Lee Jieun’s alarm clock rang promptly at 7 a.m., but she didn’t need it, for she had already been awake. It would have been more accurate to say that she didn’t get a wink of sleep the night before. Her mind was clouded by complicated webs of thoughts; it was impossible for her to stay in her right mind. The meeting with Sehun yesterday reminded her of things that she had tried to deny, neglect, and bury deep inside.      What was her purpose? What was the start of everything? What would she end up with in the end? Was it all worth it? Should she stop herself before it was too late? Or, was it already too late?      However many, one question was the biggest out of the rest: what did Lu Han really mean to her? What was his role? Was he really nothing but a tool?      With those thoughts rampaging about in her head, Jieun trudged her way into the bathroom. She put in some eyedrops for her bloodshot eyes before proceeding to take a quick shower. When she was finished, she put on a white button-down blouse with a simple black pencil skirt, along with light make up. Once she was done with preparations, she glanced at the clock—which told her that it was 8:30a.m.—and headed out the door.      To her surprise, Sehun was waiting outside, leaning against the wall. “Good morning,” he said with a smile, straightening up. “First day of work, hm?”      A small sigh escaped Jieun’s lips. “Sehun. I thought—”      Without letting her finish, he grabbed ahold of her wrists and led her out. “Come on. You’ll be late.”      “No, Oh Sehun, stop it!” She pried his grip from her and indignantly glared at him. “I told you to stop this. Why can’t you understand?”      The man bit his lower lip and clenched his fists. “Don’t say that. You don’t mean it anyway.”      “I mean every single syllable of it,” she hissed. “So don’t waste your time like this.” Her expression softening a bit, she looked at him apologetically. “Find someone better, Sehun. I don’t deserve your devotion.” With that said, she left, leaving him alone to drown in the echoing of the clicks and clacks of her heels.      Trying his best to not recall the events that happened yesterday under the rain, he closed his eyes and clutched helplessly at the hem of his shirt. “You can’t mean it… Don’t do this to me, Lee Jieun.”       “I haven’t changed a bit. And I haven’t gone anywhere. I’ll always be here, with my heart already given to you. I love you. I love you so much, Jieun. So when all of this is over… You’ll return. I know you will.”      He didn’t want to lose her. She was slowly slipping away like sand; before she was completely gone, Sehun knew he had to hold on to whatever else he had left. He held her in his arms a bit tighter, burying his face into her wet shoulders.      Then, he felt her cold hand brushing through his hair once, twice, then three times. Her hand now at his forearm, Jieun pulled away. “Sehun. You were like my shelter during struggle. You were always there, still in one spot, waiting and ready for me. Believe it or not, I relied on you—a lot. When mom died, I wanted to end my pitiful life once and for all. But I didn’t. No, I couldn’t. Because of you. I couldn’t even think of leaving you behind; not for your sake, but for mine. There was a time when I loved you so dearly.” She sighed. “But that was then. I’m sorry, Sehun. I’m sorry that I’ve changed while you’ve remained the same. I’m sorry I hurt you, am hurting you, and probably will hurt you. I’ll always be grateful towards you; I just don’t feel the way I have done in the past about you.”      “Jieun… I can wait. I understand. I’m very aware of how crazy and hectic life can be for you. I know. So I’m willing to wait. I can wait another year, two, three, or even ten. However long it may take, I’ll just stand here. All you have to do is turn around and come back. When all of this is over, you just need to return to my arms.”      Shaking her head, she gave him a look of hesitance yet certainty. “No, Oh Sehun. Regardless of how things turn out in the future, I’m not going back to you.”      All he could do was wish that her words were a mistake.   <:>      “Good morning, Ms. Lee.”      As Jieun walked along the hallways of Xiao Lu Investment’s hallways, she was greeted by a great number of people. She didn’t know more than three quarters of them all; but, they knew her. Rumors had gone around more than once that she was the new corporate lawyer of the company, as well as the fiancée of the Lu household’s heir. In response to the greetings, Jieun would smile slightly but politely with a nod and a “good morning” in a low voice until she was finally alone in her office.      The room and its furniture had been freshly refurnished prior to her arrival; things were sleekly modern with a hint of simplicity, just as she liked it. Her nam