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Chapter : 03
Han-kyung was smiling when he saw her.
His smile wasn’t warm or friendly like toward a customer—it was mocking.
“I came to get a copy of my certificate.”
At her words, Han-kyung looked around, and Ga-eun stepped closer to him.
“It’s easier to get it online or through the self-service machine. Why come all the way to the district office…?”
“Excuse me.”
Ga-eun called him with a voice full of deliberate annoyance. Instantly, his face crumpled.
“Did you come here begging to meet me again?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Kids these days talk so well, huh? Stop saying weird things and just print the certificate.”
Ga-eun handed over her ID.
“Are you really here to get a certificate?”
“Why are you speaking informally?”
“What… between you and me…?”
“Wow, this man is really funny. Just because I look young… still, he’s a customer. Is it okay to talk like that?”
“…….”
Ga-eun crossed her arms.
“Just print the certificate quickly. I’m busy.”
“……Yes.”
Han-kyung took her ID, printed the certificate, and handed it over.
“I wonder why it doesn’t show things like cheating history. It’d be nice if it did… Ah, I needed two copies. Why did you print only one without asking?”
“Oh, two copies… yes, I’ll print them right away.”
“Make it quick. Why does printing a certificate take so long?”
Han-kyung’s face was already red.
He wanted to argue, but this was his workplace, and Ga-eun was not his ex-girlfriend but a customer. He had to maintain manners.
So even a simple task like printing a certificate made him flustered.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?”
“You can just print it like before.”
“……Yes, sorry. Please give me a moment…”
He ran his hand over his forehead, flustered.
Ga-eun had never seen him like this.
Jung Han-kyung always acted superior, so seeing him embarrassed made her smirk.
“Will it take long?”
“……I’ll finish quickly.”
“I’m very busy right now.”
As her voice rose, one employee behind Han-kyung stood up.
“Sorry. Our staff hasn’t been here long, so it may have been inconvenient. I’ll take care of it.”
“Then quickly, please.”
“Yes, here you go.”
The employee skillfully printed the certificate and handed it to Ga-eun with both hands.
“Thank you.”
Ga-eun greeted them and left the district office.
Even though she had wanted to act all difficult in front of Han-kyung, she didn’t. Acting that way would have made her look foolish.
[You did that on purpose to annoy me, didn’t you?]
Ga-eun laughed at the message from Han-kyung.
“I didn’t know he liked candy this much. If I’d known, I would have fed him tons every time we met.”
She didn’t reply to the message. Soon, a new message came.
[If you have something to say, meet me separately. Don’t do this at someone’s workplace.]
“Why are you angry at someone else when you can’t even do your own job? You won’t see me again. I don’t avoid it because I’m scared—it’s because it’s disgusting.”
More messages came, but Ga-eun ignored them and went home.
Her time was too valuable to waste on trash like him.
Seok-jin, having signed the last approval document, stretched and moved his head and arms.
A knock sounded, and Secretary Tak came in with an envelope.
“I exchanged the money.”
“Thank you.”
“If you could just tell me which hotel you’re staying at and a rough schedule…”
“I’ll be fine. You should also take a break while I’m away.”
“But sir…”
Today was Seok-jin’s vacation.
His summer vacation was special. Unlike other businesspeople who announce their destinations and get help from their office, he went completely private and secret.
He didn’t even tell anyone which flight or hotel he was using.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Every time you go on vacation like this, I go crazy. What if something happens, or there’s an emergency…”
“That’s why I told you. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
Seok-jin patted Secretary Tak’s shoulder and left the office.
Wearing a white T-shirt and cotton pants, he looked like an ordinary worker going on vacation—not the young CEO of Jusin Retail.
At the airport, he sat in the gate waiting area like everyone else, instead of using a VIP exit.
Ga-eun, on the phone, was speaking loudly.
“Why?”
The man on the other end could hear everything.
-What are you doing?
“What I do is none of your business.”
-Just wondering.
“Then call your precious girlfriend if you care so much.”
-What girlfriend?
The tone sounded like very close friends.
But the man’s voice showed he still had feelings.
“I can call your girlfriend. Jung Han-kyung is bored and calling his ex-girlfriend nonstop—he might go crazy.”
-…When did you know?
“When doesn’t matter. What matters is you’re a cowardly two-timer.”
-You knew and pretended not to? I’m disappointed.
“Disappointed? Hilarious. Did you enjoy weighing me and that girl on a scale? I want to dump sewage on your face at the district office, but you are already crap, so no need.”
-You done?
“No. Eat lots of candy and may billions of embarrassing things happen to you, you damn fool.”
Ga-eun spoke calmly, while the man shouted louder in response.
-Hey, Oh Ga-eun!
“Stop. I’m traveling with someone else now.”
-What? Already with someone else? Who is he?
“A good guy. I don’t know where exactly, but he’s big. Bye, Jung Han-kyung. Tonight will be beautiful, okay?”
Ga-eun glanced behind to see if anyone was there—no one.
“You worked hard dealing with this loser. Go get a massage, eat well, and start fresh!”
Seok-jin found Ga-eun amusing. Watching her scold her clingy ex was entertaining.
“Have a good trip.”
As boarding time approached, Seok-jin stood.
If not for that cursed Jung Han-kyung call, it would have been a perfect start.
They used the money she saved, his severance, and refunded suit money to plan a luxurious trip.
Most of the luxury was in the business class ticket, purchased with trembling hands.
“A good start makes for a good process and ending.”
The plane to Bangkok had very few passengers. No one else was walking the business class corridor.
Ga-eun smiled as she found her spacious, cozy seat.
Next to her, a man was reading an English newspaper casually.
Six hours of flight to Bangkok made her nervous.
“Ah, really. Why now?”
Han-kyung called again. She debated ignoring it, but decided to answer and give him a piece of her mind.
“I’m busy.”
-You’re already seeing someone else? Did you cheat?
“This guy. Just because you cheated doesn’t mean everyone else will.”
-There’s etiquette in breakups. If we dated for seven years, at least a year of memories should hurt.
“Memories? One more word from you, and I’ll call your girlfriend—your girlfriend from Jusin Retail!”
Han-kyung hung up silently. No excuses, no apology.
Ga-eun sighed.
While idly cleaning her ear, she looked sideways and saw Seok-jin staring at her expressionless.
Why was this man next to her?
“I didn’t tell anyone.”
“What didn’t you tell?”
“I didn’t tell anyone you were interviewing brides.”
Seok-jin smiled faintly. Ga-eun awkwardly smiled back.
“But you’re telling me now?”
