…She said she’d only look for 30 minutes. Again.

Checking the time well past 10 PM, Hyunseo hurriedly turned off her monitor. The empty office before the weekend was filled with silence. The person who stayed until the end with her was her senior, Assistant Manager Nam.

Assistant Manager Nam, who had stayed behind to receive contact from a vendor, told her he was leaving first—that was probably around 7:30.

Assistant Manager Nam, who finished earlier than expected, handed Hyunseo a sandwich he’d bought just in case and departed abruptly. Hyunseo didn’t even think about eating it and had been staring at Excel files the whole time.

There was nothing to do even if she went home early anyway.

The fact that being alone was the same either way might be what kept her at the company. The old studio apartment located about five subway stops away was, so to speak, nothing more than a space for sleeping.

She had finally become independent. It was a small space of barely three pyeong with only the basics, but it was enough to live in.

Compared to when she stayed in that poorly heated back room attached to Hyungja’s shop, she was grateful. Even more so compared to the days when a low writing desk and a tilted wardrobe were all she had.

‘I don’t want to go.’ 

No matter what.

Getting on the elevator, Hyunseo unconsciously pressed the rooftop button. She wasn’t unaware of why her heart had felt uncomfortable since earlier.

She desperately needed the cool night breeze and the dreamlike, dazzling night view. Only then would her stuffy heart ease even a little, so she postponed going home for a moment. What she needed now was an escape from reality.

Whenever she resolved to go see Gangseok, her insides twisted like this. Hyunseo knew well that she would never be able to digest her resentment and anger toward Gangseok in her lifetime. 

It would probably continue like this. Until Gangseok died. Perhaps she would suffer even after Gangseok died. The memories of her unhappy childhood wouldn’t disappear.

The thought alone was horrible, so Hyunseo bit her lip. When she reached the rooftop door, discovering the security was unlocked, she hesitated for a moment. She realized it. She hadn’t come up just for the night view.

“You seem to be lucky.”

On the rooftop she cautiously entered, Hyunseo found Gyeom leaning carelessly against the railing wall.

“Thanks to me, you’re getting some air. That time and today too.”

Understanding his meaning wasn’t difficult. Because it was such a high floor, the building’s rooftop was always locked. 

Since general employees were strictly prohibited from entering, Hyunseo had also made futile attempts several times.

It had been open only once—that day when she briefly encountered Gyeom before. She didn’t think it was strange. 

There would be no place inaccessible to Gyeom, who was in a position to control the entire building.

She pondered. Like that time, should she greet him and leave? Or.

“What is it?”

“Pardon?”

“That. Is it alcohol by any chance?”

At Gyeom’s gesture, Hyunseo only then noticed the black plastic bag she was holding.

“No, it’s a sandwich—would you like it? Assistant Manager Nam, I mean our department’s deputy manager, gave it to me before leaving, so if it’s okay…”

She trailed off. Giving away something she’d received from someone else seemed terribly rude somehow.

More than that, her mouth closed on its own because of Gyeom, who coldly withdrew his gaze, seemingly already disappointed it wasn’t alcohol.

She hadn’t even thought he would accept it in the first place. Hyunseo, who put the suddenly rejected sandwich back in the bag, slowly gazed forward. 

The wide-open night view was breathtakingly beautiful.

The jet-black sky, the countless lights sparkling beneath it—she quietly watched them. It left her speechless. It seemed like nameless jewels scattered about. The sound of cars moving on the roads came from quite far away, not disturbing her appreciation. The occasional honking didn’t bother her either.

She felt like she’d taken a step back. Like she’d separated from the fierce and complicated world.

Space. Yes, perhaps being in it would be similar to this, she guessed. The wind laden with darkness gradually tickled her cheeks more strongly. Brushing back her windswept hair, she turned her head.

“Go ahead.”

“…Pardon?”

“You seem to have something to say.”

She’d only been briefly captivated by his sculpture-like, handsome profile. Hyunseo, who had been stealing glances at Gyeom without realizing it, held her breath when he suddenly met her gaze. 

The eyes she faced were deep.

“Are you okay?”

“About what?”

“You must have been hurt. Yesterday.”

There was no change in his expression. Nevertheless, Hyunseo worried whether he might be displeased. The thought that she might have asked something unnecessary only occurred to her now. 

Wasn’t he the one who disappeared brushing off the footprints on his suit as though nothing had happened? Truly as though it was no big deal.

“I didn’t tell anyone. I won’t.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

This was probably a lie. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have hidden so desperately at that moment yesterday.

Gyeom took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. His lips firmly biting the white filter, his form lighting it with an expensive lighter was quite natural, so Hyunseo, who had been watching blankly, momentarily tensed her shoulders at the direct gaze that came to her. 

After checking the wind’s direction, he soon blew smoke toward the empty space ahead with a puff.

“If I jumped, would you stop me?”

She understood his meaning a few beats late. Hyunseo, who had been silently taking in the night view, looked back at Gyeom.

He smoked his cigarette with a composed appearance, as though he’d never spoken. His expression was so indifferent that Hyunseo almost mistook it for auditory hallucination. He readily let her know it wasn’t.

“This time I really want to get hurt for sure.”

“It won’t end with just getting hurt.”

“Then even better.”

She’d heard he was far from joking. It definitely wasn’t a topic that Gyeom, who didn’t say anything except necessary words and was cold and rational, would bring up. That’s why Hyunseo was at a loss for how to respond.

What made her even more at a loss was the very next moment. Gyeom, who had put out his cigarette, suddenly grabbed the chest-high railing with both hands. Hyunseo absolutely couldn’t just watch him try to climb up using momentum.

Thud!

She rushed at him recklessly. Without time to demand what he was doing, she lunged at Gyeom, and when she came to her senses, she’d tumbled to the ground with him. 

His picture-perfect face was right in front of her.

“I’m sor—”

She tried to get up. But she couldn’t. Her tightly gripped wrist was hot like it had been burned.

It was a contrasting temperature. It truly differed too much from his expressionless face or his coolly cold black eyes. Her observation ended there. Realizing her mounted position, she quickly pulled away.

“A-are you okay?”

No answer came. When she gathered her courage and looked back, Gyeom was lying down, only looking at the sky.

“Did you get hurt somewhere…”

“Yes.”

“Pardon?”

“My head.”

Did he hit it? The thought that perhaps he had in the moment of falling made her vision go dark.

“Wh-what do I do?”

Flustered, Hyunseo lowered herself again. To her asking if he was okay, Gyeom didn’t give his gaze readily. At his dazed appearance, her insides burned with all she had, and unable to endure any longer, she reached out her hand.

“Um, how many fingers do you see?”

“…”

“How about this? Director. Director?”

Even though she waved her hand hard in front of his eyes, he didn’t budge. Was the injury serious?

Frightened, Hyunseo hurriedly pulled out her phone. Her attempt to call an ambulance naturally didn’t succeed.

She flinched when her wrist was grabbed again. Gyeom’s gaze was now directed at her. His calm black eyes spoke silently. That he was fine. Not to do anything. That there was no need.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I came to my senses a bit.”

Gyeom’s lips opened after some more time had passed. Naturally releasing her wrist, he slowly raised his body and sat leaning his back against the railing wall. Yesterday’s appearance suddenly overlapped with him.

It was quite similar. His disheveled posture, his languid eyes, and even in the midst of that, his gaze staring steadily without wavering—all were exactly like yesterday. Hyunseo, who had been hesitating, cautiously spoke.

“It will pass. Even if slowly.”

‘I know I’m not in a position to offer clumsy comfort, nor are we close enough.’ 

Knowing this, Gyeom just looked at her indifferently as she gently spoke. His black eyes were so deep that their ripples couldn’t be gauged.

“If you endure, you do endure. That’s how it was for me.”

She didn’t know the details. What kind of matter it was, what kind of situation—though there was no way to know, it was clear he was troubled. 

Why wouldn’t he be? 

Everyone has their circumstances. Even if he seemed to have everything, Hyunseo vaguely sensed he could be sufficiently struggling. Perhaps struggling more because he had much.

“Cheer up. You seem to be in distress, so try resolving it another way…”

“For example?”

“Pardon? Ah, I mean…”

“What else is there besides alcohol and cigarettes? I don’t feel like drugs since I’ve seen too many unsightly things around me. Are you talking about women by any chance? Would that help?”

Before she could be happy about the returned answer, the conversation flowed in an unexpected direction. 

Hyunseo looked at Gyeom, unable to do anything about her widened eyes. He, utterly composed, didn’t look at all like someone who had just said something strange.

“But what should I do? I don’t have a suitable partner.”

Was this a joke? 

At his frighteningly serious tone, Hyunseo couldn’t even laugh. More precisely, it was because of his gaze, which seemed to have become incomparably more persistent than before.

It bound her without gaps. The gaze that came steadily was gradually reaching a level difficult for Hyunseo to handle. Though it was merely looking, it was hard to endure. Heat continuously rose to the back of her neck.

She didn’t know she was the only one feeling it. A strange heat rising enough to make the chilly night breeze meaningless.

Even the most oblivious person would know. That it would be better to leave now.

“I’ll be going first.”

Hyunseo quietly stood up.

The reason her feet wouldn’t move was because she was still anxious.

“May I ask one favor?”

“What is it?”

“You absolutely must not jump.”

“The reason.”

“…I’ll be in trouble.”

“Ah.”

If something happened to Gyeom, Hyunseo, who was with him until the end, would obviously be suspected.

“I didn’t know that.”

A calm tone. His slightly curved lips that were barely visible didn’t really look like he didn’t know, but Hyunseo didn’t make an issue of it. 

Bowing her head in greeting, she soon opened and closed the door and left the rooftop.

Her steps stopped before long. With the elevator right in front of her, her body suddenly wouldn’t move.

Anxiety overcame discomfort. After hesitating, she finally turned around, thinking that if he asked why she came back, she could use the sandwich she’d forgotten as an excuse. As naturally as possible.

“Can I ask you something too?”

On the rooftop she returned to, Gyeom opened his mouth toward her like someone who had been waiting.

“Do you have some time?”

“…What?”

“I hope you do. Time to spend with me.”

Having already stood up, he slowly approached. Hyunseo just stared blankly at him approaching without hesitation. 

She was confused about what she’d just heard. His face was terribly nonchalant.

They stayed like that for a moment. Hyunseo looked up at Gyeom before her eyes endlessly without even thinking to tidy her wildly blowing hair. 

Until her tilted head from the height difference gradually started to hurt.