Taeyeon's hand tried to reach her phone as it kept ringing the alarm over and over again in maximum volume. She finally grabbed her phone from nightstand and turned the alarm off. She let out a groan for a while before slowly sat up to prevent herself falling asleep again. It was five o'clock in the morning, and as her usual routine she'd wake up and take a bath to face another day of working, working, and working. Her life was all about working and pursuing career. Her daily routines would be waking up at five o'clock in the morning, prepared herself to work, left the apartment at six, arrived in the office at seven and grabbed her breakfast alone as she started to work with her laptop, came to office at 08:30, and had a full day meetings or working on some company strategies, had her lunch alone at twelve as she replied some email from her iPhone, continued working after that, left her office at ten o'clock at night, continued working at home until midnight and finally crashed on her bed. The cycle continued everyday except for weekend or holiday. On weekend she would just stay at home all day long, reading some books while listening to music and cooked herself some meals if she started to feel hungry. Nothing was special about her life. It was the same old circle that kept repeating.

She shifted from her comfy bed, lifelessly walked to the bathroom, taking a short cold shower to fully wake herself up. She finally wide awake after the shower and made her way to her closet, taking a set of working attire she prepared the night before; a sleeveless dark blue shirt, white short pencil skirt and white blazer. Monday was definitely not Taeyeon's favorite day because she would be locked up in the meeting room all day long but she always chose to wear bright color on Monday to brighten up the mood in meeting room. Satisfied with her professional look given by the clothes, she then applied light make up on her pretty face, comb her blonde straight hair and smiled widely at her own reflection in the mirror as she now looked well-prepared for another working-day. She checked her watch to find out that it was already six o'clock then grabbed her handbag and laptop bag, snatched her car keys, left her bedroom, walked her way out of her apartment and drove to her office.

It was seven o'clock in the morning when Taeyeon parked her car in office's parking lot, one and a half hour until the working hour started. She walked to a coffee shop in the office lobby to grab a cup of hot long black and a cheese bagel. It still had the 'closed' sign hanging on the door yet Taeyeon still made her way to the coffee shop.

"As expected from the adorable senior manager, Kim Taeyeon! The earliest person in office." A charming waiter greeted her excitedly as she walked into the coffee shop. Taeyeon knew all staffs of the coffee shop since she always had her breakfast there. That was why she did not even bother with the 'closed' sign on the entrance. She was always the first customer.

"Hi Chris! Good morning!" Taeyeon replied with her professional smile plastered on her face and sat in the most secluded table in the coffee shop, her favorite spot. "Could you please make my usual breakfast menu, Chris?" Taeyeon requested.

"Sure! Today we have Toraja coffee bean, your favorite. A good news to start Monday, isn't it?" Chris replied as he prepared himself to make a cup of long black and cheese bagel. Taeyeon just smiled and took out her laptop from her bag. She had to make a final check of today's meeting presentation. After a while Chris brought her order and placed it on Taeyeon's table.

"I've always been always curious, why do you always be the first person in office? You're a boss already, your subordinates supposed to come earlier than you, I guess." Chris asked Taeyeon who reread every single word in her presentation slides. The latter chuckled hearing the question then took a pause on what she was doing.

"I am not a boss, Chris. I'm still an employee after all. Having subordinates doesn't mean I can work less then anybody else. I'm supposed to be the one who works harder, aren't I? I'm responsible for my team's performance, and they're there to support me. I should be thankful and give my best to appreciate their efforts. In addition, my apartment is in high traffic area. I'd rather come early than being late. You know how Jakarta's traffic can be so cruel to human being, right?" Taeyeon answered humbly with a bit of joke, making the waiter nodded in agreement.

"What a good leader you are! Okay then, I'm not going to interrupt your work now. Happy working, Miss Manager." He then left Taeyeon alone and walked to the front door to change the 'closed' sign to 'open' then proceed to walk back to the counter.

It was not a new thing for Taeyeon to get questions about her professional life. People always saw her as a workaholic since she always put her best on every task she was given and it resulted to fast promotion so here she was still 26 year-old, already a senior manager in a highly reputable multi-national company with expectedly high salary. This was her choice to be regarded as successful career woman so people would only ask about her professional life rather than her personal life. She never felt comfortable when people asked her about her personal life. She had been hiding a secret to everyone around her that her sexual preference was into girls. She never had any interest to guys since she was a teenager. She tried to keep the secret as tight as she could especially in this country, where same sex relationship was not accepted at all. It was regarded as something disgraceful and disgusting. That was why she chose to focus on her career so people would not be too nosy about her.

She continued rechecking on her presentation when she heard footsteps coming to the coffee shop. She checked her watch, it was 7:30. She found it weird, she usually was alone in this coffee shop until 8 o'clock, who on earth came as early as she was, she wondered. She looked up to find the guest and was stunned to see a beautiful dark-haired girl walked to the counter, ordering something to Chris. Taeyeon checked the girl out from head to toe. The girl was not really tall, just couple centimeters taller than her she assumed. Her fair skin combined with perfect S-line body made the red semi-formal dress looked outstanding. She had a really well shaped nose, and plumped lips, which covered with red lipstick. Taeyeon did not mean to gawk at beautiful human being in front of her but the girl was exactly her type and it was hard to ignore her presence. The girl sat near Chris' counter as she waited her order to be made. Taeyeon heard she had small talks with Chris but she returned her focus back to her works and tried not to eavesdrop their conversation. She started to get her focus back when suddenly heard Chris calling her name. She raised her head from the laptop to the voice owner's but paused her head's movement when she again caught the girl's figure near the counter. Taeyeon quickly shifted her gaze to Chris and raised her eyebrows as a sign for Chris to tell why did he call her.

"This girl over here is a new employee in your place! You girls should know each other I guess." Chris pointed her right hand to the girl.

Taeyeon followed the direction of Chris hand and placed her gaze to the girl. Taeyeon looked at her and automatically plastered her professional smile to the girl and politely nodded. The latter replied her smile with a very wide smile that made her eyes shaped like two crescent moons. Taeyeon mesmerized with the smile for a while but as she always put her professional manner, she quickly decided to give a welcoming message to the girl.

"Hi! Welcome to the company." Taeyeon opened up a conversation still with the professional smile on her face.

"Thank you. But I think Chris was a bit exaggerating. I will have an interview in your office today. So, I am not a new employee yet. Hopefully will be. And I hope your welcoming message is a sign that I will be accepted in this company." The girl chuckled as she replied.

"Ah, Chris is definitely the most exaggerating person I've ever known. So, I wasn't surprise with your explanation. Good luck with your interview today." Taeyeon smiled politely.

"You just got a blessing from the most adorable manager in the company! I bet today's going to be your lucky day!" Chris joined the conversation, which made the girl laughed.

"I hope so." The girl said as she shifted her gaze from Chris to Taeyeon and threw another smile to Taeyeon. The girl had no idea that inside of the professional look Taeyeon put up as a cover, her heart beat faster every time she looked at the girl's smile.

"You know what, it's a bit inconvenient for me to have a conversation from different table. Can I join your table, if you don't mind?" The girl continued talking. Taeyeon felt hesitant at first. She had not finished rechecking the presentation but then she remembered she had checked it twice before sleeping last night so she assumed that it would be okay to have a short conversation with this pretty girl. She finally nodded and closed her laptop.

"Please be my guest." She joked while put her laptop to the bag. The girl stood up from her table and walked to Taeyeon's table. The latter hardly took her eyes away from the girl until finally the girl sat in front of her and again showing the best eye smile she had ever seen.

"I haven't properly introduced myself, Miss Taeyeon." She opened the conversation as soon as she joined Taeyeon's table.

"Ah, right. But, how could you know my name already?" Taeyeon cutely raised her eyebrows in confusion made the latter laughed softly.

"Aw, you look so cute, Miss Taeyeon! Chris called out your name just a moment ago and fortunately my ears are still fully-functioned so I could hear your name." The girl's answer make Taeyeon let out a small chuckled.

"So, what's your name, Miss?" Taeyeon asked.

"Stephanie Hwang. You can call me Tiff or Tiffany or whatever you like. But don't you dare to call me Stephen because the last time I checked, I am not a boy." The girl answered half joked.

"Sure Miss Tiffany. Are you by any chance, Korean descendant?" Taeyeon asked noticing the last name 'Hwang'.

"Well, my parents are both Korean. But I spent my childhood in California and moved to Indonesia in the age of 16. Please do not expect me to talk in Korean because I really am lack of it. I assume you are Korean also, Miss Taeyeon? Your face and name can't hide it." Tiffany wriggled her eyebrows asking for confirmation.

"Right guess. Both my parents are Korean but they have stayed in Indonesia even before I was born. They insisted to keep giving me Korean name so I would not forget my roots. But, don't worry I won't speak Korean. In fact I spent my whole life in Indonesia, so as you might already noticed right now I use Bahasa Indonesia in daily basis since it is my first language after all." Taeyeon answered still with a very professional tone and manner. But deep inside she was beyond happy to have a conversation with the girl, Tiffany.

"Hey, hey, hey! Seems like these two girls get along really well." Chris suddenly already stood beside Tiffany, holding her order. The two girls startled at his sudden appearance and Tiffany laughed as she noticed that they were really into their conversation until they didn't notice Chris had made his way to their table.

"Oh my God! Chris! You startled me." Tiffany protested. Taeyeon smiled when she noticed that Tiffany had this bubbly personality that made her seemed really easy going and easily made new friends, while she was the total opposite. No matter how much she tried to be humble and friendly, people would still see her as a serious and professional person. Not that she was bothered by the image she made herself. It was just sometimes she hoped that she could also show her real self to someone.

"Hey don't blame me. I am just delivering your order, young lady. You girls were really into interesting conversation that you didn't notice my presence. This Miss Manager rarely speaks to person anyway. What did you do to her, huh?" Chris playfully rolled his eyes to Taeyeon's direction. The latter just smiled at what the waiter did. It was nice to have someone who did not really care about the title she had. She was human after all.

"We just found out that we're both Koreans! Surprise isn't it??" Tiffany excitedly squealed.

"Oh, what a news! I knew it from the first time I saw you, for your information. And I even greeted Taeyeon in Korean when I first met her then I face palmed myself when she answered in Indonesian." Chris let out a fake sigh. Taeyeon smiled widely remembering how red Chris' face was when she answered his Korean greeting with Indonesian, while Tiffany burst her laugh freely and clapping her hand in amusement.

Tiffany tried to stop her laugh when a group of people entered the coffee shop. One of them, a tall girl with tanned skin and long black hair glanced at their table and politely nodded.

"Good morning, Taeyeon." She politely greeted Taeyeon, and rest of people in the group automatically shifted their attention to Taeyeon and did the greetings as well. Taeyeon nodded as she replied their greetings and the group made their way to other table a bit far from hers.

"Well ladies, I gotta excuse myself now since I have to serve Taeyeon's team." Chris excused himself and walked to the group.

"Your team?" Tiffany asked Taeyeon in confusion.

"Yes." Taeyeon answered shortly.

"You're their boss?" Tiffany now looked at her in amazement.

"Sort of. I don't like the term 'boss' though." Taeyeon slightly frown.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six"

"Okay, wow! First I thought you are younger than me, looking at your baby face, who would guess that you're already 26? And you are already a boss? I already heard Chris called you 'Miss Manager' but I thought it was just a joke. How could you do that?" Tiffany asked Taeyeon still with amazement face.

"If you're asking about how could I make this face still look like a baby, I honestly have no answer. But to the second question, you might already heard it for thousand times but yes, it's all about hard work and a bit of luck." Taeyeon answered.

"Why don't they join your table anyway?" Tiffany found it odd that the group chose to sit a bit far from their boss. Taeyeon slightly smiled but inside, she let out a sigh. It was another consequence of having a professional image. People tended to keep distance from you.

"I usually had breakfast while doing work-related stuff. I guess most people would feel uncomfortable to sit with someone who was focusing on their work early in the morning when they actually want to have a light chit-chat to accompany their breakfast." Taeyeon still put her professional and tough cover while answering the question. She did not even let a small sigh out of her mouth.

"But you stopped working when I joined." Tiffany said.

"Well, yes? I did not want to be disrespectful. You asked to join my table, and I actually had finished and rechecked my work twice last night so, I thought why don't I let you sit with me and have nice morning chitchat. But, most of the time I would just drown into my works that I do not realize others' presence. Thanks to Chris for introducing you to me, or else I wouldn't even notice your presence." Taeyeon tried her to keep on putting her calm manner as she made up the answer. It was a half lie. As matter a fact, yes she had finished and rechecked her work twice the night before, she also usually drowned into her works that she did not realize others' presence. But, the last part was a total lie. Seemed like universe forced her to notice Tiffany from the moment the girl stepped into the coffee shop. Even if Chris did not introduce Tiffany to her she would still realize the girl's presence. She was her type after all. There was no way Taeyeon would ignore the girl.

Tiffany nodded after Taeyeon's explanation and started to dig in her breakfast. The latter did the same and let the awkward silence accompanied their breakfast time. Taeyeon finished her bagel first and enjoyed her cup of long black when she noticed Tiffany was looking at her. Taeyeon put down her cup, furrowed her eyebrows and made confusing face to Tiffany. The latter shaked her head and chuckled at Taeyeon's funny face, as she thought how could be a manager be so cute? How could this cute girl in front of her lead a team with such a tiny and cute figure of hers?

In her previous companies, Tiffany always had old wrinkled ladies as her bosses. Most of them were already on their late thirties or early forties. While Taeyeon, the girl who sat in front of her was in the same age of her. She could imagine how hard the girl in front of her had worked just by finding out that she was already a manager in such a young age.

"Why are you looking at me, Miss Tiffany?" Taeyeon asked politely.

"Could you put down the prefix, please? It's kind of awkward hearing people calling me 'miss'. I'd also call you Taeyeon, without 'miss', if you don't mind." Tiffany requested. Taeyeon smiled at her response.

"Okay. So, why are you looking at me, Fany?" She repeated the question.

"Fany?" Instead of answering Taeyeon's question, Tiffany asked the way Taeyeon called her.

"You said that I could call you anything except for Stephen." Taeyeon replied nonchalantly, made Tiffany laughed and for the umpteenth time today, showing Taeyeon her beautiful eye smile.

"Okay, Fany it is. That's new for me. People usually call me Tiff. Well, answering to your question, I just wondered, you look so cute and small, yet you're already a manager in such a young age. I can't imagine how much effort you've been putting on your work. You must've been working like there's no tomorrow." Tiffany explained as she showed admiration in her eyes. Taeyeon felt her heart raced even faster than before when Tiffany put her eyes into hers but she kept the calm face.

"Don't imagine then. It's boring for sure." Taeyeon joked with a hope that Tiffany would stop looking at her. Unfortunately, the latter kept looking at her, still with the admiration shown in her beautiful eyes. Taeyeon started to afraid that she could no longer hold herself and not showing her professional image if she kept looking at Tiffany's eyes. Her heart beat faster as if it could pop out from Taeyeon's chest at anytime. She then decided to check her phone for any emails or messages or anything to bring down her nervousness at the moment. Fortunately when she checked her phone she saw it was already 08:15, time for her to go to the office building which actually only took 5 minutes since it was located on the 9th floor right above the coffee shop. She only needed to take the elevator.

"Fany, when will your interview hold?" Taeyeon calmly asked as she raised her hand to call Chris and gave him a sign to hand her the bill.

"At ten. Wish me luck okay, Miss Manager?" Tiffany teased Taeyeon. The latter just playfully rolled her eyes to Tiffany's answer.

"If you really want her to wish you luck, I suggest you not to call her 'Miss Manager'. She doesn't really like that nickname. She always cut down my tip every time I call her 'Miss Manager'." Chris suddenly joined the conversation as he handed the bill to Taeyeon. Taeyeon chuckled at his joke while checking the bill and handed some money to Chris. The latter checked the amount of money she gave and smirked.

"I bet today is going to be your lucky day, young lady! You got a treat from Taeyeon, and I got a satisfying tip. I will pray all day long so you can be accepted in this company." Chris patted Tiffany's shoulder and skipped her way to the counter.

"Wow, thanks for the treat. I didn't expect that honestly." Tiffany said as Taeyeon prepared herself to leave.

"It's okay. I told you to be my guest today, right? I'm going to leave now, and good luck for your interview." Taeyeon offered her hand to initiate a handshake which Tiffany gladly return.

"Thank you. Hope to see you soon." Tiffany smiled widely.

Taeyeon nodded as she walked to her team's table, reminded them not to be late and made her way out of the coffee shop.