[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“Han Na!”

I stopped dead on my tracks. I looked for the person who called my name and saw a figure running towards me - a man. I squinted closer to see who he is and recognized him to be the man who told me about dad’s accident a day ago. I stayed on my place and patiently waited for him. 

“Han Na,” he said, panting. “Good Morning. It’s nice to see you.”

“Uhh... Good morning, Sir.” I answered politely. 

“I’ve been waiting for you since yesterday to pass by. I was hoping to get some news about your father.”

“Ah. He’s okay, Sir. He’s been discharged from the hospital yesterday. He’s at our house, recovering.” Relief showed on his face so I continued, “By the way, Sir. I wasn’t able to thank you the other day. Thank you so much for telling me about my dad. I wouldn’t have known about it without you.”

He smiled at me and answered, “Oh, that’s nothing! Just tell your father to get well soon, okay? We already missed him.” 

This time his phone rang. He fetched it in his pocket and answered the call. I waited for him to hang up since it would be impolite if I would just leave. After a few minutes, he said to me, “I’d better go now, Han Na. You go on, too, or you might be late for your work. Send my regards to your father and mother, okay? Bye!”

He ran off while I was left waving at him from afar. I sighed. Late for work, huh.

***

The scene from the convenience store is much the same when I arrived: Chae Won is busy eating her snacks on the counter while the two other workers sweep the floor and restock the shelves, our security guard is nowhere to be found - probably off taking his morning dose of caffeine. 

I said my greetings to the my three co-workers but only got two good mornings back. Chae Won simply looked at me like I am some lunatic on the loose. Unfazed, I went off to complete my today’s mission. I headed off to the Manager’s Office.

I knocked three times before the door was finally opened. My manager stood at the entrance on his usual work outfit - flannel shirt and tattered jeans. He beamed when he saw me. 

“So you’re not up to breaking my door today, huh?” he said, jokingly. 

I chuckled and said, “No, Sir. I’m afraid I’m here for a very important reason.”

“Oh really? Well, get in.” He motioned me to get inside his office. I obeyed and settled myself on one of the chairs in front of his desk. He followed suit and sat on the chair opposite mine. “So? What do you want to say?”

“Sir. First, I really want to thank you for everything. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be working in this store in the first place.” I remembered how I begged him to accept me although they already have enough manpower to run the store. I remembered how he guided me and cheered me up during the days I was only adjusting to the work life. I remembered how he would offer me free foods and drinks when I have nothing to eat during snack breaks since I don’t want to spend more money. I took a deep breath and continued, “You even allowed me to leave when my father got sick. You helped cover up for me. I really owe you a lot, Sir. And for that I am entirely grateful. But I’m afraid... I’m afraid I have to quit my job, Sir.”

I heard him gasp. He moved his chair so he’s a bit closer to me and said, “You’re leaving? Why? Are you continuing your studies?”

I smiled at him and answered, “No, Sir. I just... Let’s just say I found a more stable job and decided to left Jeju for a while to try and see if I can be lucky.”

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