“I need some quiet time alone.” Eunbi preempted Yuri as she exited Sakura’s office, after glancing at the watch and seeing that there is still 15 mins for her to cool down before escorting her new boss into the welcome meeting. She shut herself in the small but clean glass-walled office that the previous head left behind, closing the blinds so that she could plomp down the chair and massage her own temples to recollect herself.

Out of everything that could have happened, it turns out to be Sakura. The girl she once fell in love with, who ghosted her and then came back 7 years later as a new boss she’s supposed to spy on?

“And I’m just her acquaintance in the end---She doesn’t even think much of me now…”

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Flashback to the office scene just now

“Sakura, why did you leave without saying ‘goodbye’?” Memories of her chasing desperately at the taxi that unceremoniously disappeared round the corner came back to haunt her. Her eyes went misty at that time, choking for breath as she collapsed in the middle on the road, still trying to make out the silhouette of Sakura’s back inside the car with her fogged up vision.

“I...I didn’t mean to….” Sakura looks away and fumbles her fingers. “The news that I needed to go back came suddenly, so I didn’t have time to…”

“Liar.” Eunbi stomps all the way back to Sakura’s desk. They are now inches away from each other, her piercing gaze enough to force Sakura to look back into her glassy orbs. Even after all these years, Eunbi can sense herself being on the verge of tears again.

“You had been fidgeting and restless all week,” Eunbi continues. “And I asked you so many times, but you weren’t willing to tell me.”

“I wanted to!” Sakura exclaimed defensively. “But your big night with Wooseok was coming up and I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“What big night, Kkura-ya?” Eunbi asked, slipping back to the endearing nickname that only she used on Sakura unconsciously. “How could a dance night be more important than your leaving?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Sakura answered back. “I was just a foreign student who you had to take care of as a prefect, and he is your boyfriend!”

Eunbi’s mouth gaped at the association. She knew she shouldn’t have done it, but it couldn’t be helped. Sakura---Sakura was the one who pushedher towards him. Did she have any idea how bad it hurted when she only treated her like a sunbae?

“But Sakura, I...you were dear to me.” She just said, with her shoulders slumped, and all hope lost in her eyes.

“And I was thankful to all the help I have gotten. I’m sorry I was such a trouble student, and that I didn’t say goodbye properly.” Sakura straightens herself and steps away from Eunbi. “I hope we can put that aside, and start anew.”

Eunbi studies the woman in front of her. No longer the scaredly cat who couldn’t speak Korean and do sports, the newbie that she took under her wing, who looked at her Eunbi-unnie with admiration, Sakura is right. She’s now a confident, glowed up woman with a towering presence over her. She’s her boss, and someone who won’t spare a minute reminiscing about a past that Eunbi played but a small part.

It was one-sided from Eunbi after all.

“Of course, you are right, Sakura-nim.” Eunbi swallows a lump on . “It isn’t something I should bring up on this happy occasion. Welcome to IZ-Container Group Korea Branch. I will be at your service.”

Flashback ends

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Sakura settled in quickly. The first thing she did was strip her room of all that is unnecessary, keeping Eunbi busy with a lot of menial renovation tasks. The only time they get to meet is an update on scheduling requests every morning.

“Sakura-nim, would you like me to accompany you to the meeting with the Daedo Bank today?”

“Thanks Eunbi-ssi, but I urgently need that part of the wall repainted while I’m out for meetings all day, and also-- the documents I told you to locate? Can I have them on my desk by the time I’m back? Yuri-ssi and Hiichan will accompany me so don’t worry.”

“With all due respect, Sakura-nim, those archives are likely destroyed.” Eunbi knew that the relevance of those documents are likely close to zero, and Sakura is just occupying her with them, so that she can’t tell what she’s actually trying to sniff out from all the investigations she’s been conducting behind her back with Hitomi.

“But it was possible that they were grandfathered in after the Protection Act was passed, right? Which means, Yamamoto could have asked the Quality Department to keep those ledgers after all? Please, Eunbi-ssi, that’s an important job and that’s why I need you to personally follow through with it.”

“Of course.”

“You don’t sound very happy.” Sakura cocked an eyebrow upon hearing the flat response.

“Sakura-nim…”

“Please, Eunbi-ssi, call me Sakura.”

“Don’t you trust me? I’ve been keeping this job strictly professional--I’ve done everything you’ve asked impeccably so far. Look...I only want to help.”

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