RB - 17

At the hour when a colorful sunset bathed the forest of buildings, office workers cheerfully headed home for an early evening. 

Seo-yeon pushed open the door to the Chinese restaurant, her jet-black hair flowing behind her as the cheerful jingle of bells greeted her arrival. 

Behind her trailed Miss Kim Min-a with an expectant expression, the HR team leader sulking, Director Jung looking like he’d been dragged to a slaughterhouse, and Shin Jin-hyuk, calm and composed as ever. 

Kim Min-a approached the counter and chirped brightly: 

“We have a reservation for five.” 

The staff guided them to a private room at the far corner of the restaurant. 

Known for his insatiable appetite, the HR team leader not only ordered a multi-course meal but also barked out, “Two bottles of Yan Tai sorghum liquor!” 

Seo-yeon strained her facial muscles to hide her souring expression, but it was futile. The HR team leader, who had been pouting all along, finally snapped in a sharp tone: 

“Miss Han, why the long face? This is the TF team’s dinner outing. Are you upset because we all tagged along?” 

If you know, then why ask? Seo-yeon swallowed her frustration, once again tasting the bitterness of corporate life. 

The root of the problem lay in a messenger exchange she’d had with Miss Kim Min-a just hours earlier. That nosy woman. 

—”Miss, what’s the budget limit for our TF team dinner this month? I didn’t see it in the finance team’s notice.” 

—”300,000 won.” 

—”Ah, that’s quite generous. I thought it was barely over 100,000 won.” 

—”Are you and Jin-hyuk going to eat alone? You need to spend it by the end of the month. Think you can manage?” 

—”There are so many expensive dishes with tiny portions. Thanks for letting me know.” 

Kim Min-a’s heart skipped a beat. Imagining Seo-yeon and Jin-hyuk cozying up to blow through the entire 300,000 won was unbearable. 

Her carefully built tower couldn’t crumble now! She had only just managed to get close to Shin Jin-hyuk. 

She resolved to organize a “strange combination” dinner party to drain the budget dry. 

Her first pick for the guest list was none other than the HR team leader, infamous for his gluttony. 

“The TF team still has a 300,000 won budget left. The month’s almost over… Who knows when they’ll even use it?” 

True to form, the HR team leader eagerly took the bait, and she even roped in Director Jung, Jin-hyuk’s superior. 

The HR team leader clapped his knees in agreement. 

This infuriating bunch must have stolen the “TF Team Progress Report” hidden in the cabinet. 

Seo-yeon wanted to call in the audit team immediately to review the CCTV footage, but she couldn’t reveal how she’d obtained the document—she had secretly stolen it from Jin-hyuk’s desk herself. 

The HR team leader harbored deep resentment toward Han Seo-yeon. You arrogant wench, you’ve walked right into my trap. 

Director Jung awkwardly chuckled and offered Seo-yeon a drink. 

“Heh heh, Miss Han, have a glass. Thanks to the TF team, we’re living large tonight.” 

“Oh, I drove here today. Too bad. Yan Tai sorghum liquor is delicious, though.” 

Seo-yeon driving? A blatant lie. She simply didn’t want to drink in this unwelcome setting. 

No matter how ingrained corporate life was in her, she had no intention of sharing a table with people who brazenly tried to steal her team’s achievements. 

The HR team leader, who had been pouting and guzzling Yan Tai sorghum liquor all evening, suddenly blurted out nonsense. 

“What? Are you distancing yourself already because you’re worried Director Jung might ask for a share of your results? Is that it?” 

Mimicking the tone of an elementary schooler in a clumsy attempt to provoke her. 

Both Seo-yeon and Jin-hyuk immediately caught on. 

That bastard knows we took the “TF Team Progress Report.” He’s here to test us and vent his anger. 

The atmosphere of the dinner grew irreversibly icy. Kim Min-a nervously glanced around, checking everyone’s expressions, before trying to lighten the mood: 

“Jin-hyuk, isn’t this really tasty? Right?” 

She tacked on “right?” at the end, seeking agreement. When Jin-hyuk nodded instead of answering, she hastily served him food from her plate.

Jin-hyuk remained as still as a soulless wooden doll. His usual polite smile was nowhere to be found. 

Seo-yeon was bothered by his demeanor, but Kim Min-a paid no heed, her hands busy serving food. 

“Jin-hyuk-iee. Do you like Yan Tai sorghum liqoorr?” 

Look at that? Now she was deliberately drawing out the ends of her words while making eye contact with Seo-yeon. 

Already on edge, Seo-yeon felt a throbbing headache coming on. It was like being on a cruise ship of love—awkward and nauseating. 

Finally breaking his silence, Jin-hyuk politely stood up and said, “Director Jung, please allow me to pour you a drink.” 

At last, the frozen atmosphere began to thaw slightly. The HR team leader, already tipsy, turned to Jin-hyuk in a lecturing tone. 

“Jin-hyuk, have you met that Daniel Shin guy or whatever his name is?” 

“I haven’t met him directly. The meetings are handled by Miss. My role is research.” 

“Tsk, what a useless smarty-pants! Get your head straight! Miss Han isn’t someone you can easily fool. What will you do if she gets promoted and leaves you behind?” 

Seo-yeon bit down hard on her lower lip, and Jin-hyuk calmly directed his gaze toward her. 

“Listen here, Miss Han. If there’s anything wrong with what I’m saying, speak up. Stop clamping your mouth shut like that. If you want to climb higher, you need to let go of that greed. Share your achievements with your superiors, alright? Hmm? Nothing in this world gets done by flying solo. All of this is for your own good.” 

Director Jung, who had been silent until now, awkwardly patted the HR team leader on the back—not exactly an active intervention. 

Director Jung, perpetually stuck at the rank of department head, desperately needed some “achievements” to secure his promotion. 

The real estate project, which had originally failed under his watch before being handed over to the TF team, weighed heavily on his mind. 

If only Han Seo-yeon would yield just a little… 

She was young and pretty—she could always pivot to marriage instead of career and still thrive. 

For these reasons, the HR team leader, Director Jung’s smoking buddy, relentlessly pressured Han Seo-yeon, urging her to “spit it out voluntarily.” 

Kim Min-a, the instigator of this disaster, simply stared blankly at her phone, while Jin-hyuk silently hardened his expression, offering no words. 

Seo-yeon finally sensed that this was the moment. 

She had to make it clear to these hyenas: this prey was something she had risked her life to catch. They shouldn’t dare drool over it so shamelessly. 

“First, HR Team Leader. The one who forced me into the TF team despite my daily overtime was you. And the only person who managed to get Daniel Shin to the negotiation table was me.” 

Seo-yeon shifted her gaze away from the stunned HR team leader. 

“And Director Jung, the one who researched everything—from surrounding consortiums to precedents and ordinances—was Jin-hyuk. Since Jin-hyuk belongs to the New Business Strategy Team, if you want to claim credit for his work, I won’t stop you—he’s not my subordinate. But don’t think you can take it through me. I worked with Shin Jin-hyuk, not the New Business Strategy Team.” 

Click. Director Jung clicked his tongue regretfully and avoided Seo-yeon’s piercing gaze. 

If he could’ve taken credit for Jin-hyuk’s contributions, he would’ve done it long ago! He couldn’t because of Seo-yeon glaring at him defiantly. 

Phew. A long sigh escaped the HR team leader’s plum-colored lips. 

“Puhahaha, Miss Han Seo-yeon. You should speak more honestly. Do you really think the TF team was created because of your incredible abilities? Do you think Daniel Shin met with you because you’re some amazing negotiator? No—it’s all because of your decent face. That face of yours is presentable enough to turn heads wherever you go! Everything you’ve achieved is thanks to that face alone, so don’t get cocky—it’s laughable.” 

He added, “You should focus on competing with skill! Relying on your looks won’t get you far. Miss Han, don’t you go out drinking with reporters all the time?” 

Kim Min-a, who had been bowing her head, snickered softly—”Pfft.” 

Seo-yeon felt the blood in her veins turn icy cold. 

“A decent face”—a taunt she’d heard hundreds of times before. 

Her ability to build rapport with hard-to-reach social affairs reporters, the product brochure she crafted that captivated the CEO, the lucky allocation of a prime booth at a forum—all of it, people dismissed as mere results of her “decent face.” 

To some extent, it might even be true. Seo-yeon didn’t outright deny it. But she slept less and worked harder than most. She endured biweekly IV drips to keep going. While she benefited from her appearance, it wasn’t the sole reason for her success. 

If she stayed here any longer, she was bound to cause a scene.

If it were up to her emotions, she’d either hurl insults or throw a punch—but the aftermath would be a “reality” problem. 

Thinking about being investigated by the audit team, it was better to leave the scene altogether. Just as she began gathering her handbag, Seo-yeon’s gaze froze on Jin-hyuk’s hand. 

The scissors used to cut the laziyu, part of the course meal. 

Jin-hyuk slowly picked them up, his hand trembling with murderous intent, tendons bulging ominously. Startled, Seo-yeon looked at his face, and their gazes locked in midair. 

Seo-yeon felt an intense sense of déjà vu. That chillingly dry stare—where had she seen it before? 

Tak. She pressed down firmly on Jin-hyuk’s wrist, sending him a decisive “No” with her eyes. But his murderous intent was already too far gone, its direction unmistakable and unstoppable. 

A signal blared through Seo-yeon’s body: she had to stop Jin-hyuk at all costs. In that fleeting moment, she frantically devised a way to counter his lethal impulse. 

She could act first. 

Slap! 

In less than 0.1 seconds, Seo-yeon shot up and delivered a smashing blow to the HR team leader’s cheek. 

“Aaah!” 

With a scream, the HR team leader’s face whipped to the side. Already drunk, he immediately lost his balance and collapsed under the chair. 

“Good grief! Miss Han, have you lost your mind?” 

Director Jung shouted as he helped the HR team leader up. 

Seo-yeon flicked her stinging palm in the air, then turned to Jin-hyuk with a smirk. 

“Let’s move to round two. Just the two of us, just our TF team.” 

Only then did Jin-hyuk slowly place the scissors back on the table. 

Caught between standing and sitting, Kim Min-a awkwardly rose, stammering: 

“...And me? What about me, Miss Han?” 

Han Seo-yeon, stone-cold sober and having not touched a single drink, said something she’d never normally say: 

“Miss, you stay behind and clean up. Oh, and take care of the bill here—Finance Team will handle it. We’re going to burn through the remaining 300,000 won ourselves.” 

The faint smile that had been spreading across Jin-hyuk’s lips finally took over his entire face. This was the liberation he had been craving. Swinging her handbag over her shoulder, Seo-yeon strode ahead, and Jin-hyuk hurried after her, saying: 

“I know a place where we can spend 300,000 won in one go.” 

The dryness in Jin-hyuk’s eyes gave way to renewed vitality, like a parched rice paddy soaking up water. He inhaled Seo-yeon’s scent deeply. 

In response, Seo-yeon smiled and showed him her reddened palm. Without hesitation, Jin-hyuk grabbed it. 

“Ah… I didn’t mean for you to hold my hand. I was showing off how hard I hit.” 

Seo-yeon’s muttering fell on deaf ears as Jin-hyuk pulled her closer with long strides. Jingle. The clear sound of the Chinese restaurant door closing echoed through the hall.