Cityscapes (Jumin Han x OC)

Chapter 1

A confession has to be part of your new life.

Ludwig Wittgenstein

~

It's already been a month since that crazy day, and I haven't lost my job yet. Although, I only give it a month. I have been tracking the revenue for the food sector, and it hasn't doubled by any chance. I can't really expect anything except my firing. It's disappointing, seeing as though I just moved into a real apartment. It's one that is actually (surprise) regulated. Not to mention, I don't think Mr. Park is working to keep my job, or even his own. Slowly, more and more work is being delegated to me. I'm not exactly shocked so much as confused. One day, he asked me to write a report to the chairman regarding our sales. I got much more use out of my degree, but not enough to validate this. I sometimes wonder if he does much more than just talk with food companies.

However, I do usually see Jaehee running around as well, and when we both have time, we eat lunch together. There, surprisingly, aren't many other assistants. Chairman Han has one, and Jaehee is Director Han's. It appears as though the Hotel sector has two, and the Cat Department (not exactly what I was expecting), has one as well. There may be more, but they seem to work in a different area of the office.

I shouldn't dismiss Mr. Han however. He usually is running around as well. He seems to treat his Assistant well, but I suppose that's just because I'm afraid of my own job, that I romanticize Jaehee's. She seems to have more job security than I.

Today, however, gives Jaehee and I nearly a break. Mr. Park is heading out for a business trip tonight, meaning he has a clear schedule. Director Han has some sort of party tonight, and he's helping a young woman set up for it, so he is leaving early. Jaehee said she will be attending, but she's thankful that Mr. Han won't make her help set up. Jaehee also mentioned that he's bringing his cat, meaning she won't be required to watch it.

Jaehee seems to always be covered in cat hair from watching Director Han's cat, and she seems to hate it. When she stops by to talk to me, we nearly always joke around about the Cat Department. Today, I'm excited to have a bit of time to breathe. As soon as I wake up I take a long shower, do my hair well, and rush out the door. I'm beginning to understand why Jaehee has short hair. It's near impossible to do long hair with the constraints of time I often have. Today though, I don't have to worry about getting to work early (a habit I had to recently get into). I can do getting ahead instead of catching up. Finally.

I put on my best suit, and rushed out of my apartment. I'm lucky to live near C&R's building. Not close enough to make it on time no matter what, but still walking distance.

When I made it to the office, I sat down at my desk immediately. Not a few minutes later, Jaehee walked in, looking as though she'd finally gotten sleep. She handed me a coffee.

"I figured you might want some," she smiling.

"Thank you, Jaehee. I've never been so excited to sleep all weekend," I said giggling.

"Mr. Han is always worn out after going to parties, so I imagine he will spend all weekend with Elizabeth the 3rd. For two days, I'm free!"

Jaehee and I looked too joyous. "But my offer still stands," She continued. "You can come to the party with me. The more the merrier."

"Jaehee...I would love to, but I'm uncomfortable just accidentally talking to people I don't know, let alone on purpose."

"Ah. Don't say that. You'll turn out like Mr. Han," she said smiling.

"I'll try, Jaehee. I'll give you a call if I decide to come," I explained.

"No problem!" She said, as her phone rang. "Ah. There's my cue. Lunch? Real lunch?"

I nodded. Jaehee and I had a poor habit of running down to the vending machine, as we just had no time. I wasn't expecting to get into these poor habits already, but as Jaehee explained, it was quite usual for most of the assistants to barely last a few months.

By the time lunch came, I had caught up. With proper planning, I could get ahead by two weeks by the end of the day. Two weeks! That's half the time I've been here. That's miraculous.

Jaehee and I walked down to the company cafeteria, and for once had a conversation not about work.

"So tell me about yourself," Jaehee said. "I feel like I know nothing about you."

"I'm 23. I recently graduated from Seoul. I've lived here my whole life, really. There's not much more to say. I haven't ever had a chance to really...know myself. I've always been running," I explained.

"Do you have many friends?" She asked.

"No. I think it's better to have one very close friend than 100s of others. I think there's much more value in that."

"Oh, I thought you said we wouldn't talk about work," she said, before sipping some water.

"Huh?" I asked confused.

"You sound just like Mr. Han," she explained laughing.

"Oh, shush."

"What even happened that day he asked me to call you to his office?"

"Oh, please. Don't make me talk about that."

"You're blushing!" She said. "Oh no!"

"Ah...Jaehee. I was running because I was late, and I crashed into Mr. Han! And then, I slipped again while apologizing. It was awful!" I said, putting my head in my hands.

She looked at me, a bit concerned. "Miran...that sounds stressful," she said.

"It wasn't at first. I didn't recognize him. He called me into his office to show me who he was. Oh, Jaehee. I hated it."

"I can't imagine," she said shaking her head.

"So...what about you, Jaehee?" I asked.

"Ah. Well. I'm 24 and I've been working for Mr. Han for a months now," she explained.

"And what about you? Many friends?"

"I like to think I have a few," she said, glancing down at her phone. "Maybe only one or two. But they certainly are my friends."

I smiled. It was nice to hear that Jaehee had friends. I had never really found myself having time for them. It's quite frustrating when you consider it. Being too busy for even friends that is.

"Do you have any interests, Jaehee?"

"Oh. Well...I like coffee. The process is actually quite interesting to me. And baking. I like a lot of things, actually. You?"

"Um...well my degree is in Veterinary Medicine. So I do enjoy that..."

Jaehee looked at me a bit confused. "Then why are you an assistant?" She asked.

"I originally came here to apply for a job in the Cat department...but when I got here, the project was cancelled. I was going to leave, but I decided to apply to be an assistant...and all of my other offers fell through."

"I'm sure Mr. Han wouldn't mind moving you to the Cat Department. I think he'd be thrilled actually," Jaehee explained.

"Well...I would...but I don't know."

"I'll put in a good word for you at the party! Of course, it would be helpful if you came," she said giggling. It was all quite entertaining and we continued talking all through lunch. Eventually, we had to return to our posts though. Jaehee walked past me with a large stack of documents that Mr. Han needed to sign. It looked so...extreme. Besides that however, I managed to get ahead in my work for the next two weeks, while Jaehee was excited to just have managed to get ahead for a day. She was still begging me to go to the party.

When I got home, I tried to decide whether or not to go, but that's easier said than done. Maybe I'll just stop by? I put on my short navy blue dress and a gold jacket. I fixed my hair up a bit and headed out to the location Jaehee sent me. I walked inside, nervous. Parties aren't exactly my thing, but something tells me, this may be the start of something new.