SELA - 23

The absurd and unreasonable request left Sa-hee at a loss for words. This was a whole new level of difficulty compared to the initial favor she had been asked to do.

“How could I possibly…?”

“Make up an excuse about his schedule or something. That’s something you’ll have to handle with your skills, Secretary Yoon. Just make it seem like they’re meeting by chance, okay? Like it’s fate.”

“That sounds like a great idea, Mother.”

At Young-shin’s words, Ji-young blushed. She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear, and her bashful demeanor left Sa-hee speechless.

“And that apartment complex where Ji-hyuk is currently staying—where is it?”

Here it comes. This was one issue she absolutely couldn’t compromise on. Remembering Ji-hyuk’s firm instruction to keep his living arrangements a secret, Sa-hee snapped to attention.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that…”

“Are you worried Ji-hyuk will scold you? Don’t worry about that—I’ll handle it. Just write down the address before you leave.”

A cool breeze swept through the terrace, but Sa-hee felt no relief. The once-beautiful space now felt suffocating, like a narrow cage or a trap.

“If his current residence is revealed, he’ll move out immediately.”

“I know. But I still need to know. I’ll figure something out, like renting the neighboring unit and sending Ji-young there.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Secretary Yoon. Are you really going to act like this? You’ve done so well until now—why are you being difficult?”

“Madam, I truly cannot comply with this request.”

“Honestly, if you’re going to be like this, I have my ways. Do you really want someone to end up in trouble?”

It wasn’t much different from a threat. Sa-hee’s throat tightened, and she felt as though she couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t expected Young-shin to be this unreasonable.

As Young-shin continued to press her, Sa-hee bit her lip and broke into a nervous sweat. The situation had become unbearable. The thought of leaving crossed her mind, and the words “I should go now” were already forming on her tongue when—

“I can’t keep listening to this.”

A low, languid voice came from behind her.

Sa-hee, startled, immediately stood up from her seat as she turned around. Leaning casually against the doorframe of the terrace was a face she knew all too well.

“Executive Director.”

Upon spotting Ji-hyuk, Sa-hee quickly bowed deeply in greeting. However, there was no response. Amidst the quiet chirping of crickets, Sa-hee straightened herself once more.

Ji-hyuk, leaning against the doorframe at an angle, looked at Sa-hee with an unreadable expression. His gaze seemed indifferent as usual but carried a flicker of curiosity that couldn’t be ignored.

“……”

“……”

Ji-hyuk opened the cap of the water bottle he was holding and began drinking slowly, his eyes still fixed on Sa-hee. With each sip, his Adam’s apple moved smoothly, catching her attention. For some reason, Sa-hee felt her throat dry and unconsciously licked her lips.

“Moon Ji-young.”

After carelessly wiping his wet lips with his thumb, Ji-hyuk called out to Ji-young. Ji-young, who had been staring absentmindedly at him while blushing, responded.

“Yes, Oppa?”

Closing the bottle cap casually, Ji-hyuk held the water bottle lightly in one hand.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to marry you.”

With that simple statement, Ji-young’s previously smiling face froze instantly.

On the other hand, Ji-hyuk let out a faint chuckle, as if finding the idea absurd and ridiculous.

“Oh, that’s…”

Before Ji-young could stammer through her embarrassed explanation, Ji-hyuk crossed his arms and looked down at her with a composed expression. Under his dry gaze, Ji-young felt even more intimidated. Her mind raced, tangled with thoughts of what to say to salvage the situation without damaging her image. At that moment, Young-shin stepped in like a savior.

“Now that this has happened, it’s for the best. Let’s all have dinner together. It’s about time anyway—let’s head downstairs.”

Without waiting for a reply, Young-shin rose from her seat. Everyone understood her attempt to diffuse the escalating tension.

As Young-shin passed by Ji-hyuk, she gently patted his shoulder—a gesture signaling him to follow. But Ji-hyuk merely glanced at his shoulder briefly and made no move to follow her.

Ji-young, hesitating awkwardly after getting up with Young-shin, lingered uncertainly by the terrace door. She was torn between staying behind with Ji-hyuk and leaving with Young-shin. Leaving would mean disobeying Young-shin’s suggestion, but staying felt equally uncomfortable.

Biting her lip and wavering, Ji-young eventually glanced up at Ji-hyuk one last time before reluctantly following Young-shin downstairs with a regretful look.

“Oppa, please come down soon…”

She whispered softly, not forgetting to leave those parting words.

Sa-hee, who had been quietly standing, picked up her bag. Ji-hyuk, who had been absent-mindedly playing with the half-empty water bottle, stopped and turned his gaze toward her.

Again, that piercing stare. This time, Sa-hee didn’t avoid it but met his gaze head-on.

“……”

“……”

His eyes were like an abyss—impossible to read, impossible to gauge. A soft breeze brushed past Sa-hee’s hair, passing between them and disappearing.

Why are you looking at me like that?

What are you thinking?

The questions hovered on the tip of her tongue, but Sa-hee bit them back. She already knew the answer. In this reality, the only thing she could do for his happiness was to step back.

Ultimately, Sa-hee was the first to break eye contact. Bowing slightly to Ji-hyuk, she moved past him—or at least attempted to. But Ji-hyuk was faster. He grabbed her wrist, and Sa-hee froze in place.

“Executive Director.”

“……”

“It hurts.”

“……”

“It hurts, Executive Director.”

At her words, the firm grip on her wrist loosened slightly.

Another cool breeze swept by, gently tickling their skin. The clear chirping of crickets in the garden hummed softly in their ears. The bright moonlight and cozy lighting cast perfect shadows, creating an atmosphere so ideal it almost made Sa-hee want to impulsively leap into his arms and sing of love forever. But—

“Do you have something to say?”

At Sa-hee’s calm question and steady gaze, Ji-hyuk furrowed his brows. Then, without another word, he released her wrist.

“Go ahead and go downstairs first. I’ll follow shortly.”

“Yes. Please hurry.”

All Sa-hee could do was agree to his words.

Gripping the strap of her bag tightly, Sa-hee put on a mask of indifference and walked past him. Ji-hyuk didn’t stop her this time.

________________________________________

The dinner included not only the four people who had gathered on the terrace but also Ji-hyuk’s father, Tae-won, the president of Taesung Group. Ji-hyuk had originally come home because he had important matters to discuss with his father.

The food laid out on the large dining table, spacious enough to seat several more people, was impressive. Various dishes were arranged neatly, not overly extravagant but refined in their simplicity. Sa-hee, who understood that restraint was more difficult than excess, found the meal arrangement itself intriguing—it reflected the spirit of the Taesung family.

“How is the preparation for next year’s E Airport duty-free bid coming along?”

“We’ve been preparing diligently in advance. Although Y Company, which is newly entering the competition, has taken over D Company’s vacated stores, there’s no significant cause for concern. Most projections indicate we’ll be selected as the primary negotiation candidates without issue.”

“Even so, we can’t afford to be complacent. There’s no such thing as a hundred percent certainty in business. Even the smallest crack can bring down the strongest dam.”

“Yes.”

“Speaking of which, Ji-hyuk, why don’t you call Soo-hyuk and…”

“Dear.”

Just as Tae-won and Ji-hyuk were deep in conversation about the duty-free business rights, Young-shin interjected.

“We agreed not to talk about work during meals. Let’s focus on eating, okay?”

Young-shin gently nudged some side dishes toward Tae-won, who nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. I forgot myself again. Let’s save the business talk for later. Now, everyone, let’s eat.”

Tae-won encouraged the group with a hearty laugh, and everyone responded with smiles, leisurely picking up their utensils.

“Are the dishes to your liking?”

Young-shin asked Ji-young kindly as she observed her eating. Fortunately, the food suited Ji-young’s taste, and her approving nods brought joy to Young-shin.

Meanwhile, Sa-hee hadn’t touched the main seafood dish due to her shrimp allergy. Still, there were plenty of side dishes, so she was managing just fine until suddenly—thud —a hand reached out in front of her, grabbing her wrist and stopping her chopsticks mid-air. The unexpected movement caused the entire table to fall silent momentarily.

“Don’t eat that. It has shrimp in it.”

“…Ah. Thank you.”

Sa-hee withdrew her chopsticks from the dish, and Ji-hyuk finally let go of her hand.

An awkward tension hung over the dining table. Feeling self-conscious, Sa-hee took a sip of water and pretended nothing happened as she reached for another dish. But something felt off. She kept sensing a lingering gaze.

“……”

When Sa-hee finally looked up, she realized Ji-hyuk was staring at her.

Why is he looking at me?