Chapter 41

At times, his messages were so vividly well-written that she could even feel the meltdown of the narrator’s ego in real time. Although obviously, it had not quite the effect ‒ to touch her heart that is ‒ Sang-Hoon was hoping for.

[Wasn’t it even tough for you to watch me suffer?] 6:10 PM

He was the one who dumped her, yet here he was hoping for respect and sympathy…

[I even thought I was getting punished] 6:11 PM

[for not giving you a second chance then…] 6:11 PM

[Aah, I…] 6:11 PM

[Yeah, I’m getting punished for hurting you] 6:12 PM

Today as well, Sang-Hoon stayed true to the name she had registered him as. He could blame Sunday’s messages on the alcohol, but these were sent with an absolutely sane mind. The flow of the following messages depicted well his dramatically subdued emotions.

[So this time it’s my turn to wait] 6:12 PM

[That’s what I thought and waited] 6:12 PM

After barely waiting one week? Yeah, right, that was smooth.

[If I waited you would say something] 6:13 PM

[If you really felt sorry for me, you would try to make things right] 6:13 PM

“……?”

Feel sorry about what? Make what right?

[But aren’t you too much?] 6:14 PM

[We’re not the kind to just stop talking after breaking up, are we?] 6:14 PM

[It’s not like we’re not going to see each other anymore, is it?] 6:15 PM

[Why do you keep making things difficult?] 6:16 PM

Who? What things?!

[I dont thnk I can waitt for u to deal with it] 7:22 PM

With idle time after getting off work, it seemed Sang-Hoon had taken the opportunity to enjoy some drinking. The messages sent about one hour later were filled with typos. It was like Sunday’s messages all over again.

[Lets meet] 7:27 PM

[Meet dis oppa just 1 time] 7:33 PM

[u work late tday too?] 7:35 PM

[Tdy I’ll b waitin in frunt of ur ofice] 7:49 PM

Although the original text looked like this, its content was so dangerous that Na-Yool’s eyes automatically read it correctly. The infinite seriousness of Sang-Hoon’s tone ended up sounding ridiculous, but Na-Yool could not bring herself to even smile faintly as before.

“What are you doing?”

It was Seung-Jae, coming back to his seat. He pulled his chair as he spoke and busily clicked on his mouse, waking up a Na-Yool stiffened by the bad news she had received. Without answering, Na-Yool first fell into agony.

There was a high probability that Sang-Hoon was waiting outside right now. Half out of his mind, most likely.

If she went with Seung-Jae to their dinner party like this, he would surely meet with Sang-Hoon, and Sang-Hoon would surely do something embarrassing… Ahh, it was horrifying. The thought of Seung-Jae, of a fellow coworker seeing Sang-Hoon in that state was simply horrifying.

But if I go out on my own…

She would see him alone. Which in itself also was horrifying. Na-Yool violently chattered her teeth, stuck in a dilemma she could not get out of. In the midst of her internal struggle, she felt Seung-Jae’s curious glances on her, but she had no time to worry about it.

Tormented for a while by the worries on her mind, Na-Yool plunged into despair as she realized the clock was already hitting 8:35 p.m.

…Alright. If you want something done, better do it yourself!

She lifted her head up as she embraced this resolution, 22 years overdue. This moral lesson had been a hidden teaching from the cartoons she used to watch around age 7, but only now was she resolute to apply it whatever the outcome was.

But still, to let Sang-Hoon be seen by someone, be it Seung-Jae or any other employee…

“Are you done with revising the proposal for Baeksan?”

“Huh?”

Na-Yool, who was busy slamming her head against her phone in anguish, jolted up. Surprised by her jolting, Seung-Jae flinched.

“The revised version for Baeksan.”

“Ah, yeah I handed it over earlier.”

“Then you are done.”

“Yeah.”

“So you were waiting for me all this time…”

It was not exactly so, but Na-Yool distractedly nodded, her mind focused on the [in frunt of ur ofice] message. Seung-Jae’s face clouded up with an even sorrier expression.

“I am sorry to say that when I am the one who asked you out, but would you mind waiting a bit longer?”

“—how long?” asked Na-Yool right away, skipping answering in the affirmative.

She simply was eager to estimate the exact time difference between here and Sang-Hoon, so in other words, how long exactly would it take. But to Seung-Jae who already felt in the wrong, it sounded like she was annoyed at him.

Seung-Jae apologized abruptly. “I am sorry. Are you angry?”

“…What? Why are you apologizing? Why should I be angry?”

“You really are angry, Ms. Na-Yool…” sighed Seung-Jae thinking Na-Yool was being ironic.

What is wrong with that kid now?

Confused, Na-Yool muttered while looking alternately at Seung-Jae and her phone. “No, nothing like that, I just want to know how much longer it will take.”

“If I say you have to wait more, you will leave me behind anyway…”

“Gosh, listen to what people actually say. I said I will wait, but I’m asking how much longer.”

Interpreting her tone as a sign of annoyance, Seung-Jae ducked his head in a repentant manner, then raised it back about 3 seconds later as he realized what she had actually said. His face, suddenly turning lively after looking so gloomy, was exactly like one of a child.

“You just have to wait a little longer. But this, the client said the source in the video is slightly wrong, but the video team said they cannot fix it until the weekend, that’s why…”

“That’s why you are fixing all the contents in the brochure so that it matches with the video contents?”

“They begged me to cover for them, so what other way do I have. Anyway, it will not take long. It should take about 20-30 minutes, so…” Distracted once again by her phone, Na-Yool nodded vaguely. She then busily started to pack her things in her handbag. The sight of it made Seung-Jae slurred his words with a puzzled look.

“I’ll wait.”

“It looks like you are leaving though…?”

It really looked like so. Because she was.

Her head bobbing busily, Na-Yool pushed her chair under her desk and shut down her computer.

“I’ll wait. Outside.”

“…Why not keep warm inside?”

“There’s something I’ve wanted to buy for a few days now, but I couldn’t because I always worked until too late. So I’ll go buy it somewhere near here.”

“What—”

“Moisture cream, eye cream, sleeping packs, stuff like that. Stuff you don’t know and do not care about.” Na-Yool had answered in one single breath. It was closer to rap than speaking. As for her body, she had almost turned her back fully on Seung-Jae and her desk.

“Not at all. I am very interested in such things. Then, how about buying it when we leave togeth‒”

“No, nope. Plus, I take time to pick them.”

“Still, you waited for me, how could I just… I don’t mind, no matter how long it takes. Even if it takes a full hour to look at one moisture cream.”

That kid, no doubt he would change his mind once he actually stood an hour next to her looking at moisture cream. Let’s see if he could make the same speech then! Na-Yool was unreasonably venting her anger at the guiltless Seung-Jae who had no idea of what was going on, but she managed to calm it down.

He is a good kid. He can’t work properly, but he is a good kid.

“You have your work to do too, so it would be a waste of time anyway to go buy it together. Right?”

“That is true.”

“You in the office. Me buying my stuff. Let’s use our time efficiently, Seung-Jae.”

“Then, when I am done I will‒”

“Yeah, contact me. Anyway, I’m going. See you!” Na-Yool, exhausted from rushed talking, hastily stomped away while the handbag she held in her hand swung in the air.