Another Life With You

Leaving Letters

It was only lunchtime when Seri and Jeong-hyeok trudged into her office, but Seri felt as drained as though it was the end of a full workday.

They sat on the sofa, and Jeong-hyeok told her about seeing his Company Five men again. About seeing his father. He hadn't been able to tell his father that he wouldn't be returning home, but Ri Chung-ryeol's unflappable nature was part of what helped him become General Political Bureau Chief in the first place. It was Jeong-hyeok's mother he was worried about.

"Oh, Jeong-hyeok..." Seri scooted over and ran her fingers through his hair. He leaned into her touch, like a flower towards the sun. "If I was a more selfless woman, I would ask whether you regret staying... but I don't want you to have any regrets."

Jeong-hyeok closed his eyes, then to Seri's surprise sat a little lower and leaned sideways to rest his head on her shoulder. This, more than anything, clued Seri in as to how affected he was by today's events. She said nothing, only leaned her cheek against his head in companionable silence.

They sat like that in her office for a long while, until he finally sat up, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "I have to give you something. I forgot about it until now."

He went to where he had hung his thick winter jacket and rummaged in the pockets, retrieving an envelope and returning to where he was sitting beside Seri.

"A love letter for me?" Seri asked teasingly, receiving the envelope with curiosity.

"It's from Gu Seung-jun."

"Oh! I knew you had something to do with it! Where is he now? Why didn't he show up this morning?"

At the flood of questions, Jeong-hyeok only maintained his faint smile and lifted his eyebrows at the envelope. Seri tore it open at the seam. Something heavy slid out along with the letter inside. She picked it up from where it had fallen on the sofa – a ring. A familiar looking ring, encrusted with diamonds with a distinctive tear-drop shape at the centre. "Isn't this...?" it took a while for Seri to place it.

"An engagement ring?" Jeong-hyeok said over her shoulder. She looked to see his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Put your jealousy away, it's only the ring that Seung-jun gave me when he was still trying for an engagement."

"I'm not jealous," Jeong-hyeok instantly scoffed, although he held his hand out for the ring. What for, Seri had no idea, but she dropped it into his palm anyway. He held it up and inspected it closely.

Shaking her head in amusement, Seri unfolded the letter.

Yoon Seri,

I hope you aren't too annoyed that you weren't part of this plan. Don't blame Mr. Bodyguard either, I asked him to keep it a secret until I left.

I'm sure he'll fill you in on the details, but the gist of it is that I've decided to go after Seo Dan. Maybe a foolish idea. Maybe reckless and deluded and impulsive. Or maybe the best decision I'll ever make. You never know until you try, right?

The only thing that held me back was the hard-won Queen's Group position that you placed me in. Of course, I know that it wasn't for my benefit. Still, it was the first time in my life that anyone has ever had such solid faith in me, little old Gu Seung-jun. So, I felt it was important to give you my sincerest apologies, that I had to abandon the CEO position so abruptly, and my deepest thanks, for your trust.

I'm used to not having anyone else in this world to rely on but myself. You're probably the closest thing I have to a family in Seoul. In a way, the only thing that ties me to this city. Too cheesy? Allow it this once.