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A soft knock preceded the door creaking open.
Hye-joo peeked her head in and smiled warmly at Joo-eun, who was getting ready for work.
“My daughter, did you come home late last night? I took some cold medicine and fell asleep early, so I didn’t see you come in.”
Her tone was unusually gentle, a stark contrast to her usual brash way of speaking.
Joo-eun set down her brush and stood up.
“I didn’t come home that late. Did your cold get worse? Let’s go to the hospital together later.”
Finally stepping inside, Hye-joo perched herself on the edge of the bed.
“I’m fine. I’ve been feeling great since yesterday morning. The cold medicine just made me sleepy, so I went to bed early.”
“That’s good to hear…”
Joo-eun could sense why her mother had specifically emphasized “since yesterday morning.”
She probably wanted to say that she felt energized after seeing Director Min.
How many flights of imagination had her mother indulged in over the past day?
Before her mother could weave more fantasies, Joo-eun decided she needed to set the record straight right away.
Director Min and she were nothing more than boss and subordinate.
With a gap between them as vast as heaven and earth.
“Mom, actually, about Director Min—”
“Don’t go on any more blind dates.”
Their voices overlapped.
Startled, Joo-eun froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“...What?”
“Why are you so surprised? It’s only natural. I’m not crazy enough to push you into blind dates when you already have a boyfriend.”
“But Mom… You were so upset about losing the dean’s son. Don’t you want me to meet him?”
“Even if he were the president of a university, I wouldn’t care. How could I bring anyone else into the picture when there’s such an amazing man doting on my daughter? Who else could compare?”
This mother-daughter duo, who had always supported each other quietly without raising their voices, had clashed so frequently recently over the issue of blind dates and marriage.
For Hye-joo, it was her greatest worry, and for Joo-eun, it had become an overwhelming source of stress.
Now, with the problem suddenly resolved, Joo-eun found herself unable to utter the words, “He’s just my boss.”
“By the way, did you two go on a date yesterday?”
“Huh?”
“A date.”
“Ah… Well, I guess so.”
What date?
When had she ever been on a date that made her sweat so much and left her so flustered?
Avoiding her mother’s gaze, Joo-eun grabbed her bag.
“I’m running late. I need to get to work.”
“Late? You’re leaving earlier than usual. There’s soup on the stove—have a quick bite before you go.”
“I, I really need to get going. Please make sure you eat something, Mom.”
She had no confidence in enduring the barrage of questions that would surely follow.
As her mother waved goodbye with a happy smile from the doorway, Joo-eun felt an inexplicable pang of guilt.
Just a little longer. Just for one month… Can I spend this time peacefully with Mom, free from the stress of blind dates? Would that be okay…?
The limited peace built on lies weighed heavily on her chest.
“Haa…”
A deep sigh escaped her lips.
The farther she got from home, the heavier her body and steps became.
---
The exclusive conference room of the Strategic Planning Division.
From the morning, fiery debates raged in the meeting room.
It was all thanks to the “Jeong Min-hyuk Effect.”
Even Kim Dae-ri, infamous for slacking off, was participating quite enthusiastically.
Still, the most valuable insights today came from Joo-eun.
“This meeting was called because there was feedback that the marketing promotion for our last new product didn’t lead to a significant increase in sales. If we use those actors as models again, we’re likely to end up with the same results.”
Her clear voice and unwavering gaze exuded a charisma that belied her status as the youngest member of the team.
Choi Gwang-jang, who had initially suggested the idea, coughed awkwardly, looking sheepish.
Team Leader Gam tried to calm the heated atmosphere.
“W-well, yes. But our budget is tight… When it comes to making a big impact, there’s nothing like a famous star.”
“If the budget is tight, we need to use it wisely and save where we can.”
“That’s true, but… what happens if the promotion fails? Who’s going to take responsibility for that?”
“Isn’t the whole reason we’re here to ensure the campaign doesn’t fail?”
“Cough, cough. Song Joo-eun, have a glass of water and calm down…”
“We’re just getting heated—how can you pour cold water on us when it’s your job to fan the flames, Team Leader?”
A low voice interjected, causing all eight heads in the room to turn simultaneously toward one side.
“Director Min…!”
Team Leader Gam shot up from his seat in alarm.
Min-hyuk and Secretary Byun were already seated at the far end of the large conference room—no one knew exactly when they had entered.
Unfolding his arms, Min-hyuk gestured for them to continue.
“I’m not here to interrupt. You said your name is Song Joo-eun, right? Please go on.”
The moment Min-hyuk specifically mentioned her name, confusion rippled through Joo-eun’s eyes.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice the faint smile tugging at his lips.
If anything, he looked like an icy, emotionless figure, freezing everyone in the room with his cold presence. The employees’ fingertips trembled as if they might succumb to frostbite any second.
“Song Joo-eun…? Please continue…”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
Joo-eun snapped back to attention and nodded firmly.
“Hmm. What I wanted to say is that there are various alternative channels we could explore if we stop relying solely on celebrity marketing or TV ads. Why do we keep clinging to star marketing when its effectiveness has been declining?”
Though momentarily flustered by Min-hyuk’s sudden appearance, Joo-eun quickly regained her composure and delivered her argument with unwavering confidence.
“Since our company’s services target the 20-30 age group, wouldn’t it be better to focus on new platform marketing rather than traditional media?”
Her presentation flowed seamlessly, complete with examples and budget breakdowns—there wasn’t a single hitch.
Watching her, a satisfied smile naturally spread across Min-hyuk’s face.
The woman who usually blushed shyly transformed into such a stunning professional when she worked.
He was once again captivated by another facet of her charm.
Glance.
Joo-eun quickly stole a glance at Min-hyuk before lowering her gaze back to her notes.
The sight of him watching her overlapped with memories of last night, making her heart race even faster.
“Hmm. That’s all.”
Joo-eun concluded her lengthy, uninterrupted presentation.
Normally, the team leader would step in to solicit feedback from the team members, but with Min-hyuk present, Team Leader Gam chose to stay silent.
A brief silence filled the room.
Min-hyuk raised an eyebrow slightly, then lowered it.
“That was a good suggestion. Thank you.”
At his words, Team Leader Gam let out a sigh of relief.
The entire team wore expressions of gratitude—anyone who received praise from him felt like they’d narrowly escaped death.
“Please continue the meeting. I’ll take my leave now.”
As Min-hyuk gave a slight bow, the employees collectively sprang to their feet and bowed deeply.
Jang-wook also gave a quick nod before following him out.
As soon as the door closed, the tension in the room melted away.
“Phew… Does he even have heels on his shoes? When did he come in?”
“Right? My heart nearly stopped.”
“Mine already fell out. Did you see his eyes? He looked ready to devour someone alive before leaving.”
“Ugh, forget about wanting a one-on-one report with him—I’m canceling that idea entirely.”
Groans echoed around the room.
Joo-eun, too, had been so nervous that her palms were drenched in sweat.
As she wiped her hands on her thighs, Kim Dae-ri leaned forward curiously.
“Oh. Song Joo-eun, your hands sweat too? I’ve never seen you this nervous before.”
“He’s not an ordinary person…”
“Exactly. And neither is Song Joo-eun, to stand there calmly speaking for five minutes in front of someone like him.”
Finally stirring from his slumped position, Team Leader Gam gathered the documents and closed them.
“Alright. Let’s refine these ideas further and reconvene tomorrow with more detailed proposals.”
“Yes! Shall we go grab some delicious lunch now?”
“At least his voice gets louder when it’s time to eat.”
“You’d be lonely without me. What do you feel like eating, Team Leader?”
When Kim Dae-ri asked with a teasing grin, Team Leader Gam replied in an irritated tone.
“Let's eat something spicy. I’m so stressed I can’t take it anymore.”
“Alright, Team Leader wants something spicy! Let’s go. Come on, Song Joo-eun.”
“Yes...”
Even though she usually couldn’t handle spicy food well, the fact that she was craving it now showed just how much stress had built up inside her.
She twirled her temple with her index finger and stood up with the team members.
---
Min-hyuk clenched his jaw tightly to keep the corners of his lips from twitching into a smile.
If only Jang-wook hadn’t been there, he might have let himself laugh freely like a madman.
She had been so bold and provocative yesterday, but today—what made her act so adorably clueless?
The way her eyes widened like a startled rabbit when she saw him almost drove him crazy with how cute she looked.
The constant back-and-forth between fox-like cunning and rabbit-like innocence was making it harder for him to control his feelings with each passing moment. What was he supposed to do?
‘Still, I held myself back pretty well.’
He congratulated himself internally for not showing any emotion and gave a small nod.
“I felt something strange just now... Wasn’t it obvious?”
As soon as they stepped into the executive elevator, Jang-wook turned to him with a flatfish stare.
“What are you talking about?”
“Director Min, don’t tell me—”
What nonsense was he trying to spout now?
Min-hyky wrinkled his brow in irritation.
After glaring at each other for a while, Jang-wook sighed deeply and shook his head.
“Haa. Never mind.”
Min-hyuk ignored him completely, focusing instead on staring intently at the elevator buttons. But Jang-wook abruptly turned his head again and glared at him.
“That look earlier… Don’t tell me—”
“Why do you keep asking if it’s not what you think?”
“That… The way you were looking at Song Joo-eun.”
“What about my gaze?”
“It was completely unfamiliar! Totally different from usual!”
He thought he’d hidden it well.
Trust his friend to pick up on it so quickly.
There was no way he could keep fooling Jang-wook when they spent all day together anyway.
Since he’d already been caught, maybe this was the perfect timing to confess.
Besides, he had been feeling lately that he needed an ally to help navigate his relationship with her.
“You saw it correctly.”
At his low murmur, Jang-wook’s mouth dropped open.
“W-what? You mean… That look was genuine?”
“I don’t know what kind of sincerity you’re referring to, but it wasn’t fake.”
“Wow… Just a while ago, you were asking me to help you find that woman you met on your trip. And now your heart’s already moved on?”
“I’m not that fickle.”
“Exactly! That’s why it’s shocking! How did you suddenly—”
Jang-wook froze mid-sentence, blinking rapidly with wide eyes.
“W-wait… Director Min, don’t tell me you…”
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