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The CEO.

CEO…

Namjoo would have to be admitted into a mental health institution before she could ever say his name. Walking her all the way to her car was one of the last gestures need be done.

She couldn’t accept that maybe he was trying to be charming with her. Oozing pheromones around her like maybe there should be more.

It was absurd even imagining it.

But she couldn’t say no anymore when he asked this and that, because she felt she had declined too many times before. What if the CEO got upset with her?

Flipping over, Namjoo dug her head under her pillows and thrashed her legs. She had showered, she had stored her purse away with the rose sticking out of it, and she was supposed to be sleeping, but here she was still calculating her boss’ movements.

Today everything inside her standard world became jumbled. What was she supposed to make of this?

Namjoo was even more unprepared when her alarm woke her up the next morning. Depleted of a good night’s sleep she yawned the entire drive to work. Should she expect more from the CEO today?

“Miss Kim,” a voice called out the moment she walked through the front doors. Stopping immediately Namjoo recognized the coffee vendor waving for her to go over. “Here.” He handed her a cup of coffee.

“Why?” Namjoo asked.

“A gentleman bought it for you,” the vendor grinned knowingly. He gestured his chin in the direction behind her, “He says have a good day.”

Clutching the cup of fresh coffee Namjoo searched the heads walking in to work. The amazingly similar black heads, clad black and navy toned suits. Shuffling feet and bodies swarming like honeybees returning to deposit their due. No one striked her as familiar. Then her eyes floated up to the sixth floor and there he was.

The CEO.

Oh Sehun.

Peering down at her. Arms crossed over the railing. From below he resembled a tiny action figure strategically placed before her, but the line of smile on his face was distinct enough for Namjoo to see. Their eyes held for a lingering minute. Then Sehun pivoted away disappearing from view. Something inside her hung empty and she nearly staggered forward to what…go up?

“Sweet man,” the vendor commented from behind her. Coyly smiling when she turned around.

“Thanks,” Namjoo held up the coffee before hurrying off to join her co-workers in the elevator.

New flowers again. Greeting her the moment she arrived to her office. From the doorway the sweet scent of flowers swirled up her nostrils. Part of her wondering if she would be called down to the sixth floor today, and what she should say this time instead of freezing up?

Setting the coffee onto the desktop Namjoo wiggled her mouse bringing the computer to life. Logged into her email then on an urge stared at the warm beverage.

Ok, she had to admit, it was quite a sweet gesture. Buying her coffee early in the morning to help her start her day. Bringing flowers for her and personally designating spots for them in her office.

The motions of it were too much of a man for her.

A man for a woman.

Everyone dreamed of having a handsome boyfriend, but Namjoo was smart enough to depict reality from fantasy. And she was also smart enough to put two and two together, but it was inconceivable that the CEO would come onto her.

She didn’t even know him nonetheless ever met him before…this.

What did he even have to like about her?

Namjoo drank the coffee, because her eyes always dove toward it; the flowers just beyond it. The very reminders that Sehun entered her office every day. Now that she thought about it, he was here every moment of the day. His touch left behind on the flowers. The air of him in here in the mornings. There was always some trace of him here.

Should she be creeped out?

Namjoo couldn’t decide.

She tried not to let it bother her until lunchtime when her curiosities about her boss finally drowned out the crowd around her. Reasoning if the CEO did like her, would she or would she not reciprocate? What if he was just being nice considering she was the only intern? Perhaps he treated all females like this?

Not to sound stuck-up, but Namjoo had grown to accept that she wasn’t as ugly as she always assumed from young. Still she wouldn’t consider herself head turning beautiful. Pretty did it. And she liked herself. The way she was right now. Measuring her growth spurt, there wasn’t anything she hated about her life, herself.

Her train of thoughts dissipated when a tray appeared beside hers and a figure slid into the seat beside her. It was the CEO, Sehun. Her eyes rounded and she stared like an idiot. Thinking maybe he would draw attention toward them, because the boss was here. No one turned a head. No murmurs or snickering. Chatting continued like before, like nothing had changed.

Namjoo switched her attention to her tray. Stopped poking her food and just held her spoon there.

“Is the food to your liking?” Sehun asked.

“It’s good.” She replied. She tried to do some math, figure out why he was sitting next to her even though the answer was obvious. Just hard to believe. “I didn’t know you eat here.”

“I do,” he said, “you just don’t notice.”

Hearing this was more than surprising. She didn’t know. She would have never guessed. How could she have missed seeing him? Was she always that preoccupied with something else?

“Really?” she asked.

“You said the food’s good, but you’re not eating,” he pointed out.

At this, Namjoo hurriedly dug her spoon into her food. Took a bite and then felt embarrassed. She heard him breathe a smile, which sent the heat neck down. Ok, now she just wanted to curl up and disappear.

“This weekend there’s an event in the showroom,” Sehun told, “you should come.”

“Where?”

“Here.” She flushed embarrassed for thinking he might be inviting her out somewhere, but the event was in the work building. “You said you’re interested in fashion and designing. It’ll be a good experience to observe and see what goes on. Once you’re in the field you’ll always be out and about.”

She never told him that. Not personally. Those were things she’d talked about herself at the interview.

Her eyes glided his direction then back to the front or rather her tray of food. “Ok.”

“Namjoo.” The sound of her name coming from him caused her heart to leap unexpectedly. “Come have some coffee with me later.”

Now her heart was racing stupendously. Having coffee…as in sitting together again? Namjoo wanted to gulp but feared it might sound too loud and he would think weird of it. Was this even real?

She shyly glanced at him through the corner of her eye and quietly nodded her answer.

Throughout the afternoon Namjoo counted down the hours. Then she was in the elevator and going down to the sixth floor. Approaching the dome doors Namjoo twiddled with her fingers again. No point acting like she’d never been here before. She knocked then opened the door.

Today Sehun was at his desk again. Smiling again he invited her to sit down. Finding her way Namjoo discovered a steaming cup of coffee sitting on the table waiting for her.

“I just made it,” he explained walking over with a tablet. “It’s decaf.”

Namjoo watched him set down a matching cup of coffee. Expecting him to sit across from her like yesterday, but he sat beside her. She quivered nervously. A little shy he was being this courageous already. Her heart rammed a little harder.

Sehun’s long legs couldn’t stretch out far enough because of the coffee table. He ended up bending his knees up, which made her feel so small beside him. A part of her was urged to check him out. See if he was chiseled beneath his button down; how well his shirt fit him and if he might rack up her anxiety, because she hadn’t looked him over well enough before.

Too conscious of the heat of his body next to her, Namjoo neither moved nor said anything. Instead, she tried to focus on what he was trying to show her on his tablet. A slide of some business function.

“This is the showroom,” Sehun held the tablet closer. A display of a decorated room consisting of round tables draped in white. At the front of the room on an artificial stage stood a podium. “Basically, it’s sponsors and business directors meeting up to discuss the debut in the summer.”

“For the new women’s clothing line?” Namjoo asked.

“You’ve heard about it?” he seemed surprised.

“Well…” Namjoo shied away. “I heard some friends mention it.”

He grinned, pleased. “It’s in the works.” He glanced at her, “Are you interested?”

“In?”

“Participating in the debut.”

Namjoo drew her shoulders up. She didn’t know what to say. Yes might sound too bold for a beginner who had no serious experience. No wasn’t satisfying because she did want to say yes.

“I don’t even have any experience,” Namjoo timidly admitted. “All I’ve done are amateur designs for contests.”

“You can come watch and learn,” he offered. “We’ll be traveling for the debut.”

That Namjoo didn’t expect.

“I’m not even a full-time worker,” Namjoo’s voice lost traction. For a slight second she wondered whether she should have come to his office. The coffee looked cold. She hadn’t even taken a sip of his gracious effort.

Then she asked because she had to. “Why are you offering?”

No one’s boss cared enough to help someone, an intern for the matter, climb up the ladder. In any industry it was a player for himself. Competition lay everywhere. Too much needed to be done and accomplished that not enough time was in a person’s day to lend a helping hand to someone else. Considering the CEO should be busy enough he shouldn’t even have time for a measly intern like her, who was just here for six months.

Sehun turned the tablet off and lay it on his lap. Namjoo almost assumed she was in for a lecture. Very unlikely he was even around her age. The CEO had to be a few years wiser than her. Realizing that Namjoo shouldn’t even be sitting here chatting. God, what was wrong with her?

“Do I make you nervous?” Sehun asked.

About?

What they had just talked about? Helping her? The flowers? Although very indirectly, him and her?

Namjoo peeked at him then averted her gaze. “This is just unexpected.” She quickly added in case she offended him. Of course, helping someone wasn’t always frowned upon. The bigger fact was that he was her boss. “I mean, why are you even talking to me? Shouldn’t you…be too busy?”

“But I want to talk with you.” He looked at her.

Namjoo froze for a split second. Maybe her heart fluttered.

Didn’t that mean he was interested?

She dumbly had to press on, “Why?”

By chance, she just had to witness his reaction. Learning his eyes were on her the entire time. She felt warm and fuzzy. The heat of her blood coursing through her body churned in beats. She heard it all the way up in her head like thunder crackling.

“Sometimes, you look at a person and you just know.”

Namjoo couldn’t remember if she blushed, if her face had turned pink, but she remembered a smile teasing his lips; the distinct way his eyes shimmered happily.

Then he had asked if he could walk her to her car again.

The entire walk Namjoo’s heart drummed. She clutched onto her purse in front of her. This time she pressed the remote to unlock her door when they reached. Deciding he most likely was not some weirdo creep in the end and she was safe.

“Um…so,” Namjoo awkwardly turned around, “we’re here.”

He smiled and she felt a range of emotions from girl shy to downright stupid.

Pulling the door open for her he said, “Drive safe.”

Namjoo turned to get in. Hesitation on a second’s whim. Turning around she saw his arm stretched out readily holding onto the car door, prepared to close it for her when she got in.

Her cheeks grew hot. “Good night, Sehun.”

Biting her inner lips, she hurriedly scrambled into her car. Fighting with all her might not to look at him as she started the engine, zipped the seatbelt over her, and reversed out of her spot. Keeping the scream in until she reached home. Alone in the parking lot for tenants, Namjoo squealed loudly all the way inside.

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Sehun’s smile inched so wide his face should have already split in half. As Namjoo’s vehicle disappeared down the ramp heading into the city roads, he laughed out loud. Did a half kick of his legs in the air before running down the parking ramp skipping long jumps.

In the end, maybe it would be all right. Namjoo could like him, too, and she would want him. He would work hard to keep it that way.

Returning to the office he piled up his paperwork before calling it a night. Sehun actually did not live far from work. On average it took him 20-30 minutes to go back and forth, traffic included. He owned a two-floor suite. Bathrooms on each floor. Except on the second floor the tan marbling bathroom took up half the space with a tub separated from the shower. The double marbled counter wrapped around two big mirrors. This side of the wall uniquely consisting of tiny patterened squares in various blue shades.

The second-floor bathroom was his favorite place to dwell in his home.

A huge kitchen spanned the entire right side upon entering. A gray island several feet from the double silver sink. Attached to the wall on the far side was his double LG fridge stocked with bottled water and foods. The walls a swirl of gray, black, and white. In front, his living space was filled in neutral colors. From two large sectional furniture. One of them with a layout bed he took naps on.

Two wide glass doors led him to the patio. Always offering a grand view of the cityscape, the skyline, the streets below that would sometimes be fogged up in the early dawn and cleared with yellow beaming headlights during the day and night. On days he was most lonely he loved standing at the edge. Tasting the wind and imagine himself tipping over.

A white spiral staircase led to the second floor. His bedroom was directly across from the bathroom. The room held nothing but a queen bed supported by a gigantic upholstered headboard. On either side of the bed sat two tiny tables. One supporting a lamp, the other his alarm clock. Two wooden doors at the foot of his bed opened up to a walk-in closet where his clothes were arranged by color. Accessories, ties, and socks organized in glass drawers.

Sehun had bought the place when his company skyrocketed and his income quadrupled. Always double checking the zeroes on his paycheck in case he miscounted. He had loved it at first.

The big space. The richness of it. One look and anyone could tell the home was expensive as hell. A man had to be successful to own this expanse of space. It made him desirable he hoped. He could afford this. To do whatever he wanted. Live however he pleased and others would envy him. Wish they were powerful as he was. Anyone would want to be with him, acquainted with him.

But it couldn’t seem to fill him up now.

A quarter of his life could never be fixed with all the cash reserves he possessed. The void that existed was like potholes that stubbornly kept forming after each snowy season. Except sometimes the freeze stayed behind even after winter ended. Surprising him from time to time.

Settling in for the night, Sehun lay on his side. Staring off into dark. Tracing the spot beside him that used to be taken up by stuffed animals. Dragons with glittery tails who would fly him away to a happier land, a happy family, or maybe drop him off in some place where a big brother would find him. Dogs with flappy ears and pink tongues that would accompany him, so he would never be alone on his journeys. Cats with plastic whiskers to play with. Bears he imagined would dance around the room with him.

Imagining saviors. Playing with them in his head. Dreaming one day there might be a person who liked him enough to stay.

One by one the stuffed animals disappeared. He had to grow up.

He brought up the image of Namjoo smiling eagerly the first day she walked into work. Ready to tackle adulthood. The energized air that seemed to sizzle around her. She never cowered around strangers. Comfortably striding along and adapting. Sitting with unfamiliar co-workers yet managing to connect with the world revolving around her.

Namjoo exuded an aura of purity and warmth. No one knew her, but no one had a bad comment to make.

To him Namjoo was happiness and luck. The normalcy about her could only equate kindness and acceptance.

Joy tremored through him as he replayed the sound of her voice saying his name. Smiling he closed his eyes and dug his face into the pillow.

When he arrived at work the next morning, he stared out the ledge. Skimming his workers arriving for the day. Searching for the only face on his mind and grinning when she finally walked through the doors. Coming to a brief stop Namjoo tilted her head to look up. His smile broadened; his heart hiked up as he raised a hand to wave.

***everyone has a story to tell, we're only seeing the exterior right now