Juhan was holding a convenience store bag.
“Beer. I bought it on my way to drink and sleep well…”
“I want a can too.”
Juhan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Eunsu gestured pointedly at him as if she didn’t like his expression.
“A beer can too precious to share with a friend?”
“Your eyes don’t look like they’ll stop at just one. Greedy.”
“Oh, come on, greedy now?”
Eunsu pushed Juhan’s shoulder playfully. Juhan tsked and led the way up the stairs.
Eunsu followed him casually into the house. Juhan dropped his bag and carry-on at the door and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands.
Eunsu took out two cans of beer from the bag and put the rest in the fridge, looking to see if there was anything to eat. Except for water, the fridge was empty, probably cleaned out before the trip.
Eunsu asked Juhan, who had just come out of the bathroom with his sleeves rolled up.
“Did you really just buy alcohol? No snacks?”
“If I knew you’d be joining, I wouldn’t have bought alcohol at all.”
Though he complained, Juhan took out snacks like cookies and chocolates from his bag. He often bought such snacks for the staff to enjoy during his frequent business trips.
“This is the one you said was tasty last time, right? The one with cheese inside?”
Eunsu excitedly tore open the snack packet. Juhan chuckled, opened a can of beer for Eunsu, and then his own.
“I’m really just having this one and leaving.”
Eunsu and Juhan’s cans clinked together.
Eunsu took a hearty sip and playfully smiled.
“Nice, right? You’re grateful, aren’t you? Having a friend to drink with as soon as you return. Better than being alone at home.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“If you’re going to respond that insincerely, don’t bother.”
“……”
“Ah, no reply?”
“What do you want me to say?”
They exchanged various stories, from the business trip to the upcoming staff dinner.
After about 30 minutes, Eunsu stood up.
“You must be tired. Rest up.”
“It’s late. Take a taxi.”
“It’s only a 15-minute walk. The village bus is still running.”
“When you work late, just use the company card. In bad weather too.”
“Should I…?”
Eunsu casually opened the taxi app. It was the end of her shift when Juhan arrived, so technically, it was overtime.
After checking the app, Eunsu grabbed her bag.
“The taxi’s close. I’m leaving. See you tomorrow.”
Juhan saw Eunsu out to the front door. He listened to her footsteps descending the stairs, then closed the door and went to the window.
Eunsu crossing the front yard and getting into the waiting taxi was visible. He watched until the car merged onto the main road, then turned away and switched off the lights in the stairwell and garden.
The house suddenly fell silent, the two beer cans on the table catching Juhan’s eye before he moved away.
Having a friend to drink with as soon as you return.
Eunsu’s voice echoed in his ears. Juhan smiled silently.
Yeah, a friend.
The next afternoon, busy moving between the showroom and the office, Eunsu suddenly realized she hadn’t seen Juhan all day. Glancing at the clock, it was nearly three.
‘Still sleeping because of jet lag?’
Is he eating properly?
As someone who loves the sayings ‘three meals a day’ and ‘lavish feast,’ Eunsu naturally worried. She called him, but he didn’t answer. After two more calls, still no response.
“What’s he doing, sleeping so deeply…”
Eunsu stood up, intending to check on him at home, but Jaelim intercepted her on the first floor.
“Where are you going?”
“Manager Kim isn’t answering his phone.”
“He’s in the basement.”
“Oh, is he?”
Eunsu, about to head outside, changed direction towards the basement.
“Kim Juhan. Why aren’t you answering your phone…”
At the bottom of the stairs, Eunsu hesitated, stopping abruptly.
In the late afternoon sunlight, the space was serene.
Juhan was working alone. The soft music and the heavy scent of wood made it seem like an entirely different world from the showroom just a few steps above.
Juhan was, as usual, dressed in a loose short-sleeve T-shirt and jeans. The outfit could seem casual, but his broad shoulders and muscular arms meant he didn’t look scruffy at all.
In front of him was a chair. It was a vintage English wheelback chair, known for its wheel-shaped backrest.
He was firmly securing a wobbly leg with a tool, lightly sanding out minor scratches, then rubbing oil into the wood with a cloth, carefully refurbishing it as neatly as possible.
When Juhan had first taken over his father’s shop, he was virtually clueless. There were many trials and errors, but he learned the work astonishingly fast. Eunsu, who had seen his efforts firsthand, knew this better than anyone.
He studied every available material on vintage furniture, visited craftsmen to learn about woodworking and furniture in general.
At the same time, he traveled abroad to expand his business contacts, learning through direct experience. While Eunsu didn’t know much about this process, she guessed it was similar to the know-how he gained while working at a business consulting firm in the United States.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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