" Thank you for today, Mr Del Lis, for today's meeting. " Mr Dales said.

" Merci pour aujourd'hui Mensiour Del Lis pour sa réunion d'aujourd'hui. " I told Mr Blanc Sac as an interpreter for Mr Dales.

" I will be happy to hear your suggestion in our joint venture." Mr Dales replied.

" Je serai heureux d'entendre votre suggestion dans notre joint-venture. " 

 

 

 

" Thank you for your job today, Seol," complimented Mr Jung Jaehyun.

I look at the face of my regular client. Mr Jung Jaehyun. Humble owner of Jung Corporation. He such a fine man in his early 50's. I still remember when I first met him, he did not even think a second to hire me even though I gave him a kind of bad impression. Not to brag in, but fall in front of him and spilt the coffee onto him during casual interview still cannot be forgotten easily though for a normal human being.

" You did a great job. I will think of y... "

" Kim Seol. Someone is looking for you."  Mr Kim interrupted. He smiled at me and Mr Jung to greed us.

"Thank you, Mr Kim. Well, let me excuse myself for a moment. " I walk with the lead of Mr Kim. We stop at the edge of the crowd people in the hall. He taps the man with a nice back view. He turned himself to the view of me. 

" I want you to meet someone special. " Mr Kim said. I was utterly thunderstruck with the sign in front of me. The man wore a nice darkest green tuxedo that enhances his fair skin are none other than, 

This is Mr Choi. Mr Choi S- " 

" SAN? " I said. They both look at me, bewildered. 

" Yes, he is Choi San. " Mr Kim stated, he looks at me to look any suspicious in my face, like I keep a huge secret that cost a huge value of my embarrassment and he knows it but remains calm as ever.

" Do you know him? " Mr Kim asked. Of course, I knew him. He is my crush since high school when I was a school at Gyeongsang. He was the president in the taekwondo art club, amazing at drawing, good at sport and fluent in English, Japanese and Korean. Don't let me list up what he like and dislike. 

" No no, at all," I answered in a high note. realised that I sound panic and suspicious. I calm myself and took one deep breathe secretly and manage a poker face for a second to save my dignity. I look at both of them and said, 

" I am just guessing your name. Its been a hobby of mine these days. " Jeez, I sound ridiculous when I think it back,

" Such an ordinary hobby you have there. " He replied with an odd smirk writing in at his face. He looks at me then at Mr Kim and back to me again. 

 " Well, nevermind." Mr Kim said. I look at Choi San movement. He took the champagne from the server and continue. He looks so aesthetic magically with the champagne glass in his right hand with the help of glorious light from above. I gripped my hand to stop fantasies about him. 

" The thing is,  I heard that this my dear friend need the help of Homosapien who spoke fluently in English, Korean and French. So let me introduce, our brilliant trilingual, Kim Seol. " he proudly presented me.

" Ms Lee Seol, this is Choi San."  Mr Kim formally introduces both of us. " or you may guess it already " he playful word to me.

" Mr Choi San, this is Lee Seol. " I look at him. I cannot believe he had grown up to be an enchanted man. 

We both formally shake our hand as the business relationship usually started. He had such a cold hand, unlike Hongjoong. 

" Hi,"  San said. Well, that quite casual for a business meeting. What should I do? 

" Hi," I said in the awkward start. Let us just make this be normal conversation, shall we? I may make extra money from this part-time. 

" Well, you are trilingual huh? " he asked. 

" Yes sir. " I said. 

" Do you guess my name" he smirked and take sipped from the champagne glass. 

" Huh huh, yes I think so. " I nodded my head and look around for some help or anything to get out of here. I look at Mr Kim and make an eyes signal. But he seems to be ignoring it. 

" Mr, Kim, can I talk to Ms Lee alone?" San asked. He looked at Mr Kim as he just tells him to agree with him. Mr Kim looks at me, gave me a nodded for me to impressed him. 

" My pleasure," he said. He walks away and leaves me like dust in the middle of vacuuming. 

Please don't leave me alone Kim. I hate you for God sake. I will never cook for you any more. 

" Ms Lee, do you hear me?  " San asked looking concerned but a bit suspicious. 

" Non, " I shooked my head. Hold yourself Seol-ah.

" I mean no. What is it?" I asked. He put the champagne glass down as soon as the server came and took them a step closer to me. He moves his body closer to me and whispered to me. 

" I think you look stunning. " I was shooked of what I heard of and took a step backwards. I gave a suspicious look at him and hold myself back as he may compliment me for a business matter. 

" Thank you. " I replied and gave him my charming smile to him. He smiles back and gave me the same position. He gave me a warm feeling. Then he whispered again to me. 

 " And I think I am in love with you. " What on Earth is happening. Shooked, I looked at him. Unbelievable of what kind of bizarre confession that I never thought I might get in the middle of chaotic of my life. 

 "What? What did you say? " I asked, again and again, to clear up the doubtful confession I just received. He holds my hand and kissed it gently. He tends took his other hand wrapped my waist and took it closer to him and let the warmth heating the moment. He laid his head on my shoulder again. Is it a thing right now to whispered stuff to their person's ears. I have to admit, I kind of have a thing in this in the list of mine. He whispered again. 

" I think I tone. " I could not hear him. 

" You what?" I asked. 

" I tone tone tone " I opened my eyes only to realize that meeting my crush and have his confession to me only can happen in my wildest dream. Sound logically episode, so cliche. Well Seol, let get back to reality and live my dream. Damn the alarm sound . Why did I choose the ringtone sound like an emergency siren?

"Tone! tone! tone!  " I shut down the alarm, shown its already an exact time for me to start my day. 

Well, hope its ganna a be good day as good as my dream. Or maybe I will be just making my best. 

I walked past by the guestroom that Hongjoong has stayed for a week oddly because he only stays for a day a week no more than that. I knock the door to wake up Hongjoong for his class.

"Five minutes " shout him. A small sign show he has been awake. Kim Hongjoong.

We have been a friend for years and known each other so well and bad. He sometimes always accompanied me on the weekend since I lived alone.

I know he was lying, he just not in good terms with his household. Using me as an excuse is a Lil . My late parent would not send me to taekwondo for anything though.  It has been nice to have someone to accompany me in this big Korean traditional house to be the frank. It is been a while since I rent this house as my side income. For some funny reason, no one has been renting the room since I have been up to it for rent for 5 months ago.  

 

 

After finished my shower, I knock on Hongjoong's room again. 

 "Come in" he just finishes dress up, hair still dim wet. He wore a purple shirt I bought for him.

" Hye kimchi fried rice? Yeah or Nah? " 

" Totally yeah," he replied while dry his hair with a small towel. 

"Alright, but you fried the eggs for us, okay? "

" What? I thought you will include breakfast in the bill? "  

 "Of course not. you are special case exclude the breakfast. "

" You call yourself a tenant. I should not rent in the first place. This is labour work. " 

Nah you deserve it. Plus you not even rent, you should be lucky I did not banish you away "  

Even though he nagged whenever I as him to help me,  he never thought let it be undone. Always be there. I pray to God whenever I got a chance to let Hongjoong live longer than I am. I can bear to imagine my life without him. 

" Seol whats your schedule today? "   

 "Hm, do some proofread, grocery shopping, house course and paperwork. " I said, while simmered my kimchi and throw the rice in. 

" I wanna join grocery shopping with you," he said while making his coffee using instant coffee he bough. 

" Sure, I need someone to carry stuff."  

" Huh, yeah. By the way, did you said you wanna do some paperwork,  for what? " he asked while sipped his coffee. 

" It's a Secret. " I make my weird secret face as I used to when I have a secret about the identity of my lastest crush in highschool.

" Lol, so is it for your job? " he laughed and frowned his face. 

" I can't tell you that it is supposed to be secret. " I said while gripped the salt to finish the cook. 

" Come on Seol,  hit it. Don t be . " he mad.

" What do expect, I am already a girl. Face it." 

"I hate you," he said angrily and crossed his arms to protest. 

" I hate you too. " I said lovely to him. " Let's eat, fried rice is done," I said, he looks at me disbelieve I ignorant his feeling.

" You know, don't forget to gave braised soy lotus to your mum. " I reminded him.

" Why should I, I do not want to," he said stubbornly.

"You know your mum quite worry" 

" Yeah, right," he said while spooned the rice for him.

"Come on its already been a week now." 

" Stop it Seol, I was hopping at least you are on my side," he said and continue to finish his food. 

" I am Hoong, " tried to persuade him. 

Alright Alright, I, will meet her. I know every time I call him like that he always been soothing to him. The word works like magic whenever I want something from him. 

I know his parent still disagree with his passion to be a composer. I did go easier for him. His parent was nice only a strict parent. Hongjoong on the other side is stubborn as a bull. Such a quite combination to be included in one family. 

" I want some ice cream after that okay ? " he said. 

' Okay, I promise " I nodded.

 

 

 

" Kim Hongjoong, I though you- " I stopped smile when I saw the person in front of me.

" Come on at least give me a smile " he provoked me while making a smile signal right on my face. I snapped his hand away to show him that he cannot take me lightly. 

" Did I tell you, Do not come to my house,  I will come to you? " I said firmly. 

" Why your boyfriend will go mad. " he teased me. Looking at me to an enjoyed view of my angry face but I stayed in my calm poker face giving not a slight joy for him. 

" I told you before that I am doing house renting. How can I gain my rent if collateral scared people " I said angrily.

" Wow house renting or... " he teases me.

I gave his a stern look. 

" Come on slap me, I will charge for that." he provoked me again, show his cheek to me. How can I beat a good build guy like him? If only he was small and weak.

" Why you always be like this? Can"t you just listen to me, Mr Song " begged me.

I do scare him. I scared him a lot but what scared most is if I cannot have my income this month. I cannot bear to lost my other income. Even now my payment as a part-time interpreter is no match to the payment of debt left by my uncle. I walked to the edge of my cabinet beside the telephone. An envelope contains 3/5 contain my monthly check. I can not believe my uncle do this to his own nephew. I was lucky enough that Mr Song agreed to have me pay with a certain amount every month. I gave him the envelope. He opened it and count it. He looks at me and took out the paper that I believe would be receipt of the debt.

" Do not forget to pay for the next months. " He gave me my receipt. 

" Have I ever miss? " 

 He gave me a stern look. 

" Yes yes, I will not forget. I will circle it every end month. " as I to the calendar that places on my shoe cabinet. He looks annoyed.

" Don't forget to say "Hi" to your beloved uncle " he smirked said while making his way out.

He left. My heart kinda feels the ache. It is not used to be like this. We used to live much well before. We play together regarding to no knowledge he is the son of business tycoon as that serve with the collateral, gangster business something. But afterwards, the black happens, my parent business went bankrupt. I only inherited this beautiful house. Without knowing it does the cost of money. The water and electricity and my shopping grocery. And don't forget my education payments.  I was lucky enough to be the only child. I do not need to take care of others. But then another thing happens, my uncle. Only after a years later,  I was able to manage to downsize the bill and control the debt. Now I need to do extra work to achieve my dream. 

 

 

"Hello, Seol- ah, this is Auntie Kim called." it was Hongjoong 's mum.

" Yeah, Mrs Kim "

" Is Hongjoong at your place? " she asked in concerned tune. I at the Hongjoong 's favourite cap on the desk right on my left. 

" No " I lied while gripped the telephone wire to ignoring my guilty. 

" Okay, I am asking again, Did Kim Hongjoong there, Seol? " she asked me again. 

" No. " I lied again. Guilty hit me hard. 

" Fine, please tell him to be home. We need to talk. " 

 " He was not here ma'am," I said. 

" Yes, I know. I know he wasn't there. I know my child. And I also know that you always be with his side. "

 " Always," she said before ending the call. 

I hung up the phone and look at the Hongjoong 's cap. She knows.