“I…I don’t understand why we have to talk about that now.”
Suddenly, she felt choked. As her strength ebbed, Yeon Woo let go of the hand she was gripping.

So, he’s saying that because I rejected him…he’s retaliating?

“Do you find my work orders amusing?”
“No.”
“Then at least focus on me when you’re working.”
The sensation of her nails digging into the flesh of her clenched fist was very vivid.

She wanted to flee from this place immediately. But due to his casual gaze that seemed to be scrutinizing Yeon Woo leisurely, she felt as if she was immobilized, unable to move.

‘He doesn’t even know how much I’ve lost sleep over this, worrying endlessly.’
How afraid I was of appearing trivial to you, of remaining as just one of those partners.

Kwon Jun Hwi, why didn’t you elaborate on your true intentions when you asked to meet?

Your skill at persuading others, why don’t you apply that same effort to me, instead of just cornering me?

Will you listen if I talk about my anxieties, my worries? Or, have you ever even been curious?

Thud. In the end, a tear, full of sorrow, welled up and flowed down from one eye, falling to the ground.

“……!”
It was a relief that he was no longer looking at Yeon Woo and had turned his eyes to the paperwork.

Yeon Woo quickly wiped away the tear with the back of her hand and turned around. As she tried to leave his office, a somewhat softened voice followed her from behind.

“Bring your laptop to the conference room. Let’s finish quickly while looking at it together. … I’ll give you a ride home when it’s over.”
I almost argued out of absurdity. A ride? I don’t need it.

“I don’t want to.”
“Why.”
“Because I can concentrate better when I’m alone.”
I really hate him. Kwon Jun Hwi.

Yeon Woo had to bear the brunt of her father’s nagging for the second time.

“Dad. Yes. …I can’t promise when I’ll finish …Yes. Is mom very upset?”
She had to take the call immediately from her desk, clicking the mouse with one hand, while carefully lowering her voice so that it wouldn’t carry into his halfopen office.

Dad’s nagging was relentless. Mom is very upset, you should always be good to mom, and then he went back to the beginning and repeated it all over.

Anyway, since she had done something wrong, Yeon Woo promised with a contrite attitude to definitely visit on the weekend and do all the house chores, and finally managed to appease him.

‘When will this day ever end?’
But now, there’s only a little more to do. Yeon Woo, whose wrist had grown weary from all the clicking, stretched as she rotated her wrist.

“Ms. Yeon Woo.”
“Ah!”
Since when had he been there? Jun Hwi was leaning against the door of his office, looking at Yeon Woo.

She unknowingly stretched out joyfully. Yeon Woo quickly adjusted her posture, brushing off the embarrassment.

“Shall we eat dinner?”
It was starting again. His patented practice, give a sickness then give the cure.

He had poured everything out to Yeon Woo, so he might feel relieved enough to eat, but Yeon Woo did not.

“No, thank you. I’d rather just finish quickly.”
What was the point of suppressing so hard? Yeon Woo scoffed internally.

Just as Jun Hwi was about to say something again, his cell phone vibrated. Seeing him answer with a “Yes, CEO,” it seemed to be a call from the CEO.

Yeon Woo returned her focus to the monitor as he talked on the phone.

In order to address the sudden call from the CEO, Jun Hwi got into the elevator.

However, his mind had not yet escaped from the office, where the uncomfortable atmosphere lingered.

Precisely, it was still entangled in the moment of my fatal verbal error.

‘Did she reject me as a man, and decide not to treat me as her boss at work anymore?’
In the heat of the moment, I had blurted out those words.

It was disgraceful to see her pleading to keep her promise with Cha Han Bin. Not even knowing what his intentions were. It was frustrating too.

Still… I shouldn’t have said that.

I acted as if I was using our shared time as a weakness to blackmail her. Cowardly and petty.

I couldn’t even look straight at Yeon Woo’s eyes that had become dull as if the bright light was turned off. The pale look, losing its vitality, was gradually spreading, and her afterimage kept flickering.

I didn’t understand why I couldn’t control my anger when it came to her.

So, in an attempt to apologize, I suggested we have dinner together, but she cruelly rejected me.

“Sigh…”
Still thinking about Yeon Woo, a bitter smile lingered momentarily on my stern face.

This is, somewhat, like a halfcrazy person.

So, I was stuck with the CEO for what felt like 30 hours but was actually 30 minutes. The seniors were arguing over a recent case, and asked for my interpretation.

After leaving the CEO’s office, Jun Hwi walked quickly. Now it was time to mend things with Yeon Woo.

On the way, he stopped at the kimbap shop in front to buy kimbap for Yeon Woo. This was a shop where even the picky Jun Hwi occasionally bought food.

He wanted to feed her something more expensive and better, but he decided to think about that next time.