I still feel bad about what happened yesterday. Mr. Jeon didn't show any signs of being annoyed and I didn't get a letter for my dismissal, but still.

And that's why I baked cookies last night. I tried to make them a little healthier recipe because I thought Mr. Jeon probably isn't much of a sweet tooth. He also doesn't like sugar in his coffee and who drinks coffee without sugar?

After I took painkillers, my cramps eased up a bit and although I went to bed tired, I was able to get a good night's sleep, which is why I feel healthier today.

I smile at everyone I pass and wish them a good morning. Megan is already in her seat typing on her computer with full concentration which is why she only gives me a half-wave that makes me chuckle.

I rush to the break room to get a plate from the cupboard for Megan and for Mr. Jeon so I can give them the cookies I made. But when I step into the room, a broad back is standing in front of the coffee machine.

My footsteps must have drawn his attention because he turns his head over his shoulder to see who has entered. Our eyes meet and I offer him a smile along with a good morning to which he nods.

His eyes look tired today as if he has gotten very little sleep. And judging that this is probably not his first cup of coffee, it must have been a rough night. He turns back to the coffee maker and watches the dark liquid drip into his cup.

Despite his tired eyes, his clothes and hair are neat as ever. I come to stand beside him so I can get two plates from the cupboard. I place the large box of cookies on the counter and reach my arm up, but whoever put the plates there apparently didn't want anyone shorter than six feet to reach them.

I struggle until I see another hand reaching in the same direction and when I look to my left, I find Mr. Jeon standing just a few inches next to me. He reaches for the plates and hands me one.

I thank him in a low voice and I feel like it would be a burden to tell him that I actually need two therefore Megan has to settle for eating from the box. Opening the lid, my nostrils fill with the smell of fresh cookies and I start placing the cookies on the plate one by one.

Mr. Jeon reaches for his now full coffee cup, pours a few drops of low-fat milk into it, and turns around, ready to leave the break room. I quickly place the fourth cookie on the plate and turn around.

"Mr. Jeon?" I call out, causing him to stop and turn back. I take a few steps toward him and stretch the cookies in his direction. "I made these last night. Please have some."

"What are these?" he asks, looking up at me from the plate.

"Cookies?" I almost laugh because it's obvious. I push aside the urge to say they're cookie-shaped drugs and smile at him. "I thought you could have them with your coffee because you don't put sugar in it."

He looks back at the plate. "I'm on a strict diet and I don't really like sweet things."

"That's why I made them with oatmeal, honey, and nuts," I say proudly, then realize how much it sounded like I made the cookies for him. Let's ignore the fact that I made them for him as an apology for yesterday.

I just don't want him to think I'm childishly still hung up on something like yesterday, which might be the case. I just don't like making people feel bad about themselves, although I'm sure Mr. Jeon is far from feeling bad about the things he says.

When he just stares at me without saying anything, I continue. "It's healthy. It'll help your concentration." I say, sliding the plate into his hand where the cup isn't.

And when he tries to speak against it, it clicks. "Oh my god! You're allergic to nuts, aren't you? Or maybe honey? I'm so sorry. I almost killed you and went to jail."

I try to take the plate out of his hand again, but his grip on it is stronger than my muscle strength all over my body. "I'm not allergic to nuts," he says calmly, and that makes me take a breath.

"Oh, great. You're so lucky." I laugh in relief and let go of the plate. "I'm allergic to strawberries. I didn't know it until I was six. I ate a whole bowl and then had to be rushed to the hospital. But it's okay because I don't remember what strawberries taste like, so it's not like I miss it—"

I stop talking when I notice how Mr. Jeon keeps staring at me and how I just shared a childhood memory that he probably didn't want to know. I close my mouth and clear my throat.

"Sorry, I tend to babble and not realize it." I scold myself internally, and when I look up, Mr. Jeon is still staring. I can't quite read his expression, but he doesn't really look annoyed with me.

"I'll be in my office," he says and turns to leave.

I slap my forehead and walk back to the box of cookies I set down on the counter. Not trying to get a plate down from the cupboard, I return to my seat, and walking past Megan, I set the box down on her desk.

She gasps and turns to me and I shoot her a big smile. Just like my mother, seeing other people eat makes me happy and I watch Megan devour two cookies in a matter of seconds.

When I turn back to my computer to log in, I see Mr. Park come out of his office and walk in our direction. I clear my throat and straighten my back. I don't know how he does it, but his presence alone is enough to make anyone nervous.

It's the way he walks, the way he smiles warmly at everyone and is just so nice to everyone no matter what position they're in. He greets a few employees who greet him back until he then walks past where I'm sitting.

"Is Jungkook in his office?" he asks, not even stopping as he just turns and walks backward as he waits for my answer.

"Yes, sir," I reply with a smile and he nods before brushing his hair out of his face.

I clear my throat and focus back on my work. Now that I don't have those excruciating cramps today, I can actually get more done than I was able to yesterday. I wish being on your period was a valid reason to take a day off.

I hear Megan behind me saying that the cookies are so yummy she could kill someone for them and then she gets into an argument with Josh who wants some of the cookies too. Josh comes to annoy me a bit, but I just laugh because of his silly ways until we see Mr. Park walk past us again.

Mr. Park may seem a little more laid back and is warmer with his employees, but he is just as serious and hardworking when it comes down to work. Josh returns to his seat, which is at the other end of the floor, and I continue to type on my computer for the script of an advertisement.

I don't realize how engrossed I am in the work until I am startled by the phone on my desk and then take a quick glance at the clock. It's close to lunchtime, but knowing it's Mr. Jeon calling me, I immediately pick up.

"Yes. Mr. Jeon?" I answer.

"Could you come to my office for a minute and bring the report from yesterday?" he asks and I tell him I'll be right there and hang up.

Mr. Jeon didn't want to see the report yesterday before he went home and I stayed behind. I print out the report and head to his office. Hearing his voice as he lets me in, I step into his office and close the door behind me.

He looks up at me from the many sheets on his desk and gestures for me to come closer. I place the report in front of him, waiting for him to read through it and approve what I have written.

As I step closer, I notice the scent I've always smelled on him. The fresh essence of wood mixed with bergamot creates a spicy and masculine note. But it feels like it's all been rounded out by a dash of vanilla and I can't help but wonder where I know this scent from.

I step back again, trying not to look like a lurker inhaling Mr. Jeon's perfume, and watch his eyes drag across the paper. I have to admit that it always makes me a little nervous when he reads my report because I know how flawless he wants everything to be.

A smile tries to force itself onto my lips, but I fight it when I notice that there is only one of the four cookies left on the plate I gave Mr. Jeon a few hours ago. Judging by Megan's moans, they tasted good and that relieves me.

"This is good." Mr. Jeon comments after reading the whole report and puts his signature at the bottom of the paper.

I nod and take the report back to file it in the designated folder. "Is there anything else?" I ask and he shakes his head. I turn around, ready to go back to my seat.

"Actually, Ms. Carlson?" I hear his voice, having just taken only two steps toward the door. When I look into his eyes waiting, he seems a bit hesitant and unsure.

"Yes, Mr. Jeon?"

He clears his throat. "Um. Do you already have anything planned for Saturday?"

"No, sir," I shake my head. "Why?"

"There's an event I have to attend. I'd want you to come with me," he says, now leaning back in his chair.

"To take notes? Is this event something like a meeting?" I ask.

"It's not work-related," he replies. "It's a charity event."

I pull my eyebrows together because I'm confused right now. First of all, I didn't know Mr. Jeon was donating, but it's a good thing and I'm impressed. But why does he want me to accompany him to such an event?

"Um forget what I said." he then says as I just stand there confused. "It's not important."

And then I understand. And it makes me kind of sad that he would ask an employee to go with him.

"No, it's fine. I'll go with you." I try to ignore the heat in my cheeks. "I assume as a plus one? I don't mind at all. I usually spend my Saturdays binge-watching my favorite show with a pack of chips anyway. I end up falling asleep at some point then—"

Mr. Jeon stares at me again without saying anything because my tongue has decided to have a mind of its own and embarrass me. Seriously, I should do something about telling people things they don't care about.

"I'll go with you." I summarize after babbling all over him.

He nods and looks away, which I take as an opportunity to walk out of his office. I scold myself because for some reason I always make Mr. Jeon's head probably hurt with my loose tongue.

He probably thinks I'm the same way at work and that I can't get anything done or that I'm just talking to other colleagues all the time. I hurry back to my seat and drop into my chair.

Only now does it occur to me that I haven't even asked him what kind of event it is. Is it fancy, edgy? Or more casual? I think it will be fancy, for sure. I imagine a lot of businessmen will be there since he said it's for a charity.

And then I gasp.

"What, what happened?" Megan asks from her seat, a worried look in her eyes.

I pull myself together, now acting cool. "Nothing. I just remembered I'm invited to an event on Saturday." I tell her, completely omitting that Mr. Jeon wanted me to be his plus one. She doesn't need to know that detail. "I need a dress."

"What kind of event is it?" she asks, rolling over to me in her swivel chair.

"Ah. Just an event." I reply.

She stares at me. I stare at her. "Okay?" she looks at me like I'm weird, which I am. "But is it fancy? Casual?"

Exactly my questions. The problem is that I don't know the answer to them and I don't want to bug Mr. Jeon any further. He would probably tell me to wear a dress and that wouldn't be much help.

"Fancy." I guess.

"Oh. I know!" She exclaims, her eyes shining, which is strange considering she usually shows almost no reaction. "What about that dress I saw on Saturday when I was window shopping? I think it would fit you."

"No, Meg. It's a dress you liked." I shake my head.

"Can you shut up?" she scolds. "You know I'm not going to buy it anyway. So how about you and I go look at it on Friday after work. And if you don't like it, we'll look at another one."

I smile big. "That sounds good."

_______________________

Jungkook

It's Friday and I don't know how the week went by. The charity event will be held tomorrow and I can't really say I feel like attending. But I can't not go because I've been donating there for years and this event is annual.

Every year I try to avoid it, but it's not like I can cancel. I don't like being around a lot of people and I certainly don't like being approached all the time. I just don't know how to have conversations and everything ends up being weird.

And the most embarrassing thing of all is that I asked Ms. Carlson if she wanted to go with me. The look on her face when I asked her speaks volumes and she probably thinks I'm pathetic for asking an employee.

I usually attended this event with Camille, but now that we are no longer together it is not natural for me to already have a plus one. I still could have asked her to accompany me because it's not like we hate each other. We still talk to each other normally.

The only problem is that she's in Paris at a fashion show right now and can't fly over. Not that I asked her to go with me though. And I couldn't have gone alone.

Jimin had already reserved two seats for me so I wouldn't look so pathetic without a date. I told him from the beginning that I would be going alone, but of course, he didn't listen.

He insists - still persists - that I should have fun, whatever that means. And because I can't cancel the reservation, since everything was already organized and I couldn't just leave the seat next to me empty, I had to find someone.

I don't even know why I asked Ms. Carlson, but it's not like I have a queue of choices. She's at least someone I know and she's okay to have around even if she's really weird sometimes.

So I was practically forced to go to this event with someone and she was my only option.

A knock sounds on my door and when I call the person in, Ms. Carlson's head appears peeking in. She steps in and there is a gentle expression on her face. She has her hair tied in a ponytail and I can see her high cheekbones.

"I just wanted to say that if you don't have anything else you want me to do, I'll be leaving?" she informs me.

I shake my head. "You can leave."

"Thanks." she hesitates a bit. "Um. Also, I wanted to ask where the event will be tomorrow. You didn't give me any more information about it."

"Yeah, right." I take out a pen and paper and put them on the desk. "If you write down your phone number, I can send you the address and time as a text message."

She nods and steps closer. Placing her purse on my desk, she walks around the table until she stops next to me. I slide my chair to the side to give her space. Taking the pen in her hand, she scribbles her number on the paper.

Her hand glides softly over it and I watch as the neat numbers are lined up until she slides the paper back to me. I take it without another glance and put it in my pocket so I don't lose it.

"Do you want me to pick you up or do you have a car?" I ask, now sorting the sheets on my desk. I hear her footsteps and feel her come to a stop on the other side of my desk.

"Oh, no that's not necessary," she says and I look at her for a few seconds and then back down at my desk. She smiles. "I'll be there at the time you text me."

"Okay." I nod.

She turns to leave my office. "See you tomorrow, Mr. Jeon," she says and I stare at the door after she closes it.

_______________________

A/N: probably the last update of 2021🤓