II - 4

A two-story mansion in Naegok-dong. In the garden, evergreen trees stood even in winter, creating a classic atmosphere.

The mansion was bustling every morning, 365 days a year, regardless of the day of the week. Mondays were especially twice as hectic.

The hands of the helpers in charge of the kitchen were busy.

“President, please taste this.”

“Alright, give it here.”

A man tasting the food handed to him by the helpers. He was I-jun’s father, Seo Kyung-soo.

“Today the seasoning is perfect. Now then, let’s set the table.”

“Yes, President!”

At Kyung-soo’s signal, the helpers diligently brought out the food.

Various dishes were prepared on the table according to the family’s tastes, and Kyung-soo finished the preparations by placing a vase of flowers in the center of the table.

Soon, family members began to sit at the table one by one, and Lee Jung-ae, the CEO of AE Cosmetics, took her seat at the head of the table.

With her short bob and C-curl volume, she was glamorous, befitting a cosmetics company CEO, even though she was well past her sixtieth birthday.

“Today, I made beef radish soup, which you like, CEO. The seasoning is just right, so it will suit your taste.”

Kyung-soo had been in charge of household affairs since his wife had built the company.

“Thank you. I didn’t have much of an appetite, but thanks to you, I’m getting my appetite back.”

Kyung-soo’s face brightened at his wife’s praise, and soon the family members picked up their spoons and began their meal.

“I heard I-jun came home late yesterday?”

Before eating, Jung-ae asked about I-jun, her second son and youngest child.

“I was talking with some colleagues, and it got late,” I-jun replied, drinking his strong coffee as if it were nothing.

“Did you drink alcohol?”

“….”

He avoided answering his mother’s subsequent question.

“Surely, a guy who has to go on a blind date this evening wouldn’t drink? I-jun, you didn’t forget, did you?”

Instead of I-jun, who remained silent, his older brother, Il-ha, answered.

“Oh dear, CEO. I-jun doesn’t seem very keen. Do you still have to send him on a blind date? It seems the one on Friday wasn’t very good either.”

As an unusual atmosphere was detected around the table, Kyung-soo stepped in.

“…I’ll take care of it.”

I-jun, having finished his coffee, reluctantly replied.

“One marriage that you messed up on your own is enough, your brother. Today’s meeting should be different from Friday’s. I hope you don’t act rashly.”

The woman he had met on Friday had requested a follow-up meeting, but he had politely declined.

It was a meeting he had reluctantly gone to at his mother’s earnest request, so for I-jun, it was a natural refusal.

“If you were even dating, would I have set up blind dates for you? Don’t argue and clear your schedule.”

At Jung-ae’s warning, only a heavy atmosphere hung over the table.

The marketing strategy team at AE Cosmetics had a meeting every Monday morning.

“There will be a meeting with the development team this afternoon. The color chart for the next F/W season has come out, so please compare it with last year’s color chart and report.”

The leader of the meeting was I-jun, the team’s part leader and executive director.

The office, according to I-jun’s wishes, had everyone, regardless of rank, in one space. The ten or so team members sat at their seats and listened attentively to his words.

As always, I-jun’s attire was impeccable. His perfectly fitted suit accentuated his broad shoulders and tall stature, as if he wouldn’t allow even a single flaw.

“Security is the top priority, first and foremost. Please pay attention to security so that next year’s new colors are not exposed to other companies.”

I-jun’s highly valued strength within the company was his ability to create excellent new colors.

He was especially famous for accurately targeting the hearts of women, who were the main customer base, and he himself always stood out with his perfectly matched attire.

“We recently received a report that Universal Maker is making behind-the-scenes efforts to contact our strategy team staff. Please pay special attention to this point as well.”

Universal Maker had recently entered the Paris market and was fiercely chasing AE Cosmetics, the top company in the domestic beauty industry.

“Depending on this S/S sales results, the F/W new products will be announced in Paris, so please pay attention to security until then, and regarding the meeting with the development team this afternoon….”

I-jun’s gaze, which had been directed at the employees while giving instructions, was fixed on one spot. He couldn’t take his eyes off the male assistant manager sitting next to I-ryeong.

It was a sight he had seen many times, but he wondered why it bothered him so much today.

“Representing the strategy team, Assistant Manager Baek Hyun-wook will attend today’s meeting.”

He put strength into his voice. However, Assistant Manager Baek, who was playfully touching I-ryeong’s head, didn’t notice the now-fierce I-jun.

“Assistant Manager Baek? Did you hear me?”

Eventually, I-jun’s voice doubled in strength. His gaze shifted towards I-ryeong.

Was she not feeling well? She had her head bowed low, only her neatly rolled-up hair peeking out.

“Assistant Manager Baek?”

His low, resonant voice filled the office, and the employees’ gazes shifted to I-ryeong and Hyun-wook.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I heard what you said, Executive Director. I will attend the afternoon meeting.”

Belatedly, Hyun-wook smiled sheepishly and scratched his head.

Seeing that, the employees burst into laughter. Anyone could tell that Hyun-wook was showing interest in I-ryeong.

“It’s Monday now. Would it be alright to collapse from the first day of the week? Straighten your backs and correct your posture.”

I-jun, who was very bothered by the friendly atmosphere among the employees, nagged more than usual, unlike his usual self. More precisely, he nagged at I-ryeong, who was avoiding his gaze.

I-ryeong, who had joined the marketing strategy team as the youngest member, had her desk next to her mentor, Hyun-wook. It was I-jun’s instruction that she learn a lot from her mentor.

But today, the adjacent seats bothered him.

“How much strain do you think it puts on your spine if you keep your back bent? Do you want to spend 15 million won on back surgery? It won’t even be covered by industrial accident insurance, so straighten your backs.”

Assistant Manager Baek Hyun-wook also tilted his head at the Executive Director’s unexpected words and glanced sideways at I-ryeong.

He hadn’t noticed when he was touching her cute, rounded hair, but she had been constantly bending her back.

“I-ryeong-ssi….”

I-ryeong tried hard to ignore Hyun-wook’s call. She felt that if she raised her head now, she would meet I-jun’s gaze.

“I-ryeong-ssi.”

However, Hyun-wook persistently whispered.

She could feel his warm breath nearby. Her kind mentor was acting clueless today.

“…Did you call me?”

She only lifted her chin and looked at Hyun-wook, as if nothing was wrong.

“I-ryeong-ssi… The Executive Director is telling you to sit up straight.”

“Ah, yes. I will.”

She reluctantly smiled at Hyun-wook and straightened her back.

She thought he wouldn’t pay attention to her anymore.

“Are you not feeling well? Your face is red.”

“I’m not sick. I think I’m just a little warm.”

Her face flushed from having her head down.

I-ryeong quickly fanned herself with her hand to cool down. However, the stray hairs that had escaped only tickled her face in the weak breeze.

“It can’t be hot in this winter weather. Are you catching a cold? Do you have any medicine? Shouldn’t you go to a hospital?”

Hyun-wook was quite flustered.

It seemed that the unexpected problem was Hyun-wook, not I-jun. Especially because he had such a worried look on his face, it was difficult to openly show her dislike.

“I’m not catching a cold, so please don’t worry.”

She forced a smile and waved her hand.

“Even so, I can’t help but worry.”

As if enjoying everyone’s attention, Hyun-wook brought his face closer.

“I’m alright. I’m alright, Assistant Manager….”

I-ryeong unconsciously leaned her upper body back and stretched out her arm.

She put up a firm wall against Hyun-wook as if to show someone.

“You don’t look alright at all. Are you really okay?”

“Yes. There’s nothing for you to worry about, Assistant Manager.”

And then, she glanced sideways. She subtly looked at I-jun, who seemed to have been glaring at her like he was shooting lasers since earlier.

“Let’s get back to work.”

There was definitely a subtle change in his voice.

The voice filled with annoyance and anger was nowhere to be found, and it had become calm as usual.

Was it a misunderstanding? I-ryeong rubbed the inside of her cheek with her tongue, which she had firmly planted, glanced at I-jun, and then shifted her gaze to the monitor.

It must be a misunderstanding. I-ryeong felt relieved but also somehow disappointed.

She had been nervous from the time she went to work in the morning until she sat down at her desk. She was worried that she might become awkward with the Executive Director because of what had happened that day.

But when she looked at I-jun, there was nothing different about him. He had a properly distanced and dismissive attitude.

[Get a grip. Stop with the crazy thoughts.]

I-ryeong scribbled her feelings on a memo and threw it in the trash can.

Frankly, she had held a glimmer of expectation at the Executive Director’s changed voice. She had thought that maybe the Executive Director was interested in her.

But even this was a vain delusion.

During the meeting, an ordinary non-regular employee was just keeping her head down. If it had been a department head from another team, they would have been severely reprimanded.

I-jun was different from them. He rebuked her without making her feel embarrassed and finished the meeting naturally.

Right now, she was justifying her confused feelings by attaching all sorts of reasons to what was a natural action as a superior.

I’m crazy. I’m crazy!

Having organized her thoughts, I-ryeong bit her lip and shook her head vigorously.

“I-ryeong-ssi, are you really alright?”

Hyun-wook whispered to her again.

Why was this man doing this? While hiding her unmentionable displeasure, she gave a faint smile.

And I-ryeong straightened her back and looked at I-jun, who was seated at the top of the office. He was not visible, obscured by the monitor.

“Of course. Except that I’m a little worried because the weather is cold today.”

She packed her bag and hurried to prepare to leave.

Since there was no particular reaction from the other side, she felt there was no need for her to pay attention either.

“Where should we go today?”

I-ryeong waited for instructions from her mentor, Hyun-wook.

“I’ve sent official documents to Cheongdam Department Store and nearby directly managed stores. We won’t need to go in as mystery shoppers this time.”

Fortunately, this business trip was not far from the company.

I-ryeong gave Hyun-wook a small smile and immediately left the office.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I-jun couldn’t concentrate on his work at all.

He tapped the desk with his straight fingers, constantly swallowing the rising sighs.

He had piles of documents and external emails to handle, but he was completely distracted by I-ryeong and Hyun-wook’s friendly appearance.

Then, his face hardened at the sight of I-ryeong’s back as she left the office.