I have more of this story posted on my Archive account- same name and username. I'll be posting everyday until I catch up with the one posted on there. I hope you enjoy! :))

The first time she met him, she was unprepared and honestly, she wasn't in the best of moods which was why whenever she thought back to those first five minutes, she never failed to wince.

"Well, thanks for listening, boss man."

"I don't know why you insist on that nickname when you don't work for me nor am I your boss." She rolled her eyes at the man in the chair.

"Fine, Jumin . How should I address you?" She rose a fine brow, a smidge curious.

"Magnificent." Her other brow rose at that before a bellow of laughter bubbled up, and she laughed out loud and rose a hand to her mouth.

" Magnificent Jumin it is, catboy." He looked at her in displeasure.

"Why are you still here? I thought we had a deal. Should I start making you sign a contract?"

"No need, I'll be on my way." She waved gently behind her as she made her way out of his office.

Talking with Jumin always cleared up her thoughts. MC had known him for two years now. Though, they first met with very murky and dubious circumstances. Technically speaking, they were ex-fiancés, much to Jumin's chagrin- he denied the legitimacy of the whole thing entirely.

MC had never really cared for whom she got married to, a woman who would do what she wanted anyway. So, when she found out that her father had met up with the founder of C&R and set up a contract for both of their businesses with a small printed clause on page thirty-four section C that stated Jumin and she were to marry, she was unmoved and unbothered.

Quite honestly, the idea of a prearranged marriage seemed like a better idea than not having one at all. Both parties seemed to reap some sort of benefit, and as long as they could tolerate one another, she had no problem living her life like that. Not to say she didn't believe in love, but a woman with her aspirations and tough personality, she didn't really see herself with anyone serious in the next ten years… or fifteen.

She thought she hit the jackpot with Han Jumin once she met him. He was polite-ish, handsome, came from a prominent family, and most importantly, he had the mind of a businessman. That was something she found incredibly attractive, so she figured she'd try to maybe at least be on good terms with him.

Jumin wasn't fond of her buttering up though. She tried to seem as genuine as possible- because she was- but he seemed to have this premonition in his mind that she was just like all of the other women who fawned over him and would never give her the time of day. It wasn't until she surprise visited him at his penthouse did she finally understand why.

Jumin was in a relationship.

It was some ordinary, plain looking girl. At that time, she guessed she had developed a small, small, small crush on the guy. Nothing she couldn't squash though. They hadn't known each other for long, afterall.

After Jumin made a huge deal of sticking it to her and kissed the woman right in front of her, MC figured she'd first get even with him then break off the sham of a marriage. She did the only thing that would really get to him.

She stole a possible client right under his nose. The irked look she got from him was all the medicine she needed to crush her feelings and move on. Instead of C&R getting a 4.5 million won contract with Epsen cosmetics, she did, and boy, did that ever feel good. It also boosted her family's company immensely, and the small two percent drop in C&R cosmetic products for the next quarter pleased her so much that she printed out the chart and framed it on her desk.

She figured his father must have exchanged words with him because she surprisingly got an email from the charity organization he was a part of, inviting her to their Christmas party.

It was one of the smaller charity parties she had attended, but it was cute and personal.

She ended up seeing Jumin there. He was the first to approach her; maybe he was supposed to say he was sorry, given that he kept looking back expectedly at his new fiancè. He never did though- probably assuming MC would first. She would have rather gone into anaphylactic shock than say sorry. It seemed they were on the same page regarding that though, and she left the party on semi-good terms with the man.

The only reason she started talking to him again this year was because of a business venture their fathers wanted to try again, something about commercializing a subsidiary's rebranded product for international markets in England and Germany.

In short, she ended up going to his office a lot. Normally, she expected half and half in terms of meeting commutes, but Jumin was basically running his father's company while the man golfed. MC only oversaw a few departments personally and worked on a few projects a quarter, so she had the more flexible schedule.

Coming over to the office more often than not allowed for her to get to know that assistant of his a bit more. Kang Jaehee was a bit of square as far as MC was concerned, but she had her moments. She thought it cute when the girl would fangirl over her favorite idol. She especially liked when they got on their talks about coffee and what was beginning to get popular in the world of baristas.

Jumin and MC's relationship always seemed a bit more one-sided still but she was fine with the way things were.

Nowadays, she'd just pop in and rant about her day if it was exceptionally worse than normal, but she usually came over and bought lunch to eat, or if she knew they were both going to pull all nighters, she'd bring hot food and coffee. He'd somewhat complain in a very Jumin way, but he never told her to stop. So, she didn't.

Which was why she found it odd, after all that time she spent in that damned office of his, she hadn't met the one man Jumin trusted with his life. She didn't have a lot of friends, but she figured Jumin and her were sort of friends-ish now, right?

Her heels clacked as she got closer to the door, the grip of the coffee in her hand felt pleasant against her cold skin. "Make sure to give my gratitude to your doorman," he voiced right as she was about to open the door and mind her own, just like Jumin should have done.

Hm, she figured they weren't friends after all.

She whipped her head around, her blond curls following behind her. "Listen you asshole," she pointed and abruptly got cut off when the door slammed into her side. Her balance thrown off, she stumbled and fell on her side, coffee spilling all over her blouse that probably cost more than what the lobby receptionist made a quarter.

She ignored the apology coming from above, and she swore she heard a giggle from the manchild in the chair feet away. Maybe if she got up fast enough she could smack him into the next dimension. She was sure she would be doing the company and that poor fiancè of his a favor. No one'd miss him much... maybe Elizabeth the Third, but she was a stupid cat. Anyone could make a pet happy.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" A worried voice asked again. She could hear how he really was sorry, but sorry wasn't going to solve her stained shirt.

She groaned and lifted herself up with her elbows to glare at the person who assaulted her with the door. Browns narrowed at the suspiciously cute and awkward smile he gave in return to her dagger like eyes.

"Um…"

His hand was still out for her to take, and after a another second it slackened, and he slowly and nervously retracted the gesture. With an irritated huff, she pushed herself off and stood up only to notice a slight wobble from one of her shoes. With unbelieving eyes she looked down and tested her weight on it only for it to give out and snap.

This was it, today was officially the worst day she ever had the displeasure of experiencing. A cry of frustration ripped from her throat.

"Uh, I, I'm extremely sorry. Can I- is there anything I can do?" She turned to fully face him, face full of annoyance. "I can pay for your dry cleaning."

"No! No you can't," she growled, ripping the shoe from her foot, then doing the same to the other side. MC pivoted on her bare feet and sent a death glare at the other figure in the room. "This is all your fault!"

"I fail to see reason."

"Of course you do! Gosh, to think I came here to let out steam only to leave with just as much or even more. You're lucky I'm not suing your sorry ass, Han Lame-min ." She turned her attention back to the other man. "And you too! I should sue you for assault."

"You will do no such thing," Jumin piqued up from the back. The teal man hesitantly interrupted, "Jumin, it's fine."

"Why shouldn't I, huh? I don't make empty promises; I'll suck you and your family dry." A huge, exasperated sigh came from behind her.

"Ji Hyun is a friend of mine."

"Why should I care?" she asked never breaking eye contact with said blue man.

"Are we not friends." Were they now?

She paused and backed her hostile head away from the man. She regarded him again, eyes running up and down him.

He was tall, abnormally tall for a Korean man, but then again, so was Jumin. The teal hair and eyes would look weird or outlandish on anyone, but it worked on him to where it even seemed natural. He must've had a good hair stylist; they even got his eyebrows. Other than that, nothing really stood out too much about him. His clothes were bland, and the collared sweater he wore was a tad too baggy; also, she hoped that was red paint on the collar. Other than his face nothing was amazing, so what was it that…

"I'm sorry but… do I have something on my face?"

Was it his voice? No, it sounded… weird, not necessarily bad but… just weird. She couldn't put her finger on it.

Her eyes caught a gleam on his wrist. She'd know that watch anywhere. Her father was an adamant watch collector.

That was the new Rolex Cellini Moonphase watch with 18 carat everose gold, double bezel, domed sapphire crystal, topped with 3195 calibre that cost, depending on the retailer, anywhere between twenty-three and twenty-five thousand American dollars- probably roughly sold for a few of hundred thousand won over here though.

So, it seemed as if he too hailed from money. It seemed a simple trip to the dry cleaners would be nothing then…

She thrusted her Jimmy Choos at him, his hands clusimly tried to acquire a secure hold of them as she quickly deposited them. "Wanna do me a favor? Get me a brand new pair of shoes since you ruined mine." She turned up her nose.

"Of course, but I don't-"

"Size seven and a half, white, Jimmy Choo. I expect nothing less," she promptly finished and turned her head and walked past him out the door.

"Oh, have a good evening, Miss Kim." Jaehee stood and bowed politely as she walked passed her desk on the way out. "Oh! Wait." She stopped in her tracks, and it took all her efforts to act cordially towards the assistant.

"Kang."

"Right, excuse me." She saw her fumble beneath her desk momentarily before she emerged with a pair of plain, low, black heels. "I'm not sure if I should ask what happened to your feet, but I always carry an extra pair because it is Mr. Han who I work for."

"Wise woman you are…" she muttered ruefully. Her eyes glanced up, and she noticed they were presented to her in such a way that it seemed as if she was supposed to… take them . That couldn't be it though, right?

"Please, you can use them for your trip home," Jaehee urged.

MC cautiously took a couple steps towards the shoes and inspected them with critically meticulous eyes.

It was a kind gesture and yet… Her body involuntarily shivered at the hideousness of them.

They weren't even white.

She would never put those things on her feet. The cheapest shoe she had to wear was once when her father insisted she come along to a hot springs with him for some "family bonding" with her younger brother. It was an unexpected request, but she could almost never say no to her father, especially when he started to pull the 'I'm old, I might not have many years to live' card. She had to go out to the closest designer store and buy the first thing she could because there was no way she was wearing their "complementary" slippers no matter how "nice" they seemed.

"Sorry but no thanks," she wryly cut out. "Next time just keep a pair for me here. I can't walk out in those even if it's for a second. My feet wouldn't allow it," she finished, face trying to control the repulsed look.

"Sorry, I didn't think about that. I will see to it right away." Her offered shoes pulled back away from MC's sight.

"I'll send my specifications early tomorrow morning. I'm going home," she waved and turned her back to continue on her way.

"Good night, ma'am."

"Night, Kang."

***0o0***

(^The line break is being annoying again...^) Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Happy reading!

~WAC