"So I take your name is Mi-Cha Park?" Jumin formally asked the girl sitting across from him and Jaehee, leaning back slightly on the navy blue sofa while Jaehee sat more stiffly right next to him.

They were surrounded by heavy sunlight coming from the nearby crystal-clear window, which was just as huge and wide as Jumin's grand office.

And somehow Jaehee couldn't help the painful throb inside her chest when the young cheery woman answered.

"Yes, I'd like to apply for the assistant job!"

Jumin stared at the long-haired brunette for a while, before stacking the papers that held her resume more neatly. "Very well..." he muttered, clearly unhappy over the whole situation.

Even though Mi-Cha couldn't notice, Jaehee, who had accompanied him for so many years, definitely could tell from his strained eyes and deep sighs. Jaehee couldn't help but feel somehow worried, since despite everything, she knew more than anyone apart from V, that Jumin had always hated having to search for a new secretary.

Said man on the other hand, could feel Jaehee's concerned gaze staring at him the whole time, and it was making him feel strangely worse than he already did. He seriously never thought he'd ever have to replace Assistant Kang.

She was just irreplaceable to him.

Then he realized he was completely spacing out as Mi-Cha finished mouthing something and he hadn't heard anything at all. "Pardon?" He blinked quickly, asking for a repeat.

"Um, I said I will give the best of myself everyday and I won't get, er, distracted by stuff," she told him more nervously this time, putting her hands together and pointing forward.

"Oh? I see…" Jumin was distracted once again as he disappointingly noticed Jaehee wasn't looking at him anymore and instead was talking to Mi-Cha; he was actually surprised when he felt jealousy.

"I believe that's what's most important about this job," the short-haired woman told the candidate with all honesty, "From experience I can tell you that's it's not easy. Not at all." She emphasized, clearly a surge of spite getting to her.

Jumin flinched at the blatant accusation, automatically wanting to defend himself. "I wouldn't say that it's the job what's difficult, miss Park…" the man said, feigning calmness, "But the people who do the job themselves."

Jaehee gasped at the jab. "I don't think you should acknowledge what Mr. Han is saying, miss Park," she quickly retorted, showing no mercy.

"He truly has no idea of what working under an iron fist feels like… he's way too invested into cat projects to sincerely show a care for his employees." She finished with a flowery smile.

Now it was Jumin's turn to be offended while he and Jaehee continued arguing passive-aggressively in front of poor, confused Mi-Cha; the latter which couldn't possibly tell whether she should say anything at all or just keep staring at the fight.

Soon enough the boss and assistant had completely forgot about the whole reason they were even doing an interview and both their eyes kept glaring daggers at each other. "Well, the cat projects wouldn't be an issue if only Assistant Kang balanced every other project correctly as well."

"The problem with that, Mr. Han, is that I'm not a robot who can comply to every single order at any time of the day," Jaehee frustratedly informed Jumin, unconsciously getting much closer to him that she was before.

"I also need rest, food and sleep just like any human being."

"I pay you so that you don't."

"You literally can't pay me to turn off my bodily functions."

"Is this why you're leaving, Assistant Kang?" Jumin raised an eyebrow at her, their faces standing barely centimeters from each other and neither of them realized or cared. "Because you're letting your weakness overpower your strength?"

Jaehee's honey-colored eyes widened, taken aback by the boldness. She couldn't help but blink, suddenly glancing the other way. "No… it's not that…" she murmured, only loud enough for him to hear.

Their intense eyes kept their sights firmly on each other, and just when Jaehee was about to continue, Mi-Cha spoke up. "Um… Should I leave? Is the interview over…?" she questioned, unsure to stay since this seemed very private.

Finally the two snapped out of it, and turned back to Mi-Cha, almost embarrassed. They were fast to deny her inquiry.

"No, no, that…" The dashing raven-haired man paused for a second. "That won't be necessary."

Jaehee rapidly shook her head as well, giving her best reassuring smile to Mi-Cha. "Please forgive the interruption. Let's continue the interview."

Mi-Cha glanced at the skeptically, nearly getting up to exit the room but she resolved on sitting back nervously, somehow feeling she shouldn't be there.

"You know what?" Jumin sighed, glancing briefly at the candidate and dismissing her with his hand. "You're hired."

Jaehee's left eye twitched with pure bafflement. Her interview certainly hadn't been this easy!

"W-what?" she stuttered, unable to speak properly. "Mr. Han—"

"Really?!" Mi-Cha exclaimed with sheer excitement. This really turned out well! "When do I start!?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Today. Assistant Kang will bring your uniform," Jumin Han said simply, shocking Jaehee even more.

"What?! Mister—"

"Yay!" Mi-Cha couldn't help her cheer.

"Welcome to C International, new intern," her new boss told her, not really seeming very welcoming.

"This is going to be the end of me…" Jaehee Kang thought dreadfully before locking eyes with a smug-looking Jumin once again.


"So this is the workplace? It looks nice," Mi-Cha expressed while walking alongside Jaehee as the latter gave her a tour around the office.

"Yes… It Is quite comfortable," Jaehee agreed with a nod and a small smile. "It's the place I will leave after a few months…" she also reminded herself with a grim look as she redirected her sight forward.

"Hey, Jaehee— Um, can I call you that?" The long-haired girl asked a bit shyly, but sounding friendly.

"Of course." The secretary nodded with a smile again.

Mi-Cha chuckled. "You can also call me by my name, anyway."

The two of them laughed softly at her response and kept walking until they reached their respective desks, this time more relaxed.

"This is your seat, while mine is just right next to yours," she explained, sitting down and signalling Mi-Cha to do the same. "This way, you can ask me whenever you have a doubt about work or need help learning something."

"Alright! Thanks, Jaehee!" Mi-Cha grinned widely, plopping down on her chair cheerfully.

Jaehee hummed. "You're welcome, this is part of my job, after all."

Mi-Cha kept smiling at her coworker until her eyes leaned down and set sight on something that clearly caught her attention. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed loudly, taking Jaehee by surprise. "You're a fan of Zen, too!"

Jaehee gasped, not really understanding how she figured that out until her own eyes looked down and she remembered her mouse pad, which had a huge drawing of the rising celebrity in it. She couldn't help but feel giddy that there was actually someone else who understood how amazing he was!

"Indeed! You're a fan, too?!" she inquired excitedly, eager to have someone to talk about it with.

"Yeah! I've been ever since I discovered his musicals!" She sighed dreamily. "Guy's got talent! Not to mention he's so handsome…" she muttered the last part with a blush, making Jaehee laugh in agreement.

"I've seen all of his musicals. If you want, I can lend some of my DVDs to you," she offered to her with a content smile, before worriedly adding, "But please take good care of them… they're my most priced possession."

Mi-Cha nodded her head fervently. "Of course! I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to those precious DVDs!" she assured her just as seriously.

Jaehee sighed in relief. Maybe… maybe she and Mi-Cha could become good friends after all. That'd be wonderful.

Then to everybody's surprise, Jumin's father, Mr. Chairman, strode inside the room with an indignant expression, seeming unhappy about something in particular. The elderly man angrily asked whether Jumin was in his office or not, and was quickly given directions by some really scared employee.

Jaehee couldn't help but feel concerned for Jumin as she slowly put her hand to her mouth; an angry Mr. Chairman didn't do anybody favors.


Jumin flinched when someone basically slammed the door to his study open and he flinched even further when he saw it was his father.

"Would you mind explaining why Echo Girl of all people is crying so distraughtly at the bottom of our building?! There's at least a dozen cameramen outside taking pictures and making interviews!" The elder Mr. Han yelled, setting down his hand on the table.

"Echo Girl…?" Jumin questioned, tilting his head slightly. He honestly had no idea of who that was.

"Yes! The poor girl is ruining her beautiful blue eyes with tears!" his father exclaimed before pulling out a napkin and drying his own surfacing tears of dismay.

Jumin sighed heavily: this was another of his father's women quirks. He really didn't want to deal with that right now. Or ever.

"Maybe we should try inquiring for the reason of her sadness, father, before we jump to any conclusions," he suggested as logically as he could.

"Exactly! I want you to go down there, and do whatever she asks you as long as it's in our power." After stating these orders, his father satisfiedly smiled to himself and walked to wherever he was before he stormed the office.

Jumin heaved a sigh again. Such a troublesome problem.