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Betrayed
A horny madman. That’s all I need to think of.
Jae-hee chuckled bitterly and climbed the stairs, tapping her feet. She had just left his house and had turned down his offer of a ride home.
She stopped and scanned her body. A neat coat, black pants, and white sneakers.
She took out her phone and turned on the camera. Her pale face, whitened by the cold, appeared on the screen. She looked pretty decent, but she wasn’t the type of glamorous beauty who would be around him. She was just an ordinary, plain woman.
How could he say he was “going wild” over a body and face like hers? She wasn’t exactly the sexy type.
Jae-hee put her phone back in her pocket and continued walking. The days were short in winter, and it was already getting dark. This neighborhood felt eerie as soon as it got dark.
Her shadow stretched long behind her in the old alleyway. And from behind that shadow, someone emerged.
“Jae-hee!”
Jae-hee ignored him at first. She recognized the voice immediately but didn’t want to turn around. She quickened her pace. Someone grabbed her arm.
“Yoon Jae-hee!”
Finally, Jae-hee had no choice but to turn around. Min-cheol stood there with a worried expression, chewing his lip. Despite his good looks, his eyes were filled with sorrow.
His grip on her arm was forceful. Jae-hee shook him off and took a step back.
“It’s been a long time.”
“A long time? A long time? How come we’ve met after such a long time!”
“Because we broke up. So it’s been a long time.”
She drew a clear line with Min-cheol. Min-cheol’s straight eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to not accept the breakup yet, and his neck turned red as he muttered.
“Because you wouldn’t answer my calls! Because you’ve been avoiding me!”
“We broke up, so there’s no need to contact me.”
“Hey, Yoon Jae-hee!”
Unlike Min-cheol, who was fuming like a volcano, Jae-hee was as cold as the winter air that enveloped them. Min-cheol, who seemed extremely angry, turned around and kicked a worn-out stone wall.
“Ugh, damn!”
Jae-hee’s body froze. Min-cheol’s rage was unfamiliar. It was impossible to remain calm when such a large man was behaving so violently in the darkness.
Honestly, she was scared. But then she straightened her shoulders. She had to get out of this situation. She couldn’t win with force, so she’d just have to escape. If a dog barks, you run away.
Just as she turned to leave, Min-cheol approached her with bloodshot eyes.
“Are you really seeing him?”
“Him?”
“The executive, the guy from that hotel!”
She couldn’t help but laugh. They weren’t even dating, and even if they were, what was it to him? Whether she was seeing the executive or the manager was none of his business. There was no need for him to glare at her so threateningly.
“It’s none of your business.”
Min-cheol shouted.
“Why isn’t it my business? You’re really misunderstanding this. It’s really a misunderstanding. We weren’t supposed to break up like this. You know me!”
“Yes, I know you. I know you very well. That’s why I feel so betrayed.”
“I told you it was a misunderstanding! It was a misunderstanding!”
“I saw it with my own eyes, so what kind of misunderstanding could it be?”
“If you hadn’t been so cold to me! If I had! Ugh, really!”
Min-cheol’s voice was louder than she thought. How had she not noticed? Jae-hee watched him rant blankly.
Min-cheol kicked the ground and ruffled his hair. Then he approached Jae-hee and grabbed her shoulders tightly.
“Jae-hee, are you really going to live in this crappy neighborhood forever?”
“What?”
“The rent for your crumbling house isn’t even enough to buy me a drink. You know? I can be your prince. The best prince you can meet at your level. It’s not him.”
Shame flushed through Jae-hee’s eyes.
“I never wanted a prince.”
“But that’s the reality. How can you meet someone like him? You have to know your place. What are you going to do, give your body and heart to him and get hurt?”
“... .”
“It’s only because it’s me that I’m thinking about saving you from this hole. Think about it, Jae-hee. Okay? Realistically, think about the future. Now is not the time to be prideful and reject me.”
...What was he saying? She couldn’t help but laugh. When anger reached its limit, it turned into laughter. Jae-hee looked up at Min-cheol with a smirk. How could she have missed this?
Min-cheol gripped her arms tighter and leaned in. His eyes, as shiny as a snake’s, scanned her. Suddenly, she felt disgusted. His strong grip. His dark, swirling eyes.
‘Mr. Kang wasn’t like this.’
She thought of Kang-joo.
Every time I was near him, my heart pounded uncontrollably. I had this embarrassing urge to embrace him with open arms. When he looked at me calmly, a warmth would spread through my lower abdomen, and excitement would build up, making my toes tingle.
It was definitely the opposite of the feeling I had when I was facing Min-cheol now.
Only now did I realize. Only in this situation did I clearly understand. What kind of feelings I had for Cha Kang-joo.
A desperate longing. The feelings I thought I had forgotten while I was away from him. The very feelings I thought I had erased when he pushed me away.
“Don’t regret it later and come back. I’ll forgive you for everything. Whatever you did with that guy, whatever dirty things you did, I’ll let it slide. Okay?”
“I haven’t done anything to ask for your forgiveness.”
Jae-hee shook off his grip. She pushed his shoulders with all her might, and Min-cheol stumbled back two steps, colliding with the crumbling stone wall.
“Get a grip, Min-cheol.”
Jae-hee glared at him and clenched her fist.
“Who are you to save me? Do you feel superior to me just because you have a little more money?”
“It’s not that, I just—”
“You’re mistaken. Our relationship started because of my choice, not yours. You didn’t do anything. It was all my decision to end things between us.”
A crack appeared in Min-cheol’s expression. He couldn’t refute Jae-hee’s words, and his anger seemed to grow even more.
Jae-hee shook off her arm, as if it was dirty.
“Min-cheol, you’re not a prince. You’re just someone who was chosen by me and then discarded when you were no longer needed.”
“...”
“And from the perspective of ‘that guy’, you and I are both trash. What prince? Let’s not behave so pathetically, us beggars.”
Her cold words pierced him like an arrow.
Jae-hee stared at Min-cheol for a few seconds before turning away. She began to leave the pitch-black alley, avoiding his resentful gaze.
Jae-hee hurriedly closed the door, her hand trembling. She leaned her forehead against the cold wall and took a deep breath. She was shaking, not from the cold but from fear and terror.
“Unnie?”
Hyojung’s puzzled voice called out. Only then did warmth begin to return to her feet.
Even though she had spoken boldly and indifferently, she was actually scared. She was terrified. She couldn’t bear the strength with which he had grabbed her arm, nor the terrifying look in his eyes.
Jae-hee finally managed to muster the strength in her arms. She pushed herself away from the wall and turned to Hyojung.
“Nothing, I just felt a little dizzy.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s eat dinner now. What do you want?”
And she smiled calmly as if nothing had happened.
Min-cheol. He couldn’t make her tremble with fear. Even if she lived in a house that was falling apart, as he said, she had her precious Hyojung. She couldn’t afford to be weak.
Jae-hee handed her phone to the police officer, showing him the messages Min-cheol had sent. “In a case like this, can I apply for a restraining order?” she asked. She had just finished explaining the incident with Min-cheol to the officer.
The officer took the phone and checked the messages with a serious expression.
[You’ll regret this.]
[No, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.]
[Please reconsider. If you think about it over time, you’ll miss me.]
[It’s not all my fault? It’s your fault too. You’re so cruel, Yoon Jae-hee]
Despite not replying, Min-cheol kept sending relentless messages.
It made her feel scared. Even after that day, Min-cheol had tried to find her again. After spotting him, Jae-hee had turned around and spent time at a cafe near her neighborhood. She had then gone home with Hyojung who had come to pick her up.
Thankfully, Min-cheol was gone, but she felt incredibly wronged. What had she done wrong? She wanted to confront him, but she instinctively hesitated. Hadn’t she felt it last time? The difference in strength when Min-cheol had grabbed her roughly.
The officer looked at the phone for a long time and then handed it back. He scratched his head and shook his head.
“It’s unfortunate, but this isn’t grounds for a report.”
“I see.”
Jae-hee replied calmly, as she had expected this response. To others, it might just seem like a common lovers’ quarrel. Jae-hee felt the harsh reality of the situation and stood up.
“Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do.”
“Be careful. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“No, thank you.”
Jae-hee bowed her head and smiled sadly.
Jae-hee had changed her phone number completely after that. It had been too stressful with Min-cheol constantly calling and texting her with a number she didn’t recognize. Every time she thought of Min-cheol’s gleaming eyes, she honestly felt scared. And she didn’t have a mom or dad to rely on for support.
“Hey, did you know the sales team manager was praising you? He said you pick up things really quickly,” Kim, her coworker, teased. Jae-hee turned to look at him. Kim winked suggestively.
“Thank you for doing such a good job on this project. I’ll buy you a coffee.”
“That’s alright, Manager Kim. It’s my job now.”
“Wow, you’re drawing a clear line. Okay, it’s your job. Got it?”
Jae-hee furrowed her brow, annoyed by his smugness.
“Anyway, I’m pretty busy these days. I’ll keep asking for your help. Thanks.”
A heavy hand patted Jae-hee’s shoulder and then left. Jae-hee shrugged off her shoulder, feeling annoyed. He was so quick to take credit.
Kim had been in a great mood lately. He had joined the TF team led by Manager Jeong under Executive Cha Kang-joo and was taking the lead on a project.
How good it must feel to be at the helm of a major project. Even though Executive Cha was currently only in charge of the food and beverage subsidiaries, he was bound to eventually take over the entire Seon-gang Group as the chairman’s son. It was clear that Manager Jeong and Kim had some kind of pink fantasy about being involved with Executive Cha. It was so far from reality, especially for someone like Cha Kang-joo.
‘...A pink fantasy.’
As she was about to scoff at Kim’s delusional thoughts, she found herself laughing. It was almost like mocking herself.
‘I too had harbored a pink fantasy about Executive Cha, or rather, Oppa Kang-joo.’
The only difference between her and Kim was that she no longer dreamed of such vain hopes. She knew firsthand the heartbreak of having her heart inflated like a balloon only to be popped by Kang-joo.
The next day, in the morning. Jae-hee opened her web browser as soon as she arrived at work. She checked one by one to see what new promotions the competing companies had launched and what news articles had been published, making notes as she went. Then, she went on SNS and started scrolling through the competing companies’ posts.
“…What?”
Startled, Jae-hee stopped moving her mouse.
A competing beverage company, Cheonglang, had posted a promotional feed about their new campaign. The main idea was to partner with gyms and fitness clubs to provide drinks and hold selection contests.
“Oh, this…”
It was similar to the spring promotion she had planned. Cheonglang was a company that followed closely behind Seon-gang. Imagine if she had submitted a proposal that was exactly the same as Cheonglang’s at that time...
‘I should have scrapped it immediately. It’s so embarrassing.’
A chill ran down her spine.
Maybe Executive Cha had known? Maybe that’s why he’d told her it was a waste of time after seeing her proposal?
Jae-hee rubbed her arms. She was suddenly grateful that her proposal had been rejected by Manager Kim.
Meanwhile, in the 6th-floor conference room.
Except for the sales team leader who was out on a business trip, all the members of the TF team were urgently called together. Everyone looked gloomy. Manager Jeong and Manager Kim, who had been leading the project, looked especially dejected.
It was common for projects to be canceled. Especially in this case, it was an unavoidable incident that no one had foreseen. Who would have thought that the main points of the events would overlap? But since there was a financial loss, they couldn’t avoid being criticized.
Looking at the Cheonglang beverage poster on the screen, Kang-joo made a regrettable decision.
“We’re stopping the project we’re currently working on. You know why, right?”
Everyone nodded. How could they continue with the event when it overlapped like this?
Seon-gang couldn’t tolerate the stigma of copying Cheonglang. Even if it meant scrapping the already printed materials, manufactured products, and canceled contracts with partner companies, it was unavoidable.
“Let’s give up on what we need to give up and try to plan in a different direction.”
Kang-joo said lightly to the gloomy atmosphere. Sitting comfortably in his chair, he continued, “First, we need to proceed with the promotion. We have to defend ourselves since Cheonglang is attacking aggressively.”
The team members nodded slightly, responding, “Yes.”
“Let’s do it as quickly as possible. Before Cheonglang exhausts all their firepower, we need to bring in a new spark. Bring out any old plans, even if they are old. We can refine them.”
“Yes!”
Kang-joo nodded and dismissed the team with a final gesture, suggesting that he considered even wasting time on the meeting to be too much.
As the team members filed out, Kang-joo’s voice stopped two of them.
“Team Leader Jeong and Manager Kim, wait a moment.”
The two who were about to leave turned around and hesitated in front of Kang-joo. They looked like prey before a predator, their shoulders slumped. It wasn’t their fault, but since the project had fallen through, they were on the spot.
“Sit down. I find it unpleasant looking up at you.”
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry.”
The two quickly sat down at the table opposite Kang-joo. Resting his chin on his hand, Kang-joo asked monotonously,
“Did you know about this?”
“Do you mean about the overlapping event themes? No! I had no idea!”
“Really? You were either very unlucky or very clueless.”
“Oh…”
Team Leader Jeong’s back stiffened. From what he could gather, Executive Cha Kang-joo had clearly called them in to blame the subordinates for the failed project. He was trying to shift the blame somehow.
It was no secret that the heir of a chaebol was selfish. Even if it was a project he had approved, if it failed like this, he would want to blame the staff. What a selfish guy.
Thinking that it was best to keep a low profile and avoid being caught in the crossfire, Team Leader Jeong swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry. It was something we really didn’t anticipate.”
“I’m not blaming Team Leader Jeong or Manager Kim. Who could have predicted something like this? The problem lies in my judgment for putting you two in charge of this.”
“No, no! I’m sorry!”
Kang-joo continued softly, “You don’t owe me an apology. However, for this project, I want you both to focus on supporting roles.”
It was a way of saying to stay out of the way. There were executives who participated in product launches, so it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to sideline the managers of a failed project under the pretext of bad luck.
“Yes, I understand.”
Team Leader Jeong and Manager Kim slumped their shoulders in defeat.
“Check my schedule again,” Kang-joo told his secretary before entering his office. Before he reached his desk, his phone rang.
“Yes, this is Cha Kang-joo.”
“Yoo Inhwan here! How are you?” A cheerful voice rang out from the other end of the phone. The caller was Yoo Inhwan, the executive director of Cheonglang Korea, a company that competed with Seon-gang. He was a relative of the CEO of Cheonglang and had secured his position as an executive. He had met Yoo a few times at gatherings. Yoo was the type to spill secrets when he drank, and he had once revealed the details of his ongoing project to Kang-joo. He had mentioned planning a promotion in conjunction with gyms. Kang-joo offered a congratulatory message in a lighthearted voice. “I saw your new promotion. It seems to be doing well. Congratulations.”
It’s strange to hear such words from a competitor! It’s all thanks to Executive Cha.
“What have I done?”
“If you hadn’t contacted me, I would have messed up. I almost got caught off guard when I found out that other companies were planning a large-scale event in collaboration with gyms! I was so stupid!” Yoo exclaimed over the phone, shaking his head. He had been in the final stages of completing a beverage promotion in conjunction with gyms when he received a call from Kang-joo. Kang-joo had told him that other companies were contacting various places to carry out similar promotions. Yoo remembered that he had mentioned the details of his ongoing project to Kang-joo while drunk at a gathering, and he thought Kang-joo had called to help. Since he was almost finished with the opening, it was absolutely crucial that the event’s core concept didn’t overlap with other companies. Therefore, as soon as Yoo received Kang-joo’s call, he rushed to open the promotion. The result was, of course, a success. The event was launched first and the response was good. It was thanks to Kang-joo.
“Thank you for letting me know in advance, Executive Cha. How can I repay you for this favor?”
“Don’t worry about repaying me, just buy me dinner sometime.”
“Yes! Yes”
After a few more words, they ended the call. As soon as Kang-joo ended the call, he dialed another number with an expressionless face, as if he had never smiled. The other party answered after a few rings. Without even greeting the other person, Kang-joo got straight to the point. “Did you say that Go Yu-min is your girlfriend?”
“What about the sparkling water promotion if you take all that away? What are we going to do now?” Jae-hee asked Kim, her coworker, in disbelief. Team Leader Jeong and Manager Kim had suddenly called a marketing team meeting and demanded that they come up with all their old ideas.
Jae-hee had just finished preparing a spring-themed bottled water promotion and had changed course. She had switched the topic to sparkling water to create a lively and bubbly atmosphere.
And at the end of the team meeting, Jae-hee’s idea had been adopted and decided to proceed. Of course, she had also received written approval from Team Leader Jeong and Manager Kim, who were working on the TF team. But now they were demanding to take it away? Especially when it was about to start as soon as the cue was given tomorrow.
Manager Lim strongly opposed it.
“We’ve been getting scolded everywhere for just spending money without any visible results… If you take this away now, we’ll spend time coming up with new ideas and it’ll be a big hit.”
Team Leader Jeong slammed the table.
“That’s enough! Re-plan all the projects that the marketing team is working on!”
He was already feeling bad because he thought Executive Cha was displeased with him. And he was annoyed by the attitude of the employees who kept finding fault. They didn’t know what was important right now. He was in a difficult position as the team leader. Didn’t they know that if he survived, they would survive too?
“Anyway, Yoon Jae-hee, organize all your plans and send them to me. Remove your name from the cover.”
With those words, Team Leader Jeong stormed out of the conference room. Manager Kim also rushed to follow Team Leader Jeong but paused at the doorknob and shouted one last time.
“Yoon Jae-hee, did you hear that? Write down everything, like who you contacted, where you talked to the factory, and so on!”
And then he quickly ran after Team Leader Jeong.
Silence fell in the conference room. The remaining team members stared at the slammed door with incredulous expressions. They were wondering if these two were even part of the marketing team. Were they saying that the marketing team leader was going to scrap the marketing team’s ideas and transfer them to the TF team?
Manager Lim leaned back in his chair and muttered,
“Wow, what a jerk...”
The other five nodded in agreement.
Two days later.
A tense atmosphere hung in the air during the TF team meeting. One by one, members quickly presented their ideas. Team Leader Jeong, after waiting for his turn, stood up with a nervous expression.
He had been confident in his planning, but now that the launch was imminent, it had collapsed. He really needed to rehabilitate his image. What if the executive, for some petty reason, decided to squash him like a bug?
Team Leader Jeong began his presentation, flipping through the file he had received from Jae-hee.
“This is a proposal I’ve come up with to make the most of the already-printed samples and part-time staff. We’ve removed the keywords of bottled water, gyms, and fitness clubs that were the main focus of the promotion.”
Tick, tick. Manager Kim flipped through the presentation slides. A picture of a sparkling water bottle appeared.
“Instead of bottled water, we’re going with sparkling water. I think sparkling water can embody the vitality of bottled water with an added touch of spunk. Luckily, the bottle label size is exactly the same as the bottled water.”
“How are you going to replace the part-time staff you mentioned earlier?”
“Oh, yes, that’s no problem. We’ll gather some of the staff who were supposed to be sent to gyms and clubs, and deploy them to places like the Han River for other events. This is a draft of the poster.”
As the screen changed, a poster with a mint green background and bold fonts appeared. The product team manager laughed heartily and sided with Team Leader Jeong.
“That’s a good idea. We can reuse the already printed labels, and it matches the lively and energetic image we were going for. Since it’s not a sugary drink, we can connect it with health care products if we organize it well.”
“Yes, that’s right,” a few people agreed. Since they were short on time, they thought it was best to proceed as soon as a suitable idea came up.
Kang-joo, who had been listening, finally opened his mouth.
“Good plan, Team Leader Jeong.”
“Thank you, Executive.”
Team Leader Jeong was slightly relieved by Kang-joo’s positive feedback. If things continued like this, he thought he might be able to get away with it. But the question that followed immediately after made him stiffen his lips that were about to turn up.
“But is that your idea too, Team Leader Jeong? You’ve prepared it very systematically in a short amount of time.”
Team Leader Jeong was speechless.
This was Jae-hee’s. He thought he could just gloss over it as usual, considering it a shared task. But the well-prepared materials made it difficult to deny.
“Well, actually, it’s a plan that the marketing team was preparing but had to put on hold due to circumstances. I just added a little bit to it and made it look nicer. I’m confident that I can make it look good.”
Team Leader Jeong blurted out a half-truth. Wouldn’t it look too bad to say that he had taken it from the marketing team?
A sly smile appeared on Kang-joo’s lips.
“Alright, now that Team Leader Jeong has finished his presentation, let’s decide right away which plan we’re going with. As you know, we’re short on time.”
“Yes!”
“And Team Leader Jeong, have the employee who came up with that plan attend the next meeting. If that plan is approved, that is.”
“Yes?”
Team Leader Jeong stopped in his tracks and questioned.
“But if that employee joins the TF team, the marketing team will be short-staffed... so Manager Kim doesn’t need to attend the next meeting.”
Manager Kim was neatly dismissed.
Team Leader Jeong glanced at Manager Kim and replied as forcefully as possible.
“Yes, I understand!”
Manager Kim looked up at Team Leader Jeong with resentful eyes, but there was nothing he could do.
The meeting resumed. Kang-joo, as usual, provided a solid framework and then simply listened to the various opinions. From what he could see, it seemed like they were going to finalize the plan that Team Leader Jeong had brought. Which was, in fact, Yoon Jae-hee’s plan.
Kang-joo glanced at his watch and tucked his fountain pen into his pocket handkerchief.
“I have a prior engagement, so I’ll be going now. Please have the project’s framework ready for the next meeting.”
And with that, he left the conference room, ignoring the greetings.
As soon as he left the conference room, the friendly smile on his face hardened.
“Trash.”
A scornful voice echoed. Kang-joo walked towards the elevator, stepping on the cold marble floor.
Jae-hee held her pen with a dazed expression. Inside the 6th-floor conference room, Team Leader Jeong had suddenly asked her to join the next TF team meeting.
Before the meeting, Team Leader Jeong had pulled Jae-hee aside and lowered his voice, almost threateningly.
“Yoon Jooim, this is a scrapped plan. Understand? I know no one will ask, but if anything comes up, make sure to cover it up cleanly, saying it never happened. Got it? This is very important because it’s going to be the new promotion for the TF team!”
As soon as she heard that, Jae-hee realized.
Ah, Team Leader Jeong had messed up again.
Without any further explanation, she could roughly guess the situation. Something had gone wrong with a project in the TF team, and they were probably trying to replace it with this.
The only fortunate thing was that she, Yoon Jae-hee, was the one who had come up with this plan. Considering Team Leader Jeong’s personality, he would easily claim it as his own idea. It was unexpected.
In any case, she was attending the meeting for that reason.
She heard Kang-joo’s voice from the center of the conference room.
“Jooim Yoon, even though you’re in a hurry, start your presentation right away.”
Jae-hee’s eyes widened. She was surprised that Kang-joo, who hadn’t even glanced at her when she entered the conference room, suddenly called on her. ‘Jooim Yoon.’ Her position coming out of his mouth felt strange.
Jae-hee stood up. Since it was something she had already worked on in the marketing team, there was no particular difficulty. She bowed slightly and stood next to the projector. And she started the presentation, flipping through the slides herself.
“...First of all, the most important thing here is to naturally generate viral content. We need to get our product photos spread everywhere.”
“I actually tried taking a selfie with a sample label on the cup, and it came out really well. The color came out so pastel and vibrant. It also took filters well.”
The product planning team’s deputy responded, and the sales team leader cleared his throat. He seemed to still be bothered by the fact that his suggestion of deep red and deep blue colors had been rejected. For advertising, it had to be a design that caught the eye, so what were those pale pinks and mints? The thought was clearly visible on his face.
Jae-hee continued.
“I’ve contacted a few SNS influencers to be the focal point for spreading hashtags. I’ve also contacted the factory to request sample headbands for the event.”
“Headbands?”
“Yes, remember that duet singer who came out with a soda bottle on their head? We’re going to make headbands with sparkling water bottles on them and distribute them for free.”
“Oh, that was funny, the soda bottle.”
“We’re also planning to create a large, life-sized soda bottle model that people can take pictures with.”
“If it turns out well, it’ll make for great photos.”
“Yes, we’ll use that to generate hashtags. With the Han River in the background, I think we can create a refreshing image. Since Seon-gang Group has such a long history, we need to change our brand image to something more vibrant... Oh, I’m sorry, Executive.”
Jae-hee bowed her head, conscious of Kang-joo. She had inadvertently criticized Seon-gang Group by saying it was old-fashioned, and Executive Cha Kang-joo was, after all, the owner of Seon-gang. He was the chairman’s son, but still.
Kang-joo smiled wryly and rested his chin on his hand with an indifferent expression.
“It’s okay. I like that this plan can be naturally driven by consumer virality. These days, spontaneously spreading ads are more effective.”
Jae-hee sighed in relief. She had been a bit nervous because she had never met him in a business setting, but surprisingly, she felt more at ease than when meeting him privately.
At that moment, Team Leader Jeong raised his hand with an displeased expression.
“But, Jooim Yoon, how are you going to connect that with health care products?”
In reality, Team Leader Jeong was feeling quite uncomfortable. If things went wrong, all the credit would go to Jae-hee. He hadn’t expected her to speak so fluently and confidently during her impromptu presentation. He had planned to intervene if she stumbled, but now he was completely out of the picture.
That’s why, even though Jae-hee was someone he brought in, he was deliberately taking a negative stance.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’m open to any good suggestions.”
In fact, she didn’t know what Team Leader Jeong meant. He had never told her to connect this with health care products. But since he asked, she had no choice but to say she didn’t know.
Director Kwon of the PR team changed the subject to lighten the mood.
“Anyway, it’s like a blessing in disguise. We were so worried about how to maintain a healthy image after scrapping the bottled water promotion linked to gyms, but now we have a new plan. Of course, it’s a new start from here on out.”
Suddenly, Jae-hee’s face hardened.
A bottled water promotion linked to gyms? It was a plan that sounded all too familiar. Jae-hee turned her head slowly towards Team Leader Jeong, who was sitting in the corner. He was pretending not to notice, writing something on a piece of paper.
Now everything clicked in her head. Kim, the manager, had sabotaged her plan. The two of them had put a lot of effort into the TF team. The fact that a competing company, Cheonglang Beverage, had launched a similar bottled water and gym event. The sudden disruption of the TF team’s work. And this new plan.
‘Ha, they ruined my work and brought it here. And when a similar product came out from Cheonglang, they brought the marketing team’s work back here.’
How could he do this as a superior? Her ears turned red. She knew he didn’t like her, but she didn’t know he was so underhanded. It would have been better if he had simply asked for her idea because he lacked one.
She was struggling to control her expression. Her emotions were surging, making it difficult to remain calm. Jae-hee, who had been smiling, hardened her expression, and the other TF team members also looked puzzled. What was going on?
Then, Kang-joo’s voice rang out.
“I’m tired. Let’s take a break and continue later.”
He broke the tense atmosphere around Jae-hee and casually walked out of the conference room. The others then relaxed, leaning back in their chairs and chatting.
Jae-hee thought for a moment, sent a message to someone, and then approached Team Leader Jeong.
“I’d like to talk to you, Team Leader.”
A lengthy conversation was about to take place between the two.
Jae-hee turned around abruptly. She was going to have a private conversation in a secluded spot near the conference room’s outdoor garden.
“Team Leader, how could you do that?”
“What? What are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
Team Leader Jeong denied it first. Even though he clearly knew what Jae-hee was referring to, he pretended not to know.
“I know you and Manager Kim don’t like me. But this is going too far.”
“Yoon Jooim, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Really.”
After all, it was Manager Kim who had brought Jae-hee’s plan. While Team Leader Jeong and Manager Kim had conspired to use Jae-hee’s plan, ultimately, it wasn’t Team Leader Jeong himself who had stolen it. So, he could be half-truthful and brazen.
“The spring bottled water promotion was my idea.”
“Was it? I didn’t know.”
“Manager Kim said it was old-fashioned and told me to drop it. It’s really unfair of you to use it like this, Team Leader.”
“Ah, damn it. How many times do I have to say it? I didn’t know!”
Finally, Team Leader Jeong shouted. A vein popped out on his neck. He was going to continue denying it to the end, but he didn’t like the way Jae-hee looked at him with a calm and disdainful expression.
You should be more flexible and submissive. How can you survive in the workplace like this? It’s so pathetic. Even if you’re pretty, it’s not enough.
“Hey, Yoon Jae-hee, I really didn’t know. Manager Kim confidently said we should go with this, so I did! How can you try to pin this on me?”
“No, Team Leader, you knew. I sent you the basic framework of my initial plan in an email.”
“...”
Team Leader Jeong chewed on his lip and sat down on the garden bench with a tired expression. Since things had turned out this way, he decided to just go along with it. What was a junior going to do to him?
“Hey, why are you so difficult? You should be more submissive and agreeable so I can like you.”
“I didn’t join this company to be submissive and agreeable to you, Team Leader. And I don’t think you became a team leader to steal my ideas.”
“Damn it...! You always have to be so sarcastic!”
Team Leader Jeong almost cursed but managed to hold it in. He wanted to slap her. He forced a smile and tilted his head at Jae-hee.
“Alright, Yoon Jae-hee. Let’s say I did share your plan for work. So what?”
“...”
Jae-hee was speechless when he confronted her so confidently.
“And you seem to have forgotten something. I’m the team leader. I’m your superior. You know what I mean?”
Team Leader Jeong spoke in a threatening and persuasive tone. Jae-hee just scoffed at his words. She found his attitude ridiculous.
Team Leader Jeong looked up at Jae-hee with a smug expression. He thought she was crazy, beyond just being angry.
“I don’t quite understand what you mean, Team Leader.”
At that moment, someone’s deep voice cut in behind him.
Approximately 10 minutes earlier.
“I’m tired. Let’s take a break and continue later.”
After Kang-joo stopped the meeting and went outside, Jae-hee sent a message to him.
[Executive Cha, this is Yoon Jae-hee. I’m sorry to disturb you with a sudden message, but could I make a rude request? Could you please listen to the conversation between Team Leader Jeong and me from the side of the outdoor garden? Please keep it a secret from Team Leader Jeong.]
Kang-joo, who was taking in the cool breeze in the outdoor garden, heard his phone vibrate and picked it up. He raised his eyebrows in slight surprise at the sender, “Jae-hee,” and then smiled after reading the message.
It seemed like things were turning out more interesting than he expected.
He turned around and looked at the entrance to the outdoor garden, where no one had entered yet. Then he slowly began to leave.
He walked around the corner of the flower bed and past a large wall. Soon, Kang-joo stood at the end of the garden, where he was not easily visible from the center, and casually leaned against the flower bed. Now he was going to secretly eavesdrop on an interesting conversation like a mouse.
And now, back to the present.
“Executive!”
Team Leader Jeong jumped up in surprise. He was so startled that he stumbled and nearly fell. He managed to catch himself on the flower bed and looked at Kang-joo with a pale face.
Kang-joo leaned against the railing and stood comfortably. He casually brushed his hair back that was being blown by the wind and held out his hand towards Team Leader Jeong.
“Do you have a cigarette?”
“Yes, yes! Here!”
Team Leader Jeong frantically searched his clothes and carefully placed a cigarette between Kang-joo’s two fingers. Kang-joo, who had only been looking at the cigarette, continued, his voice tinged with annoyance.
“And a lighter.”
“Oh! Yes! I’m sorry!”
Click. A flame ignited from the lighter and lit the cigarette.
Jae-hee stared blankly at the cigarette in his mouth. It was strange to see him smoking with his head slightly lowered. He looked slightly irritated.
In fact, sending a message to Kang-joo was a bit of a gamble. What junior employee would dare to ask their executive for help in such a secret way?
But she felt too resentful and wronged to just let it go. And besides, Kang-joo was not just “any executive.” He had unexpectedly seduced her, so she thought it would be okay to use him once.
Well, at least Min-cheol, who helped me out at the hotel that day... yeah, I guess I could give him another chance. That’s all.
Kang-joo took a few more puffs of his cigarette and looked up. He stared intently at Team Leader Jeong, who was fidgeting nervously. The gaze through the swirling smoke was quite cold.
“Team Leader Jeong, to be honest, it doesn’t really matter who stole whose idea... as long as Seon-gang succeeds, right?”
“Oh... yeah...”
Unable to gauge Kang-joo’s intentions, Team Leader Jeong trailed off. Jae-hee also stared at Kang-joo with a tense expression. What was Kang-joo going to say now? Surely he wouldn’t side with Team Leader Jeong, she knew that, but she couldn’t help but feel a cold sweat breaking out on her palms.
Kang-joo gestured slightly towards Team Leader Jeong. The team leader cautiously approached Kang-joo.
“Being good at coaxing your subordinates to steal data... that’s a skill too, you know.”
Kang-joo’s words were delivered with a cynical tone. The slight smile that had remained on Kang-joo’s face as he looked at Team Leader Jeong disappeared completely.
“......”
A heavy silence followed. Kang-joo put the cigarette back in his mouth as he stared at Team Leader Jeong, Jae-hee swallowed hard, and Team Leader Jeong bowed his head even lower. He felt like he was about to sweat profusely.
“Team Leader Jeong, do you understand what I mean?”
Kang-joo’s usual languid voice echoed over Team Leader Jeong’s head. It was as if he had never spoken casually before.
All the color drained from Team Leader Jeong’s face. The words he had said to Jae-hee and the words that Executive Cha had just said to him crossed his mind, making his heart pound.
“Yoon Jae-hee, you seem to have forgotten something... I’m the team leader. I’m your superior. You know what I mean?”
He had just been given his own words back.
So he had been listening all along. He had heard everything and understood everything, and this was how he was going to handle it.
Team Leader Jeong felt a bitter sense of despair. What was he going to do to resolve this situation? Even if he thought the executive didn’t care about petty matters, the way he had spoken meant he would apply some pressure. His vision blurred.
Team Leader Jeong bowed his head even lower. Should he apologize? Should he just beg for forgiveness?
Kang-joo’s cold dismissal rang out over his head.
“Go.”
“Yes, sir... Yes.”
Team Leader Jeong couldn’t even give a proper reply. He simply trembled like a lamb and left with a miserable expression. Kang-joo sent one last remark towards Team Leader Jeong as he shuffled away.
“Lock the door on your way out.”
“Yes... Yes.”
Team Leader Jeong locked the door from inside and gently closed it from outside.
Only the cold winter air and the two of them remained in the chilly garden. Jae-hee twiddled her fingers and looked down. Honestly, she felt relieved seeing the team leader, who had been so arrogant in front of her, leave as a defeated soldier. Even if it was a relief brought about by Kang-joo’s power, she felt that way at the moment.
Kang-joo was silent for a moment before naturally crushing the cigarette he was holding.
“Actually, I don’t smoke very often. I hate the smell.”
Jae-hee nodded vaguely, her throat tight. She didn’t know how to react. Should she say thank you? Or should she make a lighthearted remark about how powerful hierarchies can be?
She had requested his help, and he had resolved the situation cleanly, but she felt inexplicably tense.
Kang-joo sat down on the garden wall at an angle.
“Come here.”
The coldness had already melted from his face. As he called out to her in a low, soft voice, Jae-hee found herself moving towards him without realizing it. Kang-joo pulled her onto his lap as she sat awkwardly on the wall.
Jae-hee awkwardly straddled him. She felt ridiculous. She was coming when he called her and doing whatever he asked. Was there anyone in the world as easy as her?
Kang-joo gently pulled Jae-hee’s waist, who was trying to distance herself, and buried his face in her nape.
“Jae-hee, you always smell so good.”
His voice brushed against her neck. Was it because of the cold wind? His skin felt unusually hot where it touched hers.
“Has Team Leader Jeong always acted that way?”
“Yes, always.”
Jae-hee replied like a child telling her father about a friend’s wrongdoing.
“Why didn’t you just punch him?”
His light, joking tone tickled her skin. A shiver ran down Jae-hee’s spine.
“He’s my superior.”
Team Leader Jeong. He was the one who evaluated her performance and could torment her as much as he wanted. He was above her, no matter how despicable and low he was. That’s why she, as the weaker party, could only endure.
She could feel his breath, a faint smile, on her neck. His lips slowly traced her earlobe from the nape of her neck. Every time his lips brushed against her neck, Jae-hee flinched, her thighs tightening around his.
“Why did you call me here?”
Jae-hee hesitated for a moment before answering. She didn’t know herself. Why did she call him? Was it because she wanted to confide in her superior because she felt wronged?
Perhaps she just wanted to lean on someone.
Jae-hee replied calmly, trying to hide her trembling.
“Because you’re the executive.”
Someone with the power to help me, someone who can look down on everyone.
He chuckled lightly at her nape, a sound that seemed oddly hollow.
Lowering his upper body, he gazed intently into Jae-hee’s eyes. The hand that had been caressing her back slipped slowly inside her thin knit sweater.
The surroundings were incredibly quiet. Jae-hee took a deep breath in the winter silence. A firm hand caressed her bare skin. The heat from his palm mingled with the winter chill.
His hand slowly traced her bare back. Jae-hee held her breath. She unconsciously tightened her abdominal muscles, tensing up. Kang-joo asked, slowly tracing her spine, “So, is this happening now because I’m the executive?”
With the tip of his finger, he slipped the strap of her bra.
“Ah...”
Before she could react, the loosened bra was quickly rolled up. Her large breasts swayed and fell. With the confinement of her bra gone, Jae-hee lowered her head in embarrassment. The thin knit revealed the shape of her breasts. Beneath the fabric, the outline of her sagging breasts was visible, with a secret peak protruding discreetly.
Kang-joo gently rubbed her protruding nipple with his thumb. He twirled it, stimulating her.
“Mmm...”
“Is that why you’re getting so aroused in front of me?”
The sensation of being rubbed through the knit fabric was strange. It wouldn’t feel this way if he were to touch her directly. With this tantalizing sensation, Jae-hee couldn’t answer and could only moan.
His fingertips pushed up on Jae-hee’s hardened nipple. She moaned, “Ugh.”
“That would be a little disappointing.”
A low, husky voice whispered softly. Kang-joo gently rubbed her nipple between his thumb and index finger. Jae-hee couldn’t help but squirm and moan. The tingling sensation stirred up her excitement. Her nipples were swollen and hard from his touch.
Lowering his head, Kang-joo took the nipple protruding through the fabric into his mouth.
“Ah!” Jae-hee pushed his shoulder with a faint exclamation. Her hand, raised weakly, trembled.
He buried his face in her ample flesh and sucked hard on the protruding nipple. With each lick, Jae-hee’s breath quickened as his wet tongue traced the imprint of the nipple beneath the fabric. She seemed ready to collapse and cling to him at any moment.
“Ah, ugh...”
When he flicked the nipple he’d lifted from the fabric with the tip of his tongue, Jae-hee’s body went limp. A large hand landed on the other breast. He gently squeezed and kneaded the fabric above it. The nipple poked out and disappeared through his fingers.
Jae-hee bit her lip at the tantalizing sensation through the fabric. If she opened her mouth even a little, she knew she would let out an uncontrollable moan.
With each squeeze of the soft, full flesh through the fabric, Kang-joo also exhaled raggedly. After chewing on it for a long time, he finally pulled her knit top up. Her full breasts popped out and cascaded down.
“Ah!” Jae-hee quickly turned her upper body away. The nipple that had been tormented beneath the fabric was sticking out obscenely, as if it was deliberately presenting itself in front of his face.
Ashamed of showing him that sight, she quickly covered her breasts with her hands. Kang-joo slowly licked her fingers.
“...Executive!”
And when she tried to push him away, he grabbed her wrist and pulled it down, biting her fully exposed breast. He chewed on the soft, tender flesh and rolled the hardened nipple with his tongue.
“Ah!”
Jae-hee trembled uncontrollably as she was startled. Her breasts swayed with each tremble. Grasping the other breast, Kang-joo sucked and chewed it hard.
Jae-hee forced herself to suppress her cry. Her breasts, which were experiencing a man’s touch and mouth for the first time, trembled with unfamiliar stimulation. A mix of pain and ecstasy throbbed with each squeeze of his hand.
“Ah, ugh...”
Jae-hee gripped Kang-joo’s clothes tightly. The hair on his head, which was tangled in her breasts, tickled her skin softly. Kang-joo grabbed the other breast with his large hand. When he squeezed them together, the taut nipples popped out as if on purpose.
Kang-joo moved his head and sucked on one nipple.
“Ugh!”
Jae-hee tilted her chin, whimpering.
The tantalizing sensation continued. He flicked the protruding nipple with the tip of his tongue and then lightly grazed it with the tip of his lips. Jae-hee’s lower abdomen tightened. Her vision blurred with the overwhelming pleasure.
Unable to resist the urge, Kang-joo bit down hard on her nipple.
“Ah!”
Jae-hee grabbed his hair in surprise. Pain shot through her pleasure. As he chewed and rubbed her with his teeth, she wriggled helplessly.
“It hurts, ugh... ugh...”
Jae-hee’s plea trembled faintly. The strength in Kang-joo’s teeth loosened. He licked and soothed the nipple, inflamed with pain. He rolled it with his tongue and then crushed it with his lips. He caressed the areola thoroughly with the tip of his tongue and sucked on the nipple like a baby.
“Ugh... Ugh...”
Unable to contain her excitement, Jae-hee leaned against him, twitching. Kang-joo slowly pulled his face away. The nipple popped off with a smack, and her half-exposed breasts swayed and fell.
“Did it hurt?”
Kang-joo asked, wiping the saliva-soaked nipple with his fingertips. Jae-hee’s body flinched like a mimosa. Every time his fingers touched her nipple, she felt an electric shock.
“A little.”
She replied in a whimpering voice.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be more gentle next time.”
Jae-hee looked down and closed her eyes. The exposed breast beneath the lifted knit, and his fingers toying with the protruding nipple felt incredibly erotic. She wanted to cry.
“I’m cold, I’m cold.”
She muttered as an excuse, hugging him tightly. She thought that if she hugged him like this, he wouldn’t look at her breasts.
Her teeth chattered. In truth, it wasn’t because of the cold. It was because the man who had been looking at her with a composed expression was now caressing her nipples, and the tingling sensation was intoxicating. She was terrified of herself, who was so excited that she was about to collapse at his touch.
Hearing her say she was cold, Kang-joo lowered his head. And finally, after sucking on the protruding nipple one last time, he began to fasten her bra. The prominent nipple and the fully stretched flesh were hidden beneath the fabric.
Jae-hee blankly watched his hands. When her breasts were nestled in the bra, she finally came to her senses. She hastily pulled down her knit to cover her underwear and bit her lip.
The expression on his face when she looked up was surprisingly calm, unlike the man who had just been roughly toying with her breasts.
Her heart ached. Her nipples throbbed every time the bra fabric rubbed against them from how hard he had sucked on them.
Staring into Kang-joo’s dark eyes, Jae-hee asked, “Why do you keep doing this to me, Executive?”
Actually, she already knew the answer. Didn’t he said he liked her face, her body? When she thinks back to a moment ago when he was clinging desperately to her chest, it becomes clear.
Jae-hee’s lips were wet with tension, though she already knew the answer. She couldn’t bear the waiting moment. She felt a bit scared. What kind of cruel words would he say?
Kang-joo met her eyes for a moment. He calmly looked into her emotions, which seemed like fear and dread, and then forced a smile.
“When I kissed you last time, it felt pretty good. Your body is beautiful too.”
Jae-hee froze. Her body, which had been burning hot, grew cold. Even though she knew it. Despite knowing it.
He pulled Jae-hee closer with his other hand, pressing against her through the fabric. His hard erection was pressing against her. Jae-hee flinched in surprise. It seemed like his erection was growing even bigger.
Kang-joo pulled her closer, pressing her against him. His erection, which seemed ready to enter her at any moment, poked at her.
“I think this explanation is sufficient...”
“...”
“If it’s not enough, I can tell you verbally. Do you want me to?”
...As expected. Jae-hee closed her eyes, shaking her head. Her body pressed against his was so hot. Why was his voice so cold?
Now she understood. She realized it only now, despite her age.
The Kang-joo oppa she knew had changed so much. While she was still a wallflower, unable to even kiss, he had changed so much that he could easily throw someone like her away.
‘I liked you. I like you. I’ve liked you since I was young, and I still like you, so I’m just accepting this incomprehensible situation.’
She couldn’t reveal those inner thoughts. How could she express her feelings to someone who only wanted her body? If she was rejected like before, how could she heal that wound?
He must have experienced many women. Just like beautiful flowers attract butterflies, beautiful women must have always fluttered around him.
She wanted to resent him, but she wrapped her arms around him.
As long as he approached her like this, she probably couldn’t push him away. She had always been like that, from the past until now.
Her heart felt like it was burning.
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