3. Unexpected Reunion

Looking back too often will only make you fall down.

***

“Let her work for me!”

A young man broke in and interrupted Qeiza’s job interview. He walked toward the interviewer and skimmed Qeiza’s personal data then nodded firmly.

“But this is going to violate the hiring procedure, Sir!”

“Which one’s the harm?” the man protested. “She’s already sent the application letter and this company has called her to have the interview.”

“We need experienced designers, Sir!”

“She’ll be an experienced one if we give her a chance.”

The young man looked at Qeiza seriously. “Would you like to be my personal assistant and get trained for three months?” he asked. “Certainly with a bit lower salary than the other employees get.”

The spirit of Qeiza, which had slackened earlier, got back up and was excited.

“Yes, Sir,” Qeiza accepted the offer. “No problem.”

The man patted the interviewer’s left shoulder softly then he winked, causing the interviewer just could take a long deep breath and surrendered. Nevertheless, who dared to refuse the wishes of the supreme leader of the creative division?

All this time, he always rejected every time he’s offered to have a personal assistant. Now, he himself chose the new candidate. It meant that he got his own consideration about her.

“You’re very lucky, Miss Kim Ae Ri!” said the interviewer.

“Thank you, Sir!”

Qeiza smiled slightly responding to the interviewer’s words that gave an impression that he still underestimated her abilities.

“Let’s go to my office, Miss!” invited Qeiza’s guardian angel.

Qeiza left her seat, bowed slightly to the interviewer who looked a bit confused. Then, she hurried up to follow the man who's going to be her boss.

Qeiza swept the man’s office with the look of admiration. Her hazel eyes widened a bit while reading the name perched on the table of the owner of the room. She felt as if she knew that name before.

“Take a seat, Kim Ae  Ri!” said the man. “Or … may I call you Anin?”

“Hah!” Qeiza was flabbergasted in silence with a wide open mouth.

The man smiled while walking to his chair behind the table. He rested his elbows on the table with all his fingers interlocked.

His two index fingers even moved, tapping the back of his hands lightly. His gaze locked on Qeiza who still looked so confused, asking to herself how the man could know her real identity.

Qeiza made an effort to remember her college friends in Seoul because it’s only since she studied there she got that nickname.

“Anindira Qeiza Pratista, that’s your real name, right?” The man asked her in a slightly interrogating tone.

“Th–that’s right,” answered Qeiza. “Do you know me?”

All at once Qeiza was hit by a skittish feeling. She preferred using her new identity in order to bury her bad memory related to her real name. It’s out of the blue that she was reminded perfectly by someone she’s just met.

“Oh, my goodness!” The man exclaimed cheerfully while clapping his hands. “I thought I misidentified you.”

The man grinned like a Cheshire cat. He rose from his seat and pulled out the chair for Qeiza. A moment ago he had invited her to sit down, but it seemed that the young woman was still in two minds.

“Sit down, please!” he instructed. “Take it easy! We’re not strangers at all.”

The man went back to his seat. He flashed his most winning smile when Qeiza had sunk her butt on the chair and sat face to face with him.

“I’m Song Chin Hwa,” he said, introducing himself. “We studied at the same campus in Seoul, yeah, although I’m two years above your grade. We’d ever won a clothing design contest for spring. Don’t you recognize me any longer?”

Qeiza’s memory flew back to the prestigious event that she had ever participated in. A spring clothing design contest sponsored by one of the top fashion companies in the land of ginseng.

She couldn’t win the first winner at that time because she was still in her first year, but at least she was proud to be the third winner and the man who was exactly sitting in front of her now came out as the first winner.

“I’m sorry!” said Qeiza. “I didn’t think we would meet again.”

“Hahaha. Evidently, this world is so small, right?”

“You’re right. Glad to see you again.”

Since winning the competition, Qeiza had ever got involved in the same projects with Chin Hwa for several times and they were quite compatible to each other.

“I immediately recognized you when I saw you at the reception desk earlier,” Chin Hwa admitted. “It’s pretty pitiful for knowing that you’ve forgotten me.”

Chin Hwa laughed discordantly to cover his awkward feeling. He felt a bit shy and insignificant because of being forgotten so easily by someone who had ever become his corporation partner.

“Once again, I do apologize.” Qeiza said heartily. “Actually, I was a bit surprised when I read that nameplate.”

Qeiza pointed at the nameplate on Chin Hwa’s table. “I thought I’ve ever been so familiar with that name, but your face was so different.”

“Hahaha ….” This time, Chin Hwa laughed aloud.

His heart was like shined by the twinkling of the stars while hearing Qeiza’s confession. A kind of feeling glad sneaked into his heartstrings when he found out that Qeiza had not really forgotten him completely.

“It’s true. Now you are looking manlier and not chubby anymore.”

“Oh, Geez. Did I look that fat ealier?”

An awkward smile that flashed out of Qeiza’s lips was a valid answer for his question.

“Forget it! Don’t remember it again. It made me shy,” Chin Hwa said. “You know? Looking back too often will only make you fall down. It’s better to enjoy this moment and stay focused on looking to the future. Do you agree?”

“You’re right,” Qeiza couldn’t agree more with Chin Hwa’s opinion. “But, can we make an agreement before I start working?”

Chin Hwa’s eyebrows knitted together. He got an odd feeling about Qeiza’s request. “Sure. Just tell me! What do you want from me?”

Qeiza’s face immediately sparkled brightly, making Chin Hwa’s eyebrows furrowed even more.

“Please call me Ae Ri!” Qeiza asked. “I don’t want other people to know my real identity.”

Though he didn’t understand why Qeiza made such a strange agreement, Chin Hwa knew exactly there must be something behind it. He had no reasons but appreciated it.

“Okay. From now on, I’ll just call you Ae Ri.”

“Thanks a million.”

“But, in one condition ….”

Chin Hwa paused his sentence. He examined Qeiza’s expression for a few seconds.

“I want you to call me ‘Oppa’ when we’re alone or outside the office,” he continued. “Is it okay?”

Qeiza didn’t agree to Chin Hwa’s request at one time. She thought about it for a moment. After considering that Chin Hwa was three years older than her, Qeiza finally nodded.

“Good! Deal, right?” asked Chin Hwa, confirming.

“Deal!”

“Glad to work with you, Ae Ri.” Chin Hwa shortly practiced their agreement.

“Now, please help me to recheck and correct this stack of designs.”

In a short time, Qeiza had started struggling with the design papers. She sorted good designs and put them aside.

Then her fingers began dancing with a pencil and a rubber, correcting some designs which still needed the last touching or a bit changing according to the theme.

It’s already been a week Qeiza adapted to her new job. She enjoyed it pretty much.

“Ae Ri!” Chin Hwa called.

“Yes?” Qeiza stopped her activity for a while.

“Please prepare the best designs for winter asked by Company M,” Chin Hwa said in a commanding tone. “We’ll see the director right away.”

Qeiza took an act quickly to do what the boss instructed. She didn’t want to make Chin Hwa wait for a long time. It seemed that the cooperation with this company was quite important so that Chin Hwa himself stepped in and asked her.

Usually, that man just sent the representative he appointed or delegated Aleta, one of his best designers.

***