A/N: Forgive the long absence... I've been busy with stuff. Hopefully this update will make up for my long absence. :D 14 pages on this update and we'll just put Taeyeon to sleep so that we can have JeTi... the JeTi we're craving for. :D I'd like to ask for your patience with this one. Writing ain't easy. Writing 14 pages ain't a joke. :/

3

The following morning, Miyoung walks into the secretary’s work station surprised when she finds Miss Lee already at work. “When do you report for work, Miss Lee?” She asks, startling the secretary. “Oh, didn’t see you there, Miyoung. I came in early because Miss Jung will be meeting a very important person from another company for lunch.” Miss Lee replies as she arranges some papers into a black folder.

“Oh, you mean the CEO of the Kim Standard Enterprises?”

“Yes. He’s a very important business partner and his company has collaborations with ours for the past few years.”

“Wow. I did not know about that. I know a quite a lot about Jung International Industries, but I didn’t know the company’s connections were as big as this.”

Miss Lee casts Miyoung a smug grin, “You might think you know a lot about this company, but you really don’t.”

Miyoung chuckles at Miss Lee’s statement and the two share a quick laugh before they go about their business. The elevator’s sound takes their attention from their tasks as both women’s eyes lock on the hallway. Both women stand at attention upon registering Miss Jung’s form slipping out of the claustrophobic space. They note the absence of the young cub following the Tigress, making Miyoung and Miss Lee cast each other a questioning glance.

And again, Miss Jung notices their unspoken query, so she stops before the two women and smiles, “Soojung won’t be here with us. She’s with her grandparents for today so you don’t have to worry about being pestered by my little troublemaker.” The two women nod quietly as Miss Jung casts them her usual professional smile before she saunters into her office without waiting for the two subordinates’ reply. Miss Lee gives her apprentice a knowing glance before she quietly fixes the folders and brings them over to the Tigress’ lair. Miyoung nods at her senior, knowing full well not to pry with their CEO’s affairs.

Minutes later, the Tigress and Miss Lee walk out of the office as they head for the meeting. Miyoung is left at the work station to man the reception in case of incoming visitors who wish to seek Miss Jung’s audience. The CEO stops in her tracks just before the counter, making Miyoung look up from the files she is currently sorting.

“Miss Hwang, my lunch meeting might come in early. His name is Mr. Taeyeon Kim, CEO of the Kim Standard Enterprises. Should he show up at my office ahead of schedule, please usher him inside my room. He will wait for me there.” The instructions puzzle Miyoung as to why their CEO would be so accommodating and trusting of the Kim Standard Enterprises’ CEO, but she nods nonetheless.

Miyoung looks at the Tigress and Miss Lee as they saunter down the hall and disappear into the elevator. Her mind is still processing for possible reasons why her boss seems to be so lax when it comes to this Mr. Kim compared to when she deals with her own employees and other clients. ‘What makes Mr. Kim so special?’ Miyoung frowns away as she carefully places the sorted papers in a portfolio before setting them aside.        

+++

Miyoung is busy encoding some documents. She feels the comfort of the silence knowing that she is alone in the whole floor. Sometimes, she marvels how Miss Lee manages to remain focused when the silence is sometimes deafening given that her boss has the whole penthouse office to herself and is usually occupied with her own work. But then, Miyoung thinks that despite the solitude, perhaps, Miss Lee finds company in their boss’ ever-curious daughter most of the time although now with Soojung’s absence in the floor, Miyoung finds it quite boring and lonely to have no one to chat with.

Her attention shifts to the hall when the sound of the elevator alerts her to a newcomer. She sighs, ‘Finally, I can have some company. This place is starting to feel a little bleak.’

What startles her though is when a man exits the elevator. Miyoung stands from her seat to confront the stranger. He waves his right hand at her and smiles curtly, “Good day. My name is Taeyeon Kim. I’m here on an appointment with CEO Jung.” He then flashes his visitor pass and ID at the newbie. Miyoung verifies his identity and bows at him, “Welcome Mr. Kim.” She then moves to unlock the CEO’s office for the visitor, “Miss Jung is still having a meeting and she said that you should wait for her in her office.” She pauses for a bit upon seeing table set for two at the corner of the room and realizes it had not been there yesterday. She turns to the man and gestures him to enter.

Mr. Kim thanks her before he walks into the room and inspects the office with his hands behind his back. Miyoung notices the ring on one of Mr. Kim’s fingers and deduces that he could be married. The man turns and says to her, “This room has not changed one bit.” His statement confuses her and he realizes that she is a new employee. “Oh, you must be new here,” he chuckles some, “Miss Jung and I have worked for this company and my father’s in the past. We used to take shifts every few months from each of our fathers’ companies.”

“Oh,” Miyoung finds the new information interesting, “So, you have interned here before, Mr. Kim?” His smile widens as he answers, “Your boss and I grew up playing here when we were kids. We ended up working here during our holidays when we started university. Good times.” He notices that Miyoung stands unmoved at the threshold of the office and tells her, “You can go back to your work now, Miss. I will be fine here.” She blinks before she remembers her unfinished tasks and quickly bows at him before she closes the door.

Miyoung hastens back to her work station and resumes her previous task; the discovery of CEO Kim’s and her boss’ friendship now pushed to the back of her mind.

+++

“Is Mr. Kim already in?” Miyoung jolts from her seat in surprise upon hearing her boss’ voice. She turns to answer her superior and finds Miss Lee holding in her chuckle behind the Tigress. “Yes, Miss Jung. He’s already inside your office.” Miyoung responds after recovering from her pseudo-cardiac arrest. The Tigress thanks her before her feet carry her to her office, heels clacking against the marble tiles before she opens the door to her office.

“So, what’s your impression of CEO Kim?” Miss Lee inquires with a wide grin as the secretary settles on her desk. “He’s quite the charmer, but he seems reserved. I just found out that he and Miss Jung grew up together?” Miyoung replies, unsure of where her senior is headed with this conversation. “Did you notice Miss Jung’s necklace?” Miss Lee questions her again, making her more confused than ever. “Uh, there’s a ring on her necklace? Why? Is there something to it?” Miyoung furrows her brows as Miss Lee casts her, a mischievous grin.

“Since you know a thing or two about the CEOs, let me tell you something interesting.” Miss Lee moves closer to Miyoung, “I have a hunch that Mr. Kim and Miss Jung had a past.” Miyoung frowns at where is going. “So, they’re an item?” Miyoung whispers. Miss Lee raises a brow at her, maintaining her mischievous smile, “Probably more than that. I noticed that whenever Mr. Kim comes around for business, little Soojung would be absent. I used to question Miss Jung about it because she always has her daughter around even when she would meet high profile businessmen and politicians in her office. The child is always well-behaved whenever she faces those prominent adults, but I do not see any reason why she should be hindered from seeing Mr. Kim.”

“Oh, so where are you going with this?” Miyoung’s frown deepens.

“I’m guessing that Miss Jung’s keeping Soojung out of here whenever Mr. Kim would come because she does not want Soojung to spill the beans on her father’s identity. Remember what I told you about the mystery of Soojung’s father? And how I warned you not to pry into their personal business?”

Miyoung nodded, before retorting. “So, why are we prying now?”

“Well, I’ve been having this theory for years and have worked under Miss Jung, since I started at this company. Soojung was only about two years old when I started. It has always puzzled me how Miss Jung would send her daughter off somewhere whenever Mr. Kim is around the building when she always had her daughter by her side no matter what function our company would have. I haven’t told anybody about this because nobody has worked with me since I have started. Miss Jung personally guided me at the office until you came along.”

“Wow. You’re kind of lucky to be working under her.”

“It’s not that bad, actually. She maybe strict and intimidating, but she is also quite caring and compassionate. Anyway, back to the topic, I’m thinking that perhaps, Mr. Kim is the father of Miss Jung’s daughter.”

“How can you be so sure about that?”

“Isn’t Soojung’s absence a little suspicious for you? Didn’t we both overhear about Soojung’s mention of having dinner with her father on your first day here?”

“So, I’m guessing that Miss Jung and Soojung are still seeing Soojung’s father and is probably still on good terms with them? But, why did they end up this way?”

“We don’t know for sure. Something bad must have happened to cause them to drift apart. It could be family matters for all I know.”

+++

“You didn’t change Dad’s office much since I last visited.”

Sooyeon smiles back at him before she takes a bite out of the food already prepared at the table. She admires him from her seat, taking in his facial features which she has always admired since young. Eyes catch her and his lips twitch into a smile.

“Missed me?” he whispers, earning a blush from her. He chuckles at her reaction before he clears his throat, “Anyways, I have received your proposals for the upcoming projects that we planned earlier this year and I have to say that I like your ideas on them.”

“Really? I’m having problems with the overseas shipments though. Can you help me with them?”

“No problem. Just tell me what you need.”

“So, how’s Soojung doing at Mom and Dad’s place, Taeyeon? Is she behaving well? ”

“They said she’s having fun. They took her to the amusement park. I think we’ll be picking her up there.”

“We?”

“Yes. We, as in you and me.”

“Taeyeon…”

“We’ll meet up at the park after you’re done with office work. Don’t worry, we’ll just pick Soojung up and I’ll send you both home.”

“But-”

His pleading eyes make her hesitate on her refusal. “Please, Sooyeon? I know what happened really traumatized you and we both agreed on the divorce for Soojung’s safety, but I can’t stand a single day not being able to hold you and Soojung in my arms. I know you do, too.”

Sooyeon looks down on her plate, fork fiddling with the food. He is right about everything he said but she cannot risk experiencing that again. The perpetrator maybe in jail, but the masterminds for all this mess is still at large and who knows what might happen had they been stubborn and stuck together; their companies may have merged under their marriage but their safety would have been compromised. At least now, they are both comfortable wi