Seulgi couldn’t believe what her eyes had seen. She hadn’t heard all the conversation due to the rain, but it wasn’t necessary to know that her friend was hurting and to also know she was about to faint because she had seen a ghost. A real ghost.

She made an effort to calm herself, to address it like it was a dream and she could tackle it with logic later. She walked to the sad woman who was crying in the rain. She touched her shoulder, startling her.

“Joohyun,” she muttered. “It’s time to go.”

“I—I can’t. She’s gone.”

“I know, I saw everything.” Seulgi sighed. “Let’s get out of here. This place has never made you any good.”

Irene let herself be dragged all the way to her car.

“Do you think you can drive? I can leave my car here and take you home if you don’t feel fine.” Seulgi suggested, worry creeping at her eyes.

Irene was in a catatonic state. She couldn’t react, think or feel anything; the last thing she wanted was for Seulgi to see her like that.

“Don’t worry,” she forced herself to say. “I’ll be okay.”

Both of them knew it was a lie, but Seulgi didn’t want to pressure her. Irene thanked her in silence.

She closed her car’s door and abandoned the place at a speed she was sure was below the speed limit if a minimum speed existed. She felt lost, she couldn’t bear another loss like that.

You lost me before you had me.

She didn’t notice she was outside of her apartment until Seulgi hit her window.

“Are you going to stay there?”

Irene closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She turned her car off and wiped her tears before getting out. Fortunately for her, it was Friday. The last thing she wanted was to go back to the office.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be fine?” Seulgi insisted.

The woman knew that the answer was no, but she also knew that Irene wasn’t one to share her feelings easily.

She said goodbye to her friend, hoping that nothing bad would happen.

⤖⤖⤖

Three days later Seulgi received a call from Joy.

“Have you heard from Miss Bae?” The girl asked, trying not to sound worried.

“Why? Did something happen?”

“She didn’t come to work today. I figured it was because of the news she got.”

Seulgi stopped at a red light.

“Do you think I should go to visit her?”

“I think you shouldn’t have left her alone in the first place,” Joy said. “But you already did it so at least go make sure she’s still alive. I’ve been canceling meetings since Friday and the associates want to kill me.”

Seulgi laughed, accelerating the car.

“I’ll go check if she’s trying to disappear from hunger like last time.” She said, changing direction towards Irene’s house. “I’m sure she will thank you, Sooyoung. I’ll let you know what I find.”

The businesswoman’s state was deplorable. She had spent all weekend crying until she ran out of tears. She had never taken loss very well or any other hurtful feeling in general. She felt sick.

She barely stood up and opened the door when she heard the doorbell.

“You look like ,” Seulgi said, making herself home.

Irene didn’t answer, going back to the same position she had been in since Friday night.

“How long since you ate?”

“What are you doing here?” Irene asked instead, rolling her eyes.

“Sooyoung and I were worried about you.”

“Sooyoung…?” She asked, without paying attention.

“Joy, your assistant. She was definitely right to be worried.”

Silence.

Irene had forgotten completely that she was supposed to eat, shower and work. It cro