“What…?”

“If it’s for all ages, shouldn’t we target all age groups? How about planning it as a virtual character to match the purpose of the metaverse? I think that would be more effective.”

“Ah! That was the initial plan! I’ll organize it right away and send it to you.”

See, he’s skilled. Director Jung. Director Kang’s supreme praise with a slight smile made Director Jung’s nose tingle.

With adrenaline surging and heart pounding, even his complexion became slightly flushed.

Vowing to return with a satisfactory proposal, he bowed deeply and then looked up sharply at the following instructions.

“I was wondering how the development team is doing these days.”

“Pardon? What do you…”

“I think they might need some rest. Like team building or something.”

Ah! Realizing the intent of the CEO with a heart as vast as the Pacific, Director Jung broke into a kind smile.

He excitedly reported that they had indeed been struggling with frequent overtime, even joking that if they died old and unmarried, would it be considered an industrial accident.

Is that so? A strange smile played on Director Kang’s lips.

“Let’s go. Us too.”

“Alright! Yes, yes… Where to…”

Director Jung answered first before carefully asking.

“Workshop. Two days, one night. Location: Wando.”

Seeing how he kindly specified the place, it seemed our CEO had probably been planning this for a long time.

It was another moment when the bridge of his nose felt hot.

He even gave a thumbs up, saying it was a great idea to have the strategic planning team oversee and conduct workshops sequentially starting with the development team.

It was only after leaving the office that Director Jung tilted his head.

“Who else is going…?”

He seemed to have said ‘us too’.

* * *

A dressing room with fine suits hanging on three sides.

Reminiscent of a luxury brand showroom, the owner and his wife stood facing each other confrontationally.

“…Are you joking?”

“I’m serious.”

Eyes wide open in a straight line and lips firmly pressed. Arms tightly folded.

Da Hae, at a loss for words out of disbelief, helplessly watched Jae Kyung shrug his shoulders with a brazen face.

She came without complaint when he mentioned contract terms, but,

“How old are you, really.”

“Thirty-five.”

Are you determined to be ridiculous?

Seeing his face smiling glibly, Da Hae sighed. The breath hitting her lower lip scattered the hair on her forehead.

The reason for summoning her was as outrageous as his childishness in answering the age question so literally.

“I’m saying, aren’t you past the age of needing help choosing clothes to wear? You called me for something this trivial?”

To pick out clothes for him to wear to an evening gathering.

“Trivial? I’m in dire need of Team Leader Kye’s fashion-sensitive eye right now. That’s why I called you.”

Is there a problem? Though his smirking lips and half-closed eyes seemed to enjoy teasing her, she decided to stop arguing.

Instead of wasting time, she planned to just throw him something and leave quickly.

That was the plan, but.

With Kang Jae Kyung sticking close behind her and following her every step while snickering, her irritation grew. A vein bulged prominently on her round forehead.

“Stop laughing. It’s annoying.”

“But just looking at your face is so amusing.”

“My face isn’t here for your entertainment, Kang Jae Kyung.”

She should ignore him, but again, she takes the bait. She won’t win this.

Though grumbling, she did her job.

Her hand that was feeling the suits arranged by color stopped at a charcoal gray jacket, then hesitated. She then spun around and began scanning for the worst combination.

Her eyes narrowed in concentration more than ever before.

Soon, her eyes shone brightly as she found the best match.

“Here. This and this.”

The expressionless man hung the items her white fingertips pointed to over his arm without objection.

As she left the dressing room, leaving him behind, the corners of Da Hae’s mouth turned up. It was a premature victor’s smile.

No matter how great Kang Jae Kyung was, he wouldn’t be able to overcome this.

Though she didn’t know what kind of gathering it was, she was certain it would be a historic moment recording his dark history.

While leisurely waiting and admiring the picturesque night view framed in the wide window, Da Hae turned around happily at the approaching presence.

Expecting an unfashionable and smelly Kang Jae Kyung.

“This. Do it for me.”

“…”

The man’s low voice flowed indifferently, betraying her expectations.

Lowering his waist to meet her eye level, he held out a yellow tie embroidered with an elaborate pattern. She had chosen it expecting it to be the finishing touch, but somehow it seemed even this would suit him well.

Blue pants with a black shirt. A wine-colored jacket. He pulled it off. What incredible digestive power.

Sulking as she put the necktie around his neck, Da Hae only came to her senses when she felt his breath on her forehead.

As she slightly opened her eyes, his downcast gaze fully reflected her face.

Though she raised an eyebrow as if to ask what he was looking at, she somehow felt her mouth go dry. Soon that face became slightly pouty.

After pulling the knot all the way up, she didn’t even brush off the hand patting her head saying “good job”.

She just watched his retreating back as he said he’d get her something to drink.

“…This isn’t right.”

She wondered if her 20/20 vision was malfunctioning, and even rubbed her eyes vigorously thinking it might be love goggles, but nothing changed.

She even felt a bit deprived by Kang Jae Kyung’s spectrum that digested even the most absurd color combinations in his own style. No matter how she thought about it, it should have been a hilariously messy combination, but why? How?

How could it be sexy?

* * *

The 31 flavors of sweet and refreshing ice cream had colors as vibrant and varied as its name suggested.

Da Hae smiled, her round eyes curving into half-moons. Her tied-back hair and white shirt added to her neatness.

“You could have just called me to come.”

“Nonsense. This old man with time to spare should come.”

The elderly man sitting across from her at the table laughed heartily.

Chairman Kang Cha Dol, a businessman to the bone, jokingly related the name of the chocolate ice cream flavor to the correlation between future industries and space science, saying if mothers were aliens, satellite technology would be quite advanced.

Despite her protest that it was too much for two people, he insisted on the family size, emphasizing that they were family.

And if they were family, they should naturally eat it.

She had received his call just after lunchtime.

Saying they should have a snack since she would have eaten lunch, he came to her workplace and ordered lots of ice cream, even sending some for her team members with his secretary.

So when she returned to the office, there would likely be a chorus of pterodactyl cries. They’d be shocked enough that her great-grandfather was the head of Samyeong Group, but his kindness in coming to buy snacks was cheating.

Just as she was beginning to wonder if Madam Bae also met separately with Kang Jae Kyung, Cha Dol gathered his grinning smile and began in a cavernous bass voice.

“That Kang Jae Kyung. If he makes you feel bad or treats you coldly, you tell me right away.”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

The toad-like hand holding a cute pink spoon slammed down on the round table.

Da Hae laughed out loud, feeling the sincerity in his words about hiring someone to teach him a lesson if he mistreated her. It felt reassuring to have such an invincible ally.

Then, saying she had something to show him, Da Hae took out her phone and held the screen in front of Chairman Kang.

Leaning back to look from afar, Cha Dol narrowed his eyes as if focusing. Soon, explosive laughter burst forth.

“My word! He looks just like a Seoul playboy! Hohoho!”

“Ahaha.”

It was a photo of Kang Jae Kyung from last night, looking quite arrogant with his arms folded across his chest and head tilted at an angle.

With the flash highlighting the color contrasts, his appearance was reminiscent of both a crane on paper and a tout from a seedy entertainment district.

Kang Jae Kyung must have known too. That such a terrorist-level color combination couldn’t possibly be the S/S trend.

He must have been certain when she suddenly said she’d take a photo and pointed her phone at him.

Yet he didn’t change clothes or object.

Far from grumbling, he was so nonchalant that she felt awkward instead. Yesterday was no exception to this situation.

He must have been quite concerned, given how particular he is about his suits, shoes, and style.

Cha Dol simply gazed adoringly at his granddaughter-in-law, who was smiling broadly as she looked at the photo of her grandson that she had taken out to show him for longer than he did.

How could her peach-colored cheeks rising so prettily be so lovely and adorable? Even as he smiled gently along with her, worry lingered.

As Jung Soon had noticed, Cha Dol also knew. That his grandson and his wife were not on good terms.

He had proposed their marriage to support his grandson, but he wished they could find happiness relying on each other, like Da Hae smiling like an azalea and his grandson who used to smile warmly thinking of this child. If that happened, he would have no regrets.

He was prepared to accept criticism for an old man’s greed. He would gladly shoulder any karmic debt if only he could take it all upon himself.

Nevertheless, all he could do right now was…

“Child.”

Appeal to emotions.

“That… Jae Kyung, you see. He grew up eating a lot of cold shoulders.”