"I hope today is the last day"

05. Three-way meeting

"I hope today is the last day"

Episode 5. Three-Way Confrontation

After saying goodbye to Taehyung and ending our meeting, I returned home. Even now, I felt like his scent lingered around me.

Is it because he knows scents well? Why does he wear perfume that fits his image so well?

The intense yet simple reunion seemed to secretly make my heart race. Clearly, I had hoped today would be our last…

For some reason, I feel like I'll be seeing you again in the future.

I hung the coat I was wearing on the back of the sofa and headed to the kitchen, filled a glass kettle with water, and took out a green tea bag from the cupboard.

After a day of no one being home, the air must have been chilled, and I felt like I needed to warm up. Of course, I turned on the heater as soon as I got home.

As I was watching the water in the kettle on the stove bubbling and foaming, I got a call from Jeon Jungkook.

한사라

-Yeah, I just got in.

-"What were you doing when you just came in? Who did you meet?"

Oh, I realized it too late. He probably doesn't know I met Kim Taehyung.

한사라

-… Yeah, I’m going to meet someone I know and talk for a bit… .

-"It was late, but luckily I got in safely."

한사라

-At this point, I'm out of the woods. Don't you think so?

-"I think I need to think about that."

What a prank. I chuckled, holding my phone between my ear and shoulder, then picked up the boiling kettle and poured it into a clear glass.

한사라

-Oh, right, did you get in okay?

-"You came in safely. That senior didn't seem to be very drunk."

-"That senior's house wasn't that far from mine, so I dropped him off and walked him here."

한사라

-Good work.

After putting the tea bag in my mouth and tearing it open with one hand, I put it in a cup and the blue light slowly spreading through the clear water was quite a sight.

As I picked up my glass, put my phone back on, and headed to the living room, the call with him continued.

···

The phone call ended just as it was time to shower. I hung up after saying we'd go to work together again tomorrow, and then finished showering.

There's nothing better than lying down on a bed with the blankets spread out neatly, with your hair rolled up in a towel and not even drying it. Seriously.

The lights in the room are off, and I'm staring at the ceiling, relying only on the soft light of the lamp next to my bed...

The notification sound on the phone.

It was perhaps the most unpleasant sound I'd ever heard. I had no choice but to reach out and fumble with my hand on the table beneath the lamp.

한사라

… … Ha. Right, report.

I was supposed to send it by email after returning from a business trip... I must have forgotten. The moment I received a text message from my team leader, my thinking circuits seemed to freeze.

So then I got up out of the blue, turned on the lights in my room, and opened my laptop… and the battery was dead?

In my haste and impatience, I plugged in the charger, but I didn't even notice my foot on the edge of the bed. "Wow, Hansara, come to your senses, please."

The next day, I walked to work with Jeon Jungkook, as always. When I told him about what happened the previous morning, my so-called friend just chuckled.

한사라

… … Should I submit my resignation today?

한사라

What do you think of the team leader's face...?

전정국

What are you doing with that?

I was a little taken aback by you offering comfort after laughing it off, but I felt a little better.

전정국

The team leader must have been even more surprised.

전정국

Because you've never made a mistake like this before.

한사라

… … Ah, so that’s it.

전정국

What happened yesterday?

"Did you meet someone last night?" he asked, turning his head toward me. I shrugged, as if nothing had happened.

Actually, it wasn't a trivial matter. It's no exaggeration to say that I made this mistake because of him who suddenly appeared yesterday.

I never make mistakes like this no matter what happens.

한사라

… … You didn’t put sugar in it today?

As I was quietly sipping the coffee that Jungkook had brought, I noticed that today, the aftertaste was particularly bitter and gritty… It didn’t taste good.

전정국

I put in two spoons of sugar, just like I always do.

한사라

… … No.

I don't think I've ever written this much before, but for some reason I wrote so much today that I didn't really feel like writing.

···

Early in the morning, when the employees were rushing to work. Today, I felt particularly unwell, and the pain was starting in my lower abdomen. I told Jeongguk a vague explanation and went to the bathroom.

I thought, "No way..." I checked the due date, but it was still four days away, which made me wonder. Was it something wrong with the coffee I had this morning?

I was standing there, sweating profusely, holding onto the sink, not knowing what to do, when the team leader came in.

한사라

… Ah, Team Leader. Hello.

"Yeah. Manager Han - Good morning."

The team leader standing next to me took out lipstick from his pouch, added some color to his lips, and looked at himself in the mirror with satisfaction.

“…Oh, right, Manager Han.”

한사라

… … Yes, team leader.

At this point, I was expecting to hear a scolding for yesterday's incident. "Yeah... I'll gladly accept the insults or the advice," I thought, as I waited.

"I'm talking about the celebration party for our company's 60th anniversary."

"It was decided to do it at the botanical garden that Agent Han visited yesterday."

한사라

Oh, really…?

Come to think of it, our chairman's tastes are quite unique. Anyway... I guess that's not the problem.

"The person in charge of the botanical garden is coming today."

한사라

…is it so?

The problem was that I had to repeat the awkward encounter I'd had yesterday. Now, not only was my heart pounding, but my head was also starting to ache.

It was a moment when I began to resent myself for having confidently taken the lead in going on a business trip just a few days ago. It wasn't my job to lead this.

한사라

…Can I go to the conference room right now?

"Yeah, I think he might have come."

“Oh… and I heard that one more person is coming.”

한사라

What does the other person do…?

"Well, I don't know about that."

"Go meet them and they'll introduce you. Anyway, thank you for your hard work," said the team leader, who left the area first. Sarah, who took a few breaths, also left.

As expected, as soon as I entered the office, Jeongguk noticed my gloomy face and approached me, asking, "What's wrong?"

한사라

… No. It’s nothing.

Since we were sitting next to each other, we could just stick our heads out through the partition and talk, so he grabbed my wrist as I was trying to grab my notebook and head to the conference room.

전정국

…is this really okay?

한사라

Oh, I'm telling you, it's really okay.

I have a meeting to attend to. You mind your own business. Even though you smiled playfully, I felt a pang of guilt at the sight of your worried gaze.

전정국

…with who.

한사라

Yes, there is such a person.

You'll soon find out that it's Park Jimin anyway, but it's a bit awkward for me to say it myself.

한사라

Can you let me go for now?

전정국

Can I not go with you?

I can do it by myself. Pick, let's smile. Only then did he slowly let go of my wrist.

전정국

Be careful. You don't look well today.

It's a bit strange to see him, who can't hide the passage of time, always seem to know when I'm not feeling well like a ghost.

And then I headed straight to the conference room…

I was so glad I didn't have to bring Jeon Jungkook back anytime soon.

Who would have imagined that?

I never thought my first love and my last lover would be together.

Life is really not easy.