1.

Vivian.

I looked at my watch worried as 8:00 A.M stared back at my beautiful African face, I couldn’t afford to be late again for the third time in a week, and this day being an important day when the company I interned at was expecting the newly appointed C. E. O. I thanked the Lord as the bus I waited on for half an hour arrived and I rushed in to find a seat but as I stepped into the bus, all eyes focused on me as if a celebrity just walked in. Maybe because yours truly was wearing ‘Baby Love’, my favorite body spray or because of my chestnut brown skin. If the latter was the case pfft, then I was already used to the attention since it was my fifth year in South Korea.

P.S. if you look nothing like a Korean and you are new here or maybe you're preparing to be new in Korea, just get ready to be stared at into oblivion.

I ignored the onlookers obviously trying to bore holes into my soul as I hurried into the bus to find myself an empty – and hopefully comfortable – seat. Sitting down, I noticed a kid beside me in his shiny uniform that I recognized as Victory High, a school well known in the area. For some reasons, which I’m sure I know nothing about; this kid became happy when I sat down beside him. “Could I take a picture with you, Noona?” he eagerly asked without seeing the need to add the 'heuk' word that had always killed my enthusiasm in it making me more than ready to oblige. “Of course,” I smiled and watched as he positioned his phone with a smile that got me thinking 'OK, he's cute.’ “Hana, dul, set, (click) hana, dul, set, (click). ( Noona Noomu yaepo) You're very beautiful, Noona.”. "how sweet, I bet you'll make a fine young man, but why do I feel like youre trying to flirt with me with that look in your eyes.". With his facial expression looking like he had more requests, he lets me be, not without thanking me before he half minded returned to his game. I guessed, maybe he doesn't want to look like "he's abandoning his culture for mine" to the other passengers. Getting ready for a twenty minutes ride, I adjusted in my seat as the boy band VAV’s debut song 'Rosita' played on the radio and I knew the lyrics by heart. Living in Korean and knowing what band? what dance? Which song? is a norm, after everyone had boarded, the driver continued the journey as I hummed and lipsynced to the chorus.

Getting closer to my freedom from the continuous obnoxious stares from the native passengers and little side comments I pushed the button in front of me to alert the driver of my intention to alight at the next bus stop, which thankfully, was opposite my internship company, 'Timeless Fashion’. I waved the kid goodbye which he returned with a happier countenance before I stepped out of the bus in a hurry towards the main door that led inside the company. Pushing through the door and edgily scurrying in, I walked pass the reception smiling at Soo Young, the company's receptionist and she gave me thumbs up with a bright smile that I can guarantee, made the company hire her. As I ran towards the elevator and pressured the upward button before my legs got to stand still, I began tapping the tip of my favorite red bottom heels while waiting for the doors to slide open and when it did, I entered quickly, pressed the button ‘16’ while checking the time again that read 8:30am. Trust me, you don't want to know why I got here by this time, just know that some passengers need not to be passengers for the sake of the driver's sanity. Being late again today gave me the feeling of déjà vu and the reason wasn’t vague because it happened the previous day and the day before and it made me worry more because this day wasn't supposed to be one of those days but, who was I kidding? Inner peace was what I needed at this moment, so I chose to quiet the raging volcano about to erupt in my head with a mantra I had learned to use in times like this. “Breathe girl, breathe, green Sally white..” I would mutter to keep my cool and stop myself from having any panic attack on morning like this.

The elevator opened with a ‘ding’ giving me the cue to step out which I did in a hurry towards my desk, close to the window, my divinely granted getaway. Whenever the team leaders decided to bury me with the reason, the company employed them all in the first place, that view somehow gave me a way of escape, which I'm grateful for. As I settled down craftily and noiselessly, I began to give thanks that my presence hasn'’t been noticed yet by my very own 'walking on stilettos CCTVs', my partners in crime, Kim Hana and Kim Haneul. But just when you whisper about the devils, they, in this case shall appear. They didn't even let me say amen before they sneaked up to my desk interrupted my hour of thanksgiving. “Hey... ” I whispered to the monitoring drones as they gathered me like sugar ants. “What’s up? You are late, AGAIN. ” Hana, twenty five years old, 5.7 ft. a daring pretty trouble maker, said to me looking worried like a mom she was, only that she was two days older than I. “The bus took so long to get and taxi drivers were trying to exploit me, me!” I said tirelessly as I was getting ready for another day as an intern, more like I was trying to avoid the penetrating gaze of a 24 years old lady, a 6 ft. workaholic that has ambitious for a middle name, Kim Ambitious Haneul who was watching me as if I was hiding her lingerie in my closet. “You really need a car Vivian, this is like the third time this week, or you come from Africa each morning to work?” Haneul asked with sarcasm that knew just how to get me off guard.

As we laughed, the Manager walked in and paranormally somehow, Haneul required a document while Hana wanted a documental explanation of what wasn’t her departmental work and I, catching up to their sudden change of action, played along. “So here’s how you should... (Flipping the cover) is he still looking?” I whispered to haneul, who stood facing the Manager, "NO.” they chorused as they sharply dropped my things and vamoosed to their desks. “Phew… later girls” I sighed turning to face the Manager who stood in front of everyone in the room. “Okay,” Hana whispered but Haneul pointed at me “You're renting a car this weekend and that's no longer an advice Ms. Vivian.” squinting her eyes. Yes! She could do that, as my department's Team Leader but yo! When you do that, it drains me trying not to roll my eyes! “

Okay, listen up!” Manager Choi started and at once all heads turned his direction but mine almost turned 360 all because I wanted to watch this chocolate fountain address us all. “We’ve just received word that the C.E.O’s arrival will be delayed till Monday. So you all could relax and stop pretending to be doing something we both know you are not.” Why was he looking at me with a raised eyebrow? I wondered as I bent down to pick my imaginary pen that had fallen down from my skirt’s invisible pocket. I observed the Manager as he spoke noting in my head that his Korean accent was getting better over time, maybe because of the business trips he took to Daegu every time. “...I need every team leader in the meeting room including Ms. Vivian, ASAP.” he concluded with authority oozing from him. Choi David was his name, born to a Korean father by a Nigerian mother, just how I like it. Being bi-racial contributed tremendously to his appearance, which made him a definite treat to the eyes, where do I start from? Ha, his dark and lovely kinky hair, his honey in the sun colored iris or is it his Afro stature or his African inherited skin, just where do I begin??? If not for the company’s ‘101’ that restricted all employees from dating; I wouldn't be just a secret admirer and a fan girl in the open. Yes sis, he was that lit but, the real treat was that the office of this chocolate fountain of an angel was directly opposite my desk under the mercy of my gluttonous and analyzing eyes, which always increased my motivation to go to work higher by 50% each morning. Gathering what I needed for the meeting, I advanced with my red bottoms to the extreme room on my right and lest I forget, I interned at the department directly under the C. E. O's office.

With the door right in front of me, my pushing the knob was ‘almost’ because, Bae Da Na, we call her Bae the Dragon, Hana’s team leader held the knob before me as she looked at me with that condescending expression that always showed up whenever I was in the picture. I retreated and waited according to protocol as she opened the door, entered and shut it at my face. This attitude of her’s was beginning to wear me out like, what is her problem? At this moment, I just wanted to drag that ugly bully back and clean every nook and cranny of the company floors with her pale face that made her looked like a starved vampire. Haneul had confronted her twice about her attitude after she noticed it but… auditory and cognitive problems would not the bully live and let live. The way other team leaders and colleagues turned a blind eye, I guess to them it was ok since the childhood friend to her father’s best friend knew a member of the board, stupid long leg policy. As I proceeded to hold the knob, the door suddenly with her in front of me with a smile we both knew was as shallow as her personality, “hmm, could you perhaps get us coffee before the meeting commences? I have already ordered it and it’s at the lobby….” I knew what she was trying to do and I was feeling exactly how the Manager and my actual team leader Kim Haneul would feel if I arrived late for this meeting, but a team leader is also a senior colleague too, which left me no with no other choice.

With every cell in me opposing this request, I smiled in accordance and began a hate-filled journey down the building as I spewed out of my mouth every curse word I had learned incidentally and co-incidentally, which somehow gave me strength and quickened my steps. In no time, I was looking at Soo Young our beautiful receptionist who gave me a puzzled look as if she knew not why I was here. “Vivian ssi how come you are down stairs and the General Manager is upstairs…” I smiled out of uninterest because I knew she was joking, we all knew that position as the Chairman’s lackey, the General Manager only comes to the office when the Chairman was around and he wasn’t, so. I asked for the purchased coffee that the empty space beside Soo Young was for and I got the most unwanted shocking revelation of my life. That Bae the Dragon – never – purchased – any – damn – coffee! Only for her to call Soo Young immediately I had gone for the coffee to tell me to be generous by making my way to the coffee shop that was thirty minutes back and forth. I looked at Soo Young with the realization of what that Bae the Dragon was up to, immediately I retracted my steps back to the elevator that turned out to be unavailable meaning that I had to make the brave decision of using the stairs to the 10th floor where I could catch the elevator, damn!

As I reached the 10th floor and realized the lift was yet not available, I resorted to finishing the number of floors with the stairs believing that, if I could do ten, then what is six. On getting to the meeting room, I was so out of breath that I thought I was owing the atmosphere a cylinder of oxygen, but I was all for nothing because the door had been locked from the inside. I took a deep breath into my craving lungs, holding it for thirty seconds before releasing them desperately. I went back to my table to rest and calm my screaming feet because this wasn’t the first time that Dragon has tried something so devious and me being faithful…wait no, stupid, too stupid enough, fell for it, but this was the last. I wasn’t going to let the wench to ruin my professional life. I got my phone and texted Haneul to come to my rescue before I grabbed the bottle water on my desk and gulped it down without mercy like a thirsty athlete almost choking as I saw my chocolate fountain standing tall like an arc-angel in front of me, and my joy mixed with anxiousness for I knew what was about to come.

“I remember specifically asking you to be in that meeting. What happened to obeying instructions? I hope you're not thinking just because we're from the same ancestors, I won't say anything when you crosse the line? ”. How can someone be this attractive when angry? is it the way he positioned his brow that gave it away? “I am sorry Sir, I went to quickly grab something from the lobby and…” “what is it?” he raised his brow and I could properly see for the first time that his eyes were indeed sun beam just like Haneul had argued, oh, how beautiful heaven must be! “That’s the thing Sir, I thought that there was something to carry but there was nothing, I… I…. it was just a prank to make m…” I tried to explain but the sun beam was too potent that my eyes began to look away that even if I could look, I couldn't. “Ah! There is a new explanation this time, there is no… you misplaced your phone or your Notepad or your left shoe or your glasses but now it is a prank? Scoffs. Look, Ms. Vivian if you are tired of working with me, all you need is to just say so. The technical team, the production team and other departments are willing to share their working experience with you, so you can stop this entire charades. You are not even an employee yet and this is what you have to offer? Well I am hoping this is not all you have to offer. Cause, you need more than just 20th century pranks,19th century laziness and 18th century excuses to keep it together, now pick whatever it is you need for that meeting that is not missing and get in there!” never have I seen him so professionally angry and.... mouth watering at the same time. Today is a lucky day! I picked up my note pad and vamoosed under the hot gaze of those sunbeam eyes, courtesy Haneul.

Entering the room, The General Manager stopped his speech and looked at me with a 'does your father pay us to pay you?' as I went to sit between Hana and Lee Jin Woo, the team leader of Bae Dragon's Crush, you'll meet him later, I pray not and when I was about to settle down... "Remind me to deduct 100 won from her pay.." he said to guess who? Bae Dana, the Dragon queen. I wanted to squeeze the life out of her, as the G.M continued his speech with I lost interest for right before he started, making wonder why I came in the first place.

Six good hours!!! How can that man engage us in his one man show of a meeting for Six good hours, just because he's the General Manager? I looked up to the clock hanging on the wall in front of our desks, 6:30pm it read, the meeting had just ended thirty minutes prior and boy, I was surely exhausted. I could not believe our General Manager was a professional talkative, how can only one man talk through hours like a programmed robot, and I so glad it’s just thirty minutes remaining and I’ll be done for the day, yes done for the day and it will be goodbye to this Dragon nest! I watched with anticipation as the time moved paranormally slower than normal with each minute going slower than the last, I began to wish that I could just “va va va voom” the big ‘idiotic’ hand of time. I decided to play a game on my phone to while away time and save myself from this torture of waiting for time, to be on time. I looked at the wall clock after playing every game on my phone and gasped at what I saw, how could it be 6:32 after an eternity of playing every game known to man. I’d vowed not to touch those games after realizing the developers had installed them just to “fulfill all righteousness”.

“Vivian ssi?” I turned to see who was so unlucky enough to call me when I was about to place a curse on whosoever equated a whole day to a whole whooping twenty-four hours and found it was our department’s eye candy. Seriously, I don’t know what they see in this person to even call him that which is an ear-sore, yet I smiled as if he was my favorite person. Ah yes, remember when I said 'Bae Dragon's Crush? Yeah, it's this guy. His name, Oh Jung oh but I call him, Oh Junk Hoe, and nope, I don't touch their father's name... Mr. Hoe, a very young and nasty charming guy who thinking all persons of colour raps, sings, dances, twerks and are great in the other room. That's why he's been on my curvy *** like it's no man's business. He returned the smile with that way too familiar predacious desires dancing in his eyes, which was an annoying sight, and for this reason, I am grateful for our company dating restrictions if not, this chap would become a pain in my curves. “What are you doing after work? Would you like to grab dinner together?” he asked with a smile that gave me every creepy reason to decline this Machiavellian request.

There’s always that particular annoying colleague who’d always think you want them but don’t know how to express it, so they dedicate themselves in the missionary work of frustrating you with their awkward presence and life-threatening cologne. But don’t worry, he hasn’t graduated to stalking me yet, Thank Goodness.

With each crept out/irritated nerve in my body, which I am sure, is up to a trillion, I smiled at him while gathering up my politest speech of rejection that would end up making us both feel great. “Mr. Hoe, today is that day that when I just wanna go home, and eat dinner in solitude, and play Go with all the restless ghost in my neighborhood then together pray for world peace, in peace…as a human I am allowed to do that, ain’t I?” I knew did my best to hide my irritation even if the smiles on both our face disappeared after my speech and I hope I didn’t forget to mention that he’s Da Na’s ‘style’ like she would say to the detriment of my hearing ability. Uh! She is the worse; I don’t want anything to do with her directly or indirectly! The way I saw him quickly retreat made “my cup runneth over” and I felt great because Dana would be crushed when she'd see him looking so…CRUSHED! I turned back to gather my things so that I’d leave once it’s seven o’clock.

I turned on my phone to play the last game that inspired me 'Hungry Shark' only to see 7:00pm pouting at me, isn't the Lord God Almighty powerful. I responded with a smile and a “finally!” as I carried my bags, turned off my computer and headed to the lobby to wait on Hana and Haneul in excitement and exhaustion.

🌟🌟🌟

As I came out of Haneul’s car, Hana reminded me of a colleague Young Pil's wedding we were all required to attend the next day “See you tomorrow, girl don’t forget, 8:00am is the church wedding and 12:00pm the reception begins. We’ll come pick you up, okay…? Goodnight… ” Hana sped off without hearing me reply, which made me wonder why she hasn't gotten any ticket for that speed limit '50km\hr' sign she’d always ignore and why Haneul would let her drive? “Sure thing, Good night.” I answered to the empty place as I watched as the car drive into the night before I crossed to the other side to walk into my street.

As an accurate timekeeper, I looked at my wristwatch and sighed exhaustedly. I hoped for the strength to walk up to my bed and not collapse on the staircase in front of the building I lived - while I was deciding to get dinner from the provision store nearby - since I was obviously tired. With my dinner bought and packaged in a purple polythene bag, I thought about the junk dinner I was about to feed my celestial self as I left the store – noodles, eggs, chilled yougurt and maybe chocolate bars but why do you care? I am a total junkie, yeah so what? I could see the apartment’s roof top afar off with beams of hope that could move mountains. All of a sudden a loud screech, a crash followed by a thud shook off my tiredness and though I was a little hesitant, I still went over to where the sound generated. Getting to where it came from, I saw a mannequin on the ground, oops, a truck just lost one of their properties, phew, here I was thinking something horrible had happened. But, Funny and creepy enough, the down facing Mannequin moved so I thought my mind was seeing things untill it moved again, and then I realized my life was about to change for ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.... Sorry, that's suppose to be echoes of the first ever, so back to the story..

I moved back each time it moved, slowly and quietly hoping the demon possessed mannequin is deaf because I don't like horror, I don't even like looking for trouble. So, I just went back to minding my business like I was doing before I heard the crash. I ain't me that's gonna make your Wednesday, a crunchy wednesday. I turned 180° like a perfect dancer and was about to Usain Bolt when I heard ' kajjima...chaebal..doewajusaeyo..(don't go, please help me)". Feeling the extreme pain was in that voice, I turned back to ask, "Dangshineun saramibnika? (Are you human?) Neoye meomi apeoyo?(does your body hurt?), Odieyo? Olmaeyo? (Where? How much?)"Just to sure..

"Doewa....jusaeyo... Chaebal..." Ok, that's enough asking, I allowed my instincts pushed me to instantly drop my belongings and rush to the victim’s side as I tried to see if she or he was conscious, hopefully. However, I found out after turning the body over that the victim was a girl presumably seventeen years old. I could feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes as it threatened to pour and the next thing I could think of was how to save this girl's life. I rested her head carefully while thinking first things first, Ambulance. I brought out my phone to dial the emergency number with my shaky hands covered with goose bumps while I tried to make out if she was breathing with the other.

“Hey, stay with me lemme call the ambulance, ok? Open your eyes and don't fall asleep, stay conscious the ambulance will be here quickly.” I guaranteed her as I positioned my phone to dial but she stopped me, which scared the hell out of me because; she wasn't weak like someone who was just hit by a vehicle. I could feel my bones shifting yet, she sounded weak as she gasped for air as if she was on the threshold of death, which were two conflicting things. “Shigaeni oepsubnida (No time)...” she whispered with pain so obvious that I began to tear up. “Shhh.. Nonun kwenchana jilgoyeyo, Mal-hajiemasaeyo (you’ll be fine, don’t talk.)” I quickly shunned her with my eyes over flowing with tears as she traced my hand I had placed on her chest while I was trying to keep her awake and left something on it. "K...K...Komap-subnida (T...T...Thank you.)" she stuttered whispering with blood splattering from her mouth. "Shhh… kumana-hasaeyo, kwenchana-halkoya (stop it, you’ll be fine.)" I assured as my voice choked with tears as I felt panic overthrowing my calmness. "Nomu Neujosubnida (Too late…)” she whispered in obvious pain with her eyes half closed as her head leaned the other way letting the blood in her mouth flow out without control. “Bich-i no-reul in-do-ha-ke ha-la, haneul-i no-reul ji-ki-ge ha-la, gurigu noona ae-ge mianhadago jonhae juseyo (Let the light guide you, let heaven guard you and please tell little brother, Noona is sorry. in hangul” ) she strained out in pain and looking like she was drawing her last breath. “Kamahi isseo...ba...(Stay... still....") I tried to say but her hand dropped from mine to the floor. Instantaneously, the shock that engulfed me right there, didn't forget to invite goose bumps for dinner, and just like that, every movie I had watched with scenes like this replayed in my mind but the last one being too realistic made me snap out of it and dial the emergency number.

Right before I could place it on call, I felt my hand on her chest shake, which wasn't my doing. Her body was moving which was giving me hope that she was still alive but what I wasn't expecting was for the body to levitate, defying gravity. I didn't know if i was to scream, be surprised or even cry, I just stood like I was under a spell that froze my being. Before I could choose, the body became translucent, vanished before my very own eyes as if it isn’t there in the first place, like I was one crazy *** lady acting a CSI in the middle of the street at 9:45 pm. I would have sworn my mind was declaring its independence, but the hard object I was squeezing in my shivering, goose bumps covered hand, proved otherwise. I guess I was seriously shocked and wasn't able to move, I struggled to open my palm and I was surprised and confused at a stringed jade bracelet, pearly white and beautiful, one could easily tell it was of great value. And for her to have given this to me before she breathed her last, I guess it was really special to her so I rated the object special, a gift I would treasure until my dying day. Realizing show's over, I gradually put myself together and stood up, realizing it would be useless to do anything apart from heading home, no evidence of accident, no victim, no perpetrator, so no case. I gathered my stuffs and wiped the tears that streamed down my face as I walked home too clear-headed for my kind of persona.

On entering my residence, I quickly shut the door and turned to rest my back on the door sliding down until my worn out butt felt the coldness of the floor which reminded me of her eyes after it became void of life. As I stared at the bracelet crying my heart out just thinking about me just watching a lass die, levitate and go translucent right in my arms, I became terrified of what did and didn’t exist and it brought horrifying imaginations and feelings to me. While I was still trying to process what happened a couple of minutes prior, I kept feeling worse as the seconds passed and I wondered what or who in the seven wonders, was that girl and what she actually meant by her last words. With an empty stomach and a lost appetite, I opted for a last minute bath hoping that the running water on my skin could comfort me and hide my loud sobs but even with the loud noise of the rushing water against my ears, the words still echoed repeatedly like a new hit song that I had to listen involuntarily to while mentally staring at the beautiful bracelet on the coffee table in the room. As I laid on my bed, I felt sorry for the little brother she mentioned who was yet to know that he had just lost a sibling. I could not help but mourn for the little kid as the sleep that I feared I had lost tonight crept in; thankfully and slowly, I closed my eyes and drifted away.