Chapter 2.2

Min-kyung took a deep breath as she squared her shoulders, which had naturally slumped. She had goosebumps on the back of her neck, which she thought were probably just from the wind blowing the pines, not standing in front of Songbaekjae.

“Are you scared?” Lee Seop glanced over and smiled. “Now that I look at you… Is Kang Min-kyung scared?”

“It’s not because of Songbaekjae… It’s because…” Min-kyung tried to stay calm but felt like there was no way to fool someone with such a quick wit as Lee Seop.

He cocked his head and looked more closely at Min-kyung. “What… is your voice shaking? Wait, are you really scared?”

“Sir, you are now 3 minutes late,” she said flatly.

“Okay.” Lee Seop found her appearance amusing and giggled as he walked away. He passed through the estate’s garden and walked into the building adjoining. He walked down the hall until he reached the study. His walk was confident and unstoppable, like a model going down a runway. 

‘How is he so confident here?’ This thought was the gap she felt between them. Min-kyung quickly followed his steps but had to walk energetically to keep up. 

“Can you please look up and raise your head? Are you on your way to being punished?” he asked, annoyed.

“Ah.” Min-kyung sighed gently, but her mouth was frozen beyond that. She raised her head and looked at Lee Seop. He looked back at her with a crooked expression while they stopped in front of the study’s door. She looked at the two Songbaekjae bodyguards standing in the hall across from the study. Now that she thought about it, she only followed Lee Seop, not looking around, just at the hem of his pants and shoes. She only felt the brisk walk and didn’t observe it. The week-old memory of the face of Chairman Tae Si-hwan flashed in her mind. 

‘Do well. Public Relations Director Yoo, General Manager Tae Jun-seop, and you, Deputy Director, all say is one of the smartest we have, so my expectations are high, and I will not allow failure.” The chairman gruffed, “Your brothers are both promising winter sports athletes. Do they resemble you, Director Kang?’

Before seeing the chairman, she couldn’t tell whether the TK sponsorship of her younger twin siblings was from talent or in exchange for a special treatment offer. On the way back from Songbaekjae last week, her phone buzzed with a call from one of her younger brothers.

— Noona

“Oh, how are you? Are you okay from your injury?

— Hey, what are you talking about? Injury? That was just a little bruise

Minhwan joked, but it wasn’t. It was ligament damage incurred at a critical time in the season. Minhwan had always supported his teammates from the back, but when it was his time to shine, he was pushed out.

“Yes, I’m glad. I sent money to mom to help pay for the training. I don’t know if it will be enough, but if possible, get some new equipment, too.”

— Ah, sorry noona. But you won’t have to send money in the future. Like when I was injured, and everybody was worried, remember? That was just bad luck. My skills won’t go anywhere, and I’m not the only one who proved it. Minjun too! We got the TK sponsorship with our talent. To be honest, I think it’s all thanks to you. We’ve trained hard for the national team and for a medal. So don’t worry, noona, trust me.

‘Sponsored by TK’ that made her head spin. She stopped and held her hand against her forehead for a moment. It definitely felt like the luck of the draw. But of course, in order to maintain this good fortune, Min-kyung must succeed in the challenge of pleasing Tae Yi-seop. 

‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘I just have to do well. A good job or whatever. Why does it feel like the probability is so low?... If I do well then…’ She promised herself over and over, repeating this mantra, ‘But I couldn’t even do it right on the first day.’ Being 5 minutes wasn’t her worry, is was Lee Seop telling this to the Chairman as soon as he crossed the threshold.

‘I got a huge promotion after vacation, so if I slack off more, will you make me President?’ or ‘Please get rid of Deputy Director Kang Min-kyung.’ No matter what situation she imagined, it always resembled a bomb going off. ‘Why couldn’t she persuade him more on the way here?’ Filled with regret, Min-kyung unconsciously mouthed the words.

“What?” Lee Seop tilted his head again and spoke in a low voice to her, “This is new.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t know what this expression is.” He made eye contact with her directly in front of her nose and smiled. “Achilles about to get shot In his foot?” 

*knock knock knock* Lee Seop cheerfully rapped on the study door, while Min-kyung remembered Achilles' fatal flaw…

As he slowly opened the door, they heard the chairman’s voice, “Lee Seop?”

“Yes, Chairman. Forgive me for being late. I overslept.” Lee Seop said with a voice as smooth as chocolate while he walked into the study. 

“Yes, it’s difficult because of the time difference from Europe.”

“It was almost morning by the time I fell asleep, I shouldn’t have even laid down in bed at all.”

“I guess so,” the Chairman’s gaze moved over to Min-kyung who clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking.

“I woke up to the sound of Deputy Director Kang coming into my room.” Lee Seop glanced to the side at her.

“Is that so?”

“I was planning to come as quick as I could, but I was so surprised by the news of my promotion, it stunned me. Chairman, I’m not ready yet…”

“Lee Seop”

“Yes, Grandfather?”

The chairman tapped his left shoulder, “I’m exhausted. It’s been 40 years since I had a good night’s rest. And I can’t sleep well unless I take a warm bath. Do you know why I have no rest?”

“Yes. When you started TK Textile…”

“I carried the fabric on this here shoulder. Whenever someone called for me, I would run there and beg to show them just one more sample. With that, the seed money was created and began to grow to the point that I could call this a company. In other words, without TK Textiles, there would be no TK Group. TK Fashion is the foundation of our group. Do you know that, Lee Seop?”

“I know this very well, Chairman.”

“Does Deputy Kang standing over there understand this? What kind of company the Fashion group is?”

Min-kyung raised her head at the sudden question. The chairman raised his hand and made a gesture for her to come. Lee Seop and the Chairman's gazes focused on Min-kyung with every step she took. Her ankles felt heavy, as if she were walking in molasses. Following the Chairman’s gesture, she landed standing next to Lee Seop with an expression of unworthiness.

“Deputy Director Kang.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Are you going to do your job properly?” with no response, he continued, “Try harder than…”

“I will do a good job…”

Lee Seop suddenly interrupted Min-kyung and the Chairman’s eyes narrowed towards him. “There is no talent like Deputy Director Kang at C&T, at a Deputy or Manager level.”

“Okay?”

“Chairman, Deputy Kang is too talented to be wasted coming to my home and acting as my assistant.”

“You must be good at everything to be such a talented person. Being a talented person, is there a role you’d rather prefer? ” The chairman’s harsh gaze had landed on Min-kyung. Lee Seop closed his mouth with a troubled expression. “Why, is the Deputy Director Kang dissatisfied? Did I ignore the company’s talented people to have one get Lee Seop in the morning to come here and do such things?”

She should’ve said no, but Min-kyung just kept her mouth shut. It was an unanswerable question, like if one asked why the Songbaekjae pines are blue. She thought the ridiculous comment that Chairman Tae but was so tired of his energy that even thief blue trees was a joke, from him it wasn’t. At this moment Min-kyung felt as if should turn blue like these trees.

“Deputy Director Kang Min-kyung.” Lee Seop called her quietly. When her eyes met his he raised his eyebrows and nodded.

Min-kyung sparked back to her senses and answered, “ Chairman, I’m sorry. I’m nervous. This is the position all TK employees dream of. While today it was slightly difficult and burdensome to assist Executive Director Tae Yi-seop in coming to Songbaekjae as a member of his entourage, it is still a great honor.”

The Chairman’s angry eyes softened slightly. Lee Seop looked up at Min-kyung without realizing it and made a strange expression. It was a bit of displeasure and also seemed to be holding back laughter all directed at her.

“Yes… Executive Director Tae Yi-seop is the core of C&T. So the best in the industry should assist him.” the chairman mused, tapping his fingers on his desk. “For the time being, I’d like the Executive Director to stop by often. Come, show your face, and have a product briefing with me. Deputy Director Kang, do you understand?”

“Yes, Chairman.” Lee Seop looked at Min-kyung as she answered confidently, and he smirked. In her mind, she cried, ‘please please please, I need to plea with Lee Seop so he wouldn’t say it aloud.’

“By the way, Chairman. I guess I…” Lee Seop quipped through that smile.

‘Oh no, please…’ Min-kyung almost reached out and grabbed his sleeve. The chairman raised his eyes and looked at Min-kyung. She stopped and stilled her hand half in the air awkwardly between them. She looked up to Lee Seop’s eyes to convey her thoughts. His eyes looked back at her, sparkling like he was having fun.

Lee Seop said patronizingly, “That’s right, I almost forgot. Could you open that bag for me, Director Kang?”

Min-kyung looked at the floor towards where he pointed at with his chin, and saw the bag he had carried in. She let out the air she unknowingly was holding in and opened the bag. She pulled out a flat box and handed it to him.

“Chocolates.” Lee Seop smiled brightly as he handed the Chairman the box of chocolates. The box had Mozart’s face drawn on the outside, and looking at it, a surprisingly bright smile appeared on the Chairman’s face. “I brought you the chocolates you like. You remember, right?”

“Yes.” The chairman accepted the box and tore off the plastic like an excited child opening a present. Lee Seop politely took the box and opened it for him. He took out a round chocolate and peeled off the thin foil. Smiling, the chairman opened his mouth. Lee Seop leaned his long torso over and popped the chocolate into his grandfather’s mouth. It was a scene of a sweet grandson and grandfather. 

“You promoted me, but all I got you was chocolate as a gift.”

“Well, you should make a lot of money through products then.”

“Of course” Lee Seop smiled.

Swallowing a bit of the chocolate he chewed, the Chairman asked, “Lee Seop, are ever you disappointed in me?”

“No, that could never happen.”

“Yes, that’s right…”

“I love you, Grandpa.” The Chairman swallowed the rest of the chocolate and smiled sweetly.

As they left the house and walked through the garden, Lee Seop asked, “If I hadn’t come to Songbaekjae, Deputy Kang wouldn’t have any safeguard, right? Yes? You have no shame.” Lee Seop stopped walking.

Min-kyung slightly lowered her head. “Thank you. The Executive Director saved my life.”

“Wow, was I that amazing? Isn’t saving people, especially someone as great as Deputy Kang, something only a Captain America-level superhero can do?” Lee Seop sarcastically spoke in his unique tone she knew well.

“Yes you were.” Min-kyung answered dryly without looking at him and picked up her pace. “There is 37 minutes left until the business report meeting.”

Lee Seop shrugged his shoulders and casually followed, “So, I’m really Captain America, Deputy Kang?”

Her phone rang with a call from the CEO’s office, which thankfully allowed her to avoid the question that didn’t even seem legitimate. “Yes Director, we are leaving Songbaekjae now. Yes, yes.” Min-kyung glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and thought about how she would answer that if it was an honest question. It’s not like his physique was muscular and bulky like Captain America. Instead, he had the look of a slim fashion model… Just her type.

*   *   *

Her first day as Executive Director Tae Yi-seop’s assistant was coming to an end. She worked hard all day, but both work and meetings took longer than she expected. Not just the major business meetings but also the small reports, approval planning, and general meetings were not completed until well after 8 o’clock. 

As she gathered the schedule and materials for tomorrow, Lee Seop opened the door and exited his office behind her desk. He passed by her sitting and said, “I’m leaving work.”

“The schedule for tomorrow has been adjusted.”

“Leave it, I’ll come back and check it.”

“Oh no, that’s okay, I will stay and leave when you get off work, Sir.”

He got to the door which opened into the hallway, her response made him quickly turn around and walked back to Min-kyung’s desk. “I’m heading towards the Strategic Planning office to meet with Tae Jun-seop. It’s not for work, it’s personal business. So Deputy Director Kang can leave work.” After waiting for her to answer, he lifted his chin slightly. “What. Leave it, take it with you, are you really trying to be this old fashioned? Not leaving work, I go to work and you do too.”

“Where will you go after work?”

“To the main house.”

“Ah yes, I have updated the schedule, I will print it out and leave it on my desk. I will see you at the house tomorrow morning and brief you on the changed schedule in the car on the way to work. Oh, and…” Min-kyung took a shopping bag out from under her desk. 

“What.” He asked, but his face seemed to know what it was.

“It’s the first time going to the main house since you got home from the business trip? I’m sure you got a gift for your sister, but just in case.”

“It this really my sister’s…”

“Yes, it’s a tart from her favorite restaurant. They added some of their new products as well. I heard that your sister is pregnant and has been staying at your parent’s house since last weekend.”

“You know everything that I don’t know. Like a real assistant.”

“That’s right, I am the assistant secretary, Sir.”

Lee Seop angled his head back and crossed his arms. “Deputy Director Kang, I want to know why. Why are you working so hard?”

“I want to do my best to please you, Executive Director.”

“I… really…” He stopped and gritted his teeth.

She thought he would yell at her, but instead he quickly turned and walked away rapidly. Min-kyung looked at the closed door momentarily and let out a long sigh. She quickly cleaned her desk and lifted her sagging shoulders. ‘Finally, it’s time to get off work! Getting started is half the battle. If I survived today, I can survive tomorrow too.’ Min-kyung chanted in her head like a spell, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out.

It was her normal way home, no different than usual. Yet, as soon as she got off the subway and entered the apartment complex, her legs began to shake. ‘Is it cause I skipped dinner and was nervous all day?’

She smiled and greeted her neighbors she met at the elevator, waved at a child, and even smiled at a dog, but as soon as she opened the front door, she felt like she was sinking. She walked the short distance to her room, and each step she took was difficult. It was as if she were walking through a lukewarm hot spring with water up to her neck. Walking, the cell phone in her hand slipped and fell to the floor. Min-kyung bent over to grab it, and her bag was dumped as she did. Sighing, she squatted down on her floor; after grabbing her phone, she sat for a moment. Trying to stand up her bent knee would not straighten so she just tilted her body and laid down. The cold floor helped cool her anxious, feverish body and the aches. 

‘I’ll just lay like this for a moment….’ she mused as she curled up and reminisced about the day. She hadn’t slept a whole night since she found out about her new role as Tae Yi-seop’s assistant. It had been such a hard pill to swallow, and it felt like it took so much water to get it down and accept it. 

The task was to persuade the TK Prince, who had lost all his enthusiasm for work, who is picky and sensitive and… and hates Min-kyung, to become a great Executive Director. If anything, the first step was the most important. Min-kyung had created numerous simulations of the first morning as his assistant and him as Executive Director. If you were verbally punished by Tae Yi-seop, there would be no going back. She knocked on the officetel door with an ambitious strategy to drive him crazy to the point of giving up to her, taking him to Songbaekjae, and getting him to work. But it was Min-kyung who lost her cool…

"Ahhhh…" she took a deep breath and covered her face. In all the dozens of simulations, not one featured a mostly naked Lee Seop... with his shorts dropping so low, then pulling them high; all enough to see...

‘No, why! Isn’t it too cold to be sleeping half naked?’ She screamed in her head. 

She had been so surprised, not only did it make her heart stop, but her skin seemed to freeze as well. She couldn’t keep her facial expressions neutral, so her lips were almost twitching at the sight, and she couldn’t spit out all the lines she had prepared and practiced over and over. 

“Anyway, success. The first day was a success, that is half the battle.” She sighed. As long as she erased the image of Lee Seop’s naked body floating around in her head. Either way, it was a good day, and she scored it with a 90.

She told herself that she would stay lying for three more minutes before getting up when the front door’s electric key lock beeped. Not even raising her head, she stayed lying down until she heard the sound of feet on the marble entrance floor and a squeal: “Hey! What a surprise!” 

Min-kyung stayed lying down and raised her hand. Se-ah, her longtime friend and housemate who happened to own the place, was home. “Se-ah, are you here?”

She looked down. “Why are you lying here?”

“I’m so tired that I could die.”

“So you were crawling to your room and stopped to rest?”

“Something like that,” Min-kyung giggled, then laughed deeply. 

Se-ah put her handbag down and flopped down next to Min-kyung, “Now that I think about it, wasn’t today the first day of your new position?”

“Uhh.”

“How was it? How was Tae Yi-seop?”

“It was just as I knew it would be, okay.”

“Were you mistreated?” Se-ah brushed the hair away that had fallen on Min-kyung’s forehead.

“That’s it, it will be even worse in the future.”

“Ha.”

“If you go on day by day, you will last a week…” Min-kyung spoke the mantra as she changed her posture and started wriggling like a caterpillar.

Se-ah spread out her hands, palms facing Min-kyung and asked seriously, “Can I push you into your room?”

“No…” 

As Min-kyung twisted to sit up, Se-ah stood up and cheered her on, reaching out her hand, “Cheer up, friend.”

“Uh.”

“You’ll look at Tae Yi-seop’s face and body, feel his strength, and soar under his wing.” Se-ah joked putting her arms out. Min-kyung squinted at her as she laughed and waved her hand. Just like that, the image of Lee Seop’s naked body, which had started to blur, flashed into her imagination clearly. Just like his appearance, his muscles were perfect and pretty. Still, she didn’t want to see any more of those muscles… Min-kyung shook her head and entered her room.