The Mistress's 1st Maknae.

3. Awakening.

With a jump, you turn to see the source of confusion.
One of the servers has dropped the empty plates, and they have smashed. A few of the patrons look over but get back to what they were doing, no one gets up to help clear up the mess.
The server is clearly embarrassed. In the west, there would have been a cheer followed by a round of applause. Such a British thing. But not here, not in South Korea. They are too polite to make fun of someone's misfortune, well in public anyway. The small restaurant is always packed, especially for the lunch crowd. With the weather becoming colder and some frost in the early mornings, the crowed outside waiting to come in out of the cold, is growing. The food, though simple, is the best in the neighbourhood, and everyone knows it. Only seating 30 at a time, their turnover is high. The benches are always filled with hungry and happy people. The owners are kind and put love into their food. They have been married for over two decades, and they love each other dearly. Their kids are at school in a different city and will soon be going to university. So their new babies are their restaurant, the servers and the customers.

Sitting across from your friend of two years and now your colleague for the last few weeks, there are other customers on both sides. You exchange a smile and get back to your conversation. In a hushed voice, she says,
"I know I said that you need to let your hair down, but this isn't what I had in mind. You are being very secretive, and it's worrying me. At least tell me you're being safe?" Iseul is indeed worried. Since you broke up with your ex a few months back, you've going on the dates that she's planned and meeting up with some guys, that you have met on your own. Its not that you don't want to tell her about this new chapter of your life, you do, but she just wont understand. You haven't told her anything about what you are doing, not how you met Theo or the others, there's no names given or information about their jobs. You have been late to work a few times, and you're not acting like yourself. Only that you are actually acting how you should. You feel free, alive, and seen. You feel like you're being true to yourself for the first time ever. From the outside, it may look like you're losing control, but in reality, it's all about the control. Pushing down a memory of such control, you had swallowed previously, and replied.
"Thanks for the concern, but I'm really OK. There's no real need for you to worry. I'm in a better place now, and things are evening out, I promise. " You can tell she will be keeping an eye on you, but really, you don't care, not that much.

Once lunch is over, it's back to the office. Back to boring admin, the tediousness of office politics. You're happy that you are only there as a temp. Your contract will be up for renewal soon. This has been a longer temp contract than usual. The last 5 months have been a blur. Well, at work anyway. You already know you won't be taking them up on extending the contract. The company have been all they said they would be. They gave you training, they don't overwork you, the boss doesn't stay late or make you go drinking with him after work. But you know in your heart that it's not the company for you, Even though your friend works there, she was the one who got you the interview, you travel in to work most days with each other. You need your space.

Looking out of the office window, there are many tall buildings, all with their own staff, toiling away and helping their companies to complete their contracts. You like being a temp. It keeps you entertained. Only working for companies for a few months at a time, you have many skills and know lots of people. But what you really like about it they don't know you. Not the real you. As you sit back in your chair, the soft hiss of the plush cushion as the ait leaves it, you think back to how you are only getting to know yourself, your true self.
And it's because of him. The power he wields, with only a glance. The way he makes those around him weak with just a smile. That's Theo. You have dubbed him, your sex sensei.

The remainder of the work day passes by in another blur. Your friend has gone for a drink with her team, she asked you to join them, but you have somewhere to be and if you don't hurry you're going to be late. And that would not be acceptable.
Checking the time on the board, you see that the bus is running 15 minutes behind schedule. 'Shit!'