Haemi promised to never step foot back into this horror house, since the day Sehun and her had eloped. But there was a specific cardboard box in her mother’s basement, containing the only memories left of her birth father. A secret she had kept from the woman for years. She made sure to drop by on a Sunday, knowing her mother would be away for her church service. In this way, she could avoid any unnecessary encounter. In the most discreet manner, she quietly unlocked the front door as if she were a thief at her own childhood home. Haemi rushed down to the abandoned basement, already planning an escape route in her head. By the time she reached the entrance, its usual locked door looked as if it was broken into. 

Haemi slowed her pace, the curiosity in her could probably get the girl in trouble one day. That day came a lot faster than she imagined. The door left a small opening, just enough for Haemi to steal a glance. What she saw in that room, she could never take back. Placing both hands over in shock, she witnessed Sehun’s father polishing a severed hand. She prayed desperately for it to be fake, but from the red liquid dripping down, it felt very unlikely. Realizing her potential danger, Haemi kept calm enough to exit the house. Once outside, the girl ran for her dear life, all while trying to erase the gruesome details that were engraved in her memory. 

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The editor woke up the next morning in her own bed, recalling that she fell asleep outside last night…and Sehun. He must’ve brought her in here, she figured. For someone who lived alone for many years now, today felt extra empty. Brushing her thoughts aside, Haemi hurried out of bed to get ready for work. She needed the extra time for one more layer of coverage, as opposed to her usual natural makeup looks. Fortunately, the bruises were now light enough to hide under the cosmetic base.

Upon arriving back to work, her colleagues rushed over to shower her with questions and concerns. Most were just eager to see the girl again, as they all formed a rather strong bond with everyone in this small company. Kai watched the reunion from a distance, seeing her healthy was enough for him. A small smile formed on his lips as he held back the urge to join them. Even Haemi’s boss came out to greet the employee— who mainly felt guilty for exposing her personal information and making her work during her sick leave. 

“Just for you, I’ll treat everyone out to lunch today!” he announced, trying his best to somehow make it up to the girl. The room cheered, they jokingly thanked Haemi for getting sick to add a pinch of humor and to hopefully lighten up her mood.

By the time lunch rolled by, Haemi had forgotten about the carpooling situation. She cursed herself for being too indulged in work today, but she did miss this feeling a lot. The poor girl walked around her office, trying to squeeze into anyone’s car at this point. Unfortunately, they were all taken by other cliques. At a time like this, Haemi desperately wished that she invested in a car, instead of putting the extra cash into an overhyped studio apartment.

“You can ride with me, if you want?” A savior showed up at the last minute when everyone began packing up. Since Kai was their youngest intern, everyone just assumed that he didn’t have a car to even bother asking for a ride share. Unlike Haemi, he actually invested in one.

“Thank you, again…” she smiled sheepishly at her feet. Speaking of which, this was probably her second or third time associating with Kai. Minus the party of course, she left those memories behind for good. 

“We’ve never actually talked right?” Haemi started again, using this as an opportunity to know more about the intern. 

“I guess if you don’t count the drunk parties…then no,” he teased. What a bad first impression, she cried mentally. Luckily thanks to her embarrassing drunk stories, the car ride felt much more comfortable than what she had