--  Eight Months After --

There is a freezing chill that the winter air blew across the city. Icicles hung sparkling and dripping in the sunlight. Tree branches hanging low with the weight of crystalline water over them. The street was covered in a thick blanket of white snow. People march through, leaving prints as they covered themselves within the warmth of their coats.

It was one of the early winter mornings that made Seri growl up in bed. With a sniff of her runny nose, she brought her sweater to cover her more. She adored the winter but the extreme cold it brought makes her feel worse.

This kind of weather could be nothing more than perfect for a lazy day to stay on bed with long warm clothes and socks, a hot mug of chocolate topped with marshmallows while watching your favorite movies.

Unfortunately for Seri, such a day doesn't exist. She wakes up to a whole lot of mess waiting for her.

Everyone that knew Seri are aware of how organized and clean she was. However, the past few months got the best of her.

Work. Work. Work. That was all on her schedule and now her apartment was in a mess.

Dirty dishes, piles of used clothes, dusty frames, and her dull, flowerless balcony. She scans her room, looking at the disaster she had created. The place seemed like a storm passed by through.

Feeling disgusted from her own space, she ties her hair into a bun, washes her face, and got dressed; preparing for a cleaning battle.

She gets herself to work with the sound of Christmas carols playing on her stereo. Washing the dishes, doing the laundry, wiping the tables and dusting the shelves, she did them one by one while humming merrily. Beads of sweat form on her temples as she was arranging her things in her cabinet. She wipes them off with her sleeves when a puzzle decorated box caught her attention.

A sudden jump from her rib cage made her stare at the once forgotten box she kept. Her mind fought in conflict with herself. After taking a deep breath, she turns around to resume her work, leaving the box alone once more.

Warm drops of water shower over Seri washing not just the sweat from her chores, but also the thoughts which came back. That small box brought back memories she had been trying to keep within the deepest part of her mind.

**

The grey painted walls of her office lighten up from the white ceiling lights. Her pen taps in a quick beat as Seri focused on the paper at hand. A long page of charted numbes displayed for her to asses.

"Good morning!", Haru greets enthusiastically, startling Seri.

"Hi, good morning Haru."

"Isn't it too early for a long face Ms. Seo?", she asks noticing her gloomy mood as she placed a cup of coffee on her desk.

"I'm just trying to get this done.", she answered, getting back on her papers.

Pile and pile of folders lay on their desks after the short holiday vacation they spent away from the office. The relaxing days she shared with her family long gone with just one look at the amount of work waiting for her attention.

"Aigoo Ms. Seo, always so hard working."

"Eii Haru, I told you. Stop calling me Ms. Seo."

"It's only rightful when you're in a much higher position now.", she rebuts with a smile which Seri returned sweetly.

"Anyway, I just came here to remind you about your meeting with Mr. Kim tomorrow. Also to wish you good luck."

They both giggle before Haru leaves her small office space.

All the sleepless nights, headaches, and stressful meetings paid off when Seri got promoted a few months ago. However, despite the higher salary and privileges, it also brought more work, more folders, more responsibilities, more sleepless nights, more headaches and more stressful meetings. One of which she'd be facing tomorrow.

With an inhale of deep breath, she gets back on the chart. A number of folders still waiting for her.

**

The supermarket displayed column upon column of goods arranged accordingly for the customers' convenience.

All day long, Seri sat at her desk wearing her glasses while she studied the piles of papers delivered to her. Here, she decides to unwind through going on some grocery shopping. With a list in hand and the pushing of her cart, she walks along the aisles grabbing what she needs.

The clean white tiles take her to the gardening tools where she finds a few seed packs. The image of her depressing balcony flashes in her mind repeatedly that she just knew she had to do something about it. She had been too focused on work that she lost time for her flowers. One by one she scans on which to plant. She was determined to grow them for a colorful spring to look forward for.

Her fingers stop at a pack which read the name of one of her favorite flowers. With a few more kinds she picked, Seri proceeds to finish up her shopping and get home before the chilling snow falls again.

As she unpacks and stores everything she bought, the view of her balcony catches her attention abruptly. Anyone would feel lonely if they witness the state of that space. Even Seri wasn't spared from it.

She quickly gathers her tools and brought everything she needs to recreate her little garden.

"Let's make a beautiful spring okay?", she talks to the pots.

The evening winds blew calmly while she cleaned outside with a thick coat on to protect her. She smiles, excited of how it would look like once the flowers bloom.

An image then suddenly flashes in her mind, making her pause from her work. The image of big bouquets with ribbons which once came to her. Those that would arrive in her doorstep everyday. The one that she received on her college graduation. The aisle of petals he prepared under the sparkling lights. All of  those. All those flowers that came from HIM.

Once again she felt a jump in her rib cage. This one, however, was much stronger than before.

"Why the sudden thoughts of him Seri?"

**

The room darkens with only the light from the projector illuminating the room. Seri prepares for her presentation as her boss along with the other head officers sat, waiting for her to start. With a click of the remote, she breathes in, greeting everyone with a good morning.

Numbers, charts, diagrams, she had it all prepared for. Every eye focused on her, every ear listens to her. She was in full knowledge of her report and with much confidence she speaks before them.

"Good job as always Ms. Seo.", Mr. Kim slash Jiyah's father slash her boss commends her with a nod.

She tries to hold back a big smile as to not look weird. All the hard work was paying off again. However, all meetings like this never ends without a deliberation. She takes a seat, preparing for what's to come. Her eyes turned from side to side as she tried to keep up with the conversation. The older ones love to talk and question each other but not her. She kept silent, learning from their words.

Mr. Kim was an intelligent man. Even if their office wasn't as big as the others', they compete in quality of work. This was their motivation.

The meeting ended harmoniously with Mr. Kim's wise words and decision making. He was not just the boss but he was a leader to all of them. As everyone stood up to exit the conference room, Seri was called back to stay for a few minutes.

She kept silent, waiting patiently.

"That presentation was really good Seri. You keep on impressing us.", Mr. Kim starts off.

"Thank you sir.", she smiles in gratitude of his kind words.

"You keep working like this. You have a bright way ahead of you. Please influence Jiyah."

They both shared a small laugh at the mention of her friend who was still struggling with her master's.

"Anyway, I have asked you to stay here.. to congratulate you."

Congratulate?
"What for sir?"

"Do you remember that study you made with your team regarding financial analysis and investment management?"

"Yes sir.", she remembers it in detail for it was the same study that got her promoted.

"Well, a few big names got very impressed with your work and they want you to present it for a conference."

Seri eyes widen in surprise at the good news she heard. She was in total disbelief that she couldn't speak.

Mr. Kim only smiles, seeing the expression she gave.

"Three of your team are invited so you could pick two more who you want to take with you. Just let me know who it'll be by the end of this week so we can process your papers."

"Seri?", he tries to catch her attention when she seemed to be unresponsive.

"Uhh.. I understand sir."

"Very well then, here is the invitation to that. Good luck and continue to make us proud."

They shared a bright smile at each other before Mr. Kim leaves the room. Seri waits for the door to be closed before she completely face palms and scream inside. The feeling of being in cloud nine boost her up too quickly. With light taps on her cheeks, she tries to get herself relaxed before opening the invitation her boss handed earlier.

"China?!"

**

The pavement felt mushy under her boots as Seri walked along the street heading home. Her thin arms loaded with folders to carry, for work didn't stop in the office.

Children playfully ran across her, still excited with the