Ga-young sat alone in Chairman Hwan's personal office, just like she had a couple of months ago. Only this time, there was a sense of ease, not the weight of nervousness like the last time. Her eyes roamed the room, a smile playing on her lips as she stared at the walls filled with ancient portraits.
The heavy doors creaked open. She turned slightly. Chairman Hwan entered with his usual commanding aura, every step deliberate. Mr. Noh followed behind him, his expression unreadable.
Ga-young rose immediately, bowing low with a smile.
Chairman Hwan raised a brow, almost surprised. "Sit," he ordered as he took his seat.
"Thank you, sir," Ga-young said, sitting gracefully.
"To what honor do I owe a visit from you, Secretary Choi?" he questioned without wasting more time.
She bowed slightly. "The pleasure is all mine, sir," she said. She paused and dropped a letter between them.
He looked at her, a brow raised.
She smiled slightly. "It's my resignation letter," she said and took a deep breath. "You gave me two choices back then, and I made a choice." She paused. "But I can't deal with it. I thought I could." She let out a brief airy laugh. "I would only be deceiving myself and you along with it if I said I will stay away from him."
"Secretary Choi." he began his tone almost uninterested.
She smiled again and looked at the painting on the wall.
"Sir," she began softly, "when you gave me those choices, you were being fair. You offered me stability, a future, and a place in this company that many people would do anything for."
She turned her gaze back to him.
"And I chose it."
Mr. Noh's eyes shifted slightly.
"I chose safety. I chose security. I chose what made sense on paper."
She clasped her hands on her lap.
"But I learned something," she continued calmly. "A decision that looks perfect from the outside can still feel empty on the inside."
Chairman Hwan remained silent.
"So I tried," Ga-young went on. "I worked harder. I stayed professional. I drew lines where you asked me to. I told myself that if I ignored my feelings long enough, they would disappear."
She gave a small, self-aware smile.
"They didn't."
"They only became heavier."
Her voice did not shake.
"I am good at my job. I am loyal. I am grateful for every opportunity this company gave me," she said sincerely. "But I do not want to become someone who lives by pretending."
She slowly pushed the letter closer to him.
"If I stay, I will either break your rules or break myself."
"I refuse to do either."
She stood up and bowed respectfully.
"I believe this is the most respectful choice I can make. Thank you, Chairman, for being patient with me," she said with a final bow before walking out.
He didn't speak, didn't call her back, nothing. A grave silence hit the room in her absence.
Ga-young smiled at herself as she walked through the corridors. She finally did it. It had taken her every ounce of courage mustered from within to stand up to the chairman himself. She couldn't deny she was hurt. She even inwardly felt stupid too. She had just given up her greatest achievement, but still she believed it was totally worth it, more than anything.
---
A few minutes after she dragged herself home, she collapsed on her couch, her handbag flung to the other side of the settee. She raised her head, exhaling loudly as she tried to pack up her hair. Then a text came in. She sluggishly picked up her phone.
KB Bank:
Debit: ₩750,000
Desc: PAYE TAX/FIRS
Bal: ₩50,430
Her jaw dropped. ₩50,430. Fifty thousand won. That was all she had left in the world. A sharp laugh escaped her throat, bitter and short. That's when it dawned on her. She was a brokie in love. Her life wasn't a K-drama. She wasn't some sort of main character. She was doomed. Slowly her laughter became tears. She cried all day until she finally slept in.
A few hours later, Ga-young stretched loudly. Her eyes flickered open. She was ruffled, her makeup smeared. For a moment she had forgotten everything that had happened, from her glorious nonchalant resignation to life giving her a reality check.
Then it rushed back, fresh and new like it had just happened.
She dragged herself to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. There the trash bin stared at her, pleading for disposal. She groaned loudly, then exhaled.
"At least one of us has to be free of trash," she said and picked up the bin. On arriving at her front door, she twisted the handle and pushed. It wasn't budging, not even a little.
She laughed frustratedly, pushing her hair backwards. "Wow, universe, you're really trying to frustrate me, aren't you? Perfect. You've won. Just please."
She leaned her shoulder against the door and shoved harder, using all the energy she didn't even have. After what felt like half an hour, the door finally budged, creating only a tiny space for her to pass through. She squeezed herself out of the door and then came to a long pause. She stared at it. It stared back at her, the beautiful obstruction.
A large cardboard box was sitting right in front of her apartment. Obviously it wasn't hers. She traced the other boxes with her eyes, stopping right in front of her neighbor's apartment.
She laughed again. This time it sounded like an 'are you daring me' type of laughter. She launched ahead with full energy to his apartment door, ringing the bell continuously until he finally opened the door.
"Excuse me," she began without missing a beat. "Your package is blocking my entrance. Can you remove it?"
He stared at her blankly for a moment before bowing slightly. "I'm sorry about that, but I'm actually the plumber, not the owner," he said quietly.
Ga-young looked at him more intently. "And where is the owner?" she questioned strictly.
"That must be me," a voice came from inside the house.
Ga-young was just waiting. She had a lot to say. She was already frustrated, and a perfect stress-relieving punching bag was daring her. She smiled in a sinister form. With her ruffled hair, smudged makeup, and sinister smile, she looked just like an evil clown, not an ordinary one, the Joker type. Her head was low as he came closer.
"Sorry, Miss. Is—" His words trailed off as she raised her head, pointing dangerously at him.
Then a long pause.
"You?" they both echoed loudly.