Chapter 5: Boreum

Dear Ms. Kim,

Thank you very much for taking the time to interview with us for the Interior Designer position. We appreciate your interest in the company and the job.

I am writing to let you know that we have selected the candidate whom we believe most closely matches the job requirements of the position.

We do appreciate you taking the time to interview with us and encourage you to apply for other openings at the company in the future.

Again, thank you for your time.

It’s like someone dropped a rock into my stomach. I tightly purse my lips, slightly biting them, as I recall reading the oh-so-familiar text on my laptop screen this morning. I should be used to this by now, right? At least this company had the heart to actually send me a rejection letter rather than leaving me hanging in anxious wonder. Rejection hurts though, no matter how many times I experience it. I can’t stop the seeping disappointment from reaching my heart. It spreads like black ink, tainting any ray of positivity I had going for me today, which was close to none. 

I stroll down the tiled aisle of the neighborhood convenience store, fingers trailing along the shelves of ramen and chips. My steps halt once I reach the end of the aisle, facing the glass window of the refrigerator. With a frustrated groan, I reach for the banana milk sitting on the refrigerator shelf. Maybe this would bring up my mood? I close the door to the refrigerator before pacing to the cash register. 

“Another bad day?” The cashier guesses when he sees me place the banana milk on the counter. Pathetic. Even the cashier knows my wallowing in self pity habits now. I only respond with a weak and pitiful closed lipped smile. 

“I got it.” A voice interrupts the cashier just as he’s about to recite the total. Ungracefully, I twirl around. My heart isn’t ready when I come face to face with Baekhyun. What was he doing in the neighborhood, which he doesn’t even live in anymore, in the middle of a weekday? He sends me that friendly grin of his before setting down a small pack of red ginseng extract on the counter as well, motioning the cashier to add it to the bill. 

“Are you okay?” Baekhyun asks, his brows subtly creasing when I don’t greet him. I blink. Talk Boreum, for heaven’s sake, don’t just stand here like an idiot. 

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. I was just… Thirsty.” The words messily tumble from my lips. 

“Thanks.” Baekhyun nods at the cashier before swiftly picking up both of our items and leading me out the store doors. He stops by the small table set up outside on the sidewalk, taking the small straw and popping it into the banana milk carton before handing it to me.

“Thanks.” I mumble, quickly taking it off his hands. I place the straw between my lips, inhaling and swallowing, but it doesn’t make me feel any less nervous around Baekhyun. Meanwhile, he just smiles at me in that endearing way of his. The way that makes my heart swell and my cheeks warm. 

“What are you doing here anyway? Don’t you have work?” I question the CEO as we begin strolling back towards my house. I didn’t question why he was walking me home. It was Baekhyun after all. He wouldn’t let his best friend’s little sister walk alone. He never did. Whenever I’d stay late at school for clubs or meetings, outside of practice days, Baekhyun was always at the school gate waiting for me so I wouldn’t be alone on the bus. I always wanted to ask him why he did that, but I assumed it’s just because he feels obligated to since I’m Chen’s baby sister. 

“I had to drop something off at my parents.” Baekhyun answers, pointing his finger in the direction of the Byun residence. 

“Why? You don’t want to see me?” He jokes, leaning towards my face so he could see my reaction. Truthfully, I don’t know what Baekhyun’s presence does to me. I love being around him. The butterflies. The smiles. The way I can feel happy around him. At the same time, I’m nervous. I’m just waiting for the moment where I completely embarrass myself in front of him. Also, maybe if he didn’t show up around me, I might be able to get over him. I scoff at that last thought. Kim Boreum, Baekhyun was gone for seven entire years and you still aren’t over him. 

“I’m just wondering why a whole CEO has so much time on his hands.” I playfully roll my eyes as I nudge him to keep walking. 

“It’s because I’m the CEO that I have so much time. It’s great being my own boss.” He notes with confidence. That was another charm of Baekhyun. His confidence. Whether he was the star of the high school soccer team or the CEO of his own fashion brand, Byun Baekhyun was always dripping in confidence. I have admired him for that for as long as I can remember. 

We finally come to a stop in front of my house. I stare at the aged red bricks and the black tiles that make up the roof. Great, back home where I can continue to slop around in defeat. 

“Thanks again, Baekhyun.” I bow my head, giving him one last beam before turning to go inside. I kid you not, my stomach completely combusts when I feel his warm hands wrap around my wrist. Did Baekhyun just grab for me? Are we, almost, holding hands right now? . Don’t overreact Boreum. Play it cool. With my best calm expression I glance over my shoulder, meeting Baekhyun’s soft gaze. 

“Come to my office with me.” Baekhyun proposes. My line of eyesight flickers to his fingers still on my wrist and his gaze follows. Quickly, he drops it. I can still feel my skin tingling where our skin touched. 

“You and I both know you don’t want to be cooped up at home all day. I don’t have any meetings today so you can just hangout with me as I do paperwork.” He explains, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pantsuit. He’s not wrong. Was it obvious how dreadful I am right now?

Before I know it I’m in Baekhyun’s office sitting directly on the other side of his desk. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have any other furniture in his office yet and being only a reach away from Baekhyun has my senses on high alert and my stomach fluttering. Discreetly, I peek over at the CEO. Like the crushing damsel I am, I admire the small wrinkle in between his brows as he focuses on his work. I’m tempted to reach over and press the creases away, but I don’t. Don’t need him thinking I’m some type of weirdo. Instead I keep observing as he chews on his bottom lip in thought. 

I’ve only ever seen the playful, teasing, caring, athletic Baekhyun growing up, not CEO Baekhyun. Not this Baekhyun who is engrossed in his career and passion. Not this Baekhyun who radiates a newfound charisma and spirit. Gosh, I didn’t think Byun Baekhyun from seven years ago could become any more attractive. Meanwhile, me? If I thought Baekhyun was out of my league in high school, then he’s on a whole new game now. How could I possibly compare to all the beautiful and successful women vying for his attention? I bet his first love from high school has a stable career, lives on her own, is drop dead gorgeous, and knows how to cook. 

“So have you found the girl from high school?” Like the fool I am, I break the peaceful silence. I don’t know why the question comes out or whether I actually even want to know the answer, but it’s already been put on the table and I can’t take it back now. The best I can do is not look up from the room sketches I had been scribbling. If I make eye contact now, it’s game over. I hear Baekhyun shift in his seat and I can feel his stare on me. Can I please just disappear into thin air? 

“Yeah, I have.” Baekhyun answers. I can hear the smile in his voice. Ouch to my heart. 

“Oh, did you tell her how you feel then?” I continue to question. I already started the conversation, so I can’t just drop the topic. That would be weird. 

“Not yet. I’m still thinking about whether I want to tell her or not.” Baekhyun explains as he leans back in his leather chair, putting his paperwork aside. 

“Why? You’ve been stuck on her for so long. Don’t you want to make a move or something?” I look up, our gazes locking. His steady one with my curious one. 

“I want to, but I don’t think she feels the same. I don’t want to make things awkward.” I slowly nod my head. I completely understand that, to a tee. I blink. He blinks. Wait, why was he being so open about this with me? Before I can linger on the thought for a second longer, Baekhyun moves. He snatches the sheet of paper I was doodling on. 

“Wait,” Desperately, I attempt to take it back, but he’s faster, as always. 

“These are pretty good, Bo.” Baekhyun remarks as his eyes scan the sketching of his office. To pass time and try to forget about my rejection letter, I had started creating a design for Baekhyun’s empty and unfinished office. I blush. This was my work, my passion, and having Baekhyun look at it made me anxious. 

“You think so? It’s sloppy since I was doing it absentmindedly.” I try to excuse the embarrassingly rough drawings. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. Do you want to work here?” Baekhyun suddenly offers. Wait… What? Did Baekhyun just offer me a job? Can he even do that? Well, I guess he is the CEO, but still? Shouldn’t he ask for more of my work? Interview me a bit?

“I’ve been looking through interior designers' portfolios all week, but I forgot I know one.” Baekhyun chuckles, his eyes twinkling as he looks at me. 

“Don’t you want like… a professional?” I ask him, but he just blankly blinks back at me. Surely, he would want someone with more experience when it comes to designing his headquarters. I’m fresh out of college with no actual work experience. I only have my academics backing me up right now. 

“I’m not even working under a consulting firm or anything.” I vocalize. Maybe I’ve finally found a flaw in the all-great Baekhyun: he at hiring people. No sane CEO would just hire a newbie right on the spot. Does that make sense?

“Consider yourself a freelancer then, cupcake.”

Is this what they mean when they say it’s not what you know, but who you know?