Yumi is now nervous because an editor from Fiery Corp. has finally called her. It turns out that the short story she submitted for the music video that will be produced by the aforementioned company has been evaluated. She knocked twice on the door. She, too, let out a deep sigh as he entered the editor's office, but she was surprised to find no one inside.
"I think the room I was told to enter was incorrect," she exclaimed, looking around.
She tried to flee when she heard the man's baritone voice.
"You've entered the exact room. Please take a seat."
Yumi's gaze darted around, as if the interviewer was simply hiding or sitting somewhere, but she couldn't find him.
"Where are you, Sir?" Yumi inquired hesitantly, "I can't see you." But she recognized that voice.
'Luke, you're also here.'
"It's fine if you don't see me. I said, sit down," he said authoritatively.
Yumi immediately followed the instruction, and shivers spread throughout her body. Luke's tone of voice was irritated. Luke has changed a lot now that he is having trained himself to handle the company, and she can prove Mother Lingling's news is correct. She is also concerned that the short story she wrote will not receive a passing mark, especially since she is the ex-girlfriend of Luke hoping to be accepted by his company.
"So, please tell me. Aside from the fact that we are one of the broadest media companies in town, why did you email your short story?" That was the first question.
Yumi cleared her throat and swallowed before responding. She was also unsure how to convey the answer because she was insecure about her speaking abilities.
"Because of someone I've known for a long time; perhaps if my story is chosen for that short film, I'll be able to speak with him again."
Luke's laugh was still sarcastic. "Are you looking for a firefly? Is he some kind of firefly?"
"No, sir—"
Yumi became more nervous and simply bowed. "Sir, I'm a writer, and I'm not sure I'm ready to speak. My writing skills are better, but I'm afraid of making grammar mistakes, which is why I'm hesitant to respond to you on a regular basis."
"But— when you are writing, you are already talking too. What you wrote on a piece of paper are your own thoughts. Am I right?" Luke insisted.
Yumi just burst into tears. She already knew the possible outcome of the interview, she would be thrown out forever.
"Hey, you didn't come here for an acting workshop, why are you crying?" the man added with his crisp laugh.
Yumi immediately wiped the tear on her cheek. "I'm sorry Sir, the fact that I'm here is really..."
She still couldn't breathe so he stopped for a moment and when she got the chance, then she spoke again. "Sir, I want to follow something here but I'm a passionate writer. It is also the reason why I dreamed of working here."
Luke laughed again just watching Yumi through the monitor. "You weren't caught either, what you wrote is useless Ms., and you even bothered to reference a tale in your novel which isn't really true. Try your luck next time."
Yumi felt even heavier and seemed that the energy she had gathered collapsed to prepare for this matter. She left the room in tears and immediately texted Mother Lingling.
"The story did not pass, I already know the reason. Luke is still angry at me."
Yumi's eyesight was so blurred by the flow of her tears that she immediately wiped them away and hurried into the elevator. Something was posted there and she hadn't read it yet. She should never expect to get accepted in the first place. By now, she needed a fallback to get close to Luke again. After their breakup, ten years ago, Luke did not allow Yumi to enter the mansion. The issue of why they split up is too complex and long. Even Mother Lingling, is also forbidden to mention anything about Yumi.
***
As soon as Yumi entered the elevator, she quickly pressed the ground floor button but it opened again, she had someone with her. She just hopes he doesn't notice her crying at that moment.
But she was so shocked that the man who hit the elevator button didn't even enter while she was still inside and it was as if she just met his gaze. She was even more taken aback when she realized that Luke was that man..
"Can you please use the other elevator?" He sounded too formal yet authoritative. He really acted like he didn't recognize her.
Yumi couldn't see Luke's face because he was wearing shades and a mask but she knew behind it, nothing had changed in Luke's appearance. He was undeniably getting more handsome.
"Why? Are people not allowed to approach you? Is it forbidden for you to be with someone in this elevator?" Yumi asked. Frustrated with the interview, she sounded like she was scolding Luke. Instead of leaving, she just moved to give way because he remained blocking the elevator door.
Luke just inhaled and abruptly entered. In a few moments they reached the ground floor but everything she saw was foreign to her. This is not the lobby area where she came from. It was as if she was in a big parking lot at that moment.
She chased the man at the same time. If Luke annoys her by acting like he doesn't know her, she will immediately return to the young man the annoyance he feels.
"Sir, excuse me? I'll just ask if there's a way back to the lobby area? Or even at the entrance of the building."
Yumi caught the attention of the man who was obviously annoyed and looked at her. "I told you to use the other elevator but you didn't listen."
"All right, I'll just go back to the elevator, thank you anyway—thank you for being rude." Yumi frowned and walked back to the elevator entrance.
'Get ready Luke, by the time I get close to you, you'll just be screwed.'
Her cheek was hot as she wiped it with her palms.
***
Luke had already removed the shades and face mask when he got in the car. He immediately called Sir Lawrence.
"Someone used the wrong elevator again. She was in the parking lot, a woman of medium height, wearing a mint blue polo shirt. I will also give the results of the evaluation I did for the music video," Luke instructed the trusted manager directly.
The girl who went on the same elevator with him is also the girl he interviewed earlier. He even cried over it and he couldn't deny that Yumi still had a place in his heart.
When Lawrence got the answer, he immediately hung up the phone. He turned to his personal driver.
"We're going to the hospital."
"All right, Sir Luke."
"Just Luke. Drop the formality," he corrected. Luke leaned back quickly and thought. Indeed, Yumi changed a lot. Her appearance has changed a lot but there is still a part of his brain that dictates that if they ever come closer again, he can no longer deny the truth that he still wanted to have her again.