Date Me! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13

A moment later, the elevator arrived, and the two stepped inside side by side.

While the elevator ascended, Assistant Manager Lee recalled Joo Won’s gaze from yesterday—how he had stared at her.

That look in his eyes as he placed his hand on Assistant Manager Seo’s shoulder…

It resembled the predatory glare of a beast instinctively wary of another male rival.

They claimed to be old friends, yet…

Just thinking about that gaze made her certain Joo Won didn’t truly see Assistant Manager Seo merely as a friend.

After all, how could any man view someone as sweet and pretty as Assistant Manager Seo strictly as a friend?

But then… what about that man himself?

His statuesque height like a model’s, his face sculpted as if by an artist.

The moment she remembered the face that had instantly reduced her to a squid, she felt herself sinking into the deepest abyss.

Lost in gloomy thoughts, Assistant Manager Lee sighed unconsciously, prompting Lee I Na to look up at her.

Assistant Manager Lee offered an awkward smile just as the elevator stopped at the 6th floor.

Lee I Na, who got off alongside her, bowed briefly in front of HR.

“Well then, take care, Assistant Manager Lee.”

“Yes. You take care too, Assistant Manager Seo.”

Assistant Manager Lee gave a slight nod and headed toward the sales team.

Back at her seat, Lee I Na turned on her computer and let out a sigh.

Though she’d given Joo Won Park Jung Hoon’s details yesterday, she still worried whether Park Jung Hoon would truly back off cleanly.

She was also anxious that something unpleasant might happen before it was all finally over.

‘Surely it won’t get even messier than this…’

Shaking her head, Lee I Na stood up with her mug.

Having worked nonstop all day to distract herself from uneasy thoughts, she suddenly realized it was already well past 6 p.m.

Just as she began preparing to leave, her phone suddenly rang.

The screen showed an unknown number.

She ignored it and continued packing up, but the phone rang again.

Feeling uneasy, Lee I Na glanced at the screen, then stepped into the emergency staircase to take the call.

“Hello?”

—Lee I Na, it’s me. It’s me.

It was Jung Hoon’s voice.

She squeezed her eyes shut, about to hang up, when his urgent tone stopped her.

—Lee I Na, please don’t hang up! I called because I absolutely have to tell you something. Please, just hear me out, okay?

Annoyed by his pleading tone, Lee I Na snapped back.

“Now you’re even calling from someone else’s phone? What? Wasn’t making a scene yesterday enough for you? Are you really so desperate to act like a lunatic again?”

—No, that’s not it… Lee I Na! I swear I’ll never show up in front of you again! Seriously!

Fearing she’d hang up, Jung Hoon quickly added, almost shouting.

“What?”

—I won’t appear before you ever again, and I’ll never contact you either. This call is our last conversation. I’ll be extremely careful—double and triple careful—so we never run into each other by chance. Okay? So please, forgive me. I’m begging you.

His voice sounded as though he’d kneel down on the spot if he were right there.

Surprised by Jung Hoon’s sudden shift in attitude, Lee I Na frowned and fell silent for a moment.

What… is going on here?

Proud, stubborn Park Jung Hoon would never act like this… unless—

Suddenly, she remembered Joo Won mentioning yesterday that his cousin was a highly capable lawyer.

Had he already taken action?

But could it take effect this quickly? What exactly did he do?

At this rate… he’s not just a lawyer—he’s practically Aladdin’s genie!

—Lee I Na, are you listening? Please, just look at me once. Please, okay?

Convinced she was about to hang up, Jung Hoon pleaded again in a panicked voice.

Lee I Na exhaled a long sigh and finally spoke.

“How am I supposed to believe you?”

—Huh?

“How can I trust your word? You’re the same person who caused a scene right at my workplace—what else might you do?”

—No, never! I truly won’t appear before you again! This really is the last time I’m contacting you! If you want, I’ll even write a formal written pledge, okay?

“A written pledge? You expect me to look at your face again just to receive it—right now?”

—No! If you don’t want to see me, I’ll write it and submit it to your lawyer instead. Okay? So please, just forgive me. Please don’t sue me. Okay?

Ah… so that’s it. He called solely to beg her not to sue him.

Jung Hoon, who worked at a prestigious financial firm and prided himself on his flawless life without a single blemish, viewed a lawsuit as a personal stain, even a humiliation.

Taking a deep breath, Lee I Na spoke again.

“Fine. I’m recording this call right now—consider it your verbal written pledge.”

—Huh?

She tapped the recording button and brought the phone back to her ear.

“Last Friday evening, you took me to meet your old classmates, right? And right in front of them, you asked me how many guys I’d slept with—am I correct?”

—Huh?

“Answer me.”

—Yeah… that’s right.

“After I left because of that, you chased after me and tried to drag me back—right?”

—No… that was…

“And you know full well that your elbow hit me then and split my lip open, don’t you?”

—No, that was… I was just trying to hit that crazy bastard and accidentally—

Lee I Na squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.

“What? ‘Crazy bastard’? Should I go pull the CCTV footage from that day and submit it to the police station? Let’s hear what they say about who the real lunatic is!”

—No! No! I’m the crazy one! You’re absolutely right!

Jung Hoon hurriedly agreed in a flustered voice.

Lee I Na exhaled deeply and continued.

“Then on Monday morning, you showed up in front of my apartment, right? Even though I told you never to appear again, you came back that evening and caused a ruckus—didn’t you?”

—That… that was…

“Answer me.”

—That was… because you were with that guy…

“What?!”

Lee I Na snapped so sharply that Jung Hoon flinched audibly on the other end.

“Didn’t I already tell you I only met him again that day because of you? Can’t you even believe that? Should I dig up proof and shove it in your face? If it’s confirmed I’m not two-timing, what will you do then? And what about the damage you caused to my reputation yesterday by screaming ‘filthy woman’ right outside my office? How do you plan to fix that? Huh?”

—Lee… Lee I Na…

Jung Hoon stammered her name in a panicked voice.

“During our relationship, you were obsessively possessive and suffocating. I have witnesses who’ll confirm it, plus objective evidence like call logs and message records. And yesterday’s scene outside my office? I can easily obtain the CCTV footage.”

She heard Jung Hoon gulp nervously on the other end.

—Lee… Lee I Na. Just trust me once. I swear I won’t show up before you or contact you ever again.

So please, just forgive me once. Okay?

Lee I Na let out a deep sigh drawn from her core before speaking.

“If you break even one word of what you just said, I won’t just sue you—I’ll absolutely refuse any settlement. And I’ll use every means available to twist the ‘perfect’ life you’re so proud of beyond recognition. Understood?”

—Yeah… I understand.

“Don’t contact me ever again after this moment.”

Lee I Na hung up ruthlessly.

The moment she ended the call, her heart began pounding wildly.

Would it really… end like this? Would she truly never get entangled with Park Jung Hoon again?

Clutching her racing heart, she took a deep breath and returned to the office.

“Assistant Manager Seo, aren’t you heading home yet?”

Eun Jung, just stepping out of the office, asked Lee I Na.

Glancing at the clock, Lee I Na saw it was already past 6:40 p.m.

“Oh? Yeah, I should go. You head out first—I’ll leave in a bit.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow then.”

“Yeah.”

Back at her desk, Lee I Na shut down her computer and tidied up when a message arrived.

It was from Joo Won.

—I’ll be about ten minutes late. Come down slowly.

—Got it.

She finished organizing her things, sat for a moment, then left the office ten minutes later.

Joo Won’s car was parked a short distance away.

Dressed sharply in a navy suit, tall and handsome Joo Won gave a small wave.

Lee I Na offered a faint smile and walked over slowly, whereupon Joo Won opened the passenger door for her.

“Thank you.”

As she fastened her seatbelt, Joo Won asked,

“Anything unusual happen today? Did that guy contact you or anything?”

“…He did call. From an unknown number.”

Joo Won’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Oh?”

“…Yeah.”

“What did that bastard say?”

Hesitating for a moment, Lee I Na slowly replied,

“I don’t know what exactly my cousin did… but I recorded Jung Hoon’s promise that he’d never appear before me or contact me again.”

Joo Won fell silent for a beat, then asked,

“You recorded it?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I listen to it?”

“Sure. Hang on.”

Lee I Na pulled out her phone, located the recording, and handed it to Joo Won.

[Last Friday evening, you took me to meet your old classmates, right? And right in front of them, you asked me how many guys I’d slept with—am I correct?]

The moment her voice played, Joo Won immediately hit stop.

His brows furrowed deeply as he let out a surge of anger rising from his core.

“This bastard… seriously, what trash! He actually asked you something like that?”

Lee I Na bit her lip tightly and nodded, prompting Joo Won to exhale a long, heavy sigh.

“Man… seriously… where the hell does this piece of garbage crawl out from…?”

Glaring ahead as if Park Jung Hoon stood right before him, Joo Won resumed the recording.

After listening quietly to the end, he exhaled deeply and handed the phone back to Lee I Na.

She took it wordlessly.

Still visibly furious, Joo Won stared ahead for a moment before sighing again.

“You did well to record it. But you still need to be careful for a while—he might get drunk and show up again out of the blue.”

“No, I don’t think so. His voice sounded like he’d beg on his knees if he were right here. I’ve never heard Park Jung Hoon speak like that before. I really think he won’t contact me again.”

Joo Won swept back his bangs and exhaled another deep sigh.

“That he buckled so easily from just one call to a lawyer… that he’d dare treat you so disrespectfully despite being such a pathetic worm—it just infuriates me…”

He bit his lip and clenched his fist tightly.

Lee I Na silently watched his clenched fist, then gently placed her hand over it.

“…You won’t have to see that guy again, so don’t worry too much.”

Joo Won glanced once at her hand resting on his, then lifted his head to meet her gaze.

As their eyes locked, Lee I Na offered a soft smile.

That gentle smile seemed to gradually cool the volcanic rage boiling within him.

“…Alright.”

He answered softly, gently holding the hand she’d placed over his.

Lee I Na looked down silently at their joined hands.

Staring at Joo Won’s large, warm hand, her heart suddenly fluttered.

‘…Why does my heart keep racing like this?’

Wondering at her own heartbeat, Lee I Na slowly turned her head away.