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Remember your first day at school?

Those anxious, insecure feelings of wanting to fit in the circle of society?

The first day at work, somehow brings back those lone gone feelings.

<<>> 

It was a Monday, and my first day at work as parts of the new architects hired by the Sunshine Firm. I stood still, placing both of my hands on my waist, and I squinted my eyes as I looked up to the office building, which stood tall in front of me. I took a deep breath, and curved my lips into a smile, as I gave a slight tug to the straps of my leather bag pack, before I entered the entrance door of the building.

Today would be the day that I was going to live my dream.

I pressed the fifth floor of the elevator buttons, of the twelve-storey building, and waited for the elevator to stop at my destination floor. I shoved both of my hands into my pocket and glanced around the interior of the elevator. It was a classic one, with carved wooden as its interior, and there was a surveillance camera attached at the top corner of the elevator too. I turned mischievous, as I grinned cheekily and gave a salute at the camera, before walking out from the elevator.

According to the lady receptionist at the fifth floor, I would have my own working table in an office room, that I would share with three other architects, including one senior architect, who would assist the juniors. With the help of the receptionist, she ushered me to my place and as I walked my steps excitedly, I glanced around the busy office's surroundings as some of the workers there would smile sheepishly at me and I would greet them with an awkward 'hi'.

When I finally reached the assigned office room, I thanked the receptionist with her help. I knocked softly on the door, but no one replied me. Thus, I opened the door carefully, and poked my head inside, but I found no trace of people inside the room yet.

There were three tables inside, and I found mine, which had a name plate on the table with my name written, Lee Howon. My table was at the corner, the one nearest to the window. The table opposite me was slightly larger, and it had the name plate written Kim Sunggyu, in which, I assumed, it belonged to the senior architect, the one that the receptionist told me about. I placed my bag pack on the chair, and flipped through the documents on the table.

I was peeking through the curtain’s window, when I heard a voice – a familiar one.  

“Well, well, who would have thought that we would meet again as colleagues?”

I turned my back around, and smiled at the figure, who was crossing her arms and elegantly stood with a white blazer and white pencil skirt, which were completed with a striking pink blouse. Her hair was short.

I shrugged my shoulder and she shrugged hers too. We then both chuckled.

“Hello, Nicole Jung, it's nice to meet you again.”

“And it's nice to meet you again too, Lee Howon.”

<<>> 

Our first day at the firm was filled with infinite briefings, meetings with the Chief Executive Officers, meetings with the seniors, and we had some ice-breaking sessions between new employees too. By late afternoon, I found myself wilting, being almost exhausted with the on-going programs.

I squinted my dreary, watery eyes; yawning lightly from time to time, forcing myself to pay attention towards the talk and the endless, wordless information on screen. For almost the entire day, I sat next to Nicole, who would nudge my arms lightly, when I started to yawn. Sometimes, she would break into her giggles when she noticed that I was being dozy.

I started to get sleepy again at quarter past two in the evening. The talking voice of the person in front, almost felt like a sleeping lullaby to me. How motivating.

“Lee Howon, stop yawning!” She murmured in a whisper beside me, as her crinkled eyes pretended to focus in front, though I knew, her attention was getting deficit by time too.

“What?" I replied, as I cocked my head to the side to look at her. "I’m not yawning; I’m just stretching my jaw.”

She hit my arms lightly in retorts, and giggled a bit. However, I was still yawning, and when she noticed that, she took something out from the pocket of her white blazer.

“Hey, do you want some candies?” She offered.

I looked at the two peppermint candies on the palm of her hand, and then I placed my gaze at her. She smiled at me, with her dilated eyes, signaling me to take her offer.

I took one, and tugged my lips with a smile. “Thank you, Nicole.”

Somehow, she reminded me of someone.

<<>> 

At almost six o'clock in the evening, I finally survived the longest, first day that I've ever had, so far. I never knew, being an architect required me to listen to the endless talking and briefings from people, that I could barely memorize their names. Well, since most of the times, I was drown in my own silly thoughts, thinking of how ridiculous did the CEO look with his long, greyish moustache, and how 'grasshopper-liked' did the guy who sat in front of me looked with his striking green shirt.

I only like sketching homes, to be honest - and nothing much else mattered to me.

“Should we get something to eat? Perhaps a dinner or anything?” She suggested to me, with a slight hopeful tone, as we walked out together from the building.

I scratched my head. I actually had a plan; I was going to head somewhere afterwards.

“That sounds like a good idea, but-" I hesitated for a while, as she studied my face expression.

"But?"

"But... I have plans actually.”

“Ahh, I didn’t know that Lee Howon is this busy.”

I chuckled awkwardly, before replying, "Maybe, next time?"

“Well, don’t mind me.” She smiled, with a shrug.

"Sorry?"

"Umm, well apology accepted, but you still owe me a dinner though."

“Sure, a dinner it is."

I bade her goodbye, before I ran hastily to catch the bus, without looking back.

<<>> 

Whether it was a fate or a purely coincidental, the small apartment that I rented in Seoul, was only three blocks away from Bomi’s flower shop, approximately ten minutes of walk from my apartment. The apartment was just nice, with a window overlooking the empty, quiet streets; it made a perfect combination for my requirements of needing peacefulness to my sketching architectural works. I walked passed her shop this morning too when I was about to go to work, but her shop was still closed.

Remember that plan? My plan was to visit Bomi – for no particular reasons. I did meet her a couple of days ago, when Changsub came and fetched me from the airport. She tagged along, and I was happy to see her.

I stopped by a small restaurant, to buy some take-away foods for her, to fill her stomach, just in case if she hadn’t had her dinner yet, just like what had happened that other day. I remembered how Bomi once said to me that she liked eating those take-away noodles placed in noodle boxes, just because she thinks that the boxes are cute. How weird is that? But I guess Bomi is Bomi.

I walked a bit, before I finally reached the street across her flower shop. A smile crept up my face, as I could see her from afar. She was at the counter, looking busy with a scissor in her hand, perhaps cutting some thorns from the flowers.

She looked as serene as she was when I first saw her at the flower shop. As serene as a lavender.

I was about to cross the street, when I suddenly saw Changsub’s figure in the picture. He suddenly appeared from one corner of the shop, walking with a pot in his hands, and then he approached her, playfully pinching her nose - in which she returned it with a slight punch on his chest. He then whirled her around in his arms, as I watched them dancing together, oblivious to their surroundings, oblivious to the world, oblivious to me.

And I could clearly hear their visible laughs from right across the street.

I didn’t know why, but I could feel a tinge of sorrow in the tiniest part of my lonely heart.

Paper hearts, why do you even exist?

I stared solemnly at the plastic of noodle boxes I had in my hands. I curved a bitter smile. What was I thinking? I gave them a last glance before I silently walked passed her flower shop, just like what I did this morning, but only to be accompanied by the sudden drizzle of rain. 

someone tell me where do i find a guy like kang junhee? p.s from here onwards, updates might starting to get slower. my apology in advance :(

pinkiepromise d'aww thank you ^^ i'm sorry if it's tearing you apart :(  /throwshugs/ ~~

eternalove5 stop lurking inside my mind lol you XP

CisumAmethyst hahaha i'm gonna make you wait some more :p

dinobunny i will tell changsub to stop doing that to bbom haha XD