“Then I will trust only Managing Director, no. Only our CEO Cha.”

The head of Chahan Media Marketing Department bowed deeply in greeting.

“I won’t be the one to punish him, but let’s just say it’s his own doing.”

Si Heon politely bowed his head.

“Executive Director Kang Tae Hyun is absolutely unqualified for the position of Managing Director.”

The HR manager standing next to him frowned as if still not fully satisfied.

“Yes, Manager Jung. I will investigate thoroughly and take appropriate measures without fail.”

Si Heon got into the car, leaving behind the two men bowing once more in greeting.

The meeting had gone on longer than expected.

When news spread that Tae Hyun would be promoted to Managing Director, the head of Chahan Media Marketing and the HR manager contacted Si Heon.

Whether they had negative feelings toward Tae Hyun before, they strongly objected to the fact that Tae Hyun would be promoted to Managing Director.

Their complaints, almost like lamentations, revealed Tae Hyun’s misdeeds that had gone completely unnoticed until now.

“Jang Woo. Look into everything from the application process to hiring for Kim Se Yeon, who joined HS Capital’s Management Support Office through special recruitment. Also check the history of contact between Managing Director Kim Hyun Ho and Kang Tae Hyun.”

– Managing Director Kim Hyun Ho?

“Kim Se Yeon is Managing Director Kim Hyun Ho’s daughter.”

– Ah… I understand.

After hanging up, Si Heon checked his watch. It was just past 10 o’clock. He thought about calling So Yi but decided against it. She said she was meeting a friend today, so he shouldn’t disturb her.

Si Heon headed straight to Chahan Hotel, as Ji Wook had just suggested they have a quick drink at the lounge.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Hye Na! Wake up a bit.”

As he entered the lounge, a familiar voice was heard.

“Jin So Yi?”

So Yi, who was shaking Hye Na’s shoulder as she lay slumped at the bar, turned her head.

“CEO?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah… Hye Na is staying here, but… she’s drunk and won’t get up.”

Hye Na seemed deeply intoxicated, showing no signs of waking up.

“Cha Si Heon! Oh? Jin So Yi is here too.”

Just then, Ji Wook, wearing a black baseball cap pulled low, approached Si Heon from behind.

“Ji Wook, you came at the right time.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s an employee of our company and is staying at this hotel. Could you carry her to her room?”

“Me?”

“I can’t carry her since I have a girlfriend.”

“Hey, I’m a celebrity!”

“Chahan Hotel’s security is good. You can trust it. You’ve got your hat on well too.”

Si Heon handed Hye Na’s room key that So Yi had been holding to Ji Wook.

“Then I’ll ask you this favor. My girlfriend looks quite drunk right now too.”

With his arm around So Yi’s shoulder, Si Heon left the lounge without looking back.

“Why did you drink so much… Jin So Yi?”

As Si Heon reached forward to press the elevator button, he felt something bump against his back.

“Jin So Yi?”

Si Heon firmly held her shoulders to prevent So Yi from collapsing as her legs gave way.

So Yi, who was already quite drunk, seemed to let her guard down completely upon seeing Si Heon. In the end, Si Heon had to carry her.

“Wait! Let’s go together!”

Just as they were about to enter the elevator, Ji Wook appeared carrying Hye Na. Ji Wook gave Si Heon a look of reproach as he stepped into the elevator.

The elevator doors closed smoothly. The image of two men standing side by side, each carrying a woman, was reflected on the elevator doors.

[This is the timeline separator]

Carrying So Yi into his suite, Si Heon gently laid her down on the bed in the room used as a dressing room.

Judging by her flushed cheeks, she must have drunk quite a bit.

Si Heon sat on the edge of the bed, quietly gazing down at the sleeping So Yi.

“Quite the drinker, aren’t you. Always getting drunk.”

He should have been angry and irritated at her careless drunken state, but she just looked pretty.

Her neatly arranged eyebrows above her gently closed eyes, her smooth nose bridge, her plump red lips.

Her soft breathing sounds were so lovely that he wanted to hold her and fall asleep together.

Si Heon quietly reached out his hand and stroked So Yi’s hair.

His fingers naturally slid down to caress her cheeks, then moved towards her lips.

As he was gently stroking the edge of her soft, plump lips, So Yi stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

“CEO…?”

Si Heon froze for a moment, like someone caught doing something wrong.

But soon So Yi smiled brightly and reached out both hands to grasp Si Heon’s hand that had been caressing her lips. Then her next words made Si Heon’s heart start pounding.

“I like you.”

She said she liked him with her eyes curved into crescents. Though her voice was slurred and slow, it sounded clear and distinct to Si Heon’s ears.

“More than Choi Ji Wook?”

Si Heon asked. But So Yi closed her eyes without answering.

“Haa… You should answer before falling asleep…”

After uttering those words of affection with such a lovely expression, So Yi succumbed to her heavy eyelids and fell asleep again.

Meanwhile, Si Heon’s heart began to beat wildly.

With one hand still firmly held by So Yi’s two hands, he kept brushing his other hand over his mouth.

He had received countless confessions of liking him before. He had heard not only “I like you” but also “I love you” numerous times.

This drunken confession from So Yi was probably the most insincere confession he had ever heard, yet his heart was pounding uncontrollably.

Had the words “I like you” always been so heart-fluttering?

Si Heon sat there for a long time, barely daring to breathe for fear of waking So Yi, who was holding his hand tightly as she slept.

[This is the timeline separator] [Brother. I’ve hung a shopping bag on the door. I’ll be waiting in the parking lot.]

6 AM.

After checking Jang Woo’s message, Si Heon picked up a simple silver cufflink with black accents and fastened it to his wrist.

Si Heon had instructed Jang Woo to contact the VIP shopper at Gangho Department Store to buy women’s clothes, underwear, and stockings.

The room where So Yi was sleeping was still quiet, possibly still asleep.

Si Heon finished tying his tie and put on a black vest as he headed to the entrance.

After placing the shopping bag that was hanging on the front door in front of So Yi’s room, he sent a message.

[I have some work to do, so I’ll leave first. Be ready by 8 o’clock. I’ll send Jang Woo back here.]

Zing.

So Yi’s phone rang with Si Heon’s message, and shortly after, the sound of the front door closing was heard.

So Yi, who had been pretending to sleep with the blanket pulled over her head, finally pushed open her heavy eyelids.

Perhaps because it was dawn before sunrise, everything was dark. She sat up, trying to calm her throbbing head.

As her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, the unfamiliar room’s interior slowly came into view.

So Yi blinked her large eyes as she organized her thoughts.

Yesterday, she had beer with Hye Na for the second round, and they headed to the Chahan Hotel lounge for a third round.

The cocktail called Cosmopolitan that Hye Na recommended was attractive with its refreshing and clean taste, but it was quite strong, probably because vodka was the base.

After the last Cosmopolitan cocktail, Hye Na had lowered her head.

“So the CEO came… and asked actor Choi Ji Wook to take care of Hye Na… and I… Oh no!”

One phrase stood out clearly in her fragmented memories.

She had thought about showing her feelings more honestly, as Hye Na had suggested.

‘I like you.’

She had shown her feelings quite honestly indeed.

[This is the timeline separator]

Si Heon headed straight to the headquarters to attend the morning planning meeting after arriving at work.

“Although the churn rate, which had been rapidly increasing due to personal information leaks, is now showing a decreasing trend, the new subscription rate is still significantly low. This is a time when we need to focus on attracting new members more than ever, so please take a look at the screen for a moment.”

As Si Heon spoke, the employees seated around the conference room turned their eyes to the screen that had descended at the front of the room.

“This proposal is from Jin So Yi, Assistant Manager of the Compensation Support Team in the Customer Service Center.”

Si Heon continued smoothly.

The proposal suggested introducing a rate plan with a per-data unit price lower than the high-cost rate plan segment, and a strategy to build communication networks in multi-facility areas with high call volumes, in-building, or on highways and transportation means.

As Si Heon finished speaking, Choi Tae Won, the Managing Director of the Wireless Communications Business Division, adjusted his glasses and asked,

“If it’s about increasing new subscriptions, wouldn’t it be better to expand our partnerships to offer more diverse services?”

“If we present customers, who are already sensitive about personal information, with consent forms asking them to agree to provide personal information in exchange for new partnership services, who would readily agree to new subscriptions?”

As Si Heon responded in a firm voice, nods of agreement could be seen here and there.

“That’s why we’re proposing to create a new rate plan. Simply. A basic rate plan without any partnership services.”

“Well, if they’re not offered any discounts or points, will customers subscribe?”

“That’s why we’re suggesting adding optional services later, so they can receive the services they want. Since they might want them later, we propose a method where they can choose and subscribe to the partnership services they want.”

As Si Heon finished speaking, Yu Kyung, who had been examining the materials Si Heon had distributed earlier, nodded and said,

“It sounds good, CEO Cha. The rate plans we’ve launched so far have been too inflated. We’ve also provided customers’ information to too many places.”

“That’s right. I also think all the proposals mentioned by CEO Cha earlier, including the new rate plan proposal, are good.”

As Si Yeon added her opinion, the rest of the executives also nodded in agreement.