Why are you disappointed, Jory? You’re not a masochist, are you? Geez, that’s right. Why am I thinking of that woman? Though, if someone offers me the chance to see her again, I probably won’t say no.
The letters symbolizing Barrymore Group glared fiercely under the sunlight. Jory locked his car and, with his hand, shielded his eyes from the sun hanging above his head. It was awfully hot that day. Jory entered the building and was greeted by the security guard on duty. The guard respectfully bowed at the man dressed in formal wear despite not knowing who Jory was.
He found himself in the reception hall of Barrymore Group. The first thing he saw was the large, golden front desk. The sight of it dazzled him only because he had just escaped the sun’s brightness. His eyes had not fully adjusted to the glare. This place made him feel like he had just entered the evil landlord’s lair.
There were many green potted plants in the area. Most of the staff in the company tended to work their eyes intensively, so green plants could help keep their vision in check. On the leather sofa by the side sat a few important-looking people scrolling on their phones and sipping tea.
“May I help you, sir?” The receptionist gave him a welcoming smile.
Jory put up an even more pleasant one. “I’d like to meet the chairman.”
“I’m afraid an appointment is required in order to meet the chairman, sir. Do you have an appointment?” The receptionist replied politely.
Jory shook his head, and fished out a name card from his suit pocket. The receptionist turned it over, and then kindly gave him the directions he would need, “The chairman’s office is on the twenty-sixth floor.”
Jory entered the elevator and found the button which would take him to the twenty-sixth floor. He pressed it. The doors of the elevator slowly closed, but then a palm-wide gap stopped it from going all the way. Jory thought that there was a malfunction, so he pressed the “close” button again. As he did so, a piercing scream almost penetrated his eardrums.
It was a little bit too late when he discovered a slender, fair hand had been crushed between the closing doors. He quickly pressed the other button, prompting the doors to slide open, and the woman outside rushed into the elevator, understandably fuming.
“I apologize,” he said.
“Didn’t you see me block the door? Why did you close it anyway?”
Jory’s heart skipped a beat when he recognized the voice. He turned to face the other occupant in the elevator. She was still rubbing her injured hand.
“I said, why…” As she shouted, she lifted her head to confront the tall figure next to her, only to find herself looking into Jory’s deep-set eyes.
“It’s you!” the two of them blurted simultaneously.
Nancy quickly turned her face away. She chuckled softly. “Well, what do you know? It’s a small world after all.”
“Sounds more like you owe me one. I helped fix your car, remember?” Jory quipped.
Before he could finish, Nancy held up her injured hand and waved in front of Jory. It had become visibly red and swollen. “Well, look at what you have done. Does this make us even?”
The conversation hung in the air as silence loomed over them, while the elevator slowly made its way up the building. Jory felt like he would suffocate if he did not say anything. He might not get another chance like this. The woman was heading to the twentieth floor, and they were arriving soon. Just then. Jory did the unthinkable.
He broke the awkward silence between them. He was not very loud, but the tiny space in the elevator somehow amplified the volume. “Your hand… is it okay?”
Nancy was obviously taken aback by his sudden question. They had only met each other twice. Unfortunately, he had left her with a bad impression. She thought of him as a generally salty person with a sharp tongue, and yet here he was, “kindly” asking about her injury. For a moment, her hand was the least of her worries. She felt mortified all over. Something was definitely off.
That was when the elevator decided to stop, for they had reached the twentieth floor. The door opened slowly. Nancy simply straightened her hair and casually snorted at the man, “It’s fine. I’m leaving.”
