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chapter 29
A final drop fell from Yeon-seo’s eyes. A self-mocking sigh escaped Do-heon’s lips as he turned away.
‘The staff would probably think they made me cry, so they must have told me to wipe it quickly,’ Yeon-seo thought.
She stared blankly at the handkerchief Do-heon had offered and then tucked it into her bag. She resolved not to accept this man’s kindness so easily.
If she thought he was a good person, it would only hurt more. She had no idea how much more it would hurt. These were feelings she had never experienced before, and she didn’t know how far she could endure them.
Eventually, Yeon-seo entered an empty bathroom stall and fixed the partially smeared makeup. She felt it would be embarrassing if anyone saw her like this.
Leaving the bathroom, she walked toward the center of the lobby when someone tapped her shoulder with a finger.
“Heading to work? It’s been a while.”
Looking up in surprise, Yeon-seo saw Kang-jae. The next thing she noticed was his foot.
“Oh, this? It’s six weeks of rest, I really stepped on it properly.”
Kang-jae chuckled as if he were talking about someone else. It seemed he no longer intended to hide his behavior in front of her.
Yeon-seo bit the inside of her lip to suppress the growing disgust.
“I have to go upstairs. I’ll be going now.”
She greeted him with an indifferent expression. Kang-jae was flustered by the unexpected response.
“You’re not mad at me?”
“No.”
“Wait, it’ll only take ten minutes. Let’s talk.”
Without hesitation, Kang-jae grabbed her wrist and led her to the company cafeteria.
Was he trying to apologize? Even if he did, Yeon-seo resolved not to show any reaction. She didn’t want to be toyed with by childish antics any longer.
They sat across from each other in silence for a while. Feeling impatient with the passing time, Yeon-seo spoke first.
“What do you want to talk about?”
Kang-jae crossed one leg and observed her, bobbing slightly. Despite his blatantly invasive gaze, Yeon-seo maintained a composed expression.
“You must’ve lost interest in me.”
“…….”
“No, maybe it’s more accurate to say there was never any interest.”
“Are you here to apologize for that day?”
She asked bluntly.
If she delayed, Do-heon might become suspicious. Too many eyes were watching in this place.
“Apologize? Don’t make me laugh.”
Kang-jae muttered in an empty voice, lifting one corner of his mouth.
“I don’t apologize. Never have, never will.”
“Then why…?”
“Well, I don’t know. Just… felt like I wanted to hold on, strangely enough.”
It was a ridiculous answer. Without hesitation, Yeon-seo pushed back her chair and stood.
“Well, I’ll get going now. I can’t be late.”
Kang-jae’s unfocused eyes slowly followed her. The snake-like gaze sent shivers down her spine.
“You didn’t marry Seo Do-heon because you loved him, right?”
“Excuse me?”
Yeon-seo doubted her ears.
Though she knew the truth herself, hearing it exposed to someone else felt like a freefall.
And in front of her stood Kang-jae—a person who could be a threat simply by knowing the secret of her marriage.
Kang-jae smirked and continued.
“Didn’t you marry him for something? No matter how I look at it, it seems purely business to me.”
“Brother-in-law, that’s really rude. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“No, at first it was business, but Seo Do-heon fell for you gradually. I’d do the same if I were him. You’re beautiful and have a mysterious charm.”
“……You have a vivid imagination.”
Yeon-seo noticed a trace of urgency in her voice. She should have spoken more calmly. Her emotions surged unexpectedly.
“I have some skill, you know. Especially with matters between men and women.”
Kang-jae ran his tongue along his teeth and laughed.
“So, what about you, sister-in-law?”
“…….”
“Did your heart change from the first time? That’s what I’m most curious about.”
His sharp gaze fixed on her eyes. She had to give him no reason to doubt her.
“Brother-in-law, have you ever been in love?”
“Why do you ask?”
Kang-jae tilted his head as if surprised by her unexpected question.
“If you had, you wouldn’t suspect us.”
“…….”
“You’ve got it all wrong. That person and I genuinely care for and love each other. From the beginning.”
“You’re saying I misjudged?”
“Yes.”
Yeon-seo bowed slightly and turned. As she stepped out of the cafeteria, she faintly heard his manic laughter.
She had received a call from Do-heon to come to the executive office. Entering, Yeon-seo noticed a slightly different atmosphere.
‘He put plants here. They weren’t here before…’
Large plants like majinata and namcheon were placed in the corners, while smaller potted plants lined the windowsill, bringing life to the previously barren space.
“You put plants here.”
Meanwhile, his desk remained the same—piles of documents stacked high, and Do-heon flipping through papers without even glancing at her.
“Yeah.”
He answered briefly and removed his glasses.
“Better now?”
“Yes, much brighter.”
“Good to hear.”
“Can I look around?”
“Of course.”
Yeon-seo carefully approached the plants by the window.
“Margaret, cute.”
Though common on streets, the flower’s resemblance to a fried egg always made her smile.
The plants on the windowsill were unusually quaint for his taste.
“Who picked these?”
Turning halfway, she met Do-heon’s gaze, a small smile on his lips. Her abrupt head turn seemed uncharacteristic.
“…Is it really that important to know who bought them?”
“They’re so cute. Who chose them? Director? Or…”
Yeon-seo recalled Seo-ryun from yesterday.
If it were Seo-ryun, the plants would likely be more sophisticated. She found it amusing how she tried to rationalize her denial.
“Let’s get to work. You have a lot to learn and do, Yeon-seo.”
Do-heon skipped answering directly and moved to the main topic.
Perhaps he didn’t want to reveal who it was—could be another woman, not Seo-ryun. Yeon-seo resolved not to cross that line.
“The chairman of BXK Group Asia will visit in a week. It’s a company we’re negotiating an MOU with, so I want you to assist me flawlessly with the secretary.”
He handed her a bundle of documents on the desk.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Go ahead.”
“Yes.”
As she was about to turn with the documents, he stopped her.
“Wait a moment.”
He seemed to have something more to say.
Loosening his tie, Do-heon approached, making her slightly tense.
“Looks like something’s on your lips.”
Yeon-seo bit her lips and shrank back. Do-heon leaned closer and gently brushed along her lip line.
“It was lipstick.”
He chuckled and stepped back.
“Why so tense?”
“I—I thought you were going to kiss me…”
The thought had escaped her mind involuntarily, leaving her flustered and avoiding his gaze.
“Interesting.”
Do-heon cupped her cheek with the hand not smeared with lipstick. His calm tone felt gentle.
“Interesting…?”
“You always act like it’s your first time. You talk like you know about love, but whether the first time or now, you’re awkward, Yeon-seo.”
“Am I still awkward?”
Do-heon laughed at her response. Her lips, like bitten red berries, captivated him.
It was impulsive.
She pressed her lips to his neck.
Was it because he treated her like a naive girl? Or was it the trembling in his voice that made her want to touch his throat? Yeon-seo didn’t know why she acted as she did.
Do-heon seemed a bit surprised but soon returned to a calm expression.
“This is a bit problematic here.”
Yeon-seo grabbed his neck suddenly.
As their soft lips met, reason dissipated instantly.
The resolve she had held tight until yesterday crumbled in a moment. His provocation was too effective.
Their mingled breaths filled the air. The tension quickly overwhelmed both of their rational minds.
Do-heon’s lips slid along her neck to below her collarbone. Yeon-seo tilted her slender neck back and grasped his hair.
Their desperate hands began to intertwine, holding each other tightly.
