“Ah, Director.”

Sirak, as if nothing had happened, clasped his hands together and bent his waist at a 120-degree angle.

Only after bowing excessively, with his face almost touching the floor, did Sirak raise his head.

Sirak was always the type to be overly loyal to his superiors.

In contrast, he was a person who looked down on his subordinates and truly practiced the strong preying on the weak.

“What are you doing right now?”

At the still cold voice, Sirak eventually stammered.

“Ah, that… I, I.”

“Why are you looking for the report that Manager Chae should write from Deputy Jin?”

“Deputy Jin said she would write it for me.”

Seeing him spout lies so calmly without even wetting his lips, Do Joon hardened his expression even more coldly, as if in disbelief.

At the chilling gaze that seemed about to freeze everything, Sirak looked at Tae Yeon.

“Deputy Jin, say something.”

Tae Yeon didn’t say anything. She thought about saying that she had agreed to do it even now, but she didn’t want to.

Although the image of Sirak grabbing her more urgently than before after Do Joon disappeared was vividly clear in her mind.

“She says she didn’t, Deputy Jin.”

“Director, that, please listen to me…”

“Manager Chae, follow me.”

“Pardon?”

Do Joon quickly left the office using his long legs.

Sirak diligently ran and entered Do Joon’s office.

As soon as the door closed with a thud, a chilling atmosphere that seemed to strangle his neck enveloped Sirak.

Do Joon’s eyes held a heavy and cold dual nature.

“Director, earlier…”

“Deputy Jin seems to be having a particularly hard time lately.”

Do Joon slowly rubbed his chin with one hand, as if in disbelief.

“Is that because she’s cleaning up after Manager Chae’s work?”

“No! Absolutely not.”

Sirak denied it while waving his arms wildly, but Do Joon just sent a cold gaze without moving.

“It’s true that I asked Deputy Jin for the report before leaving work yesterday, but…”

“Why.”

It was a short word, but the meaning contained in it was infinite.

Do Joon’s sharp gaze landed diagonally on Sirak’s face.

His whole body stiffened. Under Do Joon’s persistent gaze, he felt like everything about him was being stripped bare.

“Do you think I put Manager Chae in that position to dump all the work on subordinates?”

“No, Director.”

Sirak was the slowest to be promoted among his peers. He was a permanent manager, but he had grand ambitions to rise high by getting in Do Joon’s good graces.

If he was properly marked by Do Joon now, he might not even be able to become a deputy director while under him.

Sirak bent his waist and made excuses submissively.

“I’m sorry. Deputy Jin is just so good at her work…”

“That’s something everyone knows.”

Sirak, now suppressed by the atmosphere that had sunk as cold as a refrigerated truck, could only move his lips.

“I care a lot about Deputy Jin.”

Hearing Do Joon’s heavy bass voice, Sirak, who had been looking at the floor the whole time, suddenly raised his head.

“What did you just say?”

“As you know, Deputy Jin is an indispensable presence in our new business team.”

“Ah, of course.”

Do Joon’s eyes were very serious. Sirak nodded as if enchanted and listened intently to Do Joon’s words.

“Deputy Jin is having a hard enough time with the konjac rice project right now.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You should understand what I’m trying to say by now, Manager Chae Sirak.”

“I understand.”

It was a very clear warning.

That if he assigned his work to Tae Yeon one more time, he wouldn’t let it slide this time.

“I’m not someone who gives second chances.”

At the sharp warning, Sirak tensed up considerably.

“There will never be another instance of me assigning my work to Deputy Jin.”

“Not just Deputy Jin. This applies to everyone.”

“Yes, Director.”

“If you can’t handle that level of work, get off the project.”

“I can do it!”

Hearing Do Joon’s extreme words, Sirak’s mouth went dry.

“You may go.”

Do Joon sat in his chair and shifted his gaze to the pile of documents. Sirak hesitated instead of leaving immediately.

“What. Do you have something else to say?”

“There’s something I’d like to ask.”

Do Joon spoke without taking his eyes off the documents he was still looking at.

“Keep it brief.”

“You said you care a lot about Deputy Jin…”

At the mention of Tae Yeon, Do Joon’s brow furrowed slightly.

Although he had given a firm warning, he couldn’t manage his expression well, wondering if perhaps it hadn’t been properly understood.

When Do Joon raised his head, Sirak was standing there with a face full of curiosity.

He seemed to know what he was going to say.

After pondering for a moment, Do Joon soon opened his lips.

“I care for Deputy Jin not only as a team member, but…”

“Yes, Director.”

“I like her.”

“…”

“As a woman.”

Sirak was so shocked by the incredible story that his eyes nearly popped out.

Unable to say anything and standing there blankly, Sirak received Do Joon’s relentless words.

“My eyes are always on Deputy Jin. I think you understand what I mean by now.”

“Yes, yes…”

Sirak nodded his head vigorously. Having heard something incredible, his mouth wouldn’t close properly.

In contrast to Sirak, Do Joon looked very calm.

“So if you provoke Deputy Jin one more time.”

“That will absolutely never happen.”

Sirak bowed deeply at the waist and shouted loudly.

The sound was so noisy that Do Joon raised his eyebrows, showing his displeasure.

He was about to just send him out, but he called Sirak back again.

“The fact that I like Deputy Jin. I’ve only confided that to Manager Chae among the company people.”

“…”

“What do you think that means?”

Sirak smiled brightly.

The fact that he had only confided in him meant, in other words, that he trusted him a lot.

“If any loose rumors spread in the company, I’ll think Manager Chae spread them, so keep that in mind.”

“That will absolutely never happen.”

Do Joon pointed to the door with his chin, as if telling him to leave his office now. Sirak left the office, fidgeting excitedly.

Hoo-

After sending Sirak out, Do Joon loosened and pulled down his tie, feeling stifled.

Seeing Sirak yelling at Tae Yeon earlier had snapped all the strings of his reason.

“How dare he, to whom.”

Why are there so many people bothering Tae Yeon these days?

She’s a woman who deserves to see and hear only good things, even if he always kept her by his side.

He had thought he wouldn’t interfere in matters related to Tae Yeon at the company, but he simply couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Tae Yeon was quick with her hands and generally good at handling work.

So Do Joon knew that employees with higher positions than her sometimes asked Tae Yeon to do their work.

Calling Sirak directly today was a warning to them.

To never bother Tae Yeon again.

He had explained so they would understand, so they would never provoke his woman again.

Do Joon shifted his gaze back to the documents he had been looking at.

Then, belatedly realizing what he had said, he dropped his fountain pen with a thud.

“What did I say?”

He said he liked Tae Yeon as a woman.

“This is driving me crazy.”

Earlier, he had been so angry that he couldn’t make any rational judgments.

He had barely suppressed the urge to send Sirak to an affiliated company in the provinces to prevent him from running into Tae Yeon.

It seems another bomb had exploded as a result.

He was dumbfounded at himself for what he had blurted out.

“Like, he says.”

Yes. It seems so.

He had been slowly seeping into Tae Yeon for a very long time.

True feelings tend to burst out unexpectedly like this.

Do Joon picked up the fountain pen that had fallen on the desk and held it in his right hand.

He tried to read the documents he needed to review, but he couldn’t concentrate at all.

Was it because he had come to know his own heart that he had been trying to cover up and ignore all this time?

“I can’t work because I miss her.”

He felt relieved after acknowledging it.

And now he decided to move forward more shamelessly.

“What’s wrong with a husband liking his wife?”

So what.

Whispering softly to himself like that, Do Joon put down his fountain pen again and stood up.

To suppress these confusing emotions, he felt he needed to see Tae Yeon’s face.

[This is the timeline separator]

After Sirak left, Tae Yeon sat in the office with an uncomfortable feeling.

Everyone passing by made comments that Sirak should come to his senses this time.

Those words were very kind, but they weren’t comforting at all.

She had wanted to have a quiet work life, but she felt uncomfortable, feeling like she had unnecessarily made a big deal out of things.

A moment later, Sirak, who had finished talking with Do Joon, opened the office door and came in.

Tae Yeon quickly turned her gaze and stared at the monitor. It was obvious that Sirak would come over and give her an earful.

As expected, she felt Sirak approaching.

Tae Yeon slowly turned her body while gripping the mouse tightly.

Sirak brought up a completely unexpected topic.

“Deputy Jin, I’m sorry.”

“…”

She could feel everyone in the office glancing over.

“Thinking about it, it seems I’ve been dumping too much of my work on you all this time.”

“Ah…”

Not knowing what to say at all, Tae Yeon just smiled awkwardly.

“You should have said something if it was hard. Hahaha.”

Sirak laughed, pretending to be a nice person for no reason.

“From now on, I won’t need your help, Deputy Jin. Get back to work.”

And Sirak quickly returned to his seat.

“What in the world is going on?”

Tae Yeon had a bewildered look on her face, truly not understanding the situation.

At that moment. Tae Yeon’s phone lit up.

Seeing the message that arrived, Tae Yeon hurriedly got up from her seat.

A lingering gaze followed Tae Yeon’s back as she quickly left the office.

[This is the timeline separator]

As she arrived at the rooftop garden, a hot wind ruffled Tae Yeon’s hair.

The trees that had already turned green with leaves greeted Tae Yeon.

The rooftop garden was empty as it was a busy time.

“Where are you saying you are?”

Tae Yeon peered around the inside of the rooftop garden and moved her steps.

“Director?”

She couldn’t find Do Joon, who had said to meet here.

“He’s not here yet?”

Tae Yeon moved her steps, thinking of waiting for Do Joon in a corner.

When she reached a large tree like that.

An arm suddenly emerged from behind it and grabbed Tae Yeon’s wrist.

“Huh?”

Tae Yeon staggered slightly, losing her balance.

The arm that pulled Tae Yeon towards him embraced her in his arms and uttered in a low voice.

“I’ve been waiting for a while because I missed you.”