"Ah and one more thing, she asked me to call you to her office."
Han Gyeol choked on air and wondered if it was because of 'that' incident. Thinking of it makes his eyebrows shoot up and his smile falters.
[I hope it's not about the time where I mistook her lip-reading. Girl... my life is doomed]
"Um… okay thanks for telling me." A inauthentic smile plasters on his lips.
Dragging his feet along the floor, Han Gyeol reaches towards her office. He took a profound breath.The silence that was thicker than armpit hair.
A knock is heard on the door.
"Come in." A calm, feminine voice answers.
The serenity of Jennifer's office welcomes him with open arms. The little details of her presence shine in the room. Upon entering the room, his eyes dart around as he takes in the record of its environment. A white ceramic vase rests along the side of the window, erecting a leafy, green plant.
His gaze travels open to Jennifer, who's taking a look at a few documents. The sunlight illuminates the room, making its way towards her. Giving her skin a golden hue and accentuating her brown eyes and hair.
[Why the hell is she always glowing? Slay, I guess.]
She puts her documents aside and gazes upon Han Gyeol, who's standing like a freaking man emoji.
[I have no idea what to say...]
Her eyebrows dart up and she clicks her pen, "Please have a seat."
"Ah. Yes." Han Gyeol nods as he sits down.
"Are you nervous?" She fixes her collar.
Her ability to read people makes him feel chills down his spine.
"Y…yes. How did you know?" He clears his throat.
[Girl! Stop staring at my soul I'll...I'll cry]
She passes a lopesided smile, "Your jaw is clenched, pupils dilated and, your hands are a bit shaky."
[A man? Detected. Plan asserting dominance: initiated]
"It's all right. Just loosen up a bit. I don't bite…unless-" a corner of her lips twitches.
"Unless?" he asks as his eyes sparkle. His head tilts slightly.
"Unless I'm provoked. So don't worry I don't plan on biting you." Letting out a chuckle, she places a piece of paper on the table.
As the slight chuckle filled the room, he could find himself feeling a sense of comfort.
"Well, that sounds about right. May I know why I've been called here?"
She opens the notes app to use the reference points for the conversation, entertaining a certain sense of intrigue.
"I happened to know that you ended up fainting due to extreme stress. Is that true?"
"Ah yes… but I'm better now." His lips press and he glides his fingers behind his neck.
"That's great to hear but I called you to inform you that if you are facing stress due to any personal or professional setting, I want you to let me know so we can work it out together."
He couldn't help but feel touched by her comment.
"Work it out? Together?" He repeats in his head.
"Thank you… but may I ask the reason for you making this much effort".
She drags her plaque forward which has the following words written.
{Lee Jennifer, Head O/I Psychologist}
"Don't mention it. It's my duty."
"Ah. Right…" he lets out an awkward laugh along with a feeling of embarrassment washing over him. He thought that he had been cared for unconditionally.
[I guess he did too...misunderstand me.]
Han Gyeol always had a weakness towards validation from older women. And that manifested in this situation.
"Mr. Choi, if you want access to the stress management programs… you can take the help of your team manager."
"No offense but if your stress levels stay consistent… you might develop hypertension." She exhales deeply.
Nodding his head in determination, he listens to her intently.
"Yes, Thank you, Ms. Lee. I'll make sure to do that."
"And one more thing, don't be afraid to ask for help. And I also provide therapy sessions if you ever need help." She clasps her hands together.
"Can I be honest? Actually… I have no idea where to start. Which problem, which part?" He fiddles with his hands.
Taking in all the stimuli, her gaze averts towards the ceiling and she answers, "That's a great question. Let's start from the current issue which has been bothering you often… whether it's private or something else."
[By the looks of it, he's tweaking badly.]
"I assure you that your privacy will be protected." She places her hand on her heart.
That was it. The catalyst. Breaking into his walls furiously.
Letting out a sigh, he narrowing his eyes, "My girlfriend… I don't know if she loves me or not."
[Should this be okay?]
Swallowing hard, she clutches on her arm.
[Me too Mr. Choi. Me too.]
When you can't realize if a person loves you or not... It may symbolize an unhealthy relationship prior it inflicts incurable damage.
"I understand your frustration. Have you discussed this matter with her? Communication is extremely necessary to maintain a healthy relationship."
"Yes… she just brushed it off. I asked if she loved me but no… she didn't find it important enough to address." His feet tap on the tile floor.
[Oh God… always the emotional constipation ruining the relationships.]
She says, "Did she ever complain to you about anything related to the relationship?".
"Money… it's always the money. Sometimes I feel like I'm her ATM." His shoulders droop a bit as his eyes flutter across the room.
The response leaves her mouth a bit agape as she nods.
[Darn...that was absolutely horrible.]
"Mr. Choi, I sense that there is a weakness in the foundation of this relationship… have you tried anything like couple therapy?"
The flight-or-fight response kicks in again, "No no… she'll give me vicious remarks. I don't want to go through that again" his voice shuffles.
[I don't want to hate myself again.]
That was it, the final straw that shattered Jennifer's heart. Her expression softens. Despite it, she aims to remain professional.
"Mr. Choi, listen carefully to what I'm about to say. It would be better to let her go if you aren't able to make her respect your boundaries".
[Is he facing abuse? Let's not assume further and dive deeper.]
He could feel himself choking on tears
"But I really… love her… I can't… I just can't- Ms. Jennifer."
"I understand you… you can let it all out, it's okay to cry." Her eyes blink gently.
The comforting words and the tender voice brought out the suppressed tears that never got to witness the daylight. Jennifer wanted to hold him tight and comfort him yet her modesty and sensory sensitivities held her back.
Sniffles could heard as he was wiping his waterfall of tears with a tissue.
"I-I... I'm sorry for crying like this-".
"Relax Mr. Choi. You don't have to feel sorry. Your feelings are valid and I'm proud of you for staying so strong."
Those words struck his heart deeply and he couldn't help but tear up more.
"Thank you… thank you so much for being here for me… I hope I'm not being burdensome right now." He sniffles.
"Your frustrations and pain are understandable. It's natural to feel this way when you are dismissed."
Resting his head on the table, he begins the calm down and she takes her phone to pat his back while also avoiding physical contact.
As some moments pass, Han Gyeol looks at her with a gaze of pleading, "I can't leave her even if I want to…the truth is that –"
As the truth unravelled, Jennifer could feel her clenching her jaw in rage.