Chapter 41: Chapter 41

“Director, what happened to your eye…?”

Jongin gasped as he stepped back into the executive office.

This morning, when they had set out, Jaehee’s eye had been perfectly fine. But now, the area around his eye was slightly reddish.

“I bumped into the desk while trying to grab something,” Jaehee explained casually.

The truth was, it was his own fault.

He had been teasing Suin, who was sensitive to tickling, and in her attempt to escape his grasp, her elbow had unintentionally struck him.

“You should’ve just asked me to get it for you. Especially with your hand in a cast,” Jongin said with concern.

“How was I supposed to know this would happen?”

“What if it bruises?”

“It’s not that bad.”

Jaehee lifted his chin, speaking with confidence, as Jongin fretted over him without knowing the real reason behind the injury.

At that moment, Suin returned from the medical office.

“Director, here’s an ice pack and bruise-prevention ointment. For the ointment, apply it lightly only around the eye area and as far away from the eye itself as possible.”

Her tone was composed, her posture flawless. She placed the items on the desk with an air of professionalism.

Her lowered gaze held only a firm sense of duty.

‘It was self-defense,’ she seemed to say with her eyes.

‘Admit it.’

Jaehee glanced at her with a playful squint and then pressed the ice pack to his eye.

Meanwhile, Jongin, ever diligent, quickly fetched a small pink desk mirror.

“Director, use this to apply the ointment.”

He knelt on one knee like a loyal servant before a king, holding the mirror aloft at just the right angle.

“Put it down,” Jaehee said.

“Please, take your time. You’ve already got one hand in a cast,” Jongin insisted, adjusting the mirror’s angle with unwavering dedication.

Suin, observing this scene, couldn’t help but superimpose the faces of Jaehee’s grandmother, Chairwoman Kim Myung-rye, and Professor Seo Sungyeok onto Jongin’s earnest figure.

It was almost absurd.

What kind of charm did Seo Jaehee possess to make people around him act this way?

“Alright, thanks.”@@novelbin@@

“Of course.”

With Jongin’s devotion, Jaehee managed to apply the ointment comfortably. Jongin beamed with pride as he hugged the mirror to his chest and stood up.

Suin’s gaze followed the pink mirror.

“Intern Kwon, where did you get that mirror?”

“It’s mine,” Jongin replied cheerfully.

The unexpectedly dainty taste of the burly Jongin made both Suin and Jaehee’s eyes narrow slightly in amusement. But Jongin added innocently,

“A desk mirror is an essential office item, isn’t it? Don’t you both have one?”

“I don’t.”

“Neither do I.”

For once, Suin and Jaehee spoke in unison, agreeing completely.

Jongin, glancing at Jaehee’s desk, which was meticulously arranged with only office essentials, clutched his mirror tightly as if to protect it.

‘Should I get rid of it?’ his eyes seemed to ask.

‘Keep it,’ Suin’s soft smile seemed to reply.

Suin then placed a set of documents marked with Post-it notes on Jaehee’s desk.

“These are the approvals that came in this morning.”

“Got it,” Jaehee said, rotating his chair slightly while still holding the ice pack to his eye. Jongin quietly stepped back behind Suin.

“The first proposal from the Civil Engineering Division requires the Vice Chairman’s approval as well. Please review it before the executive meeting. The yellow-marked items are due by this afternoon, and the pink-marked ones by tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

“And this is your proposal. I’ve translated and formatted it for clarity.”

“You’ve already finished this? Did you even rest over the weekend? You’re still recovering…”

“I worked on it little by little.”

Jaehee, holding the project proposal, unconsciously let a small smile escape but quickly closed his mouth. Realizing it might touch on her physical condition, Suin pretended not to hear.

“You’ve done well.”

“It’s nothing. Please review it and let me know if there’s anything to revise.”

“Will do.”

“Would you like tea or coffee?”

“No, just go about your tasks.”

“I’ll accompany you to the executive meeting at 11 a.m.”

Jaehee gave a slight nod of acknowledgment and began reviewing the Civil Engineering Division’s documents.

Suin and Jongin both gave polite bows and left, each retreating into their own work mode as the morning continued.

***

"Ajin couldn't achieve her goal despite being sent on this assignment."

Executive Director Seo Jaehee was busy—extremely busy.

She persistently sought opportunities but hadn’t crossed paths with Jaehee since their encounter in the garden lounge.

“Does he eat somewhere else because he’s an executive?”

She had especially hoped to flaunt her connection with Jaehee in front of employees by dining in the company cafeteria, but even that wish had been denied.

“Hyesung Group’s cafeteria doesn’t seem to skimp on ingredients. The glazed eel today is amazing.”

“Yeah, I’m planning on going back for a third helping.”

Above all, Ajin was tired of this.

Dining with developers who blatantly looked like they were on a temporary assignment? So tacky.

“Ajin, are you coming for coffee?”

“You go ahead. I’ll stop by the restroom first.”

When it was her turn to buy coffee after lunch, Ajin deliberately ducked into the restroom instead.

The developers clicked their tongues at her petty behavior, but she ignored them with ease—after all, they had nothing to do with her life.

“Ugh, am I not going to see Seo Jaehee today either?”

Standing in front of the restroom mirror, Ajin grumbled as if blaming her reflection.

“This whole assignment is turning out to be pointless.”

She had forced her way into this team just to get closer to Jaehee, but circumstances weren’t in her favor. The developers’ floor and the executives’ offices might as well have been worlds apart.

The bigger obstacle was Lee Suin.

“I need to crush her!”

Recalling the reprimand Suin had given her in the underground parking lot, Ajin seethed with anger. Unable to contain herself, she grabbed her phone and sent a message.

—Oppa, are you busy? Why haven’t you been answering my messages?

She waited, but even Ihyeon didn’t read it.

Frustrated, she grabbed her makeup pouch in a huff.

At that moment:

“They say the Director saved Chief Lee.”

“Yeah, he apparently reached out super fast! If he hadn’t, Chief Lee might have gone blind.”

“And he’s not just good-looking—he has great reflexes too. He’s like an unreal man.”

A group of female employees poured into the restroom after lunch, their conversation centered around Seo Jaehee.

Ajin quickly unzipped her pouch and pretended to touch up her makeup.

“Chief Lee is so lucky.”

“Lucky how?”

Noticing Ajin’s ID badge marking her as a temporary staff member, the women avoided mentioning specifics about the injury.

“She gets to see the handsome Director every day. That’s got to be a treat for the eyes.”

“But doesn’t she already have a boyfriend?”

“Even if she does, how could she not be distracted? There might be women who’ve never seen him, but no one sees him just once. Not in this world.”

“Exactly. By the way, do you know who her boyfriend is? I heard people almost figured it out.”

“Baek? No way.”

“You’re saying it’s not Deputy Baek?”

“They’re just senior and junior colleagues, apparently.”

Though she pretended not to know anything, Ajin felt a spark of inspiration from their conversation. Hiding a sly smile, she began packing up her makeup pouch.

“Baek might have feelings for her, but Chief Lee doesn’t. She’s so professional she wouldn’t bother with an office romance.”

“True, she doesn’t seem interested in dating at all.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but are you talking about Chief Lee Suin and Deputy Baek Ihyeon?”

Ajin jumped into the conversation at just the right moment.

“I’m friends with Suin, you see. And Ihyeon oppa was my senior in school.”

“Oh, sorry! We didn’t mean to gossip…”

The women looked flustered.

“It’s fine.”

Ajin gave them a friendly look as if to say that gossip in the restroom was just part of office life.

“I’ve heard about the rumors circulating around the office. It’s understandable, given how close those two are.”

“They’re really close?”

“Oh no, I shouldn’t have said that…”

Feigning surprise at her own slip, Ajin covered her mouth with her hand.

“Why not?”

The women took the bait, hanging onto her every word.

“Are Chief Lee and Deputy Baek dating?”

“I don’t know.”

Ajin shook her head purposefully, turning away as if reluctant to say more. While packing up her pouch, she mumbled to herself just loudly enough to be overheard:

“They used to date back in school, but… I’m not sure about now.”

When she turned back to the women, her face was the picture of innocence.

“Please don’t spread this around.”

“Of course not!”

They nodded eagerly.

With a polite nod, Ajin passed by them and exited the restroom.

Behind her, she could faintly hear their excited whispers: “Oh my god, oh my god!”

Satisfied with her accomplishment, a faintly sinister smile tugged at Ajin’s lips.

Then she saw him.

Stepping out of the cafeteria elevator, Seo Jaehee and Lee Suin appeared together.

Finally—Seo Jaehee!

“Jaehee!”

Ajin didn’t waste a second. She darted toward him and grabbed his arm.

Jaehee stopped in his tracks, looking at her with slightly lowered eyelids like a shade over his eyes.

“…Who are you?”

Not again.

What was wrong with his memory? Did he have an eraser in his brain?