Saving Mr. Popular

Chapter 1: Man in Black

"Thank you for attending the Young Lawyer's Committee Conference this year, we will be seeing you again next year", a satisfying closing remark from the person speaking in front.

Finally, the words she wanted to hear were thrown to her ears. She's been fighting with her eyes since the conference started. Obviously, she didn't sleep enough.

She had just arrived home from Seoul hours ago around 3 a.m., and the conference was held at exactly 8 a.m. making her really tired, exhausted, and sleepless.

One by one, the people around the room started to vanish, and excitedly she stood up on her seat and made her way through the door. She just wanted to go home and rest.

As she aimed for the door, she felt some eyes glaring at her and heard whispers. She slipped a smirk on her face and didn't mind thus just continued walking proudly.

How can they not recognize her? She looks like the purest wearing a white suit with black turtle neck inner clothing tucked in her pants and a black stiletto in red soles inside a room full of black/darker shades of suits. Her long black hair was tied messily, and some of it fell freely in her face.

Aside from her physical beauty, she's also known as the lawyer who has never lost any of her battles. The lawyer who fights for what is right. The lawyer who never showed fear even if she consistently represented the underdogs.

She raised her head while making her way through the door making everyone gasp. Her beauty was exposed, her brows were done but still looked natural, and she looked like she was only wearing light powder, and small hint of blush, and a red lippie. Wearing red or an intimidating color to hide her tiredness.

She looks angelic and intimidating at the same time. Yes, she looks insanely lavish compared to some of the girls who are in the same profession as her.

Some of them were trying to get her attention, some waved at her and tried to approach her, but she just smiled at them and tried to avoid any conversation as much as possible. She continued walking and bid goodbye to those who said hello to her and rushed through the door.

She sighed upon reaching it.

"Andrya!" Someone shouted her name. She was startled.

ANDRYA's POV

I heard my name. I looked around and saw familiar faces waving at me in front of the hall where the conference was held.

I rushed towards them. I knew that it was my friends at the Law School. They're complete - two girls (Jana and Steph) and three boys (Mino, Josh and Caleb).

My Law buddies.

"Hi!" I said, all smiles. Then I gave each one of them hugs.

"We missed you!" Mino said. Putting his arms around my shoulders. He often does that to all of us, and we're already comfortable about it.

"I missed all of you, too," I said with a smile.

They see each other always. They worked together in partnership, making it advantageous because some of them were majoring in the same field - Criminal Law. I, myself, was absorbed by the University for another year of serious training and, of course, to gain a lot more experience. At the same time, I worked at my dad's company as a legal adviser and addition to the company's lawyer lineup.

"So how's our Midget- I mean David?", Josh asked. They chuckled, looking at me mockingly.

(A/N: They call her David, a character from the Biblical book, the one who defeated Goliath. David and Goliath denote an underdog situation, a contest where a smaller and weaker opponent faces a much bigger and stronger adversary. She's David physically and intellectually. She never lost any battle she had been in yet. And she's known for fighting what she knew was right that's the reason why she became popular with other lawyers and why she got their attention at the conference.)

I chuckled and swung my clutch bag to him.

"Arg," Josh groaned when I hit his right arm.

"I am always fine, Josh," I said confidently and gave him a smirk.

"Okay, enough with the teasing. Can we go somewhere we can enjoy each other's company again? Coz damn! We've been really busy with our work and haven't seen you in a year now. So where do we go?" the nerd Caleb said.

"There's a cafè around this area. They serve good pastries, too," Jana butt in.

"So shall we?" I asked them.

We decided to walk to the cafè 'coz it was just walking distance from where we were.

When we reached the cafè, they gave their respective orders, and I also told order. Then I realized they had already taken a sit at a 6-sitter table.

"Yah!" I shouted at them. They left me there, leaving me no choice but to pay for their orders. I smiled, remembering old times when I was the brain of that strategy. 

I am a really closed-fisted person, I mean, I graduated in Accounting and passed the board before taking Law, so it's normal for me to account for my own expenses and properly budget everything. But it's okay because I haven't seen them in a while now, so treating them won't hurt.

I gave the cashier my card for payment and waited for our order in the release area.

While I was waiting, my attention was caught by the man in black ordering at the counter. I mean, literally from head to toe, he's wearing all black. A black hat, mask, black FG long sleeves, Off-white black cargo trousers, and speed trainer Balenciaga shoes.

I know high-end brands because my mom was fond of them, thus passing that on to my brothers, making them addicted to high-end brands too. Me? I don't mind brands as long as I feel comfortable with them. Fortunately enough, I was spoiled by my brothers and cousins, and they tended to buy me clothes more than I bought myself, so most of my things were gifts from my brothers, my parents, colleagues, clients, and friends.

I was amazed at how expensive-looking he was, but he looked creepy. Who the hell would wear something like that?! I thought that if he was hiding from someone, that would be exceptional.

I lost the thought of him by checking on my wristwatch to see the time, it's 5:45 pm.

Then suddenly, a pale hand pops out in front of me, handing something to me.

A phone.

"I believe this is yours," the husky voice man said lazily, handing me the phone.

I scanned the phone and realized it was mine because of the cover, AJMY, my initials were there. I reached for it.

"Thank you!" I bowed. "Thank you so much!" I thank him again while raising my head to meet this kind person. "My carelessness again," I whispered to myself.

I was shaken when our eyes met. It was the man at the counter. That creepy expensive-looking man in black. I scanned his half-covered face, his eyes looked dead lazy & cold, and indeed, like his hand, his skin was as white as paper. He has this intimidating aura to him.

"For customer Andrya!"

"For customer Andrya!"

"For customer Andrya!" Announced by the person realizing that was ours. I was pulled to reality by the third call. *sigh*

That almost caught me off guard, almost that I didn't realize I was staring at him for so long.

I bowed at him repeatedly to show how thankful I was for returning my phone and immediately went to the counter to get our orders. Mino came over, too, to help me bring the orders to our seat.