Chapter 3 – New beginning

A week passed. It was a week after I met with Kyuhyun. It felt awkward at first, but I think all we need is smile after all and it was all better again. Also the stranger that stole my first kiss, Choi Siwon, I still clearly remembers his face and also his action.

Flashback.

“Wow! Ming! It is really you!” Siwon launched towards the girl and hugged her tight, leaving all the spectators’ mouth wide open.

“W..what?”

“Yah, who told you that you could hug her?!” Kyuhyun quickly pulled Siwon away from Sungmin.

“What did I do?” Siwon asks, relax.

“What did you do? What did you do?! How could you ask that kind of question?!” Kyuhyun raged in anger.

“Yeah, Wonnie oppa. How could you hug my pumpkin like that?” Victoria adds, hugging Sungmin to protect her.

“Why… I just hug her…why I can’t?” he shows a sad face.

“Because she’s a girl, oppa. You can’t just hug someone you don’t know like that.” Victoria protested but the next answer from Siwon render them all speechless.

“But, I like her. That’s why I hug her.” Siwon calmly confessed, showing his deep dimple with a smile.

Flashback end.

Sungmin sighed, her face flushed every time she remembers what has happened. It was the first time ever that she received such confession. What’s worse, the said person didn’t even feel any remorse at all for embarrassing Sungmin like that.

Ever since that day, Siwon has been pestering almost everyday. She doesn’t know how to stop the guy from bothering her but at the same time, she also feels that she didn’t have real reason why she should stop the guy. Somehow, Siwon also got her phone number from someone which he truly knows that it is Victoria. Every morning, she will get a cheesy greetings and being the awkward girl she is, she just giggled with it and just reply a thank you to him. She didn’t realize that but, the word thank you is enough to make Siwon happy all day long.

Still, for her, Siwon is sometimes is hard to believe.

“Minnie, the flower is here again.” Sunny, one of Sungmin’s friends and co-worker puts a bouquet of pink roses on her table, something that has been regularly appears from the time Siwon found out where she works at.

Sungmin looks at it and sighs.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Sunny asks, seeing the gloomy face of Sungmin’s.

“This guy is so persistent.” Sungmin remarked.

“Why not? He’s your admirer right?” Sunny chuckled.

“I know that I can’t stop him but still…this is…it’s the first that this ever happen…so, I…”

“Feel strange?” Sunnny teased.

“Sunny!” Sungmin blushed madly caused Sunny’s remark is exactly on the point.

“Sorry, sorry.” Sunny giggled gleefully, happy to be able to friend, “Just try to be friends with him first. Who knows, you might like him, somehow.” She recommends.

Accept?

“Think about it carefully and see you later, Minnie.” Sunny left and Sungmin sighed again.

She takes the flower and smells the sweet scent of fresh flower. A smile formed. She notices the card and read it.

‘A smile is the best, for a pretty princess.’ Her smile grows wider after reading it.

Though she actually really embarrassed in the beginning when Siwon confessed, she still couldn’t help herself from feel giddy by the confession.

That Siwon guy, how could he be so straight forward? Not only he hugged me without a purpose, he also openly declared that he will be my secret admirer since then. Not so secret after all I guess. Still, it feels weird. This is really the first time ever that I got flower, especially from a man, on top of that my admirer. I never knew… I could smile like this.

Sungmin thought to herself, smiling every time she was reminded by the feeling that was still so new to her. At that time, she doesn’t even realize that there’s someone approaching her at the table until that person greeted her.

“You seem happy, Ming.” Sungmin jerked by the sudden remark.

She looks up, and meets up with Kyuhyun’s face.

“Kyu?!”

I forgot. Another surprise that I got after Siwon’s confession is Kyuhyun working at the same place as I am. Plus Kyuhyun is promoted with higher position than I am, a vice president. I guess it is expected for him because he is the president’s brother after all.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Kyuhyun asked noticing that Sungmin staring at him long.

“No, there’s nothing.” Sungmin quickly answered, “Sorry.” Sungmin get up from her seat and arrange the documents on her table, purposely trying to make herself busy.

“Mr President is waiting for you at the meeting room no. 5, Mr Cho. Please, let me lead you the way.” Sungmin politely lead the way to Kyuhyun, being formal in that instant.

Kyuhyun’s eyes narrowed by the sudden change of Sungmin. Even though he knew the fact that Sungmin is just doing her job, he still couldn’t stop himself from feeling a little bit unfair by the treatment. The new Sungmin that he knows now is someone different than years ago. Sungmin has become more formal with him especially after the girl knew that he is Youngwoon’s brother. They talked after the reunion at Victoria’s wedding but only a little. At work, Sungmin will completely change into just a co-worker to him, not the best friend that they used to be before.

Kyuhyun heaved a sigh, “Why are you being so formal suddenly, Minnie?”

“Because you are my boss. Well, one of it actually. So, I need to be formal with you. It’s etiquette.” Sungmin replied back.

“Still, I’m just not used to it.” he whined, “Mr Cho? Urgh…so eww…” he faked a disgusted look.

Sungmin just chuckled away by Kyuhyun’s action, “I’ll call you Kyuhyun again, once the office hour is over.” Sungmin opened the door after a few knocks, and greeted the person inside.

“Mr President, Mr Cho is here.” Sungmin informed.

“Thank you, Miss Lee.”

“Hey, hyung.” Kyuhyun casually greeted his brother and take a seat without even been told to do so.

“Hey.” Kangin greeted back, “Miss Lee. Could you get the documents that I ask you to prepare yesterday?” Sungmin nodded, “Also, make us 2 coffee. And please pick up some snack at the cafeteria for me. Just like how I always want to.” Kangin calmly ordered.

“Yes, sir. Anything else?”

“No that’s all.”

“Then, excuse me.” Sungmin bowed a little and left the two men inside the room while she goes to do what she was told.

“Seriously hyung?” Kyuhyun sneered by Kangin’s request just now.

“What? You do know I love sweets right?”

“Yes, I know. It just...it really isn’t suitable for your image.”

Kangin chuckled, “Come on. Let’s just forget about my obsession with snacks and continue with the meeting.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s.” Kyuhyun said dejectedly.

They started the meeting and soon after that Sungmin also joined them. They talked completely about business and sometimes teased Sungmin from time to time. Kyuhyun realizes that Kangin and Sungmin are really close to each other. He shrugged it away considering that Sungmin is Kangin’s PA after all.

The first time when he heard about Sungmin being Kangin’s PA was more than just a surprise to him. Furthermore, the fact that Sungmin has been working with his step brother since a year ago. It means that Sungmin has been close to him all along. It was him who didn’t realize about it since then. He’s been searching Sungmin for nothing whereas Sungmin was just a mile away from him.

Flashback.

“How did Sungmin become your PA, hyung?”

“How? Through interview.” Kangin answered short.

“Plainly interview?”

“Yeah…plainly interview.” Kangin frowned, “Why are you asking about that anyway?”

“Nothing. I was curious on how Sungmin become your PA in the first place.”

“Why? Is it so weird for her to be one?” Kangin took a bite of the donut that he bought.

“Not weird but a little bit strange. You do know Sungmin graduated from Bachelor in Accounting, right?” Kangin nodded, “Then, why is she your PA? an admin. Far from what we learnt.”

Kangin continues eating while thinking on suitable reason to give to his brother about Sungmin appointment as his PA.

“Let’s see…” he trailed off, “Actually on how Sungmin become my PA is also almost unbelievable to me. What I remembers the most, Sungmin once scold me and gave me some advice on the business. And suddenly, I meet her again during an interview…for an accountant position of course. I asked her few questions, totally unrelated to business and the next time I realized, I chose her as my PA.” Kangin explained.

Yet, the explanation makes Kyuhyun frowns even more, “I don’t understand.” He was dissatisfied.

Kangin sighed, “Look. I know you feel weird but the main point here is, Sungmin is already my PA. No matter how much you want to deny it.”

“I know.”

“Also, Sungmin makes me realize something that I never expected to see from a girl.” Kangin said, and his face looks so contented with the smile.

“What is it?” Kyuhyun confusedly asked.

“One should never trust your first impression.” He replied, a mysterious smile appeared.

Flashback end.

I never understand what hyung means by that. But, it’s true that no one has the right to judge someone just from the first look. It was Sungmin also who teaches me that. Kyuhyun talked to himself, after recalling back the conversation he had with his brother few days ago.

“Okay, I think that’s all for today.” Kangin exclaimed, wakes Kyuhyun from his thinking.

“It’s six already. Wanna come with us for dinner, Sungmin-ah?” Kangin asked the girl, and Kyuhyun frowned to hear the informal name came from Kangin’s mouth.

“Dinner? I don’t want to bother you, oppa.” Sungmin replied, also in the informal way, which makes Kyuhyun feel strange even more.

“Nah…you’re not a bother at all, right Kyu?”

“Wait. Wait.” Both Kangin and Sungmin stare at him, giving him the attention, “Why are you talking informally out of sudden? Did hyung just call Sungmin by her name, not Miss Lee anymore?” Kangin nodded, puzzled by the sudden question, “And Minnie, did you just change your talking from Mr President to just oppa?” Sungmin also nodded.

“Why?” Kyuhyun asked the reason.

“It past six already.” Both answered in sync.

“What? I…”

“Okay, let’s talk about this during dinner. Sungmin, you get ready first and we meet at the main door.”

“Okay oppa. See you then, Kyu.” Sungmin said teasingly, smile and left the room.

Kyuhyun turned to look at his brother, “Hyung!”

“I will answer that, okay. Now let’s go.” Kangin just shooed the question away and pulled his brother to follow him outside for dinner of course.

It was during that time, Kyuhyun finally found out the system that was used between Kangin and his best friend, Sungmin. it seems that Kangin and Sungmin will only greet each other formally when there is office hour, which is only from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and when it is over, they will naturally change to just name and oppa. That’s the reason why Sungmin said she will call him Kyu once the office hour is over. It totally makes sense to Kyuhyun then.

When he asked how about during Victoria’s wedding, they calmly explained that it was still not past six yet when they met. He refused to accept the unreasonable explanation but though it seems that was the only reason after all. Still, the special system that used by those two somehow sparks a little jealousy in Kyuhyun’s heart. Especially the part when Sungmin casually call Kangin, oppa, something that Sungmin never did to him.

TBC

So, here is another update for my story. hope there's still people remembers this...hehehe and i also want to update this before the time ends!! Okay then, leaving all that alone. I just want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNGMIN OPPA!! KYAH!!  〜(^∇^〜）

No matter how old he gets, I will always support him and make him my ultimate bias forever!! thanks in advance!!