*2021 ----> 2011 (10 years into the past)*

 

Cho Kyu Hyun

Tooooot!

 

“Mrs. Park, before you go home, may I please have the résumés of those you recommend to take your place? Thank you.”, I requested from my secretary.

 

“On my way, Mr. Cho.”, answered Mrs. Park.

 

After a minute, Mrs. Park hands me a stack of résumés. I sighed and asked for the nth time if she would change her mind about retiring.

 

“I wish I could stay with you forever, Kyu Hyun-ssi. But my age is preventing me from keeping up with you. It’ll be unfair for you if I keep messing things up when my sole purpose for working here is to take care of you and your schedules. It will be better for you to find someone along your age, you’ll see..”, she advised, looking at me with fondness.

 

I frowned at her which made her smile.

 

“See, you’ll miss me.”, I commented as her smile grew wider.

 

“Of course, I will! Especially that frowning face that scares the rest of the female employees in this building.”, said Mrs. Park, chuckling. “I wish you’d stop doing that and let the ladies in on the secret that you’re really sweet and nice, and that hard exterior is just for show! You’re not getting any younger, you know..”, she added, giving me a hard stare.

 

“Yah, Mrs. Park, are you trying to ruin my reputation? Or trying to start your retirement now? Someone could hear you and then what?!”, I replied indignantly.

 

“Oh, just frown at them and you’re good!”, she quipped, laughing, but stopped when she noticed the frown in my face deepen. “Okay, okay, I’ll keep it down. Haikkks! But seriously, Kyu Hyun-ssi, aren’t you lonely? Your mom is in L.A. and your sister Arden has a beautiful daughter growing up in Houston and a baby on the way. Aren’t you envious of her? You should be thinking about building your own family, or at least get a girlfriend for now. You’re so picky!”, she scolded me for the nth time.

 

“I know, I know! You’re the 3rd hen who’s clucked at me about that on this day alone and the sun hadn’t even set yet! I have to face Ahjumma when I get home! I swear you ladies must talk in the morning and decide what should you all nag me about this day! Maybe I should consider getting a male secretary next.”, I said huffily, thinking about this morning when my Mom, and then my sister called me long-distance just to nag.

 

“You should! He’d probably be more popular than you, seeing as he has to talk to people to organize your schedule with them. And he can probably show you the ropes when it comes to the ladies! Hahahaha!”, laughed Mrs. Park.

 

“Aishhh! Sometimes I forget why I keep asking you to stay!”, I chided.

 

“Because you’ll miss my nagging. And my jabs that you never seem to avoid no matter how much you duck! But you know I love you like you are my own son, right? I’m going to miss you, Kyu Hyun-ssi..”, she said, as she starts to tear up.

 

“I know. You’ve always been a second mom to me.  And I’m going to miss you, too.”, I admitted.

 

“I’d better go. The other secretaries are treating me to dinner tonight as a send-off.”, she informed me hastily before she turned around and walked off.

 

“Have a good night, Mrs. Park.”, I told her to which she just nodded before she hurriedly went out of my office, afraid that I’d see her unshed tears.

 

“Another one bites the dust. I wonder who’s next?”, I sighed as soon as the door closed.

 

Looking at the papers Mrs. Park gave me, I started to browse the stack of résumés. Nobody caught my attention, except for a young man who looks like an elongated mouse sporting a shrimp sushi hairstyle.

 

 

Chuckling to myself, I started to consider the idea of having a male secretary as I walked to the Human Resources Department before I leave the office for home. I figured I’d ask for a few more résumés and browse through it at home, seeing as I didn’t like any of the recommendations of my outgoing secretary.

 

When I got to the HR Department, nobody was there. Noticing a stack of résumés piled high on the table, I started calling for anyone who could assist me, still nobody answered. I decided to look on my own, but got confused when I saw the résumés hasn’t been sorted out yet according to their preferred office positions, ranging from architects, engineers, encoders, secretaries, managers, to janitorial staff. I sighed and leaned on the table causing half of the pile to fall on the floor. I was about to pick them up when the door started to open. I panicked and hid inside the office pantry.

 

If I get caught, they’re going to think I messed up their office! – But you did mess up their office, idiot! – I know, so shut up and hide!

 

From my point of view, a tall, beautiful, young lady with long dark brown hair stepped in, all the while talking and laughing with someone just outside the door. Her laugh sounds like little bells caught in the wind.

 

Hmmm.. Wonder what she’s applying for.. Must be OJT.. Maybe I can help her..

 

She stopped laughing when she saw the papers on the floor, this made me berate myself even more.

 

She’d still be laughing if you weren’t such a klutz! – If I wasn’t such a klutz, she’d be in and out of here and you wouldn’t be gawking at her right now, picking up your mess, idiot! – Oh yeah.. Thanks, klutz! – You’re welcome, idiot!

 

She spent a few minutes picking up the papers patiently humming to herself, all the while being berated by the girl by the door to hurry up so they could go to the next building and pass her own résumé.

 

Next building? They must have different courses if she’s not applying here..

 

Apparently, from what I could surmise from the girl just outside the door, the HR Department had a staff meeting outside so the security guard told them to go on in and just put their résumés on the table. When she was done, she put hers on top, but then frowned, seemingly caught up between 2 things : if she puts her résumé on top, it’ll be unfair to those people whose papers are at the bottom just because they submitted their résumés earlier, but if she puts it at the bottom, there’s a chance that she could tip the pile over on the floor and make more mess and never hear the end of it from the girl by the door.

 

Please do not put them in between or I may never see you again.. Do not put them in between.. Please.. Please.. Please! Just put it on top and walk away..

 

She suddenly looked in my direction, her eyes almost meeting mine, staring. I held my breath.

 

She can’t see me, can she?! The only way she’ll see me is if I open the overhead light and she stands right in front of me! So no way! She can’t possibly see me.. Can she? CAN SHE?!

 

In the end, she put her résumé on the table in a separate pile and went out. I had to count to 20 for my heartbeat to go back to normal and another 10 before I swiped her résumé and went home.

 

 

 

*2012*

 

Cho Kyu Hyun

Text to Princess :

Hello, Princess. Just got out of the airport and on my way home. I’m hoping we could talk as soon as possible. Are you home?

 

Princess’ reply :

Hi, Q Oppa! Welcome back! ^_^ Are you alright? Is there something wrong? I’m still out.. But I’ll let you know as soon as I get home.. And Oppa? I’m glad you’re back.. ^_^

 

There she goes again, reading my mind and making my heart beat like I’m in an Indy 500 race with just 1 text message! Ahhh, Princess.. What did you do to me.. I’m strict at the office, brutal at negotiations, and a professional at meetings with foreign delegates.. But with you, I turn into mush the minute I step out of the plane knowing we’re in the same country.. I wasn’t like this before I met you.. I didn’t even care back then.. I shouldn’t have swiped your résumé a year ago.. I just wanted to hear you laugh again.. Just once.. But I got hooked.. Is this how an addict feels? Sighhh..

 

 

 

Seo Joo Hyun

He’s home! I can’t wait to go home and talk to him! I have so much to say! Although I feel like there’s something off about him.. Nah.. Seriously, Seo Joo Hyun! You get that from 1 text message?! No wonder he thinks you’re a witch that could read his mind! Haikkks! I wish my Professor would finish yapping! I can’t concentrate anymore now that he’s back! These foreign words are just noise to my ear now! Hurry up, Sir!!!!! Please!!!!!

 

As soon as I step into my room, I gave him a missed call. It’s our sign that I’m waiting for his call back. Did I get a shock when I heard him sobbing at the other end. I thought it was a prank call at first. It wasn’t. His sister, Arden Cho, died from her 2nd child's birth a few months ago. The baby boy is safe and healthy, but his sister didn’t make it. I wanted to hug my own sister, Yu Ri Eonni, who just had her first baby recently and Mi Young Eonni who had hers a few years back.

 

So that’s why he was gone so long.. Almost 4 months.. He’s away only for a week or two usually, although frequently, but he always comes back..

 

I didn’t know how to console him as I have never lost anyone (Thank God!) as close as a sibling as he did. All I could do was be quiet and listen to him, even if he wasn’t saying anything, trying not to let him know that I was crying for his loss, too. I didn't want him to be burdened by my crying. I hate seeing and hearing men cry. They were not programmed to do that easily, so if you see a man cry then it must really hurt. I only ended the call when I heard him sighing in his sleep. That day was the day he changed. It was subtle, but I noticed it. I could feel it in me.

 

What do I do..?

 

 

 

*2013*

 

Seo Joo Hyun

Text to Q Oppa :

Whatever happened to Ahjumma, Q Oppa? Did you know she used to text me when you we’re out of the country? Please don’t be mad at her, okay? I was the one who begged her to tell me where you went.. Since you never tell me anymore when you’re about to leave..

 

Q Oppa’s reply :

She died a month ago. I went to her hometown to pay my respect. That’s when you got mad at me coz I lost my phone there.

 

My reply :

Oh my God.. I’m so sorry, Kyu Hyun Oppa.. I didn’t know.. Believe it or not, I REALLY CANNOT READ MINDS. Especially yours.. :’(

 

I wish he’d believe me.. I can’t read his mind.. I REALLY CAN’T! But he keeps insisting I could.. If I could, I would have known by now what exactly are we to each other.. I have no clue if we’re together or not.. Am I a girlfriend or just a close friend he confides in.. I like him.. I like talking to him.. I miss him when he’s out of the country.. Does he feel the same way..? I’m feeling something ch