IT - 29

29. Overtime: Intimate Proximity

After hearing from someone at Bigsum Village that Eun-ho had visited a few days ago, Yoo-ri hurriedly sought him out. Ji-soo’s earlier words about sincerity and comfort hadn’t sounded like mere platitudes—was it possible she was referring to that house? Surely, he wouldn’t have considered giving it to her?

Their aunt, who had no children of her own, left one property each to the twins. To think that Eun-ho, the fool who gave everything—money, body, and devotion—to some lowly woman, only to be discarded like an old shoe, would end up heartbroken over Han Ji-soo.

The phone rang three long tones before Eun-ho finally answered.

“Kang Eun-ho, where are you right now?”

- …Why?

“Why? Are you drinking? Where?”

-I’m hanging up if you’ve got nothing to say.

This idiot. Could it be true? Had he confessed to Ji-soo, been rejected, and was now drowning his sorrows alone?

“What makes you think you can just hang up on me? You cheeky brat. How dare you even look at our brother.”

-You met Ms. Ji-soo? When? What did she say?

“I told her not to mess with Kang Eun-ho, obviously! Why do you keep lowering your standards? Mom said she’d introduce you to a good family girl…” 

Yoo-ri stared at the disconnected call in frustration. Perhaps this was for the best. If Eun-ho’s unrequited love ended completely, there’d be no lingering ties between Ji-soo and their family once she was gone.

---

Ji-soo began gathering materials for the meeting room. The stack grew heavier as she added more documents—partly out of eagerness to provide thorough resources, but also because Tae-ha hadn’t specified exactly what he needed.

“Why is he suddenly calling for a meeting after hours, out of nowhere?” Hye-kyung, dressed up for a blind date, watched Ji-soo pack with curiosity.

“Need help carrying those to the meeting room?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Honestly, isn’t Director Tae-ha doing all this because he’s sexually frustrated?”

“What?”

Ji-soo glanced down as her phone vibrated briefly. It was a message from Eun-ho. She hesitated, then turned back to Hye-kyung instead of checking it.

“What do you mean by that?”

“They postponed his engagement announcement. They said they’d make it official this year, but now it’s pushed to next year, without a set date. People who bought Jinshim Food stocks are panicking—selling or holding. Even Section Chief Seo from overseas marketing is talking about it.”

When there was no reply to his text, Eun-ho called again. Ji-soo turned off her phone entirely.

“There are rumors Jinshim Food is causing trouble. Some say Director Tae-ha has another woman. Only we know how much overtime he’s been pulling lately, right?”

Yoo-ri’s spiteful face flashed through Ji-soo’s mind, overlapping with Tae-ha’s earlier mention of breaking off the engagement.

“If there really is another woman, that’d be huge! Who could it be? What could she possibly offer? Everyone says this marriage is crucial for succession…”

“Hye-kyung, I’m heading out. See you tomorrow.”

“Sure, take care.”

As Hye-kyung watched Ji-soo leave with the heavy stack of documents, she realized Ji-soo’s efforts to get close to Tae-ha had likely come to nothing.

At that moment, Ji-soo’s desk phone rang. Though it was past quitting time, something about the urgency made Hye-kyung pick it up.

“This is Song Hye-kyung from the Media Production Team. Oh? Team Leader Kang Eun-ho?”

---

Entering the meeting room, Ji-soo laid out the bento prepared by Tae-ha’s secretary. As steam rose from freshly cooked rice and side dishes, her mind wandered elsewhere, distracted by heat—not from the food, but from thoughts swirling inside.

Why had the engagement announcement been delayed? It shouldn’t concern her. Even if it did, there was nothing she could do about it now.

“Aah, it’s hot!”

Her unfocused hand slipped, dropping the soup container and spilling its contents. Clear broth soaked one hand, dripping onto the floor while steam rose fiercely from her reddened skin.

Flustered by the sudden mishap, Ji-soo scrambled to her feet when someone gently pressed her shoulder back into the chair. Tae-ha quickly returned with ice wrapped in a towel, placing it carefully on her burned hand.

“Director, I’m sorry. The soup…”

Before Ji-soo could finish apologizing, she caught sight of Tae-ha’s icy expression and fell silent. His gaze was colder than the ice cooling her hand—a massive block of ice come to life.

Efficiently clearing the mess, Tae-ha pulled his chair closer, rolling it smoothly toward her. The sound of the wheels seemed unusually loud tonight.

“It’s okay now.”

Lifting the ice pack, Tae-ha’s eyes hardened further at the sight of swollen blisters forming. He sighed deeply before standing abruptly.

“Let’s go to the hospital.”

“It stings a bit, but I can handle it.”

“Are you a doctor? Why endure pain unnecessarily?”

His sharp rebuke echoed loudly in the otherwise quiet meeting room.

Even after disinfecting and bandaging her hand, Tae-ha’s stern expression didn’t soften. His piercing glare felt sharper than the burning sensation on her hand.

Accidents happen—it wasn’t uncommon to spill soup. Yet Tae-ha acted as though she’d committed a grave sin, filling her with guilt. His demeanor remained unnervingly calm and distant.

Under such frosty tension, Ji-soo hesitated to speak until they reached the hospital lobby.

“Director, I left the materials in the meeting room. There are confidential documents that need to be secured. And I forgot my wallet and phone upstairs. If you could drop me off at the office…”

Haah, Tae-ha cut her off sharply with a rough sigh. His intense, penetrating gaze forced Ji-soo to lower her head instinctively.

Was spilling soup truly such a grave mistake? Or was he worried about damaging the documents?

“Do you plan to return to work with that hand?”

Tae-ha struggled to suppress his rising irritation before speaking. Meanwhile, Ji-soo waved her bandaged hand lightly, almost mockingly. Han Ji-soo truly excelled at turning people inside out.

“I’ll take responsibility for securing the important documents before leaving.”

Even her teasing tone irked him.

Perhaps the medication—including supplements—was taking effect quickly, as Ji-soo, who had sat upright throughout, began nodding off by the time they arrived at the company. Tae-ha parked near the entrance instead of heading straight to the parking lot.

He reflected that using his spacious car, with its smooth ride, had been a wise choice for the hospital trip. Sending the driver home early had been prudent too.

Ji-soo fell asleep clutching the seatbelt with her uninjured hand. Her small, pale fingers looked adorable, like fluffy mushrooms. Was this fate’s subtle invitation?

Fighting the urge to touch her delicate fingers, Tae-ha reminded himself that waking her might prompt her to rush back to the meeting room immediately. Letting her sleep a little longer seemed reasonable. Perhaps she could spend the night here and join him in the morning.

The car grew stiflingly warm. The humid summer night mixed with his simmering desire clouded his thoughts. He rolled down both rear windows.

A cool breeze flowed in, ruffling Ji-soo’s loose hair against her cheeks and shoulders. The gentle movements tickled her nose, making her wrinkle it slightly.

Recalling how sensitive she was to ticklishness, Tae-ha carefully brushed her hair aside. His soft caresses gradually moved to her cheek and earlobe. Once his hand touched her, it couldn’t stop.

“Hmm?”

Ji-soo opened her eyes as Tae-ha cupped her cheek. Heavy-lidded with sleep, she blinked repeatedly.

Only then did she realize they were still in the car, returning from the hospital, and that she hadn’t finished organizing the confidential documents. Checking the clock, she hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt.

“You should leave that alone.”

Confused, Ji-soo looked at Tae-ha. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel as he turned to face her.

“Aren’t you working overtime?”

“Yes, I’ll head up now…”

Before she could finish, Tae-ha pulled her onto his lap. Startled, Ji-soo squirmed, but he firmly held her waist.

“I told you not to undo your seatbelt—I couldn’t pull you close otherwise.”

Tae-ha tilted his head upward, aiming for a kiss, but Ji-soo leaned away. Though he could have drawn her in by tugging her hair, he waited for her to come to him.

“We… I need to work overtime.”

“And we are. Overtime. In intimate proximity, like this.”

Tae-ha kissed her chin softly. His hot breath trailed down her neck, shoulders, and chest, prompting her to tilt her head back with a moan.

As his lips moved toward her lower abdomen, Ji-soo shivered. One hand gently stroked his cheek before lifting it.

Her eyes wavered like sweet liquor. Staring at Tae-ha, silently pleading to be consumed, she closed her eyes tightly and let instinct guide her lips to his.

Outside, a taxi stopped behind the luxury sedan parked at the company entrance. Eun-ho stepped out, exhaling deeply to shake off his drunkenness. In one hand, he carried a bento meant for Ji-soo, knowing she rarely ate during overtime and always relied on him to bring food.

Walking toward the building, Eun-ho absentmindedly glanced through the open car window—and froze. A man and woman were entwined in the driver’s seat. As their lips parted, he recognized Ji-soo’s flushed, panting face.