“Congratulations.”

“Congrats in advance.”

“Thank you. Please come if you have time that day.”

Deputy Manager Park from the Accounting Team greeted them with a beaming smile and left the office. Her steps were busy as she headed to another department on the same floor, carrying a shopping bag full of paper envelopes.

“Spring must really be here. Wedding invitations already.”

“Didn’t she say before that they had a huge fight?”

“Jungsu, really, what couple doesn’t fight while preparing for a wedding?”

Hyunseo opened the envelope she’d just received while listening to the employees gathered nearby chatting. 

The wedding invitation, decorated with flower illustrations and cute lettering, exuded a bright feeling. It was more than enough to imagine the bride and groom smiling happily at the wedding venue to be held a month later.

Hyunseo stared at the pretty yet still unfamiliar wedding invitation for a long time. She suddenly wondered if a day would come when her name would be engraved on one of these. 

Even in the vagueness, it somehow felt like it would never happen, and her heart stung coldly.

“Still, it’s impressive—an office romance leading to marriage.”

At Miae’s muttering mixed with envy, Deputy Manager Oh, the only married woman in the department, shook her head.

“It’s terrible. Seeing your spouse both at home and outside.”

“You’re such a romance destroyer. Would it be terrible even if that spouse was Executive Director Sunwoo?”

“That would be an incredible blessing. You’d probably have to save the country a million times in your past life and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

“But really, who will the Executive Director marry? Deputy Manager Jeong, have you heard anything?”

The topic subtly changed to talk about Gyeom. Deputy Manager Jeong, the company’s networking queen, shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, my friend in the secretarial office said there’s talk with the second daughter of Jungjin Group.”

“Really?”

“It’s just hearsay, but doesn’t it sound credible? There was even an article about linking up for a media business this time.”

“True, you’d have to be at least that level to compete. I’ll have to hope for my next life.”

“No way, get in line. Next life is mine.”

“Wait, Deputy Manager Oh. Didn’t you say before that even if a knife came to your throat, you wouldn’t get married again if you were reborn?”

It was General Manager Jo, who happened to appear, who sent Miae and Deputy Manager Oh, bickering jokingly, back to their seats.

The bomb of report submission dropped, and the office became quiet like cold water had been poured over it.

Among the employees scrambling to find materials, Hyunseo alone was dazed. Gyeom’s afterimage wouldn’t disappear.

Being called by Assistant Manager Hwang was fortunate in the midst of misfortune. Hyunseo selected the file Assistant Manager Hwang requested and sent it by email. 

After compiling the copied documents, her head filled with Gyeom again like a statement.

There was no method. It was so densely packed that she couldn’t even gauge what or how to touch it.

She just stared endlessly at the innocent monitor. Even knowing it was a file she’d already checked, she just looked at it.

‘Ah, please…’

‘Please, what. You have to tell me. What should I do for you?’

‘Slowly, ahng, ah! Wait, there, hng…!’

A month had already passed. And during that time, there had been several more intimate encounters with Gyeom.

No, “several” was definitely insufficient. Given Gyeom’s busy schedule, the times they met could be counted on one hand, but the number of times they mixed bodies was too many to count.

Once he entered her, he rarely tried to leave again. The powerful thrusting that shook body and mind usually continued all night long.

‘Ugh, you’re too big…’

‘Do you hate it?’

‘Mmmm, too, haah, too… deep…’

‘It’s Do Hyunseo’s fault. You keep crying so I’m going even crazier. Getting bigger, wanting to put it in even deeper.’

He thrust and thrust again. Unable to tire, penetrating without rest, she eventually clung to his neck, crying.

When she said it hurt, he unfailingly soothed her with gentle kisses.

She spread her legs like she was bewitched by his wet tongue that took away even her sobs. He, thrusting endlessly, was no different from a beast.

The more she cried, the more excited he became. He was particularly enthusiastic not only about thrusting but also about sucking her swollen v*lva.

She didn’t dislike him acting so voracious and rough that his usual politeness couldn’t be found. She was even secretly glad when he lost his reason and rushed at her with rolling eyes.

Because it felt like being loved. Because while hotly mixing bodies, it felt like she completely possessed him.

She felt that way even knowing it made no sense. She realized later. How much that made her lonely. How painful and futile the illusion of having someone she couldn’t have was.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop. This relationship where everything was unclear, not knowing when it would end.

“Who organized this data? Did Miae do it?”

Before leaving the office for a vendor meeting, General Manager Jo asked. The person who’d placed the statistical data on the general manager’s desk was indeed Miae. However.

“It’s neat and good. Good work.”

“What? Ahaha, thank you.”

General Manager Jo left with the praise. In the office with half the employees remaining, Hyunseo’s eyes met Miae’s, who was hesitantly looking at her. Assistant Manager Hwang stiffened his expression.

“Shinju Materials, right? Wasn’t Hyunseo handling that?”

“Well, we looked at the final version together. Right, Hyunseo?”

At the gaze reaching her like a demand, Hyunseo silently nodded. 

When Miae, who’d been awkwardly avoiding eye contact, disappeared with the bathroom as an excuse, Assistant Manager Hwang took Hyunseo out of the office.

“That’s why I hate her.”

Since it was peak work hours, no one was in the break room. Assistant Manager Hwang, irritably tearing open instant coffee, spat out a complaint toward Hyunseo.

“You too, Hyunseo. Why do you always just let it go?”

“Me?”

“Miae keeps stealing your credit. Even with that Dongyang manual thing before. You stayed late and organized everything yourself, so why did you let Yang Miae report it?”

The sharp tone wasn’t harsh. Even though she was being scolded, Hyunseo wasn’t upset at all.

Honestly, it was surprising. She hadn’t known because he didn’t show it, but Assistant Manager Hwang disliked Miae. It would be quite shocking news if Miae, who was friendly to everyone and desperate for everyone’s attention, found out.

“Assistant Manager.”

“What.”

“I’m sorry. And thank you.”

For making him worry, for getting angry on her behalf—Hyunseo said she was sorry and grateful. Assistant Manager Hwang, who’d been dazed for a moment, laughed as though dumbfounded and held out a cup with hot water poured in.

“Being nice is good, but you need to claim what’s yours.”

“Yes.”

“Not all contract workers are soft like you, Hyunseo. Reflect deeply.”

“I will. I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, how are things lately? Deputy Manager Han isn’t bothering you too much, is he?”

Hyunseo followed Assistant Manager Hwang, who suggested they slack off for a bit, and sat on the sofa in the break room. Even though he’d heard long ago that the blind date had fizzled out, Assistant Manager Hwang was still keeping a close eye on the two.

“He’s not calling you in the middle of the night for no reason, is he?”

“No.”

“He’s not suddenly coaxing you to drink on rainy days?”

“He doesn’t do that.”

“That’s a relief. If he ever does, tell me right away. I’ll take care of him.”

Hyunseo smiled slightly at the word “take care of.” The coffee she blew on and sipped was very delicious.

‘Assistant Manager Hwang, who’s good at everything, is good at making coffee too,’ she thought with renewed admiration as she obediently drank her coffee. 

The break from work, even briefly, was welcome and her heart naturally felt lighter.

After deciding to remain friends, things with Juhyung had become appropriately comfortable.

When they ran into each other, they could fortunately greet each other with smiling faces, which was entirely thanks to Juhyung’s consideration. 

He, who humbly accepted that there was no possibility of development, always treated Hyunseo plainly. 

He occasionally sent texts wishing her a good day, but that was all. He didn’t act clingy or burdensome. Hyunseo was deeply grateful for that.

She was someone who didn’t even have anyone asking after her. A single text saying to hang in there really seemed to give her strength.

Yet she felt regretful. Whenever she thought how nice it would be if the sender were Gyeom, she was afraid of her greed that kept growing. 

She was scared. Of her heart that was clearly getting bigger.

“Should we go back?”

“Ah, yes.”

They cleaned up their cups and headed to the office. As soon as she sat down, a notification rang that an email had arrived.

Hyunseo concentrated on work with all her might. She typed on the keyboard while desperately erasing Gyeom’s image that filled her vision. Only the effort not to look at her silent phone didn’t go as intended.

“I’m leaving first.”

“Good work.”

“Get home safely.”

At quitting time, following the employees disappearing one by one, Assistant Manager Hwang finished organizing his desk and stood up. He saw Hyunseo still busily clicking her mouse.

“Staying late again?”

“I want to look a bit more.”

“Leave before it’s too late. It’s supposed to rain later.”

Assistant Manager Hwang, who repeatedly urged her to leave work, left the office. Hyunseo turned her gaze outside the window. As it had been cloudy all day, the sky was completely black with dark clouds, just like there would be news of rain.

She didn’t feel like hurrying. She’d obviously just wait again anyway.

‘Will Gyeom come?’ 

She’d be restless alone at home the whole time. And on days when he ultimately didn’t come, she’d be as lonely as possible.

He was busier than anyone. Even if he did visit, it was usually close to midnight, a late time.

So Hyunseo clicked on an Excel file, saying she’d kill time. After just staring at the monitor endlessly, she finally got up from her seat past 10 PM.

It wasn’t intentional, but she wasn’t entirely without expectations. Couldn’t they coincidentally overlap leaving work and see each other’s faces? 

Like that time they ran into each other in the elevator.

“Hyunseo?”

Gyeom, who she’d originally only seen passing by from a distance anyway, was completely hard to see at the company lately. 

‘Is it because of frequent business trips and him being much busier?’ 

Hyunseo was thinking when she froze at the sound of someone calling.

“Wow, I somehow felt like working late today.”

The person she ran into in the hallway was Juhyung. Juhyung, whose face had been worn with fatigue, smiled brightly upon seeing her.

“Did you work late too, Hyunseo?”

“No, I was just looking at some Excel files.”

“I see. You ate dinner, right? Oh, it’s raining outside—do you have an umbrella? If not, I can…”

It was when she was slightly curling up the corners of her mouth toward Juhyung, who habitually asked after her first. 

The elevator that arrived opened, and Hyunseo, who was about to get on, had no choice but to freeze. It was the same for Juhyung.

“Ah, hello, Executive Director! I’m Deputy Manager Han Juhyung from the Business Support Team!”

Gyeom looked with an expressionless face at Juhyung, who bowed deeply and greeted him politely. His cold black eyes immediately watched Hyunseo next to him. Even though no particular emotion could be read, she became completely tense.

“Aren’t you getting on?”

“What? Ah, I’m sorry! Let’s get on, Hyunseo.”

Juhyung, who reopened the closing door, hurriedly got on the elevator with Hyunseo. Even in the midst of that, Gyeom withdrew his gaze from Juhyung, who carefully let Hyunseo on first. 

Swoosh—the door closed.

It was a bleak silence. It was Gyeom who broke the excessive silence that was quiet to the point of being heavily oppressive.

“Aren’t you going to identify yourself? Which department, who you are.”

At the voice low enough to be gloomy, Hyunseo flinched her shoulders. She hurriedly spoke up.

“I’m Do Hyunseo, a contract employee in the Business Planning Department.”

No answer came. She firmly held back wanting to turn around and deliberately only looked up at the numbers on the display board. 

Around the time she felt the gaze sweeping down her spine was stinging, the imposing voice was heard again.

“You’re all working hard until late.”

“You’re too kind, Executive Director.”

“At the company, you should only be working.”

“…Pardon?”

Juhyung, who’d been responding thinking it was a compliment, froze with the corners of his mouth curled up. The silence was quickly broken.

Ding—with the sound, the elevator stopped. Juhyung tilted his head while watching Gyeom walk out without hesitation. 

‘What did I just hear?’ 

Juhyung was thinking when he finally got off the elevator following Hyunseo.

“Hyunseo, let’s go in my car.”

“It’s okay.”

“Don’t say that and get in. It’s raining a lot.”

“I can just take a taxi. Get home safely.”

Hyunseo, who declined politely, hurriedly went outside through the revolving door. Gyeom had probably already disappeared in a car that had been waiting in advance.

The rain was heavy. Hyunseo didn’t hesitate to run into the rain pouring down with force to pierce the ground. Soon getting in a taxi, she shook off her wet clothes and let out a small sigh.

Earlier, Gyeom seemed somehow angry. Thinking that, needless worries came first. She wondered if she wouldn’t be able to see him again for a while. Like last time.

Like that time when he acted twisted even while saying he didn’t care whether she went on blind dates or not, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to meet him for quite a long time. She hated only that.

Because she’d been tormented the whole time. Because she became aware that she was nothing to him. Because he felt too far away.

Countless falling raindrops hit the window. She couldn’t erase Gyeom, who appeared before her eyes without fail. Her heart clenched painfully at the surging anxiety. 

She forcibly clenched her trembling fingertips.