Mr. Secretary

I almost decided to put this off until tomorrow. Today was kind of crappy. But I shall tell the story of Mr. Secretary.

Ok, so he replaces the cool secretary. I didn’t even know she was leaving. I realized on his first day that something seemed weird. I was all “Wait….*looks around* hold on…that’s her…no~!!!!!” She was my home girl. Gosh bling dang it. Gone….*sighs*

Anyways, he kept getting in my way his first day. Which is like dude…move it. I understand you are new but you don’t have to look so nervous around everyone at least you speak Korean. Gosh…

One day after lunch I went to get my coffee like normal and run some copies. It wasn’t such a great day. I was doing my copies first. This is when I see him running around giving everyone coffee. Well everyone but me. So I was like “Well then…screw you too secretary man…” 

I know what happened to me? I was just not in the mood. Kids were a mess that day and co-teacher on the other side not helping anything. Yeah, my mood was pretty crappy. 

From that moment I figured I don’t want to know anything about him. There was no need for me to find out anything about him either. I barely know anything about the people who are left for goodness sakes. Plus, once I start knowing things about people those are the ones that tend to leave. So yeah…no thanks. 

We have a welcome dinner. Everyone at some point acknowledges me but him. So it’s even more like dude seriously I don’t like you. At least nod, is that so hard? tsk

Then the other week, he came up with little miss nervous to give some English stuff they found. He knows more English than she does…not by much. He seemed nervous about having to speak it and I was like it’s ok just stop. I’ll let my co-teacher call and figure out what you guys are trying to say. 

That was my first and I was thinking my last encounter with Mr. Secretary.

Wrong….

Last Wednesday (?), the staff decided to have dinner at school. I somehow ended up without a spoon along with three other people. He noticed this and decided to go get some. He sat the others down on the table and handed one to me. Which was like O.o thanks? Then when he finished eating, he was allowed to go. Like go home. Only to see him 20 minutes later helping clean. I’m like dude you were suppose to be gone. 

Last Friday, I took strawberries to school. We are always bringing in something to eat. I swear…I tend to take in fruits haha. Anyways, they decided to get a cheesecake to go with the strawberries. Which was a great idea. I get in there because they wanted me to eat with them. I have my own strawberries at home, but hey cheesecake~! 

Mr. Secretary is there and tells me to eat first. Which is like “You can eat too. I don’t have to go first.” But I went first and he went right after. Let me say this. He can eat…a lot. He stood there for awhile then went to do something, came back. They asked if he ate and he was like yeah. I know I’m understanding more Korean. Even my co-workers are realizing it. 

Anyways, I was eating but of course with my luck some of the cake tried to fall. I was like no~ *catches with hand* great must eat out of hand. He noticed and offers the small plate he had and I told him it was ok since I was basically done. He hurried and got me a napkin and everything. I’m like “Thanks…” 

So, I’m like ok~ WEEKEND AND SHINHWA~! Which you guys if you don’t know yet. Shinhwa is the BEST! 

Back on topic.

This week go to lunch early like normal. Sit down and try to see what I can eat without needing to take allergy medicine as soon as I get back to my room. Most of the people at the table left since they were there earlier. Then Mr. Secretary sits across from me. My co-teacher sits next to me. Before I know it, it’s just the three of us. 

I’m eating and thinking like normal. Since there’s nothing else to do. I had the sniffles because of the spices in the food and spring allergies are starting up. I’m looking down at my tray, but you know when someone is looking at you. I’m like why is he staring? What now? huh Mr. Secretary? Why must you look at me? 

Then my co-teacher leaves. I’m like nooooooooo~! Now it’s just me and him. I’ve never had this happen before. And he’s staring…WAE?! Come back~! But she was gone. Dag it…and I felt him staring even more. I’m like oh God…help me get through this. Please don’t speak fast Korean with me and think I’m going to understand. I’ll look at you blankly.

“Do you like the food?”

O.o what? Did Mr. Secretary just say something?

I look up and tell him that I like it. He just doesn’t know I have allergies to some of the ingredients. He nods. You can tell when he’s thinking about asking something else. He gets a certain look.

“Do you know me?”

*dies of laughter on the inside* “No, can’t say that I do. Sorry.”

Ok at this point, I felt kind of bad for not knowing at least part of his name. Then again eh…

“I’m _____. I’m the blah blah blah (aka secretary). I work in the administrative office, 2nd floor, desk on blah blah blah.”

I just nod. I knowwhere he works. I know where his desk is. Like really did he have to say all that? I beat him to the office every single morning so far. Heck I beat everyone. I’m the one who loads up the paper in the copier and printer. I’m the one who puts fresh water in the electric kettles for coffee. 

I just didn’t know his name. Didn’t matter. But now I know, he made sure of that. 

We both finish eating and go our separate ways. I go to the office and get my coffee only for him to come in later. I always stare out the window while waiting on the water to heat up. Get to enjoy the fresh air since they have the windows open and see the kids play. It’s a short amount of time but relaxing and I find myself smiling slightly. 

What do I see out the corner of my eye? Mr. Secretary looking over and then out the window. I just smile, fix my coffee and leave. 

Tuesday, well yesterday, I have to do readings every Tuesday morning. I go to little miss nervous since she does the camera work. Then see Mr. Secretary coming down the hall with his little bookbag on (ok it’s not little, humor me) and glasses in hand. He waves and says hi. He has this shy thing in general going on. It’s kind of odd.

Like I know guys can be shy, but I don’t know how to put it. It’s just a bit…idk. lol Even previous new guy wasn’t this bad. And I think Mr. Secretary is older than me, so it’s even more O.o you ok?

Anyways, lunch again. I knew some things were off limits on my tray. Sat down and who do I see coming through the other entrance to the cafeteria? Mr. Secretary. Though I had to giggle a bit, it was too funny, his hair. Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed his hair tends to get messed up at least once a week. It’ll be nice, then next thing you know looks like the wind destroyed it or a cowlick. I never see this on any of the other guys at work, so it amuses me to no end. 

He breezes through the line and ends up across from me again. At this point I’m trying something only to find out it’s been soaked in “Let’s kill Aisha oil” aka sesame oil. So I look around to see where tissue is. They took one off the wall and I had to look around him to spot the other one. I get up so I can spit it out. I was not swallowing that stuff when it was already bothering my throat. I went to sit back down. This is when I realized the table is basically empty again and he could have sat somewhere besides right in front of me.

After awhile I felt him look and I knew it was coming. 

“How long have you lived here in Yangpyeong?”

I tell him 7 months and he’s like oh…“Lived anywhere else in Korea?”

“Yeah…Seoul when I studied at a university there.”

“Which university?”

“Korea University.”

“OH~ Korea University…nice. Where are you from originally?”

“America…so how long have you lived here in Yangpyeong?” I might as well ask questions too.

“Just moved here 3 weeks ago.”

“Oh really?”

He nods and blushes. Why?

So I ask, “Where are you originally from then?”

“Seoul. New to the country side.”

“Ah…I see. Well welcome to Yangpyeong~”

He laughs and then we both finish lunch up.

Run into him again in the office and he nods. I’m like we just saw each other less than 10 minutes ago…ok.

Then today. He was still doing work when I already completed my lunch and was going to make coffee. He looked up smiled and nodded though. *shrugs* ok whatever floats your boat.

I’m wondering what made him decided to start talking and was that the end of it…Only time can tell.

Until next time~!