(It is in present tense because it is happening as I watch the MV, although there are some things that come from my imagination)

Jihyo sighs as she walks home in the night. It is late, close to midnight, but the city is still bustling with life. She watches as cars tirelessly drive past, she watches as couples walks together, hand in hand, she watches as groups of youths kick cans of beers around the streets. She walks alone, and plugs in her ear piece. Her silky hair dances in wind, and her dress flutters. She pulls in her coat tighter.

She calls her mom, but it goes unanswered. She’s probably sleeping already, she thinks. Tonight, she is all alone, and she feels strangely lonely.

She lived like this for a many years now. She came to Seoul to study when she was 16, while her family still stayed in their hometown. When she graduated at 22, she stayed in Seoul for work. She found a job at her current company. It wasn’t the most prestigious, nor the largest company in the city. But it wasn’t too bad. It was big, and it paid relatively well. She stayed there for three years now. She did get promoted a couple of times, and her pay rose since she started three years ago, but she never got to rise beyond team leader. Her guess is that it was because she was a girl, and also she wasn’t from Seoul. But it doesn’t matter, really. At least she had a job, she always told herself.

She finally reaches her block. It is quite a distance from the bus stop, but it is relatively cheap. She heads to the elevator, but realises that it is blocked up, again. She sighs. Isn’t this the third time this month? She grumbles inwardly. But there is nothing she can do. It is a small price to pay for cheap rent, she reminds herself again.

She turns to the stairs and starts walking up. Her footsteps are tired and heavy, and her heels aren't making the climb any better. She wonders why her mind feels so heavy tonight. On this lonely night, she can't help but miss her family, her hometown. But she reminds herself of the reason why she is here- to make enough money, so herself and her parents can live more comfortably. She sighs again, takes a quick shower then changes into her pyjamas, and goes to sleep.

Morning arrives and her alarm blasts across the entire room. With her eyes still half-closed, she fumbles to switch off her alarm. How many hours did she sleep? Five? She rubs her eyes, barely refreshed. Another day is starting- rush to work, get nagged at, then get back home. Every day, it’s the same pattern.

She washs up and got dressed, and hurriedly pours out some dog feed for her dog while she waits for her toast. The toaster goes off. She haphazardly spreads some jam on the bread, then leaves it hanging in , while she wears her heels and grabs her bag. She speed walks to the bus stop and gulps down her bread at the same time.

Another day of rat race has just begun.

She boards the bus to work. She watches as the cars drive past, the similar manner it did the previous night. She listens to the impatient horns, the droning of the cars, a mother nagging at her child on her bus, a couple arguing… She pluggs in her earphones again and listens to another song, humming along as she looks out of the window. Adults rushing to work, children rushing to schools, plastered smiles on their tired face as they are forced to face another day they are not ready for. It is the same everywhere: school or offices, it’s still a competition to be the best.

She can't help but sigh again. The pressure of living in the city, isn’t it so demanding?

She greets her colleagues, who nods back at her. It is out of politeness, and not anything else. Some of whom she doesn't even know their names, and she is pretty sure they don't know hers either.

The human resource manager walks over and passes her some files. She is in charge of a newbie again. It is always like this- they make her do the hardest job of training and teaching the newcomers, then transfer them over to another department once their passed their probation. She nods anyway, and thanks her for the files.

She submits a report to her superior, who scolds her again, taking the chance to demean her, saying something about a lady shouldn’t try work because they aren’t capable. She forces a smile and pretends to nod and apologise, but unfairness builds up within her.

He slamms the report on the table, yelling at her for giving him ‘a piece of trash’, and wants her to redo another one by tomorrow. It isn't possible, but she nods all the same. Her superior smirks at her meekness, while she bites her lip to stop herself from retorting back.

“Hey, get me a cup of coffee later,” he orders her, “And help me trim my plant.”

Her chest heaves from the unfairness, but she swallows her anger and does what she is told.

Her colleagues whispers, but no one asks if she is okay. She is fine with it though; They aren't even friends, acquaintance at best.

A male colleague bumps into her and she drops her files. He apologises but the others around her smirks. Is it on purpose? She doesn't know. She doesn't care either. All she can do is hold back her tears of indignation.

A man bends down to help her pick up the files. He is wearing a cap and a pair of sneakers, awfully mismatched with his suit. Her eyes lingers on him for a little longer, trying to register his face.

“There you go!” he says, voice full of excitement, as he hands the files to her. She stares at him for a moment, before mumbling a thank you.

“I’m the newcomer, Kang Hee Gun,” he smiles, offering her his hand. She smiles back awkwardly and shakes his hand.

“My name is Song Jihyo. I will be in charge of you until your probation is over,” she tells him, after putting the files on her desk.

He nods.

“You will sit opposite me,” Jihyo tells him, gesturing to the empty desk opposite hers. He nods and smiles again, like his smiles are free. She can't help but smile back.

She passes him some files to read through. “You can ask me if you have any questions,” she says.

He nods.

“Uh, Hee Gun-ssi…” Jihyo says again. He looks up. (Note: I'll refer to Gary as Gary, but Jihyo calls him Hee Gun for now.)

“You can’t wear a cap and sneakers to office,” she instructs him, a little awkwardly.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says. “I’ll get proper shoes tomorrow,” he adds. Her shoulder relaxes and she smiles.

She briefly read through his resume. Ah, he isn’t from Seoul as well, she notes. He is 29 years old- 4 years older than her, and graduated with a business degree. He worked in 2 other companies before this, and had many other random jobs as well. Her eyes rounds in shock when she sees 'babysitter'. She laughs inwardly. Why would anyone put this in his resume?

“Jihyo ssi…” Gary taps on the desk divider that separated their desks. 

“Hmm?” she asks, as her eyes flickers away from her computer screen for a while.

“I finished the files,” he says, passing it back.

That fast? “Do you have any questions?”

“No.”

“Okay, then let me test you,” she says. She always did this to the newcomers- let them read files but never told them that she would be testing them. She feels that it will be a more accurate measure- if she told them about the test, they might put in more effort than they actually would.

He shrugged. “Okay.”

Jih