“What?” Sun Eun Soo asked, and saw her shadow cast over Kim Joo Han. She realized he had asked her to block the sunlight because it was too bright for his eyes.

Sun Eun Soo raised her foot as if she was about to kick over the chair.

“Using an employee as a parasol? Do you want to debut in the social section instead of the entertainment section?”

Other anger also welled up along with it.

Is he really asking for death? Who said he could appear in my dreams and cause such a fuss?

Swallowing words she could never say, Sun Eun Soo glared at Kim Joo Han a bit more before reluctantly lowering her foot. No matter how angry she was, not even a toe should touch this chair. It was a masterpiece of Nordic modernism after all.

Forgetting all that, she was about to finish getting ready for work when Kim Joo Han opened his mouth.

“Oh right, I talked to Ki Woo yesterday.”

“…Told him the truth?”

“Yeah.”

“And he didn’t say much?”

“As if. He had a lot to say. Anyway, I explained it well.”

Sun Eun Soo nodded and adjusted her bag.

“I’m planning to talk to Yoon Bin today too.”

“What?”

As soon as he heard Yoon Bin’s name, Kim Joo Han sat up. He was about to say something more to Sun Eun Soo but hesitated.

“Why are your eyes so swollen?”

“I don’t know.”

“Were you crying?”

“Why would I? Sometimes eyes just get puffy.”

Sun Eun Soo lowered her gaze and tilted her head slightly. Kim Joo Han frowned but changed the subject.

“Anyway, are you going to tell him the truth too?”

“Of course.”

“Why? I told Ki Woo because he’s seen us together often so he wouldn’t believe it anyway, but Choi Yoon Bin is different, right?”

Sun Eun Soo frowned.

“What’s with the ‘Choi Yoon Bin’? Since when are you on such familiar terms with Yoon Bin?”

“Ah, anyway. That’s already a few people now. At this rate, it doesn’t seem like much of a secret anymore. If we start making exceptions for this person and that person, there’ll be no end to it.”

“Yoon Bin is my only exception.”

Kim Joo Han’s mouth clamped shut at Sun Eun Soo’s firm words.

“Regardless of how often we see each other, it doesn’t make sense that I wouldn’t have told him for a whole year that I’m meeting you again. It’s obvious Yoon Bin won’t believe it either.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. Who could understand the situation and keep a secret better than Yoon Bin? He knows more about broadcasting than you or me.”

Kim Joo Han, who had been mulling something over, asked:

“So where are you meeting him?”

Sun Eun Soo unexpectedly answered right away, though he thought she might ask why he wanted to know.

“At Yoon Bin’s house.”

“…His house?”

“He’s not someone who can freely go out in public. While I’m there, I should check if the Siesta chair is doing well too.”

Sun Eun Soo replied nonchalantly and turned around. Kim Joo Han watched her retreating back as she entered the building, biting his lip.

That house, it was really nice…

That evening, just after quitting time, Kim Joo Han headed to the second floor office. Seeing Sun Eun Soo sitting alone at her desk, he pretended to look for documents near the bookshelf and casually asked:

“How are you getting there?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Sun Eun Soo, who had been focused on her monitor, belatedly looked up. Kim Joo Han pretended to skim through some random document he had pulled out.

“I asked how you’re getting to his place. It’s not exactly an easy neighborhood to reach by public transport. I could give you a ri…”

“The manager said he’d pick me up. I told him I could just take a taxi, but he said Yoon Bin had already asked him and that it would be better.”

“Oh, really?”

Kim Joo Han, who had been lingering awkwardly, put the document back in its place. He had a lot to say but nothing he could actually say, so he reluctantly started to go downstairs when Sun Eun Soo called out:

“Wait a second, come here.”

“Why?”

“Bend down a bit.”

Kim Joo Han lowered his body in confusion. Sun Eun Soo swiveled in her chair and reached out her hand. She had noticed something white, maybe dust or sawdust, in Kim Joo Han’s hair and wanted to remove it.

“What is this? It’s not coming off easily.”

“Then just leave it. I’m going to shower when I get home anyway.”

“Ah, just a moment.”

Sun Eun Soo insisted that it would come off if he bent down a little more. Kim Joo Han, whose back was starting to hurt from awkwardly crouching, unconsciously put one hand on the armrest of Sun Eun Soo’s chair. But the chair wheels slid back.

“Whoa!”

Kim Joo Han quickly grabbed the chair to stop it, and the startled Sun Eun Soo reflexively grabbed onto Kim Joo Han in front of her.

Thump thump thump, ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump.

Their wildly accelerated heartbeats rang out chaotically. Of course it was from surprise, but it seemed the reason they wouldn’t calm down quickly was something else.

Geez, why did you have to touch the chair, I thought I was going to fall backwards and got so scared…

There were many words tumbling around in Sun Eun Soo’s mouth, but she couldn’t utter a single one.

It’s too… close?

Kim Joo Han was leaning over with both hands firmly gripping the armrests, and Sun Eun Soo had wrapped her arms around his neck and was clinging to him in that instant, almost embracing him.

For a moment, they were frozen in place, their faces so close they couldn’t even take in each other’s entire face at once.

What broke the flow of the suffocating air was someone’s small cough.

“…Ahem.”

It was Oh Sun Kyung, who had just come up the stairs.

“Um, I’d like to pretend I didn’t see anything, but this is right in the middle of the office. And it’s almost time to go home – couldn’t you wait that long? That’s what I’m thinking.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Kim Joo Han and Sun Eun Soo hurriedly separated. Oh Sun Kyung smiled brightly, though only with her eyes, as she watched Kim Joo Han back away almost to the office wall and Sun Eun Soo quickly pull her chair up to sit straight at her desk.

“You’re quite bold. It’s amazing you’ve managed to keep your secret relationship going like this. No matter how I think about it, it’s strange. How have you not been caught all this time…?”

Muttering to herself in a way that clearly wasn’t meant to be a soliloquy, Oh Sun Kyung gathered some documents from her desk, gave a small bow, and went down the stairs.

Once again alone in the office, a silence mixed with an indescribable embarrassment hung in the air.

Bzzzzt.

A vibration sounded from a pocket. Kim Joo Han quickly answered the phone. It was Kim So Min asking where the CEO was.

“Oh, I’ll be right down.”

Seizing the opportunity, Kim Joo Han bolted out of the office.

Left alone, Sun Eun Soo remained still for a while before pressing her hand against her cheek. It felt so hot that she was sure it must be bright red, making her feel embarrassed all over again.

That evening, Sun Eun Soo, who left work a little later than the other employees, got into the car driven by Yoon Bin’s manager and headed to Yoon Bin’s house. It was the same manager who had come with them to before.

“The security procedures for entering the villa are quite strict, but this car and I are registered so we can go right in. Please understand even if it seems a bit excessive.”

“I’m grateful to get a ride in such a nice car and travel comfortably. I’m sorry for making you come all the way here.”

“Haha, it’s no problem.”

The manager, showcasing his professional driving skills befitting his job, parked the car in Yoon Bin’s villa parking lot and even escorted Sun Eun Soo to the private elevator before leaving. With only one house per floor, she was able to reach Yoon Bin’s home without encountering anyone else.

“You’re here. Come in.”

Yoon Bin, looking comfortable in casual attire, greeted Sun Eun Soo. She stepped inside, admiring the entrance from the start.

“This looks even bigger than your last place?”

“The size is similar, but the living room here is more spacious and open, so it might seem that way.”

Sun Eun Soo, her eyes sparkling, glanced around the house and placed the wine she had brought on the dining table.

“Thanks for inviting me, Yoon Bin.”

“I told you, you could have just come… This will go well with today’s menu. Thank you.”

Sun Eun Soo chuckled as she watched Yoon Bin examine the wine bottle with a smile.

“It’s amazing every time I see it.”

“What is?”

“Just, there’s something about you that makes even the most ordinary words or actions seem like a CF cut.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Yoon Bin laughed. Sun Eun Soo thought that probably anyone but Yoon Bin would understand what she meant.

“Did you cook everything yourself?”

“Yeah. I learned separately for that chef role in the last drama, and while I’ve been at home, I got bored and started doing it again. It turned out to be fun.”

“It smells amazing! Can I help with anything?”

“No, it’s almost done. Just take a look around the house or sit wherever you’re comfortable.”

Sun Eun Soo nodded and headed to the living room. She walked around with her hands behind her back, peering here and there, before smiling with satisfaction at the sight of the Siesta chair from .

“Are you using this chair well?”

“Of course. I practically live there these days. I read scripts there, watch movies there. Sometimes I fall asleep there too.”

“I’m glad. It still suits you well. And this house too.”

Seeing Sun Eun Soo’s genuinely pleased expression, the corners of Yoon Bin’s mouth also softened.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

They sat facing each other at the dining table. Even at a glance, the perfectly grilled steak, salad, and pasta looked appetizing. Sun Eun Soo, genuinely impressed, couldn’t hide her excitement as she took multiple pictures of the food before picking up her fork.

“This is amazing! It’s a shame I can’t brag that Choi Yoon Bin made this. I’m going to enjoy this, Yoon Bin.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

With the addition of wine, it became even more perfect. The two exchanged small talk about recent happenings as they ate slowly.

After roughly clearing the empty dishes, Yoon Bin brought out small dessert cookies and tea.

“It feels like I’m at a high-end course meal restaurant.”

“When I do something, I do it properly.”

Sun Eun Soo watched Yoon Bin’s playful smile for a moment before biting her lip. It was about time to bring up the topic.

“Um, Yoon Bin.”

“Yes?”

“I actually have something to tell you…”

Sun Eun Soo carefully broached the subject of her TV appearance. What kind of program it was, why she was planning to appear on it.

When the not-so-long story ended, the smile had completely vanished from Yoon Bin’s face.

Having lived a life where almost every daily moment is captured on camera, he usually maintains a gentle expression to the point of seeming slightly obsessive, but right now, even Sun Eun Soo flinched at how cold he looked.

“Work and love… A couple in an office romance for a year, you say.”

“……”

“So you’re saying it’s all fake?”

Sun Eun Soo nodded. Yoon Bin’s lips moved as if he was about to say something, then closed, and he slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“Sun Eun Soo, if something like that happened…”

“I meant to tell you earlier, but I was so overwhelmed that I’m only bringing it up now. I’m sorry, Yoon Bin.”

Sun Eun Soo quickly interjected, her eyes drooping at the corners. Yoon Bin looked at Sun Eun Soo with a complex gaze that he didn’t try to hide, then let out a short sigh.

“Do you really have to do this?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking if getting involved with Kim Joo Han again is the only way.”

Yoon Bin’s tone was sharper than ever before. Sun Eun Soo felt very uncomfortable seeing someone who usually wasn’t like this being so sharp.

“I know. I find it ridiculous too, but what can I do when the situation has turned out like this…”

“Sun Eun Soo.”

Yoon Bin gently pushed aside his teacup and placed his hands on the table, leaning his upper body towards Sun Eun Soo.

“From now on, if you have any difficulties, talk to me first. We might be able to find a better solution. Don’t try to endure everything on your own. Okay?”

“Alright. Thank you.”

As Sun Eun Soo nodded vigorously, Yoon Bin’s eyes, which had been tense all along, softened slightly.

“Okay, then let me ask one more thing.”