Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Seo Jaehee was a simple man, almost alarmingly so.

Once he fixated on something, it became his everything, and he pursued it relentlessly, to the exclusion of all else. It had been this way since he was a child. Whether it was something he wanted to do, eat, or possess, he wouldn’t rest until it was his. Spoiled and stubborn, he would persist, no matter how unreasonable, until he got his way.

To Seo Jaehee, Lee Suin was his everything.

She was the one thing he couldn’t live without.

The one thing he’d sacrifice everything else for.

The one thing that, without her, he felt he might die.

"My Suin..."

That’s why he couldn’t tolerate those bastards mocking her.

Before he even thought about it, his body moved, and his fists followed.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Thwack!

“What the hell, you bastard!”

The boys, caught off guard by the sudden punches and kicks, eventually regained their senses and launched a group attack. But Jaehee didn’t stop.

“You’re all dead today.”

There were four of them.@@novelbin@@

Soon, the numbers overwhelmed him. His face swelled with bruises, blood trickled from his split lips, and yet, he kept fighting.

Like a robot programmed solely for combat, he punched and took punches, endlessly persistent.

It was terrifying.

“This guy’s crazy.”

“Stop it! I said, stop, damn it!”

Eventually, the boys, terrified, begged him to stop, but it was too late to halt someone who had already lost himself.

Thwack!

Thwack!

[“You’re Seo Jaehee’s father, right?”]

“Yes, I am.”

[“This is the OO Police Station. Your son got into a fight with some kids his age…”]

Jaehee and the boys were hauled off by the police after a passerby reported the brawl. His father, Professor Seo Seongryeok, and Woo Ilhwa rushed to the station in a panic.

Jaehee was labeled the aggressor.

Despite being outnumbered four to one, he had struck first.

When asked why, his response was simply, “Because.”

“There has to be a reason you hit them. Who provoked whom?”

“What makes you think you can just sit there and say nothing?”

Professor Seo tried coaxing him, while Woo Ilhwa raised her voice, but Jaehee refused to speak. His resolve was unyielding.

He couldn’t bear the thought of Suin hearing the filthy words those boys had said about her. He’d rather go to juvenile detention than let that happen.

Woo Ilhwa wanted to clear up the situation, but the odds were against them.

In the end, under the lawyer’s advice, they settled the matter with a hefty compensation.

“Come back when you’ve learned how to act like a proper human being.”

And with that, Jaehee was sent to the U.S.

Jaehee didn’t surrender.

Exiled to his aunt’s house, he quietly planned his return.

But his mother, Woo Ilhwa, knew him too well.

“If you come back like this, I’ll have you forcibly committed to a psychiatric hospital. Don’t even think about returning without my permission. You know I don’t make empty threats.”

Her warning was genuine.

But she didn’t only wield a stick; she also dangled a carrot.

“I’ll let you have your way.”

The condition was that he’d have to complete his education in the U.S., join the Hyesung Group’s New York branch, and prove himself as someone capable of leading the company.

“If you accomplish that.”

To Jaehee, it seemed nearly impossible. He had spent so many years doing as he pleased.

“Anything?”

“Yes, anything.”

To someone as single-minded as Jaehee, it was an irresistible offer.

In his simple mind, there was only one goal: achieve what he wanted most.

“Give me Lee Suin.”

“She’s not mine to give, and besides, Suin has her own feelings.”

“Leave Suin’s feelings to me. If I decide to have her, don’t say anything else about it.”

Woo Ilhwa was exasperated by her son’s choice among countless options, but she also recognized that this was her best chance.

“Promise me you’ll keep your word. Promise.”

And so, like mother, like son, Jaehee didn’t break his promises.

He charged ahead, like a racehorse with blinders, focused solely on the finish line.

Starting with the studies he detested, he relied on his family’s inherent intelligence to gain admission to a prestigious university. He graduated, secured a position at Hyesung Group’s New York branch, and worked his way up to become a division head.

Throughout those years,

He never wavered.

He never got distracted.

He only had one goal.

“Wait for me, Lee Suin.”

The saying "Simplicity is terrifying" had never been more true.

***

AM 06:25

Dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, Suin stepped into the quiet lobby.

She gave a polite nod to the cleaning lady operating the electric floor cleaner and made her way toward security.

“You’re in early again today.”

“Yes, have a good day,” Suin replied with her usual courtesy before heading straight to the Executive Office.

She was greeted by a pile of packages that had arrived the previous afternoon.

“Time to get started.”

Removing her jacket and rolling up the sleeves of her blouse, she opened one of the international delivery boxes.

It was filled with Seo Jaehee’s office supplies.

“Seems like he was quite diligent,” she murmured.

Inside were a tablet, file folders, a fountain pen for approvals, and other items bearing traces of him. She meticulously organized them, placing everything in its proper spot.

Though the task felt strangely personal, Suin refused to get lost in her thoughts and focused solely on her work.

AM 08:00

By the time the morning sunlight streamed softly through the large windows of the office, Suin had finished tidying everything except for Jaehee’s nameplate and business cards.

“Next up.”

She left the desk and turned her attention to a pile of clothing and accessories.

These were suits, shirts, shoes, and ties Woo Ilhwa had personally ordered from Hyesung Group’s exclusive salon to ensure Jaehee was well-dressed for his executive duties.

“Let’s start with the suits.”

Suin moved the rolling garment rack from the salon into the dressing room, hanging up the suits, shirts, and color-coordinated ties in the built-in wardrobe.

She returned to the office to pick up the shopping bags containing shoes and socks.

“You’re here already?”

A sudden voice startled her.

“Ah!”

She spun around to find Jaehee standing in the doorway, his expression amused by her reaction.

“Why are you so jumpy?”

“…You’re in early, sir.”

Suin quickly straightened her posture.

“My mother insisted I attend the full executive meeting. Wants me to make a strong impression,” Jaehee replied casually, taking the shopping bags from her hands without hesitation.

“Sir, I can handle it,” Suin protested, but he ignored her and walked straight to the dressing room, placing the bags in the appropriate storage compartments.

“Thank you.”

Suin offered a polite word of gratitude, though her attention drifted to his appearance. His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and he hadn’t bothered to wear a tie.

Unable to let it slide, she spoke up.

“Sir, since it’s your first meeting with the executives, I suggest wearing a tie.”

“A tie? I didn’t wear one in New York.”

“Consider it a gesture of respect for the senior executives. I recommend it.”

“Alright, then.”

Jaehee, observing her in her role as his secretary, nodded readily.

Suin selected a tie that complemented his refined suit.

“How about this one?”

“Looks good.”

He agreed without resistance, prompting her to hand it over.

But instead of taking it, Jaehee stepped closer.

“You do it.”

Standing so near that she could feel his presence, he raised his collar and tilted his head, staring idly into the distance as if the request carried no ulterior motive.

“Alright,” Suin replied, masking her discomfort.

Raising the tie, she moved toward him. As she lifted it to drape around his neck, Jaehee leaned forward slightly, lowering his head to meet her height.

Their faces ended up much closer than she had anticipated.

Her breath hitched.

Suin instinctively stiffened but quickly gathered her composure, forcing herself to focus on the task. She adjusted her posture to minimize contact, raising her elbows as high as possible while wrapping the tie around his neck.

The real problem, however, was unavoidable.

No matter how much she tried to focus on the tie, her eyes couldn’t ignore him.

The sharp line of his neck, the pronounced Adam’s apple, the hollow of his collarbone.

The faint red hue of his lips.

“…”

Suin tried her best not to look.

As she tightened the tie to form a knot, her fingers accidentally brushed against his neck.

In that moment, Jaehee’s broad chest rose and fell slightly.

At the same time, his soft breath landed lightly against her skin, almost like a whisper.

Ah.

Suin froze.

For a fleeting second, she felt as though she might exhale something that sounded too much like a sigh. Holding her breath, she stopped moving altogether.

Jaehee didn’t move either.

The awareness of each other became overwhelming, the proximity accentuating the connection between them.

In the silence, the only thing that passed between them was the faint, shallow exchange of breaths in the narrow space they shared.