Seung Ho hurriedly spoke upon seeing Seo Hee’s startled expression.

“I apologize for surprising you.”

“No, it’s alright. I was just momentarily distracted.”

“Do you perhaps remember me? I am Han Seung Ho, Executive Director Lee Kang Mo’s secretary.”

Seo Hee nodded, a smile lingering on her lips.

“Yes. Hello. It’s been a while. Did Kang Mo send you?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“I’m sorry, but if it’s not too much trouble, could I perhaps call Kang Mo to confirm?”

Kang Mo had directly told me that the documents were important enough for me to personally deliver them. Even though he was Kang Mo’s secretary, I was cautious and carefully asked if it was alright to entrust the documents that Kang Mo had summoned me to the company for and wouldn’t even allow to be left at the lobby to someone other than Kang Mo.

A very faint smile seemed to briefly cross the man’s face, but had I seen wrong? The man, his expression now blank, immediately picked up his cell phone and answered as he dialed.

“Yes, I will call right away.”

Soon, the familiar voice of the other party flowed through the receiver.

― Seo Hee, you arrived?

“Yes, Director. She’s right beside me. She said she wanted to call to confirm. I’ll put her on.”

Seo Hee carefully turned her back as she took the phone the man handed her and quietly began to speak.

“Yeah, it’s me. I got the phone.”

― You must be tired from coming all this way. You remember Seung Ho, right? You briefly saw him in Guam last time too.

“Yeah. I remember. Then I should hand it over to him, right?”

― What are you talking about, I told you to bring it directly. Weren’t you worried and about to call me too?

“Yeah. I was. I just thought I should check with you first, just in case.”

― As expected, Baek Seo Hee, you’re sharp. You don’t disappoint. Follow Seung Ho up.

“Can’t I just hand it over to him?”

― No. You can’t. So come on up. Don’t tell me you’re planning to leave without even seeing me after coming all the way here?

Seo Hee furtively glanced back at Seung Ho standing behind her, her voice gradually growing smaller.

“I just didn’t want to disturb you while you’re working. Aren’t you busy?”

― Who told you to worry about that. I’m not busy so hurry up and come. I’ll be waiting.

“But still……”

Seo Hee handed the cell phone that had been cut off without mercy to Seung Ho and quietly followed behind him as he led the way with a smile. The time spent silently riding the elevator with him to the 28th floor felt so long. When the elevator doors opened, she was on the verge of letting out a sigh of relief.

The joy of escaping the awkwardness was short-lived, and Seo Hee’s steps momentarily paused at the sight of the office upon opening the glass door and entering. The office was so vast that she couldn’t see the end of it at a glance.

Numerous tables lined up in a row, many employees at their posts, the faces of the employees working peeked out here and there over the not-so-high partitions.

Seo Hee was no stranger to working life, but even in the quite familiar environment, perhaps because it wasn’t the company she was part of, she felt awkward about readily entering.

“Shall we go?”

Seung Ho, keenly noticing Seo Hee’s hesitation, politely gestured in the direction they needed to go.

“Yes.”

Giving a short reply, she carefully moved her feet, but the sound of her high heels clicking against the marble floor rang in her ears.

Unaware that the employees had stopped what they were doing and were furtively glancing this way, Seo Hee diligently moved her feet as much as her stride would allow, trying her best to muffle her footsteps. She only thought that she needed to meet Kang Mo as soon as possible, hand over the documents, and get out of here.

About halfway through the office, the familiar figure of someone appeared from the far end. Even from a distance, she could be certain it was Kang Mo from the intense presence exuding from his demeanor and the naturally revealed dignified bearing.

As Kang Mo walked down the long corridor, he responded to the polite greetings of the employees he encountered with a lofty nod or a brief reply, and that alone was enough to gauge his position in the company.

Seeing Kang Mo like that, Seo Hee unknowingly held her breath.

Kang Mo…, he’s so cool.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen Kang Mo dressed in a classic suit.

Despite having seen him stylishly pull off suits of different styles better than famous models on numerous occasions, his exceptionally intellectual and elegant appearance today made her heart flutter.

She wondered if he was really the same person as the mischievous man who had boldly taken off his shirt in front of her this morning, openly parading before her to put her in an awkward position.

Moreover, the way he was striding towards her with confident steps, why did it look so cool?

Unlike his usual stylish appearance, his neat hairstyle combed back cleanly, the classic suit that somehow exuded a sense of weightiness, the high-end shoes that gave off a sharp yet masculine feel, the unwavering gait that showed no signs of being disheveled, all of it combined to completely capture her gaze.

Are you really the Kang Mo I know? The Kang Mo who always yearned for my affection and pushed forward with skinship, the Kang Mo who even this morning looked at me with mischievous eyes wanting a kiss?

You feel unfamiliar. You don’t seem like the Kang Mo I knew.

But seeing her heart undeniably pounding, it was definitely Kang Mo. The reaction of her heart that was always faster than her mind seemed to be telling her that the approaching man was Kang Mo.

Seeing the culprit who had deliberately dragged her into the office, Seo Hee sighed softly, feeling somewhat conflicted as she let out the breath she had been holding.

Hiding her expression, she took another step forward, feeling as if the sound of her heels was being drowned out by Kang Mo’s lively footsteps. In an instant, Kang Mo closed the distance and arrived right in front of her, greeting her with a courteous smile.

“I thought you had run away and came out to catch you.”

Seo Hee let out a hollow laugh and shook her head, then spoke quietly in a greatly lowered voice.

“Actually, I almost did run away.”

“What?”

“I was feeling a bit suffocated thinking about my previous workplace. Where’s your seat?”

“My office is separate. Let’s go.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Kang Mo abruptly wrapped an arm around Seo Hee’s waist. Startled, Seo Hee whirled around to look at Kang Mo and spoke in a ventriloquial manner with a smile on her face.

“Kang Mo, this is your company. There are eyes watching, so get your hands off me.”

Kang Mo, not even pretending to have heard, walked forward in step with Seo Hee, unable to hide the smile lingering on his lips.

And so, upon entering Kang Mo’s office, Seo Hee found herself trapped in Kang Mo’s embrace in the blink of an eye.

“Kang Mo, you clearly promised to restrain yourself.”

“Just for a moment, just stay like this for a moment.”

Kang Mo tightly grasped Seo Hee’s waist with one hand as she fidgeted, not knowing what she was thinking, and slowly caressed her hair with the other hand as if to soothe her.

Held tightly by Kang Mo like that, Seo Hee felt pathetic for being shamelessly excited, as if the time of self-reproach that had gnawed at her heart all morning was for naught.

Thinking that if she stayed still like this, she would surely face an awkward situation, she tried to move her body to escape his embrace, but as expected, Kang Mo’s face drew closer and closer until his lips were right in front of her.

In that instant, Seo Hee unknowingly turned her head away, not seeing Kang Mo’s brows furrowing, and hurriedly shifted her gaze towards the window, worried that her inner turmoil would be discovered. She hoped her actions wouldn’t appear unnatural, her expression and voice wouldn’t feel awkward, and she spoke in an even brighter voice.

“Wow, the view is nice here too. Kang Mo, you must feel motivated to work.”

“……”

Even while looking at the exceptionally sunny and clear sky, Seo Hee felt no emotion. No, to be more honest, the scenery outside the window didn’t register in her eyes at all. Seo Hee’s attention was entirely focused on Kang Mo who would be behind her.

Why wasn’t Kang Mo saying anything? It was strange, but she didn’t have the peace of mind to turn around and look at him, so she just added more inane words.

“The office is nice too. You’re already an executive director at a young age. Kang Mo, you have great abilities. I’m envious.”

“……”

Even at the flattering words she didn’t usually say, he showed no reaction. Only then did Seo Hee realize that the atmosphere was strange and thought that she shouldn’t stay here any longer.

Rather than continuing to act awkwardly like this and only adding to her mistakes, it seemed that the urgent task was to quickly leave this place and sort out her confused feelings.

“Ah, right. I should give you the documents. You must be busy, and here I am just saying useless things.”

Seo Hee quickly took out the documents from her tote bag and placed them on the office desk, finally provoking Kang Mo’s anger.

“Check if I brought them well. I should get going now.”

Only then did Seo Hee turn around to look at Kang Mo, her eyes filling with bewilderment. Kang Mo, who hadn’t moved a single step from the entrance, had his arms crossed and was leaning against the door at an angle, staring at her intently.

Seo Hee knew she was acting very awkwardly right now. She also knew that Kang Mo’s temperature, which had clearly changed from when he first embraced her upon entering the office, was because of her.

She knew, but she had no idea what to do. She wanted to act as naturally as possible, but she couldn’t do it like a fool.

For now, it seemed like she needed to leave the office, but seeing Kang Mo standing firm at the entrance, that didn’t seem easy either, making her sigh involuntarily.

While Seo Hee was agonizing over her inner turmoil, Kang Mo straightened his posture and slowly approached her.

“Baek Seo Hee.”

At the deeply lowered voice, it was as if even the flow of air had stopped.

“…Yeah.”

“What are you doing right now?”

At the cold tone she hadn’t heard in a long time, Seo Hee unknowingly felt her heart shrink.

Baek Seo Hee, you fool. Don’t act awkward. Act natural.

Calming her heart, Seo Hee deliberately formed a smile and looked at Kang Mo’s philtrum.

“…Hmm?”

“I’m asking what you’re doing right now.”

“What…am I doing?”

“You don’t know so you’re asking? You finally came all the way here, but you won’t even make eye contact with me, avoiding me, pushing me away…. Don’t tell me you’re trying to distance yourself from me right now?”

With each word he uttered, he took a big step closer until he was right in front of her. Seo Hee was flustered that her feelings had been so easily seen through.

“Distancing myself… What are you talking about? It’s not like that.”

“Then why are you avoiding me? Are you thinking of leaving again? Is that it? So you’re trying to detach yourself beforehand again?”

Half of it was true and half was wrong, but until before coming here, she had thought about going on a trip, so she felt needlessly guilty and her throat felt scratchy.

“I said it’s not like that. Leave to where, where would I go again?”

“If it’s not like that, then why did you avoid me?”

“…I told you I didn’t avoid you.”

“Baek Seo Hee…. Do you think I’m a fool?”