Chapter Two: A New Presence

                                    

                                          
Min stood at the head of the conference table, his gaze sweeping across the room like a cold wind. The boardroom buzzed with quiet energy as his executives exchanged quick glances, waiting for him to speak.
"Let's begin," he said, his voice sharp and precise.
The next hour unfolded as most meetings did: reports, figures, strategies. Min guided the discussion with the ease of a man who had mastered his domain. But as the meeting wrapped up, his assistant approached him with a reminder that tugged at his patience.
"The intern is here," she said softly, keeping pace with him as they exited the room.
Min didn't break stride. "Have him shadow someone in logistics. I don't have time to babysit."
She hesitated. "Your father requested he meet you personally. He insisted."
Min stopped, turning to face her with a flicker of annoyance. "Fine. Where is he?"
"In your office."
Min sighed, adjusting his cufflinks. He hated interruptions, but he knew better than to ignore his father's requests outright. With measured steps, he walked toward his office, preparing to meet yet another bright-eyed intern eager to climb the corporate ladder.
When Min opened the door to his office, he was greeted by an unexpected sight.
The young man standing near the window wasn't what Min had envisioned. He wasn't stiff or overly formal, like most interns. Instead, he stood with a relaxed posture, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of a simple blazer. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and when he turned, his eyes held a quiet confidence that caught Min off guard.
"You must be Mr. Min," the intern said, stepping forward with a polite but warm smile. "I'm Q. Thank you for taking the time to meet me."
Min nodded curtly, gesturing for Q to sit. "Your father and mine go back a long way. That's the only reason you're here," he said bluntly, sitting behind his desk.
Q didn't flinch at the harsh tone. Instead, his smile shifted into something almost teasing. "Good to know I earned this opportunity on merit," he said lightly, taking a seat across from Min.
Min arched an eyebrow, surprised by the response. Most people were eager to please him, intimidated by his presence. But Q's easy demeanor was unsettling, almost disarming.
"I'm not here to waste time," Min said, leaning forward. "This isn't a place for handouts. You'll be working under the logistics team, starting with basic operations. If you can't keep up, you'll be gone. Understood?"
"Crystal clear," Q said, still smiling but with a hint of steel beneath his words.
For a moment, their gazes locked. Min felt a flicker of something he couldn't name—a strange sense of familiarity, though he was certain he'd never met Q before.
"Good," Min said, breaking the moment and standing. "Your orientation starts now. Follow me."
As Min led Q through the sprawling office, he kept the conversation curt and professional, pointing out departments and key personnel. Q followed closely, absorbing everything with quiet interest.
"You've built something incredible here," Q said as they walked past the logistics floor. "It must feel good to see it all come together."
Min glanced at him, unsure if it was genuine admiration or polite flattery. "It's work," he replied simply.
"And is that all it is for you? Just work?" Q's tone was light, but the question lingered in the air, more personal than Min expected.
Min stopped, turning to face him. "You ask too many questions."
Q raised his hands in mock surrender. "Noted. I'll stick to logistics talk from now on."
As the day unfolded, Min found himself observing Q more than he intended. There was something about the way Q moved through the office, his natural charm and ease with others. He was nothing like Min, who commanded respect through fear and precision. Q seemed to draw people in effortlessly, as if he belonged everywhere he went.
By the time the afternoon rolled around, Min found himself retreating to his office, needing space to think. He didn't like how easily Q unsettled him, how the young man's presence felt like a crack in the armor he had worked so hard to build.
But it wasn't just that. There was something else—something deeper. In Q's smile, in his laughter, there was a faint echo of someone else.
Someone Min had spent years trying to forget.
As the office emptied out for the day, Min stayed behind, as he often did. The city lights twinkled outside his window, but his gaze was unfocused, lost in thought.
His phone buzzed with a message from Pa:
"Don't stay too late. And don't forget to eat. You're not invincible, you know."
He smirked faintly, shaking his head. Pa never stopped trying to take care of him, even when he didn't deserve it.
Across the room, a knock at the door startled him.
It was Q, standing in the doorway with an apologetic expression.
"Sorry to bother you," Q said, holding up a file. "I was asked to drop this off before I left."
Min waved him in, taking the file without much thought. But as Q turned to leave, Min found himself speaking.
"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice softer than he intended.
Q stopped, glancing back with a puzzled expression. "You mean, why did I take the internship?"
Min nodded, leaning back in his chair.
Q hesitated, then smiled. "To learn, I guess. To figure out what I'm good at. My dad's world isn't for me, so I thought I'd try something new."
Min studied him for a long moment, his mind tugging at the threads of something he couldn't quite place.
"Good night, Mr. Min," Q said, his voice kind but firm, as if signaling the end of the conversation.
Min watched him leave, the quiet click of the door echoing in the empty room. Alone again, he let out a long breath, his chest tightening with an ache he couldn't name.
As he glanced back at the city lights, a thought slipped unbidden into his mind:
"Pran... would you have liked him?"

Thank you!! I am going to add characters after this chapter. Don't forget to commnet your thoughts...
Best wishes, Ithira...