The Narcissistic CEO

Let's all welcome and give applause to the youngest successful businessman in the country, Mr. Timothy Kim!

The MC announced and I know I have to leave what I was doing and walk to the stage behind my boss, who is the youngest successful businessman in the country. I know, right? I've been hearing that everywhere. In television, in news tabloids, in commercials and in everything as long as they could say his name proudly.

I know that he's successful, but seriously, I'm so tired hearing those words. Though I'm still thankful that he's my boss, because of him, I have this stable job and good salary where I can support my boyfriend's needs.

Joaquin Valley has been my boyfriend for almost four years. We met in our 3rd year college, became friends because we're in the same circle of friends, then became close and he pursued me when we were in our last year of college. We planned about our future together after we finished studying, but shit happened and he needed to drop out because of family matters. He needed to go to Minnesota to take care of his dying grandma.

We had a huge argument about that, because why not? He's going somewhere far away from me and he even needs to stop his study. But at the end of the day, he won because that's his grandmother. I let him go and we became in a long distance relationship. And I'm actually surprised that it worked until he came back and continued his study.

Now, I'm the one supporting him financially since I immediately got this job after I graduated, which is the executive secretary of the one and only Timothy Kim. Of course with the help of my best friend Jinsoo Kim, who is the cousin of my boss. Isn't it great? I've been working for him for almost a year now and I don't know why I still can't stand how narcissistic he is.

"Thank you everyone for coming to witness this face that I have and I am showing this for all of you to see." Timothy said and everyone laughed as if they were thinking that he's joking, but he's not. "You're welcome, so take a picture as much as you like and the photo will be worth a hundred dollars." He added.

"God I hate this man." I mumbled under my breath as I stood on the corner and wore this fake smile that hurt my cheek. Why am I even here?

"Wow." The woman next to me said mockingly, looking at my boss who keeps praising himself in front of those stupid medias. "Is he always like that?" She asked.

I really don't want to answer her as I'm not sure if she's talking to me, but when I felt her gaze on me, I sighed and looked at her.

"Yes." I replied.

"It must be hard to be in your position." She chuckled and offered her hand. "Joe." She said.

"Lisa." I reached for her hand and smiled at her. "So who's your Boss?" I asked this good looking woman with her short dirty blonde hair.

"The Narcissist's dad." She replied and we both laughed. "So I heard that he's going to California next month, are you coming with him?"

"Uh actually, I'm still undecided and we've been discussing that because I need to be here to guide the one who will replace him in his company."

"Oh his wife?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Kim? I guess she's still in California." I shrugged and turned to my boss who kept talking about nothing but his look. He didn't even say anything about his business, about the things these people came for, not for his goddamn face.

He is indeed a good looking man, but isn't it too much? He always compliments himself, always praises himself, always needs excessive attention. In short, he has a disorder. And I don't need to wonder why his wife decided to stay in another country rather than being with him.

"I have seen that woman at their wedding." Joe said and I glanced at her, because I know that she wants to say something but she's holding it back. Maybe because she thinks that I might tell my boss, which is not gonna happen. I don't really talk to my boss if it's not about my job.

"I haven't." I said and I saw in peripheral vision that she looked at me. "I heard she's a bitch."

"Not totally, she might look like that because of her face, but I'm telling you. She's nice, at least for me."

"Isn't it funny? I have this narcissist boss and his wife is a bitch. Imagine if they are both in his office. Wow, I will never gonna enter that room in any circumstances." I stifled a laugh and she did too.

"Thank you." Timothy said for the last time before he turned his heels and walked towards me. "Have you seen this crowd? They are too happy to see me."

I stole a quick glance at Joe before looking back at my boss and smiled at him fraudulently. "They love your face." I said that I almost gag but I hold back myself. "Are we leaving?" I asked.

"Yes, do I have any schedule after this?"

I pulled the planner out of my bag and looked for his schedule that I've written backstage while I'm trying to reach my boyfriend's phone.

"Uh.. you have a lunch meeting with Mr. Jim Park in a restaurant downtown, and a meeting with your cousin Jinsoo at 2 PM and another one with Mrs. Ruby Jane Kim." I said as I looked up to him.

His eyebrows knitted in the middle while looking at me, which made me confused. "She could call me whenever she wants, she's my wife. Why does she need to ask for an appointment with her husband?"

"Uh I don't really know what to answer with that, Sir. I just got a call from her secretary and set an appointment with you."

"She's crazy." He shook his head and tapped my shoulder. "I'll get going, see you in the company then."

"Wait Sir, don't you need me to accompany you?" I asked.

"No need, I got this. Jim is my friend so I don't think we'll talk about business. Go out and have some lunch, let's see each other in my company." He said before he walked away with his bodyguard behind him. Bobby looked over his shoulder and waved his hand at me but I just stuck my tongue out at him.

Bobby is Timothy's bodyguard. And we became close since we are always walking behind the CEO. We had a friend in common too, Seu, one of my college friends.

After I left the building, I immediately hailed a cab and told the driver to bring me to NYU. I couldn't reach Joaquin's phone so I decided to drop by the university to check on him before having my lunch in Seu's coffee shop.

I tried calling his number again but it was still not reachable, until I got tired and shoved my phone inside my bag. When the taxi arrived in front of the university, I paid the driver and thanked him before I got off.

"Damn, I miss my college life." I smiled while looking at the gate of the university. The guard approached me when he noticed that there's a weird girl smiling in front of the closed gate. And that girl is me, yes, I'm that weird.

"Ma'am? Do you want to go in?" He asked.

"Uh yes, I was just going to visit my boyfriend, he's not picking up his phone and I'm worried."

"Oh uh, I can take a call inside to inform your boyfriend—." He was cut off when my phone suddenly rings and I smiled upon seeing Jaoquin's number registered on the screen.

"He's coming here, but thanks anyway." I said and smiled at him before answering the call. "Hey babe—."

"Lisa I'm sorry, I didn't hear your call." He interrupted. There were loud voices on his line which made me miss what he said but decided to ignore it.

"Where are you? I've been trying to call you since this morning."

"Sorry, I'm so busy with the upcoming exams." He replied and he seemed to be walking away to find a silent area so we could hear each other clearly. "Have you eaten lunch?"

"No, actually I'm outside the university. I drop by to give you your allowance."

"Great, I was about to tell you that I need money to—."

"To date your girlfriend?" I cut him off with a chuckle.

"No." He replied quickly.

Well, I'm not disappointed. I'm not, I swear.

"I'm not gonna date you with your own money, silly." He added, laughing. "I'm going out, let's eat lunch together." He said and turned off the call.

Why did I even feel disappointed earlier? He's right, no ones going to date their girlfriends using their girlfriend's money. I'm such an idiot. God, it's Timothy's fault.

I stood on the corner and waited for Joaquin to arrive. My hands gripping my bag tightly while swaying my body back and forward, humming some random songs.

"Lisa?" I brought my head's up to see who called my name and saw Natalie, she's one of my college friends. "Oh my god, Lisa it's you!" She exclaimed wide eyed open and jumped giddily before pulling me into a hug. "I missed you!"

"Yah." I whine while giggling. "When did you arrive?" I asked after we both pulled away.

"Last month." She replied as she scanned me from head to toe, when her gaze darted up to meet my eyes, she raised her eyebrow. "I've been trying to call you since then but I couldn't reach you, even Seu and Jinsoo."

"I changed my number." I shrugged. "So care to tell me what it is?"

"Nothing, what are you doing here anyway?" She asked back.

"Oh I am waiting for my boyfriend."

"You mean, girlfriend." She said with an awkward chuckle.

"Boyfriend." I replied.

"Are you serious?" She asked dumbfounded. "Since when did you realize that you're into hetero relationship?"

"Since college I guess?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me, Lisa." She gaped. "You dated Minnie and that girl with a cute smile before, what the hell?" She exclaimed exasperatedly.

"So that explains why you scanned me from head to toe."

"You're too feminine right now which makes me confused." She said and looked up to the sky, she clenched her eyes and let out a sigh. "I had a crush on you because I thought you're a lesbian."

"Shut up." I chuckled and looked around, making sure that Joaquin didn't hear her, but thankfully, he's still inside and waving his hand when he saw me. I turned to Natalie again and put my hands on her both shoulders. "Listen, I'm not a lesbian and I have to go, if you're looking for Jinsoo and Seu, you can see them at Seulrene's coffee shop in downtown." I said and pulled her again. "I missed you too, let's catch up later okay?" I added and started walking toward the gate to meet Joaquin halfway.

"Who's that?" Joaquin asked when he approached me.

"That's Natalie, still remember her?"

"Of course! Didn't she finish her study abroad? I didn't know that she had already come back." Joaquin said and he wrapped his arm on my waist. "Let's invite her to eat with us."

"Uh no, she's going to meet her boyfriend so yeah, maybe later." I said I was a little bit nervous, but I don't know why am I even nervous?

Joaquin knew that I'm a bit boyish back in college, wearing clothes like a Tomboy. But he never knew that I dated girls way back and I don't want to turn him off. It's not like being a Tomboy is embarrassing, it's just that. Jaoquin doesn't like the way I dress, I act and even the way I speak before.

I changed everything in me because he wanted it. He told me to dress more feminine, to act soft, to speak like a real woman. And I did, though I'm not really comfortable, but I'm still trying.

I still wear large Tees, loose shorts and still move like the Lisa before, but only inside my apartment and in front of my closest friends. Well, I'm sure as hell that Natalie will tease me once we meet again. But for now, I'm not gonna think about it.

I need to call Seu and tell her that I will not make it today at her shop. I hope Jinsoo will forgive me for missing lunch with her. That girl is kind of.. err.. how would I address her? Harsh? Asshole? Dumb? Anything you could name about a person with a foul mouth when you ditch them.

But she's too funny to be with and she's kind.

"Where's your car?" Jaoquin asked when I hailed a cab.

"I came from a conference with my boss and he told me to have lunch on my own." I shrugged my shoulders and opened the door for him when the taxi stopped in front of us. He looked at me dead in the eye then shook his head. "What?" I asked.

"You opened the door. Wherein I should be the one doing that."

"Let's not make it a big deal." I frowned and shut the door again and pointed at it. "Open it then." I said and his frown went deeper but still did what I said. He opened the door and I smiled at him in a sarcastic way as I went inside. He shook his head before he sat next to me.

"Where are we going?" The driver asked, looking at us through the rear view mirror.

"Midtown East." Jaoquin replied, earning a surprise look from me. "What?" He asked.

"You don't want to eat in a restaurant?" I asked.

"Sometimes, it's more fun to eat outside than in a fancy restaurant." He shrugged.

"I hope your stomach will be fine." I replied with a giggle.

Let me tell you one thing about my boyfriend. He never eats street food, he's such a neat freak and I hate it. But what can I do? I have to accept it because I love him. I do love him, but sometimes, I keep asking myself. Whenever I am inside my house, looking at myself through the reflection of my full-length mirror.

'Is it really me? Is it really what I want to be? Is it what makes me happy?'

Those are the same questions I've been asking myself every morning. Because to be honest, I'm not happy, but not sad either. I just feel so incomplete and something is missing. There's a shallow hole inside me that no one can ever fill it, not even my best friends, not even my boyfriend and no one, as in, no one.

Maybe, time will tell if what or who might it be.

____