Hae Jin’s eyes were fixed on the calendar. Her face, counting the dates with her fingers, looked so serious that Byung Soo, passing by, couldn’t help but stop.

With her brows furrowed tightly, staring intently at the dates, Hae Jin even looked fascinating.

“Jung Representative. What are you doing with the calendar?”

“Huh?”

Hae Jin looked at Byung Soo while still clutching the calendar tightly. Byung Soo stood on his tiptoes and peeked at the calendar she had been looking at. He ended up seeing the large heart drawn on it.

“A heart? Is it your birthday?”

Byung Soo blurted out any special day, thinking it must be an important date if it was marked on the calendar.

“It’s not my birthday.”

Hae Jin craned her neck towards Byung Soo. Her serious expression as she looked around to see if anyone was nearby was intense.

“It’s payday.”

Whispering like that made her look like someone who had committed a crime. She was worried people might think the parachute was just waiting for payday.

“Is it your first payday?”

Byung Soo nodded with a benevolent smile, as if he understood.

“First payday. Has it already been almost a month since Jung Representative joined?”

Time flies so fast, Byung Soo mused, looking into the air, and continued speaking.

“When I got my first paycheck, I bought underwear for my parents.”

Hae Jin’s eyes darted around, lost at Byung Soo’s tale of long ago. A memory of going to a Japanese restaurant with her parents, insisting on paying when she worked at Sion, flashed by.

“What are you planning to do with your first paycheck, Jung Representative?”

Just as Hae Jin was about to indulge in a happy fantasy at Byung Soo’s question, a bomb came flying in to demolish her imagination factory.

“When you get your first paycheck, of course you should treat your superiors to a meal.”

Tae Hong, who happened to be passing by, chimed in, having overheard the conversation between the two at some point.

“Isn’t that right, Jung Hae Jin Representative?”

Someone who earns several times my salary, how shameless. At this moment, Hae Jin couldn’t muster a social smile or flattery. Money made Hae Jin cold. In times like these, quickly changing the subject to work is best.

“Team Leader, for this business trip, you’re going with Manager Lee, right?”

Her cool tone and serious expression as she held up the schedule caught everyone’s attention. What a brilliant schedule it was.

With about a week left until payday, Tae Hong would be on a business trip during that period. The key point was that on this trip, he would be accompanied by Manager Lee Byung Soo, not herself.

The fact that the superior would be away on a business trip meant comfortable working hours. Thinking about enjoying a freedom that wasn’t quite freedom on payday made the corners of Hae Jin’s mouth twitch.

“I was just preparing for the trip. I’ve pulled out the list of companies and checked all the meeting times.”

As Byung Soo added comments from the side, the corners of Hae Jin’s mouth rose higher.

“Good. It’s an important moment, so Manager Lee should handle it without any issues.”

Tae Hong was speaking to Byung Soo, but his gaze was on Hae Jin. As he turned to enter his room, Tae Hong slightly turned his head.

Hae Jin was grinning, clearly pleased about something. That just irked him more. Was she so happy about not going on the trip with him? Jung Hae Jin, that makes me want to change the schedule suddenly.

**

It was the day of Tae Hong’s business trip. His travel bag was already loaded in the trunk. For Hae Jin, it was the lightest commute ever.

“Are you in a good mood?”

Hae Jin had been humming without realizing it while driving. Her heart was so light that she couldn’t help but hum.

“Good mood? Going to work is my joy.”

Even non-existent loyalty to the company surfaced. It was a happy vacation that wasn’t a vacation for a week. Of course, she still had to send real-time backup data even without Tae Hong there.

“Is that so? That’s something the person who pays your salary would like to hear.”

Hae Jin glanced at Tae Hong’s sullen expression but didn’t pay it much mind. He was about to go on a trip anyway. Whether he was upset or not was a problem for later.

“Have a good trip.”

Tae Hong didn’t respond to Hae Jin’s words and just looked at his phone.

“I’ll be working hard in Seoul.”

She rattled off work plans that weren’t even requested to shake off her own restlessness.

Arriving at the company with a spring in her step, she turned on her computer. Just as she thought she could work freely from today, Hae Jin’s phone rang.

“Yes, Manager.”

It was Manager Lee Byung Soo, who was supposed to go on the trip with him.

-What should I do?

A chill ran down her spine. His voice didn’t sound good. Why? Suddenly. Manager, you should be at the company right now.

She looked at the numbers at the bottom of the monitor. There were 5 minutes left until work time.

-I got into an accident.

“An, accident?”

-Someone rear-ended me, and my back and neck feel a bit off.

“Are you badly hurt?”

-I seem to be okay enough to make a call, but I don’t think I can walk on my own. I think I’ll have to go to the hospital.

Hae Jin continued speaking, holding the phone tightly with both hands at Byung Soo’s apologetic voice. A person is hurt, is the business trip really the issue now?

“Don’t worry, just go to the hospital first. I’ll inform the team leader.”

-Okay, got it. Thanks and sorry.

“This isn’t the time to worry about that. I’m hanging up now.”

After ending the call, she immediately went to Tae Hong’s office. Tae Hong was just flipping through the last document.

“Team Leader.”

Hae Jin, who entered with rough breathing, quickly stood in front of Tae Hong. She urgently relayed Byung Soo’s situation.

Tae Hong quickly called Byung Soo. At the end of the call, he added that he would take care of the business trip. His face was full of concern after ending the call.

“Jung Hae Jin Representative.”

Her shoulders flinched at the low voice. Once caught by his gaze, she couldn’t look away.

“Choose.”

He had his hands clasped, having already made a decision. The situation couldn’t be postponed just because Byung Soo couldn’t go. It was a schedule set months in advance, and there was an important party during the trip.

“As you know, Manager Lee won’t be able to join the trip.”

“Yes.”

“It’s too much for me to go alone, so someone must accompany me.”

Gulp, Hae Jin swallowed. She had a vague idea of what he meant by having to choose.

“If Jung Hae Jin Representative doesn’t go, I’ll have to go with Manager Kim Yeon Jung.”

Hae Jin’s brow furrowed at the mention of Gumiho Kim. So if she doesn’t go, Gumiho Kim goes, is that it?

The image of Tae Hong and Yeon Jung riding in the same car, laughing together, came to mind, and she didn’t like that either.

“Decide. Do you want to go on the trip?”

Isn’t this already decided? But why does she dislike even imagining the two of them together?

“I’ll go.”

Deciding to think about the reason later, Hae Jin answered without hesitation. Pleased with the answer, a smile briefly appeared on Tae Hong’s lips before quickly disappearing. Tae Hong checked the time.

“It’s a bit early, but let’s leave now.”

“Now?”

Although it was an out-of-town trip, this was too early even for that.

“Aren’t you going to pack?”

Ah, luggage. It had been so long since she went on a business trip that she hadn’t thought of that part.

Tae Hong explained the situation to the team members. Here and there, people asked what they should do, but he settled the situation by saying Hae Jin would handle the vacancy.

**

Hae Jin first drove to her house. It felt like the way home after work, but it was the start of a business trip that hadn’t even begun yet.

“You know to dress like you’re going to work, and there’s a foundation anniversary party during the schedule, right?”

“Yes, I’ve confirmed.”

“It’s better to pack one outfit suitable for the party in advance.”

She quickly recalled the items she needed to pack in her mind. They soon arrived at her house.

In her head, the list of items to pack and the outfits to wear throughout the schedule were already neatly organized. Now she needed quick hands.

“I’ll prepare quickly and be right back.”

“Shall I come up with you?”

“Pardon?”

Why would you want to come to a house where a woman lives alone? Hae Jin looked at Tae Hong, raising her defenses.

“I thought the suitcase might be heavy, so I was offering to carry it for you.”

As if reading Hae Jin’s thoughts, he added an explanation with a rueful smile. Only then did Hae Jin lower her guard and wave her hand in embarrassment.

“It’s fine. I’m strong.”

Hae Jin exaggeratedly patted both her shoulders. It was her habit when she felt embarrassed.

“I see. You did look strong, but now that you admit it yourself, I have nothing to say.”

Tae Hong crossed his arms and looked at his watch again. That small action seemed to put pressure on the time. As if he was about to start a countdown.

“Hurry back.”

Alright, now it begins. Hae Jin rushed in. Tae Hong, sitting in the car watching, couldn’t hide the laughter escaping him.

Once Hae Jin’s figure completely disappeared into the building, Tae Hong turned on his phone. But he couldn’t concentrate.

Such a guarded look. It’s as if I’ve really become a bad person.

Well, I did misspeak a bit. The voice in the black box was clearly mine, but I really don’t remember saying such things.

Was it something that flowed from my subconscious? The question he asked himself in self-reproach was just funny. Her pretty face and fair skin do catch the eye.

I liked her clothing style too. A decoration that knows how to keep proper boundaries, you could say.

That boundary seemed strangely similar to Hae Jin’s personality.

Things have been strange lately. How should I put it, often my train of thought ends with Hae Jin.

I’ve been thinking about her a lot. Hae Jin, who had just disappeared from sight, kept coming and going. The reason, even I didn’t know. Her expressions and actions that popped up suddenly stirred my mind.

While looking at documents, while checking work on my phone, even while showering. The face that suddenly came to mind was Hae Jin’s.

Is it because I haven’t met a woman in a while? Or is it because I’ve been sticking too close to Hae Jin?

You know how it is.

Like how the phone is in my hand every day, so I look for it unconsciously.

Like how Hae Jin is by my side every day, so I think of her unconsciously.

I tried to dismiss it as simply that, not making a big deal out of it, but then Hae Jin came out struggling with her suitcase in both hands. Seeing that, laughter flowed from Tae Hong first.

Jung Hae Jin, didn’t you say you were strong?

But contrary to her words, the sight of her being dragged by the suitcase was nothing if not cute. Cute? Did I just think Hae Jin was cute?

You’ve lost it, Moon Tae Hong.

That’s when he knew. Maybe this wasn’t unconscious after all.

It wasn’t because he saw her too often, nor because he had gotten used to her. Seeing Hae Jin walking towards him, struggling with all her might, Tae Hong’s heart unconsciously began to race.

Thump thump,

The closer she got, the louder the sound became.

Thump thump.

This is bad, Moon Tae Hong.