I pressed on the email. My eyes swiftly followed the brief three-line message.

[Right now, I’m in front of your broadcasting station. Come out as soon as you see this.

PD Kang said he’d let you go whenever you’re needed.

Don’t you have much to do there?]

I had no time to dwell on the last sentence, sarcastically implying that I wasn’t busy. My whole attention was seized by Jun’s words saying he was in front of the broadcasting station and asking me to come out immediately. I quickly checked the time the email was sent – 4:50 PM. More than 30 minutes had already passed.

He said he was already at the broadcasting station, waiting for me. My heart raced with urgency.

“PD!”

I raised my right arm as if about to make a major announcement, my embarrassment overshadowed by my concern for you waiting below.

“PD, sorry, but Director Kim urgently needs me right after his return to Korea. He says he needs my assistance right now to work on the screenplay…”

I slightly embellished what Jun had said. I turned his ‘Come out as soon as you see this. You don’t seem to be doing much there anyway’ into ‘He urgently needs my help with the screenplay.’ But it wasn’t entirely a fabrication.

“Really? Then you better hurry. When else would you get such a chance? Go on, quick!”

PD Kang, a large man, waved his arm in the air, urging me to go. It was somewhat intimidating. I hesitated for a moment then quickly got up from my seat.

“Jeong, Hyun-su, sorry, I have to go first.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? Look at PD Kang. You’d be in trouble if you don’t hurry!”

I smiled at Jeong’s teasing and quickly opened the meeting room door, rushing towards the elevator. Inside, I hurriedly replied to Jun’s email.

[Sorry. I just saw your mail. I’m rushing down now. Are you still waiting?]

I watched the elevator numbers decrease, anxiously tapping my heels. No matter how much I fretted, the elevator wouldn’t go any faster.

Soon, my phone vibrated with a notification, likely from an email Jun just sent. I pressed it and saw his brief message.

[Yeah. Hurry up.]

No complaints or scolding for being late, just a simple instruction to hurry. I couldn’t help but smile.

Then it hit me, a sudden curiosity.

Had I ever rushed out like this for the few boyfriends I had when they came to pick me up at the broadcasting station?

I usually made up excuses of unexpected overtime, claiming to be too busy, especially when they were already waiting in front of the station. Even when I reluctantly left the office, I would sigh heavily, dragging my heavy feet as if they were glued to the floor.

As Jeong said, treating love like an unwanted overtime.

The difference between then and now was the person waiting for me – Jun. That alone was enough to hasten my steps. Unbelievably, but true.

The emotion driving these eager steps was certainly excitement.

Sigh, Haru, get a grip…

With a heavy sigh, the elevator finally stopped at the ground floor. As the doors opened, I dashed out. The first floor of the broadcasting station was full of people visiting the art exhibition lining the walls and others heading to the café in one corner.
I clicked on the email. My eyes quickly scanned the succinct three-line message.

[I’m in front of your broadcasting station right now. Come out as soon as you see this.

PD Kang said he’d let you leave whenever you’re needed.

Looks like you don’t have much to do there?]

There was no time to dwell on the last sentence, mocking as if I had nothing to do. Jun’s message saying he was in front of the broadcasting station and asking me to come out immediately had all my attention. I checked the time of the email – 4:50 PM. It had been over 30 minutes.

He said he was already at the broadcasting station, waiting for me. A sense of urgency overwhelmed me.

“PD!”

I raised my right arm as if about to make a major announcement, my embarrassment overshadowed by my concern for you waiting below.

“PD, I’m sorry, but Director Kim has urgently requested my presence right after returning to Korea. He wants me right now for the screenplay work…”

I slightly embellished what Jun had said. I changed his ‘Come out as soon as you see this. You don’t seem to be doing much there anyway’ to ‘He urgently needs my help with the screenplay.’ It wasn’t entirely a fabrication.

“Really? Then you must hurry. Such an opportunity doesn’t come often. Go on, quick!”

PD Kang, a large man, waved his arm in the air, urging me to go. It felt somewhat intimidating. I hesitated for a moment then quickly got up from my seat.

“Jeong, Hyun-su, sorry, I have to go first.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? Look at PD Kang. You’d be in trouble if you don’t hurry!”

I smiled at Jeong’s teasing and quickly opened the meeting room door, rushing towards the elevator. Inside, I hurriedly replied to Jun’s email.

[Sorry. I just saw your mail. I’m rushing down now. Are you still waiting?]

I watched the elevator numbers decrease, anxiously tapping my heels. No matter how much I fretted, the elevator wouldn’t go any faster.