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His gaze was so icy it froze her solid.
Joo-eun could only blink rapidly, her voice faltering despite the truth of her words.
“A-ah, no! It’s not like that. I panicked because you suddenly appeared and pressed the wrong button by mistake. It was supposed to be a ‘Like,’ really... a ‘Like’...”
Even though she wasn’t lying, her voice trembled uncontrollably.
Min-hyuk narrowed his eyes skeptically, murmuring as if he didn’t believe a word.
“How clumsy must your fingers be to keep pressing the wrong buttons every time?”
“I-it’s true, I swear...”
She cautiously tried to retrieve her phone from his grasp, but his grip was unyielding.
This man…
Joo-eun used both hands this time, pulling with all her might.
Watching her struggle, Min-hyuk teased her by loosening and tightening his hold, enjoying the moment.
When she finally exerted more force, the recoil pulled her body flush against him.
“Ah...!”
Her eyes widened in shock as she found herself nestled against his chest.
What on earth was happening?!
Before she could push away, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist without giving her a chance to escape.
“Let’s recharge for a bit.”
“...”
“I’ve been angry since morning and feel drained.”
The exhaustion in his voice made her frozen arms drop limply to her sides.
His deep tone stirred something within her heart.
Min-hyuk gently stroked her long hair with his large hand.
“You’re behaving so well. Makes me want to give you a reward.”
The same hand that had stubbornly held onto her phone now cradled her softly, like a sponge absorbing warmth.
It felt less like he was recharging and more like she was the one being filled.
And yet, here she was—after sending three rejection texts, no less.
She’d thought she was trying hard enough...
But this man effortlessly undid all her efforts.
Still, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him entirely.
When emotions grew too tangled and ironic to explain, people often labeled it as...
“A reward.”
He whispered the words against her forehead, his lips brushing her skin lightly.
The muffled pronunciation sounded eerily like “I love you,” snapping her out of her daze.
Joo-eun hastily pushed him away.
Love? What nonsense was this? How absurd—love, of all things. Between Director Min-hyuk and herself?
“Do you really need to panic that much?”
Min-hyuk asked, his tone tinged with bitterness.
“Well, shouldn’t I? You’re acting like this at work... isn’t it natural for me to react?”
“Yesterday, we did far worse in front of everyone.”
He referred to their endless kisses inside the elevator while dozens of people came and went.
Speechless, Joo-eun’s face flushed crimson.
“F-fine. Stop being angry already. Eat lunch properly. Recharging realistically means taking care of yourself. Anyway, I’ll take my leave now...”
With a deeply bowed head and cheeks aflame, she turned abruptly and hurried toward the emergency exit.
Bang— The door slammed shut behind her, echoing through the empty stairwell.
Min-hyuk stared at the closed door, his expression complex.
Moments later, he smirked as if unfazed, muttering under his breath, “Not even close to hurting me.”
With renewed energy, he ascended the stairs.
Now that he’d recharged, it was time to confront the final boss.
---
The temperature of Min-hyuk’s glare toward CEO Hong Ki-man was worlds apart from the way he looked at Joo-eun.
Hong’s thick neck bobbed visibly as he swallowed nervously.
A founding member of DK Electronics who had devoted over 30 years to the company, yet here he was, trembling before a man barely in his thirties.
Frustrated with himself and resentful of Chairman Jeong for creating this situation, Hong seethed internally.
“Hmph. If you’ve come, say what you have to say.”
He deliberately scratched his chin, looking down at Min-hyuk condescendingly.
Min-hyuk, who had been observing every move he made, finally spoke.
“I’ve been waiting for you to speak first.”
“Speak? About what?”
“Pretending ignorance or genuinely clueless—I’ll call the former cowardice and the latter irresponsibility.”
Hong’s eyes widened impossibly, threatening to pop out of their sockets.
“W-what? Cowardice? Irresponsibility? Do you think I’ll sit idly by while you strut around relying on Chairman Jeong’s favor?”
His booming voice reverberated through the CEO’s office.
Min-hyuk’s lips curled into a crooked smile.
“Why are you watching then? Shouldn’t you do something about it?”
“...”
“Because depending on your actions, I’ll decide whether or not to clean house.”
It was a chilling warning delivered so matter-of-factly that Hong’s jaw dropped open.
“H-how dare you speak to me like that...”
“To whom else would I be speaking? You’re CEO Hong Ki-man, aren’t you?”
The sarcasm dripped heavily—was there anything else to him besides that title?
If anything, perhaps one more: the most incompetent CEO Min-hyuk had ever encountered.
Yesterday’s incident only solidified his conviction.
There was no way he could align himself with this incompetent leader who groveled before GB Group and indulged Chaerin’s mother’s ridiculous demands.
“No matter what anyone says, I’m a founding member who built DK Electronics’ legacy. Even if you’re blood-related to Chairman Jeong, he won’t abandon me. Don’t get cocky just because you think you’re untouchable!”
“Untouchable? Or still a pup? We’ll see when you grow up.”
His calm response contrasted sharply with Hong’s explosive shouting, causing the latter to tremble with clenched fists.
Min-hyuk continued, a lazy smile playing on his lips.
“I expected an apology for sending such an important document via courier without consulting me. But since you haven’t said a word, I suppose there’s nothing left to discuss.”
“I forgot! It was just a mistake! Chairman Jeong forgave me, so why are you nitpicking?”
Min-hyuk slowly erased his smile.
The sharpness of his gaze intensified, overwhelming Hong.
“I am not Chairman Jeong.”
“...”
“That means I neither forgive nor overlook.”
Hong’s jaw quivered embarrassingly.
“Soon enough, the day will come when I settle this score. Look forward to it.”
“You... you...!”
Hong stammered, clutching his neck.
Min-hyuk gave a polite nod, watching as the older man teetered precariously.
As he closed the door behind him, the sound of shattering glass and broken furniture erupted from inside.
Unfazed, Min-hyuk walked away, leaving the secretaries scrambling in panic.
---
“Ha... Why does this keep happening...”
Joo-eun sighed deeply, flipping her hands over repeatedly before approaching Manager Choi.
“Manager Choi, can I see your thumb for a moment?”
“Huh?”
Startled by her sudden request—she rarely chatted during work hours—he gave her a puzzled look.
“I think there’s something wrong with my thumb.”
“What... what’s wrong with it?”
Awkwardly extending his thumb, Choi watched as Joo-eun examined it alongside her index finger.
“They look similar, so why is this happening...”
She’d even started wondering if her fingers were abnormally shaped, leading to her accidental button presses.
Sighing heavily, she thanked him and turned to leave, only for Choi to ask:
“This feels connected to our earlier conversation. Did your text go wrong again?”
“No, the text sent correctly...”
How could she possibly explain that her “Like” had somehow turned into a “Dislike”?
Joo-eun swallowed her intended explanation and forced an awkward smile instead.
“It sent fine, but...”
“I tried rejecting him, really firmly. But somehow, it ended up neither here nor there. Must be these cursed fingers.”
“Don’t blame your fingers.”
Choi flicked her index finger dismissively, chuckling with envy.
Everyone envied her timing, teasing her about how perfect it seemed—but she alone felt utterly exhausted, as if she’d completed an entire project.
Might as well focus on work...
Turning back to her monitor, Joo-eun stretched her wrists.
After a chaotic morning, she needed to dive into the paperwork she’d postponed earlier.
Twisting her neck side to side to loosen up, she began typing earnestly—
Vrrr. A vibration interrupted her.
Glancing at her phone absently, her eyes widened gradually.
“What kind of message is this...?”
Doubting her own eyes, she brought the phone closer.
-Hello, this is Park Jae-hoon from the blind date we canceled last time. I imagine you’re surprised to hear from me.
Blind...? That canceled blind date?
Before she could process further, another message arrived.
-The meeting may have fallen through, but I’d still like to grab coffee with you sometime. Would that be okay?
“What is he doing contacting me now, after all this time...?”
Flustered, Joo-eun muttered aloud.
Hadn’t she gone through great lengths—including pretending to have a fake boyfriend—to avoid meeting him?
And now he wanted coffee?
Unless she’d lost her mind, there was no way she’d agree.
Shaking her head, she began typing a rejection—but stopped cold at the next incoming message.
“What...?”
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