, it tastes the same anyway.

“Miss Kim Dahyun”

Dahyun slowly gets back to her senses and instinctively cranes her head to the man who called her name with a very enthusiastic tone. He wasn’t very tall, he wasn’t too short either. He had very broad shoulder, narrow hips, and a very husky voice that surprisingly fits his handsome face. He was saying something that Dahyun thinks is very important, but she was still captivated by the man to even hear whatever it is he was talking about. His nose was pointily cute and well-defined and his lips were full and very smooth.

“Ahh… Miss Kim are you listening?”

Dahyun’s face flushed red in an instant like a deer caught in headlights, she quickly bows her head in apology while using her left hand to somehow cover her embarrassed face. “I’m really sorry I didn’t quite catch what you’re saying earlier.

Instead of getting frustrated, the man simply chuckles and Dahyun thinks its goddamn cute. “After hearing that you graduated from Harvard and worked for two years in New York under Mr. Oh Sehun’s guidance, I got a little bit intimidated by you, but it turns out you’re adorable.”

‘Adorable’ Dahyun would be lying if she said she wasn’t happy with the compliment she got, her face was in deeper shade of red now than a minute ago and the man quickly took notice of it and starts blushing himself too. “I mean, the way you talk and you’re face oh my god I’m saying unnecessary things now uhm I… my name is Lee Dong-Min by the way but my friends call me Eunwoo because they think its nicer to call me that way”

Eunwoo wipes his sweaty palm in his suit and offers it to Dahyun with a smile, the latter accepts with the same enthusiasm as he did. “Nice to meet you Eunwoo”

“The pleasure is mine Dahyun.”

After their embarrassing but cute introduction - whatever that was back in the lobby - Eunwoo was now leading Dahyun to the president’s office, on their way the two got to know more about each other as both of them conversed about themselves - Eunwoo on his trip last year to Japan  and the experience he had working under the infamous tyrant Japanese boss herself while Dahyun was telling him about her life back in United States as a student of Harvard, its safe to say now that both of them weren’t just simply acquittances but friends. Dahyun was even surprised on how quick it is for her to feel comfortable around Eunwoo’s presence, maybe its because of his charming personality, or how he gives a lopsided smile each time he finishes his sentences, or maybe how his soft frown quickly softens after talking about his previous boss before getting re-assigned in Korea, whatever reason it might be, Dahyun finds Eunwoo’s company very comforting, her nervousness long gone which was now replaced with laughter and delight.

“She must’ve been very handful then.” Dahyun points out after hearing Eunwoo’s story, her natural friendliness came as she laughed at his exaggerating way of story-telling. “Aren’t you just making this stuff up? She might be nicer than how you portray her to be.”

“Not kidding!” Eunwoo looked like ‘The Scream’ a famous painting by Edvard Munch as he tries to reenact how his face was during the grueling moments he had with the Japanese tyrant.

“You really did experience hell working in Japan didn’t you?”

“You have no idea! Every day was so hard I thought I’d end up dead without even reaching the ripe full age of 30” Eunwoo said quickly.

“Now you’re just exaggerating.” Dahyun chuckled again. She really seems to find Eunwoo deeply amusing. “But hearing your story made me think that it was a good idea that I worked under Mr. Oh during my intern years.”

The elevator dings indicating that they both reached the 10^th floor of the building, and the two of them get off still pretty much inversed in their conversation. They were nearing the president’s office but Dahyun was pretty relaxed by now thanks to Eunwoo, the guy really made her feel at home with his presence and of course his heartwarming smile, it felt really nice knowing that she already had a friend on her first day and is looking forward for more years working with the guy.

“Well, I guess we’re here.”

“Thank you for the help Eunwoo, I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t sweat it, its nothing.” He replied wryly as he reached for the doorknob after knocking, not expecting to see the scene that had unfold right in front of them.

“Miss Minatozaki please forgive me I-”

Both instantly froze at the sight of the President on his knees with the presence of another person, a woman.

Crumpled papers were sprawled all over the office, while others were thrown mid-air still swaying left and right seemingly taking its time to drop on the floor thrashed and crumpled.

I gave you something

But you gave me nothing

What is happening to me?

All her life, Dahyun never took any interest of others and their lives, so she couldn’t disclose what made the woman in front of her distinctly familiar – she was pretty sure that it was their first meeting by any stretch of her memory. The music playing in the background wasn’t much of a help either – It was the most unpleasant sight she’d seen her whole life, the resonant music seemed to agree. Letting her hand drop soundlessly, her warm brown eyes easily falls on cold velvety one, the inconspicuous gaze of the woman’s orbs were intelligible and frigid and sharp, instantly sending chills down to her spine, a simple stare that had Dahyun feeling vulnerable nevertheless her doe eyes were thoughtful that could see through your soul, but deep within, her eyes almost looked as if it had once shone with sincerity and benevolence.

I don’t wanna live forever,

Cause I know I’ll be living in vain

And I don wanna fit wherever

I just wanna keep calling your name

Dim, wavy brown hair fell over her little shoulder, simply skimming her chubby cheeks down to her lengthy white neck. Her nose was well-characterized and proportionate with a little slump up forming a not-so-straight of a slope, and at long last Dahyun examined her lips, the pouty red lips looked absolutely y when frowning.

‘Wait, what?’

“You’re Kim Dahyun, right?” A cold lacy voice spoke, sending instant chills crawling down to her bones.

‘Yes, that’s me!’

Her voice was frozen, too stunned to even answer, she stayed rooted on the wooden floor, she turns her head to catch Eunwoo’s reaction alas, he had a similar dumbfounded face, but something looks slightly different by the way his face contorts to the deepest stiff look he could manage, he looked extremely scared, no scratch that he was extremely horrified like he’d seen a devil or something. Speaking of devil, didn’t he have the same expression earlier? back when the two of them were fooling around, talking about that tyrant Japanese or something, ‘tyrant Japanese… Please no’ and for a moment something hit her, like how a lightning that struck down to her from the raging stormy clouds did Dahyun now realize how her three syllabled name from the woman’s lips sounded one hundred times more grueling - it gave her a bad feeling, a very bad feeling.

Dahyun gulped a lump full of saliva when she turns her head back only to see her, in the most nightmarish smirk she’d seen in her entire existence.

Until you come back home

She really did wish that she was home right now sleeping soundly, for the next words that she was about to hear might haunt her for life.

“You work for me now.”