27- After the kiss

Meow.”

“I’d probably never see him again. Besides, he didn’t seem to be from around here… And I don’t have anything to offer him, Thomas.”

“Meow.”

“I only have debts, an untouched virginity, and a sick mother I have to take care of. So the second thing I have left I’ll keep until I die, I don’t have time to look for a mate.”

“Or you could sell it…” whispered my head.

Sell my… body?

“MEOW!”

And a dry laugh came out of me.

“God and look at me, talking to my head and a cat” I laugh and deny as I reach over to take Oliver in my arms and pet him before the apartment doorbell rings. “What, who could that be?

I frown. It’s early for a visitor and we never get visitors even if it’s not early. The only person who usually comes is Lyne and I’m sure she’s still asleep right now.

I walk to the door with Matheo in my arms and open it.

“Yes?” a tall man in a suit with neatly combed hair stares at me. He looked like an executive. “Can I help you?”

“Serena,” he says.

“Yes, it’s me…” I say with reservation, intimidating his serious look and he’s too erect to be normal, reminds me of….

“This is yours” he holds out a bag I hadn’t noticed he was carrying and I frown more, who the hell is he?

“Hey, that’s not mine. I didn’t order anything and…”

“It’s yours” he insists and extends the bag even further in my direction. “Please take it.”

I look from him to the bag and once again my mind travels to that place in the night and some hands under my chin.

It reminds me of Thomas. And that suit… Yes. That’s the same man who approached Lee Rang when the car came around the corner.

What is he doing here?

I grabbed the bag and opened it. It’s a gift bag like the ones they give in the malls when you buy clothes.

Inside it is my coat. My coat! The one I left at Thoma's office.

How did he get here? To my house. How did he get here?

“Why do you have this?” I held the bag to my chest along with Thomas and he stretched out his paw to try to check if what was inside was food.

“Mr. Thomas sent it for you.”

“What?” I replied dumbfounded. “How?”

“And he sent you a message too,” the man continued, looking like an executive. Was the man who had defended me someone important? But how important? “He says “Thank you for calling.”

I frowned at his words.

“Calling?” and then I remembered. “The card he gave me.”

The man in front of me just nods.

Wow, despite the fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about that man throughout the night, I completely forgot what he had given me. 

Well, I guess I was busy walking up twenty flights of endless, hot stairs.

“Oh, well, thank you very much.” I said to the man and he just curtsied and I mimicked him, still with Oliver in my arms, who was still trying to get his paw in the bag.

“That’s all. I hope you have a nice day, miss” and without further ado he started walking to the elevator.

Thomas had sent me my coat and he had also been expecting my call… Oh, god, no.

I shook my head quickly and walked out into the hallway with the coat and Oliver clutched to my chest, straight to the man who had brought the only coat I have, to my house.

“Wait” I called and he turned to look at me, straight and attentively.

“Yes, miss?”

“Could you send a message to your boss?”

“Of course” he replied politely.

“Tell him…” what could I tell him?. “That I really appreciate him taking the trouble to return the only coat I have” I laughed nervously. “No, don’t tell him that” I ask and clear my throat. “Tell him thank you for everything. And that I hope to see him again someday and invite him for coffee” I’m poor, but at least I can afford that. “Please.”

“I will, miss.”

“Thank you very much” and I got a curtsy before the elevator opened its doors and he slid in.

. . .

“And he fired you?!” exclaimed Danna indignantly, standing up, alerting half the cafeteria. I tugged on the sleeve of her sweater to pull her once again to the seat and she looked at me apologetically.

“Yes, he did that. And please don’t talk so loud.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “But it’s just that it’s amazing what cavemen men are. And plus that fat old man, what else did you do?”

“I broke the nose of the man who wanted to stick his hand up my skirt,” I said reluctantly, dropping back in my seat.

“That’s my female. I’m proud” she praised and then burst out laughing. Yes, that’s right my Serena.

“I must get a job and soon. Mom’s meds won’t buy themselves.”

“Your brother insists on not helping?”

I nod and she grimaces with hatred. Ever since Meredith, my older brother, left to work abroad he forgot about us. His excuse is that he doesn’t live at home anymore.

“Well, we don’t need him. I’ll help you get a job” she smiles and I walk over to hug her. “We can start with Go Empress.”

“Go what?” I ask and Meredith just rolls her eyes.

“For God’s sake, you never pay attention to what I say.”

“Only sometimes.”

“Go Empress” she repeats. “The owner is from Korea, Seoul. The company was also founded here a year ago and since they are going to expand they need workers with or without experience. We can try. Besides, he owns half of Seoul and a lot of the companies in this region, apart from Go, he will be here for a while to see how things are developing. I think he settled in about a week ago. That’s not really clear to me.”

“How do you find out about all that?”

“Camila is a reporter,” he shrugs. Camila is her older sister. “Oh and the most interesting thing is that today he’s going to…”

“Hey Romans” Ian, a pale, dark haired boy sits next to Danna and hugs her by the shoulders to which she slaps him away.

“Don’t call me by my last name.”

“Yeah, yeah, because you don’t like it” He rolls his eyes. Ian goes to the same class as us, we’ve known each other since high school. He’s quite studious and eternally in love with my friend.

But she doesn’t seem to notice him. Or just ignores it.

“Yeah, yeah” Danna slaps him again and looks at her watch. “We should go now.

The three of us stand up and walk to the first class. It’s Tuesday but it’s opening day and they will most likely give some speech.

We get to the classroom and the three of us take a seat in the third row, not too far or too close to the professor. 

Danna and Ian start a discussion about my friend’s last name while I just pull things out of my bag.

“Oh, what I was going to tell you, Hal,” Danna calls out to me and I give her my attention, but what I think is the professor from the first class bursts into the classroom and everyone stands up.

Someone else enters, but without paying attention to him I return my attention to Danna.

“The owner of Go companies will come and give a commencement speech, as he will also fund this university.”

“Dear new students please welcome the president of Go Science Investigations.”

And when I direct my gaze to the dais my mouth goes dry. 

The air leaves my lungs and I feel like I could faint at any moment as I watch him walk with that erect posture and serious look.

And this time his hair doesn’t fall over his forehead and he looks much more imposing.

“Oh, shit…”

“Mr. Thomas Do.”

I feel Danna squeal next to me and I just have my mouth hanging open.

He… He’s here. 

. . .