* * *

Yawning widely, I rubbed my drowsy eyes as I watered the flowers.

Maybe it was because Doha wasn’t around, but for the past week, I hadn’t been able to sleep properly.

Sleep-deprived, I would doze off like a sedated chicken during the day, and it felt like I might just pass out while walking down the street.

“I’m so sleepy…”

I was slumped in my chair but suddenly shot up.

I thought I’d wake myself up a bit by talking to Assistant Yoon.

I had returned her borrowed card, but I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her yet.

Striding over, I opened the door to the admin office and walked past her as she sat at the front desk.

Pressing the elevator button, I sent her a mesSeonyul on my phone.

“Ms. Sanghye, please come down to the café on the first floor. If anyone asks, just say I called you for a meeting. We’ll call it an employee consultation, no big deal.”

I ordered her usual mint chocolate frappuccino and an iced Americano with three extra shots, then waited in a quiet corner of the café on the first floor.

“Seonbi, is something wrong?”

Since I’d never called her separately before, Assistant Yoon looked noticeably tense as she sat across from me.

I handed her the drink with a faint smile, absently fiddling with the condensation on my cup.

“Just, you know… I was wondering how you were doing. I got a bit worried after you suddenly changed your number.”

“Oh, that number… Ah, wait a sec, that jerk…! I mean, did that guy try to find you too? No, right?”

Before even taking a sip, she leaped up, her eyes flashing.

Realizing she was drawing attention, she quickly sat back down and leaned in close to me.

“He tried to find you, didn’t he? Tell me he didn’t, please!”

“Well… actually, yes…”

“That jerk…!”

Her fist clenched tight, her hands trembling with fury.

“He got himself dumped because he couldn’t control his temper! How is that our fault? Turns out, I wasn’t dating a boyfriend but collecting trash. From what I heard, he was treated poorly by her family because he was some dragon from the gutter. He couldn’t take it, flipped a table in front of her father, injured him, and got a five-week hospital sentence, which led to their divorce! How pathetic!”

“……”

“Since he couldn’t get to me, he probably went to you instead. Just ignore him. Block him on everything. It’s not like he’s capable of doing anything. All he did was curse at me in texts and call me like crazy at 2 a.m., but that was it. Just ignore him. Did he do anything else?”

So she received those vulgar mesSeonyuls too.

I propped my chin on my hand, sipping my cold Americano through a straw, gnawing at its tip as I sighed in reply.

“He didn’t really do anything. It’s a relief you’re already aware, but… still, be careful.”

“I’m so sorry, Seonbi… I never imagined he’d act like this. I’ll make sure you’re not troubled any more because of me! I’m really, truly sorry.”

Watching her expression twist as though on the verge of tears, I let out a hearty laugh, waving it off.

“It’s nothing. Getting cursed out in texts isn’t exactly a rare occurrence. I’m used to brushing off mesSeonyuls like that from the CEO’s exes.”

“Oh my goodness… And the CEO just lets that happen?”

“What can she do? I’m used to it by now.”

People who don’t know the depth of it couldn’t understand, but I’ve got a whole archive of mesSeonyuls from exes calling me every name in the book because I couldn’t forget Doha even after we broke up.

Not that I kept them intentionally, but the account sync was a bit overzealous.

So, I didn’t let those texts get to me. It was like watching a distant fire from across the river—just someone else’s drama.

After all, once I’m off the clock, it’s none of my business.

Truthfully, I was already drained from my main job of supporting Doha, so when I got home, I focused on preparing for the next day as best I could.

Rather than lashing out, I swallowed my frustration.

Though it often built up faster than I could suppress it, I learned to laugh it off.

A few nasty texts or getting splashed with water? Just childish antics, really.

Sure, childish antics with an overdraft balance that never quite fills back up.

It’s not ideal, but… it’s manageable for now.

After eight years of this, it’s hardly worth dwelling on.

“Seonbi…”

I was quietly sipping the dark, bitter coffee, but looked up at the sound of her gentle call.

Seeing tears welling up in Assistant Yoon’s eyes, I hastily pulled out a handkerDirector.

“Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden? Did that ex-boyfriend act up? What’s wrong?”

“…Why are you so used to this, Seonbi?”

What else should I call it if not ‘getting used to it’?

I handed her the handkerDirector, reassuring her as best I could.

Clutching it, she replied, her voice shaky.

“You know it’s not good to keep bottling things up. I’ve only worked with you for a year, but I’ve never seen you get angry.”

Where would I find the energy to get angry?

All my energy went into work, and at home, I barely had time to recharge.

I was like a phone almost perpetually out of battery.

“It’s the CEO’s business, but still, brushing off the trouble I’ve caused so lightly… It’s not okay. But why do you keep saying it is?”

Seeing her teary eyes almost made my own frustrations melt away.

I moved my chair closer, patting her shoulder gently.

“It’s really not that big of a deal. I’m honestly fine.”

“The CEO is really too much! It’s obvious that they like you…!”

She cut herself off mid-sentence, and I nodded knowingly.

They see me as a pawn?

Yeah, I’m aware.

I’m the ultimate pushover, no doubt about it.

“It costs me more to get mad over something so trivial.”

If I got worked up over every little thing, I’d probably have flipped this company upside down and slapped Doha several times over.

Or I’d have paid back those exes in their own coin.

But that would’ve ended in me getting fired long ago, forced to pay off debts, likely hauling fishing nets on a distant vessel somewhere.

So, all things considered, my patience is the best bargain.

“If you keep bottling it up, what if you collapse from stress someday? It’s better to let it out.”

Patting her trembling shoulder one more time, I gave her a bright smile.

“This really isn’t anything to get angry about. I called you down because I was just concerned about you. Just be careful, okay?”

After finishing our talk, I spent quite some time sitting with Assistant Yoon as she cried.

I patted her shoulder, waited until her tears subsided, and even bought her another drink—being the noble “salary thief” for a while longer.

“Alright, let’s call it a day and head home.”

Though it was an hour earlier than usual, I clapped my hands and encouraged the employees in the executive office to finish up.

There was no reason for them to stay any longer; it would be better to recharge mentally and physically at home.

“Director, since we’re finishing early, how about a drink?”

“If you drink on a weekday, it’ll drain your energy. Just go home. Besides, the boss is back tonight. Things are going to get busy starting tomorrow.”

I firmly declined and waved at the employees as they gathered in small groups to leave the office.

They asked why I wasn’t going home, but I brushed it off, saying I just needed a moment to rest and let them go ahead.

Sure, there was no one left I had to stay for, but if I left early and missed a call during working hours, who would be held responsible?

It was enough for me to stay behind, so I sent the team ahead.

They still had a long career ahead of them, and when I eventually left, they’d be the ones filling my shoes.

“This team has lasted pretty long, though.”

The usual turnover was every six months, maybe a year at best, but this team had stayed.

Deputy Lee, who’s worked with me for four years, as well as Sanghye, Yeonkyu, and even our newbie, Jo Yeonjae, had all been with me for over three years. It was a decent group.

I sank back into my chair, scrolling through my phone, and happened upon a headline on the portal site.

A Korean had won the Pritzker Prize, often called the “Nobel of architecture.”

“Hmm…”

One day, we might end up working together.

I skimmed the article, noting the man’s expressionless face, then switched over to check my mesSeonyuls.

Both my work and personal accounts, but there was no mesSeonyul from Doha.

Sure, I was updated on his whereabouts daily—either Deputy Cho or Deputy Lee would check in with me multiple times each day.

But there was no direct mesSeonyul from him.

Was he holding off to talk once he got back?

I aimlessly scrolled through my phone for a while, then noticed today’s date and gasped.

The 12th. I was supposed to pay the interest at the start of every month, but it slipped my mind.

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t received a reply to the text I sent during my last holiday either.

I checked the time. It was precisely closing time.

Grabbing my things, I hurriedly left, heading toward the loan shark’s office.

* * *