PBWY - 8

Turning Away

Life was calm as ever.

Except for the storm raging inside her heart, everything was the same as before.

Yeonhee, after putting on makeup and dressing like usual, went to work just like any other day.

That day, after sending Junghoon off first, she wandered the night streets aimlessly and ran into Jun-jae again. He looked at her with a worried expression but didn’t ask what had happened. Perhaps he had read the emotion of loss that covered her face.

Yeonhee told Jun-jae, “Thank you. I’ll repay you for today someday,” and then lay down alone in a hotel room.

The surroundings were silent, and her mind was still. She closed her eyes and fell into thought.

The day she first met Junghoon. The day they first went to a hotel. The day of their first date. The day they first slept together at his place. And... and the day she discovered the truth. The day she realized that while she had loved him, he had deceived her.

If she had turned away then, would she have not felt this pain?

Her thoughts drifted through her mind slowly, like sitting in an empty movie theater, staring at the screen. Strangely, it seemed she had been happy when she first met him. There were many days she cried, but there were even more days she smiled.

She had loved him so much that she had forced herself to patch up her wounds, and just seeing his smile had made her happy. But that was a fragile fulfillment. She had realized that fact too late. How foolish she had been.

She couldn’t just keep her eyes closed and block her ears anymore. It was time to get up again and walk on her own.

Still, even though she knew she had to leave him, Yeonhee lay on the bed, crying quietly. She cried silently, soaking her pillow until dawn. The hot tears split her heart and filled her body with pain. The reality that she could no longer be with him clung to her painfully.

Yet, it was something she had to do. She had to cut off the actions that had hurt herself and made her feel insignificant.

The night, soaked in sorrow, felt long.

But eventually, dawn broke.

Looking at the sky, which turned a bluish hue in the first light of morning, Yeonhee smiled with swollen eyes. Just as the morning came after the painful night, the pain would be forgotten once the difficult times passed.

She had never been loved by the one she truly wanted to be loved by. Now, it was her turn to love herself.

It had already been several days since she made that resolution and returned to work. A whole week had passed.

She hadn’t even had a proper conversation with Junghoon. The project schedule had been suddenly changed, and both he and she had been too busy to even blink. Unless he, as the team leader, approached her, there was little chance for her to approach him. From the beginning, their relationship had been one-sided.

Realizing this, Yeonhee stared blankly at the photocopier. She was in the document room, printing out materials for the meeting.

Whirring—whirring—the photocopier made a small noise as it spat out the hot papers. While she watched it, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

“Are those the meeting materials?”

It was Junghoon’s voice. Maybe due to several days of overtime, his voice sounded a little tired, a bit lower.

After his voice, the sound of the document room door clicking shut followed.

Yeonhee tightened her expression and gripped the photocopier. She kept thinking to herself, “I have to finish, I have to finish,” but she couldn’t bring herself to face him. Until now, she had been numb to reality.

But now, facing him, the reality of their separation began to feel more distinct. Her heart pounded, beating rapidly like a drum.

“Have you been really busy lately?”

He had come closer and, picking up the hot paper the photocopier had just ejected, casually asked.

Yeonhee, glancing at him, nodded at the man whose eyelashes were even elegant as he looked down at the file.

“Yes, Team Leader. The schedule changed, so it’s been a bit hectic.”

“Well, it’s over now, so I’ll be able to take a breather.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Her response was stiffer than usual.

Junghoon, who had been staring at the documents, lifted his gaze. His deep gaze swept over Yeonhee. She turned her head slightly to avoid his gaze.

Even though he seemed tired, his face still looked neat and radiant, and Yeonhee couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye.

“Why do you only look for me, even when no one else is around? It makes things feel distant.”

He asked in a slightly irritated tone, as if something was bothering him. Yeonhee kept her lips tight and swallowed a dry gulp.

After throwing the paper she had been holding onto the toolbox, he approached.

“Why aren’t you looking at me?”

He crossed his arms and quietly looked down at Yeonhee, who was still avoiding his gaze. Yeonhee removed her bitten lip and spoke calmly.

“Team Leader. I want to stop now.”

“….”

Junghoon’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“I want to stop this kind of relationship with you.”

“…This kind of relationship?”

He asked, his face wiping away the smile, now replaced by a blank expression. When he smiled, he seemed incredibly kind, but in moments like this, when he was emotionless, he appeared as cold as a snow-covered plain.

Yeonhee, her fingers trembling slightly, looked down at them before continuing in a composed voice.

“The place may not be the best for this, but... I’ve been busy lately, so I couldn’t tell you earlier.”

“…….”

“I’ll go first then.”

Yeonhee bowed her head slightly, picked up the stack of printed papers, and hurriedly moved her feet, eager to leave. But just as she was about to walk out, a lazy voice pierced the air.

“Why? Are you going to meet that guy?”

His voice had a sneer to it. Yeonhee gripped the doorknob and slowly turned her body. Junghoon had leaned against the wall, arms crossed, quietly staring at her.

She blinked, trying to figure out who he meant by ‘that guy,’ when Junghoon pushed off the wall and walked toward her. He forcefully pried her hand off the doorknob.

“Did you feel threatened because I caught you trying to do something behind my back?”

“…What are you talking about…?”

“If you meet that guy, what do you think I’ll do?”

He met her gaze, his eyes cold as ice, and smiled chillingly. His lips only moved, but his eyes mocked her.

“I heard that the Cheongyeong Art Museum is run by Yuhan Steel…”

Junghoon leaned closer, looking at her with a false gentleness, and slowly swept his hand through her hair. Every time his fingers brushed her delicate strands, a cold shiver ran down Yeonhee’s spine.

“Well then, go ahead. I’m curious—will you keep seeing that Im Jun-jae even if he ends up broke?”

“What... are you saying?”

He twisted his lips into a wide, dazzling smile. It was a smile so captivating it could make even a stranger fall in love.

“Yeonhee, workout sessions are actually pretty common. Especially in mediocre manufacturing companies.”

“……”

“Oh, maybe you’re thinking of finding another fool if that bastard goes under? But what if... what if all those guys’ families collapse too? Who will you go to then?”

With a smile still lingering on his face, he threw those cruel words at her.

Yeonhee stood there, speechless, staring at him blankly. His words, wrapped in a smile, were full of malice. The cruelty in them made it seem like he would really push Jun-jae into a pit, and the thought terrified Yeonhee.

It was just the final notice from a sex partner. Was it really necessary to go this far? Was his wounded pride such a big deal to him? Her mind was a whirlwind.

The unfamiliar man seemed even more unfamiliar now. Yeonhee took a deep breath and shook her head.

“No. That’s not it. Jun-jae is just a friend. We’ve been friends since we were kids… we’re definitely not like that.”

“…….”

“No, that’s not it, Team Leader... It’s not that someone else came into my life, and that’s why I want to stop.”

His eyes scanned Yeonhee’s face as if probing her soul. Yeonhee could only shake her head desperately with wet eyes.

Junghoon straightened his back and stood with his arms crossed, his face taking on an authoritative expression.

“Then why all of a sudden? We didn’t have any problems, did we?”

The words were so absurd that Yeonhee couldn’t help but laugh. No problems? There had only ever been problems for her, from the very start. To him, everything was fine, but to her, from the moment it began, everything had been wrong.

Her uncontrollable falling for him. Thinking it was love when it was just a sex partner situation. Even knowing the truth, she couldn’t let go of him. All of it was a problem.

“I want to date now. I want to date like normal people, and... I want to be happy.”

The tears and pain that came from her relationship with him had all been her own. Now, she wanted to be happy too. That was the only truth.

“Oh, is that so?”

Junghoon seemed to realize something, smiling sweetly as he gently caressed Yeonhee’s cheek. He rubbed her stiff cheek with his thumb as he continued speaking.

“Then let’s do it. Let’s date.”

“…What?”

“Marriage might be too much, but I can do the dating part.”

His touch was so affectionate, as if doing her a favor.

It only made her feel even worse. How long was he planning to deceive and toy with her? She had thought her self-esteem was already shattered, but it felt like it was being torn apart all over again.

He was a vile man. A truly vile man.

Yeonhee pushed his hand away and took a step back.

“What’s so easy about you, Team Leader? Is everything just that simple to you? Do you even know what love is...?”

He glanced at his hand, rejected by her, before turning his cold gaze toward Yeonhee. The soft smile was completely gone from his face.

Yeonhee glared at him silently.

What do you know? What do you know about love or dating? What do you understand about any of it, you who find everything so easy, light, and trivial?

A surge of anger welled up inside her. She felt sorry for herself for being toyed with by him. She felt foolish for letting herself be swayed by someone like him. Once the shell of love was peeled away, all she saw was a disappointing and cruel person.

But his attitude remained unchanged.

“Have dinner together, go on dates, buy presents, compliment each other, have sex. Isn’t that what dating is? I can do that for you.”

The cruel words came as if he was throwing a charity donation her way. By now, Yeonhee’s fury seemed to calm down, oddly enough. Moreover, the kind of ‘dating’ he spoke of was exactly what they had been doing until now.

Yes. That’s it.

That’s why she had mistaken their relationship for love in the beginning. She didn’t even realize he was deceiving her with his smile. Once she figured it out, she couldn’t bear the misery.

She let out a bitter laugh. Who was this person in front of her?

Junghoon laughed as usual.

“The kind of dating Yeonhee wants, sure, let’s do it. It’s not that difficult.”

Without warning, he pulled out his phone and dialed someone. After a few beeps, the other party answered, and Junghoon spoke casually.

“So-young, I’m canceling my dinner plans for tonight. No, it’s fine. I can reschedule for tomorrow or the day after. Yeah, next week works too.”

The person on the other end of the line was his secretary. Yeonhee listened, her face filled with confusion. Soon, Junghoon put the final word in.

“And make a reservation at that restaurant for tonight. Yes, for two. Seven o’clock. Okay, thanks.”

He ended the call effortlessly and turned his attention back to her.

“We’re in a relationship, so let’s start with a date again. Is that okay now?”

As he spoke, his smile was pure and bright, as if he were some untouchable figure in an untouched white snowfield. His face was as pristine and innocent as someone who had never even thought about doubt.

A man so self-centered. A selfish man. Someone completely different from me. It seemed almost unbelievable that someone could be so egoistic and unaware of how terrible they were.

So Yeonhee could only stare at him in a daze.

The restaurant was quiet. Yeonhee ate her food silently without speaking. Since Junghoon was also someone who usually didn’t speak much during meals, the only sound between them was the restaurant music and the heavy silence.

Had it been like this before, she would have found the silence comforting. But today, it felt as if she were wearing an ill-fitting outfit—it was just uncomfortable. She wanted to throw it away.

After a few courses had come and gone, a lemon sorbet was served. Yeonhee mechanically took a small spoonful.

Junghoon nudged her untouched sorbet toward her and asked casually.

“Is it good?”

“…Yes.”

In truth, she couldn’t really taste anything, but she answered out of obligation.

Junghoon soon placed a small, elegantly wrapped box on the table. Yeonhee, holding the spoon, quietly stared at it. She didn’t even ask what it was.

“It’s a gift for you, Yeonhee.”

Junghoon spoke first.

He opened the box and held it out toward her. A gold bracelet glittered under the chandelier’s light. It was clearly something expensive. Considering his level, it was probably shockingly priced.

“I bought it a while ago, but I didn’t have the chance to give it to you. You’ve been avoiding me for a while. Do you remember?”

Yeonhee nodded silently.

How could she forget? Didn’t she deliberately avoid him, which led to all of this? After fighting with her mother, she feared depending on him, so she distanced herself, which eventually led to misunderstandings and verbal abuse. There was no way she could have forgotten. She couldn’t forget that wound.

Yeonhee swallowed her bitter feelings.

Is this a rich person’s charity toward a poor person? Or is it a payment for being his sex partner? Or maybe... is it just a token gift for playing the role of lovers?

Whatever it is, it’s equally pathetic.

She pulled the bracelet toward her and held it, offering a faint smile.

“Thank you.”

Junghoon glanced at his wristwatch before standing up. He politely pulled Yeonhee’s chair back and naturally took her hand, as if they were a loving couple.

Yeonhee held his hand and slowly walked toward the exit.

It was the kind of contact they had never shared before. They had had sex countless times, but never walked together hand in hand. Yet, she felt no joy. If this had been before, she would have been elated, unable to sleep with happiness. But not now.

Suddenly, his words came to mind.

“Have dinner together, go on dates, buy presents, compliment each other, have sex. Isn’t that what dating is? I can do that for you.”

A sad smile escaped her lips.

Right. It’s all about what he can give. Pouring out fake affection like this. Because he liked the sex. Because he didn’t want to lose her body. Going this far.

She followed him, quietly glancing up at the handsome side of his face. Perhaps the image of him reflected in her retina would be the last she’d see of him this close.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away. She couldn’t let go of his hand. Knowing this might be the last time, Yeonhee looked at him again and again. Then, as the door of the fancy restaurant opened, she finally lowered her gaze.

Before leaving, Yeonhee let go of Junghoon’s hand and handed something to the restaurant staff.

“Excuse me, could you please throw this away?”

It was the gift from Junghoon. It was clearly not something that would be discarded easily, so the staff hesitated to take it.

The staff member was flustered, and Junghoon’s expression stiffened. Only Yeonhee, with an impassive face, extended the gift again.

“Please throw it away.”

Finally, the staff member accepted the gift.

A low, rough voice came from above her head.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t need it, so I’m throwing it away.”

Yeonhee raised her head with an emotionless expression. When she lifted her gaze, Junghoon’s face, twisted in disbelief, met her eyes. It amused her to see him make such a face.

Junghoon’s frown deepened at Yeonhee’s smile. He irritably ran a hand through his hair before taking her hand again and starting to walk briskly. He seemed unwilling to argue any longer in front of the staff.

He ignored the car waiting outside and stepped into a small courtyard. Then, looking down at Yeonhee, who was pulling her hand away, he fixed her with a fierce glare, as if demanding an explanation.

“What are you trying to do?”

His tone was as if he was scraping the darkness.

“Well, since I’m yours now, don’t you think I can do whatever I want?”

“What?”

But Yeonhee remained calm. She wasn’t afraid of him leaving, so everything felt emotionless.

“We’re dating now, aren’t we? You said you’d play the part of a boyfriend.”

His silence was an answer in itself. Yeonhee stared at him coldly, then casually spoke.

“Then let’s break up here. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“…What did you say?”

His voice dropped, heavy with disbelief. Yeonhee, gathering her courage, finally spoke the words that had been in her heart.

“I don’t need the gift you gave me, and I don’t need you. I’m not trying to meet someone else... I just don’t want to be with you anymore.”

He had no reply. His eyes, wide with shock, stared at her. It was as if he couldn’t believe the words coming from her mouth, as if he couldn’t understand them. The lights from the garden reflected in his trembling eyes.

It had always been him, confidently smiling in front of her, but today, for the first time, the roles had reversed.

Now, she was the one smiling, and he was the one frozen. That realization gave her a sense of satisfaction, even though her heart ached. He would forget her, despise her, and hate her. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, but at the same time, she was happy.

Looking up at him, Yeonhee spoke in a tone that was endlessly calm.

“Why? Do you think I can’t break up with you? Because I love you?”

As she spoke, a sense of betrayal surged, and she gritted her teeth. The pain and wounds she had endured from him began to wash over her like the receding tide. Resentment flowed uncontrollably.

Yeonhee raised her hand and poked his chest with her finger.

“What’s so great about you?”

“...”

“What makes you so special? You think everything is a joke, don’t you? But what now? I don’t want to be a joke to you anymore.”

“...Jeong Yeonhee.”

He called her name in a low, strained voice. But Yeonhee, with a calm, unmoving expression, gazed at him and spoke her final words.

“We’re not lovers, not friends. I’m done with everything with you.”

“...”

“The last meal was delicious. Since it’s the day we’re breaking up, I’ll pay for the food I ate.”

She rummaged through her purse, took out a few fifty-thousand-won bills she had prepared earlier, and handed them to him.

Just like when she ran away from him in New York after their first time together, leaving ten dollars on the table. Now, she was handing him two hundred thousand won, trying to leave.

Of course, he didn’t accept the money. Yeonhee tossed the four bills into the garden, then turned her back on him. She slowly walked out of the garden, each step taking her further from his world and into her own.

With each step, the yellow light from the streetlamps clung to her. She walked with her shoulders straight, proudly, but strangely, her throat tightened.

It’s over. It’s really over now. I’ll never be with him again.

At last, she felt proud of herself for cutting him out, but at the same time, sadness surged, and she couldn’t hold it back. Even though she bit her lips, her mouth trembled with the bittersweet feeling.

Though the affection he showed her was fake, his touch had been real. His warm embrace, his large hand that gently patted her head, the tender gaze he gave her – those had been happy moments in reality.

If she had kept her eyes closed and ignored it, she could have enjoyed it longer. Letting it go now, she felt both pain and freedom.

Her pace quickened. She was about to leave the garden when she heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Suddenly, her body was forcefully turned around. He was glaring at her with clenched teeth, his breath ragged.

With labored breath, he gritted his teeth and spoke.

“Are you really going to cry and say we’re breaking up?”

“...”

Yeonhee quietly wiped her face. She must have been crying without realizing it.

But what could she do? She had just torn her heart out. She had just ripped out all the love she had once given him. She couldn’t be okay after that. But it was something she had to endure on her own.

Yeonhee slapped his hand away. Her tear-filled eyes glistened coldly.

“Don’t concern yourself.”

“Jeong Yeonhee!”

“Do you think I’m crying because of you, Team Leader?”

His expression hardened suddenly, as if he had been attacked out of nowhere. Yeonhee smiled with her tear-streaked face.

“I’m not crying because I lost you, the wonderful and great person. I’m crying because my valuable and noble love was trampled by someone like you.”

“...”

The resentment that had built up each day and grown beyond measure burst out, unstoppable. Yeonhee stared at him, tears streaming down her face, but she continued without blinking.

“I loved you. I don’t think my love was wrong. My love wasn’t wrong.”

“...”

“The mistake is yours. I regret giving my love to someone like you. I’m sad because my foolishness in loving you. That’s why I’m crying.”

The hand he had reached out to her slowly dropped.

His vacant expression as he stared at her, though filled with despair, was oddly beautiful, and it broke her heart. She had spat out cruel words, but she was still in love with him.

But what was more important now was herself, so Yeonhee didn’t bend. It was time to sever the ties with him, the one who had used her love to manipulate and drag her around.

Wiping her tears roughly, Yeonhee spoke in a calm voice, as though she hadn’t shed a single tear.

“I don’t need your fake sympathy, and I don’t need your comfort. My sorrow is mine to bear.”

“...”

“You’re the one who trampled my heart.”

With those words, she left the garden. Leaving him standing there, as though he had forgotten how to move, she turned her back on him.

She never looked back.

She suddenly took sick leave. Four whole days until the weekend.

After the real breakup with him, a high fever hit, and it was hard to even move. She had always gone to work despite catching a cold, period pains, or sudden stomach aches, but this time, the pain was so intense it felt like she was about to die, so she just couldn’t go.

It was fortunate that there was some flexibility in her schedule after finishing a short-term project. She had always been diligent, so everyone was genuinely concerned, and she almost felt sorry for them.

Despite her suffering, she eventually found a place to stay. It was a female-only study room, and there was no deposit required, which was perfect for someone without a place to go.

Yeonhee lay curled up in the room with no windows. When she stretched her legs out, the soles of her feet touched the wall, so she had no choice but to bend her legs slightly. But since it was her own space, it felt surprisingly comforting. If she had known this would be the case, she would have left home much earlier.

The house, though comfortable, had never been her space. What was it that had her clinging to it so pathetically?

And then, Min Junghoon.

Min Junghoon, whom she had loved but had never truly belonged to her.

It had been the same with him. What was it about him that made her abandon herself like that?

Yeonhee buried her face in the pillow to forget her sorrow. Her phone, which was nearby, blinked with a new message. She weakly raised her hand to check it. It was a message from her mom.

[Where are you? You didn’t go to work? Did something happen at the office?]

Yeonhee sighed and ignored it.

A few days ago, after ending things with Junghoon, she blocked his number. The day after their breakup at the restaurant, he had called incessantly as soon as she took sick leave, and she couldn’t help but block him.

After blocking him, she received a call from an unknown number, which she hesitated to answer, but it was him. She hung up immediately and decided not to answer any unknown calls. She had taken sick leave to sort out her thoughts, and she couldn’t let one phone call shake her.

Beep—beep—beep—

This time, her phone started ringing again. It was her mom. She ignored it once, but since it kept ringing, she eventually had no choice but to answer.

“Hello.”

-What, you didn’t go to work?

Before asking how she was, her mom immediately scolded her.

Yeonhee closed her eyes with a resigned expression. Didn’t her mom care that she had left home? Didn’t she wonder where she was staying or why she hadn’t come back? Was it just about the money she sent? She was tired of asking.

Yeonhee rubbed her aching temples and weakly responded.

“I’m resting because I’m sick.”

-You’re resting for three days because you’re sick? How are you supposed to make money in that state?

“How did you know I didn’t go to work?”

-Your team leader came looking for you, saying he was worried! Even if you’re sick, how could you make your team leader come looking for you? Are you out of your mind?

At that moment, Yeonhee’s expression froze.

If it was the team leader... it must have been Min Junghoon, the same Junghoon she knew. He had given her rides home several times and knew where she lived, so it seemed like he came to scold her.

After all, she had thrown away the gift he gave her right in front of him. And she had even severed their relationship first. Her pride must have been severely wounded.

She hadn’t expected him to come to scold her, but then again, she realized that people who’ve never faced failure are more sensitive to rejection. Junghoon, who wasn’t used to being rejected, might have been angrier because of that. It wasn’t completely surprising.

Yeonhee consciously pushed the thought of him out of her mind and chuckled.

‘Mom’s more worried about inconveniencing other people than about me being sick.’

It didn’t surprise her.

“What? Are you afraid that if I get fired, you won’t be able to take money from me?”

-What? What are you saying!

Yeonhee slowly rubbed her forehead.

“Mom, I’m in a study room right now.”

-A study room?

“I came here in a hurry because you didn’t give me any money for the business you set up for Oppa.”

-……

“Nothing to say?”

There was no response. As if she hadn’t expected an answer, Yeonhee said “I’m hanging up now” and pressed the end call button.

She lay back down on the bed, feeling feverish again. She absently rubbed the fingerprint marks on the screen before pulling the blanket over herself.

It was time to start anew.

Even if it was a pitiful first step, what mattered was that she had taken it. Her mom, Min Junghoon, her lingering attachments, and all the useless love that was still trapped inside her—she was going to shake it all off and start fresh.

Yeonhee embraced her illness with a sense of lightness.

After a few days of being sick, Yeonhee returned to work, and everyone surrounded her with worried expressions.

“Yeonhee, are you feeling alright? Your face looks like it’s been cut in half!”

Hearing Manager Kim’s concern, Yeonhee shrugged her shoulders, assuring that she was fine. She hadn’t eaten well during her sick leave, so her face looked pale. Fortunately, it seemed like everyone believed her story about not being able to come to work because of the illness.

She hung her cardigan on her chair and started going through the missed emails when she heard someone approaching from behind. She didn’t even need to turn her head to know who it was. The scent reached her first, even before the voice.

A subtle, stylish fragrance. Though her shoulders tensed, she pretended to be nonchalant and raised her head.

“Hello, Team Leader.”

She greeted him cheerfully. His expression seemed a bit stiff. Junghoon, who had been staring at her, opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. After rubbing his furrowed brows nervously, he spoke hesitantly.

“…Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

Her voice was smoothly confident, almost shamelessly calm. It didn’t carry even the slightest trace of sorrow.

Seeing how composed Yeonhee was, Junghoon seemed to grow confused. Was this really the same Yeonhee who had just broken up with him and ignored all his calls? The one who used to look at him with sparkling eyes full of affection?

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

He spoke in a low voice. Yeonhee blinked and responded lightly.

“Could I catch up on my work first? I have quite a few things to take care of right now.”

……

Junghoon’s expression visibly twisted at Yeonhee’s reaction, as if she had slapped him with her indifference. It was the first time he had seen him lose his composure in the office, and it felt unfamiliar.

Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere, Deputy Manager Kwon glanced over at them. After a moment, Junghoon’s expression softened, and he simply nodded before heading to the team leader’s office.

Yeonhee finally relaxed her shoulders and took a deep breath in silence.

Though she had acted like everything was fine, she was actually trembling.

While crying quietly in the study room, she had rehearsed in her mind several times what her attitude should be when they met again. It seemed that the practice paid off, as she was able to respond calmly, even if it was just on the outside.

Showing any lingering attachment would have been unbearable to her.

“Deputy Manager Yoo is always so worried… I saw you dominating the tennis court last time, by the way. Don’t worry about it!”

Yeonhee continued with her usual flattery toward Deputy Manager Yoo.

Deputy Manager Yoo had recently been worried about his fitness since he hadn’t been working out, and he was concerned about an upcoming friendly tennis match this weekend.

As usual, Yeonhee reassured him, and he brightened up, flashing a big smile. It was her way of recovering some lost points for the sick leave.

Yeonhee glanced outside. Despite it being Monday, the team was already having drinks, and the outside air had a night-time chill. Her coworkers had said she could skip the gathering if she wasn’t feeling well, but Yeonhee shook her head. She saw such social gatherings as part of the job.

As always, she laughed and chatted. Her focus, however, was entirely on Junghoon, sitting at a distance, drinking beer. She convinced herself, as if hypnotizing herself:

“I’m not interested in him. I won’t look at him.”

By repeating this to herself, she managed to keep up the appearance of being fine.

Before long, the focus of the room shifted toward Junghoon. Deputy Manager Yoo jumped up from his seat and raised his glass.

“Let’s celebrate the successful completion of this project! A toast to Team Leader!”

The celebration was to honor the completion of the project under Team Leader Junghoon’s leadership. Yeonhee, smiling brightly, raised her glass. As their glasses clinked, she briefly caught Junghoon’s gaze, but she purposefully ignored it.

“How about our cheerful Yeonhee asking for a toast to Team Leader?” Deputy Manager Yoo shouted without any hesitation. It was a given that Yeonhee would be the one to keep the mood up, as she always did.

For a moment, Yeonhee’s heart sank, but she ignored the unease and nodded easily. She whispered a few words to Employee Yoo-jeong, who was sitting next to her, and then raised her glass again.

Soon, her cheerful voice rang out, full of energy.

“Is our handsome, stylish, and talented Team Leader Min Junghoon just any team leader?”

As Yeonhee began, Yoo-jeong, who had prepared for this, loudly answered.

“No!”

“Then what is our team leader?”

“He is light and love!”

Yeonhee beamed, raising her glass again.

“Exactly! We love you, Team Leader!”

Her confession—albeit not quite one—was echoed by the entire team.

“We love you, Team Leader!”

Laughter filled the room as their glasses clinked together.

“That’s such a classic toast from Yeonhee,” Deputy Manager Yoo said, patting her on the shoulder. Everyone appeared to be in high spirits—except for one person: Min Junghoon, who had just been on the receiving end of that enthusiastic declaration of love.

“......”

His gaze, fixed on Yeonhee, was solid and unyielding.

“Yoo-jeong, I’m going to get some fresh air for a moment.”

A little while later, Yeonhee passed by Employee Yoo-jeong, who had pulled out a chair, and went outside the restaurant. The weather had gotten noticeably colder, and the chill in the air made the back of her neck feel icy. As the cold wind seeped into her collar, the tension in her body slowly began to ease.

Yeonhee found herself recalling her earlier words.

‘Our handsome, stylish, and talented Team Leader Min...’

She had said that to him.

It was the first time she had openly praised him like that. Although she had often been quick to flatter her superiors, she had never spoken such words to Junghoon.

Her feelings for him had been sincere, and because she liked him, even a light compliment felt hard to say.

She was afraid that her emotions might show through, even in something as small as a short sentence. She feared that someone might notice the unspoken bond between them. That fear had kept her from speaking out.

But now…

Letting go of her feelings had made it easier.

‘I love you, Team Leader!’

She had even declared her passionate love for him in front of the entire staff. It almost made her laugh at how easily those words had come out. She never imagined she would confess her love so lightly.

The word “love” that had slipped from her lips a few days ago, and the word “love” she spoke today, felt different in emotional depth. One was light, diluted, and so much weaker. As a result, her confession seemed almost ridiculous.

Yeah, what was all the fuss about? What was so significant about her “love” for Min Junghoon? Just then, while she was standing against the building’s exterior, lost in self-deprecating thoughts, she noticed someone’s shoes beneath her lowered gaze.

In an instant, it felt as though her thoughts were yanked away as she was pulled into a different direction. Even just seeing the polished tip of the shoes, she knew it was him—Min Junghoon.

Slowly, she raised her head. He was pulling a cigarette from his pocket, and with a blank expression, he spoke.

“Let’s talk.”

Had they still not said everything there was to say? Yeonhee thought to herself, but nodded anyway.

Soon, Junghoon took her hand and began walking toward the back of the building. The sudden contact made Yeonhee flinch and tense up.

As if being pulled along, she walked with him, glancing back, fearful that someone might see them, but thankfully, there was no one around.

After walking for a bit into a narrow alley, they reached a dead-end. Only then did Junghoon let go of her hand and, with an irritated expression, put a cigarette in his mouth. He didn’t light it.

Yeonhee watched him with a confused look on her face. Had Team Leader ever smoked? She didn’t think so…

Junghoon, deep in thought, stared at the ground while holding the cigarette. The only thing underfoot was the dirty ground, but he stared at it quietly.

With his gracefully lowered lashes and the strong contour of his nose, Yeonhee observed him, feeling no particular emotion. Then he finally looked up, crumpled the unlit cigarette in his hand, and spoke.

“I thought you were going to quit the company.”

“That’s not true. I’ve told you before, my dream is to stay here long-term.”

Junghoon’s face revealed no emotion. He simply continued to look down at Yeonhee, who replied so shamelessly. With a sardonic smile, she added,

“I like our company. I want to work here for a long time. The end was a bit rough, but... please look at me kindly, Team Leader.”

“......”

“There’s still some attachment, after all. At one point, we were even lovers. For... what, an hour or two? I visited your place often.”

At those words, Junghoon’s face, which had been emotionless like a doll, suddenly displayed something—anger or resentment, but it was hard to tell. He let out a hollow laugh, then started glaring at her.

Only then did Yeonhee consciously erase the smile she had put on.

She couldn’t understand it. She was the one who had been hurt, so why did he have those wounded eyes? Why was he making that expression? Why him? What right did he have?

Yeonhee quickly averted her gaze. She couldn’t face him anymore.

“If you’ve said what you needed to say, I’m going to head back. As you know, I’m just a lowly employee, so I can’t leave my desk for too long.”

She started walking away, as though being chased. She wanted to shake off the shadow of him trailing behind her.

Then, his voice pierced through her once more.

“Alright. I’ll admit it, Yeonhee.”

His voice sounded unusually hurried. Yeonhee unconsciously stopped in her tracks. As he walked swiftly toward her, he continued speaking, breathlessly, toward her back.

“It started off wrong. I admit that my actions were rude.”

“......”

Yeonhee slowly turned around.

“Rude?”

Rude. Rude, she thought. It was absurd. Could everything have been summed up in such a short word? Could his actions be so easily dismissed with a word like that?

He had deceived her heart, played with it, and treated it like something cheap. He had broken her, trampled on her, and cruelly crushed her. He had choked her with the name of love and used it to control her. How could he possibly define all of that with just the word “rude”?

Yeonhee shook her head expressionlessly and turned her back again. It wasn’t even worth replying.

It was then that his voice pierced through again.

“What the hell is the problem?”

When Yeonhee turned back, she saw him glaring at her with eyes full of resentment.

“Isn’t this enough after all this? I said I’d love you because you wanted to be loved, so why? Why!”

Instead of answering, Yeonhee glared at him. She didn’t even want to respond. Min Junghoon was still Min Junghoon. People never change. He remained as arrogant as someone who could never lower their head.

He let out a long sigh and, once again, spoke calmly.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear the part where you said you wanted to break up.”

“......”

“I’ll forget about the gifts you threw away in front of me, the times you said it was over, and how you ignored my calls and messages.”

“What are you saying right now?”

“So... come back.”

His words, which had started with gritted teeth, finally trembled and faltered, weakening as he spoke.

“Come back.”

But hearing those words, Yeonhee’s eyes grew cold and calm. There was no place to return to—where was she supposed to go? How could she return to a place that was never hers to begin with?

“Return? You were never by my side in the first place.”

Junghoon clenched his trembling fist, then opened it again. His words, clenched between his teeth, came out harsh and threatening.

“Jeong Yeonhee, this is my last offer. If you walk away now, it will really be over.”

At those words, Yeonhee let out a faint smile.

“I’m sorry, Team Leader, but the end has already come... a long time ago.”