Yeon Woo gulped, feeling a pang of guilt, as Jun Hwi put down his pen and leaned back, looking at her intently.

He had a knack for seeming like he could see right through her.

“Well, um, I met the Vice President at the subway station.”

“Were you being hit on?”

“No, that’s not it. He asked to borrow money. 50,000 won.”

Jun Hwi’s eyebrows twitched, clearly finding it hard to believe.

Understandably so. Why would a corporate Vice President need to borrow money?

But that was the truth!

“Did you lend it to him?”

“No. Where would I suddenly get that kind of money?”

At her response, Jun Hwi hesitated for a moment before reaching for his suit jacket pocket, as if to take out his wallet. Yeon Woo, alarmed, waved her hands frantically.

“Wait, hold on! What are you doing now?”

“You said you didn’t have the money.”
“I misspoke! I do have 50,000 won, I mean, I didn’t have cash on me at that time.”

Yeon Woo’s words made Jun Hwi, who was ready to hand out money without a second thought, pause. His straightforwardness was both endearing and startling, making Yeon Woo burst into laughter.

Realizing his office door was slightly ajar, she quickly composed herself.

“So you just whip out your wallet like that? To give me an allowance? How much were you planning to give?”

“All of it. I was going to give you my whole wallet.”

Was it odd to be touched by such a unique gesture?

Pleased, Yeon Woo looked down, pouting her lips slightly. But the sulking man was still waiting for a clear explanation.

“So?”

“When the Vice President insisted he would repay me and claimed to be from C Pharmaceuticals, I told him I knew the company’s Vice President better. Of course, I had no idea the Vice President had changed!”

Jun Hwi leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, still looking at her with a trace of doubt.

“Is that your answer?”

“There’s something that worries me.”

Yeon Woo confessed how she ended up yelling at the Vice President in the subway station and how it led to him being taken away by the station staff. She expressed her anxiety about possibly causing trouble for Jun Hwi’s consultancy contract with C Pharmaceuticals and her deep remorse.

But then…

“Well done.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

“That you yelled at him.”

Satisfied, Jun Hwi’s lips curved into a rare, genuine smile.

“From now on, do the same with other men who approach you.”

‘Am I really dating a normal guy?’

Jun Hwi had a very unique way of seeing things.

“Um, lawyer, aren’t you going to listen to my concerns?”

“What’s to worry about? I’ll handle C Pharmaceuticals. Your job is to yell at any men who approach you.”

“Seriously. I’m not joking! This is serious.”

Now it was Yeon Woo’s turn to feel disheartened.

Jun Hwi then reached out and gently pulled Yeon Woo’s hand towards him.

“I’m not joking either. I can’t leave you alone feeling anxious.”

Wishing he could label her as his own, Jun Hwi began to kiss each of her fingertips.

The mood, previously tense over the Vice President issue, shifted dramatically to something much more intimate.

And Yeon Woo found herself not disliking his whimsical changes in mood.

His sweet kisses paused precisely on her left ring finger.

As his lips moved to speak, his warm breath tickled Yeon Woo’s skin.

“Would it be better if I put a ring on it?”

“Ah…”

“You still don’t like the idea?”

The topic of rings had been a recurring theme from Jun Hwi. However, Yeon Woo had always skirted around it. Not only did she find other accessories besides earrings uncomfortable, but she also disliked the attention she would attract by suddenly wearing a ring.

Although it was something she could easily brush off as ‘I have a boyfriend now,’ part of her hesitation also stemmed from a girlish fantasy she harbored.
“I’m saving the ring for a proposal later.”

Though Yeon Woo wasn’t completely certain that Jun Hwi would be the one proposing in the future, she held onto that thought.

“Let’s talk about that another time. I’ll tell you when I want it.”

“So, is there nothing else you want? No jewelry, bags, clothes, or fancy restaurants? Don’t you have any desires from me?”

“I really can’t think of anything.”

Yeon Woo gently withdrew her hand from his grip, noticing his slightly disappointed expression.

“It’s tough. What’s the use of having a capable partner?”

“Just for this, playing around.”

She playfully poked his cheek.

Suddenly realizing she had been in his office for too long, Yeon Woo started to gather the signed documents from his desk, preparing to leave.

Jun Hwi’s professional tone followed her actions.

“Assistant Manager Kim, about the Jeju trip I just approved…”

“Yes, lawyer.”

“Shall we go together?”

It was an unexpected suggestion.

Surprised, Yeon Woo blinked, unable to respond immediately. Next week, Jun Hwi planned to spend two days a week at a client’s resort in Jeju, investigating the scale of employee embezzlement.

The resort was a hot spot on social media, and many at Roan & Yul had either visited or planned to visit.

“If you’re worried about being seen, I’ll book a private pool villa.”

Jun Hwi, reading her concerns, offered a solution.

Still, Yeon Woo felt uneasy.

“If you don’t like that place, we can choose another villa.”

“Hmm… Let me think.”

“Why?”

“If your business trip overlaps with my vacation, it’ll be awkward.”

“Then come on the weekend. I’ll stay until then.”

The idea of a trip to Jeju was exciting! Delicious food, breathtaking views of the sea and sky, relaxing drives, and the resort itself – it was all incredibly tempting.

‘I’m sure we’ll be seen by someone from the office.’

Yeon Woo hesitated to respond positively.