Meeting thrice makes it destiny

"What did he do to you in order to make you want to make pickles out of his eyes?" the man continued to ask.

An amused smile was pulling at his lips. He clearly looked like he was having fun.

Seeing him like that made Su-Jin want to find a hole, and bury herself in it for a hundred years.

"I told you, it's not like that." she huffed in frustration. "It's just that he is very… very..."

"Oh, yes, yes, I heard all about it. What did you say he was?"

The man stopped, pretending to ponder. A second later his body arched forward and he slapped his thighs.

"Ah, yes. You said he was a stupid jerk, insufferable, rude, and an obnoxious human being. What else? Oh, yes, with eyes like a demon. Let's not forget the eyes. That was the best part, after all." the man finished with a chuckle.

"Please stop repeating what I have said." Su-Jin groaned miserably, covering her face with her palms again.

To her utmost surprise, he began laughing wholeheartedly. Then, she found her eyes being pulled in his direction once again.

She couldn't help but enjoy the way his eyes seemed to twinkle when he laughed, making their shade of brown look even brighter than milk chocolate. As he laughed, the man's hair fell into his eyes, so he lazily raised a hand to push it out of the way. There was something very enchanting in that languid gesture, that had Su-Jin stare as if mesmerized.

There was no doubt. That man was really good looking, and his unaffected manners made him even more charming.

Finally, as if his handsome looks had won her trust, Su-Jin finally conceded. She immediately told him all about her disastrous first encounter with Director Kang, as well as the most recent debacle with the printer. At the end of her story, he was chuckling so hard that she had to poke him in the ribs to make him stop.

All of a sudden, though, Su-Jin remembered the meeting. With a jolt of panic, she looked at the time. She had exactly two minutes to get back to her office, pick up her materials and get into the Director's office.

"I have to go. We're having a meeting this afternoon and I cannot be late." She said briskly, getting up to her feet.

The man remained seated. His lips quirked into a smile as he waved at her.

"Bye. See you again soon." he said.

Su-Jin shot him a puzzled look. For some strange reason, she felt that his words sounded somehow meaningful. However, she didn't have the time to wonder about that or try to decipher the meaning behind that man's words. The seconds were running short. On top of everything else that happened, she couldn't afford to be late as well. Thus, Su-Jin hastily turned on her heels, leaving the rooftop like a storm.

In the meantime, the young man stared after her until she finally disappeared out of sight. His eyes were filled with amusement, his smile deepening even further. Indeed, she was proving to be very entertaining. It had been a while since someone had made him laugh so much in such a short time. That, and her fateful connection with Kang Ji-Won made everything all the more interesting to him.

The rest of the day went by without further incidents. During the meeting Su-Jin stubbornly avoided looking at Ji-Won. Instead, she focused either on the papers in front of her or absentmindedly played with her pen.

Ji-Won, on the other hand, kept glancing in Su-Jin's direction every so often. He felt conflicted in his heart. On one hand, she annoyed him to no end, but on the other hand, he felt strangely intrigued by her. There was something strange about her person, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on, and it drove him mad with frustration.

~~~

That night, two female friends were in the living room. They were eating tangerines, while sitting with their legs crossed on the floor. A short table stood between them, containing bowls for tangerine peels and glasses filled with beer.

Su-Jin had just finished telling Mi-Suk about the guy she met at work. From the first meeting in the elevator, to the rooftop encounter, Su-Jin told her friend everything. Now, they were discussing the conversation that had transpired between the two earlier that day.

"And you didn't get his name?" Mi-Suk asked with a look of disbelief on her face.

Seeing her best friend shaking her head, Mi-Suk almost flew into a rage from frustration.

"You could have at least asked him what Department he's working for!" she groaned.

A second later, Mi-Suk's gaze snapped in Su-Jin's direction, boring into her eyes with intensity. Su-Jin flinched. She knew that look. It was the representation of the famous 'gossipy heart', and Mi-Suk was one of the best people she knew at wielding this strange power. She could easily make even the blandest event turn into a fantastic romance, full of drama and mystery.

"Based on what you've told me, this is the second time you two meet! That surely means something." Mi-Suk said, nodding knowingly. Her eyes flashed with burning enthusiasm.

Just then, Min-Jun entered the room, only to hear those words.

"Means what, smart pants? That they are working at the same company?" he drawled.

He strode across the living room, tiny Gyojeon at his heels. To be sure, the kitten had taken quite a liking to Min-Jun. It practically followed him everywhere. At times, it seemed the fluffy ball of cuteness recognized him as its mother, even more so than it recognized Su-Jin who rescued it.

But Su-Jin didn't mind. After all, her brother was the one who fed the kitten, so it was normal for the creature to stay close to the source of food. Rather than the person who kept ruffling its fur or kept giving it kisses, the kitten knew who to rely on in order to survive.

The young man collapsed onto the couch, letting out a tired sigh. He was exhausted after four extra hours of studying, and wanted nothing more than a break from his books.

As soon as Min-Jun laid down, Gyojeon jumped onto his lap. After circling its tail a few times, it finally curled up and began purring contentedly.