TUW | CHAPTER 35

Chapter 35

We’ve Met Before

“Lee Yeon.”

At the sound of his low, calm voice, her eyes instinctively fluttered shut.

“Yes.”

“Did you meet your friend?”

“Yes, I’m with her right now.”

“Are you near the office?”

Do-hyun’s urgent voice came through the phone.

“Yes, I’m nearby.

Why

Did something happen?”

Knowing that Lee Yeon was out, the first thing Do-hyun asked about was her location.

“There should be a USB plugged into my office computer and a navy envelope sitting on the desk.

Could you bring those to me?

The distance here is too far for me to go back and get them in time.”

Do-hyun had never made such a mistake before—this was unusual.

His urgency made it clear that there wasn’t another copy of the data saved elsewhere.

From the company to his meeting place would take about forty minutes.

If Lee Yeon stopped by the office to grab the documents and headed straight there, she could manage to deliver them within an hour.

“Yes…”

But there was a problem.

The documents were important, but that wasn’t what was making her hesitate.

Lee Yeon lowered her head and looked at herself.

She had completely forgotten she wasn’t in her usual disguise.

What was she supposed to do?

“Hello?”

“Ah—yes, yes!

I’ll go!”

Lee Yeon stared at her reflection in a nearby shop window, her face crumpling in distress.

There was no time to run home and change.

She considered other options, but nothing seemed possible.

The sound of Do-hyun’s urgent voice still echoed in her ears.

Forget it.

It’s an emergency.

I’ll figure it out on the way.

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t her problem—it was Do-hyun’s. But still, Lee Yeon quickly explained the situation to Hayul.

“It can’t be helped.

But hey, at least we already took the pictures, right?

Mission cleared!

… But wait, you’re going like that?”

“Yeah.

There’s no time.

I’ll just think on my feet.

You head home safely—I’ll call you later.”

Waving goodbye, Lee Yeon rushed off toward the company.

Hayul watched her friend’s wavy hair bounce as she hurried away, then waved back with a sigh.

***

“Phew… just barely made it.”

It had taken longer than expected to reseal the envelope before leaving the office.

After checking the train schedule, Lee Yeon had sprinted like mad and managed to board the subway just in time.

Even in autumn, running left sweat beading on her forehead.

Taking a taxi would’ve been slower, given the heavy traffic.

The subway was the only option.

Exhaling deeply, she finally took a seat.

She didn’t notice the glances aimed at her from across the car.

“Hey, is that woman a celebrity?

She’s gorgeous.”

“You mean the one in the white cardigan? Wow…”

Two college-aged girls whispered as they stared openly at her.

It felt as though Lee Yeon were the only person in the subway, their eyes constantly drifting back to her.

Meanwhile, another woman pinched her boyfriend’s arm sharply when she caught him sneaking glances.

Unaware of the attention, Lee Yeon kept her gaze fixed on the envelope in her hands.

How am I going to explain this look?

Should she just admit, This is the real me?

But no—the thought made her shake her head.

Too sudden.

Truthfully, she wasn’t confident enough to say, Please love me just the same, even like this.

She feared the look in Do-hyun’s eyes might change.

Her thoughts only made her more restless, and she kept checking how many stops were left.

The subway neared her destination, and she came to a decision.

She had no choice but to stick with her original plan.

Lee Yeon pulled out her phone and typed a message:

[Something came up, so I had a friend deliver the documents instead.

For security, I sealed the envelope and USB again with tape before handing them over, so don’t worry.]

Yes—she’d pretend it was a friend.

At the event, she had already been introduced as Hayul’s friend.

She could simply say they were friends too.

I’ll just hand over the envelope and leave.

It’s not like there’ll be any reason for more than a quick greeting.

She hit send.

It was the only excuse she could come up with.

That was why she had resealed the documents before leaving the office—so it wouldn’t look careless.

Following the address Do-hyun had texted, Lee Yeon arrived at the meeting location.

She sent another message, saying her “friend” would be waiting on the first floor.

Did he read it?

Why isn’t he replying?

Her heart thudded.

She hadn’t expected to face him like this, in broad daylight, with her true appearance.

Just then, Do-hyun appeared, striding through the lobby while checking his phone.

He must’ve been reading her message.

Taking a steadying breath, Lee Yeon walked toward him.

“Hello.

You’re Vice President Ahn Do-hyun, correct?

I came to deliver these on behalf of Lee Yeon.”

She hesitated for a moment about whether to call herself a friend named Yeonhee, but perhaps he wouldn’t recognise her like this anyway.

So she left it out.

Do-hyun stared at her in surprise, his gaze sweeping from her shoes up to her hair, as though carefully assessing her.

“Yes, I’m Do-hyun.

Thank you for coming all this way.”

“Of course.

I’ll be going now.”

Lee Yeon quickly handed him the documents, intent on escaping before things grew dangerous.

But then—

“We’ve met before.”

Her heart dropped like a stone.

He recognised me?

Even acknowledged it out loud?

Her carefully laid plan to simply greet him and run was crumbling.

She needed to avoid his piercing gaze. Every instinct screamed danger.

“…I suppose we have.

Well then, I’ll be going.”

She turned to leave.

“Wait.”

Do-hyun’s voice halted her steps.

Looking back, she met his steady eyes.

“Do you have an urgent appointment?”

“No… no appointment.”

She regretted it instantly.

She should have lied.

The way he was staring at her made unease ripple through her chest.

“Then may I ask one more favour?”

Her stomach sank.

She knew she had answered wrong.

“A-ah… No!”

But if Do-hyun was asking something of another person, it meant he truly had no other option.

Knowing that, she wrestled with herself for a few moments before conceding.

“Please, just take a seat for now—I’ll explain.”

“…Alright.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper as she obeyed.

What am I even doing, sitting here?

She simply couldn’t bring herself to refuse him.

Right on cue, her stomach growled loudly.

As if echoing her hunger, her chest fluttered wildly.

***

Moments later, Do-hyun came out and handed her his card.

“The meeting’s delayed because of me.

I’d like to offer refreshments to the attendees.

Could I trouble you to pick something up?

There are eight people in total.”

Lee Yeon opened her mouth, but he was already hurrying back into the meeting room.

This is usually my job as his secretary…

Resigned, she found a nearby café, bought Americanos with cookies, and returned to knock politely before distributing them one by one.

Coffee on the left, cookies on the right—everything neatly placed.

When Do-hyun glanced up with a grateful smile, she dipped her head and quietly left the room.

That should be it.

I can go now. …Oh wait, his card!

The card was still in her hand.

She couldn’t just leave it at the front desk. Better to return it directly.

So she sat back down to wait.

Unknowingly, she dozed off in the chair.

By the time she stirred, more than thirty minutes had passed.

The meeting room doors opened, and people began streaming out.

After seeing them off, Do-hyun approached her.

“I was waiting to return your card, Vice President.”

She pulled it from her bag and handed it over.

“I had a feeling you’d still be here.”

His smile unsettled her.

“I should thank you for your help.

Let me offer you dinner.”

Her heart stopped.

“No, no!

Absolutely not, I’m fine.”

Flustered, she waved her hands in refusal—and in the process dropped her bag, spilling a few things onto the floor.

Gathering them up hastily, she blurted out, Absolutely fine?

What kind of nonsense was that?

Nothing was going as planned.

Do-hyun chuckled softly at her frantic behaviour.

“Alright then—if not dinner, at least allow me to give you a ride.

Surely that’s acceptable?”

Why is he being so kind… Is it just because he can’t resist a pretty face?

Unable to refuse, Lee Yeon ended up in the passenger seat of his car.

“…Your car is nice,” she murmured awkwardly, tugging her short skirt lower.

Her small bag was hardly enough to cover her legs.

Then—thunk.

Something landed on her lap.

“Use this if it bothers you.”

It was his jacket.

The subtle scent of his cologne drifted up, wrapping around her as she spread it across her knees.

“Thank you.”

“Your place seems very close to mine.”

She quickly named a nearby apartment complex, planning to dash inside before he could follow.

The rest of the drive passed in silence until they reached her stop.

“Thank you for the ride.”

Lee Yeon bowed politely, as though to say, And now, let’s never cross paths again, before slipping out of the car.