The more she thinks about it, the more Yongsun has trouble believing that Minseok is such a nice man with good manners. Moreover, he seems to be clever. She realizes that she has never asked Byul about his background before, and that it is probably be better to not ask silly questions like this one if she expects something from him… But what is she expecting, exactly? Her heart starts pounding again as she is heading for work. So many thoughts are struggling their way to her mind that she almost fails to notice that the light has turned green. The building appears a couple minutes later and she notices Jongdae’s car, parked right in front of the building. He seems busy loading the trunk as she gets out of her car.

As she gets out of her car, she steps towards him, then suddenly stops as he straightens up and looks her way.

“Jongdae?” Her voice is so low that she is not even sure he can hear it. Therefore, she speaks up. “What are you doing?”

“Getting my things back.”  

“Wait, what do you mean?”
“Found another job.”

His voice is so cold that Yongsun feels like being stabbed in the heart. She remembers the first time they have met. Jongdae worked there long before her and he introduced her to a lot of their colleagues. He is also the one who offered her Mr. Stache, and now he is leaving without former notice? She looks at him with widened eyes.

“Why are you acting that way?”

He looks away and closes the door of the trunk, shaking his head with a sigh.

“Do I really need a reason, Yongsun?”

The look in his eyes discourages Yongsun from asking more questions, and she pinches her lips and silently watches him getting inside the car. It must be his relationship with Wheein. It must be her fault. What else could it be?

She walks towards the door, smiling to a few colleagues before sitting in front of her computer, looking blankly at the screen before opening her mailbox. She needs to start working.

After a few hours, a cup of coffee lands on her desk and she looks up, her eyes meeting Minseok’s, who is now standing right beside her computer.

“I’ve heard Jongdae left the company. I’m sorry, I know he was a good friend of yours. Mind taking a break?”

Those mere words help lighten up Yongsun’s mood. She takes the coffee and offers Minseok a small smile as she stands up to go to the break room.

“Thanks. Actually, he’s been acting quite weird these days…”

“Since when?”

“Remember the welcome party? Around that day…” She furrows her brows and shakes her head, taking her phone out of her pocket to scroll up her last conversation with Jongdae. “I don’t know what happened… We haven’t talked in a while…”

Her eyes land on a message she had almost forgotten. A message he has sent her a long time ago. U B Krful, it says. But what should she be careful about. She shows Minseok the messages and he looks at it, brows knitting as he looks back at her.

“He was wasted, I don’t think it means a lot.”

“I think it’s my neighbour’s fault, actually.”

“You neighbour?”

“She’s a silly woman. The silliest I’ve met, actually. I’ve heard him at her place, a few days ago…I think they are dating.”

“That may be the reason. Please, Yongsun, don’t worry too much about it. Will you promise?”

She looks at him, sipping her coffee before nodding her head softly. “I promise.”

Minseok smiles at her before taking her into his arms, patting her head slowly. Then, he steps back, grabbing her by the shoulder to look into her eyes.

“I’m here for you.”

Here for her… It feels as though her heart has always been waiting for those very words. It makes her forget about Jongdae’s behaviour, about all the bad things that have happened within the last days.

“What about having dinner at my place, tomorrow?” Minseok asks, as Yongsun is about to cross the door to leave and go work.

“At your place?”

“Yes, what do you think of it?”

“Sounds like a plan…I’ll be there.”

“We’ll be leaving from here tomorrow.”

She nods and smiles, leaving the room the next second to go and sit in front of her computer.

She cannot help thinking about Jongdae’s behaviour. About the look in his eyes as he closed the trunk and went away as if they had never been friend. As if she did not deserve his attention. Her heart squeezes at the mere thought. She would never have thought it possible. At least, she has Minseok… and her family.