The sun had broken out and it was morning again. The entire cabin of Kwan was basking in the warmth of the sharp sun rays. The AC was still on, the system was still running showing the details of the now-reviewed presentation Gong Yoo Jin had prepared. This only proved that the owner of the cabin had worked the entire night in her office and had not gone home.
Suddenly the door of her cabin was pushed open and entered the fully dressed asst. Min. But she was surprised to enter inside. The AC was still on and the handbag and handphone of her boss were still sitting on top of the desk. She tilted her head a little and then wondered, 'Did she not go home again and worked all night.' Thinking about her boss she couldn't help but frown. Her boss needed to tone down the workload on her. As she stepped inside and reached the desk where the system was still running. She saw that the presentation was complete for tomorrow's meeting. She even noticed the coffee mugs sitting beside the laptop. Asst. Min was really worried for Kwan. She often wondered working this way like a machine, how did her boss not reach the emergency ward yet.
As she decided to clean her office desk before Kwan's return. She suddenly heard the soft whimpers coming from the sofa on the other side of the cabin. Asst. Min was alarmed and turned around only to notice that a small figure was sleeping on the couch in the office. She stepped towards the couch with cautious steps. Her heels clicked on the ground. With measured steps and slightly bending down she approached the couch only to gasp in surprise. She was taken aback by the person lying on the couch with sweat all over her face and neck. Maybe she was having a nightmare. After seeing who the person is lying on the couch, Asst. Min rushed towards her.
Kwan was sleeping but a huge frown was evident on her face full of sweat, proving that she was in misery and hurting somewhere. Seeing her in such a state, asst. Min panicked. She sat down beside Kwan and started shaking her in her sleep. She went blank upon seeing the state of her boss. She had never seen her this way. "Director Kwan! wakeup. You're just having a nightmare. Director Kwan! Sunbae!! Sunbae!! Wake up." She tried waking Kwan but all Kwan did was whimper and tears were escaping her eyes continuously. Kwan was deep in her nightmare and it seemed as if the nightmare was very scary. Something that could make this ice lady cry would be scary shit.
Min Si Ho was terrified. She suddenly stood up and violently shook Kwan with a strong voice, "UNNIE!! UNNIE!! get up. this is just a nightmare. you're fine. get up." Upon shaking violently, Kwan came to her senses and woke up with a gasp. Her eyes were big with fear, her face as pale as a sheet of paper. She looked vulnerable just like a lost kid. Even Min Si Ho for a second couldn't recognize her. Kwan was acting out of character.
After being woken up violently, Kwan did not understand what was happening around her. Her vision seemed hazy and she was out of her wits. Sitting on the couch abruptly, she groaned and hid are faces in her hands. 'The fucking nightmare, it was back again.' With deep breaths, she tried to calm herself. While she was busy arranging her thoughts, she heard some shuffling sounds and then someone's approaching footsteps. Kwan raised her head with a blank look and saw her assistant approaching her with a glass of water in her hand.
Min Si Ho approached the messy young woman sitting on the couch and handed her the glass of water she brought, to help her calm down. She had sweated a lot and might be thirsty. Kwan looked at her assistant and then at the glass of water in her hand. She spoke nothing nor did she move for few moments. She just sat there and glared at the glass of water intently. But then she unhurriedly took the glass of water from Si Ho and drank it in one go. She was thirsty. Handing the empty glass back to her, she looked down at her feet, with her hands beside her on the sofa. She felt like crying but she knew no tears would come out. She wanted to cry, wail, and complain but she could do nothing. After all, she was at the end all alone. She could run to no one but just herself. And after so long Kwan felt that it was unbearable for her. She was scared.
Min Si Ho intently observed her. The way her body had turned stiff. The way her hands were shaking and the deep breaths she was taking. She had never seen her boss this way. She had known her for a very long time and had always admired her but she had never seen this side of the Park Kwan she knew. She cautiously approached the couch and sat beside Kwan. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and then opened them. Hesitating a little, she raised her hand and placed it on her right shoulder, and patted it. "Unnie, are you okay?"
Kwan heard her voice but she didn't say anything to her. She sat there quietly and just looked at her feet. Taking a deep sigh and a few more deep breaths, she nodded her head as if answering Min Si Ho's question. "Oh! I'm okay. Don't worry. Now I'm okay." Saying this she turned to her right and looked at Min Si Ho with a very small, almost invisible smile on her face. Min Si Ho was looking at her with worry on her face. "Just cancel all my meetings till lunch and ask Gong Yoo Jin to meet me after lunch. I'll take a break till lunch." She instructed Min Si Ho in her calm voice. After instructing her on all the activities and work, she closed her eyes with a sigh and leaned back on the sofa.
"Unnie, you should be taking a rest today. Take a leave and go home. I'll look into the presentation and work and also help Gong Yoo Jin with the project. If we face any problem I'll call you. Don't be so harsh on yourself." Hearing her words Kwan opened her eyes leisurely and then turned to her and glared at her. "It's director Park in the office. I shouldn't be hearing anything else from your mouth in the office. And I'm not being harsh on myself. If I go home then I'll be being harsh on myself. So now please let me rest for a while."
Asst. Min sighed with her narrowed eyes. What could she do? It was true going back to an empty house would not be a good idea. So she didn't pressurize her and just let her be. In a way, it was good that she would be staying in the office. This way she could look after her and even do her work.
Not wanting to disturb her anymore she got up from the sofa and walked towards the office desk. She took hold of the AC remote and increased the temperature and started arranging the desk for Kwan. After being done, she looked at her boss who was leaning on the sofa with her eyes closed. Smiling softly, she approached the door of the cabin and pulled open the door. As she was about to step out, she heard a soft thank you from her boss. She turned around and looked at the figure sitting on the sofa. She was still leaning toward the back of the sofa and her eyes closed were closed too. Si Ho shook her head and left the room with a smile.