Waiting For Us [MYGxOC]

Chapter One: The Hydrangea Bandit

Haru scratched her neck for the umpteenth time as she sat in the waiting room of The Foreign Language Institute Of South Korea.

The cashmere material of her light pink sweater itched her neck in the worst way possible. Most people loved cashmere. Haru despised it, but her husband always loved the way the material felt in his hands, and because of that, she got a new cashmere sweater on every holiday and birthday. She had learned to put up with the fabric for him, but on days like today, where her nerves were on such high alert and she was so on edge, it became a nuisance.

She willed herself to stop scratching her neck raw and instead focus on the modern design of the office. It was no secret that the institution was highly regarded and used by high-profile clients. The decor and feel of the space reflected that. The brown leather couch she was seated on was sleek with sharp edges. The walls were a bright white that fit perfectly with the minimalistic decor. There wasn't much else other than abstract paintings on the walls, a large, light wood coffee table in front of the couch, and some over-sized plants in the corners of the room. Even with such minimal work done to the room, Haru could practically feel the money pouring out of the walls. If hired, the pay would be more than she could ever dream of making as a glorified tutor. She only hoped her many recommendations and good words provided by friends of her husbands would get the job done.

Her eyes continued to skim over the room, in the end, landing on an arrangement of pink hydrangeas on the receptionist's desk. She had learned early on that pink hydrangea symbolized love, and she wondered if maybe, they were gifted to the receptionist to express as much.

Memories of passing by an assortment of pink, blue, and purple hydrangeas in the yard of an expensive house on her way to school each morning, resurfaced. Back when Haru would walk hand in hand with a dreamer of a boy who would always jump the gate of the flashy home to pluck a stem for her. He was always careful not to get caught as the flowers were expensive in-store, and they were afraid the home owner would come to reprimand them. Neither one of them had the means to pay for the stolen little acts of love.

"One day, I won't be stealing these. I'll be buying them for you by the truckload."

"Nam Haru-Ssi?" Her bittersweet memories were cut short by the receptionist calling her name. "She's ready for you."

She was escorted through tinted glass doors into a brightly lit hallway. They came to a full stop at the end, where a large office was located. Through the window in the wall, Haru could see the white-haired woman in a business suit sitting behind the desk.

Sang-moo Jeong was the head of directors at the institute. She did most of the hiring and firing. Often she showed face for the institution and took control of the reigns even though she wasn't as high in the food chain as a CEO or COO.

Haru stood before her desk and bowed. "Sang-moo nim."

"It's nice to meet you Haru-Ssi." The elder extended her hand for a shake with a smile that crinkled the lines of her eyes even more. "I've heard great things. Please have a seat. "

"Thank you," Haru answered shyly as she sat.

Jeong pushed her long white hair behind her shoulder, and Haru couldn't help but admire her beauty and regality, even in her advanced age. She could only dream about being this poised and elegant in her sixties.

Perfectly manicured fingers skimmed through a file that Haru believed must've included her resume and recommendations. "You come highly recommended, and your background checks have cleared," Jeong said, almost as if reading Haru's mind. "You're fluent in five languages?"

"Yes. English, French, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian. I dabble in Hindi as well."

"That's impressive," Jeong commented. "I understand you've worked as a Foreign Language Instructor in France for five years? It says here you've worked with the likes of, politicians and other high-profile cases in Europe."