Did I Ever Love You? (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
“What? Your house, Department Head?”
She parroted back, thinking she must have misheard, and stared at Kang Hyun with wide eyes.
“Let’s go to my place and work together. It’ll be easier to head home right after we’re done. At this hour, we don’t have much time left to revise, and if we want everything finalized and reviewed before the morning meeting, emails or calls would just be too cumbersome.”
“Oh… alright.”
Since Kang Hyun said it so casually, Ji Yeon somehow felt it made sense.
“Manager Eun Ji Yeon, did you bring your car today?”
“No, I walked today.”
“Then let’s gather your things right away and take my car.”
They soon arrived at their respective homes, quickly freshened up, and agreed to meet at Kang Hyun’s place in thirty minutes.
‘Going to the Department Head’s house this late… is this really okay? But given the circumstances, saving time this way is probably the best choice. Still, it’d be even weirder if he came to my place.’
Ji Yeon had so many thoughts swirling in her head, but she quickly shook her head to clear them away.
Then, without wasting any time, she took a quick shower, changed into comfortable training clothes, and grabbed her laptop.
*Ding-dong—*
Just as Kang Hyun stepped out into the living room after showering, Ji Yeon arrived.
“Come in.”
A refreshing body wash scent wafted from Kang Hyun as he opened the door for her.
“Have a seat. Let’s work over there at the table. Is decaf coffee okay?”
Kang Hyun’s home was as neat as his personality—filled with clean, minimalist modern furniture and not a single unnecessary detail.
“Yes, Department Head. Thank you.”
Without wasting another moment, the two immediately got to work.
Since Ji Yeon had to update the file Joo Yeon had been working on as well, she focused with all her might.
By nearly 3 a.m., after finally finishing all the file updates and receiving Kang Hyun’s approval, she felt like she could float up to the sky.
Now all that remained was to receive and merge the files from Manager Seol and Staff Member Go.
Just in case, Ji Yeon set an alarm on her phone for thirty minutes before the online meeting with the U.S. team.
“Great job, Manager Ji Yeon.”
Kang Hyun beamed as he praised her.
It was the first time Ji Yeon had ever seen him smile like that.
‘Wow… why is he so handsome?’
At 3 a.m., exhausted and with rational thinking slipping away, Ji Yeon’s heart fluttered at Kang Hyun’s smile.
“I have another call with the European team, so I’ll step out for a moment.”
“Understood.”
Kang Hyun’s schedule seemed absolutely brutal—a relentless march forward.
Day after day, he barely had a break, constantly holding calls and meetings with overseas teams.
‘Even though he spends so much time with our team due to this project, he oversees many teams under the Strategy Planning Division…’
About ten minutes later, Kang Hyun returned to find Ji Yeon dozing off, slumped over the table.
It was more than understandable—she’d had every reason to be exhausted.
He briefly considered waking her to send her home, but since the meeting with the U.S. team was still over four hours away, he decided it was better to let her sleep.
Carefully, Kang Hyun lifted Ji Yeon and laid her down on his bed.
*Beep-beep— It’s 7:30 a.m.*
Ji Yeon’s eyes snapped open.
That was the alarm she’d set for thirty minutes before her video call with the U.S. team.
“What? 7:30 a.m.? Has it really gotten this late already?”
For a moment, she stared blankly around the room.
“But… where am I?”
A few seconds passed before she realized this wasn’t her room—her eyes widened in shock.
She’d fallen asleep last night without even realizing it and had no memory of how she ended up in this room.
“Oh no, Eun Ji Yeon, how did you manage to fall asleep like this?”
Ji Yeon quickly got up and stepped out of the room—only to run right into Kang Hyun, who’d just finished showering.
“Department Head, I’m so sorry! I fell asleep without even noticing. I’ll check the files right away—I’ll quickly review Manager Seol’s and Staff Member Go’s files too.”
Her voice was hoarse from just waking up, sounding odd, but she tried her best to sound crisp and alert.
“It’s fine. I already checked each file and merged everything into the final version. Everyone prepared their parts so perfectly that no revisions were needed at all. The meeting’s in twenty-five minutes—you should at least splash some water on your face. I left a new toothbrush in front of the mirror.”
Hearing this, Ji Yeon’s eyes widened even more, and she dashed straight into the bathroom.
At the sight of herself in the mirror, she let out a groan.
The back of her hair was wildly tangled like a bird’s nest and puffing out dramatically, and her eyes were extremely puffy.
“Mom! Look at this mess—how am I supposed to face the Department Head like this?!”
Because the upcoming meeting was so important and required intense mental effort, Kang Hyun couldn’t sleep at all.
Since it was Saturday, he figured he could catch up on rest after the meeting if needed.
So, to loosen up his stiff, overworked muscles, he exercised early in the morning.
After his workout and shower, he ran into Eun Ji Yeon—her eyes swollen, her hair a bird’s nest—as she was explaining work matters.
She was channeling her usual sharp, no-nonsense “Manager Eun,” speaking crisply despite her hoarse voice, but her face and hair completely mismatched that image—making her look utterly hilarious.
Yet, somehow, that ridiculousness was also incredibly cute.
At work, she projected a cool, quiet image—someone who left no room for mistakes—but in everyday moments, she occasionally showed a clumsy, endearing side.
‘Cute, Eun Ji Yeon.’
He didn’t realize it himself, but this was the first time in a long while that Kang Hyun had shown interest in a woman.
It was still early morning for office workers who’d fought hard all week—8 a.m. on a Saturday.
But Kang Hyun and the task force team had already started their meeting with the North American team.
This was their first concept presentation meeting with the North American planning team, aimed at communicating the plan to expand sales of the newly developed product into the North American market.
Although Kang Hyun’s team represented headquarters and the others were from a branch office, the North American market was so large and sensitive that coordination with their team was always essential before launching any new product or advertising campaign.
The meeting was flawless—perfectly prepared materials, the team’s hard work, compelling delivery, and Kang Hyun’s presentation, which earned him the nickname “Demon of Presentations,” all came together seamlessly.
And perhaps divinely inspired was Ji Yeon’s puffy-eyed face, visible on the video call.
“Oh my God! Kang Hyun, what happened to her face? Is she sick?”
The North American team director asked in alarm the moment he saw Ji Yeon.
“No, it’s because she and her teammates had to generate new data every night due to your constant last-minute requests and changes. For the past five days, they’ve barely slept. You should thank them—and us—for producing such excellent results despite all those constant revisions.”
“Kang Hyun and team, we’re really sorry. We did our best, but we realize now we caused you a lot of inconvenience. Next time, we’ll organize our communication better and give you more lead time for materials. Your effort and dedication produced a perfect deliverable. We fully understand your concept, and we now feel confident we can launch sales in North America with the same concept. We’ll prepare thoroughly.”
“I hope you do.”
It was the moment the project team’s hard work finally paid off.
Of course, even more intense moments undoubtedly lay ahead.
Around 10 a.m., when the meeting ended and the North American team left the call, Kang Hyun expressed his gratitude to his team.
“You all did an incredible job. A great start—looking forward to what’s ahead. You’ve put in so many late nights lately, and even worked through this weekend. Please come in only in the afternoon on Monday.”
“Thank you! Department Head, you worked so hard too!”
The tension from the meeting instantly vanished, and Ji Yeon slumped face-down onto the table.
It had been so long since she’d been in such a meticulously intense meeting—apparently, she’d been more nervous than she realized.
“Great work. Both your preparation and your presentation today were outstanding.”
“Thank you, Department Head. You look like you haven’t slept—you must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine. By the way, your English was quite impressive during the meeting—seems like you’ve been practicing consistently.”
“Thank you. I still have a long way to go, so I’ve started studying again recently. There are so many good apps and online resources these days, so I’ve been studying alone at home, but without a speaking partner, my progress is slow. Once this busy project wraps up, I’m seriously considering joining an English institute.”
“I see. If you need one, just say the word—I’d be happy to be your speaking partner anytime.”
“Huh?”
“You said you don’t have many chances to practice speaking English and would appreciate a partner, right? I’m offering—if you need one, just let me know.”
Kang Hyun closed his laptop and looked at Ji Yeon.
“I’m not a native speaker, but my English is pretty solid—I’ve even been told my pronunciation is quite good.”
Ji Yeon found herself nodding unconsciously at Kang Hyun’s confident words.
Of course she knew the Department Head’s English was excellent.
His pronunciation flowed so smoothly—like a native speaker slathered in butter—and his eloquence was undeniable.
“Yes, I really appreciate even just the offer, Department Head.”
“I’m serious, not joking. Lately, my only chance to speak English is during overseas team meetings, so I’ve actually been needing a speaking partner myself—this works out perfectly. Language skills fade if you don’t keep speaking and practicing regularly. What are you doing tomorrow? If you’re free, how about practicing over lunch for an hour or two? I’m happy to do this every weekend.”
“Oh… wait, tomorrow?”
“Ah—do you have a date with your boyfriend on weekends?”
“No! I don’t have a boyfriend! Sure, lunch tomorrow works!”
Ji Yeon realized too late she’d agreed a little too hastily.
“Great. If there’s anything you’d like to eat, let me know in advance—I’ll figure out where to go.”
“Okay… thank you, Department Head.”
“Then, shall we have breakfast and part ways? Do you need to leave right away?”
“No, breakfast sounds good.”
Ji Yeon couldn’t quite wrap her head around how quickly everything had been decided.
English practice with the Department Head? Over lunch every weekend?
Was this really okay? Does he not have a partner—or does he have one with incredibly understanding patience?
Her mind flooded with chaotic thoughts—until suddenly, a savory aroma hit her nose.
“I’ve lived alone for a long time, so I can whip up simple meals pretty easily. It should be decent—though I’m not great at Korean food…”
“I’m excellent at Korean food, so don’t worry about that at all! I’m confident!”
Before she even realized it, Ji Yeon had shot her right hand up in the air.
But the moment she became aware of her impulsive gesture, she quickly clamped her mouth shut with a “Hup!” and lowered her arm.
‘Why did I say I’m great at Korean food and even raise my hand? Eun Ji Yeon, you’re so sleep-deprived you’ve lost your mind.’
She shook her head in deep regret—but it was already too late.
Kang Hyun, clearly amused by her words and actions, threw back his head and laughed loudly.
“That’s great news. When I want Korean food, I’ll count on you, Manager Ji Yeon. I’m looking forward to it… neighbor.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What for? I had fun thanks to you. Now, the food’s ready—let’s eat.”
Still smiling at Ji Yeon’s sulking expression, Kang Hyun placed the dishes in front of her.
Steaming scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast sat deliciously arranged on a large plate.
She took a big bite, and the perfect sweet-salty balance made a satisfied “Mmm~” escape her lips before she could stop it.
Seemingly forgetting her earlier embarrassment, Ji Yeon was now thoroughly enjoying the delicious meal.
“This is amazing, Department Head! It’s melting in my mouth.”
“I’m glad you like it. I’d love to try your Korean cooking soon—please invite me over quickly.”
“Oh! Yes… Korean food.”
The pleasant conversation and tasty breakfast lifted her spirits—but inevitably, exhaustion hit her all at once, as expected after staying up all night.
She hadn’t slept much lately, and now that the meeting stress had lifted, fatigue washed over her.
“Department Head, that was absolutely delicious. Let me do the dishes.”
“No need. Someone comes every weekend to clean, and they’ll be here shortly to tidy up. Go rest now.”
“Understood. Then I’ll head home now. Thank you so much for the amazing breakfast, Department Head—it was truly delicious.”
“I enjoyed eating with you even more. And great job in the meeting. See you soon.”
“Tomorrow? Ah, yes. English practice. See you then.”
With an awkward smile, Ji Yeon got up and headed home.
Just minutes earlier, she’d been so exhausted she could’ve fallen asleep the moment she lay down—but now, no matter how hard she tried, sleep wouldn’t come. Instead, her mind kept replaying the earlier scene, and she kept kicking her blankets in frustration.
“Why does he keep popping into my head?”
Even with her eyes closed, the unrealistically handsome face of her beaming Department Head kept appearing before her, making her shake her head from side to side.
It took her a long while to finally fall asleep, unable to erase his image from her mind.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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