IT - 18

18. Stockings

Standing in front of the mirror, Yoo-ri changed into a suit skirt and blouse to match her career woman concept. Her stylist removed her bold makeup, replacing it with softer tones that highlighted her features more subtly. 

As her stylist adjusted her flowing hair, Yoo-ri’s gaze wandered to the Taesung Group newsletter, Sangchun, placed near the bookshelf in the waiting room. If Tae-ha hadn’t been on the cover, she wouldn’t have paid any attention to what seemed like a dull magazine. 

“Director, could you hand me that magazine?” 

[Exclusive Interview with Cha Tae-ha, Vice President of Taesung Group's Innovation Planning Department] 

After checking the table of contents, Yoo-ri flipped directly to the page featuring Tae-ha’s interview. Most of the content was familiar, and she skimmed through it casually, planning to close it soon. But for some reason, her eyes were drawn to the face of the woman who had interviewed him. 

“Han Ji-soo from the Media Production Team?” 

The article title emphasizing their “college senior-junior relationship” irritated her, but what really grated on her nerves was the natural, cheerful interaction between the two in the accompanying photo. 

Even as an actress, it was incredibly difficult for Yoo-ri to express genuine happiness so effortlessly in front of the camera. For non-actors like them, this meant they were revealing their true emotions. 

“Miss Yoo-ri, you’re early!” 

The PR director who had finalized Yoo-ri’s exclusive contract approached her with a warm greeting. 

“Hello. Since this is my first time playing a working professional, I wanted to give myself plenty of time. I don’t have much experience with corporate settings, so I’ll do my best to learn from everyone.” 

Yoo-ri’s humble attitude brought a proud maternal smile to the PR director’s face. Over her years in publicity, she had met countless rising stars, famous personalities at their peak, and those in decline—but never someone as talented, popular, and courteous as Yoo-ri. 

Moreover, Yoo-ri had been enthusiastically recommended as the company’s image model based solely on her stellar reputation. Recent rumors suggested she was growing closer to Vice President Cha Tae-ha. 

In hindsight, signing Yoo-ri felt like the best decision in her 20-year career. 

“By the way, Han Ji-soo, the announcer? How long has she been with the company?” 

“Oh, Miss Ji-soo? About five years, I think. Shall I check for you?” 

Five years—meaning she likely joined around the same time as Tae-ha. Mrs. Kim, well aware of Chairman Cha’s notorious romantic escapades, had thoroughly investigated every aspect of Tae-ha’s relationships. Thanks to her diligence, even Yoo-ri knew about the female owner of a restaurant Tae-ha frequented. 

Yet, there was no mention of anyone named Han Ji-soo. In other words, she wasn’t considered significant enough to warrant attention—but something about her kept nagging at Yoo-ri’s instincts. 

Perhaps it was the presence of such a strikingly beautiful woman too close to Tae-ha, who would soon be hers? 

“I’m not very familiar with corporate life. I’d love to get a sense of the working professional mindset indirectly. Could I speak with Miss Ji-soo briefly? Just for about ten minutes?” 

“Of course. She just arrived, so I’ll let her know to come here.” 

As the PR director left the waiting room, she couldn’t help but marvel again at Yoo-ri’s professionalism. Not only did she wear a suit and carry an ID card like any ordinary office worker, but she also genuinely sought out someone who lived the role she was portraying. 

“Han Ji-soo.” 

After leaving Tae-ha’s office, Ji-soo scrubbed her lips meticulously while washing her face. Once she reapplied her makeup, her features were far paler than before. She deliberately chose a deeper shade of lipstick over the light balm she usually wore—a small act of defiance against fully obeying Tae-ha’s instructions. 

She then heard from the PR director that Yoo-ri wanted to speak with her briefly. 

It felt as though she had done something wrong—or perhaps worse. Ji-soo tried hard to straighten her slouching shoulders, but the more she did, the hotter her lips tingled, still lingering with the memory of Tae-ha’s kiss. 

“You’re not taking up my time, are you?” 

“No, it’s fine.” 

Yoo-ri studied Ji-soo carefully as she sat composedly. Her skin was porcelain-smooth, almost translucent, making Yoo-ri itch to touch it, imagining how silky it might feel. 

“It’s nothing major—I was flipping through the newsletter and noticed how happy you looked in your workplace photos. People often say offices are like battlefields or that they work just to survive. I became curious about your secret. Am I being too nosy?” 

Ji-soo, the same age as Yoo-ri, exuded an air of elegance and mystery unlike her peers. With no notable romantic history throughout school or even now, rumors swirled that Tae-ha was either gay or harbored unusual desires. Would he look at Ji-soo the same way Yoo-ri imagined right now? 

“My goal since school has been to work at a stable job, earn a paycheck on time, save money, buy what I need, and enjoy good food. Living an ordinary life like everyone else was my dream, so working here hasn’t felt burdensome.” 

Of course, Ji-soo’s joy stemmed largely from Tae-ha. Though he traveled frequently and she sometimes went weeks without seeing him, just spotting his name on bulletin boards or internal messages made her heart race. 

“I see. I’ve heard that employees carry resignation letters in their hearts, ready to quit whenever frustration peaks. Some say buying luxury items on a 12-month installment plan forces them to stay until the payments are cleared.” 

Yoo-ri chuckled, and Ji-soo followed with a soft smile. 

“Was joining Taesung Group your goal since college? Then you must know Tae-ha well.” 

“Tae-ha Oppa.” 

They had exchanged brief greetings only once or twice during gatherings; they were merely acquaintances preparing for a matchmaking meeting. Yet, calling him “Oppa” in front of Ji-soo felt strange—it was a term she hadn’t even used for her own twin brother, Eun-ho. 

“Vice President Cha is quite famous—almost every student at our school knew him.” 

“A lot of girls probably liked him too.” 

Yoo-ri crossed her legs and picked up a bottle of enzyme juice from the vanity. Ji-soo silently gazed down at her folded hands, nodding faintly in agreement. 

“To be honest, I always thought Tae-ha Oppa was too cold. But in the newsletter photo, he looked so warm. I was curious—who could have made him smile like that?” 

As Ji-soo recalled the interview, her lips unconsciously softened into a smile, which she quickly bit down on to suppress.

“What kind of charm could it be? Should I try liking him too? What do you think?” 

The unexpected question directed at her made Ji-soo raise her calm gaze to look at Yoo-ri. She wondered about the intent behind such a query. As she hesitated, lips trembling slightly under the compulsion to respond, the door opened, and Eun-ho walked in. 

The sudden spark in Yoo-ri’s widened eyes prompted Ji-soo to glance toward the waiting room door as well. 

“Hello, Team Leader Kang Eun-ho.” 

Yoo-ri's voice was noticeably brighter than when she had been speaking with Ji-soo just moments ago. 

“Yes, hello. Ji-soo, can you come out for a moment?” 

Eun-ho had rushed out of a meeting upon hearing that Yoo-ri had summoned Ji-soo to the waiting room alone. 

It was unusual to see Eun-ho, who was often teased by Yoo-ri for his gentle demeanor (“Sunshine Man”), draw such a firm boundary so decisively. The sharp-witted Yoo-ri immediately understood why he was acting so differently. 

Ah, this is also because of Han Ji-soo. 

Who exactly was this woman? What gave her the audacity to linger around the men close to Yoo-ri? It wasn’t as if she were some pesky insect buzzing around crumbs on a sweltering summer day. 

“Well then, I’ll prepare and see you later at the studio.” 

Eun-ho stood guard by the door like Ji-soo’s protector until she rose from her seat. From his obvious anxiety, Yoo-ri deduced that Eun-ho had harbored feelings for Ji-soo for quite some time. His one-sided affection was evident, especially given Ji-soo’s indifferent expression. 

---

“Why, Team Leader?” 

Ji-soo followed Eun-ho into the hallway and asked once they reached the end. 

“Huh? Oh, well…” 

Lately, Yoo-ri had been pestering him constantly about who Ji-soo was, making him overly sensitive. Especially since Yoo-ri was exceptionally astute, he couldn’t risk leaving Ji-soo alone with her. 

“Tomorrow, instead of beer, would it be okay if we had wine?” 

“Of course. Did you call me out just to ask that?” 

“Yeah… It might be a bit pricey.” 

Even to himself, the excuse sounded flimsy, so Eun-ho scratched his head awkwardly. When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he finally remembered he was in the middle of a meeting. 

“Then I’ll go ahead and plan for wine. See you later.” 

Trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, Eun-ho laughed loudly and headed toward the elevator but turned back suddenly. 

“Oh, and be careful—Kang Yoo-ri has a bit of an odd personality. Don’t get too close to her.” 

“Huh?” 

Seeing Ji-soo’s puzzled expression, Eun-ho stifled his urge to elaborate further and left. 

---

The print ad shoot proceeded smoothly. True to her reputation as a “camera genius fairy,” Yoo-ri produced a variety of photos with hardly any wasted shots. 

Thanks to her efficiency, the work wrapped up faster, leaving more downtime. Ji-soo decided to use the spare time to conduct a brief interview and headed to the waiting room. 

Yoo-ri, seated in the waiting room chair, stretched out her long legs and closed her eyes. As Ji-soo quietly entered and turned to leave, a sound from behind stopped her. 

“Ah yes, we were supposed to do the interview, right? Since it’s going into the company newsletter, why don’t we just do it in writing?” 

Her tone was markedly colder compared to how she had spoken earlier in front of others. Since images of Yoo-ri’s face would have more impact than her words anyway, Ji-soo readily nodded. A written interview meant she wouldn’t have to work overtime. 

“Understood. Then please rest.” 

“Oh, wait a moment.” 

Just as Ji-soo reached for the doorknob, Yoo-ri called out to her. 

“Thanks to me, you’ve saved some time, right? You shouldn’t slack off during work hours when you’re being paid. Could you do me a favor and buy some stockings? Not the cheap ones you’re wearing, but something nice.”