The workload had become pretty heavy since Miss Lee left the company a few weeks ago and although Min Hyun had already proven to be a rather helpful and qualified employee, everyone still felt her absence.
"That's the downside of working for a big company - no matter how hard you work, once you lose even one team member, everything goes to hell."
Mr. Woo finished whining and stabbed a piece of chicken with the fork as if trying to punish it for the increase in his workload. His wrath was understandable - since Miss Lee was responsible for the second large team account after Se Ah, naturally, instead of shifting everybody's assignments which would have been a much bigger headache, Team Leader Shin simply divided her account equally, making sure all the members of his team suffer the same amount of pain in the neck.
It was the first time in weeks when they were finally able to have lunch away from their desks so the whole department decided to "celebrate" that occasion in the Italian restaurant near the office which was a great relief to Yoon Se Ah who, having been buried in work, was on the verge of losing her mind over having to eat the office cafeteria leftovers.
"Miss Yoon, after all that work I've put you through, I pray that you are reborn a rich noblewoman in your next life."
Mr. Shin offered Se Ah a guilty smile while pushing a plate of cheese-glazed garlic bread closer to her, and continued,
"Here, you look like you've lost a lot of weight recently, and I can't help but feel responsible for that."
Miss Yoon laughed at his fatherly remark and gladly munched on the bread. Of all the men she knew at the office, Mr. Shin annoyed her the least and that was probably because he treated her kindly, yet with an appropriate amount of respect, even though they were only ten years apart.
"Miss Yoon, it looks like you're phone is ringing."
Min Hyun pointed at Se Ah's vibrating phone and smiled. The woman excused herself, walked outside the restaurant, and took the call.
"Mrs. Nam? I'm sorry, I've been busy so I missed all of your calls. Did something happen?"
The woman on the other line was screaming almost hysterically.
"Miss Yoon, what do we do, there was a fire in the building!"
"What? A fire?!"
"Yes, it was horrible! Six apartments were ruined, including yours. I'm so sorry!"
Se Ah felt so empty as if all her blood was drained in an instant. How could that happen? Why now, of all times? And what was she supposed to do now?
"Miss Yoon? Miss Yoon, are you there?"
She shook her head trying to get back to her senses, then tightly squeezed her phone, and let out a long, exhausted exhale. Mrs. Nam continued,
"Miss Yoon, you need to come here immediately. The fire was put down and the firefighters gathered a few things that survived it from each apartment so you need to take them. And of course, we need to talk about your deposit and the rental contract."
"... Yeah, I'll be there shortly."
"Alright, I'll be waiting."
Mrs. Nam hung up the phone but Se Ah was still holding it next to her ear with a trembling hand. She did not know how long she'd been standing like that, not being able to move or even think, when the door to the restaurant opened with a lively jingle of the blue windchime. She stepped aside, making way for a leaving couple, then finally managed to compose herself, pulled her phone away from her face, and went back inside the restaurant.
"Miss Yoon, are you alright? You are as pale as a sheet!"
Mr. Woo stood up from his seat as he noticed his colleague's ghost-like appearance and looked at her with eyes full of worry. Se Ah took her bag from the back of the chair and said in an extremely quiet voice,
"Mr. Shin... I need to go home, my apartment... caught fire."
"What?!"
Every single person that was sitting at their table shouted in unison, attracting the attention of every other customer in the restaurant. Mr. Shin nodded his head and gestured for her to go.
"Of course, of course, go immediately! We will take care of your work so don't worry about anything."
Se Ah replied to that kind gesture with a light bow and started walking toward the exit but her legs felt like soggy noodles; in just a moment, she felt like everything around her started spinning and she was about to fall, when someone grabbed her by the waist, preventing her from hitting the floor. She looked up to see who saved her from falling and felt a weird sense of relief.
"Lee Min Hyun?"
"Mr. Shin, it does not look like Miss Yoon can go alone. Can I go with her? I brought my car today so it might be more convenient for Miss Yoon. I will return once I bring Miss Yoon to her house."
Mr. Shin let out a somewhat disappointed sigh and nodded.
"Sure, sure, please make sure Miss Yoon is fine."
Min Hyun helped Se Ah out, then instructed her to wait on the bench in front of the restaurant while he was bringing his car, then helped her get inside the vehicle, and hastily took off.
"Miss Yoon, are you that worried? Was it really bad? You look so pale..."
The woman did not reply. Both his question and remark were inconsiderate and even somewhat stupid, and as for her, she felt so anxious, it was making her physically sick, she felt cold and nauseous, and the sound of her galloping heart was ringing in her ears, drowning all other sounds.
The intern noticed her trembling hands and decided to stay quiet for the rest of the ride, even though he was dying to embrace her, pat her back, and tell her that everything would be alright. But even despite all those feelings, he was not sad, on the contrary, he felt overjoyed - with no possessions or a place to live, she was pushed further from moving away, and closer to being with him. Finally, there was some progress. Now it was only a matter of time.