She stared motionless at the gloomy ceiling.

What was there just yesterday seemed gone today.

Her morning was more than quiet; it was desolate.

Seo Yeon finally realized that she had grown accustomed to mornings spent with him.

“…Let’s just go to work.”

Seo Yeon hurriedly finished her preparations for work, making the empty morning even busier.

She arrived at the office earlier than usual.

Looking at the mountain of work on her desk, she felt relieved.

No, she couldn’t possibly be glad.

Because then she wouldn’t think of Kwon Yool.

On the first day without Kwon Yool, Seo Yeon stayed at her desk except for meal times.

The next day, she escaped from reality and Kwon Yool.

She was uncertain whether to leave him or continue being with him.

But whenever she thought of Kwon Yool, she murmured as if brainwashing herself.

“I don’t know. I still… know nothing.”

Seo Yeon kept postponing the decision she didn’t want to make.

She lived each day as if she had decision-making paralysis, but ultimately changed her approach.

She worked until just before exhaustion every day, then collapsed into sleep.

As her body grew heavy and tired, her complex thoughts naturally blurred.

But even after two weeks apart, it was all in vain.

Seo Yeon still couldn’t distance herself from the compelling presence of Kwon Yool.

At first, she was too busy sleeping to think about him.

But fatigue must have an adaptation period.

Though her body was tired from the constant overtime, her mind became clearer.

No matter how absorbed she was in her work, pushing him away.

He continually occupied her thoughts.

Kwon Yool was still looming large in Seo Yeon’s mind, even growing in stature.

Like right now.

During Design Team 1’s meeting, the conversation dragged on, and Seo Yeon suddenly thought of Kwon Yool.

“Is he waiting for me?”

“Director, should we change some of the new products?”

Director Kim observed Seo Yeon’s bitter expression and wondered if she wanted to modify the fine design.

Caught in other thoughts, Seo Yeon was slightly startled.

“No, proceed as is.”

Seo Yeon’s exhausted voice lacked vitality.

“Director, are you still not feeling well?”

Concerned, Director Kim asked again when she looked unusually listless.

“No, it’s just that the weather is getting hot, making me a bit tired.”

“There’s a home shopping planning meeting in the afternoon. Should I go alone?”

Director Kim’s worried gaze met Seo Yeon’s.

“It’s not that bad.”

Hiding her shaky emotions, Seo Yeon barely managed a smile.

“Let’s wrap up the meeting here.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Director Kim, shall we have lunch together and then leave?”

The two started preparing busily for the home shopping meeting scheduled for the afternoon.

Two meetings followed by dinner.
Seo Yeon’s condition was at its worst.

However, she had to follow through on her previous suggestion to Hyun Woo about having a company dinner.

Going back to the office was awkward, and she couldn’t be a wet blanket to the employees who were excitedly choosing the menu.

Reluctantly, Seo Yeon followed the foodie Hyun Woo to a newly opened barbecue place.

Six people sat facing each other at a square table, chatting loudly.

Seo Yeon cooked the meat without participating much in the conversation.

“Director, let me do the grilling.”

When Manager Kim kept trying to take the tongs, Seo Yeon said with a deliberately bright smile,

“I’m really good at grilling meat. Please, go ahead and eat, Manager Kim.”

Seo Yeon gestured for her to eat comfortably while dissuading Manager Kim.

“Is something wrong at the company lately? You look…”

Hyun Woo cautiously made an inquiry.

She was already on the verge of losing her eyeballs from looking at meeting materials all day long.

Blinking her dried eyes due to the hot charcoal fire, Seo Yeon responded,

“No, nothing’s wrong. I just haven’t been able to sleep well lately.”

“I should’ve suggested we do this another time.”

Being considerate, Hyun Woo said this while watching Seo Yeon’s reactions.

“It’s fine, sir.”

“Would you like to order something else if you don’t have an appetite?”

He asked tenderly, glancing at the menu.

“You haven’t touched the meat or your drink.”

Needlessly sharp.

“You’re mistaken. I ate a lot while grilling.”

Seo Yeon didn’t want to be swayed by personal emotions while sitting as the company’s director, so she acted as if she was fine.

She nodded to people’s stories and put the juicy meat in her mouth.

Then, when Hyun Woo proposed a toast, she unhesitatingly lifted her glass and shouted, “Cheers,” without any particular reason.

Just so Hyun Woo wouldn’t find it odd.

While leading the conversation, Hyun Woo began to take meticulous care of Seo Yeon.

‘This is strange.’

Seeing his tender side, she kept thinking of Kwon Yool.

Thinking of him while looking at someone who didn’t even remotely resemble him in appearance or vibe.

All because they were friends with Kwon Yool.

‘Did I drink beer after such a long time?’

Feeling a rising desire to see Kwon Yool, Seo Yeon blamed the innocent beer.

Then, she began to feel uncomfortable, as if the forced-down meat was stuck in her solar plexus.

“Are you alright? Should I get you a drink?”

Sitting across from her was not a good idea.

Seo Yeon couldn’t escape from Hyun Woo’s attentive care.

“I must have overeaten because the meat was so good.”

By now, even pretending to be alright was tiresome, and all she wanted was to go home.

As she started to wrap things up, Hyun Woo cautiously asked,

“Um, Director Han. About the promotion event tickets.”

“Yes.”

“Could I get one more?”

Seo Yeon looked puzzled as Hyun Woo was not someone who asked for personal favors.

Did he get a girlfriend?

Then he awkwardly added,

“I was planning to go with Su Hee.”

Seo Yeon nodded, waiting for his next words.

“By that time, the second round of exams will be over, so I was thinking of bringing Yool along too.”

At the sudden mention of his name, Seo Yeon’s heart sank.