Between Us is X (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 4
“I got curious. The more I read the articles, the more I understood how much my father loved vintage furniture and how sincere he was about this work, but I still didn’t get it. What was so great about it, why he liked it that much.”
Ju Han, with a fresh look in his eyes, lightly tapped the armrest of the chair I was sitting on with his fingertips.
“Now that I’ve actually come here and seen it…….”
Because I ended up seeing you.
Because you said you knew my father.
Because I realized I had shared a story with you that I’d never heard before.
Ju Han raised his head. Under the beam of light pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling window, the light that made even dust sparkle, there was Eun Su.
“It doesn’t feel like something that can be wrapped up that easily… and there are still things I want to know more about, so I decided to stay.”
In the quiet space filled with the distinctive scent of old wood, Eun Su, who had somehow been listening to Ju Han as if enchanted, quietly nodded.
But the calm and normal conversation ended there.
“Anyway, because of your article my heart changed and I became the CEO, so I think you bear some responsibility too.”
“You’re talking nonsense. I’d rather talk to that 70-year-old drawer cabinet over there than talk to you.”
“Can’t you take just a little bit of responsibility?”
Ju Han put on the most pitiful expression he could muster.
“Be honest, it bothers you too. Those documents.”
“It does bother me, but that doesn’t mean I’m obligated to help fix it. Well then, good luck with everything, our newly arrived CEO…”
Eun Su stood up from the chair and headed for the stairs. Ju Han quickly followed and lightly grabbed the hem of her clothes.
“Eun Su.”
Eun Su glared at him as if to say, Aren’t you going to let go? Ju Han didn’t back down and continued.
“You said everything here is a treasure. I still don’t have eyes as good as yours— are you really okay with all of it turning into junk?”
“It’s not even my treasure, so why would I care.”
Even as she said that, Ju Han didn’t miss the slight tremble in Eun Su’s eyes.
“Since you’re already here, how about taking a look at the employment contract too?”
He then flashed the cringeworthy-compliment smile he once gave her— the one where he’d said, “Don’t smile like that, you’ll make me want to hand over the deed to a house I don’t even own.”
“I can guarantee there won’t be a single thing in it that bothers you.”
[This is the timeline separator]That evening, Sol Hee couldn’t believe her ears when she got a call from Eun Su.
“Is this Hollywood? You’re really going to work with your ex? You were so cool when you broke up, why didn’t you say anything.”
Sol Hee spoke without holding back.
“Anyway, the one thing that never changes is how soft you are only with Kim Ju Han. I don’t know what he begged you with, but there’s no way I’d do it. And it’s not even me using him— I’d be the one getting hired? That’s insane.”
— You’re right. He must be crazy. He says he’ll pay me double what I used to make.
“Uh… really?”
He’s crazy in a pretty nice way, then?
Sol Hee’s tone softened dramatically.
“It might not be Hollywood, but it’s still a capitalist society. If the current benefit is significantly greater, I think there’s no need to be tied down by the past. Unless there was cheating or violence or something. Wait, why did you two break up again?”
— …It wasn’t cheating or violence.
“Good, then it’s fine.”
Once Sol Hee cheerfully gave her approval, Eun Su’s voice brightened too.
— He kept begging me, saying he needs my skills, so I had no choice— really no choice—but to accept. If I left him alone he’d probably ruin this precious place completely. Anyway, it’s an emergency right now, so I’m helping out on humanitarian grounds, and I’ll change jobs within three months.
Sure, sure, Sol Hee finished the call and muttered to herself.
“I bet three months will turn into three years and then thirty.”
[This is the timeline separator] [Again, twenty-nine]The late afternoon sunlight poured into the showroom of . Long shadows stretched behind the neatly arranged furniture.
Among the shadows left on the gray floor like abstract paintings, there was one moving lightly. It belonged to Eun Su and Section Chief Oh Seon Kyung, who were looking around the entire showroom.
“Then shall we rearrange this section next week?”
“Yes. I think that would be good. After closing on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we can do inventory at the same time.”
“That should work. Oh, and also…”
Eun Su and Seon Kyung discussed a few more things.
Section Chief Oh Seon Kyung had been working at since before Ju Han became CEO. She was two years older than Ju Han and Eun Su, making her the most senior by age.
If Eun Su handled showroom management, planning, and marketing, Seon Kyung oversaw all the paperwork including finance and accounting.
“Then I’ll head up to the office first.”
“Okay.”
Seon Kyung went up to the second floor first, and Eun Su continued looking around the showroom.
Part of the first and second floors of were the showroom; the remaining space on the second floor was used as an office by Eun Su, Seon Kyung, and staff Jae Rim.
The basement served as both storage and workshop. It was also where Ju Han and another staff member, So Min, mainly worked.
Somehow she had wandered into , and before she knew it a year had passed, she had become section chief, and now two years had gone by.
After going through all sorts of things while the new CEO settled in, had become a much more special place to Eun Su than she expected. Having shared that process with the staff, something like camaraderie had formed, which made it even more so.
Ding-a-ling, the ceramic ornament hanging above the entrance door made a clear sound. Seeing a regular customer just walking in, Eun Su approached with a bright smile.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Thanks to you. I was a bit busy for a while, but now I finally have some time, so I stopped by. To refresh myself and to see you, Chief.”
“Thank you.”
After warmly greeting Eun Su, the customer started looking at the chairs near the entrance and suddenly asked,
“Is CEO Kim in the workshop?”
“He’s on a business trip to Northern Europe.”
“Oh my, really? I’m already excited for the container to arrive.”
“I told him to sweep up everything good, so please look forward to it.”
The customer, smiling pleasantly, added casually,
“It really feels like everything has settled down now. You worked really hard.”
Eun Su answered with a smile.
This customer had been coming since the time of Ju Han’s father, and unlike some regulars who stopped visiting after the owner and atmosphere changed, they continued to come without fail. As an enthusiast, they also gave big and small advice.
Section Chief Jang Hyun Man, who had openly shown hostility toward Ju Han from the beginning, ended up leaving the company after only two months when Ju Han refused to do things his way.
But he didn’t just quit— he took veteran staff and business contacts with him and opened another vintage furniture shop called . Naturally, many customers were pulled away.
At , only Seon Kyung remained among the original staff, along with Eun Su.
Three people weren’t enough, so they hurriedly posted job ads and hired So Min, and Eun Su brought in Jae Rim, a younger acquaintance. Meanwhile, Ju Han had to spend more than half of his first year overseas searching for new suppliers.
Now that things had somewhat stabilized again, the staff often praised themselves just for not running away and holding on.
Some said it was regrettable compared to when CEO Kim Gyeong Hoon was here, but others said it had become much trendier.
“Chief.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Eun Su turned her head. Staff So Min was standing near the entrance.
Over 170 cm tall, with the solid build typical of someone from the physical education department, wearing loose joggers and sneakers, short and neat hair— So Min raised the truck key in one hand.
“I’ll go make the delivery.”
“Okay, drive safely.”
“Yes.”
Watching So Min walk away, the regular customer cautiously asked,
“I’ve always been curious but thought it might be rude, so I didn’t ask… Is that staff member a pretty boy or a handsome woman?”
Eun Su laughed.
“She’s a female staff member who is both pretty and handsome and does her job very well.”
“I see. Ah, that clears it up.”
Thanks to her androgynous appearance and husky voice, people sometimes mistook So Min for a male employee.
A former judo athlete, she was strong, and thanks to her father running a woodworking shop, she had extensive knowledge of wood, so she handled furniture care, repairs, deliveries, etc., together with Ju Han.
After the customer stayed a bit longer and left, the couple who had gone up to the second-floor showroom earlier came down. Jae Rim followed behind them.
“Thank you for looking around. Please come again.”
“Thank you. Feel free to come browse anytime.”
Jae Rim responded politely to the woman’s greeting. While seeing the couple off as they left, the man’s voice clearly came through the closing door.
“Wow, I really don’t get it. Why buy used furniture when you can buy new for this price?”
The woman was seen hitting the man’s arm and saying something. Eun Su and Jae Rim looked at each other and shrugged without needing to say who went first.
“Well, some people do think that way. The ones who believe furniture must be brand-new without a single scratch.”
“That can happen. Still, I should write a blog post. Something like the charm of vintage furniture that can’t be compared to new pieces.”
Jae Rim pretended to type on her phone at invisible speed. Eun Su let out a small laugh.
Jae Rim was someone Eun Su had met while doing a different part-time job before getting hired at a magazine company; she had the looks of someone from theater or modeling but was actually from visual design.
She had originally aimed to become an MD at a fashion select shop, but got dragged by Eun Su into and ended up handling store displays and managing ’s SNS. Thanks to her sociable personality, she was also good at customer service.
“Please finish checking the showroom. I’ll be in the office, so call me if you need anything.”
“Got it.”
Eun Su headed to the second floor as well. She sat down at her desk, positioned diagonally across from Seon Kyung’s, and immediately started working.
In two weeks, a meeting was scheduled with the person in charge of the Danish furniture brand .
Although almost unknown in Korea, the company released furniture designed by the furniture designer ‘Marsi Medsen’, whom Eun Su had liked for a long time.
That’s why Eun Su had put in effort from all sides to secure the exclusive Korean import contract for , and with difficulty managed to set up the meeting. She hadn’t missed the rare chance when the only Korean employee at headquarters was visiting Korea after several years.
The desk at Eun Su’s spot was also from . A rosewood desk made in the mid-1950s.
‘When you came before, you seemed to like this desk the most.’
On the day Eun Su first came to work at , when she saw the desk placed at her spot and asked what it was, Ju Han had said that.
It was a rare item from her favorite designer, so she had stared at it in wonder for a while. She thought she hadn’t said anything and had controlled her expression, but apparently it had all shown.
Eun Su lightly shook her head to brush away the random thought and focused on work.
“Chief, aren’t you going home?”
Lost in concentration, she suddenly heard Seon Kyung’s voice. Realizing it was already closing time, Eun Su smiled and waved.
“Everyone go ahead. I’ll finish this and leave.”
While Seon Kyung tidied up, Jae Rim and So Min also came up. After saying see you tomorrow, the three went down the stairs together, and Eun Su quickly finished the remaining tasks.
“…Done.”
She pressed save and turned off the computer, then stretched long. Before she knew it, it was deep into the night.
Eun Su hurriedly grabbed her bag, turned off the second-floor lights, and went down to the first floor. She turned off the showroom lights and was locking the door when she heard a presence behind her. Startled, she turned around and her eyes widened.
“What the. Why are you here?”
Ju Han was coming in, pulling a carry-on with one hand.
“Why am I here— it’s my house.”
“Didn’t you say you’d be back around next Tuesday?”
“Things finished a bit early.”
“Did you find a lot?”
“I was going to come back after wrapping up in Copenhagen, but nothing felt right, so I went to Helsinki instead and unexpectedly scored some good stuff there.”
“That’s a relief.”
Ju Han looked a little tired from the long flight. Eun Su pointed to the outdoor stairs of the building.
“Then hurry up and go rest.”
On the rooftop of the building, the penthouse-like attic was Ju Han’s home.
“Why are you only leaving now?”
“I had some things to finish today. By the way… what’s that?”
Eun Su pointed to what Ju Han was holding in the hand that wasn’t pulling the suitcase.
When the male lead is punished by carrying the female lead’s child and having periods like a woman
“I’ve given birth to two children for you, yet you still think about him.
Was I nothing but his substitute to you from beginning to end?”
Synopsis:
Meng Huan, a scumbag who has dated countless girlfriends, transmigrates to a female-dominated country.
Day 1: Whether it’s female dominance or not doesn’t matter. The beauties here are passionate and amorous. Isn’t it easier to date them than in modern times?
Day 2: After a night, Meng Huan discovers the differences in the female-dominated world. Men here actually have chastity locks and menstrual cycles. This hinders his ability to perform, damn it!
Day 3: What’s wrong with sleeping around? I don’t want you to marry me. I’m meant to be a playboy. I don’t care about male virtues… What? You want to drown me in a pig cage? Marry, I’ll marry!
Day N: Meng Huan inexplicably vomits and receives the shocking news of his life… He’s pregnant.
_____
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