TUW | CHAPTER 32

Chapter 32

The Arrogant Chick.

“Suddenly?”

Lee Yeon’s eyes widened.

Of all the celebrities, why Jeong Heera?

“Don’t tell me… the Vice President recommended her?

That doesn’t make any sense.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t?

A young man and woman could fall in love, couldn’t they?

They say Jeong Heera’s been chasing after the Vice President for ages.”

Love?

If Do-hyun had recommended her, she might have been able to accept it somehow.

But the baseless assumption that he might fall in love like that was deeply unpleasant.

The Vice President said he liked me!

“So if you ever feel shaken, don’t hesitate—just come straight to me.”

I’ve already been shaken for a long time, tch.

Then why hire Jeong Heera as the model while telling her to come straight to him?

Lee Yeon was already worried that Heera might start visiting the company more often, just to see Do-hyun.

It was just after she’d had braised chicken, stopped by a café, and was about to return to the office.

Team Leader Kim asked for permission to smoke a cigarette before heading back.

Lee Yeon said she’d rather wait than be left alone with Jihoo, but Kim told the two of them to go on ahead and then disappeared toward the smoking area.

“You said you’d keep my secret.”

Lee Yeon poured out the resentment she hadn’t managed to say earlier to Jihoo.

“I did.

The secret.”

“Don’t say unnecessary things either.”

As she and Jihoo entered through the revolving doors in the lobby, a large shadow suddenly fell beside her.

“Um Jihoo, did you get some kind of lightning-fast promotion to team leader?”

The shadow belonged to Do-hyun.

The timing was perfect for misunderstanding.

Of course, Team Leader Kim wasn’t there either.

From a distance, the two of them bickering while walking into the lobby could easily have looked like they were close.

Though she hadn’t lied, Lee Yeon still felt guilty—like she’d been caught in the act—under the deadly aura radiating from Do-hyun’s shadow.

Why, of all times, did Team Leader Kim have to go smoke a cigarette right now?

For a moment, she unfairly blamed poor Team Leader Kim.

“Vice President, why are you here…?”

“If employees aren’t in the company, where would they be?”

Do-hyun’s sharp reply, eyebrows twitching, showed how irritated her words made him.

No, that wasn’t what she meant.

She wanted to ask why he hadn’t gone to his external meeting.

“Hello, Vice President!”

Clueless as ever, Jihoo grinned brightly and bowed at a full ninety degrees.

“I’d like to say hello, but my mood is very, very bad.”

Do-hyun didn’t even glance at Jihoo, keeping his eyes fixed only on Lee Yeon.

Worried that someone else might see the burning fury in his gaze, Lee Yeon glanced around quickly.

The quick movement made her glasses slip, and she pushed them back up as she looked at Do-hyun standing like a stone statue.

Ugh, this is unfair.

So unfair!

I wish I could just shout everything out.

She swallowed her words down silently.

It seemed he had completely misunderstood—thinking she had refused to have lunch with him, lied about it, and instead gone off with Jihoo to return all buddy-buddy.

“Did something bad happen?”

Jihoo, who had clearly eaten all the rice with no side of tact, tossed another question straight into the flames of Do-hyun’s anger.

Worried about what might come out of his mouth, Lee Yeon quickly cut in before Do-hyun could answer.

“Vice President!

Don’t you have an external schedule to get to?”

She forced a laugh, acting as if she was reminding him of something urgent.

Um Jihoo, for the love of everything, shut your mouth!

“I should go, but my mood is so very bad that I can’t take a step.

You two just came back from eating together?”

It was a direct kill shot.

Answering carelessly would be dangerous…

“Yes!

We had braised chicken!”

I should’ve cut ties with that idiot long ago.

Jihoo, eager to look good to Do-hyun, took it upon himself to answer.

Sure, it was true, but phrased like that it sounded exactly like the two of them had eaten alone.

“The two of us?

No, we went with Team Leader Kim too—the three of us together.”

Feeling she’d missed the chance to explain earlier, Lee Yeon quickly mentioned Team Leader Kim.

“He said he was going to smoke before coming back in.

Why are you all standing here waiting?”

At that moment, their saviour appeared—the one who could clear the misunderstanding completely.

Team Leader Kim, having finished his cigarette, spotted Lee Yeon and Jihoo standing in the middle of the lobby.

Finally, the situation was resolved.

“Oh, Vice President!

We meet again.”

Kim greeted Do-hyun politely, mentioning they had already seen each other earlier at the meeting.

Thanks to his arrival, everything was neatly explained.

When Do-hyun looked at Kim, he seemed to finally understand that the three of them had eaten together, and his murderous aura receded slightly.

Proving she hadn’t lied had never been so difficult.

“Yes.

I have an external schedule, so I’ll head out first.

I’ll be back later.”

The words I’ll be back later stuck in Lee Yeon’s throat.

Clearly, his business with her wasn’t finished yet.

It was as if he were warning her to be ready for round two of “lunch verification.”

With that lingering unease, Do-hyun stepped through the revolving door.

“Come on, let’s go up.”

At Kim’s words, Lee Yeon headed for the elevator.

But she knew the unease wouldn’t go away until Do-hyun returned.

***

In the car, Do-hyun let out a quiet laugh at nothing.

He couldn’t stop remembering the flustered, lost look on Lee Yeon’s face.

From far away, even through the glass, he had recognised her instantly in the lobby.

Now, no matter where she went, he spotted her right away.

But the sight he had caught had been unpleasant:

Through the glass doors, he’d seen her walking in with Jihoo, smiling and chatting as if they were close.

Ha, how many hours has it even been since I said that fox annoyed me?

No, this wasn’t it.

How dare she lie?

Running away from him, only to turn around and beam her brightest smiles at another man—it drove him mad.

Of all things, he could never forgive her for smiling at that fox, or for lying.

Of course, that meant he couldn’t forgive anything at all, but Do-hyun brushed that off.

That cheeky little chick needed to be caught and taught a lesson.

Striding toward her earlier, he had barely restrained himself from grabbing her wrist right then.

“Vice President, why are you here?”

As if he were someone who shouldn’t be there at all.

How dare she?

She was hardly in any position to say such things.

That impudent chick.

Shouldn’t she explain why Team Leader Kim’s role had somehow turned into Um Jihoo’s?

Do-hyun didn’t even bother acknowledging Jihoo’s attempt at a polite greeting.

What are you even doing?

Don’t try to insert yourself between us.

Watching Lee Yeon anxiously prod him about leaving, as if afraid of what he might say, he let out a quiet laugh inside.

He had no intention of going anywhere.

It was only thanks to Team Leader Kim showing up that he left at all—otherwise, he might still be standing in that lobby.

And that fox, grinning so freely… it irritated him in every way.

Do-hyun was already considering how best to punish the insolent Lee Yeon.

She was constantly teasing and provoking him in countless ways, and he couldn’t possibly let her off.

He decided to wrap up his external schedule as quickly as possible and return to the office.

While he brooded over just how he would deal with her, the car carrying him sped down the road.

***

He was supposed to return around 5 p.m.

But nearly an hour early, Do-hyun came back to his office.

Lee Yeon glanced over at him nervously.

He gave her a sidelong look and an unreadable expression before heading into his office without a word.

When she asked if he was back, he merely nodded.

Still frustrated, Lee Yeon pressed a hand to her chest.

Could it be… is he still upset?

“Didn’t the misunderstanding get cleared up?”

She wasn’t sure if he was sulking or still angry.

Either way, she had already prepared for a second round of interrogation while waiting for his return.

With solemn determination, she yanked open her desk drawer.

From the very back, she pulled out a carefully treasured chocolate.

She’d been saving it for herself, but she was prepared to use it now to soothe him.

Chocolate in hand, she rose with purpose.

At his office door, she steadied her breath and knocked.

There was no answer, but she let herself in anyway.

Do-hyun was already sitting there, silently watching her approach.

“Here.”

“Why are you giving me this?”

He looked down at the chocolate she’d placed gently on his desk, as though it were something precious.

“It’s my special snack, and I’m sharing it with you.

I didn’t lie!

Everything got cleared up, didn’t it?

But it still seems like you’re upset.”

Do-hyun gave a short, incredulous laugh.

“What’s not cleared up?”

His voice was noticeably softer than before.

As expected—when dealing with sulky children, sweet candy or chocolate always worked.

“Whatever it is—misunderstanding, bad mood—just let it go.”

Her earnest answer made him chuckle aloud.

She was actually worried he might still be holding a grudge.

Bringing in her precious chocolate to cheer him up—it was adorable.

“Do I really look that petty to you?”

Do-hyun asked, smiling.

“Yes.”

“As I thought—an insolent chick.

Sit down.”

Why am I always the insolent chick?

Tilting her head, she still obeyed, sitting down on the sofa.

“Vice President, you should sit here too.”

She pointed to the sofa opposite.

“Yu Lee Yeon, are you really going to pu

t on such a serious face right now?”

“Yes.

I heard something unpleasant during lunch.”

As she crossed her arms, Do-hyun rose from his chair.

Like a child listening well, he came over and sat across from her.

“Why, all of a sudden, is actress Jeong Heera our new model?

Was this a decision influenced by your personal feelings?”