Whether it was because of the kiss with Si Heon last night, So Yi had been in a dazed state all day as she continued her work.

As the end of the workday approached, Team Leader Kwak came over to So Yi’s desk.

Team Leader Kwak, with an extremely angry expression and his eyes narrowed, shouted loudly.

“Jin, are you crazy!?”

“…Pardon?”

So Yi stood up from her seat and faced Team Leader Kwak, too shocked to respond.

“I told you to go meet the customer and apologize, and you bought them a new phone?”

The customer they met in Incheon last time had finally escalated the issue.

It seemed that they had been bragging to friends about the new Daehan Electronics phone that Si Heon had bought and sent, saying they got it by filing a complaint with H Telecom.

The story quickly spread everywhere, and customers began filing complaints for minor issues, demanding new phones as compensation one after another.

“Jin, do you have that much money? Did you win the lottery? Or were you really meeting with the CEO for money?”

“Team Leader. Aren’t you going too far with your words?”

So Yi raised her eyebrows at Team Leader Kwak’s absurd words.

“I’m saying this because it just doesn’t make sense no matter how I think about it. Just yesterday, I saw you two standing in front of the elevator, both looking cold towards each other. It didn’t look like you were dating at all, but you were bragging about receiving expensive gifts from the CEO. On top of that, you silenced a customer you made a mistake with using high-value compensation.”

The rumor that filing a complaint with H Telecom resulted in receiving a new phone as compensation had spread even to the media.

It seemed that a disciplinary committee would be convened, and Team Leader Kwak was spitting out whatever came to mind due to being on edge.

“That phone, I bought it for her.”

Just as Team Leader Kwak was about to open his mouth to say one more thing with his brow furrowed in irritation, Si Heon appeared from behind and spoke.

“And Team Leader Kwak. Don’t cross the line.”

“What…?”

“The words you just spat out, you should know well how dangerous their level was.”

Si Heon approached and stood next to So Yi, who had turned her head towards the window.

“Is there a problem with me wanting to buy nice things like necklaces and clothes for my girlfriend?”

As Si Heon’s low voice rang out, the office immediately began to stir.

So Yi turned her head sharply to look up at Si Heon.

“We had a bit of an argument yesterday. That’s why things were awkward in front of the elevator, but was that enough to raise such suspicion?”

What is this man saying now?

When he should be wrapping things up, why is he making the situation even bigger?

As So Yi gritted her teeth inwardly and slightly furrowed her brows, Si Heon looked at her and said,

“When we compensated that customer with a phone, we had them sign an agreement not to speak about the compensation at all, but it seems the customer wanted to personally experience how effective that agreement was. It looks like I’ll have to meet with the customer again.”

“You’re going again…?”

“Team Leader Kwak. Please process Jin So Yi’s external work approval within 10 minutes so she can come down to the underground parking lot. Ah, and understand that she’ll be going home directly after the external work.”

After finishing his words, Si Heon turned and left the office.

“Oh my, Ms. Jin! Was it true?”

“So Yi, you’re really dating the CEO! Then did you fight because of Yeon Ri Na and take off the necklace?”

As soon as Si Heon left, the employees who had rushed over bombarded So Yi with questions again.

“For now, Jin. Submit your external work approval and go.”

Team Leader Kwak, his face flushed red, sat down at his desk hurriedly and spoke to So Yi.

So Yi, who had been standing in a daze for a moment, slightly bowed her head in greeting before returning to her seat.

Throughout the entire journey to Incheon, the two of them were silent.

The events of yesterday were swirling in their minds – how they had been so cold to each other at the company all day, and then suddenly last night, he had come and showered her with kisses.

Unable to ask why he had come to find her, why he had kissed her, So Yi had fled home, which only added to the awkwardness of the situation.

After a long, suffocating silence as they continued towards Incheon, So Yi suddenly brought up a different topic.

“Why did you say those things?”

“What things?”

“We’re going to break up anyway, so why did you say I was your girlfriend…?”

“Who said we’re breaking up?”

So Yi’s heart pounded at Si Heon’s resolute voice.

“When the contract ends…”

“Seems like you didn’t review the contract thoroughly.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s clearly written in the contract. The contract period can be extended or shortened according to the requester’s demands.”

So Yi’s eyes widened.

“No, I don’t remember anything like that.”

Si Heon gestured with his chin towards the glove compartment in front of So Yi.

“If you don’t believe me, read it again.”

So Yi opened the glove compartment and took out the documents inside, unfolding them.

It was a copy of the contract she had signed before.

So Yi’s eyes widened as she slowly began to check the contract.

“No… how is this…?”

As Si Heon had said, the clause about the contract period stated that it could be extended or shortened according to the requester’s demands.

Just as So Yi, who had momentarily lost focus, was about to shake her head and speak, Si Heon slowly parked the car in front of a cafe and said,

“We’re here. Get out first. Let’s meet the customer and then talk again.”

Si Heon got out of the car with a cold expression, without even a hint of a smile.

Extending the contract period?

Then what about Yeon Ri Na?

There was a mountain of words rising to the tip of her tongue, but for now, So Yi followed Si Heon out of the car and into the cafe.

Inside the cafe, the person who claimed to be Si Heon’s lawyer had already arrived and was waiting.

As soon as the customer saw Si Heon with the lawyer, they bowed so low their head nearly touched the ground, repeatedly apologizing.

“I only told a few of my friends… I told them strictly not to tell anyone else… I really didn’t know it would blow up like this. I’m so sorry, CEO.”

“I’m not interested in how many friends you told. Because of the rumor you spread, not only has my girlfriend been put in a very difficult position at her company, but if this issue is brought up again at next week’s board meeting, I’ll be in an even more difficult situation. I have no intention of letting this situation slide with just an apology.”

“Then… what would you like me to do?”

The woman asked, looking as if she would crawl on the floor if told to do so.

“You must be aware that it’s already spread to the media. If it becomes known that it was a phone I sent you, don’t you think I’ll be criticized again as someone who tries to solve everything with money? Like, ‘After trying to cover up the previous incident with money, now he’s trying to carelessly handle customer complaints with money too.’ I think I’ll hear criticisms like that.”

Si Heon’s eyes grew cold as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.

“Ah, no. I didn’t tell anyone that you personally gave it to me, CEO. And I won’t in the future either.”

“How can I believe that? I think it would be best to just follow what was written in the agreement. Don’t you agree, Attorney Park?”

Remembering the clause stating that if the story about receiving the phone as compensation was leaked, they would have to pay ten times the price of the phone, the woman spoke again with a tearful expression.

“I’m sorry. I really won’t let this happen again. I truly won’t tell anyone, not even my family.”

Instead of answering, Si Heon just let out a faint, mocking laugh without saying anything.

Then, slowly pulling himself forward and placing his interlocked hands on the table, he said,

“Then let’s write another agreement. Whether you send it to reporters or spread it widely on SNS, an agreement stating that you will testify that you never received such compensation from H Telecom’s customer service.”

“What…?”

“You don’t like it? Then talk to my lawyer as written in the agreement.”

“Ah, no! I’ll do that!”

The woman answered, bowing deeply as if prostrating herself.

Watching her tremble and panic over a single agreement, So Yi felt a bitter taste in her mouth, wondering if she had looked like that too.

So Yi turned her head slightly to glance at Si Heon sitting beside her.

His gaze, looking down at the woman writing another agreement through the lawyer, was sharp enough to cut.

Over his gaze towards the woman, the expression he had when looking at her on the day she wrote the contract naturally overlapped with his current expression.

That day, he had been smiling at her.

Just as they were leaving the cafe after finishing their business, a call came in from an unknown number.

− Hello, are you Jin So Eun’s younger sister? I’m a reporter from Kyungil Daily working with your older sister. Your sister was in a traffic accident while returning from an interview…

Seeing So Yi turn pale upon receiving the phone call, Si Heon asked what was wrong. Upon hearing the news of So Eun’s accident, Si Heon immediately drove So Yi to Yongin.

“No… It’s nothing serious, you didn’t have to come all this way.”

So Eun said sheepishly as she saw So Yi enter the emergency room with a shocked face.

It seemed So Yi had been quite startled because she couldn’t be reached, as her phone had been broken in the accident.

“Sis, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. At first, they thought my bone might be broken and I might need surgery, but after the test results, they said it’s just a fracture. They said I probably won’t need surgery. But who is this person next to you…?”

While listening to So Eun say she was fine, So Yi was looking around at So Eun’s plastered foot, and only then did she come to her senses and introduce Si Heon.

“Ah… Our CEO.”

“Hello, I’m Cha Si Heon. I’m Jin So Yi’s boyfriend.”

At Si Heon’s words about being her boyfriend, So Yi’s eyes widened as she looked at him.