ENED 02

CHAPTER 02

The Innovative Business Leader of the Year Award, jointly selected by Korea’s five major economic organizations, was presented to the business leader who had demonstrated the most outstanding performance among Korean executives.

Despite receiving such a prestigious award at such a young age, the man standing on the stage was nothing but humble.

Results are not created by individual talent, but through the cooperation of the people who work together.

An organization that protects its people rather than simply one that produces results. That will become Daehong Group’s new core value. I would like to share this honor with every employee of Daehong Group.>

Sahyun met Ha-joon’s gaze through the screen.

His well-defined features. The moment she looked into his deep, soulful eyes, a strange ache began in her chest.

At first, it had simply been admiration—the respect she felt wondering how many sleepless nights filled with difficult decisions he must have endured to reach that position.

But as time passed, Sahyun’s feelings gradually began to change.

While working in the Strategic Planning Office, whenever she found herself lost because of her inexperience with a task, Ha-joon would always provide a clear answer.

“When your logic is lacking, try focusing on the numbers. You’ll see what you missed.”

“Let’s start by thinking about the sentence that runs through the entire analysis. Once you have that, the rest often falls into place.”

His advice was weighty yet sharp, and he always treated her as an equal colleague when they worked together. Sahyun’s feelings for him gradually transformed—from respect into excitement, from awe into admiration.

Whenever she closed her eyes, his voice lingered in her ears. On days when he happened to sit in the same meeting room, her breathing would become inexplicably quick.

Although the physical distance between them grew after Sahyun was transferred to the Overseas Sales Division, even now, years later, her heart still trembled uncontrollably whenever she happened to encounter him.

But she had never been greedy about it. Just as Yoonjeong had praised him, he seemed like a flawless person, and their worlds were completely different.

Simply watching him from afar and liking him on her own had been enough.

Sahyun carefully composed her expression, trying to hide her feelings, when Yoonjeong continued.

“Maybe it’s because I care a lot about a man’s appearance, but if I were in your position, I think I’d actually enjoy coming to work.”

“Just by looking at Executive Director Yoo’s face?”

“Yes. Handsome men have the power to save the world.”

Yoonjeong joked around before lowering her voice and continuing.

“Besides, Manager Jo is so emotional. When he’s in a bad mood, he says whatever he wants, and when he’s in a good mood, he makes strange jokes. Even his evaluations of our work change depending on his mood. Executive Director Yoo is so precise and rational about everything that even if he scolded me, I feel like I could understand why and accept it.”

Just as Yoonjeong declared that she would devote her entire career to the company if she could work with Yoo Ha-joon even once instead of Manager Jo, who was in charge of the Overseas Sales Division, the sliding door they had been looking toward opened.

Assistant Manager Lee Sang-wook from their department emerged from the room.

Sahyun had no idea when he had been called inside. With his face flushed from drinking, he approached their table.

“Wow, Assistant Manager Kim. I didn’t even recognize you. You’re really pretty without your glasses. Why don’t you take them off more often?”

“…Pardon?”

“Why are you so flustered? I’m just saying. Anyway, Manager Jo is calling you. He says he’s going to introduce the people who worked on this report to Executive Director Yoo Ha-joon.”

“Ah, yes.”

While Sahyun hesitated at the sudden summons, Yoonjeong lightly touched her arm and spoke excitedly.

Please tell me what Executive Director Yoo was like up close!

Her expression seemed to say exactly that.

“Be careful, Assistant Manager.”

“Yeah, okay.”

But Sahyun’s face showed nothing but tension.

It was because of what Lee Sang-wook muttered as soon as she stood up and he plopped himself down in her empty seat.

“Executive Director Yoo can really hold his liquor. Wow… I lost. Completely lost.”

Apparently, the atmosphere in the room where she had been summoned wasn’t going to be easy.

A little while later.

When Sahyun opened the sliding door and entered, she could vaguely make out two people sitting at the table.

Contrary to her expectation that several other employees would be there, there were only two people in the room.

The atmosphere was completely different from the noisy drinking party outside, as though this room had been deliberately prepared for something more private.

Even though quite a few bottles of alcohol sat on the table, there was no sense of disorder.

Manager Jo Woo-jong called out loudly to Sahyun as she hesitantly entered.

“Oh, Assistant Manager Kim. Come over here.”

Sahyun bowed politely to Manager Jo and Yoo Ha-joon before taking a seat.

Through her blurred vision, she could vaguely make out Executive Director Yoo Ha-joon’s face.

His smooth hair was styled with razor-sharp precision. Beneath his neat forehead and perfectly shaped brows were deep-set, melancholy eyes shaded by long lashes. Then there was his high nose and red lips.

Even with her unclear vision, she could imagine his appearance clearly and calmly greeted him.

“Good evening, Executive Director.”

“Welcome, Assistant Manager Kim Sahyun.”

As she greeted him with a nervous voice, Ha-joon’s low voice reached her ears. There was something unusually sharp about it.

She had a feeling that this wasn’t merely a gathering to commend them for their work.

“Assistant Manager Kim Sahyun. You were in charge of the analysis section of this report, weren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right, Executive Director.”

“The analysis was sharp. And it was well organized. I’m going to speak with the Public Relations Team and have it condensed into a one-page document to distribute throughout the company.”

Fortunately, what she heard was unexpected praise.

The corners of Sahyun’s lips lifted slightly.

The report she had worked so hard on had caught the attention of none other than Executive Director Yoo Ha-joon, and it was going to be distributed company-wide.

She couldn’t have been happier.

“Thank you for thinking so highly of my work.”

“No, this is quite an honor, Executive Director. It makes all the nagging I gave Assistant Manager Kim worthwhile.”

Manager Jo cut in, seemingly eager to take some credit for the praise Sahyun had received.

Ha-joon poured alcohol into the glass Manager Jo held out and said,

“Is that so? Then you must have worked very hard, Manager Jo.”

“Haha, not at all. Isn’t it a supervisor’s job to guide talented employees so they can create even greater synergy? It was all thanks to the team members who followed my guidance so well.”

At Manager Jo’s excessive self-praise, a hint of an unreadable smile appeared in Ha-joon’s voice.

Sahyun also gave a faint smile along with them.

Fortunately, Manager Jo was a talkative person. Thanks to him filling the silence and keeping Ha-joon engaged instead of leaving Sahyun to do it herself, she thought the gathering would end without much difficulty.

“Assistant Manager Kim, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to pour a drink for Executive Director Yoo?”

At that moment, Manager Jo handed Sahyun a bottle of liquor.

Ha-joon naturally took the bottle from him and said,

“Let’s not worry about things like that.”

“Oh. Yes, Executive Director.”

Manager Jo immediately quieted down, putting on his most genial smile.

Ha-joon held out the bottle toward Sahyun, and she picked up the fresh glass sitting in front of her.

“Assistant Manager Kim Sahyun. Do you drink much?”

“A little… I can drink a little.”

“You don’t need to worry about me. If you don’t feel like drinking, just accept the glass. You don’t have to force yourself.”

“No, Executive Director. I’ll have a drink.”

A moment later, Sahyun’s glass was filled.

As she steadied the slightly trembling glass in her hand, Ha-joon’s voice came from above her.

“It’s been a long time. You seem a little different from the last time I saw you.”

At the sound of Ha-joon recognizing her, Sahyun blinked.

Three years had passed since she transferred to the Overseas Sales Division, and during that time, she had encountered Yoo Ha-joon fewer than twenty times, even from a distance.

Yet he remembered her.

The realization sent her heart racing.

“Assistant Manager Kim, hurry up and drink. Then you should pour one for Executive Director Yoo.”

“Ah, yes.”

When Sahyun hesitated in surprise, Manager Jo urged her on.

Sahyun drank the liquor he had poured for her, then awkwardly stood up while holding the new bottle of soju that Manager Jo had quickly opened and handed to her.

“……”

Sahyun tightened her grip around the green bottle.

With her poor eyesight and the tension of the moment combined, her hand was trembling.

She pressed her lower lip firmly together and held her bottle hand steady with her other hand as she tried to pour the drink.

That was when it happened.

She felt as though she had suddenly met Ha-joon’s gaze head-on as he looked up at her.

His gaze drew her in almost hypnotically.

Before she realized it, the alcohol overflowed from the glass and splashed across Ha-joon’s pants.

“……!”