This was the third time she got a ride in Director Kim Tae-joon’s car. The first time was when he offered to take her to meet Hee-wook, and she reluctantly agreed, only to be left halfway. The second time, he took her home, but she was verbally attacked in front of her house. Now the third time.

She reluctantly got in the car this third time, but what will happen now? Will she be verbally attacked over dinner and left behind?

‘Think of the worst-case scenario. Anything will be better than that.’

So-eun imagined the worst, wondering when Tae-joon would drop his mask and turn into a real maniac. The Kim Tae-joon in her imagination had a lighter, more humorous expression, making her secretly smile a little.

Tae-joon glanced at her a couple of times.

The car reached its destination in silence. She thought it would be the place where they got the eel rice bowl, but it was somewhere So-eun had never been.

Seeing the fancy exterior of the restaurant, So-eun recalled what Tae-joon had said at the office.

‘Did he really bring me here because he has no one else to eat with?’

Still, he could eat alone if he’s hungry. Don’t bother your subordinates.

She felt a bit sorry for him, but the thought of how uncomfortable it might be made her uneasy.

“Let’s go in.”

Tae-joon led the way. So-eun followed him as he guided.

Tonkatsu 28,0 Cold Soba 18,0 Udon 17,0 Tamago Sushi 2pc 6,0…….

Why is it so hard to add two more zeros? The prices seemed deceiving, hiding a few zeros, dampening So-eun’s appetite.

The cheapest, egg sushi, was 6,000 won for two pieces. A set of ten pieces was 25,000 won.

She thought he wouldn’t ask a subordinate to pay, so she considered ordering the egg sushi set, but thinking of the worst-case scenario, she chose the safer option.

“I’ll have the udon.”

“This place is known for its sushi.”

I want to, but I haven’t eaten raw food since the surgery.

“I don’t like sushi.”

“Then I chose the wrong place.”

“It’s okay. I like udon.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Tae-joon nodded.

Just as her colleague Park Bo-bae said, Kim Tae-joon’s tone was somewhat kind. But it was a shallow kindness. It felt like he was responding properly out of politeness, like an AI in automatic conversation mode.

Depending on the situation, the other person could easily interpret it as mocking.

She wanted to advise him, but So-eun had only one life and couldn’t risk it.

Soon after, Tae-joon placed an order.

“Two udons, please.”

So-eun broke into a cold sweat. It was an unexpected order.

“No, Director, please eat what you want.”

“I also feel like eating that.”

How lonely must he be to adjust everything just to have someone to eat with.

He was an enigma.

After pushing her so hard yesterday, today he was acting as if he had never done anything like that, gentle and mild.

But she felt like she might understand him.

‘No wonder he has no friends, being so fickle.’
Feeling a bit sympathetic, So-eun also became somewhat more amiable. She felt that she could match his efforts. So-eun was inherently a kind-hearted person.

Shortly after, while waiting for their 17,000 won udon, a time of interview-like questions began.

“Do you encounter difficult customers in service jobs? What’s the percentage?”

“There are no difficult customers. I believe all customers are precious.”

“Don’t make things up.”

“……If there are customers beyond my care, I guess I meet about one per week.”

“What kind are they usually?”

“I often hear complaints that new cracks appeared on devices after leaving them at the center. Some complain about why they don’t get free repairs on faulty phones still under contract. Others outright demand a new replacement. And some threaten to report to the news or the consumer protection agency if we don’t do it for free.”

“Who was the scariest customer you’ve ever had? The most memorable one?”

It was the most normal and constructive conversation they had had so far. Director Kim Tae-joon, showing concern for his employees’ difficulties, was quite impressive today.

After some thought, So-eun answered.

“It wasn’t a difficult customer, but I had a scary experience. A customer asked to fix their phone, and when I turned on the screen to check… their naked body was the wallpaper. I dropped it right away.”

“Didn’t you report it?”

“That’s… they covered the… sensitive parts…”

He burst into laughter.

So-eun was serious, but he laughed.

“I had to pay for the phone.”

“That must have been unfair.”

“…….”

“I should compensate for that.”

He added another comment, seemingly apologetic for laughing at something said seriously. Anyway, his laughter made him seem normal. No, not exactly normal. His face was incredibly handsome. So-eun quickly realized that his beauty combined with a smile could evoke feelings that weren’t there before.

Her heart fluttered, and her humanity cautiously blossomed.

Is he regretting being harsh to me yesterday?

Feeling sorry for calling me a person without self-esteem? Treating me well, buying me a meal, engaging in conversation, and actually listening?

That would be nice.

So-eun was someone who never gave up hope in people.