3 June

Mina watched Kyuhyun from her table, her right hand supporting her head as she unknowingly started grinning.

How does he do it? Staring at his iPad yet looking oh so yummy in black and white...

Mina continued staring at the heir to the Cho family business- a renowned firm specializing in Korean Ginseng- her eyes losing focus as the well dressed man began fumbling with his iPad as his father continued talking to him.

"Mr Cho is paying you to do his accounts, not ogle at his son and get the business to close."

Mina's older sister, who was the personal assistant to Mr Cho Senior, tapped her younger sister's head with an accounts file.

Glaring at her sister, Mina grabbed the file off her hands and placed it on her table.

"How can you not admire a work of art like him? Look at him! So god-like...Just that stare alone, I think I would melt like a puddle." Mina lamented as she pulled her eyes away from her dream boy.

Mr Cho Senior was to retire by the end of the year, therefore Kyuhyun's presence in the company had recently been a daily basis, much to Mina's joy and Tina's indifference.

The only reason why Tina was immune to the charms of the Cho heir was because Tina was 12 years older than Mina, making her 8 years older than Kyuhyun, an deemed "too large for romance" by Tina.

"More for me, then." Mina would always say.

The day Mina met Kyuhyun was a typical meeting of employees in a company. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing special. Nothing good, nothing bad. It was just normal.

18 February

The Hwa sisters were returning from lunch back to their respective tables when Kyuhyun suddenly popped out of the conference room, startling the two sisters.

"Where's dad?"

Recovering from her shock, Tina greeted and offered to check her phone to check Mr Cho Senior's schedule. While fumbling with her phone, Kyuhyun glanced at the wide eyed girl behind Tina and smiled.

"You are?"

Mina was unable to speak for a second as after recovering from the shock when he startled them, she wasn't expecting to see such a handsome face.

opened but there were no words. Tina looked up and saw her sister mimicking a goldfish and nudged her lightly before speaking.

"My sister. She's in accounts, your head accountant."

Mina grinned sheepishly as Kyuhyun offered her his hand.

"Great. Dad said I'd have to work closely with the Department heads now that I'm taking over. Great to know that you're not on of those oldies." He joked.

Still unable to speak, Mina continued smiling as she felt her insides squirm.

I think I'm in love...

"Ok, Mr Cho's at a client meeting in MyeongDong.  He'll be back at 3.30 but he has to meet Lawyer Lee-"

"To discuss the shares and assets of the company? Yep I'm supposed to be there."

Tina nodded as she placed her phone back into her pouch, "Ok, we'll head back to work."

"It was nice meeting you, Mina."

"You too," Mina managed as her sister pulled her away.

19 July

"Did you see the email? Mr Cho Senior is officially retiring in September."

Being the more tech savvy of the two, Tina never had her phone more than an arm's reach away from her, and was always checking her phone for emails, reminders, news or even what the sisters should eat for lunch.

"No I haven't seen it. About time don't you think? Cho Junior has been here for 7 months already. That's enough training he can get." Mina said as simply as she could, hoping her sister would not suspect her hopeful tone.

The sisters separated at the lift lobby of the 18th floor, Mina going straight to her table while Tina had to make a detour to the pantry.

Figures and numbers soon engulfed Mina as she strived to keep the accounts balanced and in check, ensuring there were no discrepancies of  any sort. She totally lost all track of time and only realized it was lunch break when the office felt too quiet. She glanced around and true enough, she was the only soul in sight.

The accounts department had the whole floor to themselves, with the exception of a few rooms. The conference room and the Director's room were favorably positioned to the left and to the right of Mina's corner cubicle, thus giving her much opportunity to glance up every now and then everytime Kyuhyun was with his Dad. 

Wondering if her sister left for lunch without her, Mina took a break from work and hunted for her phone. Once she had it, she saw eight messages from her sister.

I can't eat with you. I was needed in the Busan branch and we got held up because someone fainted and Cho Senior is alarmed and wants us to be here throughout the investigation.

The remaining messages were Tina relating the various happenings at the branch.

She must've been really bored... Oh well lunch alone I guess?

Mina wasn't up for eating alone at the staff cafeteria. She then stood up and stretched, deciding it was a chance to make use of what the office pantry had to offer. On a good day, the pantry was stocked to the brim with various cookies, tea biscuits, instant noodles, instant coffee and tea.

Having selected a microwavable sandwich and mint tea, Mina strolled back to her table, only to be surprised when she heard fumbling in the conference room.

Peeping in, she felt her heartbeat quicken as she saw the lanky silhouette of Kyuhyun in the room. His back was faced to her, his hands on his sides as he looked out of the window. He was in a grey tee and jeans, a far cry from his usual office attire. Mina couldn't decide which was ier. She bit her lip but soon felt embarrassed at herself for being so blatant at ogling at him. God knows what he thinks of her.

She decided that she should just walk past the conference room as quietly as she could, the floors were carpeted anyway, it wouldn't be a  problem. Giving his back one final look, she walked towards her table.

Just as she was about to put her food on her table, she heard the door of the conference room open. Mina turned and feigned a look of surprise when she saw Kyuhyun come out of the room.

"Oh!"

He smiled as he came towards her table, "Hello to you too. I was wondering if you knew where-?"

"Your dad is?" Mina offered,  "some emergency in Busan."

"I was actually looking for your sister."

"My sister?" Mina felt her heart plummet down. "Oh."

Shaking her head, Mina contributed, "Same. She was with your Dad at Busan and they're stuck there. We were supposed to have lunch together."

Tapping his fingers against Mina's cubicle, Kyuhyun nodded, his eyes glancing at her food.

"Your sister was supposed to help me with something. But seeing that she's not available...Can I get your help instead?"

"Yeah sure, what is it?"

"I need to go shopping."

Seeing Mina's blank face, Kyuhyun further offered. "I need some female advice on shopping."

Oh, he's attached. Well he must be, what a catch he is...

Ignoring the feeling of disappointment in the pits of her stomach, Mina urged herself to smile.

Its always been just a crush anyway.

"Sure, when?"

"I was thinking of now. But first, we need to get you and me some lunch." Picking up the soggy sandwich, he shook his head as he muttered along the lines of rotten lazy food.

After several phone calls to the accounts department, Mina informed them that she had an urgent assignment with Cho Junior and that she wasn't returning to the office for the afternoon. Kyuhyun even volunteered to take responsibility if his dad asked.

"So what type of girl is she? What does she like? Books? Jewelry?"

Kyuhyun shrugged as he pushed the door of the restaurant open for Mina.

"She has lots of those, I need to get her something special."

"Make something?"

"That's too much of a hassle. I need it tonight."

Rolling her eyes, Mina glanced at the shop windows and her eyes settled on a quaint, little stationery shop.

"Does she like to write?"

"Yeah, she travels almost every month so she usually keeps a travel journal of her travels."

Pointing to the stationery shop across the street, Mina beckoned for Kyuhyun to follow her in.

After spending an hour or so, Kyuhyun finally decided on an A4sized travel diary, with the globe as the cover. Unable to  help herself, Mina got a couple of pretty notebooks for herself and her sister.

"Thank you, please come again." the sales girls chorused as they left the shop.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Kyuhyun admired the notebook in his hands and smiled.

"If it wasn't for your writing idea, I wouldn't have thought of this."

As Mina and Kyuhyun walked towards the train station, the conversation soon returned to work.

"So we'll be working together soon?" Mina asked innocently.

"Yep. Its time Dad took a rest and I'm pretty sure I can manage it."

"So young and already a successful director."

"Director, yes. Successful? We'd have to see."

"That's so modest of you." Mina teased as they stepped into the air conditioned station.

They soon had to part at the train platform as they were headed in the opposite directions. As Mina's train approached, she bowed her head in greeting and smiled.

"I hope your girlfriend likes it."

Turning around, Mina walked towards the train and was about to enter when she heard Kyuhyun call her name.

She turned and was surprised to see him just a few steps behind her, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "This," he said as he brought the bag up, "is for my older sister. She's leaving tonight and this is her farewell gift."

Before Mina could react or form a reply in her head, Kyuhyun pushed her lightly into the train cabin and waved at her just as the doors began to close.

Putting her right hand up weakly, Mina waved as the train picked up speed and left the station.

It was for his sister.