Jessica breathlessly entered the main office; the bell gave out a faint but clear ring as she passed through the door. She bowed and gave an awkward smile to her colleagues who had their eyes on her and just then, she watched Dara eyeing her with an unpleased expression as she walked towards her.

“Miss Jung, do you know what time is it now?” she asked in an angry tone, slightly raising her voice. Jessica had never thought that there is this side of her, when she was interviewing her, she gave her a friendly and pleasant vibes but now was totally the opposite.

Before Jessica could speak, Dara interjected with her arms crossed, “Do you know that one of the company rules is punctuality and you are freaking half an hour late. This behavior is truly unacceptable especially today is your first day of reporting.”

Jessica apologized immediately, “I am sorry. I know that I shouldn’t be late for my first day.” She blamed herself for drinking but she she can’t tell her the reason on why she is late whilst she will lose her job on the very first day.

The only thing Jessica could do was to only lower her head and apologize while Dara continues her lecturing. Definitely, this is not the way how Jessica would expect to start her first day on her very first ever job. The bell rang indicating another person entering the office.

“Dara shi, I am late as well. Please lecture me too,” a voice from behind interrupted Dara.

Dara looked up and had her eyes widened. “Oh Good –“

Jessica turned back and realized it was Luhan, the man who helped her. He worked in the same department as well? Oh no! I had implicated him.

Knowing that Dara would lecture him like how she did to her, she quickly defended Luhan before Dara opens .

“He was late because of me!” Jessica defended. “If you want to scold him, please scold me instead!”

She heard loud gasp from her colleague and even from Dara. Why do they seem so shocked? she wondered as she looked up to Luhan and gave him a quick smile.

“Why will Mr Xi late because of you?” Dara finally asked.

“Ani, she was late because of me,” Luhan said causing Jessica confused look on him.

“Why?” Dara asked.

“I believe I do not need to report on everything to you, right? Dara shi,” Luhan smiled.

“Ah – yes sorry I probe too much,” she awkwardly looked down.

“Jessica shi, let me bring you to your desk then,” she continued.

Jessica had confusion written on her face. Why will Luhan said that? Why will Dara changed her tone after what Luhan said?

Luhan winked at Jessica when she arched her brows at him.

“Jessica shi – “Dara called out, bringing her senses back.

“Neh,” Jessica followed her as she looked back at Luhan who had his happy smile plastered on his face. He followed behind them and while the others greeted him, Jessica didn’t manage to notice as her mind was exhausting enough for the morning.

“You are lucky this time, but no more lateness in future,” Dara hissed softly and showed her her desk which is in front of Mr Xi room. From Mr Xi’s room, if the curtain is un blind, he will have a full view at her.

“This is your seat. I will brief on what you are supposed to do,” Dara said.

“Can I ask you something?” Jessica asked softly.

“What is it?”

“What is Luhan post here?” she asked curiously.

“How can you call his name so casually? In office, everybody address him as Mr Xi, He’s our boss here, I thought you should have known since you two knew,” Dara snickered.

“What?!” she raised her voice unknowingly due to the shock and Dara rolled her eyes on her.

“I will come back later with relevant files for you to go through,” Dara left without turning back and bowed to Luhan when he walked past her with a charming smile.

“Hi Jessica, we meet again,” Luhan greeted.

Jessica bowed and greeted back sarcastically. “Morning Mr Xi.”

Suddenly, the thought of him being Mr Xi and how he lied to her made her furious somehow. She really dislikes being a fool.

“What’s wrong?” he noticed her change of tone.

“Nothing,” she simply dismissed and unpacked her things, not keeping eye contact with him.

“Jessica, are you mad that I did not inform you about my status earlier? Look, I apologized for it because I didn’t want you to get a shock,” he explained although he felt no wrong.

“Mr Xi, you don’t have to apologize. I should be the one to apologize for being late and thankful that I am not fired by you,” she casually replied which somehow annoys him with the tone she is giving him. Obviously, he doesn’t like it at all. I felt like a fool, he heard her soft whisper.

“Jessica, I am really sorry. Is there any I can make it up to you?” he pouted which caught Jessica off guard. Unknowingly, he doesn’t welcome the idea of Jessica being mad at him.

She realized that Luhan was being sincere and even apologizing to her repeatedly, she decided to forgive him. Moreover, he is her boss after all.  She finally smile genuinely at him, “You shall owe me a dinner then.”

Luhan grinned. “So you owe me one and now I owe you one too.”

Jessica shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

“Alright, shall we make it my treat for you tonight?” he was smiling at the thought of having dinner alone with her. Strangely, should he be feeling this way to the woman he just hardly known.

“Sure, I will decide on the venue then,” she happily agreed.  

“I happy that you are my secretary, let’s work together happily,” he commented, causing a blush on her face. Not knowing that her colleagues are eyeing suspiciously on her and the boss relationship.

Luhan entered his room as Dara returned with files for Jessica to read up in order to have more understanding on the company profile. “So from today onwards, your job scope would be looking through this file, answering and making appointment for Mr. Xi as well as accompanying him to meeting to take down notes. Come, I will introduce you to your colleague now.”

Jessica diligently takes down notes on her post pad and after which she followed Dara to meet her colleagues with an excited heart. She bowed and introduced herself warmly as she receives warm response from her colleagues.

She returned to her desk and glanced quickly at Luhan who was speaking over the phone. Even doing so, he looks charming. Gosh, what are you thinking about! She then read up on the documents Dara handed to her.

Lunch break went by when Jessica joined her colleagues in the cafeteria and her colleague curiously asked about the special relationship between her and Luhan which Jessica denied saying she don’t know him well and lied that it was all coincidence that she meet him, not explaining further.

It was soon knock off time. Jessica was too engrossed in reading and making notes not realizing that most of her colleagues had left. Soon, it only left her and Luhan. Luhan was very busy today as he just came back from a long meeting. He swirled his chair and stopped when he watched intently at Jessica. Strangely, his tiredness disappeared when he sees her.

He checked his watch and left his room to Jessica desk. “So have you decided on our dinner venue?” his voice finally stopped Jessica from working and glanced up to meet his eyes.

She gave a sheepish smile. “Opps! Sorry, I hadn’t had the time to do so.”

“Pack your thing and we shall have our dinner,” Luhan said.

They arrived on a posh restaurant and before entering, Jessica murmured to him, “It’s so expensive here. We can just eat at local eatery shop.”

“Just order what you like, it’s my treat,” he gave a dazzling smile.

She shook her head. “You said I choose the venue right, I now think of a great place to have our dinner.”

“We are eating here?” Luhan voiced out warily. It turned out to be a BBQ buffet restaurant.

“It served the best beef meat I ever had and I always frequent here because it was so much cheaper and there’s a lot of variety to choose from. Have you not dined in places like here?” she wondered.

“Since you said it’s good, I shall give it a try then,” he gave a short smile. It’s his first time dining openly along the street to be honest. He was skeptical about it. At first, he thought girls like Jessica would want to dine in an expensive and comfortable restaurant but he was wrong.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to an empty table she had spotted. “You wait here alright, I go get us some food,” she told him with all smiles.

Luhan let out a smile when he watched her skipping her way. She returned with many food and she started to barbeque first since she reckon Luhan do not have the experience of it.  He watched in amaze as she gave him the ready food and asked him to try.

“How was it?” her eyes sparkled.

“It was really delicious,” he chewed the beef happily.

“I told ya!” she exclaimed proudly.

“Let me,” Luhan offered his help to barbeque.

Jessica hesitated awhile before giving the tongs to him. He tried to grill the meat but it was a failure. The meat instead turned out to be overcooked earning a soft chuckle from Jessica.

“I think I will do it,” she took the tong from him and the result was total opposite from his. Luhan scratched his head, feeling embarrassed of himself. As she was busying grilling, he took a piece of meat and feed her since she hadn’t had it.

Jessica stared at him for a while before chewing the meat in , smiling. “Gomawo.”

“Let me try again. I don’t believe I cannot do it,” Luhan claimed. There’s nothing he can’t do.

“Alright,” she gave in. This time he never failed, he did the meat just right earning compliments from her. After which, he offered to grill till the end. He rolled his sleeve up to his arm as he began to perspire. She pulled out tissue paper to help him wipe his sweat. He stopped and felt his heart skipped a beat.

“Luhan flipped the meat to the other side,” her voice brings his heartbeat back.

They continued their hearty dinner and laughter filled within them as they drink Soju and chatted about their lives as if they were friends instead of superior and subordinate relationship. She was amazed and impressed that he was so successful at a young age. He was also impressed by her passionate on fashion industry.

“Thank you for your dinner. I had a filling one,” she thanked him. “Next time my treat!” she said.

“Then I will get to decide on the venue?” he asked.

“As long as it is not any posh restaurant because I just started my first job,” she smiled.

“Sure, this dinner was really good. Thank you for bringing me here. It was totally a new experience.”

“Anyway, my house is just around the corner, I can just walk back myself.”

“Let me walk with you. It is dangerous for a woman like you to walk back alone,” he insisted. He wants to spend a little more time with her and of course he was worried for her safety as well. She was very easy to talk with and he wondered when the last time he felt so comfortable with a woman was.

She couldn’t refuse since he seemed to be persistence. They strolled along the street back to her house, enjoying the night breeze and its scenery, not exchanging any words with each other until they had reached her doorstep.

“I’ve reached. Thank you for your accompany,” she smiled sweetly.

“Ok, good night. Have a good rest and sleep well,” suddenly he pulled her for a quick hug. Her heart was beating, that was an unexpected move from him. “See you,” he released her and she muttered a ‘see you’ back and quickly enter her house to prevent him from seeing how red she was.

Luhan smiled wittingly to himself. He doesn’t know since when he build up this courage of his to hug her. What happened to me?

***

Sorry for taking too long for it.