A. SEOUL - 2

Lee Umji writhed in her sleep. It didn't take long for her eyes to open. She reached for her cell phone on the small bedside table. Check what time it is.

“I woke up too soon,” she muttered, staring at the cell phone that indicated five in the morning.

Usually Lee Umji will only wake up at six in the morning which will be followed by activities to prepare for the office. But she woke up an hour early.

Lee Umji's head ached a little and her neck muscles were a little tense. She also did a little stretch follow by drinking a glass of water.

She have plenty of time before leaving for work. Lee Umji decides to make kimchi fried rice instead of eating toast for breakfast as usual.

When she finished making her breakfast menu, Umji decided to enjoy it while reading one of Mino's selected scripts yesterday. She decided to read the front of the script. Sort of like a prologue, but not a complete synopsis either.

*** Song Byul, a woman who wants to run away from her life. She was unable to accept the reality that was in front of her. The man she loves Kim Raewon, has been gone forever, leaving wounds that may never heal.

Then came Leo, the man he thought had snatched Raewon from him. Without shame came propose --- ***

Lee Umji stopped reading as soon as her cellphone rang. She picked up a phone from an unknown number.

"Good morning, who it is?" 

''It's me Ha Mino. I changed my old phone number. ''

''What is wrong?''

“You forgot something in my car."

''What is that?''

“A little notebook.''

Lee Umji's forehead frowned trying to remember what little books she had. As she remembered, she never brought a little notebook containing a daily schedule or a list of manuscripts that she had to translate. However, she may also remember wrongly, considering her busy life which just started last week after her recovery.

“I'll pick it up at the office later."

''I have to go to the airport early in the morning. I'll take you to your apartment. Maybe in thirty minutes I'll be going there."

''Oh okay.''

Lee Umji immediately finished her breakfast and then closed the manuscript she had read earlier. She had to hurry to take a shower. It would be rude to meet Ha Mino in such a messy state now.

After bathing and washing your face. Lee Umji stared at the mirror in front of the sink which was still in the bathroom room. She wiped the remaining dew from the bath water on the mirror. Without blinking, she looked at her own face. Pay close attention. Somehow she felt strange to herself. But she didn't know what it was.

Ha Mino came not only with Lee Umji's little notebook, but also a cup of coffee still warm that he seemed to buy from the café. Seeing something that was brought by Ha Mino, Lee Umji happily invited the man inside.

Ha Mino decided to sit at a small dining table where there were only two small wooden chairs facing each other. He put down the little notebook he was holding near the coffee.

“I didn't disturb your morning, did I?”

“Of course not.”

Lee Umji sat down and then took a sip of coffee from Ha Mino. She smiled after tasting the bitter taste with the right sweetness of coffee.

“What about the script I recommended yesterday?” asked Mino.

“I just read part of the front page. I think it will be quite interesting.”

Ha Mino smiled back. “Okay, I have to hurry to the airport now.” He got up and walked towards the door.

“I'm leaving. See you.”

“Thank you.”

The door locked automatically so closed that Lee Umji didn't have to close it manually. She then turned to stare at her little notebook. Somehow she felt strange with it. She opened the book but there was only one writing.

Rose 408.

Lee Umji felt even more unsure it was hers, as far as she could remember she had never written anything like that. Writing that is too unique to be forgotten. But she also didn't want to call Ha Mino back, considering that the man was heading for the airport. Maybe if someone else was looking for that little notebook then Ha Mino could immediately search for it.

☆☆☆

Waking up earlier than usual made Lee Umji come to the office earlier than before. No employee from the novel came yet. She saw the manuscript she read this morning. Deliberately brought it after remembering Ha Mino talking about it again when he came to her apartment.

*** Without shame came propose to her. Her father, who owed a debt of gratitude to the man's family, accepted without Song Byul's consent.

Even though it was only a day after her marriage, Song Byul decided to end her life. ***

Lee Umji's eyebrows rose as she read the 'suicide' section, she felt a little uncomfortable. A door opened, diverted her attention. Just like any other office door. The office where Umji works must also wear an identification that is integrated with a barcode too so that it will open when attached to a scanner.

“Oh, you came early,” said Park Jini when she saw Umji.

“I got up early too,” replied Umji, explaining the reason.

Park Jini just nodded her head. She walked to work. But after only a minute of sitting there, she was back on her feet.

“Let's go to the cafeteria, my stomach is very hungry. There's nothing I can eat at home.”

“OK.”

Lee Umji's intention to go to the cafeteria was not to eat. But it's more about getting fresh air. The sky was clear, the sun shone straight through the cafeteria window which was transparent.

“Are you sure you don't want to eat?” asked Park Jini put the waffle in her mouth.

Lee Umji shook her head slowly. “I had breakfast before I came here.”

“Why did you break up with Ha Mino?” asked Lee Umji continued.

Park Jini who is about to drink the boxed milk, put it back. Canceled drinking it then turned to stare at Lee Umji.

“You're hilarious.”

Lee Umji's expression turned confused. She knows that she and Park Jini are not close friends. They were only together for about four years in the same office. They are just colleagues who know enough about each other's personalities.

“I don't want to talk about things that disturb my mood. I will go first,” said Park Jini, leaving first.

Lee Umji took a deep breath. She regretted the question enough, but was confused about why Park Jini seemed annoyed with her. Does the break between Park Jini and Ha Mino have anything to do with her? She didn't know, coma seemed to make her lose a lot of moments.

Lee Umji looked at her watch. There is still time before office hours. She chooses to reach into her pocket, look for a cellphone to simply read morning news articles or surf social media. An eyebrow raised when she saw Ha Mino's Instagram story. She realized that the man had gone to the United States. New York state to be precise.

Lee Umji saw that the exact one Ha Mino visited was one of the universities there. She wondered why Mino as the editor had come there. But she didn't want to think too much about it and chose to put her cellphone back on and then headed off to go to work.

☆☆☆