Pros? Having two lawyers she was in charge of in one place meant she could ask questions and handle things right from her seat.
And the cons. The biggest downside was Jun Hwi himself, who continuously drew Yeon Woo’s attention.
For starters, his legs were intimidatingly long, and every slight movement from Yeon Woo caused her toes to accidentally touch his leg on the left.
The first time the tip of Yeon Woo’s shoe accidentally brushed against his leg, he visibly flinched, startling her too.
Although Jun Hwi quickly returned to his expressionless default, Yeon Woo found it hard to do the same.
Worried that others might notice their legs covertly brushing, she cautiously glanced around with only her eyes.
Since then, like Jun Hwi, Yeon Woo sat rigidly upright, moving her legs as little as possible.
Moreover, Jun Hwi’s consistently upright posture seemed all the more remarkable.
Aren’t people supposed to shift a bit naturally? Perhaps due to his solid core, he maintained a consistently firm posture.
This led to the terrifying downside of automatically recalling the muscles on his back and abdomen that Yeon Woo had seen.
‘Ah. You’re crazy, Kim Yeon Woo.’
Occasionally, when she shook her head or bit her lip to dispel those pesky thoughts, it seemed, perhaps wishfully, that Jun Hwi was slightly smiling.
It was a vicious cycle, with Jun Hwi sitting next to her continually catching her attention.
Thus, Yeon Woo tried to focus solely on the laptop screen in front of her, but today, Jun Hwi kept seeking her out, forcing her to look at him more than usual.
“Is this part written by the patent attorney?”
“Yes. Should I revise it, Attorney?”
“No, it’s excellent. You’ve translated it very well.”
Pleased with the work of others, Jun Hwi relaxed his stern gaze and smiled. He was a leader who praised as fervently as he reprimanded.
“Deputy Manager Kim, please incorporate this draft into the report materials.”
“Understood, Attorney.”
Their eyes met as Jun Hwi adjusted his glasses. Yeon Woo quickly looked away, back to her monitor.
…Is being able to freely admire glasses-wearing Jun Hwi a downside or an upside?
[Yes. There are definitely upsides.]After a moment of hesitation, Yeon Woo honestly replied in the messenger chat, then quickly closed the chat window and headed to the pantry.
In the pantry, filling her tumbler with water, Yeon Woo was joined by Ji Eun. They greeted each other like long-lost siblings.
“Deputy Manager, did you buy a new cardigan? The boyfriend fit suits you so well.”
“Oops!”
Yeon Woo nearly spit out the water she was drinking.
Was she really walking around in Jun Hwi’s cardigan without realizing it? She had become so accustomed to its warmth that she didn’t notice the oddity.
“Ah, um…”
“That’s quite oversized, isn’t it? Deputy Manager, have you lost weight?”
Yeon Woo hastily tried to escape to the restroom, but Ji Eun followed her out, chatting away.
“It’s so big, it looks like an actual boyfriend’s shirt.”
“Does it seem like a man’s clothing? That’s a compliment, right, Ji Eun?”
“Of course, Deputy Manager. It’s meant in a good way.”
Jun Hwi, waiting for the elevator to the rooftop, quietly observed them.
“Isn’t it every woman’s dream? To be engulfed in a boyfriend’s oversized clothes, waving your arms around and then hugging, oh, Deputy Manager, about that blind date?”
Yeon Woo’s face paled at Ji Eun’s unexpected turn in conversation, especially with Jun Hwi looking on.
“Did you go on that date?”
“No, no. I didn’t.”
Avoiding Jun Hwi’s gaze, Yeon Woo practically ran to the restroom and immediately took off the cardigan.
“It’s a pity. Mr. Gu and Mr. Shin were hoping for good news.”
“Tell them there’s no news to share.”
“Okay.”
Feeling hot enough to sweat, Yeon Woo decided it was time to stop wearing Jun Hwi’s cardigan.
Upon returning to the situation room, she neatly folded the cardigan and placed it on Jun Hwi’s empty chair.
When he returned, Jun Hwi picked up the cardigan, stored it in the wardrobe attached to the cabinet, and refocused on his monitor.
Not in his own wardrobe, but in the section used by Yeon Woo.
“R Motors has really crossed the line this time, always causing trouble. Our VIP is furious, especially with the new car launch next month. Anyway, I’m counting on you to resolve this without dragging it out.”
The representative from P Automobiles sounded highly agitated over the conference call. Yeon Woo had to even lower her typing volume to avoid disturbing the meeting.
“It looks like we can outline a solution in a couple of months.”
“A couple of months? Attorney Kwon, that’s too late. Our new car launch is at the beginning of next month.”
“The issue with R Motors is hampering our ability to properly promote the new technology in the car.”
The schedule was tight, and there were inaudible sighs. Attorney Kwon Jun Hwi was the only one who remained unflustered.
“And speaking of money, I’m embarrassed to bring this up, but… we can’t pull much budget for this case.”
“Understood.”
“The VIP wants a quick and realistic settlement amount. Dragging this on will only increase legal fees… Ah, sorry for saying that in front of an attorney.”
A light, awkward chuckle diffused the embarrassment on both ends.
“It’s alright. It’s the truth. We’ll include such practical concerns in our strategy.”
After the call, the room buzzed with tension. Attorney Yang openly sighed.
“Having dual representation makes sense now. They want a quick settlement.”
“But how can we conclude an agreement and M&A transfer of business in just two weeks?”
“It seems we have only one option.”
Jun Hwi’s measured tone quieted everyone’s worries.
“Get R Motors to the table and conclude the negotiations and business transfer within two weeks.”
At that critical moment, Yeon Woo’s phone vibrated noisily.
Glancing, she saw messages from Kyung Ah and Ji Hye. Deciding to check later, she continued typing the meeting notes.
“We’ll push R Motors to settle quickly, and if they don’t want to pay a hefty sum and drag out legal fees, they’ll negotiate.”
“Yeah, but what about convincing our internal seniors or in-laws? Telling them we’ll wrap up a case in a week that could’ve lasted a year won’t be easy.”
Buzz, buzz, buzz. Despite Attorney Yang’s critical point, the phone kept vibrating with what seemed like continuous photo uploads in the group chat.
What are they sending so much for?
Intending to silence her phone, Yeon Woo absentmindedly opened the group chat and almost gasped aloud at what she saw.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!