HIM AND I

The Second Heartbeat : Part 1

Saerim

"Today, I met with the investigating officer. He stated that, based on the evidence, it was deemed an accident. No one was observed entering the main room. However, given that this was a highly secure building, he couldn't rule out the possibility of foul play. He mentioned that the fire originated at the first-floor entrance. It could have been a ploy to evacuate all the employees first, then target you."

"How can he be so certain you're the intended victim?" Minhee inquired, her eyes wide with concern.

"Well, he mentioned that while reviewing the CCTV footage, he spotted a silhouette entering the first floor as the fire started. While everyone was in a panic, this person was heading towards my office. Right at that moment, the CCTV feed went dark."

"Murder? But you're still alive, and we don't have any rivals. Hold on! What if he's a thief? Has anything been taken from your office? Though, I can't think of anything valuable in there," she said, a mix of surprise and suspicion in her tone.

"A thief? In broad daylight?" I sighed. Then it struck me. "No, the box. It's gone," I exclaimed loudly.

Minhee jumped, startled by my sudden outburst.

"The black box, Minhee, look! I found it in my office. It was sizable, and it had a 6-digit keypad. If it's that secure, it must be hiding something. And the fire broke out as soon as I tried to open it," I said, my voice trembling as I pressed my hand to my forehead.

"So, he was watching you the whole time?" Minhee said, her hand covering her mouth, disbelief in her eyes.

"Oh God! I don't recall it being there when I cleared out my office. He must be the one who tampered with the footage," I said with a grave tone.

"I'll track that person down somehow," I vowed.

TIME SKIP: TWO WEEKS LATER AT THE COMPANY

MINHEE

I gently tapped on her office door. "Come in," came the sweet reply from the other side. The door squeaked as I pushed it open. Saerim had her UV glasses on, fingers dancing across her laptop's keypad. She let out an exasperated sigh and looked up at me. Her face brightened at the sight of the tray with steaming coffee cups in my hands.

"You know me too well, thank you. I've been craving this," she said, taking the coffee from me. I couldn't help but smile at her youthful expression.

"Saerim, do you have a moment?" I asked, sounding casual.

"Yeah, what's up?" she responded, her face taking on a more serious expression.

"Actually, Grandpa called me yesterday. He requested me to stay with him for a few months and assist him with his affairs over there," I confessed, guilt tugging at me.

"What? Isn't Secretary Park with him? And what about me?" she exclaimed.

"That's the thing. Secretary Park's mom isn't well. He needs to look after her for a few months until her surgery. So, Grandpa is all by himself," I explained.

"Oh, I see. So, what about me then? Well... it's okay, I can manage on my own," she said, a hint of uncertainty in her voice, returning to her work.

"No need. I've found someone who can help you with your day-to-day tasks," I assured her, hoping to ease her concerns.

SAERIM

"I was puzzled when Minhee mentioned she'd hired someone to temporarily act as my secretary," Saerim mused. "Come in," she said, swiveling her chair around. Her eyes lit up as she saw him.

I stood frozen in place as I saw the figure, a figure that felt so familiar, a figure I'd been searching for since the fire. His footsteps resonated through the room as he entered, looking sharp in his suit. His dark, soft brown hair and well-tailored clothes only added to his appeal. His perfectly sculpted face, distinctive nose, and those unforgettable eyes sent my heart racing.

It was him, the one who had braved the inferno to rescue me, the one who had made my heart skip a beat on that first day at the bridge.

"Good morning, ma'am. I'm Choi Seo-jun," he spoke with a husky voice.

Our eyes locked, and I felt my heart leap.