Jiyong apologized to his executives for having made them wait, briefly explaining the mishap in the elevator. After a perfunctory “I-hope-everything’s-fine” they went to discuss every item in their agenda. He finished his meeting two hours later closing out all pending items and approving or denying some of the proposals. He went back to his office, visibly tired not to mention still a bit shaken by what transpired in the elevator. Picking up the bottle of water his secretary left by his table, he stood and went to the glass window unconsciously replaying what happened inside the elevator that day. Honestly, it was not the near death scare that his mind was recalling, but it was the way he acted when he saw the blond young woman. The way he reacted when he knew she was standing right beside him, inside a dark malfunctioning elevator, when he got a little scared and he got scared for her.

He remembered the touch of her hand in his, the way her hand felt full and soft, assuring and gentle. He remembered something, someone from a long time ago and remembers holding her hand briefly at a time he found himself scared and unsure too. But who is this ‘her’ that he keeps remembering?

He massaged his temples in an attempt to keep the headache at bay. He looked at his watch -- it was already past 8 pm, time to call it a day. In Young left for China today to check on the progress of the new venture her gallery is doing in Shanghai and he said he’ll call her before he goes home. He tried dialing In Young’s number but she wasn’t picking up. He put his phone down and sat back on his chair, his eyes closed. 

A few minutes later, he stood up, went out of his office, and decided to take a long walk wherever his feet may take him. It was odd, to see a CEO walking home, although he was not really planning to walk home, normally CEOs drive or have chauffer-driven cars ready at their beck and call. He took a few turns here and there and found himself passing by a coffee shop a few blocks away from East Lane Street. The sticker by the door says, “The Beanery”. 

“Looks interesting, I can probably unwind here before calling a cab home,” he thought. 

He went in and gave his order at the cashier. He then turned to look for a place to sit: there was a couch near the inner wall, an empty table at the center, an empty spot near the counter and another empty table near a blond woman sitting by the corner. Wait, a blond Asian woman? He did a double take and saw the same side profile he saw in the elevator. Could it be her?

“This is such a coincidence,” he mused, “third time I am seeing this woman in span of three days.” 

He walked towards the table near hers and sat down, surreptitiously glancing at her trying to find the best time and way to strike a conversation with her. 

Chae rin’s head was bent her hair loosely tied into a soft bun on top of her head, a few wisps of hair falling on the side of her face. She was busy tracing something on the table, or more specifically, drawing on her trusty sketch pad. Minji already left a few hours ago saying she wanted to rest early for her event tomorrow. Chae rin stayed behind to finish her sketches. She would look out the window from time to time, checking on the activity outside and then going back to her sketch. 

Jiyong cupped the coffee the server brought to his table, still watching her. He has counted the times and intervals in between when she would lift her head to look out the window. He has been timing it telling himself, the next time she lifts her head, he’s going to talk to her. She lifted her head again, and again, and again. Jiyong already lost count and lost also one chance after the other to talk to her. Everytime he would try to say “Hi” or “Excuse me”, his throat would seem to constrict on its own strangling whatever sound he was trying to make. Odd, he is not a callow young fellow who’s out to have his first conversation with a woman. He’s an accomplished CEO for goodness sakes’. 

“I noticed you’ve been staring at me for awhile now, is there something you wanted to say? Do you need help?” Chae rin broke through his self-recrimination. 

Jiyong was caught, he didn’t know she noticed and he underestimated the confidence that oozes from this woman.