Behind Ji Yeon, the sound of dishes crashing and breaking in the room could be heard, but Ji Yeon didn’t care.
Upon arriving at the company building, Ji Yeon, finding it hard to calm her heart, headed straight to the rooftop garden.
Perhaps because lunch time was over, the rooftop garden was quiet with everyone gone.
Still, just in case, not wanting to be exposed to anyone, she went to a corner behind the emergency exit, a spot they used to call the secret space when she found it with Juyeon.
Because it was behind the emergency exit where people hardly ever went, it was out of sight when getting off the elevator.
No one seemed to know about it, so there was always no one here when she came.
“Why don’t you come here and cry when you get scolded by the boss or have a fight with a colleague, Manager? Let’s keep it a secret so it doesn’t become known, just between the two of us!”
It was something Juyeon had jokingly said.
But unfortunately, someone was already in their secret space.
The person sitting on the bench, staring blankly at the view from the rooftop, was Kang Hyun.
Life is about timing, they said.
Why is he always there when my heart is so weak?
Feeling Ji Yeon’s gaze, Kang Hyun slowly turned his head.
“Ms. Ji Yeon?”
He called out to Ji Yeon with a happy face, but soon his face hardened, sensing that Ji Yeon’s atmosphere was not normal.
She thought she would be fine, but upon seeing Kang Hyun’s worried look, she suddenly choked up and tears streamed down her face.
‘Three years was really nothing. I lived among these people.’
Even Chairman Cha Seung Jo, the one person she wanted to believe was different, once she knew his true colors, it felt like a thin thread of something that had barely remained was completely severed.
‘I want to believe that my past three years were not wrong…’
She was angry, wronged, and sad… A mix of emotions hit her all at once.
Ji Yeon, who had bravely held on without crying even in front of her family, overflowed with tears when she faced Kang Hyun.
He did not ask anything and came forward, pulling her in and hugging her quietly.
Then Ji Yeon, feeling his warmth, wept even more like a child.
“It’s okay… It’s okay.”
Kang Hyun hugged her tighter and comforted her by rubbing her back.
In the end, Ji Yeon sobbed with her shoulders shaking.
When her crying finally subsided after a long time, Ji Yeon suddenly came to her senses.
“I’m sorry, Chief.”
When Ji Yeon tried to pull away from Kang Hyun’s embrace, he held her tighter.
“You can’t hold back your sadness. There are times when you just have to cry without thinking about anything.”
At those words, her tears welled up again.
How could he be so considerate?
“How lucky you are. Having such a wonderful man ready to comfort you whenever you need.”
Kang Hyun smiled and patted his shoulder while looking at Ji Yeon.
“Thank you, Chief.”
Ji Yeon was careful to use Kang Hyun’s name at the company in case she made a mistake.
“I’m the one who should be thankful. I got to hold you, Ji Yeon. Can you stay in my arms a little longer? I want to ask for that.”
Kang Hyun spoke in a teasing manner and once again held Ji Yeon in his arms.
Ji Yeon laughed sniffling, her eyes swollen from crying.
“Do you know what happens when you cry and then laugh?”
“Oh come on. That’s such an oldfashioned joke!”
Nonetheless, Ji Yeon laughed at the antiquated jest.
Kang Hyun seated Ji Yeon on the bench.
“If we go right now, everyone will know you’ve been crying, Ji Yeon. So, let’s stay here and calm down a bit. Your eyes… they are quite swollen.”
“Really? Oh no, I can’t let it show.”
“Don’t worry too much. You look like a cute frog.”
“…..!”
Upon hearing Kang Hyun’s words, Ji Yeon immediately checked her face with her phone.
Her eyes were indeed heavily swollen like a frog’s.
“I was going to say ‘Boss, you’re too much… but my eyes really do look like a toad’s.”
Kang Hyun handed her the cold canned coffee he had.
“Hold this against your eyes. You can drink it too.”
“Thank you.”
Ji Yeon took the canned coffee and unknowingly stared at the scenery outside.
Kang Hyun sat quietly next to her, not asking anything.
“Thank you for not asking anything.”
“That’s your right, Ji Yeon. You choose when you want to talk, and when you don’t. Don’t feel pressured either way.”
Ji Yeon, surprisingly, began to speak at that.
“During my marriage, there was one person in his family who was kind to me. Only they were kind to me during those hard times. But I realized that their kindness was not meant for me.”
As Ji Yeon spoke, her sobs returned and Kang Hyun raised his hand to gently pat her back.
“I discovered it was all pretense for the sake of family affairs, and various complicated things… Despite not being able to continue believing otherwise, I just confirmed it a while ago. It felt like the world was crumbling more than when my husband did wrong. Even though I thought everything was over with that household.”
“I suspect it’s because of the feeling of betrayal. You held them in a high regard in your heart as a good person, only to find out they were worse than anyone else. Ji Yeon, it’s okay to cry. It’s a situation where it’s enough to be sad.”
Ji Yeon cried out again. It was as if a faucet was broken and water was leaking uncontrollably.
“Sniffle… they were… the only good person. Sob sob.”
Kang Hyun, worried about Ji Yeon crying like a child, comforted her for a long time.
“Let’s work from home today. We can do what we need to do online. I will bring your laptop in my car, so let’s go straight there.”
Ji Yeon wanted to say no, but if she went to the office like this, she felt that she would cause more harm because people would be more concerned about her.
“Thank you, Boss. I will ensure that I do not cause any trouble due to personal matters in the future. Never again.”
“Don’t worry about it. Then let’s meet in your car in 10 minutes.”
“Thank you.”
Kang Hyun rose from his seat first.
Ji Yeon couldn’t understand why she was crying.
Why were tears falling for the relationships that were already over, what kind of lingering feelings remained for them?
After taking several deep breaths, Ji Yeon too rose from her seat and headed towards the parking lot.
Ten minutes later, Kang Hyun brought Ji Yeon’s laptop to her car.
Along with a message that Deputy Ju Yeon was very worried.
“I told her that you looked quite unwell today, so I have allowed you to work from home. She must have been worried.”
“I will contact Deputy Ju Yeon separately later. Thank you for your help, Boss.”
As Ji Yeon greeted him, Kang Hyun affectionately patted her head.
“Everything will be fine. Be careful on your way home and let’s meet online later.”
“Yes.”
As Kang Hyun watched Ji Yeon drive out of the parking lot, he did not leave his spot for a while.
And then…
There was another person standing far away, glaring at them with a burning gaze.
lu lu lo la ▪️ net (lululola.net)
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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