"Order anything you'd like Sin, it's my treat tonight"
"Thank you, Miss. I shall take up on your offer"
I was disappointed and relieved at the same time as I looked through the menu.
When Hina said she got the dinner table booked at the Nan Tower and exclaimed it was a 'Special Occasion', I naturally assumed it was at the top floor restaurant of the Nan Tower, often dubbed the Sky Diner as it was the highest located restaurant in our capital city. It was prohibitively expensive for any normal folks like me, but the quality of the food more than deserved the price. I have been there a few times with Chairman Chan of course, for there was no place he couldn't afford to dine. It was always an incredible dining experience and every time I ate there felt like the best meal ever in my life.
However, we were now sitting at a rather cramped table in the Nanta Burger restaurant, which was on a somewhat lower floor of the Nan Tower. Nevertheless, we got a table by the window and the 7 o'clock reservation was perfect to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the capital.
I looked around and this place was packed with mostly young people. A lot of couples, but also a fair few groups of friends just having a good time talking over loud music and chugging down the greasy burgers with domestic beer. Yes, it does indeed feel like a special occasion, kind of a 'good night out' that young people like Hina would enjoy, and I would have too in my younger days.
This made me somewhat nostalgic but I was glad Hina chose this place instead of the extravagant Sky Diner, not least because I didn't have to witness the horror in the face of a waiter when Hina ordered something like Alfredo-Toblerone. In any case, though, this just felt more appropriate for someone of her age to be with her work colleague - me.
"So have you decided?"
"Yes, I will have the Nanta Classic Burger with chips"
"Good choice. I'm gonna have Tripple Cheese Burger with fried onion rings"
She does have the tendency to like excessive things…
Hina enthusiastically raised and waved her hand to a waiter passing by and he took our orders quickly.
"Anything to drink?", the waiter asked Hina.
"Would you like some beer?", Hina asked me.
"No, it's okay. I will have a Coke"
"Really? You don't drink?"
"I don't drink at work"
"Hey! We are NOT at work. Unless you think it is 'work' for you to eat with me here"
"I didn't mean it that way. I'm just used to not drinking when I'm out with Chairman Chan. I always tried to stay sober in case he needed me to do some work-related things out of the blue"
"Don't worry Sin, I won't ask you to do any work tonight. Let's just call it a chance to get to know each other so we can work as a team", Hina replied with a smile.
"Thank you. I'll still pass though"
"Bo-ring. I guess I will drink alone then. Two bottles of beer please"
"Yes, Miss", the waiter that has been patiently waiting finally took his order and quickly left.
"Two?"
"Yes because you are not drinking"
"What about my Coke?"
"Sorry, I forgot to order, tehe!"
That tehe was so unexpected and exaggerated that I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"You more relaxed now?", Hina giggled.
"I have been TOO relaxed all day. We hardly worked"
"Meh-. You are too uptight"
No, you are probably being too casual with someone that you don't even know that well - I didn't say that of course, but took a note in my mind that this was something I'd have to let her come to be aware of at sometime.
"So, thank you for the invite. But may I ask what you had in mind? What's the reason for this sudden arrangement?"
"Well, since you ask - I have been thinking. You know, everyone - including you, must be wondering why my Dad chose me to lead the company, someone with absolutely no work experience at all"
"That is a mystery to us to all, yes"
"Then when we were in my office - my Dad's old office -, something came to my mind"
"What is that?"
"I have decided some time ago that I will stop trying to guess why my Dad chose me, what he expected of me, what he saw in me, and all that. Everyone's thinking about it and they don't know, and I don't know either"
"Mm-hm"
"And then we were in that empty room. Dad took everything away from that room. Nothing leftover from his previous time there"
"I explained to you Chairman Chan wanted you to have a fresh new start in your own way. Lui said he left such a note to her"
"Yes, but YOU were there"
"What do you mean by that, Miss?"
"He took away everything, but he left you there. You were the only one in that room which passed on to me from him"
"What are you getting at?"
"I don't know. But as I said, he could have left something to me. Instructions, guidelines, and at least some old data or folders to go over. Or heck, why not get Jisoo to take over the company? He knows the work and can continue to build on what Dad has dedicated his whole life to build, carried over from our grandfather, passed down the Chan family through generations"
"That certainly puzzled us all, yes"
"The message I'm getting out of all this is that he doesn't want things to continue. He doesn't want continuity"
That actually stumped me as I never thought about it that way. I should have, because as eccentric as Chairman Chan was he was not someone who did things for no good reason.
"So I don't think he assigned you to me to bring order and continuity to work. That's ridiculous. If he wanted that he should have chosen Jisoo"
"That doesn't make any sense but you have a point there"
"So while everyone's going to continue trying to figure out why my Dad chose me, I decided I will try to figure out why my Dad chose you"
"Miss -"
"I will not disappoint my Dad. So Sin, please help me. We gotta do this together"
Hina firmly put her palm over my hand on the table and stared into my eyes with the fierce intensity of a true Chan.
I had not felt a human touch for a very long time, and as I felt the warmth of her hand, the image of the pale and soft skin of her back came to my mind.
Just what am I thinking…
I have to draw a line here. For myself, and also for her sake.
I pulled my hand away from her palm and spoke to her.
"This isn't going to be easy. I'll need a new salary package"
"How much are you thinking about?", Hina seemed a little taken aback.
Yes, Hina. You'll need to learn that nobody does you any free favors at work.
"Double"
"Double?"
Hina got up from her seat, walked slowly around the table a little theatrically, and stood behind me. Maybe she thinks she can phase me with this? You don't have the aura to do that yet, kid. I laughed a little inside.
"Should I ask for a triple?"
"Fifty percent increase until next tender, and double that amount when we win it. Deal?"
Fair enough.
"Deal, Miss"
Hina then hugged me from behind. It was so sudden but not abrupt.
"Thank you, Sin"
"Mi-, Miss. This is just for work"
And please don't do this again.
But I did not say that.