“Wheein-ah”

I looked up from my screen and saw Seulgi-unnie and the programmers waving at me. I smiled at them and waved back.

“Don’t be out too late, okay?” she reminded me.

“Yes, unnie. Take care also on your way back”

Joy and Nayeon later on joined them and said their goodbyes to me.

I waved back and said my goodbyes to them.

Glancing at the bosses’ offices, Miss Ahn’s lights inside her office were still on, which is why I still have to stay. We’re summarizing and organizing documents for an upcoming meeting next week. And since it’s almost the weekend, she wanted it done this week. We’re still far from halfway through.

Miss Kim’s office, however, has been dark ever since I could remember. She had a meeting with the programmers earlier and I wasn’t quite sure if she came back to the office or went home without dropping.

I glanced at the time and it’s already almost six. Then I pouted at my stomach when it grumbled. Surely, Miss Ahn wouldn’t scold me if I grab a few snacks to keep me running for tonight.

I saved my work before heading to the cafeteria. Coffee would be good for tonight but there’s none left. The company doesn’t have a coffee machine either. Miss Ahn prefers to have them delivered rather than making them. My colleagues also finished the instant coffee available.

It is indeed a tough week judging from the emptying fridge and snack bar.

I grabbed a carton of strawberry milk and a choco pie before heading back to the office to continue work while snacking.

Only when I was out of the cafeteria did I notice that the lights in the conference room were still on. I was probably too tired to notice it earlier. Thinking that they forgot to turn the lights off, I beelined to the conference room to turn the lights off.

The door was slightly ajar, I noticed. My glasses had been too foggy to actually help my poor eyesight. When I got a good look on the inside of the conference room, I realized that Miss Kim was still sitting at the head of the table. Her back was towards me so she didn’t notice me coming.

I wanted to offer some snacks for working late like me but thought otherwise when I could hear murmurs from the office. She must be on call so I decided not to disturb and head back to the office.

“Gabby, I missed you”

My ears perked up and I unconsciously stopped on my tracks when I heard Miss Kim. I don’t need Wendy-unnie to help me translate that.

So… who’s Gabby?

Byulyi-unnie was very certain that Miss Kim’s wedding ring doesn’t mean that she’s actually married. Or was married. Maybe she’s entirely wrong at that.

“I missed you so much…”

I glanced back and watched Miss Kim as she hunched forward on her seat. Both her hands were buried deep in her hair, looking distressed.

A response followed but it was hard to follow because, other than it’s in English, the other person was talking too fast. I couldn’t keep up.

I know this is wrong and that Miss Kim is obviously in a private conversation. This is none of my business and that I should step away and go back to work. But then I heard the other person say ‘unnie’ and I got even more curious.

I silently stepped closer, just a little, to the open door and focused on listening. I managed to catch a few words.

“...Please take care of Jinnie…”

Miss Ahn. She’s, I realized from the voice that it’s a woman, talking about Miss Ahn.

“...I love you both. Goodbye!”

At the end of the call, I panicked and thought that Miss Kim might catch me eavesdropping. I went back to my booth, placing my drink and snack on the table. After what I discovered, I ran out of appetite to eat so I went back to work.

The entire time, I was preoccupied.

I was thinking of my colleagues teasing me that I was Miss Kim’s favorite. And Byulyi-unnie saying that maybe Miss Kim might like me. And that made me question a lot of things. Made me see all of Miss Kim’s actions in a different perspective.

And what I realized is that, it’s not bad… Not a bad idea if Miss Kim actually liked me. Because maybe I also do like her. I’m not sure yet. But my head has been telling me yes.

With the phone call earlier, it left me disappointed.

Disappointed that maybe what Byulyi-unnie thought was wrong. Disappointed because of my expectations and assumptions.

Miss Kim might not like me. That might be the case.

The office doors suddenly opened and I got startled on my seat from being too deep in my thoughts.

“Wheein”

I gulped hard when Miss Kim called.

I only looked at her before going back to my work. “Yes, Miss Kim”

I could hear the heels of her boots clicking on the tiled floor, getting closer and closer to me. I swallowed another lump.

“Why are you still here? Oh, Hyejin’s still working?”

Brown eyes.

It’s magnetic and captivating that I couldn’t help but look away from my screen to her brown eyes.

“Yes, Miss Kim. Finishing something up”

Her eyebrows twitched as she stared at me.

I could tell she knows something is up with me.

She’s scary like this.

“Do you want me to talk to Hyejin? You looked tired”

I shook my head too fast. “No, Miss Kim. I’m fine.” I raised my snacks and nervously smiled at her. “I have snacks to power me up for tonight. Work calls for it”

She stared at me for a second before humming and walking away.

I didn’t realize I was holding onto my breath until she disappeared into Miss Ahn’s office. I held a hand to my chest and could feel how fast my heart was beating. I sighed heavily as I closed my eyes to help myself relax.

Miss Ahn’s office door suddenly opened, startling me again before I could completely relax.

Miss Kim was heading to her office while Miss Ahn was looking at me with a tired smile.

“Should we end here tonight and continue again tomorrow?” she asked.

I blinked. “Yes?”

It just feels like I started on my overnight shift. And now we’re going home already?

Miss Ahn laughed at my bewilderment. “Let’s continue again tomorrow, Wheein. I’m a bit tired already. Save your work and go home”

“Ah… Okay, Miss Ahn”

“I’ll just pack up before I leave.” She tipped her chin at me. “You should do the same”

“Yes, Miss Ahn”

I stood in the empty office and stared at the now closed door in Miss Ahn’s office. Are we really going home now?

As the door to Miss Kim’s office opened, I went back to my senses and followed Miss Ahn’s orders. I put the unopened strawberry milk and choco pie in my bag. I’ll eat this on the road since my appetite is slowly going back now.

Miss Ahn, Miss Kim, and I all walked out of the office together. The two were discussing something in English and I’m too tired to keep up or have the energy to follow through what they’re talking about.

Right by the door, Miss Kim opened a control panel and scanned her fingerprint. A couple of beeps followed before Miss Kim removed her hand and closed it.

Wendy-unnie introduced this to me during the tour on my first day in the company. She said that it’s the building’s security system which is why they never needed a guard. And with just a fingerprint scan of either Miss Kim and Miss Ahn, the entire establishment will be in complete high security.

I was following right behind them when the two suddenly stopped on their tracks, making me stop as well. I glanced towards the parking lot to where Byulyi-unnie was and saw her waving at me. I waved back but my hand froze when I saw Miss Kim’s car starting and moving on its own.

That still amazes me.

“Wheein” Miss Ahn called.

“Yes, mam”

She was grinning at my shocked face. “Yongyong-unnie will be treating me to dinner. Go with Byulyi-unnie. She will drive you home or wherever the two of you want. It’s already a little late”

“You don’t mind if we use your car?” I asked, unable to mask how surprised I am.

“It’s fine. I can trust you two. And besides, Yongsun-unnie has it GPS-tracked so I’ll know if you’ll go to suspicious places. But don’t be scared. We don’t check on it twenty-four-seven”

“Okay…”

It doesn’t matter whether she said not to worry or scared. I’m already nervous the moment she said ‘GPS-tracked’

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun!” Miss Ahn waved at me. “Same time again tomorrow, Byulyi-unnie. Keep the car with you so you don’t have to drive back and forth”

“Yes mam!” Byulyi-unnie answered.

“Drive safely,” Miss Kim reminded unnie.

“Yes mam”

The second response obviously dropped by a lot in terms of how enthusiastic Byulyi-unnie responded. I silently giggled at her and when she caught me, she gave me a pointed look, making it harder for me to hold the giggle.

We waited for the two of them to leave before we went inside Miss Ahn’s car. We decided to eat dinner first since it’s getting late before Byulyi-unnie will drive me back to her apartment.

On our way to get dinner, I remembered Miss Kim’s phone call earlier. And as a good older sister to me, Byulyi-unnie instantly noticed the changes of my mood.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

I shook my head but hearing her sigh, she’s not having any of it.

I hesitated to ask because it’s something personal and I don’t think it’s any of our business. But I’m curious. And the disappointment that I felt makes me even more curious.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I asked, “Do you know who Gabby is?”

Her eyebrows furrowed while her eyes bounced between the road and to me. “Gabby? Who’s Gabby?”

So she doesn’t know…

“Unnie… I think your theory is wrong” I mumbled softly.

“What theory? Oh, you mean… The one I said at the mountain hotel?”

“Yes”

“Does this have something to do with Gabby?”

I nodded, finally turning to face her. “I overheard Miss Kim in the conference room earlier. My poor eyesight didn’t catch Miss Kim inside the conference. I thought they forgot to turn the lights off so I went there to find out that she’s there and I could hear that she’s on a phone call.

“I was about to head back to the office but then I heard her say that she misses Gabby. And with you saying that she might like me and the rest of our colleagues saying that I am her favorite, I got curious. I didn’t mean to but I stayed and overheard the conversation.

“Maybe she likes me but not the way you’re thinking. Maybe she’s still married and she’s married to this Gabby, unnie”

“Hmm… We’re certain though that she’s not married”

“Maybe not but she’s already in a relationship” I countered.

Her eyebrows scrunched again as she frowned at me. “Why are you so upset about this?”

“I’m not”

I wasn’t, was I?

“You sound like you are,” Byulyi-unnie argued.

“I’m not.” I sighed heavily, calming myself down. I may have sounded upset so I need to calm down. “All I’m saying is… You don’t have to worry about me, unnie”

She only laughed at me as she patted my arm. “I will always worry about you, Wheein-ah”

She laughed some more when she saw me pouting at her.

“I’ll be fine. You even said that I’m big now”

“Big baby… yup!”

I playfully smacked and punched her arm and she only laughed at me. “I’m grown up now!”

“I know…” She patted my head and it felt good when she did that. “Still… Be careful, Wheein-ah”

“You know I am, unnie”

On the weekend, Miss Kim and I went again on another ocular visit. This time we went to Flavors, which is an exquisite fine dining restaurant. I was out of focus most of the time because of the array of seafood options. Miss Kim said not to worry about it but I still promised to make a really good report for her.

She was supposed to drop me to the nearest bus stop but she offered to drive me to the shelter this time. Of course, I declined. She insisted and said that she wanted to go there too.

So I’m bringing my boss to the animal shelter.

I’m nervous.

“Hey, Wheein. Do me a favor?”

“Yes, Miss Kim”

“Don’t call me, Miss Kim. We’re not working anymore. I’m visiting the shelter where you volunteer. Not as your boss”

“But—”

“Please… Call me unnie. Or Yongsun-unnie. Or whatever, but definitely not Miss Kim. Okay?”

The encouraging smile on her face made me smile on my own.

I slowly shook my head as I asked, “I can’t talk you out of it, can I?”

“No.” She chuckled.

“Okay… Yongsun-unnie”—there was a satisfied smile, wider than before, on her face as I mentioned her name—“you came just at the right time because today’s the pets’ playtime and the pitbulls’ bath time. And since you came with me, you’re going to help me bathe them. Are you sure you still want to come with me?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m sure we’ll be fine”

“Alright. Don’t regret that” I challenged.

She laughed again. “I won’t”

When we reached the shelter, I had to introduce her to the other volunteers. Since Miss Kim insisted that she’s not here as my boss, I introduced her as my friend. I got a nod of approval so I carried on.

Sodam-unnie, the head of the animal shelter, was there right at our front desk. She was the first one to meet Miss Kim. They shook hands before Taeyeon-unnie came to us. I introduced Miss Kim to her next. Seungyoon-oppa was there too with Jinu-oppa. They were preparing the pets to be taken out to the playground.

I grabbed Miss Kim’s arm and dragged her to the playground. “Let’s go, Yongsun-unnie. We have to wait outside for this”

She let me drag her out, laughing behind me.

I stopped in the middle of the playground. Then I crouched down to brace for impact.

“What are you doing?” Miss Kim asked. She was still standing beside me, watching me curiously.

“The dogs will come out and they know I’ll be waiting outside. They’re all excited so better brace for impact”

Concern filled her face. “Brace for impact?”

I didn’t have to answer her when she heard the barks right behind the closed door to the shelter.

She moved to stand behind me and asked, “Is this safe, Wheein?”

“Of course! I’ve done this plenty of times, unnie”

“Will they bite you?” Her voice is getting more and more worried.

I laughed at her as I shook my head.

She only blinked, staring unsurely at me.

I held her down and made her crouch beside me. “Stay here, Yongsun-unnie. We’ll be fine.” I cupped my lips and shouted, “Bring them out now!”

“Alright! Here they come!” Seungyoon-oppa said before he opened the door.

The barks got louder and as usual, Ave got out first. She was followed by the three pits. As usual. The cats went to their playhouse and Luther was doing his zoomies.

I was expecting a tackle when Ave was really close. I must’ve dedicated my attention to the dogs that I didn’t realize that the person right beside me is already gone. And instead of a tackle from the dogs, I was lifted away from the dogs.

Suddenly, I was in the arms of Miss Kim.

“Miss Kim!?”

She ran to the playhouse where the cats were and I was still in her arms. “I did tell you not to call me that” she whispered under her breath as she brought me down in the playhouse. Then she turned around and shielded her body from the dogs. “You’re safe here. Stay there”

“The dogs or me?” I asked.

“Both?” she responded, uncertain.

I just laughed at her and