Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Her large, trembling brown eyes flitted about, unable to settle.
She wasn’t oblivious to the emotions he had been pouring out without pause, but facing him directly like this made it hard to breathe.
The despair of being unable to take even a single step back and the simultaneous desire to draw closer were clashing within her.
“Say something... anything.”
At Min-hyuk’s soft plea, Joo-eun moved her lips a few times but couldn’t form words.
What could she possibly say after hearing “Every night, I’m going crazy wanting to have you”? She couldn’t casually respond with “Oh, is that so?” or sternly say “Please don’t.”
No appropriate response came to mind.
When she remained silent, Min-hyuk gently pressed her.
“I told you to say something. All I can think about is kissing you.”
Finally, her frozen lips parted in shock.
“W-what are you saying?! You said if I talk too much, you’ll want to do it again…!”
“...”
Even Joo-eun hadn’t expected herself to blurt out such words.
Here she was, reacting in surprise to her own statement. Min-hyuk chuckled softly.
He couldn’t help but laugh at how she still remembered the warning he’d given her that first day after teasing her with a kiss.
How adorable she had looked back then, pursing her lips tightly and staring at him with wide, rabbit-like eyes.
“Haa...”
As he lightly brushed his bangs aside, his smooth forehead briefly revealed itself before being covered again.
“What should I do?”
“...”
“After hearing that, I really do want to do it again.”
His chiseled nose tilted slightly.
And she knew exactly what that tilt meant... So why wasn’t he doing anything?
Last time, it had happened so suddenly that there was no time to think, but now it was clear that wasn’t the case.
Joo-eun hated herself for not pushing him away and instead just clutching her fists.
As he leaned closer, her trembling eyelids slowly closed.
The man who tormented her heart with just his presence disappeared from her line of sight, leaving behind faint tremors.
At the moment their long lashes almost touched, brushing against each other—
Headlights sliced through the darkness as a car approached.
“Careful.”
Min-hyuk pulled her waist closer, drawing her into his embrace.
Joo-eun, still in his arms, opened her eyes wide and stared at the approaching vehicle.
The designated driver he had called stepped out of the taxi.
‘Ah... How embarrassing...’
Joo-eun felt pathetic for instinctively responding to him. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and hide.
“The timing, huh.”
As Min-hyuk muttered bitterly with a wry smile, Joo-eun pushed him away and slipped out of his arms.
“G-go safely...”
“Hmm. I don’t necessarily have to leave right now.”
“You called a designated driver and now you’re saying you won’t go? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Just so you know, there’s a save function. We can pick up right where we left off tomorrow.”
“No. I-I don’t need that. Thank you for today. Goodbye.”
Joo-eun dashed inside, trying to hide her flushed face.
His hand, which had reached out to stop her, hung meaninglessly in the air.
Feeling awkward, he scratched his forehead lightly.
“Did you call for a designated driver?”
The man asked cautiously, glancing around.
“Ah, yes. I did call one. Though the timing was quite nerve-wracking.”
Min-hyuk let out a quiet sigh as he turned around.
Even as he handed over the car keys, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the basement window, reluctant to leave.
Joo-eun paused mid-action while turning off the parking lights and gazed down at her sleeping mother.
Her mother, who had once seemed endlessly beautiful and great during her childhood, now appeared painfully frail after several surgeries, her wrinkles and thin frame etched deeply into Joo-eun’s mind.
Lying behind her sleeping mother, Joo-eun hugged her tightly.
“Did your boyfriend leave?”
“Yes, he left safely. Don’t wake up, just sleep.”
“Alright. I’m sleepy. Let me rest, Mom. I’ll clean up the dining table tomorrow.”
Though she had already cleaned everything before coming in, Joo-eun simply replied, “Okay.”
“Mom, did you make any mistakes today?”
“No, Madam Sim Hye-joo is always adorable.”
Hye-joo’s smile deepened.
“I was just so happy. After seeing him that morning, I felt like I was floating, and today he seemed even better. I have nothing more to wish for. I’m so happy... truly, so happy.”
What am I supposed to do, Mom?
I keep getting greedy...
I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t keep wanting more.
Joo-eun rested her forehead against her mother’s back, tears welling up in her eyes.
Clinging tighter to her mother’s warm embrace, Hye-joo turned around and pulled Joo-eun into a tight hug.
Seeing her mother smiling with closed eyes brought an even hotter wave of tears to Joo-eun’s eyes.
Trying to hold back her sobs only made the tears burn hotter.
The tears streaming down her cheeks quietly soaked the pillowcase.
Min-hyuk and Jang-wook emerged from a lengthy lecture, their expressions weighed down with exhaustion.
“If the director hadn’t cut him off, President Hong Giman would’ve rambled on for another hour. Ugh, repeating the same pointless things over and over. My ears were bleeding.”
“Was he one of the founding members of DK Electronics?”
The low, sharp tone in Min-hyuk’s voice hinted at the long-dormant edge of a sword.
“Ah... Yes. Outside of work, they apparently call each other ‘brother.’”
“Brothers, my foot.”
To someone who thought even parent-child relationships were trivial, such labels meant nothing.
Min-hyuk’s slight curl of the lips unleashed an icy aura that sent chills down anyone’s spine.
“So that’s how the tin can became CEO.”
“Well, calling him a tin can might be... Hmm.”
Glancing around nervously in case anyone overheard, Jang-wook coughed awkwardly.
Ding- The elevator doors opened.
As they headed toward the office, greeted by employees, someone called out to him.
“Hi, Oppa.”
Chae-rin, always unwelcome no matter when she appeared.
Her sudden appearance at the company hardened Min-hyuk’s expression further.
Flustered, Jang-wook forced a cheerful tone.
“Oh, Chae... Chae-rin! What brings you here without calling?”
“I came to see Oppa Min-hyuk, of course. Why else?”
Leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, Chae-rin smirked and approached them.
“Wow, I almost didn’t recognize you. What’s with the suit? Finally starting work at your father’s company?”
“Do I look crazy enough to step into that boring place? I wore this because I had to meet someone important today. Do you like it, Oppa Min-hyuk?”
Chae-rin smiled brightly, gazing at him.
“If you like this style, I’ll keep wearing it like this from now on.”
“This isn’t a playground, you know.”
Even his icy response didn’t faze her.
“As long as you’re here, this is where I need to be.”
From the outside, he always looked impressive, but seeing Jeong Min-hyuk in such a perfectly tailored suit was something else.
Even after 15 years of unrequited love, his charm still overwhelmed her, making her heart race anew.
Of course, her overly one-sided affection only felt like stalking to him.
“If you’re looking for a guy to entertain your jokes, go to a club.”
As he tried to walk past her, Chae-rin shot back sharply.
“How dare you just leave without knowing who I met today?”
Min-hyuk froze.
A single person flashed through his mind.
If she had come to stir trouble with Song Joo-eun, he wouldn’t stand idly by.
His jaw clenched tightly, the muscles in his jawline bulging.
“Director, there are plenty of eyes watching. Calm down... Loosen your fists.”
Jang-wook whispered urgently, scanning the surroundings.
“You go ahead. I think I have something to say.”
“F-forbidden violence, alright?”
That was supposed to be advice.
Under Min-hyuk’s piercing glare, Jang-wook backed away with a nervous “Oops.”
“Hmm. Alright... I’ll head to the office first. See you later, Chae-rin.”
Chae-rin ignored him, glaring solely at Min-hyuk.
After Jang-wook hesitated and finally left, Chae-rin closed the distance between them, her gaze sharp and deliberate.
“So you’re curious about who I met today.”
“Don’t try to test me. Just say it.”
“Every time you growl like that, it gets me excited, you know?”
Standing close under his chin, Chae-rin smiled as she smoothed his tie.
“If it’s Song Joo-eun...”
The moment the three syllables of Song Joo-eun’s name left Min-hyuk’s lips, Chae-rin’s expression hardened, her eyes narrowing sharply.
She could endure all the dismissals and criticisms directed at her, but hearing another woman’s name from his lips was unbearable.
“If you met her?”
“I won’t forgive you.”
The coldness in his voice sent a shiver through Chae-rin’s eyes.
“Don’t worry. There are plenty of eyes watching. Do you really think I’d stoop so low as to fight over a man at the office?”
Once again, Chae-rin slowly stroked his tie from top to bottom. His facial muscles twitched as he lowered his gaze.
But he didn’t explode in anger.
If he hadn’t met Joo-eun, there was no reason to care anymore.
“Whoever you met, it’s none of my business. Go your way.”
“Unless it’s Song Joo-eun? No one else matters?”
“That’s right.”
The lack of hesitation in his answer caused Chae-rin’s anger to overflow instead.
“I met the Chairwoman.”
Blade met blade.
Their gazes, sharp and icy, locked onto each other.
“She invited us to have dinner together next time. Seems like I made a good impression.”
Min-hyuk snorted derisively.
There was no way that could happen. His mother wasn’t someone who liked anyone—especially not herself.
“Eat well. I’m not interested.”
“For now.”
“...”
“Today, I only met with your mother and came back, but next time, aren’t you scared of who I might meet? Maybe I’ll visit Chairman Hong too?”
Even her thinly veiled threat didn’t faze him.
“If I were afraid of your threats, I wouldn’t have started this in the first place.”
“Started? Ha! If you’re acting to fool me, stop already. No matter how much I try to understand, I can’t suppress my anger.”
“That’s right. I’m showing you. At least, to Song Joo-eun.”
Chae-rin’s eyes widened.
“What... What do you mean? Are you saying she’s acting, but you’re serious?”
Even imagining both being sincere was absurd, but hearing that he was serious about her was unbelievable.
Chae-rin’s eyes filled with rage, trembling violently.
“That woman pushes me away, saying she doesn’t need my money or conditions. It’s all just an excuse for you to stay by her side longer, isn’t it?”
“An excuse...? Ha. Who would’ve thought Oppa could fall so hard!”
“I’ve fallen hard for her. So listen carefully—if you touch Song Joo-eun, I won’t stay silent.”
Min-hyuk took another step closer, his gaze piercing and icy as he spoke in a low voice.
“Remember this. Next time, there won’t be a warning.”
The warning froze the air. Chae-rin’s red-lipsticked lips trembled faintly.
Google Sites
Report abuse