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 your's truly was wearing ‘Baby Love’, my favorite perfume or because of my brown skin.

If the latter was the case pfft, I was used to the attention since it was my fifth year in South Korea.

P. S: if you are brown skinned like me and you are new in Korea or 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 to find myself an empty – and hopefully comfortable – seat. Sitting down, I noticed a kid beside me in his shining 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 with my presence.

“Could I take a picture with you, Noona?” he eagerly asked not even bothered to add the 'heuk' word that always kills my enthusiasm in it and I was more than ready to oblige.

“Of course,” I smiled and watched as the kid positioned his phone with a smile that got me thinking 'OK, he's cute.’

“Hana, dul, set, (click) hana, dul, set, (click).” I could see on his face that he had more requests to ask but as a result of not wanting to seem too ratchet to the other passengers I guess, he did let me be after thanking me and half mindedly returning to his game. I adjusted in my seat as I hummed and lip-synced to the boy band VAV’s debut song ‘Rosita’ playing on the radio as the bus continued after everyone had boarded.

Nearing my freedom from the continuous obnoxious stares from the native passengers, 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 and he returned it 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 think 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.

As I entered quickly, I pressed the button ‘16’ offhandedly while checking the time again that read 8:30am. It gave me the feeling of déjà vu and the memory wasn’t vague because it happened the previous day and the day before making me worry more since this particular day wasn't supposed to be one of those days but, who was I kidding?

Mental 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. “...” I would mutter to keep my cool and stop myself from having any panic attack on mornings 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 peace of mind unexplainably. As I settled down craftily and noiselessly, I began to give thanks that my presence wasn’t noticed yet by my very own 'walking on stilettos CCTVs', but they say, speak of the devils, in this case shall appear and they shall appear. My partners in crime Kim Hana and Kim Haneul who didn't even let me say amen before they snuck up to my desk and interrupted my thanksgiving.

“Hey... ” I whispered to the monitoring drones as they gathered me like sugar ants. “What’s up? You are late, AGAIN. ” Hana 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 avoiding the penetrating gaze of Haneul who was watching me as if I was hiding her favorite panties in my closet. “You really need a car Vivian, this is like the third time this week, or are you living at the North?” 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 both 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,” they 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 at me.

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 snapped just 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 got 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, quite the combo cause being bi-racial contributed tremendously to his appearance, which made him a definite treat to the eyes, but the company’s ‘101’ restricted us employees from dating making me end up as a secret admirer and a fan girl in the open. Yes, 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, and it had always made 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.

With the door right in front of me, my holding the knob was ‘almost’ because, Bae Da Na, 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 in respect 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 but… auditory and cognitive problems would not her live and let live. The way other team leaders and colleagues turned a blind eye, I guess to them it was ok since her father’s best friend knew a member of the board. As I proceeded to hold the knob, she suddenly popped 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.

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. “Ms. Vivian 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 ogre Da Na – never – purchased – any – damn – coffee! Only for her to call Soo Young 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 Ms. Shrek 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 painful but brave decision of using the stairs to the 10th floor where I could catch the elevator, damn!