The 7-Day Contract (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 11
“Huh? It’s Mom! Mommy—!”
The child’s small feet bounced excitedly in place.
“Mommy!”
“Si Woo.”
Da Jung, breathless from running, crouched down and tightly embraced Si Woo.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, honey. Did you wait long?”
“Nope! Not at all! Um… what about Auntie?”
“Auntie was busy, so Mommy came instead. Are you disappointed it’s not her?”
Da Jung’s expression drooped slightly. Si Woo quickly shook his head, gulping hard.
“No! No way! Si Woo loves Mommy more than anyone in the whole world!”
Amused by her fox-like son’s sweet charm, Da Jung couldn’t help but laugh and showered his cheeks with vigorous kisses.
“Mommy loves Si Woo more than anyone in the whole world too!”
Watching the woman mimic her child’s exaggerated speech, Hyun Ah scoffed in disbelief.
This was perfectly timed. It presented an ideal opportunity to impress Jeong Hyeok with her professionalism—especially since she’d been disappointed earlier when her plan to showcase the kindergarten’s scale had fallen through.
Hyun Ah crossed her arms haughtily.
“So, that child is yours?”
Despite the cold opening remark, Da Jung smiled gently.
“Director. It’s been a while. I apologize for not greeting you earlier while dropping off Si Woo. Oh, and please give my regards to the Chairwoman as well.”
Si Woo’s enrollment at Hansong Private Kindergarten had largely been thanks to Seon Young—Hyun Ah’s mother and the foundation’s chairwoman.
Though Da Jung sincerely meant to convey her gratitude, Hyun Ah merely brushed it off.
“Madam! Please make sure to pick up your child on time. Do you realize how damaging it would be to the kindergarten if your child got lost or injured while left alone? If you’re running late, at least call ahead!”
Even facing the young woman’s scolding, Da Jung simply smiled softly. There was no reason for her, as a mother, not to remain humble and respectful regarding her child’s education.
“I’m truly sorry, Director. I hurried as much as I could, but traffic was backed up, and the wind…”
Her cheerful tone suddenly faltered. Her pupils twitched faintly, trembling ever so slightly.
The moment she caught sight of the man standing beside Director Oh Hyun Ah, Da Jung’s face flushed pale—as if she’d seen a ghost.
The man, who had been gazing indifferently at her, lowered his eyes—and instinctively, without realizing it, Da Jung subtly pulled Si Woo behind her.
As though hiding a secret only she could keep.
A dry wind blew—just as it had five years ago.
It was a late afternoon in early summer, the sunlight thick and mellow.
“…I—I’m sorry, Director. Next time, I’ll contact you ahead of time.”
Her voice trembled—or at least she feared it did—and she felt uneasy.
Da Jung hastily averted her gaze and gently cupped the back of Si Woo’s head.
“Si Woo, say hello.”
“Goodbye, Principal. Goodbye, Mister.”
Si Woo gave a polite bow from the waist. Seizing the moment, Da Jung took his hand and turned away. Their clasped palms were already damp with sweat.
“Um… Mommy.”
Si Woo stumbled trying to keep up with her quick pace. Instead of slowing down, Da Jung scooped him up effortlessly and kept walking briskly.
Her face, as she hurried toward the parking lot, had turned deathly pale.
Jeong Hyeok’s gaze lingered for a long time on the woman’s retreating figure—carrying her child as if fleeing—and Hyun Ah pursed her lips, annoyed.
Even if she was just a mother, it wasn’t pleasant seeing his attention fixed on another woman.
“Oppa, why are you staring like that? Do you know her?”
Yet even with her petulant tone, Jeong Hyeok remained indifferent, eyes fixed on some distant point.
★ ★ ★
After confirming Si Woo was asleep, Da Jung stepped out for a brief walk and headed toward Sol Yi’s café, a ten-minute walk away.
「Caffe, Sol.」
Others likely had no idea how this seemingly meaningful, minimalist name had sprung purely from unapologetic self-love.
*Ding.*
The chime of the doorbell made Sol Yi’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Oh my! What brings you here at this hour? Where’s Si Woo?”
“I tucked him in and just came out for some fresh air. Still busy at night, huh? You’ll be rich in no time.”
Though it was past 10 p.m., the café was still filled with patrons. While most customers were office workers, the steady nighttime crowd was thanks to the building’s officetel residents.
Da Jung felt genuinely proud of her hardworking friend.
Five years ago, there had been only five tables; now there were fifteen—a truly remarkable leap forward.
Thanks to her friend’s generosity, Da Jung sipped a free coffee at a table by the large window, leisurely soaking in the night’s ambiance.
Suddenly, a suspicious scene caught her eye.
“Ice Americano, one order.”
Sol Yi’s tone toward the burly male customer was unusually gentle and tender.
Considering Sol Yi’s usual brash and loud demeanor—even with customers—this was definitely out of character.
Da Jung casually glanced at the man as he returned to his seat. He was accompanied by another man, and both had rugged, muscular builds.
Meanwhile, Sol Yi kept sneaking glances toward their table. Sensing something was up, Da Jung stealthily approached and leaned her elbows on the counter.
“Wow, he looks really healthy.”
At her subtle prompt, a sly grin spread across Sol Yi’s face.
“Just healthy? He’s handsome too.”
Da Jung tilted her head and took another close look. Still, she hesitated to agree on the “handsome” part.
The man had a receding chin, a low nose bridge, thick lips, bushy black caterpillar-like eyebrows, and deep-set double eyelids that bordered on unsettling.
Da Jung shook her head slightly. No matter how long she watched, she couldn’t decipher Sol Yi’s fickle taste—even if the girl proudly called herself a hopeless romantic.
“But… doesn’t he break the proportions a bit?”
Da Jung frowned slightly, eyeing his disproportionately muscular body compared to his tiny, chestnut-sized head.
Sol Yi just pouted silently, as if inviting Da Jung to bark all she wanted. Da Jung pressed on.
“So who is he, really?”
“Our building’s got a fitness center, right? He’s a trainer there.”
“No wonder. His physique is just…”
As Da Jung whispered in mild awe, Sol Yi continued.
“I’ve been working out since yesterday.”
“Working out? Seriously? Did they rope you in with a sales pitch?”
“So what if they did? Am I exercising for someone else’s benefit? If I get in shape and charm him a little, how could he possibly resist or stay indifferent?”
Da Jung let out a soft sigh.
“Friend… isn’t your confidence just a little too much?”
“What? Don’t I look good?”
Sol Yi struck a model-like pose as she asked.
Honestly, she was striking enough that it felt wasteful to see her stuck in a café. Tall and slim, with sharp features and a refreshingly classic beauty—she was undeniably lovely.
But true friends were sparing with overly embarrassing compliments.
When Da Jung hesitated to reply, Sol Yi shot her a glare.
“Choose your words carefully—or I won’t babysit Si Woo anymore.”
“That’s low—using my kid to blackmail me?”
“What wouldn’t I do to boost my self-esteem?”
After a brief grumble—and just as Si Woo’s name came up—Da Jung’s expression darkened abruptly.
“You know… I saw that man today.”
“That man? Who’s that? Is he good-looking?”
“Yeah. Very good-looking.”
She answered the off-topic question earnestly, yet the next words stuck in her throat. As she chewed her lip silently, Sol Yi prodded.
“Good-looking, huh? Who—who exactly?”
Da Jung finally released her bitten lip and managed to speak.
“Si Woo’s… father.”
“…!”
Sol Yi’s mouth fell open, mute for a long moment.
*That* man.
She didn’t know his name or age, yet the oppressive aura he exuded and his deep, intense eyes had never once faded from memory.
There was no doubt—it was Si Woo’s biological father.
After standing frozen like a wooden pole, Sol Yi finally started speaking rapidly.
“W—Where did you see him?”
“At Si Woo’s kindergarten.”
“Oh my! Doesn’t his child attend the same kindergarten?”
“I’m not sure… I didn’t see him at the entrance ceremony.”
“Well, only moms usually show up for those.”
“Really?”
“Does this mean you’ll keep running into him there from now on?”
That was precisely Da Jung’s greatest concern.
“So what did he say?”
“Nothing. He might not have recognized me…”
Da Jung recalled the man’s face from their encounter at the kindergarten. His expression had been utterly indifferent—not a trace of surprise, warmth, or any discernible emotion.
Sol Yi nodded in agreement.
“Come on! It was just one night, five years ago. How could he possibly remember? Of course he wouldn’t recognize you.”
Still, just in case, Sol Yi took a step back and examined Da Jung thoroughly—then shook her head decisively.
“Nope. You might not realize it, but you used to be super outdated back then. And now you’ve even chopped your hair short. There’s no way he recognized you—I’ll bet my hands and entire fortune on it.”
Da Jung gently touched the bare nape of her neck, exposed beneath her bob cut. Clearly, she had changed greatly since five years ago.
Yet *he* had changed too—significantly, in many ways—from how he’d been back then. And yet—
“I recognized him instantly.”
“Well, of course. That man isn’t the type you’d forget after one glance. Just look at Si Woo’s face—you can already guess. And you see your son, who’s his spitting image, every single day. How could you forget? Right?”
“I guess so…”
“Honestly, your face isn’t uniquely striking enough to be permanently etched into someone’s memory—so relax.”
Da Jung chose to believe her friend’s bold reassurance—
while silently praying Sol Yi would never actually lose her hands or fortune.
★ ★ ★
“Good morning, Hee Joo.”
When Da Jung arrived at work, Hee Joo—as expected—was already diligently holding down the office.
Hee Joo’s head popped up from the dense stack of blueprints at the warm greeting.
“Good morning, Team Leader.”
Chae Hee Joo. A fresh graduate who’d only joined Hanbit three months ago.
Though still a rookie—and surely overwhelmed juggling certification studies—Hee Joo was more diligent and hardworking than anyone else. To Da Jung, that earnest passion was endlessly endearing and admirable.
Da Jung watched Hee Joo, bustling busily since morning, with deep affection in her eyes.
Her simple T-shirt and jeans, hair hastily tied in a loose ponytail, and bare, makeup-free face—all radiated the natural beauty of youth.
“Team Leader, I’ll be heading over to the L Park site for a bit.”
Hee Joo stood up with blueprints in hand—barely having arrived at the office.
“Take care, Hee Joo.”
Seeing Hee Joo hurry off, Da Jung’s expression softened with nostalgic emotion.
She’d noticed Hee Joo’s worn-out sneakers—the soles nearly worn through—and memories of her own days at that age came flooding back.
In a profession where site visits were as routine as meals, she’d never once worn high heels during her prime youth.
Hee Joo wasn’t wearing old sneakers out of poverty or frugality.
It was simply because she was too busy to even notice they’d worn out—her mind had no room for such trivialities.
Though Hanbit Architectural Office appeared understaffed and disorganized at first glance, its site portfolio was surprisingly substantial.
It handled several major projects, and both clients and building owners consistently expressed satisfaction with the high-quality results.
Da Jung, momentarily lost in thought, rose from her seat and walked over to Hee Joo’s desk. Pulling out the chair, she spotted a pair of black dress shoes underneath.
The sneakers were threadbare, yet the shoes—barely worn—looked almost brand-new. Touched and amused by the contrast, Da Jung chuckled softly.
After returning the shoes to their place and sliding the chair back, Do Jun walked into the office.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Senior.”
Do Jun offered a gentle smile, then lifted his phone back to his ear—having briefly set it down earlier.
“I told you there’s a schedule this afternoon. Just listen to the site supervisors’ briefing.”
A resigned sigh slipped out as he continued the call, his tone slightly impatient.
“Ugh… Fine. Got it.”
After ending the call with clear reluctance, he immediately called out to Da Jung.
“About the MH Department Store project—could you go in my place later?”
“But wasn’t that assigned to you exclusively?”
“I *should* go, but my dad—the president of Chongmyeong University—called me in for the dorm construction issue.”
Do Jun grimaced wearily at the mention of the “Chongmyeong summons.”
Though it was customary for the representative to attend major bidding events like a department store’s new construction, Da Jung had handled most of the design and drafting herself—so stepping in wouldn’t be too burdensome.
“Head to their main office, 9th floor, by 2 p.m. Don’t be late.”
“Understood, Senior. Don’t worry.”
Male lead first thought she played hard to get, only to realize she
really disliked him
Short intro:
What she can’t stand the most is the streets full of effeminate men, especially that so-called top beauty whom she avoids at all costs.
Shen Yaoxing looks at Jiang Mingyue, who keeps approaching her with coy shyness.
Shen Yaoxing: Bro, don’t be like this, I’m really about to throw up!
She fears nothing in heaven or earth, except for him getting close to her.
*
At first he thought she was just using the trick of feigning indifference to attract his attention. Later, he learned that she truly despised him.
This dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Mingyue, and he vowed to make her, like everyone else, fall at his feet in worship!
***
Synopsis:
Before transmigrating, Shen Yaoxing only wanted to find a reliable man to spend her life with. Who knew that after transmigrating, she would become a reliable woman herself…
A forced misandrist, highly skilled, and reliable female lead
vs.
An initially aloof and arrogant, later morbid, obsessed male lead
_____
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