"A Date?!"

It was the Christmas morning.

Mia was late for her work at café. Looking at her watch again and again, she increased the pace of walking.

Rushing inside the café and hurriedly apologizing to the manager at the counter, she ran towards the kitchen. Before entering she saw that café had started to get crowded.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw all of the staff busy in their work.

'S***!' She cursed at herself and went towards the locker room.

Hurriedly changing to the uniform she came back to the kitchen and went towards Yuna who was busy filling the cups of coffee.

"Where were you girl?" Yuna asked as soon as she saw her.

"I'm really really sorry. For the whole night I couldn't sleep and when I finally slept in the early morning, I couldn't open my eyes. I don't even remember when my alarm went off."

Yuna stopped what she was doing and looked at her worriedly.

"Oh god! Look at yourself!" she said fixing Mia's collar. "Is that why your eyes are so swollen? Or did you cry for the whole night?" Yuna asked looking right into Mia's eyes.

Mia quickly avoided her eyes, "No, it's nothing." She said.

"You were missing your family, right?"

"I….I better take these coffee outside." Changing the topic she took the tray in her hands and gushed out from the kitchen door.

While all this was happening, both of them didn't know that someone else was listening to them standing near the shelves, leaning onto the wall.

And as soon as Mia left, a smirk appeared on that person's face.

~

It was about noon. The rush of the customers had gone down.

The staff was a little relaxed now.

Mia was too much exhausted. She hadn't got any sleep and all that running for the whole morning had worn her out. She sat down on a chair in the kitchen to take a breath when Yuna also came and sat next to her.

"Mia…?" She called her name. The concern was clear in her voice.

"Huh?" Mia looked up at her with heavy eyes.

"Look at yourself Mia. You look so tired…."

"….Yeah. Because I am…." Mia rested her head on the counter.

"What happened? Tell me. Why couldn't you sleep yesterday night?"

"….I don't know. I just….I just couldn't sleep…There was so much going on in my mind…"

"Like what?"

"I don't know…" Mia closed her eyes for a while and then struggling a little she opened them back. "…The things you said to me yesterday….They couldn't let me sleep…"

"Things? Which things?"

"The thing about—" While talking Mia closed her eyes and before she could realize, she was sleeping.

"Huh?" Yuna bent down and found Mia sleeping sound.

She chuckled and kept her hand on Mia's head, gently caressing it. "Poor girl…"

Then suddenly, "Mia? Mia?" The manager entered the kitchen calling her name.

"Huh?" Mia woke up in a hurry and stood up. "Yeah? Yeah manager?" She asked pushing her hair back and making her dress neat.

Yuna also stood up.

"Are you okay, Mia?" The manager asked looking at her tired and heavy eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." Mia said.

"….Ohh…Okay then. Will you come out for a minute?"

"Huh? Yeah. Yeah sure."

The manager went out from the kitchen and Mia followed him.

A frown appeared on Yuna's face and so she also headed out.

When they came out, there was Ray, sitting at a table.

The manager took Mia towards him.

Ray looked at them as they approached; he nodded at the manager so he did it back.

"Mia."

"Yes, Manager?"

"Mr. Kim needs you to go with him today regarding some work."

"Heh?"

"Oh come on Mr. Cho." Ray talked in between. "I already told you not to call me Mr. Kim. I'm your son's age so please call me by my name…"

The manager laughed weakly. "I don't think I'll be able to do that…Hehe.."

"You'll learn. Don't worry about it." Ray said smiling.

"Yeah…" He let out a laugh

"Wait!" Yuna came in the middle. Everyone looked at her.

"I'm sorry. But did you just say that Mia needs to go with him…I mean with the boss….for some work?"

"Yeah. That's right." The manager smiled. "As Mr. Kim's….I mean Mr. Ray's assistant is not there with him, he wants Mia to accompany him to some deal."

"Huh?" Mia looked at them surprised. "A deal?"

"Yeah. Is there any problem Ms Lee?" Ray asked acting formal.

"Umm…Actually I….I don't know anything about it….How am I supposed to—"

"You don't have to know anything." Ray cut her in the middle. "You just have to do as I say. That's it."

"But—"

"Come on Mia. It's just a simple deal." The manager said. "And besides, Mr. Ray will explain to you everything. Right, sir?"

"Yes absolutely!" Ray beamed a smile at him.

"See?" Manager showed him to her. "Now go and get ready."

"But…"

"Now what?" Ray asked a little annoyingly.

"….Umm….A lot of rush will be here in the evening and—"

"Mia!!" The manager said. "It's fine. The other staff is also there. We all can manage it."

"Oh! Umm….Okay…"

"Now go fast and change your uniform."

"Yeah!" Saying that, Mia went inside the kitchen hurriedly, followed by Yuna.

As she entered the locker room and took her usual clothes out from the locker, Yuna came inside.

"Mia?"

"Yeah?" Mia asked removing her clothes.

"Is it really what I am thinking it is?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean…A deal on the day of the Christmas?" Yuna raised her eyebrows.

"….." Mia wore her pants as she was listening to this.

"The assistant not coming on the day of the deal?"

"….."

"Then him asking for YOU to be his assistant for the day?"

"…."

"Are you getting it?"

Mia thought for a second and as she realized it; her hands which were buttoning up her shirt stopped in the middle.

"Wait! Do you mean?!!" Her eyes opened wide in disbelief.

"Yes girl!!" Yuna nodded. "I think you two are going on a date!!!"

"Oh no. No. No. No. I don't think he would do that!"

"Well, I think he already did it!"

"But…..Uhh uh uh….I can't do this….I'm not ready for this…." Mia whined.

"There is no turning back." Yuna said as she took Mia's coat and helped her to put that on. "You are already in there! So now, just go outside. Smile wide and go with him."

"What are you saying unnie?"

"No. Now just go and have a good time. You needed this! You are too exhausted and you need a break."

And with that Yuna started pushing Mia out from the locker room.

"Yeah yeah wait." Mia said. "I'm going." She stood up. Brushed her fingers through her hair, saw if the clothes are wore properly and with a deep breath she stepped outside.

'I'm going on a date….I'm going on a date…It's fine. It's fine. I can do this. It's just a date. Nothing to freak out….' And with that convincing to herself, she came out from the kitchen.

As soon as she came out, she saw two big files literally smashing on her face from nowhere.

"Huh?" She caught them somehow, stumbling and then she saw that it was Ray who gave it to her like that.

'What the—'

"Ms. Lee." Ray said. "I am already late. It would be better if you'll come a little faster." He said in a little mean tone.

"I…I'm sorry…Sir!" She pressed on the last word and bowed to him.

"Yeah. Now come on!" And he headed outside.

Mia looked back at Yuna and shrugged her shoulders. 'See? No date or anything!'

Yuna nodded and then mouthed her to go fast.

"Yeah…" With that Mia ran outside, followed by the manager.

As they went out, Ray was already sitting in the driver seat and was waiting for her.

The manager stepped in the front as he saw Mia struggling with the files and opened the door for her.

"Thank you!" She said hurriedly and sat inside.

"Do your best!" The manager said to both of them and closed the door.

Ray started the car and rode off.

~