Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"Of course, we have to do it."

When Suin relayed Baek Ihyeon's suggestion, Jin Sukyung was thrilled.

Suin, however, worried that her mother might overwork herself running the café alone.

"Don’t take this lightly. There are about 170 employees at just one site. At the very least, you’ll have to send out three sets, right?"

"Three sets is too few. Probably around five?"

"That’s over 700 macarons. Won’t it be too much? You’re so particular about freshness."

"Too much? Even if my bones break, I’ll do it."

"You don’t need to go breaking your bones over this."@@novelbin@@

"I’ll hire extra help if needed, so don’t worry about it. Just thank your senior in advance for me."

Contrary to Suin’s concerns, Jin Sukyung was already brimming with excitement at the prospect of increased sales.

Suin couldn’t help but smile at her mother’s eager enthusiasm.

"How much do you think 700 macarons in one day would bring in? I’m so excited."

"Greedy much? Mom, your eyes are sparkling."

"Have you ever met a merchant who hates money? If I could, I’d dream big and buy the Chairwoman’s building."

"Wow, I had no idea my mom was such an ambitious woman."

"Now you know?"

Jin Sukyung had gotten pregnant with Suin at the tender age of 22, marrying Lee Injae as a result of a shotgun wedding. They lived modestly, always struggling with the debts from Injae’s poor family. The only silver lining had been Woo Ilhwa’s support, which helped them settle within the Hyesung family.

But maybe even that had been a curse.

After all, Injae had gone on to commit fraud.

"I’ll buy you the building," Suin said softly.

Her gaze lingered affectionately on her mother, who had lived a hard life but rarely let it show.

"Really?"

"Yes. I’ll work hard and buy it for you."

"Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t spend your life just working."

Her mother began to scold her instead.

"Why are you like this? When you were studying, all you did was study. Now that you’re working, all you do is work. Can’t you ever let yourself be distracted?"

"Where would I even look to be distracted?"

"You should be dating. You’re wasting your prime years."

"I don’t feel like I’m wasting anything."

When Suin pouted, her mother, annoyed by her daughter’s aversion to romance, abruptly changed the subject.

"Jaehee’s back in Korea, isn’t he? I heard he’s now an executive director at Hyesung Group."

"How do you know that?"

"I saw it in the news."

"Looks like the PR team put out a press release."

"Jaehee has grown into such a fine man. Even in his ID photo, he looked so handsome—more like an actor than a businessman. He’s even better looking than Cha Eunwoo."

"Don’t you dare compare him to Cha Eunwoo! Leave him out of this!"

"Why are you yelling? They’re similar!"

Startled by Suin’s sharp tone, Sukyung muttered in protest. Despite her grumbling, she tore a piece of dried squid and popped it into Suin’s mouth.

"Anyway, Jaehee’s technically your superior now, isn’t he? How do you feel about that?"

"About what?"

"You must have a lot of things to be mindful of, working under him. Or do you not run into him much since you’re the Chairwoman’s secretary?"

No.

I’m his direct secretary, so I see him every day.

"Yeah," Suin lied.

"I guess I still think of Jaehee as your childhood friend. But reading about him in the news, he feels like someone from a completely different world. Didn’t you feel the same?"

Suin nodded vaguely, prompting her mother to set down her beer with a wistful tone.

"I already knew."

Suin could read her mother’s thoughts but chose not to address them. Instead, she gave a neutral response and stood up.

"I’m going to shower."

Entering the bathroom, Suin caught her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked sad for some reason.

"A person from a distant world."

That’s right.

Seo Jaehee wasn’t just someone from a different world. He was someone from a world impossibly far away from the one she lived in.

She’d known that from the start.

From the moment she fell for his princely charms and became his shadow, she had known.

But it became undeniable at one particular moment.

"If this were the Joseon era, I’d be a servant, and you’d be the young master."

The cutting remark she had flung at Jaehee when he confessed had been born from her inferiority complex—or so she had thought. In truth, it had been an explosive mixture of countless emotions.

Among them, the most prominent…

Was an overwhelming and uncontrollable sadness.

"Again…"

Whenever Jaehee came up, her personal feelings inevitably got involved.

This was why she hated his reappearance in her life.

The distance between them had been perfect when it was measured by the Pacific Ocean.

***

The next day.

As always, Suin was one of the first to arrive at work, juggling multiple tasks at once.

“Yes, that meeting will be skipped since it doesn’t fit with the Executive Director’s schedule. Please send the minutes and agenda instead.”

While coordinating Jaehee’s schedule over the phone, her eyes scanned important notices on the intranet, and her hand pressed the print button.

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

Bzzzz—

She reached out to grab the documents emerging from the printer when Seo Jaehee arrived.

Suin stood from her seat and greeted him politely.

“Good morning, Executive Director.”

“Morning.”

Jaehee’s demeanor was noticeably different from the day before. His expression, as he walked past her to his office, was cold to the point of being intimidating.

“He’s been in a foul mood since yesterday afternoon,” Kwon Jongin, who had accompanied Jaehee, whispered to Suin, clearly uneasy.

Suin picked up her tablet, steeling herself.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

Even his response to her knock was curt. When Suin approached his desk, Jaehee didn’t bother to lift his eyes.

“I’ll brief you on today’s schedule.”

“Just hand it over. I’ll look at it myself.”

Even behind closed doors, he stuck to formalities.

“Yes, sir.”

Suin handed over the tablet and respectfully added, “The documents requiring approval this morning are—”

“I’m already reviewing them.”

His sharp tone cut her off.

“Yes, sir.”

Feeling somewhat awkward, Suin clamped her lips together, holding back a sigh.

Humans are such contradictory creatures.

When Jaehee had previously ignored her rank and used informal speech—as if out of familiarity—it had irritated her. Yet now that he was deliberately keeping his distance, the stiffness felt equally unsettling.

“The business proposal from the Overseas Sales Team doesn’t align with local conditions. Reject it. I’ll note the reasons for rejection on the intranet.”

“I’ll relay the message.”

“If there’s nothing else, send in Intern Kwon.”

“Would you like tea or coffee?”

“No, I’m fine. You may leave.”

Before he even finished speaking, Jaehee’s focus returned to his monitor.

There was no gaze following her as she turned to leave. Instead, an inexplicable chill lingered in her chest.

“Kwon, the Executive Director is asking for you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As Kwon Jongin disappeared into Jaehee’s office, Suin returned to her desk and reached for her mouse.

‘Why is he calling for Kwon Jongin instead of me?’

A strange sense of unease grew, as if she were being intentionally excluded.

What was this feeling?

Alienation?

She stared blankly at her monitor, attempting to immerse herself in work, when a message popped up on the company messenger from Hyun Jiye.

—Chief, do you have a secret fling with a male employee? A weird rumor is going around the office.

As expected of the legendary gossip, Section Chief So Munjung had spread Suin’s fabricated story far and wide. In less than 24 hours, it had permeated the entire company.

“Ah.”

She got it now.

Jaehee had heard it, too.

And that’s why…

‘He’s sulking.’

Suin immediately deduced the reason for his icy demeanor.

‘And he’s mad about it.’

Perhaps he’d finally realized his own arrogance?

‘Serves him right.’

Hopefully, this would teach him a lesson.

“You thought you had me wrapped around your finger? Think again.”

Murmuring to herself, Suin stole a glance toward Jaehee’s office. A smile crept onto her lips, one of satisfaction and quiet amusement.

Dreaming of independence, she replied to Hyun Jiye’s message.

—It’s not a rumor.

—What?! It’s true? Do you actually have a secret fling?

—Yes.

—Who is it? What department is he from…?

—It’s a secret.

With a triumphant tap, Suin hit enter. The sound of the key was strangely exhilarating.

***

While Suin enjoyed the thought of Jaehee coming to terms with his delusions and leaving her alone, she couldn’t have been more mistaken.

Jaehee, in fact, was only growing more determined.

“Kwon, how old are you?” he asked, leaning back in his chair.

“Twenty-six, sir.”

“Then I’m your senior. Mind if I drop the formalities?”

“Of course not. Please speak comfortably.”

Jaehee decided to start by winning Kwon Jongin over.

Yesterday, he had only disliked the intern for getting in his way. But upon closer inspection, the intern’s loyalty showed promise. Perhaps he could be a useful subordinate.

“Kwon, bring me a list of all the male employees. Exclude the married ones.”

“Pardon?”

“Wait, should I include the married ones? No, that wouldn’t make sense… It can’t be that, right?”

Shaking off the immoral scenario that briefly popped into his mind, Jaehee grabbed the bewildered intern by the back of the neck.

“Move discreetly.”

The sinister tone of his voice carried an unyielding resolve.

“Make sure Chief Lee doesn’t find out.”