"Not heartless, just learned to use the heart less."

- Unknown

I carefully cut my asparagus into smaller pieces so I can chew it well and not choke on it again like last week, because the stories Megan always tells me during our lunch break are hilarious. And she doesn't even try to make it funny, it's just the things that happen to her that make you doubt their veracity. But they are real.

One thing I love about our lunch breaks is my company, which mostly consists of Megan, Lizzy, and Josh. We have been friends since I started working here and have been inseparable ever since. Not only are we good friends, but we are also partners in most of our company's projects.

As a creative team - except Josh - of an ad agency, we are together every day, brainstorming and coming up with interesting and well, creative media for our clients. I love working here. It can get stressful at times and it takes a lot of imagination, but we always do our best.

I snort with laughter as Megan starts poking at the meat on her plate with her knife as she tells me about the most recent date she had with a random guy, pretending to punish him for not offering her a ride home after their date.

Megan can be a bit aggressive with her feelings sometimes. I've never seen her not upset about something, but to justify her behavior I can admit that she hasn't really always been lucky in her life.

"I had to take the train home. At eleven p.m." she says the words slowly as if her intention is for me to understand exactly what she's saying. I can even see her left eye twitch. "I mean, I have no problem taking public transportation, but he asked me out on a date so it would be the least he could do. Right?"

"Yeah that's true," I agree. "But what if he was nervous and it just didn't cross his mind? He didn't look like an idiot in the pictures you showed me."

"Nah. I'm done with excuses." she huffs. "He asked me out on another date and I said no."

"Awe, that's kind of mean," I wince. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

She raises her eyebrow and looks me up and down. "That's why everyone who's in deep shit comes to you. You gotta start saying no."

I swallow the asparagus in my mouth. "I know how to say no," I point out.

She watches me suspiciously, nodding her head, but it's sarcastic. I hear the clicking sound of high heels then, running toward us with hasty steps.

"Mikayla," someone calls my name and in seconds April is standing next to me with a big smile on her red lips. "Thank God I found you."

"April." I smile back in a friendly way. I've known April for about two years. She started working here just after she graduated from college. I was her tutor for the first six months and I have to admit she is a sweet girl. "How are you?"

"Good," she replies out of breath before dropping into the chair next to me. "Actually, no awful. I need to ask you a favor."

I hear Megan sigh from across from me and I glance at her briefly, using my eyes to show her not to be rude. She shrugs her shoulder and mouths something to me, to which I don't reply. "Of course. What is it?" I ask, still smiling.

"My niece is sick and my sister needs someone to watch her." she starts to tell and I listen attentively, a bit pouty to have heard that her niece is not feeling well. "She couldn't find anyone, unfortunately, so she asked me. And I said yes, of course."

"That's so nice of you. Auntie things." I chuckle and she nods eagerly and proudly.

"That's why I need your help." she continues. "You know that presentation I have to give to the client next week?" she asks and I nod. "I'm not going to get it done and I wanted to ask for your help."

"Sure, I can help you." I rub her shoulder reassuringly and she lets out a comforted breath.

"Thank you. You're the best," she says before getting up from her chair and continuing to walk backwards out of the canteen with her thumbs up. "I'll send you the file and then you can finish the other half."

"Other half?" I whisper. Just as I'm about to tell her I have too much on my plate to complete a full half of a presentation she's already disappeared from the lunchroom.

I sigh and turn back to my food. I feel eyes on me and when I look up Megan is scowling at me with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"What?" I ask, pretending not to know what she's thinking.

"What was that about saying no?" she sneers in annoyance, tapping her chin and searching for the answer somewhere in the air.

"Her niece is sick," I explain matter-of-factly. "How could I have just said no?"

"Say no to what?" We both turn to the familiar voice that now sits down next to me. Josh's smile beams as he looks back and forth between me and Megan as he waits for one of us to respond. The two of them scold me whenever I do a favor for colleagues. I just can't stand to see people disappointed and distressed. But I'm not naive or stupid.

"She needs to say no to those who take advantage of her kindness." Megan points her fork at me and then at herself. "And I need to start saying no to a first date with a man."

Josh laughs, his high-pitched voice echoing beside me. "Girl, same." he slaps my shoulder and I try to recover from it. "I wish sexuality was a choice. It's a shame I'm not straight."

Megan high-fives him and they mutually agree. "And it's a shame I'm straight."

"Your dads are men, too," I tease, the corners of my mouth curving upward.

"When I was five my dad went to buy milk," Megan says. "I'm twenty-seven and I'm still waiting for the milk so I can eat my cereal."

Josh snorts, raising his hand in front of his mouth before clearing his throat. "I'm sorry I laughed."

Megan and he look at each other and then burst out laughing. I admire that they are both so good at dealing with their traumas because I wouldn't know if I could do the same.

I am a family person and I love my parents very much. I never had any siblings to grow up with, but my parents have always made sure to do everything with me. Thinking about them makes me miss them and I make a mental note to call them once I get home.

After they both come down from their laughter to which I had to giggle myself, I look at my watch and notice that our one-hour lunch break is about to end.

"Our break is about to end," I announce, taking my tray and standing up from my chair. "Can we go? I have a lot to do."

"You wouldn't have if you said no to April." Megan remarks as she and Josh also get to their feet. I just smile. I know she's right, but it's not like I can say no now after saying yes.

We walk together to the elevators so we can go up to the forty-second floor from the employee canteen. I love our company because it has a good work atmosphere, plus a breathtaking view. If you stay long enough to catch the sunset from the floor-to-ceiling windows, it's been a successful day at work.

Josh, Megan, and I get off the elevators and Josh says goodbye to go to his place. He works in the finance department for the company, which is why his desk is on the other side of the floor. Megan and I are on the same team and her desk is across from mine. But she still tends to call me instead of walking to my desk if she needs something.

We walk past our other colleagues and I smile at those who look over at us. April waves and I hear Megan mutter something under her breath that I can't make out.

It's a mostly open workplace and everyone can see everyone else. The meeting rooms are made of glass and are overall bright and conducive to work. The only rooms you can't see into are those of our two CEOs. And now just speaking of which, I flinch as the wooden door to one of these rooms is yanked open and Tiffany storms out of the room.

And she's crying.

Megan and I stare at each other, me concerned and Megan curious. Tiffany sniffles and wipes away her tears as she runs to her table, which is in front of the one CEO's room. She starts to pack her purse and also a few of her things that are on her secretary table.

I walk over to her, empathetic, and Megan follows. "What happened?" I ask as I hand her a tissue from the box on her table.

"Mr. Jeon fired me." she cries, her mascara running off a bit.

"Why?" Megan asks, and Tiffany cries even harder. I give Megan a few signs not to add more gasoline to the fire.

And before Tiffany can answer, which she probably couldn't anyway because she's literally choking on her tears, Mr. Jeon appears at the door to his office. He looks unfazed, his tie perfect and his hair pulled back from his face as usual.

He looks around as if searching for something. He seems to be purposely avoiding the desperate gaze of Tiffany, who is futilely searching for eye contact as if she still has hope that Mr. Jeon will change his mind.

It makes me wonder what he's thinking right now because he doesn't exactly look like he cares that he fired his secretary. Instead, he looks around before his eyes fall on me.

"Ms. Carlson. My office." his voice is calm, but deep and clear. He doesn't pause a second before turning and walking back into his office and I stand rooted to the spot, not sure if I heard correctly. He reappears in the doorway. "Now."

And then he's gone again, leaving me with my heart beating fast. I panic, so many thoughts swirling in my head. Oh my God, what if I'm next?

I turn to Megan in confusion but she doesn't seem to have a clue either. I remember him calling me to his office and even though he looked very calm, I don't want him to get mad because I'm making him wait.

I rush on my high heels towards his office.

What did I do wrong?

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A/N: I hope you liked the prologue of my new book. Sorry if this story turns out to be too cliche and don't expect any plot twists please 😭😂
I'm imagining this Jungkook for the story: