MD 10

Chapter 10

Just then, Yeonsu’s phone buzzed loudly on the table.

“Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

Checking the caller ID, she gave Jinhyuk an apologetic look.

“Go ahead and answer it here. It’s fine.”

The restaurant was cramped, with narrow aisles and tightly packed tables. Their seat was against the wall, so squeezing out past everyone would have been awkward.

Grateful, Yeonsu nodded and answered the phone, lowering her voice. She didn’t want to sound personal in front of him, so she set the volume as low as possible—or so she thought.

“When are you moving out?”

Her landlord’s voice blasted loudly, louder than she’d meant, as if she’d accidentally turned the volume up to maximum.

“I haven’t found a new place yet. I’ll leave by the end of the contract.”

“I told you ages ago! You think you can just leave at the last possible day?”

“I’m sorry. But the lease date is in the contract. Please understand.”

“My son needs to move in, we have to renovate. Find a place soon. I’ll give you your money back the moment you’re ready.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving Yeonsu sighing softly through her teeth.

Jinhyuk, who had overheard everything, asked calmly:

“When does your lease end?”

“Next month. I’ve been looking, but I can’t find anything suitable.”

He studied her for a moment, then said flatly:

“Close to the office. Clean, spacious, with solid security. How does that sound?”

“Well… of course, that would be perfect.”

She forced a small smile. It wasn’t that she didn’t know such places existed—just that she couldn’t afford them.

“Then move into my place. I have plenty of empty rooms.”

Yeonsu’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping at the outrageous suggestion.

“Not for free. You’d help with some housework, handle household events and the like. How about that?”

“…Are you suggesting I work as your housekeeper?”

“Not exactly. But something along those lines.”

Her head shook immediately.

“No. I’ll find a place soon.”

Living with her superior was out of the question. Besides, she still had the twenty million won Suryeon had given her. With her own deposit added, that made thirty million—enough to rent somewhere decent under the same conditions.

She didn’t know why Jinhyuk would even propose such a thing, but she dared not ask.

Somehow… the answer he gives would be far heavier than I could handle.

Just then—

“Oh? Ha Yeonsu?”

The table next to them cleared out, and new diners slid in. Deputy Manager Kim and Kang Yeonsu.

One of the men recognized Jinhyuk and practically leapt up, bowing ninety degrees.

“Good afternoon, Executive Director!”

Kang Yeonsu’s eyes went wide as she spotted him.

“Oh my—Executive Director, hello!”

Her voice was suddenly sweet, laced with the nasal tone she used only for men. Her eyes curved like half-moons as she beamed at him. Jinhyuk only inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.

“How are the two of you here together?”

This time, her gaze cut toward Ha Yeonsu, sharpened with jealousy.

“Looks like your foot is fine now.”

Yeonsu’s eyes flicked meaningfully down at her feet. Jinhyuk’s gaze followed.

“Oh, my foot? Yes, it’s all better now.”

Strange. She had been carried away as if she couldn’t walk at all, yet here she was in high heels, perfectly steady. Clearly, she had never been injured.

“Well, that’s a relief. Good to know it wasn’t serious.”

Yeonsu smiled faintly, her words heavy with meaning.

“But… Executive Director, how did you two end up—”

“He happened to be checking materials downstairs and helped out.”

“The new hire was struggling alone in the warehouse, so I offered to buy her lunch.”

Jinhyuk’s interruption cut Kang Yeonsu off.

“Does Marketing not have a single man?”

His indifferent remark turned Deputy Kim’s face bright red.

“Does it matter? Work isn’t divided between men and women. I can handle it just fine.”

Yeonsu smiled brightly as she said it.

“That mindset—I like it.”

Jinhyuk’s satisfied expression twisted Kang Yeonsu’s face in barely disguised rage. It was the exact phrase she herself had once used to belittle Yeonsu.

“And how exactly did you hurt your foot, Kang Yeonsu?”

“Oh… I went to the warehouse too. Climbed a ladder, slipped, that’s all. Deputy Kim took me to the infirmary.”

She batted her lashes as she rattled off excuses.

Jinhyuk gave a short, derisive laugh. No bandages, no swelling—nothing to show for a supposed injury.

“If you can wear high heels like that only hours later, then you weren’t injured at all.”

“N-no, that’s not—”

Her voice faltered, unable to come up with an answer.

“This isn’t school, or home, Kang Yeonsu. If you want to finish out your contract, do your job properly.”

His tone was like ice. He dismissed her with a glance, as if she weren’t worth another word.

Her lips trembled with barely contained fury.

---

After lunch, Jinhyuk returned to his office.

Chief Jeon was pacing nervously outside, waiting.

“What is it?” Jinhyuk asked coolly.

“The Chairman is here. He’s waiting inside.”

Jinhyuk frowned. He had left his phone behind when he went to the warehouse, then straight to lunch with Yeonsu. That had been a mistake.

Inside, Do Joomyung sat on the sofa, his teacup already empty. He had clearly been waiting some time.

“What took you so long? Jeon said you went down to the warehouse.”

His tone carried sharp disapproval. Jinhyuk sat silently across from him.

Do Joomyung shoved a file across the table.

“What is this?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just pick one.”

Jinhyuk opened it—and found a list of potential brides. He flipped through it carelessly, then let out a short laugh.

“This one—wasn’t her name Esther?”

It was the same woman he had already rejected, the youngest daughter of Daeyang Corporation. Now listed under a different name: Jung Hana.

“Esther is her baptismal name. Her real name is Hana. She’s full of water energy—perfect for you.”

Jinhyuk’s brow furrowed in irritation.

“Her birth date doesn’t match.”

“They delayed filing her birth certificate. She’s really a January 31 baby, which makes it lunar December.”

Jinhyuk chuckled incredulously.

“So now you’ll change her name, and even her birthday.”

Do Joomyung ignored him, pointing to other names.

“This one—eldest daughter of Geumhyung Holdings. December birth, Han Sebin. She’s willing to change her name after marriage. This one—second daughter of Hanse Daily, Lee Subin…”

On and on he listed, stubbornly matching girls to dates and fates. Once, Do Joomyung had been unmatched in judgment, decisive in crises and bold in investment. But since surviving a serious illness, his reliance on the fortune-teller Myungun had grown heavier.

Jinhyuk could understand a man clinging to life as he aged. But being forced into marriage by superstition—no.

“That’s enough.”

“What? You insolent brat!”

Do Joomyung’s face turned crimson.

“I’ll find a December-born woman with strong water energy myself. Don’t worry about it.”

“You’d better bring her by next month. Or you can forget about keeping your executive director title!”

The Chairman’s voice thundered, but Jinhyuk remained unfazed.

“I have an external meeting.”

He stood, bowing slightly.

“Take care on your way out.”

Without another glance, he left the office, Jeon hurrying after him.