Chapter 09
“The marketing brochures we ordered have arrived. They’re in the warehouse now—let’s go pick them up.”
Deputy Manager Kim said this to Yeonsu and Kang Yeonsu.
Today, with so many people out on errands, only three remained in the marketing department.
“Yes!”
Yeonsu jumped up energetically, while Kang Yeonsu dragged her feet, reluctant to move. She hated grunt work, but she hated even more the thought of leaving Yeonsu and Deputy Kim alone together.
“Bringing two ladies along, I feel a little bad about it.”
Kim chuckled awkwardly.
“Lunch is on me today, then.”
“Oh, Deputy, what are you saying? Of course we should go. Work doesn’t care about men or women, right?”
Kang Yeonsu tapped him playfully on the arm, grinning wide enough to show her gums. Kim didn’t seem to mind her friendliness; he chuckled warmly in return.
Watching the faintly pink atmosphere between them, Yeonsu pressed her lips inward, almost embarrassed.
‘No matter what, I am never dating someone at work.’
The warehouse was in the basement.
An endless space stretched before them, filled with neatly stacked construction materials and boxes. The brochures were waiting right by the entrance.
“I’ll go fetch a cart. You two check the contents of the boxes.”
Kim headed inside, leaving the two women behind.
“You check, Ha Yeonsu.”
Kang Yeonsu glanced around with a bored expression before speaking.
“There are two types of brochures. I’ll check this side, you take the boxes over there.”
Yeonsu started with the closest box. It contained the company’s annual PR brochures—its history, achievements, and future goals, printed neatly as always. She picked one up to inspect the print quality.
Then—
A dull thud echoed, followed by a sharp cry.
“My foot!”
Kang Yeonsu was on the ground, clutching her foot.
Alarmed, Yeonsu rushed over just as Deputy Kim came running back with the cart.
“What happened?”
A fallen ladder lay beside Kang Yeonsu. She groaned, gripping her ankle tightly.
“Ha Yeonsu told me to check the boxes up high. While I was doing that, the ladder slipped.”
Kim’s gaze turned toward Yeonsu.
The box she had opened was stacked near the bottom, not the top. She could feel his eyes accusing her anyway. It wasn’t true, but she swallowed her protest. First things first—checking the injury.
“Are you okay? Let me see.”
Yeonsu crouched to examine her foot.
“It hurts too much. I can’t move.”
Kang Yeonsu pulled her leg inward, hiding her foot from view. Her eyes welled with tears.
“Climb on. Let’s get you to the infirmary.”
Unable to watch any longer, Kim bent his back before her.
The sight of his broad back made Kang Yeonsu’s lips twitch, struggling to hide the smile creeping out.
“Ha Yeonsu, tidy up here.”
With that, Kim carried her off.
Yeonsu let out a long, exasperated sigh through clenched teeth. She had clearly seen Kang Yeonsu step down firmly on the “injured” foot just moments ago.
When they disappeared from view, Yeonsu rolled up her sleeves. She’d worked in shipping before—moving a few boxes was nothing.
She stacked the brochures briskly onto the cart.
Just as she was finishing up, voices echoed from outside.
“These are the samples for the new high-end brand launch.”
“These days, the line between interior and exterior materials is blurring. Let’s review them all together.”
A deep voice carried clearly into the warehouse.
Moments later, Jinhyuk entered with a group.
“Ha Yeonsu?”
He arched his brows in recognition.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Collecting the marketing brochures.”
“Alone?”
His tone carried surprise. Yeonsu gave an awkward smile.
Jinhyuk tilted his head in acknowledgement, then moved on.
Still, Yeonsu found herself staring at his back—the sleekly combed hair, the broad shoulders, the tall frame, the flawless navy suit that fit like a dream.
“Yeonsu, this is fate. That man is your destiny.”
Suryeon’s words echoed in her mind.
Ridiculous, she told herself. Me, tied by fate to him?
But now that she had started thinking of it, the thought refused to leave her. Even after Jinhyuk vanished from sight, his image lingered vividly in her mind.
She swallowed hard.
“Get it together, Ha Yeonsu.”
She muttered to herself and pushed the cart.
There were twenty boxes total. Even small, stacked together, they weighed plenty. The cart rolled heavily, easier to push than pull.
As she leaned her weight into it, she hummed softly:
“Pull yourself together, in this harsh world. Pull yourself together…”
A low, amused voice came from right behind her.
“What exactly are you pulling yourself together for?”
Startled, Yeonsu spun around. Jinhyuk was there, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
“Is that your answer?”
He pointed lightly at the stack of boxes on her cart.
“Yes. It’s not much.”
At her reply, he turned to one of his staff.
“Once you’ve finished with the samples, take that cart to Marketing as well.”
“Oh no, that’s fine!”
Yeonsu waved her hands quickly.
But Jinhyuk ignored her protest, answering curtly instead:
“Let’s go eat.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s lunchtime. Let’s eat.”
His words were so natural, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Come on.”
He started walking before she could object.
Wait, why me?
She had missed her chance to ask, and now all she could do was trot nervously after him, a strange foreboding stirring in her chest.
They entered a ramen shop near the office, buzzing with people. Employees of Haenam Construction bowed awkwardly when they recognized Jinhyuk, but he remained as calm as ever.
The tables were small, the space tight. Their knees brushed under the table, and no matter how Yeonsu tried to pull back, there was no room.
“What do you like?”
He glanced at the menu.
“I’ll eat anything.”
“Then tonkotsu ramen. The flavor here’s close to the authentic Fukuoka taste.”
He ordered quickly, like someone familiar with the place.
So young, already an executive director—Yeonsu had assumed he’d be arrogant. But he seemed surprisingly down-to-earth.
“You must come here often.”
“What do you mean by ‘here’?”
An amused expression crossed his face.
“Oh—I mean, uh, a place for… regular people.”
“Pfft.”
A low laugh escaped him.
And at that sound, Yeonsu’s heart melted like sugar in hot tea.
Her chest stirred strangely, as if something deep inside had begun to sway.
