[7] Defined

Manager Kim had called her to a morning meeting that she was not originally meant to attend.

"What a pleasant surprise."

"Took the words out of my mouth, Ya Giya."

Across the meeting table was Lee Sho Han, hair now dyed a platinum blonde instead of the golden blonde it had used to be.

His professional smile likely mirrored her own.

"Oh, it seems that the two of you know each other?"

Manager Kim looked between the two of them, eyes glowing with their usual mirth.

"Yes, we met at a party," Giya answered smoothly.

About a year older than Giya, Kim Yoon Choi was a capable and amiable worker. Broad-shoulders, slightly tanned skin, neat brown side-swept hair, and a strong handsome face that carried a magnetic charisma made him who he was.

He quickly rose to manager level within his first year in the company.

He and many others had commended Ya Giya's mentorship, but she has been declining a higher position for about 3 years because she couldn't be bothered, so she has obtained the reputation of being the "shadow boss," having hand-raised almost half of the newly promoted staff within her working period.

"Looks like I'm the only one who really needs to introduce myself. I'm Manager Kim Yoon Choi, in charge of this collaboration with your company. Mr Lee, you will mostly be communicating with me..."

He gestured to Giya with a hand.

"...but I thought it prudent for you to meet our prized team member, whose detailed analyses and guidance has brought us many a profit."

She gave a small seated bow.

"Words of commendation from the youngest manager in the company are motivating, Manager Kim."

"You know that I speak of your capability; my compliments are not just words.

And, I thought I told you to refer to me as Yoon Choi. We are not that far apart in age."

Sho eyed Manager Kim, but said nothing.

"We hope to bolster your company's foundation and forge a strong friendship."

Manager Kim said, turning to Sho with the intent of a handshake.

"Likewise, sir."

Sho took his hand and squeezed, slightly surprised by the other's comparable strength. If Manager Kim had noticed the challenge, his enigmatic smile did not say. After the shake, Manager Kim checked his watch. Was that a Rulex?

"Well, this meeting was simply for introductions, and that's all the time we have for today. We will be meeting later in the week to discuss the framework of our project."

Manager Kim stood and looked Sho right in the eyes.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Lee. We look forward to working with you."

He smoothly turned on his heel, hand outstretched to help Giya out of her seat.

"Ms Ya, would you like to fetch dessert for the office to commemorate the start of this project?"

'He knows,' Sho noted.

'Knows that she loves desserts.'

Giya took his hand and stood, as usual.

"Gladly, Manager Kim."

"Wonderful. There's this new cafe that opened up that I would love to show you. They have delightful strawberry shortcake."

'Her favourite.'

He was still holding her hand.

Giya's eyes lit up, even as the rest of her face remained stoic. One could imagine her with a tail wagging excitedly, looking like that. Sho could hear his heartbeat as he stood.

"Ah, Mr Lee. Would you like to join us?"

Sho froze at Manager Kim's question, a bit ashamed to be caught staring at their touching hands, but quickly recovered, fixing the creases in his work shirt.

"I'm afraid not, Manager Kim. I have prior engagements."

"That's quite alright, Mr Lee. Please go ahead, we shouldn't keep you waiting."

Manager Kim had let go of Giya's hand, starting to tell her more about the new cafe, but the image continued to play in Sho's mind as he left the meeting room.

As the door shut, Kim Yoon Choi quieted down his idle talk.

He approached a bit closer and leaned down to share softer words to the shorter lady.

"Did that make you feel better, Giya?"

"I didn't need that, Manager Kim."

"That look in your eyes when you saw him said you might have wanted it."

She had trained him to be too perceptive in client handling.

"I trained you to work for the company, not me, Manager Kim."

"Please, call me Yoon Choi when we're not working."

Usually, she would, but she was rather upset with his behavior at the moment.

"Right now, I am your mentor telling you not to mix personal business with the company's business, Manager Kim. If Mr Lee had decided to not work with us because of your actions, it would have been a terrible blunder."

"For that, I will apologise. But I will not apologise for how much anger he inspires in me for what he did to you. You deserved none of it, Giya."

This sensitive, sociable nature that he had used to glean this information from her was exactly what made Kim Yoon Choi one of Giya's best promoted students. Regardless, this blatant affection he showed her could get him in trouble.

"I'm grateful for your concern, but please set your feelings aside when we're working, Yoon Choi."

"I'll do better in the future, Giya."

He straightened and fixed his tie with a huff.

"It was just my first time seeing him in person, and my inside thoughts got the better of me. He looked like a nice guy, too. Looks can be so deceiving."

He waited for her to reply, but he finished fixing his tie without one. He looked up, slightly concerned.

"Ms Ya?"

Her eyes were distant.

Yoon Choi didn't want to disturb her, but he did at the behest of his tightened chest. He placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"Giya--"

She jolted into the present, grabbing his wrist with an uncanny strength and pulling him off balance. He braced himself for a kick that had scored very highly in one office bonding trip to the arcade punch machine, but it never came.

The grip on his wrist loosened.

"...I'm sorry, Yoon Choi. Let's go."

"Of course, Ms Ya."

He admired that about her.

That strength to continue moving forward with emotion and purpose, despite a cold, unfeeling facade.

He hoped that one day, maybe he would walk beside her, her hand in his.

_______________________________________________

When Giya returned home and finished her shower that evening, she discovered that she had unread messages from a contact she had long stopped texting.

The familiar setting brought all the memories crashing down at once, the pressure of the professional atmosphere no longer safeguarding her thoughts.

'I saw him again.'

The confession, the necklace. The ex, the kiss. The bright eyes, and the lightless ones.

The offender, the victim. The tears that did not flow. The questions that should not be asked.

She was giddy on her mind in overdrive.

'Giya, you knew this could happen. Would happen eventually.'

Her simulations resurfaced in her mind, slowing her breathing. She faced her phone.

[ It was nice seeing you again, Giya ]

[ I knew you were good at your job, but to think that the manager would bring you in to meet with clients ]

[ Say, isnt he a bit touchy? ]

'Touchy? Since when?' Giya wondered.

She didn't expect this scenario.

[ I was Manager Kim's mentor until only a few months ago, and he's been that sociable since the beginning ]

[ I thought he was always like that ]

[ It was nice seeing you again, too ]

The long wait for Sho Han's reply was a bit nostalgic.

[ Is Manager Kim your new boyfriend? ]

'That meddlesome student of mine.'

[ No, he isn't. Didn't think he appeared like that ]

[ Really? I thought he was into you, if he wasnt already dating you ]

[ I didn't think he would want to date me ]

Manager Kim was definitely receptive of Giya's emotions and well-being, but he never crossed the line and confessed his feelings. Giya wasn't inclined to thinking those types of exhaustive speculations.

[ Huh??? Who wouldnt want to date you ]

That stung Giya somewhere tender, but she laughed at its irony.

[ He's a good friend and coworker ]

[ Well, he seems to like you quite a lot. ]

[ Never thought about it? ]

'Yes, I didn't. I was a bit busy thinking about you.'

Perhaps this was what haunted him when he met her that December afternoon. What she was able to pull him out of, even just for a few moments.

[ Yes, I never thought of Manager Kim that way. ]

[ He seems like a really great guy and cares about you. Youd be happy with him ]

'Are you also...'

[ Happier, probably. You deserve to be happy with a guy like him ]

They were just two ships trying to make it through the night.

Perhaps not all first encounters with ex-partners were like this, but dear Lord was she thankful that hers was as sincere as this one.

Pain and walls, unspoken sentiments and regrets painted this canvas. Still, they painted it together, with all its joys and sadness.

Like with the necklace and the chat histories, Giya would not throw this away.

She would be sure to admire it for all it was worth, the depths of its meanings.

[ Very kind of you to concern yourself over me, Sho. I think I'll ask Manager Kim and see what he thinks about this. ]

[ Yeah, girl! Go get your man, Giya! ]

[ I hope he's good for you and that you'll be happy together ]

[ I hope the same for you and Leanne. ]

Sho stopped typing at that message. Giya chuckled.

[ Have a good evening, Sho. ]

[ Yeah, you too ]

Giya placed her phone down somewhere next to her in bed, and curled into the pillow she hugged to sleep. They felt softer that night.

She didn't dream.