— You? he asked finally.
Se Ra felt her blood boil in her veins. Her fists clenched on the edge of the desk, her breathing quickening. The voice, the tone… she recognized it immediately. She narrowed her eyes, a mix of disgust and anger taking hold.
— You?! she shot back, a shiver of rage running through her body.
— You work here? he continued, almost incredulous.
She straightened abruptly, her anger momentarily eclipsing her fear. Woo Jin stepped forward slightly, cautious, ready to intervene if necessary.
— You've been spying on me, haven't you?! she exclaimed, her voice trembling but firm. Coming all the way to my workplace… what do you want, huh? I don't have any money to give you!
Jae Hyun gave a faint, cold, condescending smile.
— It's not just driving you can't handle. Your tongue as well… you can't control it in public.
Whispers spread across the room, a few curious and astonished glances landing on her. Se Ra's heart pounded, her temples throbbed, each breath feeling heavy. Shame and anger swirled together in a burning whirlwind.
---
— No, but… what nerve! she exclaimed, her voice trembling yet resolute. Who do you think you are, anyway? Coming all the way here to demand compensation for a vehicle that I didn't even damage that badly!!
Woo Jin stepped closer discreetly and murmured into his boss's ear, his tone firm but calm:
— Sir… you'd better withdraw.
Jae Hyun nodded slowly, a brief flash of clarity breaking through his impassive gaze.
— You're right. Let's step away from this place.
Without another word, the two men headed for the exit, leaving behind a room still charged with their presence. Se Ra, her eyes blazing, leaned against her desk, her heart pounding wildly, feeling the blood surge in her temples. She noticed the glances of her colleagues fixed on her, a mix of curiosity and implicit understanding of her lapse.
— What are you staring at? Want my picture?! she screamed internally, before sitting back down and nervously biting her nail.
Each heartbeat seemed to echo through the room, a brutal reminder of the adrenaline and humiliation she had just felt. The employees, for their part, understood better than she imagined that she had just crossed a line.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft metallic hiss. Jae Hyun stepped in first, his hands buried in the pockets of his impeccably tailored pants, closely followed by Woo Jin. The elevator was narrow but sufficient to contain the weight of their presence. The fluorescent lights cast a cold gleam across Jae Hyun's face, emphasizing the rigidity of his features.
— I thought I asked you to investigate her? he asked, his voice firm, almost icy.
Woo Jin nodded slightly, finger poised over the keypad to select the floor.
— Yes… actually, I was about to tell you, he murmured, almost as if fearing his boss's reaction. Her name is Cho Se Ra. She holds a degree in Banking and Financial Administration. She's been doing a very interesting pre-employment internship at Axion for the past few weeks.
Jae Hyun narrowed his eyes, his gaze slightly puzzled.
— An interesting internship?
— Yes, Woo Jin emphasized, choosing his words carefully. She should be officially hired in a few days. A position has already been prepared for her.
Jae Hyun inhaled deeply, letting the air slip between his lips. His eyes drifted momentarily into the void, his mind silently calculating the implications of this information.
— Is she aware? he asked, his voice lower, almost curious.
— I don't think so, replied Woo Jin.
A silence settled in the elevator, broken only by the faint hum of the motor. Jae Hyun furrowed his brows.
— How come I've never seen her before?
— You haven't set foot in this department for months, explained Woo Jin. And even if you had, she's only been there about eight weeks.
Jae Hyun nodded slowly, his jaw tight.
— Notify Human Resources. I want to see her supervisor immediately in my office.
Woo Jin inclined his head, silent but attentive, and pressed the button for the 57th floor.
— Very well, sir.
----
Meanwhile, Mi Ra, in her small restaurant, served a customer diligently, carefully placing two bottles of Soku and beer on the table. The light clinking of glass against wood left a subtle scent of alcohol and spices floating in the warm air of the room.
— Enjoy! she called out with a smile, before quickly noting an order in her small notebook, her fingers dancing fluidly across the paper.
*****
Se Ra, on her side, walked through the accounting department, a stack of documents pressed against her chest. The open space was strangely empty, the usual whispers replaced by the monotone clicking of keyboards. Her hunched shoulders betrayed the accumulated fatigue and stress of her situation.
A few meters away, Woo Jin watched her, one hand in his pocket, stepping forward calmly but measuredly.
— Miss Cho? he asked, his voice soft but firm.
She flinched slightly and turned to him, exhaustion visible on her face.
— You again… she murmured, annoyed.
Woo Jin approached, checking out of the corner of his eye that no colleague was paying attention to them.
— What? Haven't you finished bothering me yet? she replied with a mix of exasperation and fatigue.
He gave a slight, discreet gesture of embarrassment and glanced at the stack of documents she set down on the desk.
— I'm here to warn you, he said, his voice grave.
— Oh… about what? she feigned surprise, a hint of irony in her tone.
— Just… you'd better accept what will likely be offered to you soon, he murmured.
Se Ra felt anger rise within her like a burning gust. Her hands clenched on the edge of the desk.
— I told you my insurance expired the day of the accident! she exclaimed, her voice trembling but firm. What do you want, in the end?
At that moment, the door to the department head's office opened abruptly, revealing Park Na Young, an elegant woman in her fifties, her expression severe yet determined.
— Miss Cho?
Se Ra turned to her, chest tight, eyes full of apprehension.
— Into my office, immediately.
Woo Jin put his hands in his pockets and inclined his head slightly, as if to say: "Go on, don't waste time."
Without waiting for a response, she followed Park Na Young's authoritative voice and disappeared behind the glass door, which closed gently behind her, leaving Woo Jin alone in the hallway, a mixture of pity and resignation on his face.
Madame Park Na Young's office was silent, punctuated only by the slight rustling of paper and the discreet tick-tock of a clock on the wall. The large bay windows let in the afternoon light, but it seemed pale, unable to warm the cold atmosphere. Cho Se Ra sat facing the director, hands clasped on her lap, heart racing. She inhaled and exhaled impatiently, trying to gather her courage as her eyes wandered over the smooth surface of the dark wooden desk.
Madame Park closed the folder she was holding, planted her pen in the metal box within reach, and crossed her hands under her chin, resting her serious face lightly on her fingers. Her gaze was relentless, as if every word she was about to speak were to fall like a verdict.
— What happened? she asked, her voice calm but sharp, filled with an authority that allowed no hasty reply.
Se Ra blinked, confused, searching for her words.
— Pardon? About… what do you mean?
Madame Park placed another document on the stack beside her and straightened slightly.
— You are the best profile among our interns for this position in creation… But what did you do to get here?
Se Ra let out a small, nervous laugh, almost uncontrollable, trying to mask her anxiety.
— I… I don't understand you.
Madame Park didn't answer immediately. She picked up another document and placed it in front of her with a certain solemnity, as if each sheet deposited sealed a sentence.
— Your internship has been canceled.
Se Ra felt her legs go weak. Her ears buzzed, and a cold chill crawled up her spine. Her entire body seemed ready to scream, yet no sound came out. An internship, a job, Na Bi's care… all of it had crumbled in an instant.
— What…? she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if trying to convince herself this was just a nightmare.
Madame Park looked her straight in the eyes, unwavering.
— And what I would like to know is what could possibly have happened for the CEO himself to sign your termination notice.
She placed the document in front of Se Ra. The paper trembled slightly under her fingers as she took it. Her eyes mechanically scanned the lines, the floor number: 57… down to the signature, crisp and unyielding at the bottom. The shock tightened her chest.
— But… I don't even know him! she murmured, unable to hide her astonishment.
— At this point, I can do nothing for you, said Madame Park, her voice soft yet ruthless, expressing a necessary regret.
— But… there must be some mistake… I don't understand the reason for this cancellation… Se Ra stammered, her trembling hands searching for an invisible support.
— I am sorry, added the director. You will, however, receive a check for compensation.
Se Ra clenched her teeth, tears rising, hot and silent.
— But I'm sure I can explain…
— The effect is immediate, cut in Park Na Young, sharp. Now, if you will… take a box on your way out.
The world seemed to freeze around Se Ra. Her lips quivered, her ragged breathing filling the room with palpable tension. Her hands slid toward the box, grasping it almost mechanically, as if this object could offer a semblance of control. She rose slowly, each movement heavy with disappointment and despair. The tears, held back for too long, rolled down her cheeks before she disappeared behind the glass door.
She emerged into the open space, her heart in pieces. A few colleagues, discreet but compassionate, lifted their eyes toward her. Their gazes were soft but concerned, as if they could see every fracture in her mind and courage. Se Ra walked to her desk, the box pressed to her chest, and began packing her belongings with automatic motions, her fingers trembling.
When she picked up the small photo of Na Bi, her world contracted even further. She gazed at it for a moment, desperately trying to swallow her tears, to contain the whirlwind of emotions flooding her: frustration, fear, guilt… an unbearable pressure that made her feel as if her shoulders would shatter. The room around her seemed silent, almost suspended, as she got lost in the fragility of the moment, in the shadow of the chaos her future had just become.
The elevator was eerily quiet, almost oppressive, as Se Ra stepped in with her small box, containing her personal belongings, ready to leave the company. The cold light of the fluorescent bulbs reflected off the metallic walls, highlighting every trace of fatigue on her face. Her fingers, clenched around the box, betrayed the rage and despair devouring her from within.
Se Ra's gaze fixed on the elevator buttons. Without hesitation, with a mix of determination and simmering anger, she pressed the number 57 instead of the lobby. Her chest heaved rapidly, each breath a tangled mixture of indignation and fear, of anger and fragile hope. Every second in that elevator stretched the torment, as if time itself echoed her chaotic emotions.
She intended to leave a note for the boss who seemed to take pleasure in dismissing people's work without even knowing them…
She had no idea who he was, but she was determined to leave him a little memory.