Tae-hee brought a box of macarons to the office, a surplus from what Sajun had bought.
After lunch, when she brought out the box marked with the Zeus Hotel logo, the reaction was no joke.
“These Zeus Hotel handmade macarons are famous for a reason. The visuals are no joke, really. Thanks, Deputy Min.”
“This costs five or six thousand won each, isn’t this too much?”
“Right? I feel bad and can’t even eat it.”
“I got them as a gift from a friend, so don’t worry and just enjoy.”
Smiling, Tae-hee stood up, followed by Kang Seju, the chief she was somewhat close to in the office, swiftly grabbing two macarons.
As if planned, they headed to the rooftop outdoor rest area.
Sitting side by side on the bench, they sipped iced Americanos in the slightly sultry breeze.
Then, Chief Kang asked suddenly.
“Your friend must be really rich to buy you so many of those expensive macarons.”
“He does have a lot of money.”
“Is it that handsome guy who picked you up in front of the company?”
“How did you know?”
Tae-hee looked surprised, and Chief Kang smiled knowingly.
“It’s all over the office among the female staff. They say you have a boyfriend with a look that puts celebrities to shame and drives a fancy sports car.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, just a male friend I’ve known for 13 years.”
Tae-hee calmly clarified their relationship, and Chief Kang looked intrigued.
“Wow, is it really possible to just be friends with a man who’s capable and good-looking?”
“Why not?”
Tae-hee answered nonchalantly, and Chief Kang asked again.
“But Deputy Min, don’t you feel anything for a rich and handsome male friend?”
Instead of answering, Tae-hee just shrugged, and Chief Kang seemed to understand.
“Maybe he has a terrible personality?”
“He’s not the nicest person, but he’s good to me.”
She realized that was indeed the case.
Kang Sajun definitely didn’t have a good personality; he was prickly and did as he pleased.
He didn’t care if others were hurt or upset.
Yet, Tae-hee had never felt hurt or particularly bad because of Kang Sajun. Probably because she had no expectations.
“Kyaa, so romantic! A handsome male friend who is only kind to me.”
Tae-hee just laughed as Chief Kang excitedly made a fuss, finding it funny to think of that idiot as romantic.
“Deputy Min, don’t you have even a little crush on that male friend? If it were me, I’d have already started a one-sided love and resolved it.”
Tae-hee had already started that one-sided love Chief Kang spoke of.
But she couldn’t admit to Chief Kang that she was avoiding making a decision.
“Even if I did have a crush, I don’t think I’d want to resolve it. It would be harder not to see him.”
“That doesn’t make sense, Deputy Min!”
Chief Kang, her face flushed, quickly continued.
“If you just have a crush, you’d have to act like it’s nothing when you see that man with another woman. That’s far more painful and foolish.”
The image of Kang Sajun with another woman naturally came to mind.
Next Saturday, 11 AM, Apgujeong Dessert Café Laurent, Seat 8.
“If it were me, I’d rather cut ties and not see him than witness that. But you’re not a coward, Deputy Min, so that probably doesn’t apply to you.”
Each of Chief Kang’s words felt like a slap to the back of Tae-hee’s head.
It felt like she was saying not just Kang Sajun, but Tae-hee herself was an idiot.
No, Tae-hee was more of an idiot. At least Kang Sajun wasn’t a coward. He was so direct and aggressive that it was almost ridiculous.
“But Deputy Min, does that handsome male friend not have a girlfriend?”
“He’s single. Likes drinking and working out, but has no interest in women.”
“He’s not interested in you, so he’s not dating anyone?”
Tae-hee laughed at Chief Kang’s absurd deduction.
“Not even a speck of interest. He doesn’t see me as a woman.”
To Sajun, she was a being of no interest but full of utilitarian value.
That’s why he suddenly changed and said he’d confess a hundred times.
“It could be that you’re too intimidating to approach.”
“I’m so approachable. Not popular enough to be confessed to.”
“Why not? You’re always in the top two of the company’s female popularity rankings, along with Jeongmin from Accounting. Men are probably too intimidated to confess.”
Tae-hee knew about the monthly popularity polls on the company homepage but didn’t care.
Popularity polls don’t feed you, and she was focused on work.
“I’ve heard it too often. Lots of cowards in our company wait, hoping Deputy Min will show interest first after they offer coffee or snacks.”
Chief Kang’s surprised look met Tae-hee’s expression of unawareness.
“Deputy Min, I didn’t expect you to be so oblivious.”
‘Uninterested’ was more accurate than ‘oblivious.’
“Looking at it, your handsome male friend is probably too intimidated to speak up. He comes all the way to the company, buys loads of expensive macarons, waiting for you to show interest first.”
Sajun’s change was recent, and it had a purpose.
But Tae-hee couldn’t tell Chief Kang everything, so she stood up.
“It’s time. Let’s go back down, Chief Kang.”
As soon as I arrived at the office, I received a call from Executive Director Choi.
Executive Director Choi Hyo-yeon, a 44-year-old advocate of singleness, was Tae-hee’s mentor during her rookie days.
I witnessed her rapid promotion at the company due to her recognized abilities.
Upon arriving at the office, Executive Director Choi greeted Tae-hee as if she had been waiting.
“Is this the third time I’m asking Deputy Manager Min? Are you going to reject it again?”
“Are you referring to the long-term overseas assignment?”
At Tae-hee’s words, Executive Director Choi smiled.
“You know I have a soft spot for Deputy Manager Min, right? Reminds me of my younger days. Excellent in work, thorough in self-management, deep in thought, and fiercely tenacious.”
Tae-hee’s mind became cluttered at Executive Director Choi’s words.
During her first and third years, she had rejected all of Executive Director Choi’s suggestions for a long-term overseas assignment.
JK Construction was aggressively expanding overseas, and a career at an overseas branch often led to a guaranteed promotion. Many even settled there.
However, Tae-hee had declined because she couldn’t leave Hye-sook for a long time overseas.
Now, she also realized she didn’t want to be away from Sajoon.
“We secured the project for the 4th Pelickson Hotel in the French branch. The headquarters requested a talented employee, and I believe you’re the right person. Everyone is in a frenzy because they can’t go, you know?”
“Yes.”
“This is my last offer, and it will be your last chance too.”
Tae-hee slowly closed and then opened her eyes, pondering.
The last offer, and the last chance.
“The trip is in three months. Think it over and let me know by next week.”
After agreeing, Tae-hee left the executive office.
Instead of going straight to her office, she sat on the emergency stairs, lost in thought. Tae-hee searched on her phone for the Laurence dessert café in Apgujeong.
The café was expensive and operated strictly by reservation on weekends.
Her hesitant hand boldly pressed the call button.
“Is it possible to book for this Saturday?”
A surprisingly calm voice answered.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
