Start

"Here, doggy...cute big doggy..." Chen Kaori gestured to make the adult Golden Retriever follow her.

"Alright, cut!" The man behind the camera shouted.

They watched the replay of the scene and the man smiled. "It's good."

"Alright!" People were shouting in chorus.

They soon wrapped up the shooting.

"Kaori." the man who was directing approached Chen Kaori.

"Senpai." Chen Kaori acknowledged him as she pat the dog goodbye.

"Let's go have dinner?" he offered with a smile.

"Uh..." Chen Kaori was hesitant. She had known her senior for a while now. He even gave her a new job, but will the dinner mean anything else?

Because she did not want to be rude, she accepted the invitation.

...

"Are you sure this is fine? I could've taken you somewhere fancy." Bei Yang gave her a sweet smile.

"Uh-uh!" Chen Kaori shook her head as she was munching on her food. She flashed a smile through the mouthful as she held her bowl and chopsticks.

Boiling in front of them is a bowl of hotpot with flaming red soup base.

Chen Kaori placed more ingredients into the pot before drinking from her glass of cold beer.

Then she noted that she was the only one eating.

"Eh...Senpai, why aren't you eating? You don't like hotpot?" she asked before placing another shrimp into her mouth.

Bei Yang chuckled. "You're so cute." he murmured.

"What?" Chen Kaori did not catch it through her chewing.

"I said, you can keep eating." he lied.

Afraid to upset her, he picked up his bowl and started filling it with soup and meatballs.

"Uhm...try the veggies too." Chen Kaori used her chopsticks to get some greens and some mushrooms and placed them into his bowl.

This made his smile wider.

Chen Kaori flashed a wide smile. "Eat up, Senpai. It's my treat...as thanks for giving me a fresh start."

Bei Yang was surprised by the statement. He widened his smile as he stared at her face.

She smiled back, then continued eating.

She was not naive. She just did not want to think too much of his gestures. Letting him pay for the meal would mean that what it was could be a date. At least, if she pays after those words, it would just be an act of gratitude, and she would not owe him too much. After all, she got this new job almost immediately after her resignation thanks to him.

...

"Well...here's me!" Chen Kaori declared as they arrived at the gate of her apartment complex.

"Okay." Bei Yang acknowledged with a smile.

"Thanks for walking me home...well, good night, Senpai." she waved to him and briskly entered after checking in with the guard at the entrance, not sparing a single glance back.

Bei Yang stared at her back until it was out of sight. Then he looked up at the twin towers of the apartment complex. He sighed. 'It would take some time...but I guess it's a start.' he thought.

He graduated a year ahead of her and immediately started his advertising company as his parents gifted him a huge sum for finishing with honors.

When Chen Kaori graduated, he tried to poach her into his new company. After all, she is as good, if not better, than he is. It could be said that her mind has a great imagination and creativity is essential in advertising.

However, she was already set on applying to be part of H&B, the company owned by the He family.

It was a surprise that she quit the job after years though, but became an opportunity for Bei Yang.