"Seriously, you need to stop overworking yourself." The sharpness in his voice made her wince as she stifled a cough.
"Just a minute. I need to finish this today," she replied, her voice barely audible as she continued to flip through the stack of documents. The boy behind her let out a frustrated sigh.
"You need to learn to say no. This isn't even part of your job." He couldn't stand seeing others take advantage of her. She was the strongest person he knew, but her kindness often left her vulnerable. Even if she was burning up with a fever, she'd still take on extra tasks while the rest of the committee went off to have fun.
Despite her determination, she could feel her consciousness slipping away. Noticing her hands falter, the boy gently took the pen and papers from her grasp, catching her head before it could hit the table.
"This is why I told you to let it go. I just wish you'd take better care of yourself..." His voice was warm, filled with concern, as she finally surrendered to her fatigue and the cold that had been wearing her down.
Now, back in the present, Rosel stood on the balcony, a cup of warm coffee in hand, as memories from the past washed over her.
"Why am I even dwelling on all this?" she muttered with a sad laugh, resting her head against the railing and letting the cool breeze play with her hair. Just then, her phone buzzed.
'Sorry for the late reply. I'm up for tomorrow. See you!' - from Kale.
Rosel stared at the bright screen, the light stark against the darkness surrounding it. She sighed, sat up straight, and typed out a quick response: 'Great! I can't wait to meet you too.' She hoped it didn't come across as too forced.
Sighing again, she gripped her mug tightly. Taking one last look at the night sky, she turned to head back inside, thinking to herself, 'It's time to move on.'
The next thing Rosel knew, morning had arrived. She woke up an hour earlier than usual to prepare for the date that night. While she wasn't particularly excited, she felt it was important to make an effort out of respect for her date. She scanned her closet, pulling out three outfits.
The first was a black blouse with a ribbon at the neckline, adding an elegant touch, paired with a black maxi skirt with a slit that rose just above the knee. The second outfit was more modest: a pink off-the-shoulder sweater, paired with a mini skirt and stockings. The last option was a baby blue sundress, paired with a cropped cardigan.
Standing in front of the mirror, Rosel held each outfit in front of her, trying to imagine the impression they would make. After some deliberation, she decided on the second set. It struck the perfect balance—not too casual, not too formal—just right for making a good impression on her date.
After neatly returning the other outfits to the closet, she sat down for a quick breakfast before doing her hair and applying light makeup.
"This should be good enough," she murmured to herself, giving her reflection one final look. She snapped a quick selfie, posting it to her close friends' list with the caption, 'A rare dressed-up me.' Then, grabbing her bag, she headed out to work.
As expected, Rosel's rare appearance in a dolled-up outfit didn't go unnoticed. By 10 a.m., she had already sighed three times, each one heavier than the last. 'It's going to be a long day,' she thought.
"What's the occasion, Rosel?" A deep voice broke through her thoughts.
She gave a half-hearted smile. "Morning, Benjamin. No occasion, really. Just thought it was time to wear this new outfit instead of letting it gather dust in my closet."
Benjamin chuckled heartily. "Well, I hope whoever you're meeting appreciates it, because you look amazing."
The compliment only made her feel more awkward. Trying to be polite, she responded with a light chuckle. After a few more exchanges, Benjamin finally returned to his desk, leaving Rosel to enjoy the peace she so desperately needed—until Rachel appeared unexpectedly.
Rachel walked in carrying a large bouquet, immediately stirring up another round of excitement in the office.
"Oh. My. God. Who?" A female colleague rushed over, shrieking as she tried to catch a glimpse of the card or any clue about who had sent Rachel such an extravagant gift.
Rachel giggled. "Oh, stop. It's probably just a little something."
"No way. Look at the size of it—24 roses! That's a clear 'I can't stop thinking about you 24/7' message."
Rosel, fed up with the chatter, was about to put on her earbuds when a particular name caught her attention.
"Mr. Yale? He sent you this bouquet?" someone in the office shouted, causing Rosel to freeze in place.
'Seems like he's gotten better at choosing gifts for girls,' Rosel thought bitterly. She remembered how he used to struggle with buying gifts in return for all the Valentine's chocolates he received, dragging her along to ask which gifts were appropriate without giving the wrong impression. The memory left a sour taste in her mouth, and she quickly forced it back, shoving her earbuds in.
Of course, Jun Yale would have grown up and dated other people. It wasn't like he lacked options—his list of admirers had always been long. She had watched it all unfold in the past, at least before the incident. They weren't the same kids they once were; now, they were just colleagues. He was their collaborative partner, and she was sure that once the project ended, they would go back to being strangers.
'I just hope you're happy now. If that's the case, maybe I can finally move on for real. Perhaps this love and hate will fade into nothing, just like I've always wanted,' Rosel thought as she tried to focus on her report, her mind drifting.
Little did she know, Jun wasn't the one who sent the bouquet, and he was wrestling with his own thoughts—wondering where they stood, or what they even were.
As the day wore on, Rosel found it increasingly difficult to keep her thoughts in check. The more she tried to focus on her work, the more her mind wandered back to Jun and the confusing emotions that still lingered between them. The unexpected mention of his name had thrown her off balance, stirring up memories she thought she had long buried.
By mid-afternoon, Rosel's resolve to move on was wavering. She couldn't deny that a part of her still cared, still wondered what might have been if things had turned out differently. But she also knew that dwelling on the past wouldn't change anything. They had both moved on, or at least, they were trying to.
As the clock ticked closer to the end of the workday, Rosel received a message from Kale: 'Looking forward to tonight. See you soon!'
She stared at the message for a moment, feeling a mix of guilt and determination. Kale was a good guy, someone who could offer her a fresh start. She owed it to herself—and to him—to give this date a real chance.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her things and prepared to leave the office. Just as she was about to step out, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Jun: 'Hey, I need to talk to you. Can we meet later?'
Rosel's heart skipped a beat. She hesitated, her mind racing with questions. But then, she shook her head, reminding herself of the decision she had made. Tonight was about moving forward, not looking back.
She quickly typed out a reply to Jun: 'Sorry, I'm busy tonight. Maybe another time.'
With that, she slipped her phone into her bag, squared her shoulders, and walked out of the office. As she stepped into the evening air, she felt a strange mix of emotions—uncertainty, hope, and a lingering sense of bittersweet closure.
As she headed toward her date with Kale, she couldn't help but glance up at the sky, where the first stars were beginning to twinkle. 'Here's to the future,' she thought, allowing herself a small, hopeful smile as she walked into the night, leaving the past behind her.