Chapter 22

Clouds heavy with rain drifted sluggishly across the sky.

On a leisurely Monday morning, two pairs of dress shoes struck the pavement as their wearers headed toward the company building. The man and woman, both wearing Jaeyang Food employee ID cards around their necks, each carried a cup of coffee.

“Next time, I’m seriously treating you. Don’t try to stop me.”

Woojung spoke with a pout, fidgeting with the coffee in her hand.

“Yes, please do, Ms. Woojung.”

Yun-sang smiled warmly. Even so, his guilt didn’t fade easily.

The previous evening, on the train ride back, Woojung had watched Yun-sang sleep soundly and had been overcome with guilt. She’d felt uncomfortable the entire time she’d helped out at the orchard, too. Somehow, his being drafted into the work had felt like payment for the single rose he’d given her.

So she’d gone to a café to at least buy him a coffee, however pitiful a gesture it might be. But he’d beaten her to the bill, and she’d ended up being treated instead. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She’d tried to lighten her burden, only to feel as though she’d piled on another debt.

As she mulled it over, Woojung suddenly tilted her head, sensing something strangely out of place.

Burden and debt. Had she ever described herself that way in her relationship with Yun-sang? Ever since she’d been his mentee, he’d helped her plenty, but the feelings she’d experienced each time had been admiration or affection for how cool and considerate he was. Not a sense of indebtedness.

It was the same now. Under normal circumstances, she’d have treasured the time spent walking back with him and carrying their coffees. She would have been happy that he’d paid because it gave her an excuse to treat him next time.

But what had she actually felt?

Nothing but guilt. No daydreams of the sort she usually indulged in, and not even the slightest expectation.

The change puzzled her, but she didn’t dwell on it. She simply chalked it up to feeling terribly sorry about what had happened.

“Um…… Ms. Woojung.”

As they entered the lobby, their footsteps grew much clearer. Woojung snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her name and answered, “Yes?”

Yun-sang hesitated briefly before asking, “Did you know the intern before he joined the company?”

“Pardon?”

“That’s what Ju-shin said. Apparently, he joined the company because of Jung Woojung.”

Her lips, which had been about to ask another question, slowly closed.

If there was any reason for him to tell such an outrageous lie, it was probably part of the master instructor’s own strategy.

Her wandering gaze moved slowly from side to side. Even if the strategy wouldn’t work, she couldn’t bring herself to ruin the intern’s earnest efforts. So she offered an ambiguous smile instead of an answer.

Yun-sang didn’t press her further.

At around the same time, in a corner of the lobby—

Two men stood with their backs against a pillar, gazing out at the garden beyond the glass wall. Even from behind, they were enough to catch the attention of passersby.

Their exceptional physiques alone drew the eye, but no one immediately recognized the peculiar pairing of the chief secretary and the PR Team intern. It didn’t particularly matter, anyway. Chairman Kim Sangho, who’d been standing by and watching for a little over a month, had finally begun to make his move. There was no longer any need for secret meetings on the rooftop or in the underground parking garage.

If they didn’t end things themselves, he’d interfere. If they resisted, he’d undoubtedly start digging into everything. So it was time to give him just enough of what he wanted.

If only to keep Jung Woojung hidden.

And so, the time to bring their little intern act to an end was drawing near.

“I sent it by email. Check it and delete it immediately.”

A sigh slipped into Kwon Seon-o’s voice. This was after he’d heard the full story about the fisherman, the middle schooler, and the compensation money.

“Something’s off.”

Ju-shin checked the email on his phone, then stared blankly at Seon-o’s profile. The attached file was far too small to contain an investigation into every person he’d had a relationship with since turning twenty.

Perhaps understanding the meaning behind his gaze, Seon-o offered an additional explanation.

“His department activities only covered his first semester. He joined the company immediately after graduating, so anyone not included in the file would likely be someone from the company.”

“Yeah. And?”

His voice was devoid of inflection, as if telling Seon-o to reveal whatever else he was hiding.

Jung Woojung, the friendly little social butterfly who never hesitated to break into childish rap at company dinners. If she’d kept her university life so narrow, there had to be a reason.

Chief Secretary Kwon stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance. His silence lingered for a while.

During the investigation, he’d already discovered who the irredeemable Satan Kim Ju-shin was looking for. He’d even figured out why Ju-shin wanted to find him.

Seon-o exhaled quietly before forcing himself to speak.

“Jung Woojung was the class representative in her first year, and that same year, the student council president was stripped of his position.”

“Why?”

“The reason was illegal filming and distribution of footage in public facilities.”

“I see. Where is he now?”

Despite his remarkably light tone, the clear light in his eyes had taken on a chilling glint.

“It’ll be officially reported soon. Keep a low profile for the time being. And even after the news breaks, physical violence is off-limits.”

“Chief Secretary Kwon, there are way too many things I’m not allowed to do.”

Maybe it was because he was in his thirties.

Muttering as if to himself, Ju-shin shrugged and smiled, his eyes curving at the corners.

How should he pay him back?

Despite his relaxed expression, a savage anger was boiling inside him.

If violence was out of the question, what else could he do?

He’d just have to create circumstances that would make the man regret his actions down to his very bones.

“Stay within the bounds of common sense. I’ll let you do whatever you want.”

“Yes, yes,” Ju-shin replied halfheartedly, letting the lecture go in one ear and out the other. Then, as if he’d sensed something, he suddenly turned his head, his eyes narrowing.

Jung Woojung had just entered the building and was heading toward the elevators. And right beside her was that leech, Ha Yun-sang.

His gaze followed them for a moment before returning to Kwon Seon-o. When he met Seon-o’s eyes, he found the older man wearing a suspicious smile, the corners of his mouth curled upward. Seon-o’s brows twitched as if he already had a bad feeling.

Just as Kim Ju-shin could sense Jung Woojung’s presence, Kwon Seon-o could sense trouble brewing. And that kind of premonition was usually right.

Had even a minute passed since he’d told Ju-shin to stay within the bounds of common sense?

As always, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

“I’m sorry! I’ll make sure it never happens again!”

“…….”

Kim Ju-shin abruptly shouted an apology and bent forward at a perfect ninety-degree angle, drawing everyone’s attention. Just as he’d intended. Even Jung Woojung’s reflection in the glass wall showed her gaze turning in their direction.

Make sure it never happens again, my ass.

Kwon Seon-o pressed his temple between his thumb and middle finger. He might speak casually to his superior, but he couldn’t bring himself to swear at the man he served.

All he could do was hope his eyes conveyed what he couldn’t say aloud. That the look of pure, unfiltered emotion in them had somehow delivered the message for him.

And then Jung Woojung spotted Kim Ju-shin nearby and was utterly stunned. The man he was apologizing to was none other than Chief Secretary Kwon Seon-o, whom Assistant Manager Choi had described as one of the most powerful people at Jaeyang.

She stopped walking and immediately turned around.

“Assistant Manager Ha, go on up ahead.”

“Woojung……”

“I’ll be right there!”

He hadn’t even had time to stop her. The hand he’d reached out toward her closed helplessly around empty air. His lips, which had parted to call her name, pressed shut again.

The worry and concern written across her face as she wondered what kind of trouble that guy had gotten into again. And mixed in with those emotions, a subtle excitement.

Rather than looking bothered, she seemed energized. As if she’d finally found her role. As if she actually enjoyed this sort of thing.

Ha Yun-sang let out a hollow laugh. His molars ground together as petty resentment consumed him.

Meanwhile—

“Hello. I’m Jung Woojung, a PR Officer with the PR Team.”

Woojung arrived at the scene of the incident and stood beside Ju-shin with a bright smile plastered across her face. She’d come all the way over, but the pressure was almost unbearable.

After politely introducing herself, she seemed to examine her junior’s complexion from every angle. Then, when their eyes met, she gave him a firm nod, as if to say, Leave it to me.

Taking it a step further, Kim Ju-shin intertwined his hand with her slender arm and whined pitifully.

“Ms. Woojung……”

“…….”

Chief Secretary Kwon swallowed a sigh he couldn’t bring himself to voice. His cold eyes, peering over his glasses, reproached the thoroughly devious young master.

That feeble voice, drawn out at the end. Those sorrowfully drooping eyes. And the way he hid behind a woman much smaller than himself, whimpering like a puppy.

Was this what people meant by an utterly ridiculous sight? Seon-o was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even speak.

Then a clear, ringing voice pierced his ears.

“I’m Kim Ju-shin’s assigned mentor. May I ask what happened?”

Kwon Seon-o, who’d been looking at Ju-shin as if telling him to cut it out, finally lowered his gaze.

Standing between two towering men, the woman tilted her head back as far as she could and met his eyes.

Her gaze was remarkably steady, almost brazenly so, and her lips were set in a straight line. Her confident, unapologetic attitude was rather impressive.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.

“Well, he’s still new, so there are times when he makes mistakes unintentionally……”

“Regardless of whether they’re intentional or not, isn’t a company a place where mistakes shouldn’t be tolerated?”

Unable to withstand his intimidating gaze, Woojung eventually lowered her eyes. His voice was impossibly deep, and the low, firm tone of his words had overwhelmed her.

“If you wanted to learn through your mistakes, you should’ve enrolled in school. Not joined a company.”

“That’s true, but……”

Just what kind of mistake had Ju-shin made for the manager to be this cold toward him? She didn’t know the circumstances, so blindly apologizing wasn’t necessarily the right move, either…… But talking back to him was hardly an option when their positions were worlds apart.

As Jung Woojung hesitated, trying to choose the best course of action, the gazes of the two men above her head met.

Ju-shin silently mouthed an Oh and crooked the corners of his mouth at Chief Secretary Kwon’s unexpected behavior. Then he suddenly let out a deep sigh, his lips practically brimming with amusement.

“Actually, Ms. Woojung……”

When her gaze shifted over her shoulder toward him, he lowered his long, narrow eyes into a pitiful expression.

“The manager asked for an iced Americano, but believe it or not, I was so stupid that I ordered a hot one instead.”

Sigh. Should I quit and go back to school from the beginning……

“…….”

“…….”

When he finished adding that final remark, an awkward silence settled over them.

A manager who openly reprimanded a mere intern in the lobby over whether his own coffee had ice in it.

Kwon Seon-o had suddenly become a petty, old-fashioned boss who abused his authority. He pressed his lips tightly together. He wasn’t even particularly appalled anymore. Just a little tired.

Woojung rubbed the area beneath her nose and took a moment to gather her thoughts.

So all that grand talk about joining a company versus enrolling in school had been because of……

“Iced Americano……”

……that?

A rebellious spirit blossomed across her usually gentle face. Her eyes blazed with the flames of righteous indignation.