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Chapter 10
The next morning.
Even though Yoonjae had told her to take a day off, Suyeon woke up at six and hurried through her preparations for work.
She didn’t want to trouble the secretary’s office because of her, and more than anything, a day of leave granted under the executive director’s authority felt too much like a privilege she hadn’t earned. It weighed on her.
Feeling guilty about the disastrous company dinner the night before, Suyeon arrived at the office earlier than usual and started her day.
Inside the executive office, she pressed the button for the blinds. The enormous window that had been covered now revealed the whole city of Seoul at once.
Cars rushed along busy streets, and people hurried endlessly toward their destinations.
That first day she left Yongsoon for Seoul—everything had felt so unfamiliar and strange. She had thought a thousand times about turning back and returning to Yongsoon.
Now, she had grown used to city life. Yet the guesthouse in Yongsoogol where she once lived with Yongsoon, and the sea she had visited daily, still pulled at her heart. The longer time passed, the heavier the weight of her longing became.
Trying to shake off the thoughts, Suyeon finished tidying both the executive and secretary’s offices, checked the meeting materials, and printed the necessary documents for the day’s presentation.
She placed the neatly organized files on Yoonjae’s desk before stepping out, only to run into Secretary Kwon coming in.
“Secretary Chae, are you alright?”
Kwon hurried over, scanning her up and down with concern.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. It was your first day, and I ended up ruining the company dinner.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Are you really okay?”
“Yes. I slept it off, and I feel much better today.”
“Wait—don’t tell me you did all this by yourself this morning?”
Kwon’s eyes widened.
“It wasn’t much. And honestly, after everything yesterday, I feel more at ease if I come in a little early and get things done.”
“I was honestly scared yesterday, thought something terrible was going to happen to you. Even Director Yoonjae—his face turned completely pale when he saw you like that. I thought the both of you were about to collapse right there.”
“Secretary Chae.”
“Chief.”
“Why are you here? Director Yoonjae said you were to take the day off.”
“I wasn’t that sick. And today’s meeting is important, so I came in.”
“Still. Do you know how worried he was?”
“I apologize for making everyone worry.”
“I didn’t say this to hear you apologize. Just—don’t overdo it. And don’t think you can handle everything on your own.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good morning.”
At that moment, Yoonjae arrived. His eyes locked on Suyeon, one brow arching upward.
“Am I really seeing Secretary Chae Ha-yoon standing here?”
“Good morning, Director.”
“It is a good morning, but—did you not hear what I said yesterday? You were supposed to rest today.”
“Your consideration is more than enough. Thank you.”
With a furrowed brow, Yoonjae entered his office. He draped his jacket over the sofa and sat down, then immediately summoned Suyeon.
She placed an espresso on his table and spoke first.
“You called for me?”
“Secretary Chae. What exactly is this? Are you refusing to follow a direct order from your superior?”
“It felt like a privilege given only to me, sir. Even if I rested, I wouldn’t feel at ease. That’s why I came in.”
“So, to make yourself feel at ease, you ignored my order?”
“It wasn’t that I ignored it. I really am fine. And I appreciate what you did yesterday.”
A taut, unyielding tension hung between them.
“Director, may I ask something?”
“What is it?”
“In the file you gave me, there’s a note about live flowers being prohibited in the office. Is there something I should know? Perhaps an allergy—to flowers or certain foods?”
“There’s nothing like that.”
“Then why the ban? Do you dislike flowers?”
“It’s not dislike. I just don’t like forcing them. I prefer flowers that bloom naturally in their season—wildflowers, things like that. But cutting them just to trap them in a narrow vase for decoration? That, I don’t like.”
“I see.”
“But then again…”
Yoonjae trailed off, rising from his seat and walking slowly toward her.
“Until now, that’s how it’s been… but who knows? Maybe one day I’ll come across something I want to pluck for myself.”
Her eyes trembled faintly. Seeing her so startled, Yoonjae’s brow creased.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
The memory of her dark, cramped room with no real lighting, the shelves filled with instant meals… This woman who drew sharp boundaries even in the face of the smallest kindness was beginning to unsettle him.
Suyeon stepped out with flushed cheeks, Yoonjae’s words still echoing in her ears. She tried to remain composed, but her chest felt unbearably hot. She gulped down a glass of ice water in an attempt to cool herself.
Back at her desk, staring at the monitor, she let out a shaky breath.
The promises she repeated to herself every day—I’m fine. I’m unaffected. All of it unraveled in front of Jung Yoonjae.
Did he even realize it?
Inside his office, Yoonjae tapped his long fingers against the table before his gaze shifted through the slanted glass wall toward the secretary’s office.
Her posture was flawless, upright. She typed rapidly, answered calls, flipped through documents. Not once did her eyes drift toward his office.
Just yesterday, her face had gone deathly pale, her breathing ragged. He had told her to rest, but here she was. For some reason, it bothered him.
Unlike his past secretaries—Kim So-hye’s puppets, always fawning, gossiping, desperate for his attention—Suyeon was utterly different.
She worked. From start to finish, without pause. Expressionless, detached, mechanical almost. Her words were precise, her tone measured, like the perfect answer sheet.
If she had joined Do-won Construction purely for money, perhaps that was true. She lived as though her only purpose was to be the model employee.
Outside, the oppressive summer heat dragged on. Inside, Suyeon reached into her bag, pulled out a hair tie, and caught it lightly between her lips while she gathered her hair.
As her arms lifted, her slender, pale neck was revealed.
Yoonjae couldn’t look away.
And suddenly, he remembered her room from last night—the sweltering heat, the absence of photos, trinkets, or even a mirror. A hollow, lonely place, filled with nothing but emptiness.
Then he noticed her smile.
Whatever Secretary Kwon had said, Suyeon’s lips curved upward faintly. For the first time, she wasn’t expressionless.
A short, incredulous laugh slipped from Yoonjae.
She never smiled at him. But she smiled at someone else.
An inexplicable heat welled up inside him.
His grip tightened around his pen until it snapped free, bounced, and accidentally struck the call button.
Damn it.
Startled, he straightened. Suyeon promptly entered.
“You called for me?”
“Has the air conditioning been checked?”
Feigning composure, he swallowed hard.
“I usually don’t mind the heat, but today it feels stifling. Maybe it’s broken.”
“I’ll have Facilities take a look right away. Would you like a glass of ice water in the meantime?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Then I’ll return to my desk.”
“Secretary Chae.”
She paused at the door.
“Yes, Director?”
“Smile more.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’ve seen you smile. You should do it more often.”
“…I don’t know what you mean.”
“Do you remember the last rule in that file I gave you?”
“You mean the no-office-romance rule?”
“Good. Don’t forget it.”
Her eyes flickered, trembling faintly. And in that moment, Yoonjae’s lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile.
