Can an Ordinary Man Be Attractive?

Yesterday's event was a disaster; I barely escaped from that awkward situation. It was thanks to my mother that she decided to come and look for me, as she realized that I was taking too much time in the washroom. Mr. Brown was quick, though; he had disappeared in front of me before my mother could even see the two of us, which I think was a good thing as Mom would have found it weird that we were meeting in secret on the day that we met.

After that incident, however, Mr. Brown had been calling me non-stop. He had been spamming my inbox like there was no tomorrow, but I still have not answered any one of them. I mean, I could tell him outright that I was already working on my next novel, but I could not send it to him as I do not think that it is the best version of it just yet. If I were to email it to him as it is, I believe that he would only request that I revise it, so it would be better that I edit as many chapters as I can until I think it's ready to be submitted.

As if I was expecting it, my phone had started going off again, and it's starting to get on my nerves, so my hand grabbed it from the table beside my laptop and slid my thumb across the screen.

"You've finally answered." I could hear a sigh from the other end. He must be really relieved that I took his call today after having to call me more than a thousand times before. "I was wondering if there's a chance that we meet, Miss Kim. I would really like to talk with you about your new novel."

There was nothing more that I could do, and I could not run away from my duty as a writer forever. Plus, this man knows my parents, and I would not want him to expose my behavior to them as an author. He might even label me the most hardheaded and a pain in the behind kind of author. My mother would sure give me a good scolding, and not only that, she'd definitely throw at me every little thing that her hands could grab.

Even though it was against my will, I chose to meet this editor of mine. He might also be feeling the same way as me—we both wanted this to get over with. Mr. Brown was for sure tired of this chasing game. I might as well face him head-on and tell him the truth about my latest novel. We have agreed to meet at a café that was near my place; it was a relief that he could still be nice with me even though I have been nothing but a major headache to him. My mother, I have to say, had the biggest reaction when I declared that I would be going out. Perhaps it was because I rarely ever leave my room, and it surprises everyone in the house when I do.

I have arrived at the place where we agreed, but I think that Mr. Brown is not here yet. There was a vacant table at the corner of the café. I brought out my laptop as my eyes roamed around the whole shop, just in case I'd be able to hear something that could be useful in my writing. Any drama or any scene that my eyes and ears lay upon will definitely help me finish my second novel.

I ordered a latte, and it seemed that Mr. Brown was going to be late considering that fifteen minutes had already passed. A man had taken the seat that was across from me, and I stood up to tell him that I was with someone.

"It's me," the man announced, and I looked at him in the eyes. They were grayish, kind of reminding me of my editor's, but I doubt that this was Mr. Brown. He was wearing a navy blue hoodie and gray sweat pants, as well as a pair of glasses. He sat down in front of me, and now that I have taken a close look at his face, it is true that this person was the one whom I was waiting for.  "I'd been sitting on the table right beside yours since you arrived, Miss Kim. I am offended that you were not able to recognize me."

My mind was blown. Was this really the same person whom my older sister, Akisha, was supposed to marry? I have to say that he looked so different from last time. Of course, it was only natural for him to look decent and formal that day. However, I did not expect him to dress like this when he's not at work. Regardless, he still stands out in these clothes—he is that good-looking. Even my mouth was agape while looking at him.

"I'm sorry; it's just that you looked different from last time. But you're still handsome, don't worry! I just never imagined you were the type to wear clothes like this." Mr. Brown crossed his legs as well as his arms over his chest, and he leaned against the back of his seat. I watched his fingers drum on the table in between us. My face flushed when my gaze traveled up to his face, only to see him staring right back at me. I returned my attention to my laptop. "Um, if you didn't know, I've already started working on my second novel. I did not want to email it to you just yet, as I believe that there were still things that I needed to edit."

"That's a relief, then." His big hand had grabbed the cup of coffee on the table. The straw began to touch his pink lips as he sipped on his cold drink. I guess that he was the type who liked his coffee cold as ice. This was not the first time that I had seen a man; however, it had been a long time since I'd last interacted with one. Truth be told, it was beyond my imagination that my editor could be as godly as he looks. I expected him to look stressed like the others—with bags under his eyes—and almost seem lifeless. Mr. Brown was nothing like that.

"You can tell me if you're having any trouble with your manuscript, though; I am not your editor for nothing, Miss Kim. I am here to guide you." That made me smile. I am happy to hear that he was willing to help me with my writing. "Your first novel was a big hit; I bet that you did not expect that at all, but it really happens to some people. I read it myself, and I could say that you deserve the recognition that you're receiving today. You might be an amateur; however, you write really well."

My face flushed, not because I was feeling embarrassed, but because he was showering me with compliments that I had never even asked for in the first place. And did he mention that he read my novel?

"So, like I said, is there anything that I can do to help you with your second book? Are you having trouble finishing it?"

"Oh, yes!" I put my drink back on the table. "In all honesty, this was the first time that I am going to write a non-fiction book. You knew as well that my first novel's genre was fantasy romance, and this one that you wanted me to write—I am having trouble building up my characters as people that are likable. I mean, I've only written about knights and kings, you know? So how do I make an ordinary man attractive? And that's only one of the few questions that I am having right now." My eyes went back up to look at his pretty and well-defined face. He was scrolling through the tablet that was in his hands, and I rolled my eyes. Who am I even talking to?

"In that case, would you like to do some research about ordinary men?"

"Excuse me?"

"That was your problem, right? It could be that you barely know any men, and the only man in your household was your father. I doubt that you have any male friends either." I flinched upon hearing those words come out of his mouth so casually.

How could he have figured me out already? If I am correct, we've only been talking for about twenty-six minutes. I wondered how many authors he'd already handled and how many manuscripts he'd had to read for him to be able to see through me like that. Mr. Brown removed his reading glasses as he looked into my eyes, making my heart skip a beat. This was the first time that I thought about how nice it would have been if my editor was not a man or as good-looking as the human sitting across from me. His looks are illegal.

"So, I have come to a conclusion: I can help you with your problem. You did say that you thought of me as a handsome man, so would you like this handsome man to help you with your research?"

I backed away in nervousness. He was leaning forward toward me, and my chest was feeling tight. "What are you talking about, Mr. Brown?"

"Make me your reference model, Miss Kim," he suggested, and I looked at him with big eyes. "In return, you've got to finish your novel within two months."