Cucumber. He eats everything else but that. The emotionless Kwon Jun Hwi, who had erased all tangled emotions from earlier, gestured towards the cucumber he had removed from the gimbap and piled neatly on one side.

“Ah. Actually, I’m allergic to cucumbers. I can’t eat anything with cucumbers in it.”
“What? But why…!”
Screech!

Along with the rough sound of tire friction, the car suddenly stopped by the roadside. He urgently spoke to the startled Yeon Woo.

“Stop, don’t eat anymore.”

He unbuckled his seat belt and moved closer to Yeon Woo. Instinctively, she twisted her body in the opposite direction, hugging her box of kimbap tightly.

“I don’t like it. It’s fine if I take it out and eat it.”
“Stop joking around.”
“It’s my kimbap! And … there’s also the intention of the person who bought it for me.”
“······.”
He couldn’t use full force against Yeon Woo who was guarding her kimbap with her entire body. After several attempts, he eventually gave up on seizing the kimbap.

Jun Hwi returned his body, which had been leaning towards her, back to its original position and silently massaged his temples.

Yeon Woo, who had been watching, carefully tried to console him.

“You can eat it after removing the cucumber. It’s okay. Attorney.”
“I had no idea. That kind of thing.”
“Of course. Because I didn’t tell you.”
With just his eyebrows twitching, he started the car again.

Yeon Woo took one hand off the steering wheel and watched Jun Hwi’s large hand carefully adjusting the angle of the heater. He mostly focused on driving without much conversation.

“Are you really okay?”
“Of course. I told you I’m fine.”
But from time to time, the way he glanced at Yeon Woo as if to check if she was still alive was evident.

‘I followed because my heart weakened at the sight of the kimbap… ‘
The moment the kimbap he bought came into view, it reminded her of the macarons he had left behind last time.

That was Kwon Jun Hwi’s own way of apologizing.

It seemed like he wanted to make up for his wrongdoings this time as well. And perhaps this opportunity might be much more advantageous for Yeon Woo.

Having dealt with Kwon Jun Hwi for about a year, she knew that he was the type who would get more provoked when faced directly.

Hadn’t Yeon Woo been the only one to lose after clashing a few times? Considering that she couldn’t even get a transfer or resignation, it still kept her awake at night.

What if she took advantage of this opportunity when he was feeling sorry?

Wouldn’t it be more effective to gently console him when he’s softened and kindly talk to him to make him reflect?

‘Finally, the opportunity has come. Let’s make the most of it.’
She remembered seeing on a TV program that a dog trainer said there are some dogs that are easier to tame with a carrot rather than a whip, depending on their natural disposition.

‘Tame Kwon Jun Hwi with a carrot?’
She felt sorry for comparing him to a dog. But whether it’s a dog or Kwon Jun Hwi, she couldn’t understand why they acted the way they did.

Yeon Woo, who had decided on this, was about to start with the story that she was upset earlier, gathering her breath,

“Is there anything else I should know about you, Team Leader?”
Jun Hwi beat her to it.

“Uh, um. Similar things to cucumber cause an allergic reaction. Zucchini, melon, those kinds of things.”

“Ah, that’s important too, but that’s not what I’m asking.”
“Eh? Then what?”
Did Jun Hwi really not know, or was he pretending not to know? His gaze narrowed as he pondered.

I want to know more. About you.

While he was about to say that, Yeon Woo’s phone vibrated continuously.

“Ha…”
It was her father. Yeon Woo, who was holding her phone and making a troubled expression, finally succumbed to the incessant vibration.

She stuck as close as possible to the car window, pressed the phone to her ear, and clasped it tightly with her hand.

“Hello”
She couldn’t even finish her greeting when her father started his nagging bombardment. Yeon Woo clenched her eyes shut in belated regret for taking the call.

“Me? I’m on my way home now… What accident! I didn’t work overtime because of an accident! Ah, I was about to call Mom… I was going to do it as soon as I got home. Really.”
The familiar scenery of Yeon Woo’s house appeared outside the car window. Jun Hwi stopped the car and waited for Yeon Woo.

Just when Jun Hwi was considering if he should vacate his spot, Yeon Woo ended her call. She sighed. She looked utterly exhausted.

“Why didn’t you honestly tell him that you worked overtime because you met the wrong boss, not because of an accident.”
Ah. He hadn’t intended to listen, but he had heard everything. The tone of his followup was strangely sly.

“That is true, but if I had, I probably would have had to listen to Lawyer Ro and Yul’s curses for an hour. They would have made a big fuss that I ruined Mom’s birthday party.”
“What?”
Yeon Woo flinched at his sharp retort.

“Uh… it’s true that I met the wrong boss, what’s up.”
“Besides that, today is your mother’s birthday?”
“Yes, it’s today. We originally planned to have a family meal.”
Suddenly, he fell silent.

Then, looking at the cake and paper bag that Yeon Woo had left on the back seat, and then at her again, he seemed to be at a loss for words.

This was the first time he had seen such a strange expression on this man’s face since he announced his resignation at the company dinner.

“Why didn’t you say so!”
“I did say. That I had a family matter.”
“Where…! Where is the place?”
“Why?”
“Quickly, where is it. I’ll give you a ride.”
“They’ve already left the restaurant. It’s past 9.”
Jun Hwi, who was about to start the car immediately, hesitated.

“Then let’s go to your parents’ house.”
“That’s far. Gapyeong. If I go there, I won’t be able to go to work tomorrow.”
“Take a leave of absence tomorrow.”
“What about Ji Eun? How can we leave her alone?”
Closing his mouth tightly, he tried to think of another way while massaging his neck.

Why was he so enthusiastic about someone else’s mother’s birthday that had already passed?

“You should have said it was important!”
“I think I mentioned it a few times… But why are you angry, Lawyer?”

“I’m not angry······!”
“You’ve been hurting me with your words. It’s upsetting.”
“······.”
Now was the time. When he was soft!

Yeon Woo started the car, attempting to throw a carrot of sorts. She added a bit more MSG to make him feel as apologetic as possible, even throwing in drooping eyebrows and slightly pouted lips.

Jun Hwi, watching Yeon Woo, scratched his forehead and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

“I didn’t know today was your mother’s birthday.”
“Of course. Because I didn’t tell you.”
“Next time, make sure to tell me such important things in advance. If I had known, I would have······. Nevermind.”
“Huh? If you had known, what then?”
“Nevermind.”
The conversation had circled back to the previous topic.

“What exactly counts as important to you? I doubt you’d concern yourself with the extremely personal lives of your employees.”
“I do care.”
“······.”
“And I’m interested.”

He, who had been looking straight ahead, turned his body to face Yeon Woo before he knew it.

“Tell me everything. Without exception. Anything about Kim Yeon Woo.”
“······.”
“I need to know everything.”

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