Once in Eternity... (one song)
I almost sang this song out loud when I arrived at the office of a well known digital company and the cold air was blowing. While the content production department team is showing me around the office, my eyes and ears are not focused on the introduction, but all my attention is on the boss's office, my idol's office.
"What is your name?"
"And me?
"Didn't you hear me?"
My mentor, her name is 'Yah'. She glares at me, but she sees I'm still focused on the boss's office. She seems to understand that I might ask about the frosted glass room with the dim light inside.
"Did you feel cold looking into that room?... You're just an intern. I don't think it's necessary that you need to contact the boss ML"
note: ML : Mohm Luang - The last title of the Thai royal family or the son of a king's great- grandson.
"Boss ML?"
"Yes, we call her Boss ML, did you know that? Is she really that famous?"
I nod my head and smile. Of course... I also knew Boss ML She is the reason why I have to try as hard as I can to work here.
Nobody knows how hard I tried to be like her.
"If I pass the training program, can I meet her?"
"Good. Mon is your name, right?" Yah smiles at me, revealing her crinkly eyes that make it clear she's older than I am. "Sure, if you pass the program you'll find her, but will you meet her? I don't know why an intern would have reason to communicate with our boss.
"No chances?"
I'm disappointed. How can I find her with her being boss here? My duty is to follow the team. I might have another chance.
"No way."
I'm changing smiles. Yah looks at me and smiles mercifully.
"When you smile, it lights up the room. Unlike ML who never smiled, has she ever been happy in her life?"
"Khun* Sam... Ah... Boss ML." I'm trying to call her like the others to blend in here. "I saw in a magazine that she smiled."
Note: 'Khun' is a formal pronoun used before the given name. (Thai Language)
"Only when she is forced by the situation. Normally, she is never in the mood to cheer us up. She looks better in her room."
Why did I feel Yah doesn't like her? For me, my heroine is so lively. He knows? For all these years I have followed her closely. There's nothing about her that I don't know.
I even know that she just got back from a Japanese restaurant... I'm following her on Instagram.
"You said I might have a chance... When?"
"Tonight Mr. Kirk, the owner of the company, is going to bankroll a party to celebrate that the company has hit the target. Sadly not the annual trip to Hokkaido."
She said it like she was dreaming of a fairy tale. Looking at the current economy, I felt empathy for the entrepreneur. Just one party is enough for me.
As I'm walking past the boss's room, the door suddenly opens for someone I was expecting to see. My heart skips beats. Now I'm looking down shyly like I'm afraid she'll recognize me.
It's a secret love. The scent of Chanel No. 5 is filling the room. The little woman walked past everyone. I can feel everyone's coldness here. Tension is in the air.
"Phew... She's gone."
"Why are they tense like that? Like a rock."
"You don't? You also lowered your head, didn't you?"
"I... I'm just shy, I'm not afraid, but the others..."
"It's best to avoid eye contact with her. If you don't want to be cursed."
"Is this serious?"
"Yes. Really."
Although I've become a lot more convinced about her, I'm waiting to meet Boss ML, the one I've been adoring for a long time. I don't think anyone in this office knows ML Samanun as well as I do. You could say I'm a real fan of hers.
I've been waiting for over ten years to find this woman.
Although I can remember her sweet face, she probably doesn't know who I am. Everything is fine. I'm here with no expectations. Just adoring and following this beautiful, intelligent woman is enough for me.
Now, I've become an intern, and the older men keep talking and visiting with me because I'm new here. As if a student had walked in mid-course and everyone was paying attention. I tried very hard not to draw attention to women, because they are full of envy and I don't want to get in trouble.
The company has been running media production, advertising and print media services. They survived until now because they switched to the digital world with social media strategies and the vision of Khun Sam, who is called the ML boss here... One day I will be like her.
My duties are to manage documents and appointments for this department...
But I'm so happy. My happiness does not depend only on work, but on watching it from behind frosted glass. Sometimes she leaves to go to the bathroom and then goes back to work in her office. What a hardworking woman.
I envy and understand her boyfriend at the same time. A smart woman like that, surely no man will like it.
"Hey, guys. Are ready?"
When the clock struck six o'clock, a good- looking young man in casual clothes came smiling happily towards us. Everyone dropped their posts and smiled.
"Ready!"
They made happy noises. It could be because they finished their work and are on their way to the party. Even I made noise.
Ah... my heart is beating so fast. I'll see her face up close.
"So, see you at the Na-Mo coffee shop. Let's enjoy!"
"We will!!!"
They are clapping their hands like savages who are on the hunt for a sacrifice. Suddenly everyone is silent as the frosted glass door that everyone calls the 'freezing room' is opened and the small body of Khun Sam, whom everyone fears, is coming out.
The tiny body is wearing a black casual top, which looks luxurious when it's on her body. Flawless makeup. Her face is so sweet and charming staring at everyone with her brown eyes.
"What excitement, huh? Never been to a dinner?" She said in her nasal voice after putting her hands in her pockets. "Do you also think you are a leader of Protesters? Noisy."
"Nervous."
The excited boy's hand lands on her shoulder. I'm amazed at their height difference, she's so cute.
Everyone here respects her a lot, and that's funny to me... Maybe it's just me who thinks. she's so... adorable.
The one I adore everything she does.
Na-Mo coffee shop is reserved for our party. The owner is a friend of Mr. Kirk, so it was easy to close for us. I found out that today's smiling guy is the owner of our company, and he is Khun Sam's 'fiancé'.
A perfect match.
To make us more comfortable, Khun Sam and Mr. Kirk, you're in a private area. It's pissing me off. I thought I would see khun Sam's face up close.
"What is wrong with you? It seems moody."
I'm standing in front of the bathroom mirror. My colleagues are talking to me while I touch up my makeup.
"Nothing, I'm just bored. I thought I would see Khun Sam up close today."
"Creed! It's better this way. If you see her, you won't enjoy your dinner."
"Why?"
"A lifeless woman like her will make you sick of food."
"Exactly." Another colleague said in support, and whispered. "Her face is so straight... must be Botox, she never smiles and never expresses anything. Even when she's mad."
"But everyone fears her." I said without thinking about being new here. They agreed and explained.
"We are afraid of her because we don't know what she is thinking. It's hard to predict. Was she ever happy? We do not know. Even when she found out that one person from accounting is in a relationship with another person from the purchasing team, she didn't express anything on her face."
"Is it because of your quietness? I think it's because she's bossy."
"It would be better if she was bossy, we could handle her. But this, we don't know how to deal with it."
"No, all I know is that she's not like that."
"Do you know her well?"
"I don't know her... well. But she is the type of woman who lights up the world with her smile and she likes dogs."
"Does she like dogs? I always thought she liked cats." After my colleague finishes applying her lipstick, she walks away. "Hurry up, or there will be nothing left for you."
"Yes."
After everyone left. I'm still bored in the bathroom. It's like my expectations went down the drain. It would be nice to be able to see her for just a minute. Just a little minute, but I don't stand a chance.
So what am I doing here?
I look thoughtfully at my feet for a moment, then hear someone flush the toilet. There's someone else here.
Noise...
The door is opened by a woman the same height as me, and the scent of Chanel No. 5 hits me. My heart misses beats and I see in the mirror brown eyes staring back at me.
"How do you know I like dogs?"
Oops!
Guys
Are you all excited for Sam and Mon journey...