3 Years Later

No matter how I think about it, awkward office silences are the worst. It's like having to stand around people who you know, but don't really know and fake pleasantries whilst also maintaining an air of professionalism. And I have the privilege of experiencing one of these silences almost every office for the whole summer. I tried to remind myself that at some point I had actually put myself forward for this, and it was in no way forced, but every morning as I sat in my chair, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander to the one hundred and one other things that I’d rather be doing.  

I really wouldn’t have pegged myself as a student who would have to go on a summer internship at anywhere other than my father’s company, and yet here I was. Yixing – formerly Mr Zhang – had been kind enough to accept my request to do my internship at his law firm after its huge expansion last year.

My role here, well, its description differed depending which member of staff was asked. If the balding senior lawyer in the office opposite my work station was asked, he would say I have all the makings of a great waitress, and nearly always makes his coffee right. And if the woman situated at the adjacent angle was asked, she would probably rant and rave about how much I struggled with the ink cartridges for the printer. But if Yixing was asked, he would say I had good instinct and ethic towards the practice, and was particularly suited to go into business law. I suppose it’s all just a matter of opinion (though I tend to listen to Yixing).  

But tomorrow, despite it being Friday, I would not be coming here. Instead, Yixing and I would be using a special leave of absence. After all, weddings are always auspicious occasions.

“Mira,” a voice called before I could even begin with my post-lunch work. I looked around to see the familiar pudgy face of that senior lawyer who had a mild to moderate caffeine addiction, leaning in on my cubicle. “I could really do with a coffee,” he said, shooting me what was probably supposed to be an encouraging look. That was his way of asking. If anything, it was more like an irritating hint than anything else.

“Mira,” interrupted Yixing before I could answer, also sticking his head in. “Let’s head off. It’s a long drive and I don’t want to arrive late with the wife waiting.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. Shooting the other man a rather unsympathetic smile, I got up and snatched up my jacket from the peg, following Yixing out.

“You did well today,” Yixing commented as he swung his keys around his finger like a child. “I was impressed.”

“Thank you,” I replied, smiling a little.

“You need a lift up, right?” he asked, stepping out into the midday sun and shielding his eyes with his hand.

I nodded, then a thought came to me. “Can I drive?” I asked hopefully, glancing to the elder.

Yixing turned to me with a raised eyebrow, and for a moment I thought he was going to shoot the idea to the ground but then he shrugged with a slowly relaxing smile. “It’s a company car so the insurance is covered.”

“I’m a good driver,” I promised, catching the keys as he tossed them to me.

“Just as long as you’re a good map reader because I’m not.”

I smiled, sliding into the driving seat and loving the feeling of power that came with it. Honestly, it was something that never got old. “It’s ok, I know the way well.”

Yixing nodded along happily to this, buckling himself in. “How’s the other half anyway? The wedding will be the first time I’ve seen him in months.”

I reversed the car, careful not to bump into the Lotus parked behind us. “He’s fine. He’ll be arriving later this evening once dinner is over.”

“Oh?” Yixing looked surprised. “I thought I heard Jongdae say the other day that he was coming up earlier so he could beat the traffic.”

My lips skewed to the side. “I don’t think so… ”

Pulling up outside the large and very familiar hotel, I stopped by the entrance when I saw Yixing’s heavily-pregnant wife standing in the doorway waiting for him.

When he saw her, his face lifted and he unbuckled himself before leaving the car, shooting a quick smile and thanks at me before hurrying over to his wife. She stood there smiling at him, looking almost excited for him to reach her. The two locked lips very briefly before he bent and pressed his ear to her swollen stomach, a wide smile stretching across his face as he did so. They chatted casually as he did this, and she would occasionally brush her hand through his hair. My own lips tugged up a little watching them, then I realised I was staring in what might be perceived as an inappropriate manner so averted my eyes and moved the car on to park it.

No sooner had I stepped out of the vehicle than Minseok appeared before me, his face just as youthful as ever. He wasn’t wearing his typical suit but was instead dressed in running clothes.

“Perfect timing,” he said almost happily. “You can join us for our run.”

In fact, I would say that was the exact opposite of perfect timing. Exercise never was, and still wasn’t, my forte. I now did it though. Sometimes. Well, I did it when either of the Kim brothers cornered me like this. The two of them were preparing for a charity run, something I had somehow been dragged into. Not that it was a bad use of time at all, it’s just that I would rather just hand over the money than run for it.

“I’ll need to change first,” I replied, fighting a grimace.

Minseok glanced over his shoulder to where a small collection of runners had gathered, waiting. “We’ll wait.”

Oh, good. “Is it just my usual room?”

“Yeah. All your luggage is there for the weekend, except your dress which is getting steamed since it was crumpled during the journey. Your wee baby is in there too.”

I almost scoffed. “It’s not my baby.”

“He’s half your baby.”

“No, it’s not.”

“He gave him to you.”

“But he was the one who wanted it, and he’s the one who named it. I am not even halfway involved with raising it. All I seem to do is toilet training.”

“Him, Mira. It’s a him.”

I grumbled under my breath before departed with the promise that I would change quickly so the fitness fanatics wouldn’t be held back too much by my general sluggishness.

When I opened the door of the familiar hotel room, I saw two sets of luggage sitting by the foot of the bed, and was greeted by a frantic scampering sound. I looked around until I located the small mass of fat and wiry fur running at me with full force and a slight but constant limp. There was no other option but to let the chubby little thing throw itself at my leg, tail wagging like there was no tomorrow.

“Pinku,” I smiled at the little dog, bending so he could attack my hand with his tongue. “I hope you haven’t done any poops in here,” I cooed at the creature, looking around quickly, and thanking my lucky stars that this time we were safe.

The oblivious dog hopped around by my feet, acting like I had just announced the hotel was made of dog treats.

“I have to go running now,” I informed the spinning, but slightly hobbling dog, as I ped my bag and got out semi-appropriate clothes. “So any time you want to fake an injury would be just great.”

The raggedy dog just continued to spin around on the spot, clearly unsure what else to do with his chubby little body. I couldn’t help but giggle at the little thing, bending to help him onto the bed beside me.

“Don’t tell him I let you up here,” I told the little ball of energy as he started rolling all over the sheets as I rubbed his belly. “He’ll think I like you and we can’t let him know that, can we?”

As if understanding me, the hyperactive ball threw himself into my lap and nuzzled in closely. I could only watch his excitement and shake my head. He had the kind of energy that I needed to get through this run.

The run was as bad as I thought it would be. Only one good thing came from it, and that was that I wasn’t alone. Kyungsoo had been roped into joining us, and his attitude to the hobby was pretty similar to my own.

“I don’t want to run anymore,” he huffed out, his breath becoming almost as laboured as mine.

I smiled a little, fighting to keep my pace even as we unintentionally drifted further and further behind the other runners. “Do you think we’ll even make it around this track? I think they make it bigger every time I do this.”

Kyungsoo let out a little whine, scuffing his feet as he ran.

“Is your mother here yet?” I asked him between breaths.

Screwing up his face a little, Kyungsoo nodded. “Yeah. She’s waiting for Minseok back at in the lounge.”

It would be fair to say that almost as soon as Mr Oh was removed from being the CEO of Oh Hotels, his wife reconsidered their marriage. And when Mr Oh became seriously ill later that year, that’s when she left for good. Nice woman. Since then she had been fixated on Minseok – not that he actually paid her any attention at all. In fact, I was pretty sure I’d heard him liken her to a praying mantis in the past. I made a mental note to warn Minseok that she was hanging around when we got back.

“I think we can just walk back from here,” I panted, doubling over to deal with the stich that was forming.

“When’s Sehun coming?” Kyungsoo asked, hands clasped behind his head as he struggled to get his breathing back.

I looked up at the boy who, rather surprisingly, hadn’t grown that much in the last three years. I doubted he would reach his brother’s now ginormous height. “He’s visiting you father today, remember? He’ll be here as soon as he’s done at the hospital.”

Kyungsoo hadn’t yet grow