Boss, Our Promise was Different (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
When a sound calling out to him escaped Jae In’s sleeping lips, Do Hyuk’s breath caught in his throat.
‘Could she possibly be dreaming about me?’
Then, a hazy voice tickled his ears.
“Team Leader, you have to… definitely… keep your promise.”
She looked so adorable that a smile naturally formed on his face.
Gently brushing aside the strands of hair covering Jae In’s eyes, Do Hyuk murmured softly,
“Well… I’m not even sure myself if I’ll be able to keep that promise.”
The next morning, as soon as Jae In stepped into the office, Yeon Ji widened her eyes and asked,
“Assistant Manager, are you okay?”
“Why?”
“You look really exhausted. Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
“I did go to bed a bit late… Is it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
Yeon Ji nodded sympathetically.
And for good reason—Jae In’s eyes were bloodshot red, and her dark circles stretched all the way down to her jaw.
“You even took sudden time off—something must’ve happened?”
Jae In gave a bitter smile and replied,
“Yeah, something like that did happen.”
Well, there really *was* a lot of ‘work.’
She’d ended up working until 2:30 a.m. the previous night.
Though Do Hyuk had told her to head home first, seeing the pile of remaining tasks, she couldn’t bring herself to leave—it felt like they’d take all night to finish.
It was as if some kind of battlefield camaraderie kicked in—the kind that makes you unable to abandon a wounded comrade.
Thirty minutes later, drowsiness hit her hard, and she regretted working so late, thinking she’d done something pointless.
Still, there was one silver lining.
She’d been so absorbed in work that she never even had a moment to feel awkward about being alone with a man in an unfamiliar house.
It was such an absurd situation—normally, after work, she’d be rolling around lazily at home, but honestly, working felt better.
Anyway, it’d only last two months, so she could endure it.
Right, I’ll just think of the Team Leader’s house as my office.
I’ll imagine I’m heading straight to work as soon as I leave work. That’s all.
It’s like a Möbius strip—going to work over and over again….
Ugh, I’m already tired just thinking about it.
Yaaawn. Suddenly overcome with sleepiness, Jae In let out a big yawn.
Seeing Jae In’s eyelids drooping, Yeon Ji offered her own coffee.
“Assistant Manager, have this and perk up.”
“Thanks, Yeon Ji.”
“You took rare time off, yet you couldn’t even rest properly. What’s going on?”
Tell me about it. That’s just my luck.
Trying to fight off drowsiness, Jae In took a sip of coffee.
Just then, Section Chief Park—who couldn’t stand being left out—suddenly butted in.
“Assistant Manager Seo, be honest. Are you moonlighting after work?”
Pfft!
Jae In was so startled she nearly spat out her coffee.
Well, with the overtime pay included, it practically *was* a second job.
Section Chief Park had a knack for throwing out ridiculous remarks that somehow hit the nail on the head.
“No! That’s ridiculous. I just had some stuff going on at home.”
When Jae In jumped in protest, Section Chief Park took a sip of his instant coffee and scolded her.
“Goodness, it was just a joke—why get so serious? You’re acting like you’ve got something to hide.”
“H-hiding? Who’s hiding anything?”
“But speaking of which, why’s the Team Leader late today? He’s usually the first one in.”
“Oh, uh, he got called into an emergency budget meeting and went straight in.”
The moment Jae In answered casually,
everyone’s eyes instantly fixed on her.
Oops! Slip of the tongue.
“How would *you* know that, Assistant Manager Seo? I came in just before you and haven’t heard anything yet.”
Section Chief Park, who’d beaten Jae In to the office by a hair’s breadth today, narrowed his eyes and asked.
Jae In broke into a cold sweat trying to come up with a plausible excuse.
“I, uh… He called me while I was on my way in and told me to pass the message along to you, Section Chief Park.”
“The Team Leader? Why wouldn’t he just tell me directly? That’s strange.”
Yeah, it *is* strange.
Even I think it sounds suspicious.
Just then, as if to answer for the speechless Jae In, Section Chief Park’s direct line rang loudly.
“Yes, yes, I understand. Don’t worry about it.”
After hanging up, Section Chief Park stared at Jae In with a baffled expression.
“He says he’s in an emergency budget meeting and wants us to hold the morning meeting without him. He also apologized for not informing us earlier.”
Talk about perfect timing.
A cold bead of sweat trickled down Jae In’s forehead.
“Guess he forgot to pass along the message? Even our meticulous Team Leader has his careless moments.”
“If someone’s too perfect, they lose their humanity, right? Shall we head to the meeting now, Section Chief?”
“Oh, right. Everyone, let’s go to the conference room.”
At Section Chief Park’s words, everyone scrambled to their feet.
‘Looks like I got away with it.’
Jae In quietly let out a sigh of relief.
But wait.
Just when she thought she was in the clear, Na Hee narrowed her eyes and grabbed her by the ankle.
“Assistant Manager Seo, do you and the Team Leader secretly keep in touch?”
Huh—Jae In sucked in a sharp breath.
Calm down, heart, calm down.
“Ugh, what nonsense! I’m already scared just seeing him at the office. He scolded me so much while assigning work earlier, my ears are still ringing.”
“That’s suspicious. He’s never called me outside work hours, so why only you?”
Could that really be the issue?
Go ahead and be jealous.
Jae In was so flabbergasted she couldn’t even speak.
“Didn’t you say before that you and the Team Leader have some secret between you two?”
“Oh, right! Assistant Manager Seo, what’s that secret?”
Now even Section Chief Park, Na Hee’s perfect partner-in-crime, chimed in.
Flustered, Jae In forced a casual reply.
“Oh, I was just joking—how could you believe that? There’s no ‘secret.’ It was just work stuff.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I got swamped with work today, so overtime’s confirmed.”
Even as Jae In groaned, Na Hee didn’t let up.
Kang Na Hee, please just drop it.
“Hmm… Still feels fishy…”
Section Chief Park patted the visibly concerned Na Hee and said,
“Deputy Manager Kang, why worry so much? You know the Team Leader always gives Assistant Manager Seo extra work. Come on, we’re running late—let’s start the morning meeting.”
Reluctantly, Na Hee headed toward the conference room.
Jae In finally patted her racing heart.
That was close. I really need to watch my words from now on.
She wished she could just zip her mouth shut.
As Jae In trudged toward the conference room, her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Min Woo.
At lunchtime, Jae In and Min Woo sat at a corner table in the crowded company cafeteria.
Stirring his yukgaejang—the kind where meat was hard to find—Min Woo said,
“You refused when I offered to treat you to something better….”
“I like it here just fine. Oh, this looks delicious!”
Even as she said that, Jae In anxiously scanned the surroundings.
“Looking for someone?”
Min Woo asked cautiously.
He’d been bothered by Jae In’s constant glancing around ever since they met.
“Oh, no. It’s just busier than usual today.”
“It really is. You must be hungry—go ahead and eat.”
“Yes, I’ll dig in.”
Even while taking her first spoonful of rice, Jae In secretly glanced around once more.
She worried Do Hyuk might be nearby.
‘Don’t you know Team Leader Na Min Woo is Executive Managing Director Choi’s man? And Choi is my uncle’s loyal follower.’
Do Hyuk’s warning—*Don’t meet Min Woo alone*—had weighed heavily on her mind.
If they were seen together, misunderstandings were guaranteed.
Even knowing that, Jae In couldn’t refuse Min Woo’s invitation—she still felt guilty about what happened in the elevator.
Fortunately, Do Hyuk, who’d attended the morning meeting, hadn’t returned to the office by lunchtime.
‘Well, it’s the company cafeteria with plenty of coworkers around—it should be fine.’
Moreover, as far as Jae In knew, Do Hyuk had never once eaten in the cafeteria.
He couldn’t possibly survive on photosynthesis or air alone, yet she’d never bumped into him during lunch hours outside the office either.
In short,
the probability of running into Do Hyuk in the cafeteria was ‘zero.’
‘Then why am I so anxious?’
Her heart pounded so hard she couldn’t even taste the yukgaejang.
Seeing her distress, Min Woo asked with concern,
“Jae In, are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Team Leader Cha seems to be giving you a hard time. I saw him suddenly assigning you work right as you were leaving—it looked pretty harsh.”
“I’m fine. It’s just work.”
Jae In forced a bright smile, not wanting Min Woo to worry.
If only she could confess everything to Senior Min Woo—how freeing that’d feel.
“If anything’s bothering you, just tell me. I’ll talk to Team Leader Cha. Even though we’re on different teams, I’ve got more seniority—I can say a word or two.”
“No! Absolutely not!”
Jae In shook her rice spoon and cried out.
Senior, I’m so touched I could cry.
But if you want to keep your job, please don’t do that.
She worried Min Woo—already marked by Do Hyuk due to his ties with Executive Managing Director Choi—might get into trouble.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Is Team Leader Cha really that scary?”
“Scary? Not at all. If you get to know him, the Team Leader’s actually really kind. He may seem aloof on the outside, but he’s incredibly thoughtful behind the scenes.”
“Really?”
That’s a complete lie.
Please, Senior, don’t do anything.
The truth—that Do Hyuk was the Chairman’s grandson—struggled to burst out of her mouth.
Jae In swallowed hard and changed the subject.
“By the way, have you decided how you’re going to propose?”
“I actually wanted to discuss that too.”
Min Woo crinkled his nose shyly.
“Seo Yeon must be so lucky. If she knew how hard you’re preparing, Senior.”
“You think so? Haha.”
Seo Yeon was Jae In’s college senior, whom she looked up to like an older sister, and she’d been dating Min Woo for seven years.
Though pressured by their parents to set their wedding date for next March, they still hadn’t had a proper proposal.
Min Woo had been seeking Jae In’s advice, having witnessed their relationship from the start.
They’d even discussed potential gifts at a café last week—that’s when Do Hyuk had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
“After thinking it over, I feel a necklace would be better than a ring.”
“Good call. I casually asked Seo Yeon, and she mentioned a new design from her favorite brand just came out. She said there are lots of pretty ones but held off because they’re expensive. I’ll send you the link later.”
“Really? She never mentioned it to me.”
Min Woo looked noticeably relieved now that his dilemma was eased.
“Just let me know anytime you need help.”
“You’re the only one I can count on, Jae In. Thanks.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Then, Jae In—do you have time tomorrow evening? I need to check something out.”
“Oh, tomorrow evening…?”
He wanted her to help pick out the necklace.
She’d gladly help for Seo Yeon’s sake, but she was stuck—what excuse could she possibly give Do Hyuk?
While Jae In was lost in thought, Min Woo looked past her and said,
“Huh? Team Leader Cha.”
Jae In, who’d just let her guard down, jerked in surprise at the mention of Do Hyuk.
“Why are you suddenly talking about our Team Leader?”
“Don’t just stand there—have a seat.”
The moment Min Woo finished speaking, a tray *thudded* down beside Jae In.
“Then I’ll join you.”
The person who plopped down next to her
was none other than Do Hyuk—the person whose presence in the cafeteria had a ‘zero’ probability.
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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