You feel your table and your hand meets something with a rustle.  The object was covered with plastic, until your hand reaches its end, figuring out what it was as your face spreaded into a grin.

“A bouquet,” You smile to yourself, feeling the velvety texture of the flowers inside of it, always noticeable to the tips of your fingers.  “Of ranunculus,”

“Oh, agasshi,” The voice of your maid speaks behind you.  “That was from—“

“Baekhyun-ssi? Yes, I know, Lena,” You smile, breathing in the faint scent of your favorite flowers. 

Something was strange though, the bouquet seemed heavier than normal bouquets are supposed to weigh.  You feel the flowers and find a vacant spot at the middle, gently digging into it and finding a box inside, its contents repeatedly clacking when you shake it.  Once again, the gift makes you smile and you lift the object and ask Lena. 

“Lena.  Are these chocolate bits?”

“Yes, agasshi,” She answers.  “Is it from the bouquet?” Lena chuckles while she continues combing your hair.  “There’s a note, agasshi.  It says ‘kekeke~’ followed by a smiley face,” At this, Lena laughs along with you.  She understands that to manage your figure, you are not to munch on snacks, chocolate ones at that, but this was an exception you two silently agreed to keep a secret.

You pop a few bits into your mouth and let the chocolate slowly melt in your mouth, leaving its sweet traces on your tongue before you open your drawer and put the treats in it, closing it and patting it securely.  You do like Baekhyun’s gift.

The maids enter your room and begin dressing you up, picking out a casual dress from your huge walk-in closet, along with comfortable heels that matched.  They do your hair and make up, and when you’re almost done, they put on several jewelries on you; a necklace, a bracelet and earrings, when Lena announces that you’re done.

“What’s the dress, Lena?” You ask, feeling the fabric of the outfit you’re in.

“The peach one, agasshi, with black lining along the chest rimples, without straps, the bottom part reaching the middle part of your shin.  The necklace is the one with the black onyx, and you have a golden bangle on, plus your kitten heels are skin toned,” She explains.

“Oh, I see,” You nod, your thoughts chuckling at the irony.  “Is Jongdae—“

“Beautiful, as usual, agasshi,” The familiar voice of your assistant speaks in front of you, which, you assume was at the door to your room. 

You extend your hands and feel him take it in his, linking your arms and guiding you out after you thanked the maids for everything.  You notice that he is back in his usual suit, and you nudge him lightly on the shoulder.

“Why don’t you ask father to let you off of the suit formality?” It was rhetorical, something you always say to him whenever he’s in the suit uniforms.

He chuckles as he always does and stops for a while to tidy some invisible imperfections from you, opening the door that opens to the flight of stairs leading to the dining table.  His hand slips down to your fingers and he holds it gently but firmly, as you count your way down the steps.

’19, 20, 21, 22, 23,’ Your heels safely click on the floor, finishing the flight of stairs.  Chen guides you to your seat and pulls the chair back for you, letting you sit, and himself taking the seat on your left.

A woman’s voice says from your right.  “Hello, dear,”

“Mother,” You dip your head in a bow.

“How was school?” She asks absently.

“It was fine, mother,”

The continuous clink of silverware meeting the plates dominated the lunch’s conversation, you yourself eating the food served before you quietly.  That’s how you are with your parents; detached.  Oh, you do try, but they never respond.  Your father doesn’t even acknowledge your presence on the table as he is focused on your sister and the Wu family’s son; Kris, sitting across you, on the right of your sister, while your father sits at the head of the table.  A position that never changes.

“Chen, how is she doing with school?” Your father’s deep voice enquired.

“She is doing excellent, director,” Chen answers, and the question finishes at that.

Conversation is made.  Your father absently explains the condition of the companies, your mother fusses about the things she manage, and the both of them mainly speak about your sister and Kris afterwards.  You kept quiet, as you played no role whatsoever in the dialogue.

At exactly half an hour past one, the lunch is finished and your parents get off the table first, followed by your sister and her fiancee, and lastly, you.  You wait until their voices fade away before you stand up from your chair and slip your arm through the hook of Chen’s, returning to your room while he tells you what you’re having afterwards.

“Work, agasshi,” He smiles to the obvious light in your face when the word is mentioned.