The buffet was delicious and the quantities huge. Noelle piled up food on her plate, and sat at her desk to eat.

The cleaning crew had already swept up most of the glitter. Still, everybody was shining. Especially Noelle’s hair, who was right beneath the balloon.

She would take advantage of the time away from the group to find a token for Ye-Jun. She had to give him something. Anything.

Dan-Bi had brought him a Yellow Sprites pin, forgotten downstairs, which he enjoyed deeply. But Noelle had nothing.

She opened her desk drawers. Only paperclips in various sizes, pens and pencils, two staplers, and standard stationery were stacked in there.

Bummer…

She could draw him something, but with her skills, that would take hours to look even decent.

What about..? Yes, it will take no time.

She quickly grabbed her scissors and some colored paper, and she began scoring, folding, and creasing, until a perfect origami tulip was formed.

She couldn't give it to him in front of everyone, which was why she waited for the moment he would be alone. She hid it and joined the rest of the group.

That moment didn't take long. “Guys it was fun, but I have to go. It's my summer leave! I'm going to the pool!” Mi-Suk announced. She gave Ye-Jun a quick birthday peck, and waved at everyone.

“Sang-Jun, since you're here, let's review that contract for the new promotion. I think we better get it over with…” Chloe suggested.

“Oh! Didn't I say, we won't work today?” Ye-Jun complained.

“It will only take an hour. We will resume the… ‘party’ soon”, Sang-Jun said, already moving away.

“Ye-Jun, you will accuse me of being a buzzkill, but I have a meeting with a new talent…” Dan-Bi’s departure was the final hit.

“We'll all get back! Take a break! Have a chat with Noelle!” Chloe called out, making Noelle turn red. Chloe looked back at Ye-Jun, her lips curving ever so slightly—as if this was exactly what she wanted.

“Just get back soon!” Ye-Jun yelled after them.

They were completely alone now, sitting on opposite sofas. They were stealing awkward, fleeting glances at each other. 

What a nightmare!

It was time to give the present. Maybe this would break the ice that seemed to float between them.

She walked to her desk and grabbed the origami. She went back to the sofa, hiding the small flower between her palms. He was staring at her, his eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown.

“Well, the others gave you their tokens, but I had nothing available,” she began.

“You don't have to give me anything. Or did you start to appreciate me?” he asked her.

She pressed her lips to suppress her annoyance. “It's your birthday. I don't want to be treated differently. I made you this,” she said, gently placing the origami on the coffee table.

He examined it, full of curiosity. Slowly, he reached out and picked it up to take a closer look.

“A flower… Flowers usually mean something, don't they?” Ye-Jun asked, twirling the paper stem between his fingers.

“I guess…”

Her answer made him look up at her instantly. His look wasn't the arrogant Ye-Jun anymore. It was a look so soft and vulnerable, it made her panic.

“Sorry! I don't even know what a tulip means! It's just the only origami shape I know how to fold by heart.”

A genuine smile broke across his lips as he looked at the flower again. “No, it's fine. I highly approve of your… token. Hey! Get me a paperclip.”

Noelle raised both her eyebrows. “OK…”

She got a simple metal clip and handed it to him. Ye-Jun carefully folded the fabric of his t-shirt and attached the paperclip. Then, with great care, he slid the stem of the paper tulip between the clip and the fabric.

“What do you think?” he asked, smiling. 

Noelle gaped. Ye-Jun Yeong had just pinned her tulip on his chest. Right above his heart.

She looked at it for an endless moment. Noelle finally managed to snap out of the trance. 

Get a grip girl! It means nothing. It’s just a toy for him!

She smiled! “I guess Dan-Bi will approve of your new accessory!”

He laughed. “I won’t give her the option to disapprove. I’m not taking it off!”

Her breath was caught.

Is he serious?

“So, what about that thesis of yours? Is it done already?” he asked.

Are we really doing this? Are we going to chat?

“Yeah! About a month ago…”

“Oh… Am I that simple?”

“No! Not at all.. It’s just… I had already prepared a draft, and the theory part…”

He chuckled. “Take it easy! I'm messing with you. Can I read it?”

Noelle let out an exhale. “Yes of course. But it's boring.”

“You’re the first one writing a study about me. Even a business case-study. And I like reading.”

“You do? Like what?”

“Everything… Literature, comics, articles… Depends on the mood. I'm currently going through my Hermann Hesse phase,” he explained.

I never expected that…

“That’s a bit heavy, as far as I remember… I prefer to read something lighter. Like Harry Potter, for instance!”

Why did I say that? He's reading Hesse and I'm bringing up children's books?

“Is Harry Potter lighter? He spends seven books trying to stay alive!”

“Now that you mention it, maybe it’s not light but easy to read. You’ve read them?”

“Sure I have. I didn’t like the movies!” he said, shaking his head.

“Me neither!” she said, leaning a bit forward. It was an involuntary move. A sudden, unexpected spark of connection made her guard drop. She got scared and stood back again, afraid she was too revealing. “So, who is your favourite character?”

He gave it a thought. “Difficult question. Harry is the chosen one. Cliche. Ron is awfully clumsy. I like him, but he pisses me off sometimes. Hermione knows it all. Often too convenient for the plot.”

“Yeah, they are archetypes that work well only together in the story.”

“I prefer characters I can relate to. The kind with… questionable traits,” he said.

She tilted her head. “Like who?”

“Perhaps Voldemort…”

That did it. The remaining tension completely dissolved. Noelle burst into genuine, uncontrollable laughter, tossing her head back. It felt so incredibly freeing. She laughed until her ribs ached, eventually having to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye.

Across from her, Ye-Jun had leaned forward, burying his face in his hands as his broad shoulders shook with breathless laughter.

“Oh, man…” he gasped, finally looking up. His eyes were bright and lively. “I haven’t laughed like that in ages.”

“It was a good one!” she agreed, still trying to catch her breath.

The laughter slowly faded. But as silence settled between them, his eyes darkened. The genuine smile melted away, replaced by something deeply melancholic. 

What’s wrong?

“I hope… I hope you won’t remember me only by the bad moments,” he finally said.

Her breath caught again.

What? Why does he care how I remember him?

She was caught so off guard that her defense mechanisms kicked in. Her response slipped out, before her brain could stop it.

“Were there any good ones?”

The exact moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. The subtle flinch on his lips gave him away. 

“Guilty as charged… Can’t change what happened. I’m sorry…”

Was he sorry for what he had done or for not being able to change the past? She had forgiven him for the first. She didn’t care for the second. But she never had the chance to explain.

“Please, put your resentment aside. You hold a secret of mine. You could ruin me with that.”

So, that is what troubles him… What else could it be?

She was angry with herself for imagining anything else even for a moment.

“Rest assured. I have no intention of ever talking about it.”

“I appreciate that. You know that includes the people close to you. Like your boyfriend…” Ye-Jun said, raising both his eyebrows.

For the love of God!

She had to set the record straight once and for all. “I don’t have a boyfriend! I just went out with that guy a couple of times!”

“Oh… You should fix that.”

Noelle blinked. Wait. Was that why he brought up his "secret"?

I’m going to kill him!