chapter 32

Seongha was an interior design company. Although it hadn't been around for long, it was growing rapidly thanks to the unique sense of the CEO.

Why did Shin Tae-oh, who was focused on constructing new buildings, want to meet with Seongha's CEO, a company specializing in interior design?

"Because it's beautiful."

Shin Tae-oh personally took action because he wanted to change the uniform interiors.

However, when Seongha contacted him to postpone the meeting, he came to find out what had happened.

"Hello." Se-hyeon entered first. He planned to assess the situation then call for Shin Tae-oh.

"Hello. Where are you from?"

The woman sitting nearby asked, and Se-hyeon took out his business card case from his bag.

"I'm Se-hyeon from SR Construction."

As he extended his business card with a professional smile, the woman's stern face softened slightly.

Indeed, a warm smile filled with kindness was the best way to lower the other person's guard.

"But what should we do now? The meeting was postponed because the CEO isn't available."

"It's okay even if I can't meet the CEO. I just came here to see if something happened. If there's anything I can help with, I'm here to assist."

"Oh my."

As Se-hyeon spoke with concern, the woman's face relaxed, and then she suddenly became interested.

"My name is Han Jeong-hwa. Here's my business card."

"Thank you. I'll keep it safe."

"Keep it safe..."

How does she make every word sound so lovely?

"Oh, I almost forgot. Have this and stay strong."

Se-hyeon handed a bottle to Han Jeong-hwa. As Han Jeong-hwa had been looking at Sehyeon's face until then, she unconsciously reached out her hand. Only after receiving something solid in her hand did she finally look at the bottle.

"Oh my."

There was a ribbon beautifully tied, with the phrase "Stay strong today" written on it. What is this? It touched her heart for no reason. Perhaps it was because there had been many visitors lately.

People from so-called large corporations always seemed haughty. When she asked why the meeting was postponed while looking for the CEO, they treated her like a subordinate.

Han Jeong-hwa tightly held the bottle and spoke with a face that had visibly softened.

"The CEO is currently on a business trip, not just lazing around. Once he goes on a business trip, we don't know when he'll return, so we adjusted the meeting date. Please understand that it doesn't have any other meaning."

Han Jeong-hwa smoothly provided Se-hyeon with the necessary information.

"Thank you for letting me know."

"I'm the one who should be thankful. I'll contact you first when the CEO returns."

Han Jeong-hwa holds the bottle with one hand and his business card with the other, making several promises to Se-hyeon.

Se-hyeon also expressed his gratitude to Han Jeong-hwa before leaving. Since Shin Tae-oh had made the move to meet, he thought of leaving some kind of impression, and it seemed to have been quite well received.

After exchanging greetings with Han Jeong-hwa and turning away, Se-hyeon opened the door but stopped a few steps away.

"Were you here?"

He told shin tae-oh to wait in the car, so why was he standing outside... But he couldn't say anything more to Shin Tae-oh. Wherever he was, it was his decision.

"Not here, over there."

Shin Tae-oh pointed to a different direction in response to Se-hyeon's question.

"Then why did you come in...?"

Se-hyeon wondered if he wanted to greet the CEO, but Shin Tae-oh just smiled lightly. It seemed more like a casual reaction than a smile born out of genuine happiness.

"I came to see the CEO. Well, thanks to that, I had a good sightseeing tour."

The door was transparent, so shin tae-oh could have seen everything inside. But what was there to see?

Se-hyeon had only spoken with Han Jeong-hwa, and the inside was just an ordinary office.

"I don't really appreciate that smile of yours with that receptionist."

Se-hyeon stared at Shin Tae-oh, who was talking nonsense.

This mischievous cat again.

"If you're talking about my smile, it's like lubricant for smooth conversation."

"Then you should have gone and asked. I can make that laugh too, you know."

In that moment, Se-hyeon imagined Shin Tae-oh looking at Han Jeong-hwa and smiling.

What's wrong? Unconsciously, Se-hyeon placed his hand over his chest. he had just received a strange feeling, but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was.

Was it just my imagination?he eventually stopped thinking about it.

"We agreed to contact each other when the CEO returns. Shall we go back to the company?"

With Shin Tae-oh's decision, Se-hyeon picked up his phone, intending to move accordingly.

If they were going back to the company, he would need to inform the chief secretary.

As Shin Tae-oh looked around and suddenly stopped in front of Se-hyeon,

"Are you not hungry?"

He threw an unexpected question.

"I'll make a reservation."

Se-hyeon opened a map app on his phone instead of looking up a contact. It seemed like Shin Tae-oh hadn't eaten breakfast.

Se-hyeon hadn't confirmed whether shin tae-oh had eaten breakfast after receiving the gruel. he felt sorry for not making sure he had a proper meal. Blaming himself for not being sharp enough as his executive secretary, he searched for a suitable place nearby on his phone.

"What are you doing?"

As Shin Tae-oh approached, Se-hyeon's body stiffened while looking at his phone.

Not only did shin tae-oh chest touch his shoulder and arm, but his face was also too close. If se-hyeon just turned his head slightly, their lips would almost touch.

"I'm... looking for a place..."

Due to Shin Tae-oh's sudden decision to visit the CEO, he had to readjust the entire

schedule. Compared to the chief secretary who would be sorting through separate approval documents in the office, his task of finding a restaurant was manageable, but hismind was tangled up with complexity.

"Well..."

Clear your mind.

Se-hyeon couldn't turn to look at Shin Tae-oh and hesitated, but suddenly his hand reached up. Startled, his attention was completely focused on his phone, wondering how he should react to his hand. It would be better if Shin Tae-oh didn't notice.

"Are you cold? Why are you shivering?"

Yeah, what am I expecting from you?

Se-hyeon pretended to casually look around and took a step forward. He had been waiting for Shin Tae-oh to step back from the beginning. before shin tae-oh approached, he quickly spoke up.

"There's a Japanese restaurant nearby. Should I make a reservation there?"

"I'm not interested."

Yeah, I should have thrown away my expectations.

"Then I'll make a reservation at a Korean restaurant."

"I'm not really in the mood for carbs..."

So, you only consider it a rice place?

"I'll check for a Western-style restaurant."

"There was a restaurant around here, right?"

Se-hyeon inwardly sighed realizing that shin tae-oh had a desired menu from the beginning.

Anyway, since Shin Tae-oh asked, se-hyeon immediately searched the area on his phone. Then he noticed a familiar name.

"Here..."

It was the restaurant where he received a meal voucher from the chief secretary in the morning.

"Is it called Once Restaurant by any chance?"

"Yes."

"That sounds good."

As permission came from Shin Tae-oh's mouth, he immediately pressed the contact on his phone. While the dial tone rang, se-hyeon stole a quick glance at Shin Tae-oh.

How coincidental that it was the restaurant I had been craving to visit. The restaurant where I received the meal voucher with pure intentions. Why does it feel like someone else's personal feelings are involved?

***

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Se-hyeon looked around. The restaurant was located inside a hotel, making the cost of a meal quite substantial. To think that he received a voucher for such a place... he couldn't help but have an even higher opinion of the chief secretary.

'If this occurs a second time, Father would feel disappointed.'

Jin-ho Lee, the chief secretary, is the fourth on my list. He is the fourth person I like the most, and my father is the second. Every time we meet, my father, who knows the identity of the numbers in my contacts, would ask how many times he ranks. Confirming his affection by the unchanging number. But it wouldn't be right to elevate Jin-ho Lee, the chief secretary, above the second rank, would it?

I pondered between the second and fourth positions. No matter what, I couldn't possibly switch places with my parents, right?

"What are you doing? Ah..."

Lost in his momentary irrelevant thoughts, se-hyeon forgot to follow Shin Tae-oh. And as if understanding that, shin tae-oh went ahead to the table, not only calling him but also pulling out a chair. Standing there awkwardly, se-hyeon couldn't get any closer.

'What are you doing, Tae-nyang? Sit down if you've pulled out the chair. What the hell are you waiting for?'

I went to stand beside Shin Tae-oh. I planned to observe when he would sit then  place order on his behalf.

[T/N: tae nayang means kitty shin tae-oh]

"What are you standing in line for?"shin tae-oh asked. Confused, se-hyeon replied

"Waiting for the boss to sit then order for him?."

With such a simple answer that seemed to solve everything, Shin Tae-oh's eyebrows

twitched.

What's his problem? Why is this tae nayang behaving like this today?

"Do you know there's nothing sadder than eating alone?"

But you ate alone before. Did he pull out the chair in the first place for my sake? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt a chill run down my spine.

"The food here is good."

I could just come later with the meal voucher I received as a gift. I had initially thought of refusing since there was no need to sit face-to-face with Shin Tae-oh. But...

"Let's eat together."

Shin Tae-oh's tone became stern.

"Understood."

To avoid bothering Shin Tae-oh, se-hyeon quickly pulled out the chair and sat down. As he looked at shin tae-oh, as if to say, "Are you satisfied now?" he glanced back and forth between the chairs.

"He's really sensitive..."

Shin Tae-oh muttered as he sat on the chair he pulled out.

Se-hyeon heard his mumur  Why am I considered a problem child? I'm perfectly normal.

He messaged the chief secretary, letting him know that he would go to the company after the meal, and briefly surveyed the surroundings with his gaze.

Since I'm here anyway, it would be nice if I could offer to pay...

But I didn't bring the meal voucher. I left it in the drawer.