The Man Who Shakes Me (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
“Take off your clothes?”
Jin Woo asked in a slightly lower voice. His voice brushing against her ear felt strangely hot.
Ji Na hurriedly glanced around in fluster.
“Oh, sorry. Not here. I mean, your clothes… You have an interview soon. What are we going to do?”
She felt tears welling up from sheer embarrassment. After gazing at Ji Na’s face for a moment, Jin Woo spoke reassuringly.
“Unnie, it’s okay.”
Jin Woo, who looked genuinely unruffled, instead seemed worried as he looked at her state.
“Are *you* really okay?”
Jin Woo raised his hand and lightly touched Ji Na’s cheek. Though it was an absentminded gesture, Ji Na instinctively stepped back a pace.
“Oh…”
An awkward silence hung in the air.
“Come to think of it, there’s a clothing store nearby. I’ll go buy something.”
Without waiting for a reply, Ji Na fled the spot as if running away. The spot on her cheek where Jin Woo’s fingers had just brushed felt hot. Her heart pounded rapidly.
“Lee Ji Na, get a grip.”
Jin Woo was just a kid she knew.
She was only confused right now because Do Jin seemed too close with Yoon Joo.
As if to steady herself, Ji Na shook her head firmly back and forth. Fortunately, there was a men’s formalwear store nearby. Regaining her composure, Ji Na pressed her lips tightly together and pushed open the glass door.
“Hmm…”
Was it too small? Ji Na silently cursed her own judgment and forced an awkward smile.
‘I should’ve at least asked for the right size before buying.’
She felt like smacking her own forehead for acting such a fool today, one blunder after another.
The sleeves were clearly too short—anyone could see they didn’t cover Jin Woo’s wrists. Seeing him look like a grown son forced into last year’s clothes, Ji Na decided she couldn’t let it go and spoke up.
“I’ll go get one size larger. Just wait a bit. When’s your interview?”
“No, it fits perfectly.”
Jin Woo finished fastening the top button and gave a small smile. Once he put on the jacket, the dress shirt cuffs disappeared, making the whole outfit look off.
“I’ll wash this thoroughly and return it to you. I’m really sorry about today. I must’ve completely lost my mind…”
Holding Jin Woo’s coffee-stained clothes, Ji Na apologized.
“I feel awful, but please do well at your interview. I’ll be rooting for you.”
His exposed wrists made the entire outfit look ill-fitting.
After finishing her sentence, Ji Na bit her lip tightly again. What if he couldn’t focus on his interview because of the clothes? What if he didn’t get the job? Worries flooded in like a tidal wave.
“Thanks to you, Unnie, I think I’ll totally nail it. Thank you.”
As if telling her not to worry, Jin Woo’s smile shone like summer sunshine.
Meanwhile, back at the office, Jin Woo stood in the elevator, gazing at the shirt cuffs Ji Na had bought him and wearing an unreadable smile. He’d nearly burst out laughing remembering Ji Na anxiously pacing in place.
Ji Na’s finger—supposedly belonging to someone with a boyfriend—was completely bare.
Not even a simple couple’s ring.
That overly attentive Manager, the one bothering him, definitely needed a closer look.
‘I won’t let you slip away this time…’
No matter what.
During his ten years in America, he’d thought that not seeing her would make him forget. He’d thrown himself obsessively into studying and training as if he didn’t know her at all.
He’d gone to parties with friends and even dated other women. But every time he returned home after it all ended and lay alone on his cold bed, Ji Na inevitably came to mind—as if all his efforts were laughably futile.
Since he couldn’t forget her, he resolved to become a better man—for her sake.
He didn’t strive just to become the heir, but to stand before her as someone worthy. All this time, he’d worked toward that goal…
The moment he arrived in Korea, he sought her out first. She’d already claimed to have a boyfriend and clearly felt uncomfortable around him. He could step back once, twice—but this time, he wouldn’t stand by foolishly.
Jin Woo’s eyes darkened slightly.
Ding—the elevator announced his floor, and the doors slid open. Jin Woo straightened his posture and stepped out.
Back at the office, Ji Hye was waiting for Ji Na.
“Hey hey!”
As if she’d been waiting, Ji Hye immediately dragged Ji Na into the break room and leaned in close.
“A divine masterpiece! Who is he? What’s your relationship? Is he your boyfriend?”
Ji Na shook her head firmly at Ji Hye, who fired off questions without even breathing.
“No. Just a kid I know.”
“A kid you know?”
Ji Hye paused dramatically, as if hearing shocking news, then sighed with theatrical despair.
“Ha! I must’ve misjudged you completely. A friend who treats a walking sculpture as merely ‘a kid she knows’? Oh, what a tragedy!”
“We’re not like that. Just a kid I know.”
At Ji Na’s protest, Ji Hye grinned slyly.
“A kid you know becomes a close kid, and a close kid becomes your darling.”
“Ugh, no. I have a boyfriend.”
Having accidentally blurted it out, Ji Na quickly clamped her mouth shut. Ji Hye’s eyes sparkled, instantly seizing the opening.
“What did you say?! You have what?”
“Ah…”
Before the flustered Ji Na could explain, Ji Hye was faster.
“Who’s your boyfriend? Is he from the office? Do I know him? Tell me quick—how long have you been together?”
Under Ji Hye’s relentless interrogation, Ji Na’s mind went blank. It felt as if Ji Hye’s impatient breaths were visibly puffing right in her face.
“I’ll tell you later. Right now, I just…”
“Wait—your boyfriend isn’t secretly the Chairman’s heir or something, is he? Is that why you’re pulling all-nighters like it’s nothing—for your boyfriend’s sake…?”
Imitating a true-crime show host, Ji Hye narrowed her eyes suspiciously, making Ji Na burst out laughing and wave her hands in protest.
“Wow, Ji Hye—you’ve been watching way too many dramas.”
“Exactly. Lately, my only romances happen in dramas. Don’t you feel sorry for me? So when I saw that perfectly sculpted ‘kid you know’ earlier, I seriously thought he was a celebrity filming on location at our office!”
Ji Hye let out a deep, exaggerated sigh as if the ground might cave in.
“If you were that curious, why didn’t you just join us for lunch?”
At Ji Na’s words, Ji Hye covered her blushing cheeks shyly.
“Oh! I’m so shy, you know!”
“Goodness. I had no idea until now.”
Ji Na and Ji Hye burst into laughter, looking at each other.
“Did you at least get coffee?”
Ji Na pulled out a paper cup before answering Ji Hye’s question.
“No.”
She’d generously donated her coffee—to his clothes, that is.
“Oh dear! Coffee and meals are the basics when you’re with a handsome ‘kid you know’!”
“Haha.”
Amused by Ji Hye’s antics, Ji Na gave a small laugh and pressed the coffee machine button.
“No wonder—I wasn’t there. Alright, next time I’ll definitely come with you.”
Ji Hye shook her head playfully.
“Sure.”
Would there even be a next time? She probably wouldn’t see Seo Jin Woo again.
Ji Na raised the paper cup to her lips. The coffee lingering in her mouth tasted unusually bitter.
By afternoon, slanted sunlight poured into the office. The keyboard clatter in the now sleepier atmosphere had slowed noticeably compared to the morning.
Ji Na, deep in finalizing a report, was no exception.
Do Jin still hadn’t returned—his field assignment must be running long. Ji Na tapped her stiff shoulders lightly, glanced toward his empty seat, then shifted her gaze back to the monitor.
“This should be enough…”
She’d been so focused that her shoulders and arms ached. Ji Na stretched her arms high above her head. Maybe she’d go hiking this weekend—it’d been a while.
Hiking was a hobby she’d picked up because of Do Jin.
She suddenly remembered how, early in her career, Do Jin would diligently hike every weekend just to impress their superiors. What had started as her reluctantly tagging along had now become something she could comfortably do alone.
It had been quite a while since she’d gone hiking with Do Jin.
[Do Jin, if you’re free this weekend, want to go hiking?]On impulse, Ji Na sent him a text. Before his promotion, they’d been too busy with work to go on a proper date. She’d even pulled all-nighters without complaint to support his rise.
While waiting for his reply, she hurried to wrap up the report. Beyond the tasks he’d assigned her, she still had plenty of her own work. Leaving on time today seemed unlikely.
Ji Na got up and headed to the break room. When she pressed the coffee machine firmly, it sputtered loudly with a clattering noise.
“Huh? What’s wrong with this thing?”
Clueless about machines, Ji Na looked around the coffee maker in panic.
It sounded much noisier than usual—clearly broken. Now that she thought about it, Ji Hye had mentioned the coffee machine acting up recently.
‘Of all times…’
After fiddling with the machine uselessly, she stepped back out of the break room. On her way back to call the admin team, Director Jung unexpectedly emerged from his office at a brisk pace.
“Oh, Associate Lee.”
Spotting Ji Na as if perfectly timed, the director beckoned her over.
“Interns start coming in tomorrow—please prepare a handover task list for them.”
The word “interns” made Ji Na’s eyes widen slightly in surprise.
“Interns?”
They were originally scheduled for the first half of the year… Seeing Ji Na’s puzzled expression, the director waved dismissively and urged her on.
“Starting this year, they’re hiring interns irregularly as needed. Our department requested extra hands due to the new project, and they fortunately approved it.”
“Yes, understood.”
Ji Na replied politely for now. Even without interns, her workload already felt mountainous.
A perfectly square office occupied the entire top floor of the building, expansive and imposing. One entire wall was floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a clear view of the city bathed in sunset.
Chairman Seo Il Jun sat on a leather sofa, his sharp eyes fixed on the person seated before him.
“You said you’d come earlier—why show up only now?”
“My apologies.”
Jin Woo bowed his head slightly. There was no need to explain that he’d been delayed buying new clothes. Il Jun clicked his tongue, eyeing Jin Woo with clear displeasure.
“You’re joining Future Strategy, yet you’re starting as an intern…?”
“I happened to see the intern posting.”
“After going through all that trouble to finish studying abroad, this is how you return—wanting to be an intern?”
“Only temporarily.”
Jin Woo met his father Seo Il Jun’s gaze with a composed expression.
“I feel I need to learn from the bottom up. People keep saying things like ‘parachute hire’ these days.”
“So all that time abroad just greased your tongue.”
Though clearly dissatisfied, Il Jun had already issued orders exactly as Jin Woo had requested.
“You’re the eldest son of the Seo family. No matter how many half-siblings you have, you remain the Seo family’s firstborn and this company’s rightful heir—regardless of what anyone says.”
“…Yes.”
Il Jun’s words carried weight as he fixed Jin Woo with a piercing stare. Jin Woo could only quietly bear the sudden, heavy burden.
“Two months. I won’t allow any longer. After that, you’ll move straight into Strategy—consider that settled.”
A dry, grating sound escaped Il Jun’s throat—proof of his deteriorating health. Aside from his sharp eyes, his face bore an obvious sickly pallor.
He’d urgently summoned Jin Woo back from studying overseas precisely because of his health. Il Jun was dying.
He needed a reliable heir to carry on after him. As soon as he finished speaking, Il Jun broke into a coughing fit, struggling to catch his breath.
Jin Woo watched his father’s face with concern—but that was all he could do. He couldn’t say a word to the man who’d cast aside his mother to build a new family with another woman. He could only clench his fists tightly.
“What on earth are you wearing?”
Noticing Jin Woo’s short sleeves, Il Jun scolded him with clear disapproval. Anyone could tell Jin Woo was wearing borrowed clothes, prompting Il Jun to add another jab.
“Are you short on living expenses?”
“No.”
Jin Woo, who’d been smiling faintly at his own sleeves, shook his head.
“You may go.”
Even this brief conversation had exhausted Il Jun. The steam from the untouched tea on the table hadn’t even cooled yet. Jin Woo bowed respectfully and left the Chairman’s office.
Secretaries waiting outside immediately gave polite bows as Jin Woo emerged. He returned the gesture with a nod and walked away.
Jin Woo stepped into the elevator with a conflicted look in his eyes.
Ding—The doors opened midway, and someone stepped inside.
“Huh?”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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