I trailed behind the two professors from my university and a group of twenty-nine other selected students as my eyes scanned the interior of the building. It wasn't a very big structure, just enough to hold the employees inside, though I did overhear about the renovation to expand the building from some of the employees while they were on their break. We were given a tour on the first five storeys of the building by three of the people working there, but there was not exactly much to see, so I was pretty bored out by the time we were nearing the end of the tour.

Lunchtime came right after the uneventful tour, and the three guides sat us down at the cafeteria. I sat at the corner alone since none of my close friends were selected to be a part of this. I did not want to get too close with any of the twenty-nine other students either, as every single one of them was considered my competition then.

We were taken to one of the conference rooms where we were supposed to wait for the arrival of the CEO and the Assistant CEO, so that they could explain the whole project to us. While we were making our way there, I accidentally bumped into someone who was rushing somewhere in the opposite direction. Upon closer inspection, I realised that it was someone I knew.

“Kris? Why are you here?” I questioned as I helped to pick up the files he dropped when he crashed into me.

“What do you mean ‘why am I here’? I work here.” He said it as if I was supposed to know.

“You never told me that.” I raised a brow at him before both of us started chuckling. He opened his mouth to say something, but a certain annoying someone wedged into our conversation.

“Already trying to seduce the secretory?” Sojin snickered, sauntering towards us before flipping her hair to the side ever so slightly. “Is that all you’re capable of, Jihyun?”

“He’s the boyfriend of one of my friends, which makes him my friend too, now can you go back to minding your own business?” I snapped, rolling my eyes at her.

“He’s your friend’s boyfriend? That makes it even worse.”

“Excuse me?”

“I thought you had potential, but I guess you’re just using your looks to get what you want.” A sickening smirk formed on her face. Well, look who’s talking, she was the one who got in using her family’s fortune, and she dared to mock me in front of others?

“Miss, if you’re going to cause a scene before you’re even briefed on the project, we have every right to remove you from our candidate list.” Kris interrupted before I could retaliate, which was fortunate as I was this close to ripping her hair out.

“Count yourself lucky to have backup here.” She shrugged and re-joined the group, leaving me behind with Kris.

“Thanks for that.” I muttered under my breath as I passed the files over to him.

“Don’t sweat it, what are friends for?” He patted me on the shoulder before lightly shoving me to the direction my group was heading. “I’ll see you later.”

I did not have a chance to reply as he hurried off to wherever he was headed originally.

I quickened my pace and caught up with the rest just as they were entering the designated room. We were told to take a seat while we waited for the important personnel, and I took one of the back seats as usual. Kris came in moments later with a laptop, sitting right at the front because he was the one in-charge of flashing the PowerPoint as the CEO spoke.

Our “tour guides” distributed some of the products the company was currently selling so that we could get a feel of how their products were generally like.

At last, after about twenty minutes of waiting and daydreaming, the CEO stepped into the conference room. All of us rose to our feet upon his arrival, and sat down again when he did. Immediately after all of us have settled down, he started his presentation. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Kris wanting to interrupt the man, but he decided against it as he slumped back into his seat. It was probably because the Assistant CEO had not arrived yet, since his chair was still empty when the briefing started.

“Good morning professors and students of BASK University, I am Do Hyukjoon, CEO of Do-Be Corporations-”

The CEO’s introductory speech was cut short by someone crashing through the door.

“Sorry I’m late!”

My jaw dropped when I saw who the person was. There was Kyungsoo, in a suit, holding a few documents in his hands, with that unforgettable heart-shaped smile of his. I wanted to call out to him, but I figured it would not be a wise choice to do that in front of so many other people. Then again, why was he here?

“Ah that’s my son, Do Kyungsoo. He’s the Assistant CEO of this company, and he always late.”

There were so many things going through my mind at that moment. He was the Assistant CEO of a company? How come he never told me? Was I not important to him? Did he not trust me?

“It’s called being fashionably late.” Kyungsoo’s comeback broke my endless train of questions. I snapped out of my thoughts just in time to see him winking at the general crowd. When did he become so confident? God, I could see all the girls fawning over him.

“Take a seat and we will continue. As I was saying, the company…” The CEO droned off to all the important parts of the presentation, but all I could focus on was Kyungsoo and how he never mentioned a single word of him as an Assistant CEO to me. I felt betrayed, really.

I caught sight of Kris mumbling something to Kyungsoo, causing him to scan the group of students with his wide eyes. I covered my face with my notebook just before he could take note of me, but I think my suspicious behaviour gave myself away, because when I pulled my book down, our eyes locked from across the room. I could just see his eyes widening, just like how they did when he was surprised during the time that we were still together.

I was the first to break eye contact, and proceeded to copy down every word the CEO spoke so I would not have a reason to look up.

There was a break in the middle and I was dreading that moment to arrive, because that would mean that he could speak to me without disturbing anyone.

“Can I speak to Jihyun if she’s here, please?” I heard Kyungsoo’s voice ring throughout the room, causing everyone who knew who I was to stare in my direction.

Using his authority now, huh?

I could not pretend that I was absent, since everyone already knew that I was there, so I meekly made my way out of the conference room with Kyungsoo. He brought me to the sky garden on the fifth floor of the building, but he did not initiate the conversation until he was done staring at me.

“I didn't think… I just… wow…”

“Speak in full sentences please.” I snapped, clearly annoyed with him, but for no reason at all.

“I thought you were still back there.”

“You thought I was still back there, waiting for you like an idiot while you enjoyed a luxurious life here. Yeah, you thought.” I flashed a wry smile.

“I went back to look for you several times, but I can’t seem to find you. It’s no wonder, you moved here to attend lessons in BASK.”

“So there you go, now can I please return to the briefing now?”

“Please don't leave, I still remember our promise.” He closed the distance between us and engulfed me in a hug. I was very tempted to hug him back, but I resisted. He lied to me, that was the least he had to pay before I go frolicking back into his arms. For now, he had to wait, just like how I waited and tried so hard to find him, only to go back home with disappointing results.

“I don't think you understand, Kyungsoo-ssi. I made a promise saying that if you return to where we started and if we still had feelings for each other, we will be together again. This is a completely different setting.” I pushed him away and turned around, my back facing him as I explained.

“But we still have feelings for each other, right?” He asked, sounding hopeful.

“I don't know anymore… And you lied to me… I didn't expect for me to come to Seoul to see you in the seat of the Assistant CEO of a slightly affluent company!”

“I know it’s wrong for me to lie to you, but I had no choice. I never expected for you to come to Seoul too!”

“You were the one who pushed me away when nearing the date of our breakup! Why do you think I decided to break up with you?” My voice broke, causing me to clear my throat before continuing. “You gave me the impression that you were losing interest in the relationship, and I was scared that it would be worse once you move to another city. I was even scared that we might start to hate each other because both of us feel forced to be with each other!”

“But-”

“Also, I've been using your company's products for the past year and never once did I realise that it was your family's company! And you have red hair too, what the hell." My words were incoherent as I tried to hold back my tears.

“It’s not like it’s my fault either! Look, can we just forget the past and start anew?” He gave a pained smile. “I’m Kyungsoo, what’s your name?”

Hah, no way am I falling for that.

“Don't start that bull and think it’s romantic because it’s not. And don’t touch me!” I stepped on his foot with my heel, earning a loud yelp from him. “I’m living perfectly well without you, so don't look for me again!” I stormed off after saying my piece.

“Jihyun-ah!”

I could hear him chasing me, but I increased my pace even more, and I boarded a taxi before he could catch up to me. I think Kris could pass me the notes for the rest of the day, the last thing I needed was to stay in the same room as Kyungsoo.

I don't know what the name of Kyungsoo’s father is, so I made one up (sorry). And so Jihyun and Kyungsoo finally meet after one and a half years of missing each other, did you guise expect this? You thought the CEO was him at first, right? Second chapter will be up not-so-soon, but I’ll try to finish everything on my part and update as soon as I can!

-vihyun