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Thanks to Joo-Eun’s help, the article played a significant role in reversing the stock price, just as the PR team had anticipated.
While the immediate investment decision from JP Investment, facilitated by Vice Chairman Choi Dae-Sik, certainly helped, the person who contributed the most to shifting public opinion was Min-Hyuk.
This was the first time it had been widely reported that Min-Hyuk, the only son of Chairman Jung Geun-Sik, was working at DK Media.
As a result, expectations surged that the group would aggressively grow DK Media, which immediately reflected in the stock price.
In fact, the stock not only rebounded but broke through its previous high, continuing its upward trajectory.
Investment offers flooded in like a tidal wave, and Min-Hyuk was so busy he didn’t even have time to catch his breath.
‘Is he skipping lunch again…?’
It was great that things were going well, but seeing him work without eating made Joo-Eun feel so sorry for him.
With a worried expression, she gazed at the director’s office.
“Ah, what a hectic day.”
At that moment, Jang-Wook hurried out to look for some documents.
Now was her chance.
Joo-Eun quickly approached him and asked softly, “Have you eaten?”
“Huh? Ah, I haven’t had a moment to breathe while working with someone who says they’re too busy to eat.”
There’s no such thing as being too full to eat. You just don’t have time, so you skip meals…
Joo-Eon awkwardly smiled and held out the shopping bag in her hand.
“Would you like to eat this? I brought some kimbap for myself, but I had to go out for an unexpected appointment. It’s untouched.”
She thought she was whispering quietly.
But she could feel eyes turning toward her.
“Oh my, what’s this? Pink and cute?”
Team Leader Choi approached them, giggling slyly.
“N-No, it’s nothing like that. If I don’t eat it now, it’ll just go to waste…”
“But why are you stuttering?”
Yeah, why am I stuttering?
“Why aren’t you bringing the documents inside?”
Min-Hyuk’s voice cut through the teasing atmosphere like ice.
“What? Oh… I heard Song Joo-Eun brought kimbap. We were just chatting for a moment.”
“Kimbap…?”
Min-Hyuk’s sharp gaze flickered dangerously.
Was she seriously trying to give the carefully made kimbap—crafted with her delicate hands—to that scoundrel Byeon Jang-Wook? His piercing glare drilled into Joo-Eun.
‘Ah, no, it’s not like that… I just thought if I gave it to Secretary Byeon, maybe you’d eat together…’
Min-Hyuk’s expression crumpled with disapproval, clearly misunderstanding her intentions.
“It seems the two of you are close. How unexpected.”
Every word felt like a blade slicing through the air.
“If you haven’t eaten, Director Min, why don’t we all…”
Before Joo-Eun could finish, Min-Hyuk turned his gaze away.
“That’s enough. I don’t really like kimbap.”
Could he be sulking right now…?
“Secretary Byeon, bring the documents and hurry back inside.”
“Yes!”
Jang-Wook mock-saluted, raising his hand to his forehead.
Then he leaned close to Joo-Eun and whispered, “Give me the kimbap. I’ll make sure to shove it into his mouth.”
“No, I think he’s already upset. There’s no need to provoke him further…”
Before Joo-Eun could stop him, Jang-Wook snatched the shopping bag with a mischievous grin and dashed back inside.
Joo-Eun stared at the director’s office, regretting her actions.
________________________________________
“Heh… Where’s the laser show coming from?”
Jang-Wook joked, glancing around playfully.
The source of the lasers was Min-Hyuk’s eyes—so intense they seemed ready to burn the documents in front of him.
Amused by Min-Hyuk’s reaction, Jang-Wook smirked.
‘No matter how hard you pretend to focus, does anyone really think you’re reading those words?’
Feeling playful and ready for a small revenge, Jang-Wook began his act.
“I’m sooooo hungry. Can I eat this kimbap while working?”
“You weren’t the only one who skipped lunch.”
Min-Hyuk replied in a flat tone.
“Despite how I look, I actually have low blood pressure. Skipping meals might make me collapse suddenly.”
“Lose some weight first before talking.”
“Heh. Since it’ll just go to waste soon anyway, it breaks my heart to think about throwing away the kimbap Song Joo-Eun worked so hard to prepare this morning.”
“For goodness’ sake… Do whatever you want, just stop being noisy.”
“Thank you. Wow, my mouth is watering. Ahhh…”
Jang-Wook exaggeratedly opened his mouth wide and slowly picked up a piece of kimbap.
Fidgeting anxiously, Min-Hyuk couldn’t take it anymore and slammed his desk.
“Stop!”
Frozen mid-bite, Jang-Wook swiveled his eyes toward Min-Hyuk.
“What?”
“Are you insane?”
“No?”
“And you’re eating the food my woman made before I even got to taste it? Spit it out unless you want to die.”
“But Song Joo-Eun gave it to me. Why do you care?”
“Why on earth would she give it to you? Are you trying to provoke my jealousy?”
The man who saved DK Media from crisis was surprisingly clueless in matters like these.
Jang-Wook clicked his tongue pityingly, then plopped a piece of kimbap into his mouth.
“Hey!”
“It’s delicious. Ah, did Song Joo-Eun make this thinking of me? Was I the real target, not the director?”
“Spit it out. Spit it out! Stop chewing.”
Min-Hyuk rushed over and hastily crumpled the foil wrapper back around the kimbap to hide it.
“I just ate one piece. Why are you taking it away?”
As Jang-Wook reached out to grab it back, Min-Hyuk shoved two pieces into his own mouth.
For someone who claimed not to eat it, his mouth sure was big.
His cheeks bulged comically as he chewed, looking like a squirrel storing nuts.
“Don’t swallow. I’m eating it first. There’s no way I’ll let you taste it before me.”
It was hilarious watching Min-Hyuk struggle to chew the two oversized bites while still trying to appear fierce.
The usually stoic, emotionless robot-like Jung Min-Hyuk coveting kimbap—it was priceless.
Jang-Wook’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. And then…
“Pwah!”
Out shot the kimbap mush from Min-Hyuk’s mouth.
Splat, splat.
The five major nutrients landed evenly across Min-Hyuk’s face.
“……!”
“……”
“Go ahead, eat more. All of it…”
Jang-Wook stealthily pushed the remaining kimbap toward Min-Hyuk and stood up.
“Wait.”
“Yes…?”
“Do you plan on leaving alive?”
Even with kimbap in his mouth instead of a knife, Min-Hyuk looked terrifying.
Jang-Wook nodded his head vigorously.
“Yes, I’m not ready to say goodbye to this beautiful world just yet… Have fun!”
Whoosh.
In the blink of an eye, Jang-Wook vanished.
“Haah…”
Min-Hyuk let out a deep sigh as he picked a piece of spinach off the bridge of his nose.
Ah… damn it.
He shook his hands irritably, and then a bitter laugh escaped him.
What had he done just to claim a single kimbap roll? He’d practically handed over ten years’ worth of teasing material to that smart-mouthed fool.
He felt pathetic as he grabbed a tissue and wiped his face clean.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel relieved that none of the food had landed on the kimbap itself. What could he do about it?
“It’s delicious.”
Even amid this chaos, he could taste the flavor—love’s flavor.
“She even rolled the kimbap perfectly. How adorable.”
With a grin, he stuffed another piece into his already bulging mouth.
His cheeks were about to burst at any moment.
Hmm, indeed. Love overflowed, but it still tasted good.
As Min-Hyuk imagined her bustling figure rolling the kimbap early in the morning, he devoured two rolls in no time.
________________________________________
Glance.
She had been so cautious, glancing around all day. Joo-Eun felt like her eyes were stretching sideways from all the nervousness.
“Really, please believe me.”
She put on the most pitiful expression she could muster.
Her large, round eyes blinked rapidly.
As pitifully as possible. Enough to make her heart ache. Why wasn’t he moved yet? Huh? She seemed to ask.
Min-Hyuk wanted to clutch his chest.
It hurt, it really did. So this was what they called “heart-throbbing”—he was feeling it intensely.
Trying to compose himself, he casually turned his gaze toward the side mirror on the left.
When he ignored her pleading and turned away, Joo-Eun’s lips jutted out in a pout.
“Excuse me? Director-nim…”
“I said I understand.”
His deliberately cold reply made her even more anxious, and she leaned closer to him.
She lightly tugged at his arm with her fingertips, shaking it slightly.
His Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.
Unaware of what he was thinking, Joo-Eun continued to try soothing him.
“You say you understand, but you don’t seem convinced. I really thought Secretary Byeon would share it with you if I gave it to him. Otherwise, why would I give the kimbap I worked so hard on to Secretary Byeon?”
“I said I get it. Let’s just go quietly.”
“I’ll go quietly. So please stop being mad. Okay?”
Ah, he was going crazy.
He wanted to pinch her cheek right then and confess that he wasn’t angry—he was absolutely smitten.
But her pleading look was so cute that he found himself wanting to keep watching her like this for a little longer.
Had he been too serious during puberty?
Was this why he felt such mischievousness bubbling up now that he was over thirty? He felt somewhat sorry for her.
Taking advantage of the momentum, he decided to push the stakes a little higher.
“I’m sorry, but I’m tired today. I’ll drop you off here, so just walk the rest of the way.”
Once the words left his mouth, he grew anxious.
What if she actually agreed and left?
He deliberately turned his head toward the window to hide his nervous expression.
Unable to fully conceal his anxiety, his index finger tapped nervously against the steering wheel.
When the car pulled over to the curb, a heavy silence filled the air.
Had he… gone too far? Should he offer to drive her all the way to her destination? He hesitated.
“Are you not hungry? Would you like to grab dinner?”
Joo-Eun asked cautiously.
Dinner?
His mother was in the hospital room. Dinner?
His head whipped sharply to the right.
He turned it so quickly and forcefully that there was an audible crack.
“Cr-crack? Did something just break…?”
“My stomach is so empty it might’ve cracked. I need to eat something—anything. Let’s go.”
In his haste to start the car, the windshield wipers suddenly began swiping back and forth, adding to the chaos.
Oh well, who cared?
When he hit the accelerator, the mid-sized sedan roared like a sports car: Vroom!
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