“In fact, my dad told me to keep this information to myself, so I hope you don’t tell anyone else, Mother. Even to Heeuk. Got it? Let’s keep it between us.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. I understand.”

Malhee replied with an excited expression she couldn’t hide.

At that moment, the door opened.

“What were you two doing?”

Heeuk, holding a tray, poked his face into the room. Malhee hid the phone behind her, and Hyunji got up with a welcoming gesture.

“Oh? No, nothing. What’s going on, Oppa?”

“Nothing, just… Mom, have some tea.”

Heeuk entered the room with two cups of tea.

“Yeah. Thanks. Our son.”

When Heeuk offered the tea, Malhee received the cup with a smiling face. Soon, Heeuk suggested tea to Hyunji as well.
“Hyunji, you too, have some tea. It’s Chinese matrimony vine tea. It’s good for the liver and energy recovery.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Heeuk’s action of lifting a tray and offering a teacup seemed somewhat unstable. Inadvertently, he poured the tea onto Hyunji’s left hand.

“Oh!”

“Oh, Hyunji. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Heeuk, surprised, quickly grabbed tissue and rushed to Hyunji. One of Hyunji’s hands got wet, but luckily, the tea wasn’t hot.

“Geez, Oppa, you’re so mean!”

Hyunji complained and rushed to the bathroom, with Heeuk following.

Hyunji took off the ring on her left hand to wash her hands. Heeuk, following Hyunji, picked up the ring and exited the bathroom.

“Where could the ring cleaner be? I’ll wipe it for you.”

It was actually an excuse.

During this time, Heeuk took the opportunity to switch the fake ring with the real one.

Hyunji, coming out of the bathroom, glanced at Heeuk.

“Are you okay? Is there anywhere else wet?”

“I don’t know. Hmph.”

Heeuk found Hyunji’s pouting cute and handed her the real ring. Taking the ring, Hyunji, with a puzzled expression, looked at her left hand.

“…Huh?”

“Huh? Why?”

Swallowing a dry spit, Heeuk asked.

“Because you cleaned it, Oppa, the ring seems newer!”

Phew. Heeuk breathed a sigh of relief internally.

“But, Oppa, did my hand get smaller in the meantime? The ring feels looser than before.”

“It could be. Let’s go for maintenance this week.”

Having accomplished the mission, Heeuk had a thoroughly relieved expression.

Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Knock, knock, a knocking sound.

“Director Lee, here’s the TF team’s task division and schedule.”

Soeun visited Taehoon’s home office, holding the task division sheet.

As soon as Taehoon saw Soeun’s face, he lifted his hands from the keyboard and stood up from his seat. It was one of the changes that occurred since he and Soeun became close. Every time she appeared, he greeted her as if he were genuinely glad to see her. Each time, Soeun felt nervous as if it were the first time.

This time too, Soeun closed her eyes tightly and hunched her shoulders.

Approaching closely, Taehoon withdrew his hand, which had been reaching for the documents in Soeun’s hand.

“What were you expecting?”

He teased Soeun, who had become dumbfounded by him doing nothing.

“Oh, nothing. I didn’t expect anything.”

“Really? Then I won’t make a fuss.”

With a nonchalant attitude, his arms around her shoulders went inward. Trapped in his firm arms, Soeun was helplessly drawn into his embrace. With her comfortably nestled against his chest, his hand that had roamed from her head down to her waist began to dig into her waistband.

Even as he continued to read the report Soeun brought, the naughty man skillfully indulged his desires. Afraid that making a fuss and making noise might draw more attention, Soeun tightly gripped the tail of his shirt, expecting more.

At some point, when his hand dropped, a sigh like a breath escaped her lips. Now that she could have an accident, the feeling of revulsion came first as he was the naughty man who had done this.
“Director Lee.”

“…….”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Why did you stop talking?”

When Soeun opened her mouth but swallowed her words, Taejoon smiled slightly and asked. Even that smile looked a bit wicked.

Being an experienced man, it was possible to guess just from such brief moments. Soeun felt overwhelmed every moment she wanted to pursue, but the speed was simply unattainable. It was unfair and frustrating for Soeun.

“Director Lee seems proficient in everything, really.”

“What did I do?”

“Anyway, it’s too… provocative.”

“No, I’m innocent.”

He answered nonchalantly. Soeun rolled her eyes. Taejoon took advantage of Soeun’s reaction without mercy.

“The provocative one is Ms. Han Soeun.”

“I’m not like that at all.”

“When it’s dark, I think of only Ms. Han Soeun and go crazy.”

Closing the gap again that had opened up, he said to her reddening ear. Soeun’s mouth, which was open to retort, snapped shut.

“I couldn’t turn off the light when I slept. Because of someone.”

“…….”

“Where did you learn such things?”

What should I do about this? I’m not that kind of person. Turning off the light is just because I have my reasons.

The time to confess my reasons had come, but Soeun hesitated. His innocent smile seemed truly enjoyable, and she didn’t want to break that smile.

Just a little more, I want to enjoy this happiness.

Inside Han Soeun, an eager lover seeking love struggled.

During the brief conflict, the opportunity for confession had slipped away. Taejoon quickly switched to work mode, reviewing the task division sheet and adding his comments.

“Ms. Han Soeun and Manager Jang Eunpyo often work together, and Ms. Park Bora often organizes the computer when they do.”

“First, we’ve divided the tasks like that, but we’re planning to work together as much as possible.”

“Don’t stick too close together. With Manager Jang Eunpyo.”

“…….”

“Then I could bother Manager Jang Eunpyo.”

His joke sounded so sincere that Soeun shivered.

… How is he going to bother Manager Jang Eunpyo?