I was beyond excited. I was yet to come to terms with the news I had just received. I immediately rang up my best friend Jade.
"Whaaaaaaat? " She answered with a slurred voice. It was past noon and this girl still sleeping? " Jade wake up!"" I shouted. I could hear her murmuring insults through the phone. I rolled my eyes.
"What is it, Andrea? huh? what is so important that you had to cut my sleep short.?" I was beyond bliss that my words failed me. "I ... I. I cannot believe it Jade" I stammered. '' I finally... hello? Jade, are you still there?" Of course, she hung up.
I sighed and decided to send her a text. I tossed my phone on the couch and skipped my way to the kitchen. I needed to celebrate. I picked a glass and as I was ready to pour in wine my door knob rattled.
Jade stormed in screaming my name. I chuckled as I picked another glass.
let the party begin.
"I cannot believe you sent me a text to tell me the biggest news of your life!"
"Well Jade I was going to, but you hung up "I said plus it is not a big deal."I shrugged. Except it was. It was such a big deal to me er since I graduated from college. I had been applying and interviewing at all kinds of companies in town only to be turned down.
No one even had the courtesy of telling me why I was not fit for the job. But on that morning, I had gotten a call from one of the biggest companies in Seoul.
They were ready to hire me. Not only had I gotten the job I was now going to live in the city and to add to it, I was going to look for Han. I reached for my necklace and pulled it out, I smiled at the thought.
I turned around only to find Jade staring at me intensely. "What? why are you looking at me like that?"I shoved a glass of wine in her hands as I bounced on the couch. I knew that look, and I was not about to engage in another one of her lectures.
"Andrea...." And here we go." Listen, Jade, I know exactly what you are gonna say and today is just not the day." She just shrugged and started scrolling on her phone.
For a moment I was relieved but Why? why had she let it go? I mean Han was a sore subject to me but to her, It was not. She always complained but how hung up I was on Han and how much boring I sounded talking about a boy that I only met once.
" We promised to get married you know, and something about it and that memory always made me want to find him .. maybe see what he looks like and you never know. "
"Andrea .. move on, for all you know, he's maybe dead or even lives in another country. "Jade was so keen on saying the worst but I still held on to that hope, the hope of finding Han.
I sat down watching her keenly, it was very unlike of her, she always had a lot to say when it came to Han but today ,she had nothing. "Jade?" I murmured
"Yeah.."
"You don't have anything to say?"
She looked up and I dreaded asking that question
" Never mind," I said as I slowly gulped down my half-filled glass.
15 YEARS AGO
"Dad, can I go by the seashore?" Han and his dad had decided to visit the beach which was a rare site since they lived in the city. Han had always dreamed of building a house by the beach. The waves calmed him. He admired the surfers that walked by with their surfboards and wished that he could also have a taste of that feeling the feeling of the cold water just embracing his body. He looked at his dad who was engrossed in his phone call. Hans's face dropped. He heaved and started walking by the seashore.
As he was walking by the sea shore he noticed a girl building a sand house. Han wanted to build one. But he knew his father wouldn't let him engage in such activities ."Remember you are the sole heir to this company, so act like a mature man Han. You are no longer a child "These words from his father kept lingering in his mind. He wanted to play with his agemates, hang out and play video games. And now he wanted to build a sand house just like that girl did.
He sighed heavily and sat on the sand to watch the girl. She was lively.,she beamed with happiness. "Mom, come help me " He heard the girl say as she walked to fetch an older woman who looked a lot like her. Han wished he could have that. His mother had abandoned him the day he was born. He had no idea what she looked like. He was curious but smart enough not to ask his father about her whereabouts. He only hoped that one day she would come back.
Han was lost in his thoughts that he had not noticed that the sand girl was now in front of him. She smiled as she extended her hand for a handshake.
"Hi, I'm Andrea what is your name?"
Han looked around him. Was she talking to him?
He looked behind trying to locate his father but he was nowhere to be seen. He stood up and dusted his shorts while extending his hand in return
"Han. My ..my name is Han" he answered shakily.
"Do you want to play with me? The girl asked pointing at her sand castle.
Han hesitated
"It's okay if you don't know how to build a sand castle I can teach you" she went on.
Before Han could reply, the girl reached out and took his hand, dragging him to the sandcastle.
"How old are you? I'm 9 years old, I may look younger but my mom says I'm a smart girl, you know I was ranked number 2 in my last exams. Hyujin always comes fast, he is very annoying you know but I will make sure I become a top student and he won't annoy me anymore."
" I'm 12 years old"Han replied. She sure is a chatty one for her age. Han thought to himself.
"My mom told me that when I grow up, I should marry a tall and older man" She smiled at Han
"Do you want us to get married?" She snapped and Han almost fell from squatting. He stared at the girl in disbelief.
How can a girl be so young and so confident.
"Do you even know what you are saying?"He asked as he sat on the sand.
The girl moved closer to him.
"About what marriage? Mom says that if you love someone you get married, buy a house and have children. Children bring happiness, and I love being happy so I will have as many children as I want."
Han coughed. What was she saying? He doubted she knew anything about what she was saying.
" And what makes you think I would want to marry you?"
"Well, you are handsome and older than me, you might look boring but it's okay, I can make up for that. She went on.
Han busted out laughing. Boring? He continued laughing.
" Why do you think I'm boring?" He said amidst his laughs.
" Are you not boring? Now tell me, are you going to accept my proposal oppa?"
Han shaked his head in disapproval. He could tell she was disappointed because her expression changed suddenly.
"At least not now, I'll marry you when we are of age." He said. Immediately the little girl's face lit up.
"I knew you would not turn me down," She reached for her hand and removed her bracelet. The bracelet was pink in colour and had beads that spelt out her name.
"Here, this bracelet is my ring for you, now wear it "
Before Han could resist, Andrea quickly tied it to his wrist.
"Now your turn." She said
"My turn to what?" Han asked rather surprised.
"Oppa, you have to give me something significant too."
"Do I have to though, it's not that serious?"He said trying to untie the bracelet.
"Come on..." she whined. Han glanced at the little girl and sighed in defeat
"Fine.." he reached out for his necklace and placed it on Andrea's hand. She stared at the necklace. It was a masterpiece. The pendant was shining. She held it up and gasped.
" This looks expensive, are you sure you want to give me this."She said analysing the little necklace.
It was expensive, the necklace was made of pure gold, and the pendant had specks of diamond.Andrea was holding a hundred million won in her little fingers and she had no idea.
Suddenly a loud shrill was heard, Han reached for his cell phone to answer the call. Andrea was too engrossed in her little gift all she heard was "Yes Father, I am on my way".
"I have to go now, "Han said as he stood up in a hurry.
Andrea followed closely behind him
" Right now? , are you coming back?, do you live around?, my house is just around that corner, you can come to visit."She went on. Han was oblivious to the girl as he kept walking. He was scared, his dad sounded upset from the phone call. He wondered to himself. He stopped abruptly and someone bumped into his back ,he turned around to see Andrea.
"Are you following me? He asked.
"I was since you were leaving without saying goodbye, will you come to the beach tomorrow, I will ask Mother to prepare gimbap, they are my favourite. "
"Yes Yes I will come to the beach tomorrow "he promised.
"Okay then, goodbye oppa," Andrea said as she turned around and started walking back to her sand castle.
Han watched as she disappeared. He had no idea that that was the last time he would see the girl from the beach.
NOW.
Han was staring at his watch. He looked at the door for the tenth time in the last hour. He was getting impatient. Suddenly the door flung open and Han almost fell from his chair.
'' Were you expecting someone else?' Seungmin smirked. Han sat back and groaned to himself.
''Where on earth is your secretary, I have tried to reach you before I came here. I just don't understand why I have to call through your office line, are we not best friends Han.'' Seugmin launched a load of files on Hans's desk.
''Seungmin, I remember telling you to not call me that. Its either Matt or Sir to you , especially in the office."
Han walked over and closed the door. He looked over at his desk and the files that were now scattered. He looked at Seungmin who shrugged and walked towards the door.
''Where do you think you are going, you can't leave that there' Han said rather sternly.
''Look here dude, you might be my boss around here but I am certainly not your secretary .'' Seungmin barked as she reached to open the door.
''Hello, I mean good morning sir, I am sorry I'm late I promise it will not happen again.'' Andrea who was at the other side of the door said.
Han immediately flung the whole door open. And there was his new secretary.
''Hello to you too miss.'' Seungmin flirted
Andrea bowed for the tenth time. She seemed out of breath. Han thought to himself.
''And what is your name miss, I am Min, but you can call me Oppa'' He winked as he extended his hand for a handshake.
Andrea was confused, was her boss a womanizer or what. She hesitantly shaked his hand '
''Seeungmin you should leave.'' They were interrupted by Hans's voice. Seungmin was yet to pay attention as he was still holding onto Andreas' hand.
'' I will fire you right this moment Seugmin.'' Han barked.
Immediately Seungmin dropped her hand and walked away.
''Come in,'' Han told Andrea.
Andrea quickly walked inside his office hoping for the best.
She had arrived in the city the previous day and had spent the whole day unpacking.
By the time she was done, it was almost morning so she decided to take a nap. She ended up missing the alarm and now here she was, late on the first day of work. Damn, that alarm .
She swore to get rid of it.
''Have you ever been a secretary before?''Han asked as he walked to his seat.
'' No sir, but I promise this wont to happen again.'' She said confidently.
''It better not, I am a busy man and I detest incompetent employees.''
Andrea shook her head as if in agreement. Such an egomaniac. She thought to herself.
'' Now you can go and start working''
Andrea began to walk to the door when she was stopped abruptly
.
''Pick these files and go through them, I need you to write an email to the board members and tell them today's meeting is cancelled, also clear my schedule today I will be meeting my father for the better part of the day, okay''
Andrea walked to the desk to pick up the files and Han noticed a necklace hanging out the front neck.
She still had it.
The necklace that Han had given her as a gift when they were children, Andrea had kept till this day. His heart skipped a beat.
As Andrea walked out, Han walked by his safe deposit box and opened it.
He took out a bracelet, Andreas' bracelet, he smiled at it as he slowly closed the safe and put the bracelet in his pocket.
He had found Andrea.
Ever since he left the beach that day he had promised himself that he would go back and look for her.
They had promised to meet at the beach the following day but Andrea never showed up. He had asked around for her and waited till the evening but she never showed up. Han returned to the city and as the years went by, he visited the seaside at the end of the month hoping that he would find Andrea.
One day as he was looking through interview resumes he came across a familiar face.
He knew it so well.
That face was of his childhood friend. It was indeed Andreas face and he knew then that he had to see her again.
He was happy that finally, years of searching for her were over. He waited anxiously for her arrival. And when he saw her again for the first time in fifteen years his heart melted. She was beautiful, breathtaking, and she had grown taller but she still had that warm face and that pretty smile that had been engraved in Hans's mind. He hoped that she would recognize him. Even if she did not it would not matter. All Han wanted was to see her again, all he wanted was to have her close to him.
Han was getting ready to leave to meet his dad when the door flung open. For a moment he thought that it was his secretary but when he turned around he was met by the site of Nina. He turned away disappointed and put on his coat. Hurried footsteps were heard and breathless Andrea joined them in the office.
''Sir I tried to stop her but she shoved me away before….''
''It's okay Andrea, you can go back to your desk.; Han said
Andrea left after closing the door behind them
''Oppa,?'' Nina called out as she went to hug Han. Han rolled his eyes as he shoved Nina away from him. Nina's face dropped as she crossed her arms and stamped on the ground pouting.
''How many times have I told you to not come here announced Nina'' Han asked angrily.
Nina heaved and sat down thunderously.
''So I can't visit my boyfriend at work?'' She asked. ''I came here because you weren't picking up my calls and there is no way I was going to call your secretary to put me through you.''
Han sighed.
''When did you get to hire a new secretary though, you never mentioned it to me .''
''Nina I do not need to report to you anything that has to do with my company or personal matters, now can you please leave I need to see the chairman and I am running late.'' He said while walking towards the door.
Andrea was at her desk answering phonecall when they walked out. She looks flawless. Han thought . For a minute he had forgotten about Nina who was now walking by his side tacking his hair. Andrea put her phone down and immediately stood up to bow.
''Oppa, can I come with you, I'm hungry and it's your turn to buy me lunch'' Nina said excitedly.
After the elevator door closed behind them Andrea quickly picked up her phone.
''Hello, hello Jade are you still there?''
''Yes yes, so what was that you said, Nina, my favourite actress and fashion stylist Nina is your boss's girlfriend?
''Yes Jade, but don't ask me to get a picture with her, our first encounter was bad, your idol by the way is a rude spoilt brat.''
Adrea immediately gasped soon after those words came out of her mouth. She was not the type to curse but to be fair Nina was rude to her.
''I would be rude to if I had that much money in my account.''
Nina was not your typical actress
Nina was the most followed actress on social media in the whole of East Asia. She was the star of numerous movies and reality shows. Her father was a Japanese tycoon while her mother was the princess of Thailand. They owned the biggest and the largest enterprises in almost every country in Asia. She and Han had met in the States while she was attending school and later found out that their parents were acquaintances.
After Han decided to move back to Korea, Nina decided to move to his country after their families agreed on their marriage. Even though both of them were not on board with the decision, they agreed to play along to avoid confusion as their alliance was an added advantage to business's overseas.