Do Young showed a curious look. To Kang Woo’s eyes, Do Young was a typical artist. Free, original, and distinctive, fearlessly revealing naive curiosity.

Unlike other employees who were rather formal, Do Young was friendly and also achieved great results. Up to now, Kang Woo had been cherishing Do Young.

Kang Woo started scrutinizing Do Young’s features anew. Despite having double eyelids, he had quite large eyes for a man, which looked gentle. His nose and lips were delicate like a woman’s.

His height was taller than the average Korean male. Rather than having a big build, he had a slender type with a long neck line, elongated fingers that looked delicate yet strong, like a male ballet dancer.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have something to say?”
Do Young swept his wellformed fingers across his own face.

Damn kid. Kang Woo had an irresistible urge to scold him despite him being innocent.

“How do you know Writer Ji?”
“Writer Ji? Ah… Se Ah?”
“Se, Ah?”
Kang Woo repeated the name very slowly. His eyes flashed with anger as if he would chew Do Young up at any moment.

“…Yes. Why? President, your gaze is fierce. Right now. Are you mad at me?”
“…Forget it. So how do you know her.”
“Just since we were kids… It’s too personal to discuss in depth.”
Since they were kids? Did he know her before me?

What’s so personal about it? How close were they?

Halfheard information stirred up Kang Woo’s feelings. Perhaps due to a male’s instinctive intuition. Do Young’s attitude towards Se Ah seemed very favorable even in their short conversation. It was irritating.

Kang Woo picked up the iced tea on the table. His throat squirmed continuously as he emptied the tall glass of iced tea in one gulp.

Clang. The empty glass was placed on the table with a not so small friction sound.

“But why did the president ask about that? Even though I’ve been flirting with you, you didn’t care. You said no comment to personal questions. This seems like the first time you’ve asked such a personal question.”
The gentle smile on his face, devoid of malice, was irritating. Kang Woo wanted to yell at him to stop eyeing his wife and get lost.

If that’s not possible, I could preempt by pretending that I fell in love with Writer Ji at first sight.

However, both were impossible. If he revealed she was his wife, he would be more under Se Ah’s thumb than now. And it’s absurd for the married him to say he fell in love with a new writer at first sight, so you should back off.

“Just in case, let me tell you. Office romance is prohibited.”
“What?”
Leaning comfortably against the backrest, Kang Woo looked down at Do Young. Do Young looked back at Kang Woo with a face of disbelief.

“When did our company start prohibiting office romance? Weren’t you the one who hated such oldfashioned rules?”
“I told you, didn’t I? I’m remodeling everything from personality, preferences, to values.”
Kang Woo replied with a face that could not tell whether it was a joke or not. Soon, he stood up from his seat, holding his jacket.

“Just draw at the company, find your romantic partner outside. That’s better.”
The last words, for your own good, were replaced by his gaze. His remaining reason did not permit him to say that out loud.

((()))((()))((()))

When the helper went off work.

Se Ah sat on the living room sofa and put her laptop on her lap. She had to complete the introductory lines of one of the main male characters, Greek, before going to work tomorrow.

“Greek is a powerful man. Captures women’s hearts with aggressive and rebellious charm.”
Hoping it would help, she voiced it out loud, picturing it in her mind.

The protagonist was evolving into a hospital director in a growth simulation game, but romance was also incorporated. The protagonist character had to choose a husband from among seven male characters. The key was to bring out the unique charm of each of the seven candidates.

“Ah, I’m a woman who can’t even handle my own love life.”
Sighing, Se Ah raked her fingers through her hair at the back of her head. Suddenly, her eyes went to the clock. It was time for Kang Woo to get off work.

He had left another habit. These days, her eyes automatically went to the clock when it was time for Kang Woo to come home.

Like clockwork, the front door lock was unlocked precisely at 8 o’clock.

Se Ah kept her eyes fixed on her laptop. There were sounds of him changing into his slippers, rustling noises. Even though she was curious, she pretended not to know.

“I’m home.”
He reported as he walked over to the sofa.

“Yes.”
“What brings you to the living room at this hour. When I’m supposed to be coming in. Were you waiting for me?”
“…The insulation is too good, so it’s hotter in the room.”
She heard his snickering laugh. Then, something heavy was placed on her lap.

“It’s a gift to celebrate your entry.”
Just yesterday he gave me a set of jewelry, and now what? I told him I don’t need a gift.

I was about to say I don’t need it when I saw it was a new laptop.

“I thought you might need it.”
“I’m fine. This one still works well.”
“Looks like you didn’t like the gift I gave you yesterday.”
“……”
He sat next to me. His unique chic scent filled the air. Even when he was always busy and absent, his scent lingered around the house.

When a long time passes after his departure, his face might fade, but I would remember him by his scent.

“This time I bought something more useful. A new laptop is a must for an author.”
“I don’t need…”
“It’s not something I’m giving personally. As the representative of the company, it’s from the company. There’s not a single author among us that I haven’t provided a laptop.”
“……”
“Do you want to treat me officially? Then shouldn’t you also give up your personal feelings? Rejecting a deserved reward is forced.”
Helplessly, Se Ah took the laptop. He was right. Pushing him away too much was also being conscious of him.

“I’ll use it well, President.”
“If you write characters brilliantly and earn money for the company, I’ll be even more thankful.”
Well done, really. Swallowing her inner words, Se Ah stood from her seat. No sooner had she taken a step, Kang Woo blocked Se Ah’s way.

“How do you know Kim Do Young?”
Why does he keep linking me with Teacher Do Young? At his strange behavior, Se Ah’s eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me he’s your first love, something like that.”
“…Yes?”
Ha. My first love is Cha Kang Woo, you. There’s a limit to how off the mark you can be. Astonished, Se Ah let out a short laugh.

“When did you know him when you were young? Is it before me or after?”

The more persistent his questions became, the more his gaze did, too. She never intended to deliberately misunderstand and provoke jealousy. But seeing this man’s desperate face, a childish sense of revenge rose in her.

The day of the grand meal she can’t forget no matter how hard she tries to, overlapping with the strange look in Min Young’s eyes when she saw Kang Woo.

The existence of a new daughterinlaw who your father is strongly pushing for behind his son’s back.

Feeling uncomfortable with Min Young for some reason, yet unable to tell her not to covet my man, my husband, like any other woman.

Her heart that couldn’t easily let go of Kang Woo, even though everything would be easier if she did.

How much she writhes and suffers within that, how disgusting she feels.

Feel even one percent of that heart, Mr. Cha Kang Woo.

lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)