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Chapter 10
“Deputy Manager Kim, what did you just say?”
The next day, as soon as Dain arrived at work, she was met with startling news.
All the employees of Sales Team 1 had failed the recent promotion review, which meant that the number of people available to carry out the next project had decreased.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have proposed doing it jointly. Ugh, why did they all get rejected like that?”
“I don’t know either……”
“Their performance last time wasn’t bad. I wonder what the problem was.”
Deputy Manager Kim muttered, unable to hide her puzzlement. Dain only half-listened, her mind drifting back to the conversation she’d had with Taekyung over the weekend.
‘When you go to work tomorrow, you’ll probably hear some good news.’
‘Good news?’
‘Well… for someone like you, Deputy Min, who values efficiency, maybe it won’t feel like such good news…….’
Remembering Taekyung’s confident tone, a thought clicked into place. If he had said something about valuing efficiency, then it had to be connected.
“So… what he called ‘good news’ was……”
Her faint murmur caught Deputy Manager Kim’s attention.
“Hm? What was that?”
“Oh, nothing. Have you had coffee yet? Shall we go get some?”
“You haven’t either? Perfect, let’s go.”
Luckily, Kim hadn’t caught her slip. She stood up and headed to the break room, with Dain following after her, quietly pressing a hand to her chest to calm her pounding heart.
On a personal level, Dain couldn’t deny a bit of satisfaction at seeing Team 1 lose their promotion chances. Still, the fact that fewer people were now available for the next project also meant more work would fall on her shoulders.
‘Still… it’s not such a bad thing.’
Since she actually liked her job, having a little more work wasn’t a burden. She hid a small smile as she accepted the coffee Deputy Manager Kim handed her.
“You know, I bumped into them in the elevator earlier, and their faces looked like death.”
Kim gulped down a sip of coffee and explained how shocked she’d been to see Team 1 looking so gloomy that morning.
“Really?”
“They bragged so much during the last meeting about how confident they were. Serves them right, honestly.”
Given the strong rivalry between Team 1 and Team 2, Kim whispered that it felt satisfying to see them taken down a peg. Dain quietly agreed and drank her coffee.
Just as Taekyung had said, her mood stayed bright all day.
Even while having lunch with Kim after finishing her morning tasks, Dain kept remembering the weekend she had spent with Taekyung. Thinking back on how he’d personally told her she’d hear good news struck her as almost amusing now.
What reaction had Go Taekyung expected from her when he said that?
Sometimes, the thought of him made her laugh under her breath. Then she would startle, covering her mouth with her palm. If anyone saw her, they’d surely think she had lost her mind—smiling to herself while thinking about her boss, who sat in such a lofty position above her.
‘Get a grip, Min Dain. He’s just… a kind person. Don’t misunderstand that.’
Even as the end of the workday approached, she couldn’t easily push thoughts of Taekyung out of her mind. If Director Jung overheard, he would’ve cried out that it was all a huge misunderstanding.
As the office gradually emptied, Dain cleared her throat and pulled out her phone to check the dinner date she’d arranged with Taekyung.
“!”
At that moment, an unfamiliar number flashed on the screen. Though she had never seen it before, something about it struck a chord, making her hesitate to pick up.
She quickly pressed the decline button. But immediately, the phone rang again with the same number. After hesitating, she grabbed her bag and stood up.
“Deputy Min, heading out now?”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Alright, get home safe.”
After exchanging farewells with Kim, Dain slowly left the office and headed for the stairwell. Only after the door closed behind her and she was alone in the chilly stairwell did she unlock her phone again.
“……”
The same unknown number was still calling. No matter how many times she ignored or declined, the caller refused to give up. The persistence felt like a dark haze rising from those digits.
“…Hello?”
At last, she surrendered. The moment she whispered into the phone, a reply came.
—Finally picked up.
A deep voice she knew all too well. The sound alone made her neck and shoulders go rigid. Swallowing dryly, Dain couldn’t bring herself to speak. As if sensing her silence, the caller continued calmly.
—You’re surprised, aren’t you.
“How did you… get this number…”
—Well, since you blocked mine, you probably thought there was no way I could ever call you again.
He was right. Dain felt the chill seep all the way to her fingertips and let out a long sigh. If she relaxed even a little, she thought she might collapse.
—I just landed this morning.
“……”
—I came back to see you, Dain.
It was Seo Inhyuk. Her ex-boyfriend, whom she had dated for about a year—and broken up with exactly one year ago.
That low, rough voice still felt so familiar because of how deeply it had carved itself into her memory. Clenching her fist, Dain answered coldly.
“Don’t call me by name. We’re not close enough for that anymore.”
—Does it make you uncomfortable?
“Calling it ‘uncomfortable’ would be an understatement. And you’re uncomfortable around me too, aren’t you?”
Even though she deliberately chose words that could cut off any lingering feelings, Inhyuk didn’t falter.
—I’m not uncomfortable around you at all.
His voice was steady, free of even a single sigh.
—In fact, I missed you.
“Don’t say things like that…”
—I still miss you now.
Her heart sank like a stone. She had finally managed to turn her back on their memories, yet here he was trying to drag her back.
“Don’t. We ended everything that day.”
—But what if I didn’t end it?
“Inhyuk, what are you—”
—I want to meet and talk.
He was as relentless as ever. That hadn’t changed. Even back then, he had pushed persistently for private meetings when she refused.
Back then, that persistence had made her heart race. She thought it meant he was utterly devoted to her. She hadn’t realized how arrogant and foolish that belief was…
—Are you free this Saturday?
Saturday!
Dain almost exclaimed in relief. That happened to be the day she had dinner plans with Taekyung.
“I already have plans that day.”
—Sunday works too.
“No. Even if I were free, I still wouldn’t meet you.”
If she entertained this conversation any longer, it would never end. Taking a firm breath, she snapped back.
“I have no intention of meeting you. As soon as we hang up, I’m blocking this number too.”
—Dain.
“Don’t call me again. That’s…”
She almost said for your sake, but that would only prove she still cared about his state. Shaking her head, she corrected herself.
“That’s what’s best for both of us.”
Click. Dain hung up immediately. She desperately hoped Inhyuk would accept her final words. She truly believed it was for the best.
‘You know, caterpillars should only eat pine needles.’
The words his mother had once said came back to her. She still remembered the hostility and disdain in that icy voice—sharper even than the winter wind cutting at bare skin.
‘I hope you both make wise choices. I want my son to live high above, and you—you want a simple, ordinary life, don’t you?’
Dain had never regretted her decision that day. If Inhyuk had really loved her, he wouldn’t have started with lies. And if she had truly loved him, she would have held onto him no matter what.
But instead, she let go of his hand and chose to stay by Yeoreum’s side. She wanted to be a reliable guardian for Yeoreum.
“…Yes. I did the right thing.”
Still uneasy, Dain stared blankly at the phone screen that had just gone dark.
‘But… how is this even possible?’
She had never expected him to return from Shanghai after a year. Pacing the stairwell, she fidgeted with her phone, too shaken to leave right away.
‘He wouldn’t call again, would he? Even if he does, I’ll never pick up again.’
If anyone overheard that call, it would cause a huge misunderstanding. She was already dogged by strange rumors; she didn’t need any more.
“Hoo……”
Trying to calm her pounding heart, she turned back toward the stairs. She would go up and take the elevator after all.
“Deputy Min?”
Just then, a familiar voice rang out above her. Startled, she looked up—and locked eyes with the man standing there, looking down at her.
“E-Executive Director?”
It was Taekyung, dressed in his black suit.
