Chapter: 10
“…No, I’m not crying.”
“Then why are you crying?”
Eunjae desperately lowered her head to hide her face, but it was useless.
He grabbed Eunjae by the arm and pulled her to her feet. Then he forcibly moved the arm covering her face out of the way.
His frowning face became even more clearly visible.
“Your eyes are red.”
“Only my eyes are red. I’m not crying. It’s just… could you please move your hand…”
Why did it have to be now?
Why had Joo Taegeon appeared right in front of her at a time like this?
Eunjae looked around in embarrassment. Since the Vice President was here, she worried that there might be other employees nearby. Besides, weren’t they still near the company?
“There’s no one around.”
As though he had read her concerns, Joo Taegeon murmured quietly and lowered his hand.
Only then did Eunjae sniffle and look up at him. Her fair, pale face and slightly reddened eyes were still damp with tears.
“I was on my way home when I saw you, so I got out.”
Instead of giving her a detailed explanation, Joo Taegeon pointed toward the sedan parked near the bus stop.
A luxury sedan was waiting nearby with its hazard lights blinking.
“Let’s go.”
“Pardon? Where?”
“Just get in first.”
Joo Taegeon quickly picked up the bag Eunjae had left on the bus stop bench and walked toward the car.
Confused, Eunjae hurried after him.
She had no idea where he intended to take her, and before she could ask again, he opened the passenger-side door and ushered her inside.
Eunjae, who had been made to get in without even having a chance to refuse, immediately fell silent.
She had intended to refuse…
But the moment she sank into the soft seat, a wave of fatigue washed over her.
Her legs, which had been rushing around all day at work, ached, and the warm air inside the car made her feel at ease.
“Seat belt.”
Joo Taegeon got into the driver’s seat and casually uttered the words.
Eunjae, who had unconsciously sunk deeper into the car seat, hurriedly fastened her seat belt.
Only after confirming that she had done so did Joo Taegeon turn the steering wheel and slowly pull away.
Eunjae watched the company building recede through the car window before turning her gaze forward again.
She had no idea what was going on, but she needed an explanation first.
“Vice President, you don’t have to take me home. The bus should arrive in another ten minutes…”
“I’m not taking you home.”
“Th-Then where are we going…”
“Why were you crying?”
Urgh.
Eunjae placed both hands on her knees and clamped her mouth shut like a clam.
Joo Taegeon seemed to have a remarkable talent for making her uncomfortable.
Seeing her silent response, Joo Taegeon chuckled.
“You always shut your mouth whenever I ask that question.”
“I wasn’t crying. You just saw it wrong.”
“Even though your eyes are still red?”
“Some dust got in my eyes…”
“I’ve thought this for a while, but you’re not very honest, Han Eunjae.”
And yet, she wasn’t particularly good at lying either.
Truly, Han Eunjae was exactly the same as she had been before.
Joo Taegeon glanced sideways at her before turning the steering wheel without hesitation.
“Let’s go for now.”
So where exactly were they going?!
Eunjae swallowed a silent scream inside, cursing the fact that the person beside her held a position far, far above hers.
The wine bar was dimly lit throughout, creating a subtle and atmospheric mood.
There were relatively few customers, so it was quiet, with only soft classical music playing in the background.
Those sitting at the long bar were either sipping wine from their glasses or closing their eyes and losing themselves in the music.
The two of them sat in the most secluded corner.
Eunjae looked around with a bewildered expression, while Joo Taegeon skillfully called over an employee and ordered two glasses of wine.
“You… seem to come here often.”
Eunjae murmured as she looked at the red wine the employee had brought and poured for her.
When she cautiously wrapped her fingers around the glass, she felt its ice-cold surface.
Joo Taegeon gestured for her to drink first and answered.
“Occasionally. I’m not particularly fond of drinking.”
“Ah…”
“I wasn’t planning on bringing you here since alcohol isn’t good for someone with gastritis either…”
Joo Taegeon gently swirled the glass in his hand.
The red liquid rippled like waves against the glass, leaving a long trail across its surface.
“But you looked like you were desperately craving a drink.”
“…”
“Wasn’t I right?”
He was.
Eunjae didn’t deny it.
She immediately picked up her glass and gulped down the wine.
Its bitter taste spread deeply through her mouth before sliding down her throat.
Soon, a burning warmth spread across her chest.
“Haa…”
“How is it?”
“I feel like I can breathe again.”
If Joo Taegeon hadn’t appeared, she really would have burst into tears back there.
She would have cried miserably, taken the bus home, and collapsed into bed from exhaustion.
That was how it had always been.
Before meeting Joo Taegeon, that was what her commute home had been like every single day.
Today was simply a little different from usual.
Perhaps that was why she genuinely felt as though something inside her had opened up.
“That’s a relief.”
The corners of Joo Taegeon’s lips curved upward softly.
It was a gentle and warm smile.
Seeing it, Eunjae also let out a hollow laugh, perhaps because of the alcohol or perhaps because she felt much more at ease than before.
A faint trace of vitality returned to Eunjae’s face as she laughed.
Joo Taegeon’s gaze grew slightly deeper as he watched her.
He stared at her flushed cheeks as though he wanted to devour them before parting his lips.
“Sometimes, when things don’t go the way I expect or I become stressed by something unexpected, I quietly have a drink by myself. I feel a little better afterward.”
“…”
“These things will happen whenever they happen, and I’ll have to endure them again anyway.”
Eunjae looked at him in surprise.
The man whose eyes met hers tilted his head slightly, as though asking why she was looking at him like that.
Honestly, Eunjae had thought that someone like Joo Taegeon had probably never experienced emotions like that throughout his entire life.
It was hard to believe that even a man who had grown up as the heir to a major conglomerate could have moments like these.
“What do you do when something difficult happens, Assistant Manager Han?”
“I just sleep. I feel more or less okay after sleeping. And…”
“And?”
“if I fall into a deep sleep without dreaming, I can forget everything, at least for a little while.”
After hesitating, Eunjae answered and took another sip of wine.
Now, rather than the bitterness, only the sweetness lingered deeply in her mouth.
“Anyway, Vice President, you probably won’t understand. Someone like me, just an ordinary person…”
“I may not be able to empathize, but I can listen.”
Joo Taegeon didn’t casually claim that he could understand her feelings.
Instead, he honestly said that he could listen.
Eunjae actually liked that about him.
It was better than someone confidently claiming they could empathize without even hearing her out.
“It’s just… a money problem. Something everyone has.”
“Is it related to the fact that you throw yourself into work without taking care of your health?”
There he goes again.
Eunjae glared at Joo Taegeon with a slightly exasperated look.
He had done the same thing earlier that day.
He seemed particularly concerned about her health.
She lightly waved her right hand.
“It’s not just me. Everyone on my team…”
“I looked over Marketing Team 1’s performance, and your results stood out, Han Eunjae. I also heard that you were unfairly assigned work by the former team leader.”
The former team leader meant Team Leader Kang.
Eunjae flinched and lowered her gaze.
Was he about to criticize her for not protesting? Was he going to call her irresponsible?
“You must have had a hard time.”
But contrary to her expectations, warm words of comfort followed.
Eunjae stared blankly at him and raised her head.
Joo Taegeon was wearing a stern expression as he sighed.
“I went overseas on assignment without even knowing there was a problem like that within the company. It’s frankly embarrassing to face the employees.”
“Ah, n-no. That was Team Leader Kang’s fault…”
“If things had remained that way, it would only have been a matter of time before my reputation within the company suffered. In the end, even you, Assistant Manager Han, nearly ended up being put through something terrible.”
Joo Taegeon recalled the sight of Eunjae running into his arms after being chased by Team Leader Kang.
She had looked exactly like a herbivore fleeing from a hunter.
Remembering that moment made the anger he had forgotten slowly rise again.
“So I’ll take responsibility.”
“What?”
“Just as Han Eunjae is taking responsibility for me, I intend to take responsibility for you as well.”
Eunjae blinked in bewilderment.
Regardless, Joo Taegeon firmly took her hand and gave her a refreshing smile.
“First, let’s get that damaged health of yours back in shape.”
It came with a terrifying declaration as well.
