“And, there’s more! There’s a cafe about a 10-minute walk from our office, they have really good cafe lattes.”
“Don’t tell me, he buys that coffee to bring it to you?”
“That, uh, uh… I mentioned once that it was good… and now he keeps bringing it.”
Even Ji Hye, who had been quietly listening, suddenly burst out in annoyance.
“Was Yeon Woo always like this when she got a boyfriend? Bragging so much?”
“It’s not bragging, really! Every single time I go out and come back! Without exception! Even on rainy days! He buys lattes from that cafe.”
“Ah, so! He’s thinking of you! Buys them to make you happy. What’s the problem?”
“That’s true love, then. You’re lucky.”
Ah, frustrating. Yeon Woo felt exasperated that her friends didn’t understand the point she was trying to make.
‘Why are they only taking Kwon Jun Hwi’s side? Are they really my friends?’
She also recalled an incident from yesterday, but she felt too embarrassed to mention it, fearing her friends would tease her more.
Last Monday. Yeon Woo was chatting with Lawyer Yang at her desk about how it was too nice a day to spend just in the office, that they should be out enjoying the spring weather, looking at flowers and the sky – typical chit-chat.
Apparently, Jun Hwi overheard this conversation as he was passing by. That evening, in the car on their way home, he suddenly presented Yeon Woo with a bouquet of yellow freesias.
Her heart was full of overwhelming emotions due to his unexpected romantic gesture, but that was just the beginning.
For the next few days, he continuously brought her bouquets of red, pink, white, and various colored flowers. It was just yesterday that Yeon Woo had to gently warn him that she had received enough flowers and had no more vases to put them in.
To her surprise, he immediately took out his phone to search for places selling vases. Yeon Woo had to press down on his forearm to stop him.
“But now that you mention the coffee, it is a bit concerning. Isn’t your relationship supposed to be a secret? What if someone catches on because of the coffee?”
Oh. Finally, Kyung Ah seemed to slightly take her side. Glad for the support, Yeon Woo emphatically agreed.
“Yes, yes! That’s exactly what I’m worried about. It really concerns me.”
In fact, the biggest worry weighing heavily on a corner of Yeon Woo’s heart was exactly that.
The constant fear of their relationship being discovered.
The mocking and speculations people would have about them if they were caught.
Interpreting all her words and actions in relation to him, making a gossip topic out of every little thing due to their office romance.
……And the biggest impact would be, Yeon Woo’s job reassignment decided by others.
‘To be shamed for catching the eye of the lawyer in charge.’
While there are some publicly known office romances and even marriages at the conservative Lo & Yul, couples between a lawyer and a secretary have never been well-received. At least not among the general staff that Yeon Woo belonged to.
How many would be comfortable working with a colleague who refers to their supervising lawyer as honey or darling?
Every time a work request is made, both the person giving and doing the task would feel awkward.
Thus, secretaries dating lawyers in the organization are often treated as ‘black sheep’ and usually end up resigning, regardless of whether they end up marrying or breaking up.
Ah, if only I had transferred jobs earlier this year, Yeon Woo sometimes thought.
“But office romances eventually become known to everyone. It’s impossible for rumors not to spread.”
“Right. Just relax, Yeon Woo. Even the photocopiers and water coolers know everything about office romances.”
Her friends were right. Thinking about it made her tired, swinging between wanting to be careful and not wanting to be the subject of gossip.
And probably, their romance was best known to those damned photocopiers and water coolers, thanks to Jun Hwi.
He always placed his large hand on top of Yeon Woo’s head and ruffled her hair whenever they met in the pantry, a space with a photocopier and water cooler.
Trapped in the small area with his large frame, she couldn’t escape and had to endure it every time.
Then, timid Yeon Woo, scared someone might hear, could only move her lips slightly to say “stop it.”
Oddly, they seemed to bump into each other there at least once or twice a day, making her suspect that he deliberately followed her to the pantry.
[What if someone sees you keep doing this!] [So what? I don’t care.] [I care ㅠㅠ]Messaging him to stop was futile. Once, Yeon Woo decided to ruffle his side and abs as he messed with her hair, signaling for him to experience discomfort too.
But that night, it was Yeon Woo who ended up in significant discomfort.
His response to that single gesture was to wait until 6 PM, snatch her up into his car, and tease her relentlessly for the rest of the evening.
His expressions of affection grew bolder and more unrestrained.
Kissing her hand in the office when she handed over documents.
Intertwining pinkies when passing in the hallway.
Exchanging covert glances in the meeting room.
The problem was, Yeon Woo should have been the one to keep him in check. Instead, those thrilling moments excited her.
Being in an office romance for the first time, Yeon Woo’s days were increasingly complex.
It’s like savoring sweet happiness with a bitter aftertaste.
“Did we focus too much on the negative?”
Noticing Yeon Woo’s slightly disheartened mood, Ji Hye exchanged glances with Kyung Ah.
“It was a joke, you know? Right?”
“Yeah, Yeon Woo. We’ll stop teasing now. Seriously, congratulations.”
Then, a toast for Yeon Woo’s new romance. Ji Hye and Kyung Ah quickly raised their glasses.
With a reluctant smile, Yeon Woo lifted her glass and clinked it cheerfully with her friends’.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
