sometimes the terrifying truth of a situation arrives in the form of your best friend.
Monday morning arrives carrying consequences. Minjeong should have known better. Not about bringing him to the gala, but about thinking she'd get away with it. By nine-thirty, she had already reviewed two contracts, responded to twenty-seven emails, and survived a conference call that should have been illegal.
Everything felt normal.
That should’ve been her first warning sign.
At nine-thirty-seven, there was a knock at her office door.
"Come in."
One of the firm's associates steps inside, carrying a folder Minjeong. Normally there wasn’t much time for chit-chat; she brought the folders and left. Today, she hesitated.
Minjeong immediately becomes suspicious. “Is there something wrong?”
“No.”
A long silence lingered between them. Minjeong looked down at the paperwork, deciding to ignore whatever was actually happening.
“Your date was very handsome.”
Minjeong froze. Very slowly, she looked up from the paperwork in front of her. “Excuse me?”
The associate immediately looked delighted that she'd gotten a reaction.
“The man from the gala.”
“There was no man from the gala.”
The associate blinked. “Minjeong.”
“There was no date.”
“You arrived together.”
“We shared a car.”
“You left together.”
“We shared a car.”
“You fixed his tie.”
Minjeong stared; the associate stared back. Neither blinked until Minjeong eventually broke the silence. “What’s your point?”
The associate folded her arms. “People who are just carsharing don’t normally fix each other's appearance.”
Minjeong looked offended. “That proves absolutely nothing.”
“It proves several things.”
“It proves he doesn't know how to tie a tie.”
“Minjeong.”
“What?”
“You've worked here twelve years and never brought anyone to a single event.”
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
“Was he at least nice?”
Minjeong hesitated.
A fatal mistake.
The associate immediately gasped.
“Oh my God.”
“Stop.”
“You like him.”
“I do not.”
“You just paused.”
“Conjecture.”
“Don’t lawyer me.”
“We’re literally both lawyers.”
The associate looked entirely too pleased with herself.
Minjeong hated that expression; it was unnerving. She pointed toward the door. “Get out.”
“Not until you answer my question.”
“I don’t recall there being a question.”
The associate leaned forward conspiratorially. “How old is he?”
Minjeong nearly choked. “What?”
“The man.”
“Why would I answer that?”
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