Some Kind of Business

“What’s my schedule for today?” Your boss asked you.

Standing at the window, looking down the busy streets of Seoul. Together with her, you’re at the highest point of the building she owns.

“At 10 am, there was a preliminary meeting about the new museum proposal in room 304. At 12 pm, you’ll have lunch with the leading Italian brand owners. At 2 pm, you’ll have a board meeting regarding the newly appointed executives for the existing foundations in room 407. At 3—” You answered, standing politely behind her, meters away.

“Cancel all of it.” She ordered you, as her secretary.

“Uhh, but—” You can’t just cancel it on the same day; it was essential to the company.

“I have somewhere to go.” She turned to face you. Her fierce look alone tells you that you should follow her orders, or else you’ll be caught up in her annoyance.

“Yes, ma’am.” You bowed, bracing yourself for a thunderous rage of executives you’ll have a word with.

“...”

You bowed your head and were about to leave her office. But, a few more steps before the door, she speaks.

“You’re coming with me, drive for me.”

“Y-yes?” You turn around once more, and your eyes meet hers this time. Something’s telling you there’s another reason behind her eyes.

“My parents want to meet me.” She said, staring at you.

“I understood.” You already knew what she meant and took another bow to excuse yourself.

Thud.

“What do her parents want from her this time?” You muttered, then proceeded your way back to your desk.

Your boss, named Lee Ji-eun, doesn't want anyone to call her that way anymore; however, she has no choice but to embrace it if she wants to succeed. She despised her family, and the “Lee” in her name, but for money and power, she wouldn't mind it.

She’s cold, charismatic, and meticulous. She wanted everything to be as perfect as possible. She didn't believe in mistakes, but instead blamed carelessness. Thankfully, you survived all of that and learned to adapt.

You worked for her for five years, and you learned how things worked from your workplace, to your duties as her secretary, and now even how your boss and her family fight for the company and shares. You just saw it in dramas, but after working for her, you just realized that all of it was possible and happening in real life.

The moment she told you earlier that her parents wanted to meet you, you instantly got what she meant by bringing you with her.

She needed someone to listen to whatever she said.

With no other person beside her, except you as her secretary, she’ll lean on you.

Well… it didn’t work that well since you had to often listen to her bitching…

“I can’t believe they tried to sneak their slush funds under my name! Those fuckers.”

“I wish you saw the look on Mr. Park’s ugly face.”

“Finally… I had fifty percent of that damn share.”

“...”

“I wonder what kind of story I’ll hear from her later.” You sighed, you’re already exhausted just thinking about how tiring this day might be for you.

Your ears hurt, your eardrums were almost shattered, and your head ached after the executives roared at you through the phone. You get it, they’re mad for cancelling important meetings the same day just because she said it. But they can’t get mad at her since they were scared of her, so they chose to take their anger out on you.

“Oh, Ms. Lee.” You said even though she’s not around.

“Oh shit— teeeeen–” The landline cuts. Her name is like a magic word; it works well for you in tight cases.

“Her name alone scared the shit out of them.” You put down the phone; the last cancellation is done.

“They’re scared of her, acting mighty just because I’m her mere secretary.” Sometimes you thought of resigning, but the pay’s good and the company benefits are top-notch. So you choose to keep it and adapt.

“...”

After a while, her office door opened.

“Hello, Ms. Lee.” You quickly stood up and greeted her.

“Let’s go.” She dropped the car key on your desk and walked away.

“Yes.” You grabbed it together with your stuff and ran through the elevator lobby, taking another lift besides the one she’s facing.

Other employees stopped walking and paid respects by bowing. The tension’s high, and no one dared to stand by her except you.

While she takes her time walking, the other way goes to you. You are running your way to the parking lot; basically, you have to be there before she arrives.

“...”

“Did I run too fast?” You looked at your watch; it’s just five minutes after she told you that you’re leaving.

“Habit.” You chuckled softly and waited for her patiently.

After another couple of minutes, the glass doors slid smoothly, and she appeared. For a second, you stared at her unconsciously. For a second, you forgot to move. Even under parking lot lights, she stood out too much.

“Hmm? Let’s go.” She said after noticing you’re staring at her.

“Huh? Ah, yes.” You opened the door for your boss. Her flowery perfume hits your sense of smell while her smooth skin subtly rubs through your hand, notifying your sense of touch.

You did not think about it; it’s just an accidental contact. Though you can’t deny it’s electrifying for the first time.

However, you are well aware that she’s your boss, a towering wall separates the two of you, a boundary that can’t be surpassed. So, you threw those feelings a long time ago. Those affections and excitement are replaced by admiration.

All you currently hear right now is the low hum of the car’s air conditioning, the sound of the car’s engine, and her breathing.

“Say, how’s working with me?” She’s looking outside, the car’s window reflecting her pretty face perfectly.

“Should I be honest? It’s pretty tense.” You glanced at the rear-view mirror.

“Hmm, you’re actually doing great. You’re not that crybaby anymore.” She turned her head lightly, looking back at you through the mirror.

“Yes, thank you, ma’am.” You can’t help but smile.

“...”

In your first year at work, it’s either she’ll yell at you, or she’ll quietly stop herself from yelling at you. Both of them will end up in endless scolding, all because you messed up. Every minute matters to her; there’s no space for mistakes. As you already stated earlier, she doesn't believe in it because mistakes are caused by carelessness.

Eventually, you physically and mentally gave up. You remember that time when she yelled at you for not informing her of a meeting with a higher-up, and she cursed at you like she owned your soul.

Well, you cursed her back. The way her jaw dropped, speechless, and her brows twitched in anger. You know it’s over.

“Get out.”

You did as she said, leaving her alone and going back to your room. You cried a lot, fearing that you might not just lose your job, but you might even be blacklisted in the entire field. That’s how powerful she is.

The next morning, you got a message from her.

“Prepare the documents.”

You cried again, not because of fear, but from gladness this time around. You’re sleepless and exhausted, reflecting on your actions. She forgave what you did and gave you another chance.

“Why are you smiling? Is there anything to smile at?” She observed through the mirror.

“Uhh, nothing, ma’am.” You snapped, shifting your focus back to driving.

You can’t help but smile every time you remember those days when you were still her rookie secretary.

You arrived at their Manor House. Countless checkpoints and identity verification greet both of you, though it’s a usual thing, especially when it comes to their family. Ms. Lee just sat at the back, crossed arms, expressionless, with her window lightly down just enough for security to have a look at her.

The verification took about ten minutes.

“What a hassle.” She hissed as she stepped out of the car. You held the door open for her.

“Wait here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” You bowed.

She walked her way inside their house, two massive doors swinging open into their pivotal hinges.

The door clicked shut, and she disappeared behind it. It’s you and her car once again, sharing the same breeze of the cold night. There are other secretaries as well, but you thought it was better to keep away from them. You served other people; your ideology and beliefs varied as well.

An hour passed, and the door opened once again. The moment you saw her walking her way back to where her car is, you knew something was wrong.

Her icy expression was colder this time, her heavy stomps caused the heels to echo through the marble steps, and her hair swayed left and right with her accelerating walk.

“Let’s go.” She’s not even close, but you hurriedly open the door for her.

You closed it instantly right after she slipped in. You wasted no time as well and got moving.

It’s a quiet and unusual night for you, since she’ll either rant about her parents or she’ll throw tantrums about the company. However, she’s calm and must be in deep thought about something.

You drive her all the way to the penthouse she’s staying at. In contrast with how tight their house security was, all you need to show this time is your ID pass. The barrier instantly opens and lets you in

“Ma’am, we’re here.” You held the door open for her.

Honestly, you can’t count how many times you opened and shut the door for her in a day. It’s a duty, it’s something you must do for her. It’s not a hard thing to do, in fact, so you don’t even bother complaining.

“Thank you. You can go now.” She went her way.

“Have a nice evening, ma’am.” One last bow for your day, and it’s over.

But she suddenly stopped midway and faced you.

“Say, are you… seeing someone right now?” A question that caught you off guard.

“Y-yes?” You stuttered.

“I see.” She nods.

“Huh? I uhh, no. I mean, I’m not seeing someone.” You said before she perceived your wrong answer.

It’s true, you’re not dating someone, you don’t have time for that.

“Really? Hmm, you got the looks, the attitude… though you cursed me once.” She compliments you, another unusual thing for her to do.

“Ma’am, I did— sorry about that, again.” There’s no point in denying it; it looks like what you did to her sticks in her mind like a stamp.

“Go now, it’s getting late.” You bowed once again. This will be your last for the day, hopefully.

As you walked away,

“Good night,” what she said shook you, literally.

“Goo– good night, ma’am.” You wanted to greet her back, but she was already walking away when you turned around.

You kicked your shoes away, stripped off your tacky coat and sleeves, and went straight to your fridge for cold water.

“Ahhh, refreshing.” A glass of cold water in your home after a long, exhausting day of work? Perfect.

“...”

“AGHH! FINALLY!” You let out a relieving scream.

No boss.

No work.

Finally, alone.

“Let’s get it.”

You enjoyed being at your home more than at work, well, everyone does. You had freedom and ample space to move around; there are literally no restrictions.

“Cold enough to chill my bones… It feels like I don't know you anymore…” You sing along with Adam Levine through the speaker you bought a month ago.

It’s a harmony, like a gold and coil, a water and an oil… your singing voice was basically unmelodious. But there’s freedom, so fuck them, you’ll just sing.

“Another egg.” You’re cooking ramyeon, like everybody wants after a long day.

You sit comfortably at your dining area, savoring the flavorful broth of synthetic spices from the noodles; the only food that’s natural there is the egg. Slurping and chomping while your phone rings, trying to call someone.

“Hey, are my dear sisters there?” You asked through your phone when someone finally picked up.

“Oppa! When will you go home?”

“Oppa!”

They’re chaotic as usual. You had two younger sisters, both of whom are currently in college.

“No, I won’t come home,” You said, then put a chunk of radish kimchi inside your already full mouth.

“But we missed you.”

“Right, it’s been so long.”

“We’ll visit you then!”

“Okay, but you both knew that I only had Sundays, right? Better plan it thoroughly.” You slurp ramyeon after it.

“Yes! By the way, oppa…”

“We had an outing next—”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.” You assured them of your support.

“Really!? Yes!”

“Oppa’s the best!”

“Okay, where’s mom and dad?” You asked them, looking at the screen, trying to find your parents, but no one was even in sight.

“They’re still at the market, don’t worry, oppa, we’ll pick them up— oh shit!”

“Word.” You almost choked up when your sister swore; you always reminded them not to imitate you.

“Oops, sorry. Oppa, we've got to go. It’s already late, we have to go to mom and dad.”

“Bye, oppa! Love you!”

“Yeah, take care! Love you!” You bid goodbye, and the screen returned to the dial pad.

Then, after a quick call, silence followed.

“Sighed. Better rest early, they’re growing too fast.” You stood up and cleaned up.

While washing dishes, you remember the two of them crawling on the floor when you were still in middle school. Time flew that fast; now they were both in college. As the eldest, you promised to provide for their needs in everything; it’s one of the things you can do to help your parents after raising you.

You cherish them; it’s one of the reasons why you still keep fighting.

Ring! Ring!

“Who is it at this hour?” You wiped your hands dry.

“Huh?” The least expected person you can ever think of is calling you.

“Ms. Lee?” You cleared your throat before answering.

“Hello, Ms. Lee, good evening. What can I do for you?” You instantly return to your secretarial voice.

“Pick me up tomorrow morning, 5 am.” She ends the call after it.

“That’s… early, she could’ve just texted me.” You didn’t have a chance to decline, but rejection wasn’t an option.

Okay, have a nice evening, Ms. Lee.

You replied, at least she knew that you would really pick her up.

“I’d better rest now.”

You tidied up and took your rest after listening to your favorite music for a while.

The next day, the sun hasn’t risen, yet you are already inside her apartment. Standing with your modest posture. After a few minutes, she emerged from her room.

Your eyes widened; you weren’t used to what she was wearing at that moment. A simple white shirt with silk shorts, bare feet, and a messy ponytail.

“Good morning, Ms. Lee.” You bow to show respect and momentarily avoid any inappropriate thoughts.

“Good morning, I’ll just take a shower, feel at home.” She walked past you.

Even just waking up, her scent didn’t change. Her soft steps are barely audible, too.

“Yes, ma’am.” You took a seat on her sofa.

Her shower didn’t take long, and she got dressed up pretty quickly.

While driving, you wonder if she even took breakfast since you noticed that she had just woken up when you arrived.

“Ma’am, did you have breakfast already?” You asked her, taking a glance through your rear-view mirror.

“No, we’re going to eat at my office. I already had it prepared, you’re going to eat with me.” She said while she continued to scroll through her iPad.

“Yes, ma’am.” You went back to driving.

At her office, there are various breakfast meals. There are sandwiches on the side, a variety of juices that are identified by their different colors, and rice meals that can even fill you up for the whole day.

“This is… a lot, Ms. Lee. Is there any occasion? I checked the schedule for today, and it’s surprisingly empty.” You took a seat after she offered it, gesturing for you to sit across her.

“Nothing special, but we’ll have to talk about something later. But first, eat, stuff yourself.” She eats as well.

You actually enjoyed the food, the meats were surprisingly tender for breakfast, the sandwiches had enough filling on them, and the juices were freshly made.

“How is it?” She wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“It’s great, I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Ms. Lee.” You also wiped yours.

Everything’s unusual for you, from her good night to the early morning drive, up to breakfast at her office. All of these strange happenings started when she walked out of their house. Something happened, and it concerns you.

“Will she fire me?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Did I accidentally curse her again?”

Now you think about it, it’s the first time you've been so nervous in the past four years after you fully adapted.

“Ms. Lee, I know this is random, but did I do something wrong?” It’s better to ask her so you can think of an answer right away.

“Hmm, no. Nothing, why? Is it because of this breakfast?” She crossed her legs and sat up straight.

“Uhh, partly yes.” She knew what you were thinking.

“Okay, so now that we’re finished eating.” She reached for her bag and pulled out a folder.

“The reason why I called you early in the morning is that I want you to know how sincere I am. I usually don’t come to work early, you know that, and I am not the type of person who’s entertaining anyone without any business.” She placed the folder onto the center table.

“Business? With me?” You had no idea what business she was talking about; you had nothing to offer except your services.

She gestured for you to take a look at the folder.

You took a look at it.

“This is…” You stuttered.

It’s a blank marriage slip.

“...”

“Someone’s going to get married? Is it your sister? Do you want me to investigate it?” You nodded, it’s easy work for you. You’ve done a lot more than this.

“No! Just— look at it, carefully.” She raised her voice a little.

“Look at— huh?” at the bottom, your name’s written on it. At the top of the groom’s signature overprinted name.

You shuffled through the other pages, and everything tells the same story.

You’re the groom.

You’re going to get married—

“HUH? W-WHY ME? Ms. Lee. What’s this?” You stood up and lost your composure in front of her.

She just looks at you, unamused by your reaction.

“S-sorry, but what is this?” You apologized; you got carried away by your emotions. Who wouldn’t? Someone’s going to get married without their knowledge.

“It’s just a slip. Our name’s the only thing there, no other personal information.” She explains.

“Okay.” You nod.

“And besides, at the very end, there's contact. Read it and sign it if you agree. The contract says we’re going to get married for a year, don’t worry, the pay’s tenfold larger than your salary.” She added.

“Okay. Oh, right here?” You looked at the contract she mentioned.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” You grabbed the pen, which is clipped to the folder.

You were about to sign it…

“...”

“...”

“...”

“HUH?? W-what? Ms. Lee— I—” You stood up once again, and your eyes met hers.

She’s sincere.

“Sit.” She said, gesturing with her finger to the chair.

“Y-yes… but Ms. Lee! What do you mean by “you and I”? Are you serious? What in the world is this?” You got a lot of questions, but that’s the most important thing.

You and she are getting married?

“Yes, for a year. It’s contractual, everything’s on paper, so study it very well. Everything will remain professional; think of it as your work.” She calmly explained it to you as if it were a usual thing.

“Huh? Why? All of a sudden? And Ms. Lee… I don’t think it’s a good idea.” You don’t know what to react, but you feel like all you need to do is reject her proposal.

“It’s a good idea for me. Let me explain it first.” She crossed her arms and shifted her crossed legs under.

“O-okay…” You need to know what kind of insanity this is and why she settled for asking you to marry her.

“Last night, my parents finally decided to look for a successor. My dad laid out the requirements, and the first thing they wished for was someone with a partner, and that disqualifies me at the very beginning. You know that I can prove myself without anyone's help, right? But if this can fasten my acquisition of the whole company, I’ll risk it.” You listened carefully to her explanation.

“I see you worked hard enough to be in this position, Ms. Lee. But I can’t take what you’re offering to me. Please consider that I’m just your secretary and nothing beyond that. Marrying someone like you isn’t something I can handle easily, just like the reports I’ve been doing for the past few years.” You’re already exhausted from your everyday life, and you thought being involved in her personal life was too much for you.

“You’re the only one I can rely on.”

What she said stopped you from doing anything.

It’s another first time, the Ms. Lee you know never said anything like it before.

She never relied on anyone.

“Still, Ms Lee, I’m sorry. I have to decline this time.” You felt bad for rejecting her, but you can’t really just do it.

She might be cold and often scold you for your carefulness, but she’s actually a good person. Those five years have made you realize that.

“My mom, she wants me to inherit everything. She’ll set me up for a contractual marriage if I don’t find one.” She looks through the window, the sun slowly rising.

“I… I’m really sorry, Ms Lee.” Now you feel really bad, since she mentioned her mom.

She can’t go against her; she’ll always follow what her mother wants. The queen of the company. She can’t disobey her, yet, until she takes over all of it. That’s what she always told you.

Upon realizing it, she really trusts you, telling you her plans when you are alone. She knows that you won’t ditch her, and now, offering you a marriage contract is like business.

“Really? Just like what I thought. Think about it thoroughly. I trust you, remember that. Help me— no, I’ll make you help me no matter what.” She turned to you and smiled.

The early morning sun brightened up her face; now you can see it, her pretty smile. It’s wicked, she must have anticipated you’d reject her.

Your words stuck in your throat.

Come to think of it, you’re at her office, her dungeon, and you’re a mere adventurer in her trap. She planned it, and she can see right through you.

You showed her hesitation with your stuttered words; she’ll use it. You showed her empathy because of her story; she’ll also use it.

She’ll not beg for your help; she’s the boss after all. Instead, she’ll make you say it.

To be continued...