Taecyeon was busy going through some company reports in his office when his blackberry rang. He absent-mindedly picked up the phone without checking who it was but immediately recognized the voice that greeted him.

“Yup, bud! What’s up?” Taec asked.

“Dude, I need a favor.” Siwon asked as Taec looked at his watch and notice it was 9am in the morning. What was up with Siwon and his early morning calls these days? Did that fellow get into trouble again? He was the president of the company who would only come into the office after 11am.

“You see..” Siwon continued. “Yubin called me to say she is on the way to my office now but I told her I’m stuck in a meeting so she should come in later. She said she didn’t mind and will wait for me in the office. I just woke up obviously so you need to help me stall her. Like entertain her or something until I make it to the office. Can you do that for me, bud?” 

Taec chuckled, shaking his head. Siwon seemed to be smitten by this one from the way he was talking about her yesterday at lunch. Taec wondered if it was because she was royalty or because she was hot but he guessed it must be the “hotness” since Siwon did not talk much about future commitment plans but how he couldn’t wait to bed the hot royal princess.

“Alright... You owe me, dude.” Taec agreed.

“Thanks, Taec! Dinner and drinks on me!” Siwon knew he could always count on Taec. “Oh, and ah… don’t fall for her, ok? Trust me, you might be smitten.”

Taec laughed and brushed off the comment because all these years the 2 of them had always been quite the gentlemen when it came to women. They had been following the first come first serve rule. Whoever laid eyes on a particular girl first, the other guy would not try to get in the way. Fortunately, so far, they never laid eyes on the same woman.

“Sir, President Choi’s secretary has informed me that he has a VIP visitor who will be coming to your office anytime now.” Taec’s secretary called in to check with him not long after Taec finished his conversation with Siwon.

“Yes, I’m aware, Ms. Lee. When you see her, please send her in. By the way, she’s the royal princess.” Taec reminded his secretary.

“Yes, sir. Ermmm… I think she just arrived. She’s walking towards me now. Shall I usher her in now?”

“Ok!” Taec was suddenly nervous and he had no idea why. It was not like the first time he had seen a Siwon girlfriend but it could be because she was a royalty and he had no idea what he was supposed to do when he meets one. Is he supposed to bow like 90 degree? Damn, he was away from Korea for years! “Wait! Ms. Lee. Am I supposed to bow or do I take her hand to kiss? I have no idea.”

“Sir, I can’t talk now. She’s right in front of me now and I have to usher her into your office now!” Ms Lee whispered.

Ok, I’ll just bow politely like what I used to see on Korean TV. Taec thought to himself.

His secretary walked into the office, ushering the princess who wore a casual sleeveless pastel dress which made a nice contrast with her smooth tanned skin. She flipped her long brown wavy hair to the back of her left shoulder with just a slight shake of her head, and nodded with a polite smile when Secretary Lee introduced them. “Your highness, this is Mr. Ok Taecyeon, our executive director.”

Taec immediately forgot about the bow and stood dumbfounded. He wasn’t sure if Siwon was right about him going to be smitten by her or he just found her too damn familiar. Like she was someone imprinted in his memory a long time ago. He tried to take in her familiar perfect features and felt his heart beating a little too fast. Yubin stood staring at the tall handsome director standing behind his desk a few feet away, wondering why he somehow looked like someone she met before. He was also staring at her. They kept silent for a long awkward moment before Taec noticed his secretary standing behind the princess and making weird faces and actions like she was hinting to him to bow or something.

Taec quickly caught the hint and came forward, away from his desk and bowed with his head down and hand stretched out for a handshake. “It’s an honor to meet you.. your highness.”  He finally spoke.

Yubin took his hand and shook lightly. She was then led by Secretary Lee and Taec to take a seat on his office sofa. Taec sat down at the sofa seat next to her and asked what drink she would like to have. She asked for a latte and Secretary Lee left them alone to make their drinks.

“Ermm.. Sorry but Siwon’s in a meeting at the moment and he asked that I keep you company while waiting…. If that’s ok with you.” Taec explained, trying not to stare at her like he did earlier. However, it seemed like she was not being shy staring at him at the moment. Yubin noticed his smooth tanned complexion and those familiar chiseled cheeks now that he was much closer in person but he was trying hard not to look at her directly. Why was she staring at him like a fool?

“Oh, it’s fine.” She remembered to answer him and composed herself to start a conversation. “So, how long have you been in the company, Mr. Ok?”

“More than 4 years.” he replied. “I used to be stationed in the Manhattan office until I got transferred here just a few days ago.” Taec got into business mode, except he was rubbing his palms more than usual.

“Manhattan? You don’t live in Korea?” Yubin suddenly spoke in English, surprising Taec who felt she might have studied English in the States since there was a slight American accent to it. Whatever he had been suspecting now was getting a little closer. Just then, his secretary came back with the coffee for the both of them and they both took a sip at the same time.

“I was born in Korea but I spent my high school and college days in Massachusetts before I landed the job at CM group in Manhattan.” He replied in English.

Yubin paused from drinking her latte at the moment he spoke English in that recognizable American accent. She took a closer look at him again, staring into his eyes this time. Maybe she might have met him in the US, maybe he was some guy she had a crush on but she was sure she didn’t know any Ok Taecyeon. So who is he??? How was he giving her such feels?

Taec stared back at those eyes. He shook his head and smiled embarrassingly. “I’m really sorry for staring but you really looked…”

Just then, Siwon swung into the office and announced. “So sorry to keep you waiting, Yubin.” As he came forward to give her a friendly cheek to cheek hug.

Taec felt a sudden jealous surge that Siwon could actually greet her in such a friendly manner. Then he remembered that Siwon and Yubin had reached to some stage of flirting already since their last date.

“So you met Taec, my best bud and most talented director already?” Siwon asked Yubin who nodded with that polite smile again.

“He’s the man. Haha..” Siwon patted Taec’s shoulder then asked Yubin. “Shall we have breakfast before I bring you for a tour around my office?”

“…Sure.” Yubin obliged and was led towards the door by Siwon’s gentlemanly hand on the small of her back.

Before she left, she turned back to Taec and said “It was nice meeting you, Taecyeon-shii.”

 “My pleasure, Yubin-shii.” Taec bowed slightly, as she left the office with Siwon.

When the door shut, Taec dropped himself on the sofa and wondered in awe if she could be the girl he had been searching for all these years. He shook his head, telling himself it couldn’t be.

“I couldn’t have kissed a Royal Princess in a in crowded club in New York!?” he exclaimed to himself, thinking of the ridicule of it. No way was she that girl.

As Yubin stood in the elevator leaving the office with Siwon, she couldn’t stop thinking about Taecyeon. Earlier she caught a glimpse of his handsome dimpled smile that seemed all too familiar when he was trying to say something before Siwon came into the office. Her curiosity for this man was killing her and those eyes and smile were the main cause of it. She told herself it would be crazy he could be that one and only nameless stranger she ever kissed in her life. 

A/N: More TaecBin??