章 4: New Role
Myeong's new work space is at a large desk behind the mahogany doors. She had her own foyer to maintain that's decorated with luxury sitting chairs, ornate rugs, and bookshelves lined with decorative books. It felt like a prison. As if she was the one who committed the crime and not the other way around.
As she struggled to pay attention to the in depth training videos on how to work the computer and phone lines, she had to remind herself that she should be grateful. While her hips still hurt from the bruises that were left.
Mya stands the entire time like the perfect android, void of any emotion except over the top happiness.
"Don't your feet hurt?" Myeong asks her, staring down at her tall heels.
Mya continues to smile. It was almost eerie. "You get used to them! And you'll learn to love them."
Myeong goes back to looking at the computer as one of the training videos finishes up.
"Alrighty! It's time for your break. You have one hour to grab whatever and do whatever you need." Mya informs her. She points to the golden watch on her wrist and taps the glass face with her acrylic nail. "No exceptions."
_________
Myeong sits in the large lobby on the first floor at one of the round metal tables. Everyone around her bustled about like busy bees. She sips on a hot matcha tea from a to-go cup and numbly picks at her sandwich that was mostly dry bread. She checks her phone randomly, only to find it clear of any new messages or alerts.
"Hey!"
She didn't think anyone was talking to her until she felt someone's presence right besides her.
"Hey, I don't know if you remember me."
She looks up to see a face of a man around her age. He looked familiar and it took her a solid moment before the realization came to her.
"Oh!" She says a bit startled at the revelation. "You're chicken wing guy!"
His eyes widen at the nickname and she immediately tries to fix it.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know your name! But you were at the party with a plate of chicken wings! We bumped into each other."
He laughs and it makes his eyes sparkle. He definitely has a playful aura about him. "Oh, I remember. Don't worry, I don't mind being called chicken wing guy." He sits down in the chair next to her. "I'm Ji-Yoo."
"Im Myeong. Do you work here?" She asks, noticing he was dressed in the bare minimum to be considered business attire. He looked on the brink of being sloppy. His button up was a tad wrinkled like it had been left in the dryer and his brown hair was disheveled around his forehead.
"Uh, yeah. I do. Unfortunately." he replies with a dry chuckle.
"I do too. Unfortunately."
They both snicker at her response.
Ji-Yoo rubs his palms together as if he's thinking. "So, do you remember me from anything else other than chicken wings?"
This question confused her. She shakes her head slowly. "Um. No? Should I? Because I uh, I left that party….early… so there was no way we could have ran into each other…"
"I, uh. I know what happened." He says in a softer voice, even though no one was paying any attention to them. "I pulled you out of the pool and uh, I was the one who performed CPR. And I was just curious if you remembered any of it."
She was at a loss for words. "Oh…" She says dumbly. Staring at him. After a minute she shakes her head. "I'm so sorry, I don't remember….I…"
"No, it's okay if you don't remember! I was just wanting to see if you were okay."
"Um, yeah. I am." She lies quickly. "I owe you my life and I don't know how to thank you…" She starts to go into a bow that would require her to get on the floor but he puts his hands on her shoulders to stop her.
"No, no, no please! I don't need a thank you. I'm just glad you're alright!"
She has a hard time looking at him. Any reminder of that night made her anxious. And the thought of him seeing her in that state, halfway undressed, it was too much to think about. The lobby suddenly felt too loud and a party of two was now a crowd. She checks the time on her phone.
"I'm sorry, I have to go. I only have an hour break." She gathers her few things and starts to leave.
"I understand. My cousin is all about being punctual." He stands up and gives her a smile. "I'll see you around Myeong."
_________________________________
Cousin?
Is he related to the Gaes on Seo-Jin's mother's side? The third son that was mentioned at the party? Or is he a cousin from Seo-Jin's father's side?
Myeong was in deep thought as she prints invoices and organizes them into the correct folders.
Seo-Jin wasn't lying about her staying late. Mya had left for the day at five and Myeong was still here. There weren't any windows in her work space, but she knew it was dark outside. The clocks all said 8pm. She's been here for nearly twelve hours at that point.
Her feet were killing her from the heels. She was uncomfortable from the rough material of the business clothes. She was hungry, thirsty, and tired. But she was almost done. It was just her and Seo-Jin now. He was in his office, working late as he usually does. Which means she will be too. For the rest of her life.
She sighs at that thought and she organizes the last invoice. He told her not to bother knocking and to just come in with the files and leave them on his desk quietly, then she was free to leave.
The stack of files went under her chin as she carried them. She reaches for one of the handles of his office door when the door opens by itself. Seo-Jin was coming out in a hurry. Clearly flustered when he runs straight into her. Knocking her back as the files full of papers scatter across the marble floor. Hundreds of invoices are now loose and unorganized again.
Seo-jin steps on one and slips but catches himself to where he just takes a graceful knee. While Myeong is sitting on the ground, watching all her hard work flutter around her body like snow. Both were in a bit of shock.
"I'm so sorry…." She manages to say. "I…."
"I didn't know you were on the other side of the door! You'll have to stay and….!" He starts to demand in an agitated tone. Nearly growling in frustration.
She pushes her shoulders back, about to defend herself from whatever wrath was coming her way when the top three buttons of her shirt, that have been straining to keep closed all day, finally popped open.
They looked at each other with more shock on their faces, as her breasts were nearly exposed. Perfectly rounded and pushed together by her bra. His eyes automatically drift to them and immediately away. He covers his face with his hand, not knowing what to do or say.
"Uh, well, just uh…get these reorganized and uh…you can head home." He says as he stands up, adjusting his tie, making sure he didn't look at her. His anger has subsided for the moment.
Myeong was mortified by the situation and she covered her chest with her arms. Hugging herself tightly. She could feel her face turning pink.
"Right away, sir." She says in a quivering voice, not realizing until that moment she was on the brink of tears. The stress from the day, now this. What else could happen?
At that moment the elevator dings and she can hear heels clicking across the floor.
Seo-jin looks surprised. "Mya?" He asks, then relief washes over his face. "Thank God you're here. I need you to help Ms. Baek reorganize this mess…" He motions towards all the papers on the floor. "And she's having a…wardrobe malfunction. If you have anything extra that she could toss on for the time being, I'd appreciate it. Since my calendars have been in chaos without a proper assistant, I forgot I have dinner reservations in…well…right now." He says, checking his smart watch.
Mya is wearing a beautiful cocktail dress with a fur shawl. She looks elegant and classic with her blonde hair waved in a movie star fashion. She smiles at Seo-jin. "He finally proposed."
There's a silence between all three of them as Mya keeps her smile. She continues before Seo-Jin could get over his confusion.
"He finally made his divorce official, so now, I'm engaged. And he's moving his company to Las Angeles. So, I quit."
"Quit? As in, you're quitting right now? At this moment or…?"
"I had a feeling you'd still be here as you usually are. And I just couldn't wait. The thought of coming into work tomorrow filled me with such existential dread, I just couldn't stand it. I'm tired of training all of your family's little accidents and watching new hire after new hire get pushed around and verbally abused and worked to the bone. I'm tired of being worked to the bone. I'm tired of spending all my paychecks on my appearance, to make myself a walking poster board for this company." Her smile has finally started to drop and anger laced her words the more she spoke. "And this little incident? Helping with this? Without being on the clock. You always expect us to work for free."
"That's enough, I would never not pay you. That's an insult to my character and my values as a manager…"
"Oh really? Then I guess all the extra time I've came in to help and to do jobs that were below me, because you couldn't keep new hires, just disappeared from payroll?"
"If you weren't getting compensated, you should have told me…"
"I told your father." She says sharply. "And nothing was done. What were you going to do about it?"
She lets the silence that follows after become her answer.
"Exactly." She grabs her key card and a phone and tosses them on the receptionist desk.The sound of the phone hitting wood causes Myeong to flinch but Seo-jin is unwavering. His demeanor is ice cold.
"Then get out." Is all he says to her.
"With pleasure." Mya looks at Myeong and offers her one last signature smile. "And good luck dear. You'll need it." She gives one last look at Seo-Jin before getting on the elevator.
Seo-Jin doesn't falter, he takes off his suit jacket and tosses it on top of Myeongs head. "Here. Cover yourself up and clean up this mess. Leave it all on my desk."
He walks over to wait for the elevator.
"Looks like I'll be training you from now on."
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