An Instinctive Proposal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 38
The next morning, Sung Won observed Tae Han’s gloomy expression.
Normally, no matter how much Tae Han drank the night before, his face would be dazzlingly refreshed by the next day—so seeing his skin dull and lifeless was an extremely rare sight.
“President, did something happen with Assistant Manager Seo Yeon Woo yesterday?”
They were on their way out for an off-site errand.
Though the sunlight filtering through the car window was bright and clear, Tae Han’s expression as he received it was darker than usual.
Noticing something unusual, Sung Won asked cautiously, and caught a strange flicker of unrest in Tae Han’s otherwise stiff eyes.
Feeling certain now, Sung Won changed his question.
“Did you perhaps propose to her yesterday?”
“It wasn’t exactly a proposal. I just told her I had feelings.”
Just as expected, Tae Han’s reply came quickly, tinged with a hint of injustice.
Sung Won shook his head knowingly.
Of course, shaking one’s head in front of Ki Tae Han could normally be considered outright insubordination—enough to get one’s head chopped off—but this situation was an exception.
If someone ever asked Sung Won what moment in his life had been the most unforgettable, he could confidently answer: “Ki Tae Han from yesterday.”
Tae Han had abruptly declared he needed to go on a date with Yeon Woo, canceling all appointments scheduled a month in advance, and ordered Sung Won to book a restaurant and movie tickets.
The way Tae Han had frantically searched for the best steakhouse—staring at his phone screen as if trying to drill through it—was something Sung Won figured he’d never forget, even on his deathbed.
“If you were going to do it, you should’ve just proposed outright.”
“What?”
Tae Han furrowed his brow, as if to ask whether those words contradicted what he’d just said.
Ever since Tae Han had announced his intention to marry Yeon Woo, Sung Won had been carefully observing the two of them.
And just as he’d expected, it seemed entirely Tae Han’s unilateral decision—Yeon Woo appeared completely unaware of his resolve.
“What are you talking about? Director Kim was the one who told me not to pressure her too much.”
“But she rejected you anyway, so clearly it was burdensome regardless.”
Still, Sung Won knew better than anyone that Tae Han was genuinely serious—and wanted to help in any small way he could.
After all, Ki Tae Han was the only person he could confidently call a good man.
And since Yeon Woo didn’t seem to dislike Tae Han either, Sung Won hoped things would work out the way Tae Han desired.
“I meant you should’ve done it in a more relaxed setting.”
“What setting is more relaxed than during a meal?”
At that, Sung Won switched on the turn signal and tilted his head curiously.
“You did it during the meal? Well, that should’ve been fine… Wait, did you happen to bring it up right when you’d just started eating?”
This time, Tae Han didn’t reply.
Seeing his furrowed brow through the rearview mirror—unusually serious—Sung Won felt sure his guess had been correct.
Meanwhile, Tae Han grew more serious himself.
Now that he thought about it, hadn’t he brought it up just as Yeon Woo had cut her first piece of steak and put it in her mouth?
He suddenly realized he should’ve waited a bit longer, given things more time to settle—but it was too late now.
He’d already done his absolute best; even if he could go back to yesterday, he doubted he’d find a better moment.
“I see…”
But hearing Sung Won mutter those words with clear regret made Tae Han feel even more wronged.
He’d deliberately avoided asking directly—afraid Yeon Woo might run away if he blurted out a marriage proposal—and had approached the topic as gently as he could. Was he really supposed to be even more cautious than that?
“President, how long did you spend overthinking it today?”
Yet realizing only now what she’d truly meant by those words left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“Why is this so difficult?”
Tae Han let out a sigh.
“Do you think it’s easy to hold onto someone who’s already decided to leave?”
Emboldened, Sung Won began recounting his own failed romantic story—one that had nearly cost him his marriage.
Tae Han only half-listened, his thoughts drifting back to Yeon Woo.
She wouldn’t have refused him just because the mood felt awkward. If that were the case, she wouldn’t have said she’d marry a man who truly loved her.
But then… what exactly was this thing called love?
The more he thought about it, the more lost and exhausted he felt.
Tae Han pressed his index finger to his temple, recalling instead Seo Yeon Woo’s eyes—once as precious as gemstones.
Would they still look that way if he saw her today?
Or had they only seemed especially beautiful yesterday because he’d been swept up in the moment?
“Now that she’s my wife, I can say this—but back then, I was absolutely smitten…”
“Director Kim… have you ever actually seen Seo Yeon Woo’s eyes?”
Sung Won turned to look at him through the rearview mirror, as if wondering what strange thing he’d just said.
“Of course Assistant Manager Seo’s eyes are famously pretty—everyone knows that. It’s practically common knowledge.”
“Is it really that obvious?”
“You didn’t know?”
He hadn’t. Why had he only realized her beauty yesterday?
That meant all those other men had already gotten their fill of gazing at Yeon Woo’s lovely eyes all this time.
“So… Director Kim, you’ve seen them too, then?”
“Her eyes? It’s less that I’ve seen them, and more that you can’t help but see them…”
But Sung Won quickly closed his mouth, realizing Tae Han didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
Just what had happened yesterday?
The fact that Ki Tae Han—the man who never regretted anything—was now weighed down by yesterday’s events struck Sung Won as deeply unusual.
“It’s alright. You’ll have another chance, won’t you?”
Sung Won finally offered some belated encouragement.
Yeon Woo arrived at work with a fresh mindset.
Today marked the start of her handover process, so her attitude toward heading into the office felt different than usual.
“Hello.”
As Yeon Woo greeted everyone and took her seat, a sharp gaze landed on her—
It was Yoo Ra, biting her lip in agitation.
“She didn’t finish her coffee at all—she must really be pregnant.”
Yesterday, Yoo Ra had tested her theory by sending Yeon Woo a coffee. According to the report, Yeon Woo hadn’t touched it and had carried it out untouched.
Yoo Ra, who couldn’t sleep peacefully until her curiosity was fully satisfied, was deeply irritated by this unresolved situation.
It was obvious that Yeon Woo was pregnant with CEO Jeon Il Soo’s child and would surely be forced out—yet Yeon Woo’s persistent act of innocence was starting to grate on her nerves.
“Good morning, Assistant Manager Seo.”
Yoo Ra immediately approached Yeon Woo with a bright, cheerful smile.
“Hasn’t it gotten suddenly cold lately? My cheeks were stinging this morning on the way to work!”
Though puzzled by Yoo Ra’s sudden friendliness—since they rarely spoke—Yeon Woo answered politely.
“That’s true. It’s about time winter really sets in.”
“Right? They’ll probably start selling bungeoppang next week. Oh, now that I mention it, I’m craving some.”
“Winter snacks are delicious.”
Yoo Ra glanced subtly at Yeon Woo’s face, noting her calm response, then opened her mouth again.
“Assistant Manager, how about we have some winter food for lunch today?”
“Winter food?”
“A steaming hot soup dish. Didn’t someone on our team say recently they wanted spicy mushroom hotpot?”
Yeon Woo couldn’t bring herself to answer as Yoo Ra looked around the office.
Because her morning sickness hadn’t stabilized yet, she had to be careful with Korean food—and especially with anything involving red, spicy broth.
“I’ve been feeling a bit unwell lately, so I might skip lunch.”
“Oh my, still? Haven’t you been skipping meals for a while now?”
Yoo Ra raised her voice louder than necessary, causing nearby colleagues to start turning their heads toward them one by one.
“It hasn’t been that long…”
“Or… could it be you’re pregnant?”
Her shrill voice rang out through the air.
A hush fell over the office.
“Pregnant? Assistant Manager Seo?”
Soon, murmurs began rippling through the room.
Only then did Yeon Woo understand Yoo Ra’s true intention behind initiating this conversation.
“I heard the reason you’re leaving is because you’re pregnant.”
Recalling Kyung Ho’s words, Yeon Woo looked up at Yoo Ra.
So… had Yoo Ra been the one spreading the rumor? She never expected Yoo Ra would stoop to trapping her like this.
“Are you asking me that question?”
Yeon Woo tilted her head, her expression now changed as she spoke.
“Come to think of it, I did hear that rumor too—but it sounded so absurd I forgot all about it. Where did you hear it, Associate Heo?”
Caught off guard by this unexpected response, Yoo Ra’s neck flushed red.
“Ah—no, I was just asking casually!”
“Really? That’s impressive.”
Yeon Woo kept her smile intact but lowered her voice calmly as she spoke.
“So to you, Associate Heo, it’s perfectly fine to ask an unmarried woman whether she’s pregnant?”
Yoo Ra’s mouth dropped open wide.
Watching her red lips flapping like a fish gasping on land, Yeon Woo wiped the expression from her face and turned her gaze to her monitor.
“If you came because you’re so curious about my physical condition, you can leave now. The situation you’re hoping for won’t happen.”
At that, Yoo Ra, who had been trembling in front of Yeon Woo, vanished like a gust of wind.
Yeon Woo pretended not to notice her coworkers’ sidelong glances as she scrolled down her screen.
Her mood sank endlessly.
It hurt deeply that she had to deny Tteun Tteun’s existence—and at the same time, she felt disappointed by the reality that left her no other choice.
“If it’s not true, the rumor will fade. But if it is, you know you’ll face serious backlash, right?”
How could anyone say that to her—the person directly involved?
Yeon Woo felt tears welling up again but held them back with a deep breath.
Then, she suddenly noticed a new email had arrived.
Upon opening it, she found a brief profile of the new hire who would soon take over her position.
Since new employees required verification of various details by a senior colleague during onboarding, HR had included Yeon Woo in the email as the reference.
“So this must be her.”
The face in the photo looked youthful and earnest.
The thought that she would soon be replaced by this new person—someone who’d stand beside Tae Han instead of her—left a strange feeling in her chest.
“Assistant Manager Seo Yeon Woo.”
Lost in thought for a while, she heard her name called from behind.
Turning around, she saw Ji Hyun entering the office with an unfamiliar employee.
Since she’d just been looking at the photo, she immediately recognized who the newcomer was.
“Let’s go to the meeting room and talk first?”
“Yes.”
Ji Hyun said she’d fetch the handover documents and left Yeon Woo to go ahead.
Yeon Woo led the new employee to the meeting room.
“Welcome. I’m Seo Yeon Woo.”
“Nice to meet you. My name is Jeong Se Rim.”
The new hire, who introduced herself as “Se Rim,” radiated the fresh, green energy of a recent college graduate.
“Um… I actually have a question.”
She spoke hesitantly.
“Is this really President Ki Tae Han’s secretarial office?”
Yeon Woo looked at her, puzzled.
Se Rim gave a shy smile as she continued.
“I have a crush on President Ki Tae Han. He’s incredibly handsome. But I heard there’s a chance I might be placed in the support division instead of the secretarial office…”
“Yes, this is the secretarial office.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
Placing a hand over her chest in genuine relief, Se Rim’s expression stirred a bittersweet nostalgia in Yeon Woo—and an ache she couldn’t quite place.
“And President Ki is even more admirable on the inside. I look forward to working with him.”
Yet as Yeon Woo made this polite remark, her chest burned painfully—as if someone had quietly wounded her, though no one had.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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aah, serim really messed up.
claimed to know everything but in reality know nothing.
allergic reaction could be really dangerous.