Chapter 02
“Our Executive Director Kim said he’d like to take a look around the newsroom.”
“I’m Kim Sahyeok.”
“Ah, yes, Executive Director. I’m Hong Gyeongtae, the editor-in-chief.”
Kim Sahyeok.
The only son of Noble Group Chairman Kim Huyong, and the company’s officially recognized heir.
The man who would soon become Sanghyeon Daily’s advertiser—and its financial lifeline.
With his position already weakened by recent articles that had offended several major advertisers, Editor-in-Chief Hong would have had to bow his head even if the visitor had been a child young enough to be his grandson.
Hong Gyeongtae led Oh Sangil and Sahyeok across the newsroom.
“On this seventh floor, you’ll find all of our core editorial departments. Politics, Legal Affairs, Business & Industry, and Social Affairs all share this floor. Culture & Sports and the other departments are on the eighth floor.”
He looked far too young to be a corporate executive.
His appearance was strikingly handsome.
Yet there was also a depth and composure about him that made it impossible to dismiss him as nothing more than the pampered only son of a chaebol family.
In an instant, Sahyeok drew the attention of everyone in the newsroom.
Walking ahead, Editor-in-Chief Hong hurried through his explanation, keeping a respectful distance from the Social Affairs department as though unwilling to waste the valuable guest’s time.
“That department over by the windows is Social Affairs. As you know, they mainly cover crimes and accidents, so it isn’t somewhere Executive Director Kim would have any particular reason to concern himself with.”
“Exactly,” Oh Sangil chimed in. “A respectable young man like Executive Director Kim has no business ending up on the crime pages. I’ve never met a young man as upright as him. Hahaha.”
While the editor-in-chief and the president exchanged their hollow jokes, Sahyeok walked right past them.
Toward the old sign hanging from the ceiling that read:
[Social Affairs]
The sign swayed as though it might fall at any moment.
And beneath it…
Was Seobin.
The orange glow of the late afternoon sun had settled gently across her cheeks.
But beneath her desk, her hands trembled almost imperceptibly.
Without hesitation, Sahyeok walked up to the Social Affairs department.
Only then did Seobin raise her head.
Their eyes met in midair.
Eight years.
It had been eight years.
Sahyeok was still dazzling enough to command everyone’s attention.
No—
He had become even more mature, even more complete, than the boy Seobin had once loved.
Why?
Why… is he…
Seobin bit down hard on her lip.
Since that day eight years ago, she had never taken a single step forward.
Yet those people…
Nothing had changed for them.
If anything, the world they belonged to had only grown stronger and more untouchable.
That realization drained every bit of strength from her.
Just then, Gong Supyo, the Social Affairs department’s mood-maker and a third-year reporter, greeted them loudly.
“Good afternoon, President!”
“Ah, good work, everyone. This is Noble Holdings Executive Director Kim Sahyeok.”
“Wow. You’re every bit as impressive as people say.”
As Gong Supyo joked cheerfully, the president looked at him in surprise.
“You already knew Executive Director Kim?”
“Of course! He used to be a famous swimmer, didn’t he? The idol of Sarim High’s swim team, right? My younger sibling graduated from Sarim High, so I know all about it.”
At Gong Supyo’s unnecessary bit of trivia, Woo Jihyun glanced toward Seobin and covered her forehead with one hand.
“Who asked?” she muttered under her breath.
But the unexpected connection made Oh Sangil’s eyes light up.
“Executive Director Kim graduated from Sarim High?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Sahyeok’s gaze returned to Seobin.
The overwhelming aura radiating from him made her body tremble ever so slightly.
Even so, she met his direct gaze head-on.
She couldn’t run.
Nor did she have any intention of running.
“Then you must know Assemblyman Yoo’s son as well. Sarim Foundation is partnering with us for an economic forum this year. What a coincidence, hahaha.”
The annual Sanghyeon Economy Forum was nominally an economic conference.
In reality, it was one of the newspaper’s methods of securing sponsorship money from major corporations.
This year, the Sarim Foundation had volunteered to become the main sponsor.
If Noble Group could also be brought into the partnership, it would be a tremendous success.
The excitement was evident on Oh Sangil’s face.
“Since you two are alumni, why not join forces and make this year’s event something special?”
Without taking his eyes off Seobin, Sahyeok answered calmly,
“Yes. I think that’s an excellent idea.”
The corner of Sahyeok’s mouth slowly curled upward.
As though he wanted Seobin to see it.
Her lips trembled.
“You really take after your father. So decisive. Hahaha.”
Delighted by Sahyeok’s positive response, Oh Sangil beamed.
At that moment, he looked ready to give Sahyeok anything he wanted.
“Director Hong, which reporter usually handles coverage involving our advertisers?”
“Ah… that’s usually the Business & Industry department—”
“No.”
Waving his hand dismissively, Oh Sangil cut him off.
“Do we have anyone here who graduated from Sarim?”
The question came bluntly.
The editor-in-chief looked around the newsroom with an increasingly troubled expression.
“I’m… not entirely sure…”
His voice trailed off.
Silence fell over the newsroom.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
Then Sahyeok began walking.
After taking several graceful steps, he stopped in front of the last desk in the Social Affairs section.
“Here she is.”
He looked down at the woman before him.
“Sarim High alumnus.”
“Reporter Bae Seobin.”
In an instant, every eye that had been fixed on Sahyeok shifted to Seobin.
“Ah… Reporter Bae only joined us recently…”
Editor-in-Chief Hong hurried to explain beside the president.
But—
“No.”
Seobin spoke first.
The atmosphere instantly turned icy.
Woo Jihyun and Gong Supyo stared at her in disbelief.
Even Gu Bonghwan, who had been wearing headphones and completely absorbed in his work as though isolated from the rest of the world, took them off and looked over.
“I dropped out and graduated through the high school equivalency exam.”
“So… I’m not actually a Sarim High graduate.”
The more Seobin spoke, the darker Oh Sangil’s face became.
Around them, the reporters looked increasingly horrified.
“Reporter Bae, just a moment—”
Unable to stand it any longer, Editor-in-Chief Hong hurried forward to stop her.
But someone else spoke first.
“We were close.”
Sahyeok was faster.
A softer smile spread across his face as he looked at Seobin.
“Bae Seobin.”
“It’s been a long time.”
Even smiling, he gave off a chill that could freeze a person’s blood.
Yet standing before his former high school classmate, he wore an expression that seemed genuinely pleased to see her again.
The president and editor-in-chief visibly relaxed.
Only Seobin looked as though she had reached the end of the world.
Her face was deathly pale.
Eventually, she struggled even to breathe, each breath coming in shallow gasps.
She looked at the man before her with naked contempt, as though even his gaze touching her was filthy.
“Hey, Reporter Gong… is she okay?”
“No idea.”
Woo Jihyun whispered worriedly.
But Gong Supyo’s attention was entirely on the president and editor-in-chief.
He was too busy wondering how to make a favorable impression to care about Seobin’s condition.
Meanwhile, Sahyeok stepped closer.
Then he gently placed a hand on Seobin’s shoulder.
As though telling her…
It’s okay.
Just breathe.
“Breathe, Bae Seobin! Pull yourself together and breathe!”
Fragments of a memory Seobin never wanted to relive flashed through her mind.
Humiliation surged up inside her.
She instinctively took a step backward.
Naturally, Sahyeok’s hand slipped from her shoulder.
He glanced at the hand left hanging awkwardly in midair and let out a faint chuckle.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued,
“You’ve become even prettier.”
What a shameless man.
That was all Seobin could think.
Someone had died.
Someone’s family had been murdered.
How could they all act as though nothing had ever happened?
“What exactly are you…?”
Anger flashed across Seobin’s eyes.
Those hostile eyes remained fixed on him.
Yet somehow, she looked even more fragile than before—
Like someone who might collapse at any moment.
Sensing the atmosphere turning dangerous, Editor-in-Chief Hong quickly stepped in.
His instincts told him he had to end this before things became even stranger.
“Alright, that’s settled then! Reporter Bae will be in charge of covering Noble and the forum from now on! Since she’s still a rookie… Gong Supyo! You’ll help her out.”
“Yes, sir! Understood, Chief!”
Gong Supyo, who had desperately wanted an opportunity to leave the Social Affairs beat, smiled brightly as though he’d just been chosen for a great honor.
Only then did the president nod in satisfaction.
“Good. Excellent. Looks like this year’s Sanghyeon Daily is going to be run entirely by Sarim High alumni. Hahaha. Well then, let’s be on our way.”
Having already accomplished what he came for, Oh Sangil offered a satisfied farewell.
No one objected.
Well…
There was exactly one exception.
Bae Seobin.
