Chapter : 08
Seo-yoon, who had been holding her breath behind Hyun-joon, suddenly shouted sharply. The emotions she had been desperately suppressing surged up all at once.
“I hate it so much. I’m really so scared and I hate it. Please…”
Now that everything had already been exposed to Executive Director Do Hyun-joon, there was no longer anything left to hide. Even if it meant relying on Executive Director Do Hyun-joon’s help, she wanted to get Jo Dong-min out of her sight.
“I heard you two broke up. So are you stalking Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon by coming all the way to her house this late at night?”
“N-no, that’s not it. We actually had a little argument, and I-I was just… trying to, to make up with her…”
“I believe I told you to behave sensibly.”
Hyun-joon cut Dong-min off as if he had no desire to listen to another word. After letting out a long sigh, he continued in an irritated tone.
“So from now on, don’t show up in front of Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon. Is that really so difficult?”
“Executive Director!”
Dong-min shouted in a hoarse voice. He raised his head, trembling as he clenched his fists, and spoke.
“No matter who you are, Executive Director, you have no right to interfere in my personal affairs. Seo-yoon and I were dating, that’s true. We did have a fight, but we haven’t broken up yet. Seo-yoon is the one who unilaterally said she wanted to break up!”
Hyun-joon silently looked down at Dong-min, who was huffing angrily right in front of him.
What the hell is wrong with this guy?
When one person says they want to break up, the relationship is over. Did he really have to explain something that obvious?
Hyun-joon let out a weary laugh and glanced at Seo-yoon, who was trembling behind him.
Yeah, Lee Seo-yoon. What should I do for you?
Even though he thought he had gotten himself involved in a complete mess, he found himself smiling.
He felt sorry for Seo-yoon for getting involved with a lunatic like this, and he also thought he couldn’t just leave someone like Jo Dong-min alone.
Then he gave another quiet snort of laughter.
Since when did I start caring about my employees’ love lives?
The smile that kept slipping from his lips almost seemed like self-mockery.
All the fatigue he hadn’t been able to shake off had piled up layer upon layer, and it felt as though something inside his head had finally loosened.
Maybe a few screws had come loose. Maybe he was simply losing it.
With that muddled feeling, Hyun-joon tightly closed and opened his tired eyes.
Through his blurry vision, he saw Jo Dong-min’s reddened face, his fists clenched as he huffed indignantly.
Crazy bastard.
The expression on his face was practically the definition of the word. There was no way someone like that could have a rational conversation.
Then I guess I’ll just have to become just as crazy.
“Assistant Manager Jo Dong-min.”
Hyun-joon looked down at Dong-min and smiled crookedly.
“Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon is dating me. Keep that in mind and move on.”
What?
Dong-min stupidly blinked.
As if asking what kind of bullshit that was, he glared at Hyun-joon.
Regardless, Hyun-joon calmly added another threatening remark, as though reinforcing what he had just said.
“Only Assistant Manager Jo Dong-min knows about this. So if a rumor gets out, I won’t let you off the hook.”
Leaving Dong-min behind as he stammered stupidly, Hyun-joon turned around.
He wrapped an arm around Seo-yoon’s trembling shoulders and strode toward the entrance of the apartment building.
The next morning, Seo-yoon parked her car in the underground parking lot and looked around.
She had arrived earlier than usual.
An area with good CCTV coverage, near the entrance leading to the elevators.
After seeing Jo Dong-min come all the way to her home last night, she thought it would be better to be careful for the time being.
She had managed to get out of the situation with Executive Director Do Hyun-joon’s help, but…
“From now on, don’t show up in front of Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon. Is that really so difficult?”
“Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon is dating me. Keep that in mind and move on.”
The afterimages of those memories forced their way into her mind and flickered before her eyes.
Executive Director Do Hyun-joon’s twisted smile.
The lapel of his clothes that she had desperately clung to like a lifeline.
And the strong arm that had wrapped around her shoulders as though protecting her from Jo Dong-min.
Every time the memories surfaced, a faint warmth crept across her face.
Seo-yoon tightly closed her eyes and opened them again, as though trying to erase her thoughts, then walked toward the elevator.
Since it was still early, there weren’t many people waiting for or boarding the elevator.
Thank goodness.
She stepped inside and pressed the button for the 35th floor.
She absentmindedly watched the numbers change rapidly. When the display reached 35, she took one step toward the door, preparing to get off.
The elevator doors slid open.
Standing outside was a man wearing a sleek, dark navy suit.
With both hands in his pockets, he was silently listening to his executive secretary, Manager Han Ki-yeol.
It was Executive Director Do Hyun-joon.
The moment their eyes met, Seo-yoon unconsciously held her breath.
A beat later, she lowered her head.
“Good morning, Executive Director.”
Hyun-joon gave a slight nod and walked past Seo-yoon with Manager Han Ki-yeol.
Through the elevator doors as they closed, she could see Hyun-joon talking with Manager Han inside.
Feeling somewhat dazed, Seo-yoon continued walking.
For some reason, Executive Director Do Hyun-joon’s perfectly ordinary appearance felt unfamiliar today.
She encountered him at work all the time, so why did she feel this way?
Was it because of the shock from yesterday?
Jo Dong-min had come all the way to her home and caused a scene. Executive Director Do Hyun-joon had witnessed everything, and afterward, she had even hidden behind him.
“Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon is dating me.”
The words echoed in her ears like a hallucination.
Seo-yoon quickened her pace.
After entering the office and sitting down, she habitually took out her phone.
There had been no messages from Jo Dong-min since yesterday.
The threatening messages that used to pour in every morning.
The persistent phone calls that wouldn’t stop ringing.
Her phone was completely silent, as if none of it had ever happened.
It was all thanks to Executive Director Do Hyun-joon.
He had witnessed scenes like that several times, so it would have been difficult for him to simply pretend he hadn’t noticed.
“I can’t stand not knowing something I’m curious about.”
Maybe, she decided, he had simply put an end to something he’d been curious about.
Perhaps his actions hadn’t carried any deeper meaning.
And now that Jo Dong-min wasn’t contacting her anymore, she decided that was enough.
If I get the chance, I should at least thank him.
Seo-yoon opened her laptop and prepared to start work.
For several days, interviews had been held to recruit employees for the Overseas Business Division.
After the two-hour-long interview finally ended, Hyun-joon entered his office carrying the applicants’ resumes.
He tossed the documents onto his desk with a thud, sat down, and called Manager Han Ki-yeol.
Knock, knock.
Only a few seconds later, there was a knock on the door, and Manager Han Ki-yeol entered.
“Yes, Executive Director.”
“There’s a video conference scheduled with the U.S. branch this afternoon, right? What time was it again…? Five.”
Hyun-joon spoke while checking an email that had just arrived.
The U.S. branch had suddenly requested an urgent meeting.
Hyun-joon’s eyes quickly scanned the monitor.
It seemed there was a problem with the Channel Sales Team.
“All the division team leaders will have to attend. Contact them immediately and reserve a conference room. As for an interpreter…”
Since they frequently held meetings with the U.S. branch, all the employees at the team-leader level were fluent in English.
The Business Division, however, was an exception.
If it had been a scheduled meeting, they would have requested an interpreter in advance. But with a meeting suddenly arranged like this, they were in a difficult position.
There was only about an hour left before the meeting.
Finding an interpreter within that time was impossible.
The company’s in-house interpreters had to be booked at least three days in advance, and it was common for meeting schedules to be changed depending on the interpreters’ availability.
Suddenly, one person came to Hyun-joon’s mind.
Lee Seo-yoon.
Seo-yoon could interpret.
And since the Public Relations Team worked closely with the Business Division, she would already be familiar with the subject matter.
As though he had read Hyun-joon’s thoughts, Ki-yeol spoke.
“Executive Director, why don’t we ask Assistant Manager Lee Seo-yoon to interpret?”
“That would be best.”
Hyun-joon picked up his phone and stood from his seat.
He could take a short break while making the call.
He dialed Lee Seo-yoon’s number and left his office.
As he walked while listening to the ringing tone, the call suddenly disconnected.
Hyun-joon stopped walking.
What?
He frowned and looked at the screen.
A message from Lee Seo-yoon had arrived.
[I’m in a meeting. I’ll contact you shortly.]
What kind of meeting is it?
Had there been an important meeting scheduled for the Public Relations Team today?
Trying to remember, he walked steadily up to the rooftop garden.
When he opened the door, a cool breeze swept across his face.
The cloudless, crystal-clear sky seemed to wash away the haze in his mind.
Hyun-joon took out his phone, typed a message, and pressed send.
[5 p.m. Please provide interpretation support for the meeting.]
Less than five seconds later, a reply arrived.
[Understood.]
She certainly is quick.
He smiled faintly as he walked.
Then a familiar voice reached his ears from nearby.
Hyun-joon raised his head.
Jo Dong-min was sitting at a table with another employee, talking.
“Manager, I’m not thinking about dating anyone yet. This is a time when I should be focusing on my work…”
“Oh, come on, Assistant Manager Jo. Don’t be like that. Just meet her once. She’s the younger sister of my wife’s friend. She’s cheerful and a really nice girl. Want me to show you her picture?”
When the employee took out his phone and showed him the picture, Jo Dong-min’s eyes widened.
“What do you think? She’s pretty, right? I heard she’s an accountant at a small company, and on weekends she does something like modeling for an online shopping mall.”
Jo Dong-min gave an ambiguous smile and subtly rolled his eyes.
Judging by the fact that he couldn’t take his eyes off the phone, he seemed interested in the woman.
Hyun-joon watched the whole thing and let out a quiet laugh.
After making such a huge fuss because you couldn’t break up with Lee Seo-yoon, cheating with a married woman, and now you’re going to get introduced to another woman?
Hyun-joon took a cigarette from his pocket and put it between his lips.
He deliberately flicked his lighter hard.
Click. Click.
At the sound, Jo Dong-min and the employee sitting beside him noticed Hyun-joon and immediately stood.
“Good afternoon, Executive Director.”
Hyun-joon slowly nodded.
Watching Dong-min’s face stiffen, he flicked the lighter again.
With a click, a large flame sprang up, igniting the tip of his cigarette red.
He held the smoking cigarette between his fingers and gave it a casual wave.
As if that had been his entire purpose.
Then he smiled gently and leisurely walked past the two men.
Taking a deep drag from his cigarette, he walked toward the spot with the best view.
As he looked out over the expansive cityscape, a cool breeze gently seeped across his skin.
The replacement for Jo Dong-min is supposed to start next week, isn’t he?
A dismissal notice would have a greater impact if it came unexpectedly.
So perhaps it would be best to fire him on the very day his replacement started work.
Until then, enjoy your blind dates and keep cheating to your heart’s content.
