DDIW 07

Chapter : 07

Looking more closely, Hyun-joon recognized several of the men. They were reporters from Economic Daily.

The way they looked at Lee Seo-yoon was almost lecherous. They had gathered around the pretty female employee as though she were something to be admired, throwing playful remarks at her as if they were jokes and laughing among themselves.

Strangely, though, there was no sign of discomfort on Seo-yoon’s face.

That neat, composed expression of hers, those smiling eyes that curved pleasantly—it was similar to the smile she had given Manager Oh Cho-hee the day after witnessing Jo Dong-min’s affair.

He had thought she was quite a calculating woman.

She had been trembling in the darkness, unable to even speak properly, yet the next day she had completely erased every trace of what had happened. He had found that strangely irritating. She really was an impressive woman.

A ridiculous laugh almost escaped him.

It seemed that one unpleasant memory that had stuck to him was lasting quite a while. What was so remarkable about a PR team employee simply laughing and chatting with reporters?

Suppressing his laughter, Hyun-joon was about to walk back toward the parking lot when he felt his phone vibrating inside his pocket. He checked the time as he pulled it out.

“Executive Director, this is Han Ki-yeol.”

“Yes.”

It was well past nine.

Wondering what could have happened at this hour, Hyun-joon quietly listened to Manager Han. Perhaps she heard his voice, because Lee Seo-yoon turned her gaze toward him.

The smile disappeared from Seo-yoon’s face the instant their eyes met.

It lasted only a moment.

What was that?

Still holding the phone to his ear, Hyun-joon stared directly at Seo-yoon.

Seo-yoon gave him a small bow, then raised her head. A smile had returned to her face.

It was a perfectly appropriate smile—the kind of professional smile an employee would give to her superior.

Manager Han continued talking energetically through the phone. He went on about tomorrow morning’s schedule, the agenda for the sales team’s meeting, and various other matters without pause.

Hyun-joon gave a distracted “I see” before taking the phone away from his ear.

Keeping his eyes fixed on Seo-yoon, he walked toward her.

“Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon.”

Seo-yoon hesitated for a moment, then gave the men a small bow as though asking their permission before awkwardly slipping out from among them.

After walking about three steps, she stopped and bowed again.

“Hello, Executive Director.”

Hyun-joon gave Seo-yoon a faint smile as she raised her head.

“Are you finished here?”

“Yes.”

“Then I suppose you’re done for the day?”

“Yes. I’m going home now.”

Seo-yoon’s face remained composed as she answered clearly.

Hyun-joon gently raised the corners of his mouth.

“Good. Shall we talk on the way? There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Executive Director Do Hyun-joon, who had said he had something to talk about, simply walked in silence all the way to the parking lot.

Seo-yoon had followed him because she couldn’t simply leave after he said he wanted to talk.

“Um… Executive Director, if this is about the offer to join the TF team, could we discuss it tomorrow?”

Seo-yoon stopped in front of Hyun-joon’s car and asked cautiously.

She still hadn’t decided whether to join the TF team, and she was also considering changing jobs.

“I think I’ve given you enough time to think. If there’s another reason, tell me. Get in.”

“Yes?”

Did he mean for her to get into his car?

It was late at night.

It had been nine o’clock when she left after paying her respects, so it must be past ten by now. Wasn’t it too late for a discussion with her superior?

As she wondered about that, Executive Director Do Hyun-joon asked,

“Did you bring your car?”

“No, I didn’t, but…”

“I’ll take you home. It’s late. Where do you live?”

“Ah… it’s okay. I can take a taxi.”

Hyun-joon, who had been standing by the driver’s side, walked around the hood and opened the passenger door.

“We can talk on the way. It’ll save us some time.”

“Ah…”

He must be busy.

He probably didn’t have time to schedule a separate meeting.

It seemed rude to refuse again, so Seo-yoon lowered her head slightly and got into the passenger seat.

She had planned to think about it for just one more day before making her decision.

“Where do you live?”

“ST Palace in Yeongdeungpo.”

“That’s close.”

“Yes,” Seo-yoon answered quietly.

With nothing else to add, she silently looked ahead.

Even at this late hour, cars carrying mourners continued entering the parking lot without pause.

After checking the destination on the navigation system, Executive Director Do Hyun-joon spoke dryly.

“It’ll take about twenty minutes. It seems you still haven’t decided, so think about it for another twenty minutes.”

As though he had read Seo-yoon’s mind, Hyun-joon said this matter-of-factly.

Seo-yoon answered that she understood, then turned her gaze toward the window, feeling strangely awkward.

The car slipped out of the parking lot and smoothly began traveling along the road.

Dark scenery rushed past the windows.

As she watched the quiet streets covered in darkness, Seo-yoon organized her thoughts.

Executive Director Do Hyun-joon was right.

He had said the TF team’s work would begin next week, so whether she accepted or rejected the offer, she needed to give him an answer soon.

Considering her career, joining the TF team and moving to the Overseas Business Division was clearly the right choice.

But the shocking scenes still remained in her mind and continued to torment her.

Those two would soon be fired, so with time, she would naturally forget everything.

That was what she should believe.

Yet she couldn’t shake the suffocating feeling inside her.

Part of her wanted to avoid those uncomfortable emotions, and another part of her thought that everything would be fine once those two disappeared from her sight.

With her thoughts tangled together, Seo-yoon shook her head slightly.

Just endure a little longer.

Building up her career.

Focus only on that.

For now, that was all that mattered.

Before she knew it, familiar buildings began appearing outside the window.

When the car stopped at the entrance to her apartment complex, Seo-yoon took a breath and calmly spoke.

“Executive Director, thank you for bringing me home.”

Instead of answering, Hyun-joon gave a single nod.

Then he waited for Seo-yoon to continue.

“As for joining the TF team… I think it’s a good opportunity. Moving to the Overseas Business Division would be good, too.”

“Really? You must have thought about it a lot. I’m glad to hear a positive answer. Then I’ll let Team Leader Park know, so start handing over your current work tomorrow.”

“Yes. Thank you for giving me such a good opportunity.”

Click.

Seo-yoon unfastened her seat belt and was about to get out when Hyun-joon asked,

“What were you talking about with those reporters earlier?”

“Yes?”

“You were laughing so loudly at the funeral.”

“Ah… that…”

Seo-yoon spoke with a slightly puzzled expression.

She had laughed, but she hadn’t thought she had laughed that loudly.

It had only been an appropriate smile to keep the atmosphere from becoming awkward, and since other people around them had also been laughing, she hadn’t paid much attention to it.

“…They asked if the person in charge of the PR team was changing, so I told them that was the case. Then they asked if I had a boyfriend.”

“And?”

“Yes? Ah… I said I didn’t.”

For some reason, Seo-yoon felt as though she had done something wrong, and she answered in a subdued voice.

Hyun-joon nodded as though he understood.

Since he didn’t say anything else, she assumed he was telling her she could leave.

Seo-yoon bowed her head once more and got out of the car.

Did it really look like she had been laughing that loudly?

She made a mental note to be more careful next time as she walked into the apartment complex.

“Lee Seo-yoon.”

A dark figure waved toward her from the darkness.

As the man swaggered toward her one step at a time, Seo-yoon instinctively took a step backward.

Why was Jo Dong-min here at this hour…?

“If you keep ignoring my messages, I have no choice but to come find you myself.”

Dong-min came right up to Seo-yoon and stretched his lips into a sly grin.

“Seo-yoon, you didn’t forget what I told you, did you? I told you clearly that I can’t break up with you like this.”

Seo-yoon continued stepping backward until her back eventually touched a wall.

Dong-min moved in close to her.

His glossy eyes slowly traveled over her body.

He swallowed heavily, as though savoring the sight, before speaking.

“What should we do? Should we go inside your place together?”

His pitch-black gaze landed around her chest, sending chills throughout Seo-yoon’s entire body.

“Seo-yoon, sleep with me just once. Then I’ll break up with you.”

Dong-min stretched out one arm and planted it against the wall.

With the wall behind her, Seo-yoon had nowhere to escape.

The coldness of the wall seeped into her body, making her tremble violently.

What should she do?

Seo-yoon clenched her trembling hands and looked around.

She spotted a CCTV camera blinking with a red light in the diagonal direction.

“T-there’s a CCTV camera over there. It’s recording everything. So… move.”

Dong-min didn’t move at all. He simply stared down at her.

Slowly, his expression twisted.

“So what? Did I hit you? Did I tear your clothes off? I haven’t done anything yet.”

Dong-min stepped even closer until their bodies were almost touching.

He lowered his head and breathed hotly into Seo-yoon’s ear, grinning.

“Are you going to report me to the police? Go ahead if you can. I’ll just say we’re dating. That we had a little argument. Who do you think the police will believe?”

“……”

“Seo-yoon, when you keep acting like this, you make me start having bad thoughts. Hmm?”

Dong-min gazed with satisfaction at Seo-yoon’s terrified eyes.

Then suddenly, he felt the back of his neck grow cold.

A large shadow approaching from behind slowly fell over Dong-min’s head.

“Jo Dong-min?”

A voice came from behind, sounding utterly incredulous and dumbfounded.

It was Executive Director Do Hyun-joon.

Dong-min’s body froze in place.

In that instant, Seo-yoon slipped away from him and rushed to Hyun-joon’s side.

Hyun-joon grabbed Seo-yoon by the arm and positioned her behind him.

“What the hell are you doing here?”