I sit across my father, a glass separating us. He's wearing a uniform that signified him guilty of charges against him.

 

"I'm sorry.." he says. "All I ever wanted was to give you a nice life. I never thought it would lead to this." He said as tears flow from his face.

 

"Let's just leave it in the past, dad. All I want is that you stay healthy here. Don't forget to drink your medicine and vitamins. I wouldn't be able to remind you anymore. Okay?" I said to him as cheerful as I can but a crooked smile was all that I can give.

 

"I'm also sorry because I know you love her.." he said. Does she still love me? Maybe not, she probably hates me now.

 

"Let's forget it dad. L-let's not talk about her." I said.

 

"I'm really sorry.."

 

"Hey dad. I told you it's okay, right?" I give him a smile. "M-maybe we're just not really meant for each other.."

 

"But I want you to be happy and looking at you right now; your feelings are nowhere near happy. I'm sorry I couldn't be a great father."

 

"You're already a great father, dad. I wouldn't want to have you any other way. I'll love you no matter what."

 

 

 

 

 

I walk out of the prison feeling lonely. My dad was my only support, he's my strength and the only family I have. I never thought that he would be capable of committing a crime.

 

*ring*

 

"Hello? Yes, Atty. Kwon?"

 

"Good afternoon, Amber. I would just like to remind you that tomorrow is your first day in Krystal's company." Ms. Kwon said.

 

"How can I forget, Yuri-unnie? I wish for tomorrow not to come." I sighed.

 

"I'm just reminding you, Am. A huge amount of money is in line if you fail to do any agreement in the settlement." She said.

 

"I know. Thanks for reminding me."

 

"Well, I got to go. I still got work to do. I wish you all the best, Amber. Bye bye."

 

"Bye."

 

 

 

 

 

I walk in the company building having a different feeling from the past times I've been here.

 

If the times hadn't change I would walk straight to her office and convince her to take a break from her work or I would be bringing take-outs so we could eat together.

 

This time? It feels cold and strange. I'm here as a normal employee.

 

I walk to the elevator and headed to the human resource department since it's the job I was given.

 

"Excuse me, who is the head of human resource?" I ask the front desk of the HR department.

 

"Are you Ms. Amber Liu?" She asks.

 

"Yes. That's me." I answered.

 

"Oh. Please follow me."

 

She got up from her seat and I followed her to the elevator. I followed her until we reach the top most floor. Her floor.

 

I gulped. Why are we even here?

 

"Okay, Ms. Liu, this will be your place from now on." She said.

 

"I-I'm sorry but aren't I supposed to be in the HR department? This is the CEO's secretary's table." I said pointing out the obvious.

 

"Exactly, Ms. Liu. Because you are the CEO's personal secretary." She said. What?!

 

"W-what but.."

 

"Good day, Ms. Liu. I still have a lot of work to do. Oh, Ms. Jung always expects her coffee before she arrives."

 

We bowed to each other and she left. I place my things on the table and went to the pantry and make some coffee. I made some freshly brewed coffee and made sure it’s the way she likes it.

 

After putting the coffee on her table the door open revealing my girlfr- boss. I stepped aside, my head bowing, camouflaging myself with the walls but I’m sure she still notices me.

 

“What’s my schedule for today?” she asks.

 

“Y-your s-schedule?” I stuttered.

 

“Do I need to repeat myself?” she asks, she raised a brow at me and I shivered.

 

“N-no, ma’am. I-I’ll just ch-check my notebook..” I hurriedly left her office and dashed to my table.

 

I went back inside her office and told her that she has 2 meetings in he afternoon and 1 in the morning.

 

“Okay, you may leave. Oh, by the way, let’s just make some things clear, first, everything we had.. all the has been.. let’s forget all that.. everything..” ouch. “second, let’s keep all our interactions civil; boss-employee is all that we’ll ever be..” my heart breaks even more.. “third, always remember that I hate you, I can never forgive you and your father and most of all, I wish I hadn’t met you.” She coldly said. All her words cut deep and all I could was  bow, leave and hide away mu tears and pain.

 

The day and the next weeks went with me running around the whole company. Doing errands around the whole city. Everything is tiring me physically, emotionally and mentally. I rarely get enough sleep, my boss demands that I should be extra early and all. Most of her tasks were really unreasonable and very much unneeded and I know that she was just doing it on purpose. There was a time when she asked me to get some files from another company, that was 3 cities away, only to find out that the files was already delivered to her. The worst thing is I couldn’t complain. My only reward for everyday is that I get to see her though she clearly hates me.

 

It was time to go home, I was walking out of the elevator when I saw her in the lobby with a man holding out a bouquet of flowers. My heart breaks. I lowered my head and clench my chest trying my best to avoid them. I’ll be happy for her, I told myself. Suddenly..

 

“Hey, Liu.” She called me. Great, I told myself.

 

“Take these flowers and arrange them neatly in my office.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” I replied.

 

“Well, well. Who do we have here. The swindler’s daughter.” Kai said. I clenched my fist. He’s been eyeing Krystal ever since we’ve been together.

 

“Isn’t it lovely to see you again, plastic?” I countered.

 

“Plastic?” he asks.

 

“You know, plastic.. Your face has lots of them.” I said triumphantly. He was about to launch a punch on my face but Krystal spoke.

 

“Please don’t insult my guest, Ms. Liu.” I wasn’t able to answer because it’s Krystal so I just lowered my head.

 

“Know your place, dyke.” He said and walk away with Krystal not forgetting to bump my shoulder hard.

 

I stumbled and was left with the flowers in my hand.

 

 

I went back to her office to arrange the flowers which I would rather throw away. After putting the vase on side table I lingered a bit in her office. I inhaled its smell; the scent of her perfume.

 

“The smell of Krystal’s perfume.” I said to myself. I sat on her chair and took a frame on her table, it was a picture of her smiling, her lovely smile that I can now only see in my dreams.

 

“You’re so beautiful, it hurts..” I said to the frame, caressing her face, “I’m sorry for all the things that had happen. Hurting you was something I never wanted to do, you know that. I’m sorry my father swindled money from your company, I never knew what he was trying to do, believe me.” Tears started flowing from my eyes, “You deserve everything in the world and I can only hope that I could give it to you. Do you know, you still make my heart flutter when I see you? I’m still happy somehow that I get to see you everyday though we’re not like what we were before. Ugh, I would give up anything to be with you for even just a minute. I miss you so much and I still ing love you. I know you don’t love me anymore and it hurts because I know that one day you’ll settle down with someone, someone better, someone who won’t hurt you, someone who isn’t me. And you know what’s worse? While you enjoy all the things you deserve I’d still be here, in the exact same place where we ended trying to hold on to the memories of our tragic story.” I wipe my tears feeling so much sadness in my heart. If I could turn back time, I would’ve make all things right but right now all I can do is be thankful because for at least a short time I once became her world.

 

I put back the frame. I was ready to leave, I was opening the door and it was being open from outside too.

 

“K-krystal! I m-mean, ma’am.” I said. “W-what are you doing here? Were you here for a long time????”

 

“W-wha.. I-I just left my p-purse. I-I don’t need to explain myself to y-you.”

 

“Oh, okay.” I said.

 

 

I went out and wait for the elevator and she joined me a after a few moments so we’re now standing awkwardly beside each other.

 

That so close yet so far feeling.

 

While waiting for the elevator my phone sent off an alarm “Stupid.. stupid.. stupid..” says my alarm. I felt my face heat up, my alarm was a compilation of her voice calling me stupid. I clumsily got my phone from my pocket and quickly pressed the off button. THIS IS EMBARASSING.

 

I felt her fidget from her spot. Way to go self. You just made it more awkward than it already is.

 

“I-I’m sorry. I-I’d change my alarm immediately.” I said nervously.

 

“W-whatever.” She said indifferently.

 

 

Finally, the elevator arrived. Not half way through the elevator stopped and we both panicked. The lights went off and a red emergency light was our only light source. Krystal was pressing all the buttons almost hysterically and I was trying to make a call but just to my luck my phone’s battery died.

 

 

“! Of all time, why did I forget to charge my phone!” I said out of frustration. “Do you have your phone?” I asked Krystal.

 

“It’s in my bag downstairs.” She said. “Great! Just great!” she exclaimed. “Of all places to be stuck, it has to be an elevator. It’s so small and cramped. And of all people! It has to be you!” she said to me.

 

“I-I’m sorry you’re stuck here with me.” I lowered my head and just sat down on a corner.

 

“This is all your fault! Bad things always happen when you’re around.” She said and just sat too.

 

“I’m sorry, okay? It’s not like I planned for any of this to happen.” I said.

 

“Ugh! Why am I so unlucky!” she ranted.

 

Few minutes passed and still no help came and we’re just stuck in the elevator. Nobody was talking, it’s not like we have something to talk about.

 

“Soooo, how’ve you been?” I ask her.

 

“What kind of question is that, Amber?” she asks.

 

“I-I was just trying to kill some time.” I said.

 

“Just please keep quiet and stop bring annoying.” She said.

 

“I annoy you, huh? You used to love that about me.” I said not knowing where my braveness come from.

 

She glared at me. “Don’t bring up anything from the past, understand? What we had is nothing to now.” She said.  I smiled bitterly.

 

“I’m sorry, okay? I know it won’t matter anymore but let me just apologize for what my father did. If it makes you feel better, our company closed and I now live all alone and miserable in my apartment.” I said.

 

“You deserve it.” She said.

 

“I know.” I admitted. “And if I have to live like this for the rest of my life for you to just forgive me, I wouldn’t mind.” I said,

 

“Even if you live like this in your next life I still wouldn’t forgive you.” She said. My broken heart just broke again into million pieces.

 

“Not that it matters or would make any difference but do you know that I was about to ask you to marry me?” I said, I closed my eyes as I feel tears coming out. Good thing it’s quite dark here  so my tears weren’t obvious.

 

“W-what?” she said, shocked.

 

“I had everything planned out. I was supposed to ask you the day after my dad was arrested. But I guess destiny has other plans for me. I even got you a ring.” I said. “I always have it in my pocket even until now.” I got a small box from the inside pocket of my coat and showed it to her. Her eyes were damped and I wish I could wipe away her tears but I know that I’m the cause of it.

 

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” I ask her as I stare at the ring, not wanting to look in her eyes. From my peripheral vision I see that she’s wiping her tears with her hands.

 

“I-if I ever I get a chance to propose to you, I-I w-would’ve gotten down on one knee..” my tears are falling as I got on my knee.. “I-I would’ve shown you this box..” I held it in front of her.. “a-and tell you that you’re the only love of my life, my strength and my weakness, my muse and my inspiration the one thing I can’t live without..” she’s crying and so am I.. “t-then I would’ve ask you the question ‘w-will you marry me?’.“ I said to her.

 

“And I would’ve said yes..” She said. I smiled nonetheless.

 

“T-then I would’ve put this ring on your finger.” I said. Slowly, I got her hand and while mine are trembling I put the ring on her finger. Her other hand was on trying to suppress her cry.

 

I admire her hand. “It looks perfect..” I said as I wipe my tears a small smile formed on my face, “just like how I imagined.”

 

I went back to my corner and sobbed. “P-please k-keep it or t-throw it away..” I said. “I don’t want it anymore. It would only make me think about you. Seeing it once on you finger is enough for me.”

 

“Would it matter if I told you I still love you?” she said.

===================================

I was wondering if I should make a part 2 for this.. hmmmmm...