Seoul’s city lights blinked to life, a million promises glowing against the deepening night. Han River stretched out like a shimmering ribbon, dividing the city and its secrets. Inside a small corner office of a bustling marketing agency, Minji leaned against her desk, a lukewarm coffee in hand, staring out at the chaos below.
“You’re working late again,” Soo-jin said, leaning against the doorframe. Her sleek black suit seemed to defy the wrinkles of the day, but the tiredness in her dark eyes betrayed her.
Minji turned, a soft smile forming. “So are you.”
“I could say the same to you.” Soo-jin stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “What’s your excuse?”
Minji sighed, setting her coffee down. “It’s easier than going home.”
Soo-jin nodded knowingly. They had grown close over the years, their shared struggles as women navigating both corporate culture and personal lives building a bridge between them. Minji’s marriage to Seung-ho had been crumbling for years, their once tender moments replaced by suffocating silences. Soo-jin’s relationship with Ji-won wasn’t much better, a hollow shell of a partnership that felt more like a business arrangement than a marriage.
That night, as the office emptied, the two women stayed, sharing stories of unspoken heartbreak. Minji revealed how Seung-ho had stopped seeing her—not physically, but emotionally—as if she were a shadow in their shared apartment. Soo-jin admitted how Ji-won’s ambition had consumed their relationship, leaving no room for warmth or connection.
“It’s like I forgot who I am,” Minji said, her voice breaking. “I keep wondering if it’s me. If I’m the reason everything fell apart.”
Soo-jin reached out, her fingers grazing Minji’s hand. “It’s not you,” she whispered. “You’re incredible. You just… deserve someone who sees that.”
The warmth of Soo-jin’s touch lingered, a spark igniting in Minji’s chest. She quickly withdrew her hand, confused by the sensation.
Weeks passed, and both women made their decisions. Minji moved out of her apartment, and Soo-jin finalized her divorce papers. They supported each other through the chaos, late-night texts and quiet dinners becoming their solace. What started as friendship deepened into something neither could name but both felt.
One evening, as they walked along the Han River, the tension between them became unbearable. The city’s neon glow reflected in the water, casting a soft light on Soo-jin’s face. She stopped abruptly and turned to Minji.
“Can I ask you something?” Soo-jin’s voice was uncharacteristically hesitant.
“Of course.”
“Have you ever felt like…” She paused, searching for the right words. “Like maybe the person you’ve been waiting for has been right in front of you all along?”
Minji’s breath caught. “Soo-jin…”
Soo-jin stepped closer, her heart pounding. “I think I’ve been falling for you, Minji. And it terrifies me because I don’t know what this means, but it feels right. Being with you feels right.”
Tears welled in Minji’s eyes as she reached up to cup Soo-jin’s face. “I think I’ve been falling for you too. I was just too scared to admit it.”
Under the neon sky, their lips met in a tentative but electrifying kiss. The city hummed around them, indifferent to the two women discovering the kind of love they had spent their lives longing for. In that moment, they weren’t office workers or ex-wives. They were simply Minji and Soo-jin—two souls finding each other in a city of millions.
And for the first time in years, the chaos of Seoul felt like home.
