Dry Monsoon

I woke up at 6:50 am and took a shower after filling my empty stomach with an instant microwave meal I found in my fridge. After spending most of my time drying my hair, I applied some light make-up. I only wear sunscreen on days I don’t have any scheduled appointments with clients. Every morning, my routine was the same unless there was a special occasion. Although ever since I started my job, I couldn’t maintain my fitness routine.

I pressed hard against my stiff eyes. I hadn’t properly slept for several days. I let out a sigh and started to wrap the cake CEO Shin had asked for.

CEO shin was the person who suggested I should change my job, but now he started expressing his regret from the moment my turnover was completed. He had been openly lingering around me ever since I visited Joo Hae-in. And once, Hae-in stopped by my office while passing by SIN for some work. It caused a huge uproar in the company. I wasn’t known until later, that many of the office employees applied for a job transfer to Hae-in’s office. Of course, they were all denied.

“Can you bring the cake to the CEO’s office?”

“Sure!”

After wrapping up a client appointment with another staff member who was to take over my position, I delivered the cake to CEO Shin’s office and stood in front of the air conditioner to cool off.

Today the weather was warm and even the smallest movement made me sweat like hell. I stood with my eyes closed and swept a hand across my forehead to wipe away the sweat which had already cooled off. Just then my phone rang. The tips of my ears started to burn when I saw who the caller was.

It was none other than Kwon Lee-Hyun, I had saved his name clearly with his full first and last name. I rejected the call, avoiding the curious glances of other employees, I returned to my seat. Then I quietly opened my notebook and drew lines meaninglessly that came to my mind.

“Why do you keep making me want to tease you…” He said.

“That is because you are a sadist. I don’t have a hobby of being bullied or teased…”

“Sadist?”

He asked back with a smirk that twisted the corners of his lips.

I wanted to push out the image of his face that invaded my mind with the crunchy sound of my pencil. I moved my hand a little faster and began to fill up the entire white page of my notebook. However, still, that man’s voice kept on tormenting me.

“Do you know what a sadist means?” He asked.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel bad. I was just joking. I didn’t purposely forget to save your contact.”

“I know, you wouldn’t dare to make me feel bad. I’m merely just 010.”

“Then… ugh, relax you know. Do you really think I did it on purpose? After all, you are Kwon Lee Hyun.”

That’s right. He was Kwon Lee-Hyun.

Scratch.

The sharp tip of the pencil, which was moving fast, dug into the paper with a creepy sound.

Only then did I breathe in and focus on the page full of messy lines. my lashes trembled as I tried to catch my breath.

“I’m a little confused right now. Now, my assumptions may just be from my own over-inflated ego.” He said.

“I could say the same. I can’t tell whether you’re joking or being serious.”

“Lee Ji-Eun, Let’s have sex.”

“What?!”

“Let me have a taste. Whether it’s salty or bland, whether it’s not enough or too much. Reasonably and rationally. I’m asking because I want to know if it meets my standards.”

It was an unreasonable and irrational proposal.

The hand that was holding the pencil pressed down harder against the page. The lines that filled the notebook were messy and tangled, clearly depicting Kwon Lee-Hyun’s name.

“Why aren’t you answering?” He asked.

I bit down on my lower lip and tore up the piece of paper filled with Kwon Lee-Hyun’s name.

“Actually…”

“Actually?”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of salt measurements being mentioned when asked to have sex. Oh, that’s not it.” I said.

“Salt… you mean?”

With a reluctant nod, he held back his laughter and eventually collapsed onto the sofa with his face covered for a long time.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I pulled the small mirror on my desk with a red face.

It was embarrassing to see my face which had turned red like a drunken person. I didn’t know how I provoked him to say something like that, and he suggested so gracefully of us becoming sex partners, like what got to him. I rubbed the nape of my neck and got up with my luggage. Just then, Manager Yoon popped up from the side.

“Are you going out for fieldwork?”

“Oh, I have some other work to attend to. I requested for early leave.”

“Oh, I see. But don’t forget about tomorrow! We should have a farewell party!”

“Sure. Then, see you tomorrow, Manager.”

After leaving the office, I huffed out a frustrated sigh. The city centre was like an unventilated heat dome. If it was already like this, how hot would it be in midsummer? If only it would rain.

As I stood there fanning myself, my phone rang. It was from Kim Hee-Joo, my stepmom.

“I’m coming now,” I said.

***

The inside of the department store was crowded with shoppers. I arrived on the 9th floor after taking the elevator. After getting off the elevator I stood in front of an automated door plastered with the words <Black L>. The intercom rang out, requesting for a card to be placed on the sensor. Instead, I pressed the call button and said Kim Hee-Joo’s name to the employee.

At the front of the lounge, the mosaic painting <Enemy 赤季> by Painter Kim Eung-soo caught my eye. As the lounge staff walked me through the aisle lined with private rooms, a familiar sound of laughter came out from around the corner.

“This is the room. What kind of drink would you like?”

“Ice coffee, please.”

“Sure.”

Judging from the sound of laughter, Kim Hee-Joo wasn’t alone. I turned around the corner, making my footsteps loud on purpose to signal my arrival. As expected, there was another person, she raised her head towards me.

“Oh, you’re here? Say hello first. This is President Kwon Soo-Yeon.”

She was Kwon Lee-Hyun’s younger sister, Kwon Soo-Yeon. I had seen her twice already. Unlike me who was embarrassed, Soo-Yeon smiled coolly, rose from her seat and held out her hand.

“I’m Kwon Soo-Yeon. I’m the chairman of the Seoryang Foundation and also the younger sister of Executive Director Kwon Lee-Hyun.”

“Hello. I’m Lee Ji-Eun.”

After shaking her hand, I sat down next to Kim Hee-Joo and turned toward her quickly.

“I didn’t know there would be a guest.”

“Oh my, I didn’t tell you?”

“It’s alright. But what did you call me for?”

“What do you mean? We have to prepare for the wedding. Soo-Yeon—ah, I mean the chairman is here to help us. Did you think you have one or two things to prepare before you get married?”