We met for the first time under a blazing sun that almost sets our skin on fire.

He, with no trace of sweat, and I, whose clothes were soaked and flatly glued to the skin beneath.

After the morning class ended, with all my might, I ran straight to the bus stop. My part-time job in the afternoon was waiting for me. Decent amount of wages comes with strict staff rules. Had I clocked in late, a day’s payment would have been deduct to half.

A lazy breeze did not relieve or cool down my over-burning body at all. I puffed my cheeks before exhaling a long sigh of annoyance.

Damn. First, the professor took longer than usual to wrap up his lesson, and now it seems like the bus was going to be later than scheduled.

What a lovely day.

Sweeping away the overwhelming sweats with the back of my hand, I absent-mindedly glare at the college’s buildings in front of me. Deep down I prayed for the bus to come with each wasted seconds.

My prayer finally got responded. A bus started to appear within my sight, following closely behind a huge midnight black European car. I eyed that suspicious car with interest, and when it finally stopped, I realized that it was right in front of me. A passenger’s door swung open with a slim figure dressed in strangely familiar expensive clothes hoping enthusiastically down the car.

“I’m going shopping by myself. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

My amazement did not ceased at his surprisingly harsh and snobbish tone of voice, once he turned back and our eyes met directly, we both paused.

It was Kwon Jiyong, the only son of president Yang who owned this country’s leading export leatherwork’s company. He was also, no wonder, our college’s big name who constantly switching his girlfriends as if changing his underwear.

“What the hell are you staring at? Do I know you?”

He was also infamous for being foul-mouthed as well.

“My bad. I didn’t know that you have the right to control eyeballs.”

The bus doors opened as I detached my eyes from Kwon Jiyong and quickly rushed on the bus. A sigh of relief escaped my lips after I spotted some available seats. After settling down, the fatigue from hurry slowly pulled down my lids, tilting my head against the bus window.

A scent of unfamiliar fragrance hit my nose, efficiently stirring me out of sleep. My eyes focused drowsily at the body of

another human being next to me. His fluffy pink hair looked soft and silky. The golden boy inconsiderately eyed me from head to toe as if he was evaluating something before deciding to buy it or not.

I slightly furrowed my brows at his weird attitudes before shrugged it off. Once again I laid my head against the window before closing my tired eyes, hoping it would help reduce my concern of going to work late.

The scent before was now hitting his nose in a different note. A combination of the pink-haired boy’s body odor maybe?  My curiosity was still hanging in the air when I surrendered my tired body to a nap. 

A clattering of something woke me up. First it was all dozily glancing around before at one point, I regained full consciousness and threw myself at the bus bell.

That was close. Thank god I awoke just in time.

****************

A building in front of me was magnificently luxurious. I paced swiftly inside. A cool breeze from air-conditioner greeted my sweat-covered clothes and I shivered slightly. The destination ahead was getting closer with each advance of my leg while anxiety was consuming me mercilessly.

The store manager shot me a warning glance when I ran pass her in order to get to the staff room in the back. I almost dramatically cry out with glee when I successfully clocked in perfectly on time.

After calming down my heart rate, I entered the men’s locker room to change in to my uniform, which consisted of a white satin long-sleeves shirt, navy blue linen pants that fitted perfectly since it was tailored-made, and a suit to polish the look even more. All of those were things I could not afford, or to be precise, never would try to afford.

“You look awful. Had a fight with someone or what?”

A junior who was actually my senior in this clothing store stepped in to the room. His small eyes were shining with kindness, which was something close to a first impression of him to me. Kang Daesung was a year younger; however, with his family’s financial situation, he was not able to reach for a higher education than high school.

When he told me that, a small smile on his lips did not fade, but there was an evident tint of sadness in it.

“The professor was late. The bus was late. Hell, I was almost late too.”

Daesung’s laugh was bright and contagious. He grabbed a styling gel in my hand and help me with something I was totally lame at.

“What should I do with you, hyung? Why can’t you style our own head?”

He grumbled while I only laughed along, accepting my charges.

****************

It was unusually peaceful in the store.

I paced out from the back room with Daesung alongside, both glancing at each other with curiosity on our faces for a short while before Daesung realizes something.

“The VIP is here, I think. Or else why should they go to the extent of closing the whole store.”

He leads me through the lady’s section, cutting through the man’s section at the other side. All employees are standing stiffly, their backs almost glued to the wall behind them- an act of politeness that their supervisor taught them. Only the manager is standing in a close distance with the client, bowing her head slightly as she waited for any request from the client.

To him, it seemed like the VIP today was not one of those wealthy housewives who do not have anything better to do than splurging her money in a classy shop since some female employees were batting their eyelashes and trying their best to suppress the fervent smiles on their faces.

Daesung stepped back with the other employees, leaving me to my take up my duty in the end. I took a deep breath before stepping beside the manager, who surprisingly was the one who hired me and appointed me to only be an assistant to VIP clients.

I stood still, and when I finally lifted up my eyes to peek at today’s client, a mop of fluffy pink cotton candy hair greeted me. Brown orbs observed me intently, lingering everywhere before making a contact that made me shivered slightly. Gradually, jelly-like lips folded up into a faint smile.

“What a coincidence we have here.”

Sentence that were only to be understood by us made the manager shot a doubtful look at me while I pretended not to notice and kept a professional smile on my face though I was already panicking deep down. It was as if he knew how hard I was trying to keep myself together, a melodic laugh echoed through the strained silence inside the store.

“Leave this one. Others can proceed to their former duties.”

Daesung was eyeing me with some unreadable expressions on his face, almost like he was teasing me and also giving some hint that I still could not get it at the same time.

When others left, I pressed my lips together, trying to gather myself before lifting my eyes just to realize that those clear hazy brown eye were already staring at me with glints and glimmers that made my face heated up.

“I’m Seunghyun, what can I help you with, sir?”

He had been repeating this sentence for a million times since he started this gig, but somehow his lips were surprisingly chapped, his voice was hoarse, and his heart rate was even more frantic than his first day.

“So you are called Seunghyun. You can probably ‘help’ me by telling when you get of your shift.”

I almost choked my own saliva. You have to be incredibly dumb or innocent as a new-born baby bird to not get the signal... So this was why Daesung was giving me that smug look.

I mumbled my answer, feeling like my whole face was on fire. Jiyong hummed pleasantly before dragging his hand along the rail of clothing, eyes concentrating on each piece as if he was admiring some art pieces.

I silently observed him picking out each clothes, astounding with how proficient he was in selecting a woman’s clothing.

The amazement did not end at that when Jiyong asked me to lay over those clothes at his shoulder to see whether they were going to fit him or not.

After that, I watched him try out each outfit with wonder as everything fitted him perfectly.

****************

It was already dark outside when I stepped out. The sky was deep hue of navy, no distinct color of white since there was no cloud at all. However, the summer heat was still there, circulating in the atmosphere as a reminder to everyone of the current season.

I could feel sheen sweats forming on my forehead as soon as I was out of the building. There was no one at the entrance and I could not suppress a bitter taste of something unfamiliar pooling in my chest. It was not disappointment, it was not anything I should take it to the heart but still...

He did say to meet him here, and I was just following an important customer’s request. Yeah, that was it. That was all it was.

With that thought in mind, I was going to head to the bus stop as a black European car approached me.

It was as if I was watching this afternoon’s incident playing in front of me again.

Jiyong stepped out of the car, he looked around with a smile attached on his full pouty lips.

This time, however, Jiyong was calling my name.

A bead of damp swat rolled down the curve of my cheek. Our eyes met and I could only see warmth spreading in those lovely eyes as Jiyong was walking towards me slowy. A lazy breeze blew, carrying Jiyong’s distinct scent and it was all over, everywhere, nestling me like a passionate lover, confined my whole body at the spot.

More annoying beads of salty liquids were starting to stream down my face. A drop of the water was at my cupid’s bow. I was instinctively going to that away when Jiyong suddenly threw himself at me. I was not expecting any of this but still I grabbed his arms tightly, welcomely supporting his body.

Then my mind went black. All I could register was a soft pair of lips on top of mine, slick tongue cleaning up the problematic bead on my cupid’s bow, and I yelped. We stopped dead on our tracks, eyes meeting eyes only to mirror the same eagerness and hunger for a split second before our lips crashed into each other’s, biting and pulling, excitingly exploring the new territory. Sweet moans filled my ears and I swear I would never ever get tired of this.

We detached ourselves when it started to get dizzy due to the lack of oxygen. Heavy pants resonated the area. Jiyong’s face was deeply flushed, those sinful lips swelled in a lovely shade of pink, and it was almost too much for me to hold myself back from tasting those sweet lips again.

“Do you always jump at some guy you just met?”

Jiyong laughed along with my teasing question like he could not believe himself as well.

“This is the first time, you know.”

He innocently admitted it, and my heart swelled like it was going to explode in my chest.

“Hey,”

When Jiyong turned, I raised my hands to cup his soft chubby cheeks that were still painted pink. He met my eyes shyly, totally an opposite to his bold act a moment ago, and I found it unbelievably loveable.

“Don’t ever do this to anyone else or I swear I’ll...”

He cut me off with a peck on the lips before smiling so widely that his eyes shone even brighter than the stars.

And I could not do anything but yield to the dazzle that came with the summer heat.