A Stranger In The Elevator

The morning is dewy, and the sun shines brightly in the sky, painting it in hues of orange and blue. Everything looks radiant and serene–indeed, marking the arrival of a new, productive day.

Inside the helicopter, Reis enjoys the view. Traffic is heavy, stretching from 17th Street to downtown, all the way to the intersection in front of Singha College of Art and Communication, where she was once a student. The sky train's lanes twist and turn, like veins around a massive tree, adding to the vibe of a concrete jungle in a modern world.

"We'll arrive soon, Miss Ratchana," the pilot informs her. Reis simply nods, reaching for her green ostrich Birkin bag on the seat beside her. The helicopter hovers mid-way, waiting for a permission from the control tower.

"Heli X here. Permission to land."

"Permission granted."

The helicopter slowly descends onto the white-green landing pad. Even before Reis steps out, she spots two figures—her bodyguard and her lovely but clumsy and chaotic secretary, Ran—dashing towards her. She sighs, knowing it's going to be a hectic day. She just came back from Manila, and yet, she can't even take a breath!

"Go ahead, Ran..." Reis finally gives up, wasting no time as she jumps out of the helicopter and strides towards the exit door. Ran follows her closely as she gives out the briefing while Reis signals her bodyguard to stand down as she approaches her office.

"... and you need to conduct an interview for your personal assistant position–"

"Eh? What happened to Jun?" Reis's question nearly makes Ran slap her forehead in exasperation.

"Tomorrow is Miss Thanaporn's last day, Miss Ratchana. She's getting married this Saturday. Don't tell me you forget about that!" Ran's response makes Reis grimace.

"Shia.. I totally forgot about that!"

Ran rolls her eyes before continuing. As they reach Reis's office, the lady boss changes into something softer—a pink cashmere button-down cardigan—abandoning the leather jacket she wore earlier.

"You have an appointment with your brother at 9 a.m., and the final tentative for today is a dinner party organized by your father—"

"Scratch that. Make any excuses if possible," Reis sighs, shifting her focus to her tablet.

Ran rolls her eyes again, pouting her lips. "But, you've already skip a lot of party invitations from Mr. Ratchana! I can't come out with any more excuses!"

After some moment of silence, Reis finally says, "Fine, I'll join the party..." she speaks up as she glares at Ran. "But, you have to meet Tawan and arrange my outfit for tonight. Work along with him for that."

"What?! But..." Ran whines again. Reis smirks, enjoying the sight of the hopeless Ran, in thoughts of working alongside her ex-boyfriend.

"Or you can call my father's secretary and decline the invitation—"

"I'd rather die than lie again!" Ran exclaims, quickly dismissing her from the office, leaving Reis chuckling at her chaotic presence.

Glancing at her Rolex watch, Reis realized she hasn't had her morning coffee yet and had thirty minutes left before her appointment with her brother, Gi. She reached for the intercom to call Ran. But, probably by now, that girl is already on her way to the Department of Design to meet Tawan.

Well, I should grab coffee myself, then! The cafe is just downstairs anyway! She makes a decision on her own, before heading out of her office with a purse and phone in her hand.

***

Reis can finally smile after supplying enough caffeine into her body for today. She praises the Americano for awakening her foggy brain. Feeling much better, she sets her target to tackle the day in no time!

As soon as she reaches the elevator, her phone rings.

"Yes..." Reis answers briefly after checking the caller ID. It's Gi.

"I'll be there soon, Cè. Where should we meet?"

"Conference Room X, upstairs. Did your boy band tag along?"

"Nope. They had a recording at the TV station," Gi replied.

"Then, Conference X is big enough for both of us..." as Reis was about to press the close button, a hand suddenly stops the door from the outside of the elevator.

"Gotta go now, nong. See you later," Reis cuts the call as the door slowly opens, revealing a man; about her height.

That's when her gaze locks with a pair of beautiful hazel eyes. She's momentarily stunned by the man, who stood before her, panting slightly from a light run. He wears a white shirt made of expensive silk and a pair of black straight-cut pants. His hair is slicked back, with a few strands falling over his forehead.

"Thanks!" His deep voice sounds like a calm music for her ears, causing a turbulence in Reis's heart. The man flashes a deep dimple on his left cheek as he smiles, making her heart racing at its top speed, like a Ferrari.

Dimples... Hooded hazel eyes... Heaven is punishing me right now! Wait—why do I keep staring at him? Stop it, Reis!

She clears her throat awkwardly, standing tall to maintain her composure. But she can't help stealing glances at him.

All of a sudden, the floor of the elevator is shaking a bit. Reis plants her back against the wall, a slight panic flushes into her. The elevator is shaking violently, before everything goes dark.

This is not good!