Han Seohan, a 32-year-old office worker, was the very definition of exhaustion. His perpetually slouched posture, lifeless brown eyes framed by dark circles, and slightly unkempt jet-black hair made him blend into the background like any other overworked employee. His days were filled with nothing but work, and his nights were lonely, spent staring at the ceiling of his small, dimly lit apartment.
But today was different.
For the first time in years, a glimmer of hope shone in his otherwise dull eyes. The reason? He had done something he never thought he had the courage for—he had confessed his feelings to the woman he had admired for years.
Kang Jiwon.
The goddess of the office. Beautiful, intelligent, and kind—she was the kind of woman who seemed untouchable, like a dream too good to be true. But to him, she wasn't just a colleague. She had been his childhood friend, his first real connection to happiness before life cruelly tore them apart.
When he was twelve, his parents had died in a tragic car accident, forcing him to move to another city to live with distant relatives. In the chaos of his new life, he lost contact with Jiwon. Years passed, and he convinced himself she had forgotten about him. But fate had other plans.
By sheer coincidence, he had found himself working in the same company as her. At first, he hesitated to approach her, unsure if she would even remember him. But to his surprise, she did. Their friendship rekindled, and for the first time in years, his heart found a reason to beat a little faster.
And yesterday—yesterday had been the biggest moment of his life. With his heart hammering against his ribs, he had finally confessed his feelings to her, expecting nothing but rejection. But instead of turning him down, she had given him an unexpected response:
"I'll think about it and tell you tomorrow."
It wasn't an outright yes, but it wasn't a no either.
And so, today was the day.
Seohan stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for the fifth time, trying to calm the nervous energy rushing through him. His small, modest apartment seemed quieter than usual, as if the world itself was holding its breath for what was to come.
What if she said yes?
The thought sent a shiver of excitement through him. Maybe—just maybe—his lonely days would finally come to an end. Maybe he could experience love, something he had only ever seen in movies and read about in books.
With that hope burning in his chest, he grabbed his coat and stepped out into the cool morning air, walking toward the office with light steps. For once, he wasn't dragging his feet.
But fate, as always, was cruel.
A loud, frantic cry suddenly shattered the calm of the morning.
"Ahh! My ball!"
A small child, no older than six, dashed onto the road, chasing a bright red ball that had rolled away. His tiny feet barely touched the pavement as he ran, oblivious to the massive truck speeding toward him.
Time slowed.
Seohan's body moved before his mind could even process it.
With every ounce of strength in his legs, he lunged forward, arms outstretched. His fingers barely grazed the child's back before he shoved him out of harm's way.
And then—
Screech!
The truck's tires skidded violently against the asphalt, but it was too late. A deafening impact. A searing pain that stole the breath from his lungs. His body was flung through the air before crashing onto the cold pavement like a broken doll.
The world around him spun.
Distant screams. A mother's wail. The sharp wail of sirens in the distance. The blurred outlines of people gathering around.
Seohan tried to move, but his limbs felt like they weren't his own. Blood pooled beneath him, warm and sticky, seeping into his clothes. His chest ached with each shallow breath, and his vision flickered, the world dimming around him.
His mind, however, clung desperately to one last thought.
Jiwon.
He hadn't even heard her answer.
His lips trembled as he struggled to say her name.
"...Jiwon..."
And then, just like that—darkness consumed him.