Everyone Carries a Resignation Letter in Their Heart
Seori sunbae stared fixedly through the glass wall of her office toward the corridor where Lee Seo-ah had stormed out of the office.
Her gaze... how should I put it? It definitely wasn't sympathy for the ruined Lee Seo-ah. It felt more like a sense of victory, laced with satisfaction.
Seori sunbae turned her head toward me. A faint smile played on her lips. Then her voice slipped into my ear—low enough for only me to hear, yet crystal clear.
"If you're going to try stealing someone else's possession, you should've been prepared for at least this much, right?"
She added that, then placed the handle of the coffee mug she was holding into my hand. Just like always, infused with devotion and love for Han Minseo.
"Good morning, Minseo."
A gentle smile bloomed on her face. The same warm smile she reserved just for me, exactly like usual.
"Today is really... especially a good morning."
Watching her like that, I froze in place, still clutching the coffee mug.
...So it was Seori sunbae's doing.
The heat from the steaming coffee seeped subtly through the handle. But it couldn't warm my heart, which had gone cold.
Lee Seo-ah's confession, last night's uneasy dinner, that loaded question—"Nothing happened, right?"—and then the tragedy that befell her this morning.
All the pieces pointed to a single culprit.
Choi Seori.
She'd known from the start. About Lee Seo-ah asking me out.
Then she must've known I turned down the confession, too.
Even though I hadn't cheated, Seori sunbae showed no mercy to Lee Seo-ah. For the sin of daring to lay a hand on me, she utterly destroyed her.
But... how did she dig up Lee Seo-ah's past?
Hired a detective? A hacker? Or found out herself?
No matter the method, Seori sunbae had uncovered Lee Seo-ah's most fatal weakness. And she'd punished her by broadcasting it to the world.
Using an anonymous post to keep her own hands spotless. It was a truly cruel method.
This is... love?
Something deep in my chest flickered out.
The pity, understanding, and fondness I'd held for Seori sunbae until now slowly cooled. I could feel the shift in my heart myself.
She'd ruined an innocent person. Just for showing me some rational interest.
Lee Seo-ah had been effectively socially executed as of this morning. I didn't even want to imagine how hard her life would become from here.
This is wrong.
With trembling hands, I set the coffee mug down. A bit of the hot liquid spilled onto my fingers, but I felt nothing.
Only now did I realize it. I couldn't keep this relationship with Seori sunbae going.
If I did, the destruction wouldn't stop at one person. There could be a second, a third Lee Seo-ah.
Yeah. While I still have even a shred of good feelings for her...
Before it was too late.
Before I came to truly hate her.
Before resentment and disgust filled me completely.
I had to end this relationship. Otherwise, we'd only leave irreparable wounds on each other.
"Minseo, what's wrong? Is the coffee too hot?"
Seori sunbae called out to me. Her voice held only innocent puzzlement. Not a trace of guilt for ruining someone's life.
I looked up at her. The woman who cooked for me every day, who always fussed over me and took care of me. The insecure, lonely woman who'd begged me naked not to abandon her...
But at the same time, the woman who could casually destroy an innocent life—who had destroyed one.
"No. I was just... thinking about today's work."
"Good. Work hard, but don't push yourself too much."
She stroked my head. A routine touch I'd normally accept without issue felt unbearable today.
"Yes."
I forced a smile. And in my heart, I vowed.
I have to end it. For real.
……………
I barely slept a wink last night. I lay staring at the ceiling, simulating what I'd do today hundreds of times over. How to bring it up, how Seori sunbae might react, what the worst-case scenario would be, what the best outcome could look like.
Can't do it at home. Absolutely not.
Think back to the naked begging incident. She was in a state where she could've done anything.
If I tried breaking up in the one-room, I couldn't predict what extreme action she might take.
The office should be safe. She can't pull a naked begging stunt here.
No matter how unhinged Seori sunbae got, she couldn't do something like that in the office with other employees around. As CEO, she had her face and reputation to uphold.
That was the best defense I could muster.
The next day, 10 a.m. I stood before Seori sunbae's office door. Through the glass, I could see her working at her monitor—a peaceful, everyday scene I had to shatter with my own hands, one I'd never see again.
Knock knock.
She looked up at the sound. Spotting me through the full-glass wall, a smile spread across her face.
"Come in, Minseo."
I opened the door and entered. Seori sunbae looked up at me.
"What is it? Need more coffee?"
Her voice was still soft and serene. Hard to believe this was the same woman who'd destroyed Lee Seo-ah yesterday.
Instead of answering, I walked up to her desk. Took a deep breath, and quietly set the white envelope down on it.
"What's this?"
A note of wariness crept into Seori sunbae's voice. She didn't pick up the envelope, just stared at me.
"Seori sunbae."
I tried to sound as calm as possible, but my voice trembled faintly.
"This is my resignation."
Seori sunbae's expression hardened instantly. She stared at the envelope, saying nothing. Her face was one of utter disbelief.
"And—"
I had to say it all. If not now, I'd never get the chance.
"I think it's best if we end our relationship here, too."
……………
Silence filled the office. Seori sunbae stared at the envelope containing my resignation, not moving a muscle for a long while. With every passing second, her face grew paler.
Then suddenly, she shot to her feet.
"Minseo."
She approached me. And in the most natural way, she dropped to her knees right in front of me.
Again... she's doing it again.
At least she wasn't naked this time, but the posture and expression were identical to back then. Desperate and pitiable, like an abandoned child.
"Minseo."
Her hand clutched the hem of my pants.
"What did I do wrong? Tell me. I'll fix it."
Her voice shook. Tears were already welling in her eyes.
"No, no, no—I was wrong. I made you suffer again."
She gauged my reaction, pleading nonstop.
"I'll do whatever you want. I'll change everything to suit you. Please? Just give me one chance, Minseo."
Does she even know what she did wrong?
An indescribable bitterness welled up in my chest.
Seori sunbae seemed to feel no guilt whatsoever over her excessive surveillance of me or destroying Lee Seo-ah. No—it was like she didn't even recognize those things as wrong in the first place.
She and I, ordinary people like me—we could never understand each other. She looked human on the outside, but inside, she was twisted from some deep, horrifying place.
Revulsion rose in my throat. But I suppressed it.
No, we agreed to part on good terms. Don't hurt her at the end.
If I showed intense emotion now, things would only get worse. She'd react even more extremely, leaving us both with nothing but pain and bad memories.
I shook my head and took a step back. Her hand slipped from my pants.
"Seori sunbae."
These were words I'd agonized over all night, preparing for hours. They might be the last truth I could ever give her.
"I still... like you."
Her eyes sparkled with hope. Crushing it myself made my heart ache.
"That's why I want to break up."
"...What?"
She looked up at me, her face the picture of disbelief.
"If we go on like this, I'm afraid I'll come to hate you."
It was the truth. The process had already begun. The seeds of emotion planted by her obsessive surveillance had sprouted and started growing with the Lee Seo-ah incident.
"Before that happens, while we still have some good feelings for each other... I want to end it."
This was the best consideration I could offer. Breaking up while a sliver of fondness remained, before it turned to full hatred.
It was the last gift we could give each other.