"Close your eyes for a while. The image that conjures is your soulmate. Don't pause, rush and say what you feel. After all time and tide for none wait."

Friday, October 20th, 2023.
Hongdae, Seoul.
7:55am.

"선배님! 선배님! Lee An! Lee An! A male voice called out. Lee An opened her eyes slightly and a blur image of her ex, Ji Hoon appeared in front of her, tapping her shoulder and trying to wake her up.

"자기야. 일어나. Honey, wake up." Ji Hoon's voice now playing in her head. "오빠? Ji Hoon?" Lee An said softly and slightly awake.

"선배님, 저예요, 민, 차 민. Lee An. It's me Min, Cha Min." Cha Min, her co-worker called out to her.

Lee An, now fully awake jumped up on her feet, "아, 민. 무슨 일이야? Oh, Min. What's happening?" She asked, looking concerned, her makeup all messed up and her hair a mess.

"거의 8시예요. It's almost 8 o'clock." Min explained. "아. 그래? 알겠어. Is that so? Okay." Lee An replied, then it dawned on her, "잠깐, 뭐라고 했어? Wait, what did you say?"

"아, 벌써 8시예요. Oh, it's 8 o'clock already." Min replied, but before he could complete his statement, Lee An screamed, grabbed him and they both started screaming and jumping around.

"뭐? 안돼, 어떡해? What? Oh no. What do I do?" Lee An muttered to herself, running her hands through her hair and scattering it even more. "밖에 사람 많아? Are there a lot of people outside?" She asked.

"아, 별로요. 일찍 온 몇 사람만 있어요. Oh, not really. Just a few people that arrived early." Min replied. "상사는? 이미 왔어? And the boss? Is he here yet?"

"네, 왔어요. 지금 여기로 오고 있어요. Yes, he's here. He's coming here right now." Min said. "뭐? 왜 아무 말도 안 했어? What? Why didn't you say anything?" Lee An asked, looking confused.

"아, 죄송해요. 말하려고 했는데. Oh, I'm sorry. I was about to mention it." Lee An immediately tried to fix her hair and clothes. She applied a little makeup to look presentable. "어때 보여? How do I look?" She asked.

"솔직히 선배님, 별로예요. Honestly, not so good." Min replied, laughing and shaking his head. As Lee An was about to hit Min, their boss, Mr. Oh Seon Jae walked in, along with his assistant, Ms. Kang Si Ho.

Immediately, Lee An and Min bowed to greet him. Mr. Oh Seon Jae looked around her ordinary looking office and took his sit on her desk.

"사장님, 좋은 아침입니다. 어젯밤 잘 주무셨나요? Good morning Mr. Oh. Hope you had a good night's rest yesterday?" Lee An said with a smile on a her face.

"잘 못 주무신 것 같은데요. It doesn't look like he had a good night's rest." Min whispered to Lee An. She kicked him slightly and he shouted but Lee An covered his mouth immediately, smiling at Mr. Oh.

Mr. Oh smiled, looking up at the two of them, "아첨하지 마. 우리가 둘 다 네가 나를 싫어하는 걸 알잖아. Don't flatter me. We both know you hate me."

"네, 맞아요. Yes, you're right." Min said and Lee An kicked him again. "솔직해서 고맙다, 민. 하지만 그게 너한테 도움이 되진 않을 거야. Thanks for being honest Min, but it won't do you any good." Mr. Oh said, smiling at Min, who was looking scared.

Lee An laughed, trying to clear the air, "뭐라고요? 싫어하다니요? 말도 안 돼요? 사장님을 싫어할 이유가 뭐가 있겠어요? What? Hate you? That's not possible. Is there a reason to dislike you, sir?"

"그만둬. 할당된 프로젝트 제출했어? That's enough. Have you completed the project?" Mr. Oh asked.

"네, 사장님. 오늘 아침에 이메일로 보냈습니다. Yes sir. I sent it to your email this morning." Lee An replied.

"좋아. 강 비서, 그녀에게 드라이브를 줘. Good. Secretary Kang, give her the drive." He said, with a somewhat satisfied look on his face.

Secretary Kang reaches into a file and pulls out a drive, "네, 사장님. 여기 있습니다, 이안 씨. Yes sir. Ms. Lee An, here you go." She said.

Lee An, looking surprised reached out and collected the drive from secretary Kang, "뭐라고요? 왜요, 사장님? What? What for sir?"

"무슨 왜? 일을 해야지, 안 그래? 거기 있는 영화들 번역하고 오늘 안으로 제출해. What do you mean what for? You should work right? Translate the movies there and submit them before the end of today." Mr. Oh said, placing his hand on the name plate on her desk.

"하지만 사장님, 주말이고 제가 이미 시키신 번역 다 했는데요. But sir, it's the weekend and I translated everything I was assigned already." Lee An responded with a disappointed look on her face.

Mr. Oh laughed out laughed, "민. Min." He called out to Min. "네, 사장님. Yes sir." Min answered, moving forward towards him.

"프로젝트 끝내면 다른 걸 맡아야지? 그게 일이잖아? When one project is completed, you take on another, right? That's work, right?" "네, 사장님. 일이죠. Yes sir. It's work." Min replied, nodding in agreement.

"강 비서, 어떻게 생각해? Secretary Kang, what do you think?" He asked, looking at secretary Kang. "저도 동의합니다, 사장님. I agree with you sir." Secretary replied.

"이안 씨, 불만 있어? Ms. Lee An, are you complaining." Mr. Oh asked, smiling at Lee An.

Lee An was really angry and cursing him inside of her, but she could do nothing about it, if she really wanted to stay employed, that is. "아니요, 사장님. 하지만 밤새 일했고 오늘 하루 쉬게 해주신다고 약속하셨잖아요. No sir, but I worked all night and you promised that I could take today off." She said, with a calm but disappointed tone.

"내가 약속했어? 언제? I promised? When?" Mr. Oh laughed, feigning ignorance. "하지만 사장님... But sir...." Lee An tried to explain but he interrupted her.

"이안 씨, 한 달 동안 휴가 썼으면서 하루 쉬는 걸 불평하는 거야? 빨리 끝내면 남은 하루 쉬어. Ms. Lee An, you took a leave for a month and now you're complaining about just one day off? Well, if you finish early enough, you can take the rest of the day off." Mr. Oh said as he got up on his feet, ready to leave.

Lee An finally accepted her fate and decides to stop comparing. "네, 사장님. Yes sir." She replied, bowing as he left her office.

As he was leaving, he turned back, "날 싫어할 이유가 없겠지? There's no reason to dislike me, right?" He smiled and left finally, secretary Kang following him behind.

Lee An sighed deeply as she took her sit, covering her face with her hands, then running her hands through her hair, roughening it even more.
Min, feeling guilty sat next to her, trying to comfort her, "선배님, 죄송해요. 어쩔 수 없었어요. Lee An, I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice." He said with a sober voice.

Lee An looked up at him, smiling, "괜찮아. 내 잘못이지. 내가 자초한 일이야. It's fine. I'm at fault. "

"고마워요, 선배님. 빨리 끝낼 수 있도록 도와줄게요. Thank you Lee An. I'll help you so you'll finish on time." Min replied, with a smile in his face.

"정말? 좋네. 그럼 커피랑 간식 좀 사와. 네가 쏘는 거야. Really? Good. Go get us coffee and some snacks then. Your treat." Lee An said, looking encouraged and happy. She gets up and starts getting ready to work.

"아, 안돼. 무슨 일이 벌어진 거지. Oh no, what have I gotten myself into." Min said, realizing his mistake.

"뭐해? 얼른 가. What are you doing. Go on." Lee An said, looking back at Min who is regretting his words.

"네, 선배님. 금방 갔다 올게요. Okay. I'll be right back." He said as he got up to leave.

Lee An rearranged her office a little and prepared to start working. Just then, her phone rang. She walked up to her desk to see who it was. It was her mom, 응, 엄마. Hello, Mom."

"이안아. 무슨 일이야? 어젯밤 집에 안 왔잖아. 괜찮니? Lee An. What happened. You didn't come home last night. Are you okay?" Her mom asked, concerned.

"응, 괜찮아. 아빠한테 말 안 들었어? 어젯밤 전화했는데 엄마 주무신다고 해서. Yes, I'm fine. Dad didn't tell you? I called last night but you were already asleep." Lee Ann said.

Mrs. Chu called it to her husband in the bedroom, "여보, 왜 어젯밤 이안이 전화한 거 말 안 했어? Honey, why didn't you tell me Lee An called last night?"

Mr. Lee walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen to drink some water, "미안해, 여보. 깜빡했어. I'm sorry honey. I forgot."

"넌 항상 중요한 건 까먹고 안 중요한 것만 기억하잖아. 정말, 어쩌면 좋니. You always forget the important things and remember unimportant things." Mrs. Chu replied, slightly raising her voice.

"미안하다고 했잖아. Mr. Lee also replied, dropping the glass of water and completely raising his voice at her."

Standing on her feet, Mrs. Chu shouted, "왜 목소리 높여! 지금 화났어? Why are you raising your voice. Are you angry right now?"

"아니야. 화내다니, 절대 아니야. No. Angry? Never." He said, smiling and walking towards her with his arms wide open. When he tried to hug her, she hit him and sat back down.

Throughout their whole conversation, Lee An was laughing and smiling over the phone, while listening to them bicker, "두 분 싸우지 마세요. 꼭 남매 같아요. You two should stop fighting. You're acting like siblings."

"너희 아빠가 항상 잘못이잖아, 그렇지? You dad is always at fault, right?" Mrs. Chu asked, looking at her husband who is now trying to turn in the television.

"물론. 네 말이 맞아. Well, yes you're right." Mr. Lee nodded in agreement.

"엄마, 아빠 좀 괴롭히지 마세요. Mom, stop bullying Dad." Lee An laughed.

Mr. Lee leaned in to Mrs. Chu and shouted, "이안아, 나 좀 구해줘. Lee An, please save me." Lee An couldn't hold back her laughter. "뭘 구해줘? Save you from what?" Mrs. Chu interjected.

"두 분 서로 사랑해서 그런 거죠. 그래서 많이 싸우시는 거겠죠. You love each other so much, and so you fight a lot."

"사랑해, 여보. I love you, honey." Mr. Lee said sarcastically.

"저는 이제 가봐야 해요. 저녁에 뵐게요. I have to go now. See you later in the evening."

"그래. 너무 무리하지 말고, 식사도 잘 챙겨 먹어. Okay. Don't overwork yourself and don't skip your meals." Mrs. Chu reminded her.

"알았어, 엄마. 오빠는? 벌써 출근했어? Alright mom. What about Lee Jun? Has he left for work already?" Lee An asked.

"응. 네 아침 챙겨서 보냈어. Yes. I sent him to drop your breakfast." Mrs. Chu replied.

"엄마, 안 그러셔도 되는데. 고마워. 이제 끊을게. 안녕. Mom, you didn't have to. Thank you. Hang up now. Bye."

"응, 안녕. Okay, bye." Mrs. Chu answered, ending the call.

Just then, Lee An's phone rang again and this time it was Taryn.

Lee An had planned to call her at midnight, so she would be the first to wish her, but she slept off. "Tae, 생일 축하해. Tae, happy birthday." Lee An said.

"Thanks An. 너 벌써 오는 중이야? Are you on your way already?" Taryn asked with an hopeful tone.

"미안해. 회사에 문제가 생겨서 파티에 조금 늦을 것 같아. 정말 미안해. I'm sorry. Something came up at work, so I'll be a little late for your party. I'm really sorry." Lee An apologized, guilt written all over her face.

Taryn responded, "Hey, it's okay. I understand." Lee An smiled brightly, "고마워, bestie. 내가 얼마나 사랑하는지 알지? Thanks bestie. You know how much I love you."

"응, I know. 이제 생일 선물 안 사줄 핑계는 없겠네. Yes, I know. Now you don't have any excuse to not get me a birthday present." Taryn joked.

"야, 하지만 너 내 존재만으로도 충분하다고 했잖아. Hey, but you said that I'm more than enough for you." Lee An said with a sad look on her face.
"Not anymore. 너 스스로 이 상황을 만든 거야. You brought this upon yourself." Taryn laughed.

Lee An agreeing, "알았어. 네가 이겼어. You win." Taryn celebrated her win with a big shout, "도착하면 연락해, okay? Call me when you arrive, okay?" She said.

Lee An laughed, "알았어. Love you. Bye. Alright." She said. "Love you. Bye." Taryn said before ending the call.