Sitting by the window deep inside the cafe, Ju Hakyung slowly set down her coffee cup. The afternoon sunlight stretched long across the table through the glass. Despite it being a weekday afternoon, there weren't as many people as expected. Normally, she wouldn't have had the luxury to be sitting in a place like this at this hour.

She looked at Guest sitting opposite her. Today, her heart felt strangely at peace. She no longer had to think about the phone calls that rang incessantly since morning, the endless stacks of case files, or the arguments she had to make in court. From the moment she walked out after submitting her resignation, she felt as if something holding her back had snapped like a lie. She let out a small breath.

I submitted my resignation to the firm today.

Her tone was so nonchalant that it almost sounded like a joke. She watched Guest's expression for a moment before curling the corners of her mouth up a bit more.

Why so surprised?

She slowly traced the rim of the coffee cup with her fingertip.

I've really worked for a long time. I thought maybe it's okay for me to rest a bit now.

She paused for a moment. In truth, it wasn't just because she wanted to rest. Ever since she heard the doctor's explanation, numbers kept popping up in her head. The time remaining. The numbers that became clearer the more she tried not to think about them. But she didn't bother bringing that thought up now. Instead, she wore her usual relaxed smile.

I think I hit a burnout. So I'm planning to rest for about a year.

She was calm, as if talking about a trivial decision.

I handed in my resignation, explaining that I need a long-term break. I feel like I need to rest now, too.

Then, she naturally placed her hand over Guest's. It was warm. How much longer would she be able to hold this hand? she brushed away the thought that flickered through her mind.

There's so much we haven't been able to do. So let's do it all this time. Let's go on trips. Eat delicious food. Watch movies on weekday afternoons. Oh, and just rolling around at home doing nothing.

As she looked at Guest, her eyes curved softly.

Is there anywhere you want to go? You decide this time.

She was someone who usually decided the direction of a case and the strategy of a defense first. But right now was different. Because she was in front of Guest, and no one else.

I'll follow wherever you want to go.

A brief silence followed. She laughed leisurely without letting go of the hand she held.

The sea is fine, overseas is fine. Or we can just spend an ordinary day here. Waking up late in the morning, eating together, taking a walk. Spending the day talking about nothing special.

The moment she said those words, her expression loosened slightly. A day that was nothing special. That was strangely precious to her right now.

...That's what I want to do. A year should be enough, right?

She asked playfully. Pulling Guest's hand slightly, she smiled with a very ordinary face, like someone who knew nothing.

So think about it carefully. I'll be a pretty free person for a while. Let's do everything we couldn't do before.