“MinKi, please come with me . . .” Ro pleads as the limo pulls up to the tall, elegant building – one of many that belong to her successful father. MinKi stretches across the seat that he has for himself. “Nah, I’m going to hang out with JR today. Sorry, Noona.” He doesn’t look a smidge sorry as he slouches there with an easy smile. Ro makes a face and gets out. Before she shuts the door, she says with mock-sadness, “Oh . . . Then I guess you won’t be missing this.” Ro produces MinKi’s headband that she ‘stole’ the week before from her back pocket. She slips it on, admiring her reflection in the tinted windows of the car.

Ro only sees MinKi’s eyes widening as she slams the door and rushes to twenty feel to the revolving doors.

The grand lobby is very ‘grand’ indeed. It takes up the whole lower lever. Marble desks line the lobby with a pretty, young secretary at each. The huge gold statue fountain reaches toward the glass ceiling, water spewing from the man’s mouth. [A/N: Only half of the lobby’s ceiling is made of glass]. The floor is reflective, making the room seem even larger that it already is, as does the mirrored wall across from the entrance. There are two wide and tall escalators close to the fountain – one going up, the other coming down.

Ro straightens her shoulders, takes off her vest so that her light blue, short-sleeved, button-down shirt and tie show. It makes her appear a little more professional, and though her pleated skirt just screams “schoolgirl”, people will take her more seriously.

Not that there’s a single employee in this building who doesn’t know who she is.

Ro is halfway to the escalators when she’s attacked by a ball of fur. Paws press into her stomach and a face stares up at her with a pink tongue and a dumb grin. Ro backs away, eyes bulging. Why the hell is there a DOG in her father’s building?? The medium-sized animal follows her movements. Then it dives for her skirt.

“No!” Ro screams, holding the dog away. She trips and falls, bruising her tailbone. The puppy jumps halfway on top of her and tries to her face. “Get off of me, you creature!”

Ro hears a familiar voice shout, “Moji! Down! Heel! Get off of –”

As the speaker nears and sees Ro, and Ro sees him, he hesitates, confused. Ro’s eyes are blazing.

“DongHo, get your animal OFF OF ME!”

Ro’s demand shakes BaekHo out of his stupor – but Aron has already appeared next to Ro and picked up the wriggling puppy. BaekHo helps Ro instead. “I’m so sorry about that. Mianhe, mianhe.” He bows. Ro makes a sound of frustration at the vague paw prints all over her shirt. Aron snorts quietly. It earns him a steely flower from the victim.

“DongHo-ssi,” Ro hisses. “What are you two doing here? And why is your DOG here??”

Aron ruffles the puppy’s ears. Ro recognizes it as a black lab. She looks back at BaekHo. He smiles at her happily. “Oh, well, my little Moji followed someone into her and we just came to get her back. I apologize again for her attack on you. ^^;”

Ro puts her hand on her hip and leans to the side, flipping her black hair. BaekHo and Aron pause to stare. They sense a lecture coming. Ro glares at them through slanted eyes, scrutinizing. “Well,” she huffs, flipping her hair again, “thanks you your dog, I’m late for my meeting. And you DO realize that there’s a ‘no dogs allowed’ sign outside, right? So, though she got in accidentally, you need to get out, now. And, please” – Ro pinches the bridge of her nose – “don’t tell anyone about this at school, ne?” Ro doesn’t get an answer. She snaps her eyes open and the two boys stand at attention and nod with innocent faces.

Ro rolls her eyes. “Just leave before someone catches that thing in here.” She turns away and starts for the escalators. BaekHo takes Moji from Aron, whose phone is ringing. As Aron steps away, BaekHo catches up to Ro. “Ro-ssi!” She turns around. When she sees the happy-go-lucky face coming, towards her, her lips purse.

He reaches her and holds up the panting puppy. “Will you let Moji apologize?” he asks, a twinkle in his eye. Ro’s face scrunches up like she smells rotten milk – but before she can decline ever so politely (“Hell no.”), Moji’s face is inches from hers.

“DongHo!” she complains as the cute bundle her face lovingly. Then, suddenly, there are strong arms around her curved, feminine frame and her nerves become supersensitive to the touch. Moji snuggles between the two bodies, still kissing Ro’s jaw.

Ro feels the warm breath on her ear as the boy whispers, “Mianhe again. And please call me ‘BaekHo’, ne?” The damn smile. Always. There’s always a smile in his voice, Ro thinks. BaekHo pulls back, eyes crinkling.

“. . . Ne,” Ro agrees, her face one of slight irritation. She pushes against his broad chest lightly, telling him to get off with this small action. His arms fall away from her to wrap around Moji instead. Ro suppresses a shiver from the sudden loss of extra warmth. “Kamsahamnida,” he says. [A/N: That’s the formal version of ‘thank you’].

And then she’s left behind, wondering why she feels as if she’s lost something real, as BaekHo, Moji, and Aron wave good-bye to her, and step outside into the afternoon light.