MD 06

Episode 6

Jinhyuk entered his office and summoned the former chief secretary.

“Bring me the personnel records of the new recruits.”

The moment he ran into Yeonsu in the elevator, Jinhyuk instantly recognized her.
She was clearly the baby shaman he had seen at the fortune-teller’s that day.

The fact that this shaman had now joined the company as a new recruit—there was no way this was just a coincidence.
And the fact that she pretended not to know him was suspicious as well.

Not long after, the files of the new recruits were placed on Jinhyuk’s desk.
As he flipped through the pages, his hand stopped at Yeonsu’s record.

Her birthday was January 18th. On the lunar calendar, that made her a December-born.
Her family name was Ha, which literally meant “water.”
The Chinese characters for her given name weren’t listed, but Jinhyuk was certain that her name, too, contained a character related to water.

“Did she plan this on purpose?”

Jinhyuk summoned the former chief secretary again.

“Do you have instructions for me, sir?”

“I’m thinking of holding a meeting with the new recruits.”

The chief secretary’s face showed surprise.
They weren’t even full-time hires, just one-year contract employees.
Besides, the Vice President’s office didn’t normally handle HR matters.
There had never been a welcome meeting for recruits, even for permanent employees.

On top of that, the Vice President’s office was the core of Haenam Construction, responsible for deciding and executing key agendas.
Dozens of documents and cases passed through every day, with meetings that seemed endless.

And yet, in the middle of all that—he wanted a meeting with the new recruits?

“One group at a time would be too many. Let’s start with PR and Marketing.”

Jinhyuk gave another order.

“Yes, I’ll coordinate the schedule and report back.”

“Let’s do it this week.”

As the chief secretary was leaving, Jinhyuk added:

“Today is Thursday, isn’t it?”

The order was so sudden that the chief secretary couldn’t help but ask again.
If it had to be this week, that meant only two days remained.

“Which is why my capable secretary will put his talents to use.”

Jinhyuk’s sly smile, curling at the lips, was like that of a grim reaper. The chief secretary shivered with unease.

Recalling Jinhyuk’s impossibly packed schedule, the secretary hurried to make arrangements.

---

That afternoon, the recruits were notified: after work, they were required to attend the meeting.

Though the schedule had come out of nowhere, contract workers had no right to refuse.
The warning was clear—absence could harm their chances at securing a permanent contract.

And so, the new employees of PR and Marketing gathered at a nearby Chinese restaurant.
It wasn’t just any restaurant—it was run by a Michelin one-star chef, nearly impossible to book under normal circumstances.

The recruits’ faces lit up with excitement.

“Our Vice President really treats us well. Who knew we’d get to come somewhere like this?”

“Did you see the aura of light shining behind him during his welcoming speech?”

While the recruits gushed about Jinhyuk, Yeonsu sat quietly, sighing.

You’ve barely even seen him, and already it’s “our Vice President.”
There’s no such thing as an aura—just stage lighting.

To make matters worse, today was Suryun’s birthday.
Yeonsu had planned to celebrate Suryun’s discharge from the hospital and her own employment together.
But now, because of this meeting, her evening was ruined.

Just then, the door to the private room opened, and Jinhyuk stepped inside.

“It’s nice to see you again like this.”

His mere presence brought smiles to several of the female employees.

Soon, the first course was served—Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a luxurious Chinese soup made with wild pine mushrooms, meats, and seafood simmered for hours.

“Though we call this a meeting, let’s just relax and enjoy ourselves tonight.”

Rumor had painted him as cold and indifferent, yet his words were unexpectedly kind.
The tense mood softened immediately.

“Vice President, I wish we could see you more often.”

Yeonsu—Kang Yeonsu—took the first step, her tone slightly nasal.
Other female recruits, who rarely had the chance to meet him in person, quickly joined in.

“I’ll be sure to arrange gatherings like this from time to time.”

Jinhyuk responded gently.

“Since we’ll be seeing each other for a long time, isn’t it important that we take the time to really know one another?”

The line felt like a confession at a matchmaking date, making the women’s hearts flutter.

“And on that note… Miss Ha Yeonsu, what are the Chinese characters for your name?”

The question shot across the room, directed at Yeonsu, who had deliberately taken the farthest seat from him.

“Pardon?”

Startled, Yeonsu looked up. Jinhyuk, smiling warmly, repeated his question.

“Your name in Chinese characters, please.”

All eyes turned to Yeonsu.

Suppressing her fluster, Yeonsu answered clearly.

“I use yeon (涓) for stream and su (水) for water. My parents named me so that I could live as pure and clear as flowing water by the stream.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re as pure and innocent as a child.”

Jinhyuk emphasized the word “child” unusually strongly. The strange smile on his lips made Yeonsu shiver.

A satisfied smile flickered on Jinhyuk’s face. With his already handsome features lit up by that smile, he looked like an actor shooting a commercial.

The female employees’ eyes glittered in fascination.

While everyone was entranced, another Yeonsu—Kang Yeonsu, who shared the same name—interjected.

“Executive Director, mine is yeon (然, natural) and su (秀, outstanding).”

Batting her eyes playfully, Kang Yeonsu put on an act of cuteness. Jinhyuk, unimpressed, diverted the topic.

“Then again, people don’t really use Chinese characters much these days. Maybe this question sounds a bit old-fashioned.”

His voice turned colder than before.

After that, the conversation settled into more routine matters: company goals and values, work-related topics, expectations about the company, and whether the new employees faced any difficulties—typical subjects for a meeting between executives and newcomers.

As the gathering wound down, dessert was served: persimmon simiro with tapioca pearls blended in.

Simiro was a dish from the Guangdong region of China, made by blending fruits into a punch-like mixture. The chewy tapioca pearls mixed with the sweet persimmon created a novel taste and texture.

“Executive Director, this is actually a dish people eat on dates. Are you perhaps on a date with us right now?”

It was Kang Yeonsu again, desperate to get closer to Jinhyuk, throwing out a risky line.

Surprisingly, Jinhyuk played along.

“A date, hmm. Since we’re on the subject—are any of you currently in a relationship?”

“I’m not! I just joined the company, so I want to focus on work.”

Kang Yeonsu answered immediately.

Jinhyuk tilted his head slightly before turning his gaze back to Yeonsu.

“What about you, Ha Yeonsu? Are you seeing anyone right now?”

Put directly on the spot, Yeonsu’s expression grew awkward.

“I’m not, either.”

Her voice was smaller than usual under the weight of everyone’s attention. But there was no way Jinhyuk had missed it.

“Ah, I suppose that was a rude question after all. My mistake.”

With that apology, Jinhyuk began to wrap things up.

“Let’s call it a day. I’ll see you all back at the company.”

Having achieved what he came for, he saw no need to drag the meeting on.

But Kang Yeonsu suddenly raised her hand and called out loudly:

“Let’s go for round two, Executive Director!”

Jinhyuk’s expression instantly chilled.

“We all have work tomorrow. It’s best to refrain. Please remember this is officially a company meeting.”

The words publicly embarrassed Kang Yeonsu, who bit her lip hard. The warm atmosphere froze over in an instant.

But Jinhyuk paid no mind and left first.

---

The meeting over, Yeonsu hurried toward the bus stop. A bus heading toward Suryeon’s neighborhood—one that only came once an hour—was due to arrive soon.

As she neared the stop, she saw the bus already there.

“Wait, please! Just a moment!”

Yeonsu shouted, running at full speed.

But her effort was wasted; the bus pulled away right in front of her eyes.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips in disappointment.

Just then, a luxury sedan pulled up in front of her.