4. My Lady Boss

------

Jiyong proudly walked inside the massive building, with marble floors and high tinted glass. Workers, in their fine suits and dresses walked graciously as they make their way to their offices. And Jiyong couldn't believe a girl, like Dara would be working for his family business.

"Oh Jiyong-ah I didn't expect you to be here?" he turned around and smiled hearing his father's voice.

"Appa," Jiyong greeted him with a smile.

"What can I do for you?" Mr. Kwon looked at Jiyong from head to toe seeing him all dressed up.

"I'm thinking about trying this whole running the business thing," he said making his father curious. Mr. Kwon glanced to his left and saw his secretary shrug, after all the old man didn't know anything about his son's doings.

"Is that so?" his father uttered surprise. "Why don't we talk in my office before I go to my first appointment."

"I thought you'd never ask," Jiyong happily uttered.

Once they arrrived at his father's office, the guy can't help but smile. His father's office was huge, and elegant to the fullest. The huge oak desk and black leather chair made him beam as he thought about himself sitting behind that expensive table and chair.

"Have a seat Jiyong," his father ordered which he didn't have second thought of. Jiyong went around his father's desk and sat on the expensive leather chair. Mr. Kwon's left eyebrow rose as he was rather surprise by Jiyong's move. His secretary, tried to hold his laugh seeing what was happening.

"So what do we need to talk about?" Jiyong looked at his father.

"Jiyong," he sighed, as he felt hopeless all of sudden. "Does you mother know about this?"

"Of course...not," he murmured. "I'm just testing this whole office thing."

The old man walked towards his desk and stood next to Jiyong, "First of," he uttered seriously. "Get the hell out of my seat!" Jiyong's head snapped up looking at his father surprised.

"Appa?" he mumbled looking at him scared.

"Up!" he ordered once again and this time he did what he was told. "Look son, you can't just come here and expect the CEO position right away. Yes, you graduated with a degree in business, but you need to have experience. And modeling is not part of my business and that is not an experience we need."

"What are you trying to say?" Jiyong took the seat in front of his father's desk. "That I need to earn my way up to the CEO? Then what is it with the whole heir thing?"

"It's yours Jiyong," his father started. "But let's face it, you'll need more experience than that. We can't just have you replace me or your mother right away. Do you even have a single idea what we do in here?"

"Well..." he thought for a minute. "You guys do a lot of marketing... hmmmm... advertising that is and... hmmm... you try to grow small business by helping them find bigger partners and such!"

His father can't help but sigh again while his secretary still had that same face.

"Secretary Kim." Mr. Kwon called making the guy straightened his posture. "Could you leave me and my son alone for a few minutes."

"Yes, sajangnim," Secretary Kim uttered and bowed politely before leaving.

Once the old man was out of sight, his father looked at him seriously. And Jiyong was well aware of this look as it shows whenever something heavy was about to be discussed. He had this 'talk' a lot when it  comes to the topic about him taking over the business. 

"Look Jiyong," his father looked at him in the eyes. "I need you to have experience in this whole business thing. Apparently you lack a lot of knowledge about our business, or our company as a whole. And if you are to take over, I need you to be well equipped and prepared for this. You'll need a lot of practice and experience for this."

"Okay," Jiyong nodded. "Then shall I be given the VP spot?"

"Ummm no," his father choked at his saliva. "You'll need to start from the bottom, well not really the bottom-bottom. I do however have someone who can work with you to get started. I know this person will be a huge help. And once you learned from her you'll be all set to whatever higher position you'll be put in. But for now, you aren't taking over my spot or your mother spot just yet."

"I'll be working with someone?" he repeated making his father nod.

"Yes, for now you'll have a boss," Mr. Kwon smiled. "I tell you this person is a hardworker. I don't know where she gets her motivation in everyday life, but she's a magnificent employee. In fact she just accepted the promotion we had given her."

"It's a she?" Jiyong asked making his father nod. "So what position does she holds now?"

"She's the general manager for this headquarter," his father answered. "And if all goes well, I was thinking of sending her to Europe to take over the headquarter there. I think she'll do well as Co-CEO there."

"A Co-CEO?" Jiyong wanted to choke.

"Yes, son," Mr. Kwon chuckled. "That's how much of a great, hardworking person that she is, and I want you to learn from her before I let you take over of the company as a whole. If you don't know, this company takes a lot of energy off of you. And I need you to be well prepared for that day to come."

At least, I still have a chance to boss around Dara wherever she is in this company.

"So when will I meet this boss of mine?" Jiyong asked.

"I'm actually making my way to her office before I head to my meeting," his father stood up and fixed his suit. "Come on son, let's get your day started."

-----

Dara got off the phone with Secretary Kim as she was told that President Kwon was making his way to her office. After receivinig the news of her promotion as a success, the girl couldn't get any happier. She was happy as things were starting to fall in the right places. And with her ready to be a mother and a GM was just setting her life into the right track.

And seeing an email from Mrs. Kwon earlier got her energy boost. The lady was sure kind enough to leave her some encouraging words which she came to love about the Kwons.

Now that President Kwon was making his way to her office, she can't help but feel nervous. The fact that the old man was trusting her in leading the whole headquarter in her hands.

Dara stood up, as she heard a knock on her door, she walked slowly hoping to ease the excitement in her face. And as she opened her door, the smile on her face fell seeing who was next to him.

"You?" Jiyong uttered while Dara just stood there surprised.

"You know Ms. Park, son?" Mr. Kwon uttered.

"Son?" Dara repeated making Mr. Kwon nod.

"Jiyong this is Ms. Sandara Park," his father introduced her. "She just recently got promoted to the General Manager position and she's the person I told you about. I need you to take notes of her hardwork. She's been in the company for almost ten years, and from the first day she had worked here I have seen how hard she has worked her way up. And I believe in her hardwork, that's why she's in the position she's in right now."

"Ms. Park," Mr. Kwon gave her a smile. "I need you to take care of my son. He'll be taking over my position someday, and I need you to teach him how to get there. I need you to guide him and show him how this company works. Hopefully by the time I will retire, he'll be well equipped and prepared to take over. Can I count on you on that, Ms. Park?"

Dara looked at Jiyong, wanting to pulverize him at that moment, but hearing President Kwon's words about trust, she can't help but just nod. After all, the older Kwons had given her so much trust that even the GM spot was given to her.

"I will do my best President Kwon," Dara uttered looking at the man bravely.

"Thank you Ms. Park!" Mr. Kwon uttered happily. "So son, I will leave you in Ms. Park's hands. And please behave and do well."

"Appa..." Jiyong warned his father which Dara was quite aware of. Based on their sudden acquintainces previously, Dara was able to associate Jiyong with what kind of a guy he is. And based on what she has gathered about him, Dara was able to put Jiyong in the guys you must avoid at all times.

"Have a good day, Ms. Park. And Jiyong I will see you later for lunch," the old man lastly said before leaving the two alone. 

Once his father was out of sight, Jiyong had put on his game face. "Well, what do you know?" Jiyong made his way towards Dara's desk. He was rather amazed how big her office was. And he didn't even realized Dara would be in such position. As much as he wants to scold himself for not researching much, there was no way in hell would he get out of this one. "Small world, Dara-sshi," Jiyong looked at Dara smugly. 

Dara watched every move Jiyong made and as the guy settled on her chair, her jaw fell.

"What are you doing?" she asked closing her door.

"What do you think I'm doing?" he placed his legs up on her desk which angered the girl more. But remembering her situation, she decided to take deep breaths and hope to feel relaxed. The baby Dara, remember you're carrying a possible life right now.

"Mr. Kwon, could you please get off my seat," Dara started. And when the guy didn't moved an inch, she decided to walk towards her desk. She placed both of her hands on her desk and looked at Jiyong intently. "Look, Mr. Kwon, you are well aware of where we are, and I don't have time for childish games. So if you could put on a right act that would be nice," Dara started. "This is obviously an office, which something I take seriously. I have no time to play your childish games. Now if you want to earn your parents' trust and be rewarded with their hardwork, then I suggest you work at it."

"Wow," Jiyong placed his feet down and at the same time clapped his hands. "What a great speech?! Is that what you told my father to be placed in this spot?"

"No," Dara sternly uttered. "It's called hardwork, which I think you aren't well aware of."

"Look Dara," Jiyong started.

"It's Ms. Park to you or better yet General Manager," she seriously muttered.

"Don't be bullsh..." he was cut off as Dara spoke.

"First of all, you'll need to learn how to talk politely to coworkers and most defnitely to those who are in higher position than you," Dara started. "As far as I remember your father, or known as President Kwon had given me the power to order you around. Or better yet, to teach you about hardwork. And let me remind you, I will not tolerate any more of your sarcastic remarks, nasty comments or anything related outside of work. If you bring them up, I will take note of that and I won't even have second thoughts of telling your father anything."

"You came here to work," she went on. "And there's no games in here. You start working here, and I expect your full attention on business. And may I remind you, you are taking over your father's position which is a greater position than I am right now."

"I bet you want that spot too?" Jiyong dared to say which didn't shock the girl at all.

"I'm not going to lie Mr. Kwon," she looked at him seriously. "A CEO behind your name is great and all, but that's not why I came to work for this company. I came here because business is my passion. I have followed what your parents have done in Korea's economy back while I was studying and it became my motivation to work hard. I have full respect of their hardwork and of course given their trust. And CEO is surely a great position, but it was never in my intention in taking that position which I know I won't be able to reach. So  I don't dream that big. I only aim for the position I know I'll be happy off."

"And unlike you," Dara didn't take her eyes off of him. "You are going to be handed a huge responsibility that will need to have the same level or better yet a higher capacity to take over the company. What your parents have sacrificed is not enough for the work you'll be putting in once they retire. So if I were you, stop being a child and start acting like an adult."

"You know Dara-sshi," Jiyong walked towards Dara closing in the rest of the gap between them. "You don't know much about me. You don't know how much hardwork I can put in. I can work hard, to the point I can careless about my personal life. But that doesn't mean I can't have leisure time or what you call "play times". I can do both."

"Then that's good to hear," she smirked. "Because working in this company takes a lot in you, and you must be prepared to give up that "leisure times" you call up. I can guarantee you, play times will likely happen once you are in this company."

"I can tell," Jiyong returned a smirk. "You wouldn't be single right?"

"With me being single is none of your business," Dara murmured. "Some people, like me just choose to be one since having a man is a pain in the ."

"Oh I bet it is," he wickedly smile. "Since a girl like you can be a in a guy's life."

"But really Mr. Kwon," Dara distanced herself. "Personal life shall remain out of the office. It's the biggest distraction to anyone's life."

"Why are you so bitter about personal stuff?" Jiyong made his way towards her. Dara had settled on her desk gathering folders.

"I'm not bitter," Dara looked up and found his gazing eyes. "I'm just practical. Now let's get your day started Mr. Kwon."

"What are these?" he looked at the folders Dara handed him.

"I need you to deliver them to each floor," she ordered. "And make sure they're in the right department. They need it asap."

"You're making me deliver this?" Jiyong uttered surprise.

"Isn't that what I just told you?" she asked making the guy confuse. "Another note, learn to listen well. I don't like repeating myself especially if time is being wasted. You do know you're wasting time each department has right now."

"What are these anyway?"