Something must really be wrong with me. I think I'm in love with my coworker. How could a few cups of coffee lead to this?
My name is Jiwon Oh, and I'm a new, practicing attorney at Gyunhyeong Law Firm.
Although it wasn't always like this..
But first, let me properly introduce myself;
I'm an ENFP, and I am a morning person; I absolutely adore sunrises. Not to brag but I'm also a bit of a gym rat.
But I figure that I should probably tell you how I ended up working here. I wanted to pursue law because I had always craved the order and persistence that had surrounded the mysterious veil of law. I wanted to be the one to uncover the veil and discover all of its mysteries.
So I applied for an internship here during my undergraduate year of philosophy. Unlike most students, I wasn't drawn to political science. Rather, the philosophies of Greek authors like Plato and stoic philosophers like Epictetus lured me in. I read books like The Symposium and Meditations and I knew that even though I had loved philosophy, the path that I wanted to walk was law.
When I applied for the internship, I was terrified because the attorneys all seemed so intimidating— but I was able to talk about philosophy with one of the attorneys doing my interviews and I couldn't help but gush about how philosophy and law couldn't coexist without one another. I couldn't tell if they were amused by me or weirded out, but I must've left a good impression on them if they decided to let me work here. This led to them offering me a contract to work here as an intern for the remaining 2 years of college until I graduated: which brings me to the first day of my internship, or the day that I tripped and fell for someone…. more like into someone.
The first day of my internship began uneventfully. I attended a small meeting and was properly introduced to everyone who was there that morning. There was this really nice attorney named Iseul Kim who was helpful in getting the printer unjammed after I had attempted to print out some of the important case files for Ms. Chung, the lead defense attorney. Grateful for the help, I thanked her and went on my way for the second task that I had been assigned that morning: ordering coffee for everyone who was in the office that morning.
This was tricky. I had to carry a white receipt list of all of the coffee orders and be very careful not to spill any of the coffee. Otherwise, I would have to clean it up and get more. Then my entire trip would be wasted… And my future coworkers would hate me… No! I mustn't let that happen. Every order must be perfect and I will not spill a single drop of coffee. Mark my words.
Holding all 8 cups of coffee in the disposable containers that the coffee shop workers gave to me, I was feeling pretty damn good. Look at this smart looking intern. Pretty fine, right? Look at me, bringing attorneys their ammunition to keep them satiated. Look… out!
Thud. The sound of a textbook dropping hits my ears and a heavy weight is on my chest. My attempt to bring coffee and salvage the last traces of my dignity have been abandoned. The coffee is now all over the floor in a thin sticky puddle. Noooo i'll have to do it again. Everyone is going to hate me. Even I would hate me…
I suddenly remember where I am and notice the smaller girl who seems to have fallen on me. Her hair is black and long, coming down to her shoulders. Her eyes are catlike and her monolids are dotted with the slightest trace of pale pink eyeshadow. She's really pretty. Like really pretty. She seems really young, maybe she's an intern like me? Or maybe a secretary? I can feel my heart beating over and over, a familiar, distinct rhythm. Oh no… This is not good…
I help her off of me and apologize over and over, until i'm not even repeating words but rather mumbling syllables. She nods, gets off of me, apologizes, and walks back inside the main office super cool, unlike me. What the hell did I just do?
My once sparkly blouse is now crumpled and stained with coffee. Can I hide my face in a paper bag? I don't even want to think about coming back… What if she thinks of me as a clumsy little girl? Forget good first impressions, what kind of a first impression is this? I don't even know her name!
Wait the floor is still covered in coffee… I have to go back and get more.. Noooooooo….