Episode 8 / 10
Minseo ended things with Junho that weekend.
He asked why, and Minseo answered honestly.
He was a good person. She knew that. But her feelings weren't keeping up.
Junho was silent for a long moment.
Then he said he understood.
That was it.
Monday morning.
Minseo arrived at work and set down her bag. Serin at the next desk was drinking coffee.
Minseo turned on her computer and said,
(Minseo): “I broke up with him.”
Serin froze with the cup halfway to her mouth.
(Serin): “What?”
Minseo stared at her monitor for no reason.
(Serin): “Just like that?”
(Minseo): “Yeah.”
(Serin): “Why?”
(Minseo): “I don't know. It just wasn't right.”
Serin stared at her.
There was no need to tell Serin. Especially not first thing Monday morning.
And yet Minseo had wanted to.
More precisely, she wanted someone to know.
And if Serin knew, it wouldn't take long.
At lunchtime, as expected, it did not take long.
Minseo and Serin ran into people from the neighboring team in front of the elevators.
Doyoon was there.
(Serin): “I'm buying Assistant Manager Song something good today.”
(Minseo): “Why are you buying?”
(Serin): “Because you had a breakup.”
Minseo glared at her.
(Minseo): “Hey.”
(Serin): “Although you look better after the breakup, so maybe I don't have to comfort you.”
Minseo wanted to cover Serin's mouth.
At the same time, she looked above Doyoon's head.
21
A moment later:
32
Minseo's eyes stopped.
Doyoon looked at her once.
(Doyoon): “Are you okay?”
(Minseo): “Of course. It's not like I got dumped.”
Why did she have to add that?
Doyoon slowly nodded.
41
Minseo pressed her lips together.
No question now.
The moment he learned she was single, it went up.
After that, things moved quickly.
Doyoon started messaging first more often. Even after the work issue was settled, one or two personal lines remained. If they finished at the same time, they naturally walked to the station together.
One day, Doyoon asked first,
(Doyoon): “Want coffee?”
(Minseo): “Sure.”
48
After ten minutes talking in the pantry:
53
After lunch together, when Doyoon laughed at one of Minseo's jokes:
61
Every time the number rose, Minseo felt good.
Doyoon was starting to like her too.
One morning, Minseo stood in front of her closet for a long time.
She chose a pale blouse. Changed her earrings.
Had she ever studied herself in the mirror this long just to go to work?
At the office, she ran into Doyoon.
(Doyoon): “Morning.”
(Minseo): “Morning.”
The number was
68.
Same as yesterday.
Minseo paused.
At lunch, 68.
They walked together after work, and still 68.
The next day too.
68
Minseo started to care.
Should she dress a little better? Message him less?
A few days later, they walked home with convenience-store coffees in their hands.
The topic turned to housing.
(Doyoon): “For me, living close to work is everything.”
(Minseo): “Where do you live?”
(Doyoon): “A studio near Seolleung.”
Minseo nodded.
Similar to her.
(Minseo): “Me too.”
(Doyoon): “Buying a place in Seoul is something I'll have to do in my next life.”
Minseo laughed.
(Minseo): “No help from your parents?”
Doyoon laughed too.
(Doyoon): “I think I'm the one who's supposed to be their help.”
He said it like a joke, but Minseo understood roughly what he meant.
She thought of Junho.
Homeowner in Jamsil. Parents in Daechi-dong. Stable job.
A man who wanted to use help from both families to build assets after marriage.
Minseo glanced at Doyoon.
His number was
72.
His feelings had gone up.
His practical score, in her mind, had gone down.
Her thoughts grew complicated.
Even after a few more days, his number stayed in the seventies.
73.
Minseo began checking more and more often.
Why isn't it going up? Yesterday felt good. Am I messaging first too much?
Maybe I shouldn't today.
Sometimes she deliberately waited before replying. Sometimes she pretended not to notice Doyoon approaching.
The number did not move the way she wanted.
One day it even fell to
69.
Minseo was in a bad mood all day.
Near the end of work, a message arrived from Doyoon.
[Doyoon: Want to walk for a bit today?]
They left the building together.
They walked as usual, but Doyoon was quiet.
Minseo felt nervous for no reason.
After a while, he stopped.
(Doyoon): “Assistant Manager Song.”
(Minseo): “Yes?”
Doyoon hesitated.
(Doyoon): “Can I ask you something?”
(Minseo): “What?”
(Doyoon): “I was wondering if you might feel the same way I do… Do you like me?”
Minseo's heart slammed once against her ribs.
Above Doyoon's head:
78
He had asked if their feelings were the same and whether she liked him.
Under normal circumstances, that was practically a confession.
But Minseo could see the number.
It wasn't 100.
Does that mean he doesn't really like me?
Minseo opened her mouth, then closed it.
If I tell him I like him, am I showing all my cards first? He's only at 78. What if that means he doesn't really like me?
The silence stretched.
Doyoon's expression shifted.
(Doyoon): “…Sorry. If that was an uncomfortable question, forget it.”
And the number above his head dropped to
74.
Minseo stared at it.
She had thought knowing someone's feelings would make everything easy.
Instead,
the more she knew,
the harder it became.