Seung Jun received Hyo Young’s call as soon as he left the convenience store.

It wasn’t very surprising, as he had expected it.

“What on earth were you thinking?”

As soon as he entered the house, Hyo Young pointed at Seung Jun accusingly.

“How could you spend 30 minutes looking at a marriage prospect, are you determined to shame me?”

Seung Jun silently looked at Hyo Young.

When he was young, he was scared of her. As a teenager, she was annoying. And now, he felt complicated emotions.

As an adult, he could see the environment surrounding her, and realized that she couldn’t do as she pleased either.

Chairman Han constantly checked if Hyo Young was raising Seung Jun well, and if he saw any deficiencies, he would summon Hyo Young and harshly reprimand her. So she had to do her best in raising Seung Jun.

Of course, that “best” was from Chairman Han’s perspective, not Seung Jun’s.

“If you act like this, how do you think the Chairman will view me and you!”

Seung Jun just quietly stared at Hyo Young, whose face had turned red.

Now he was tired of it all. Having to consider a family that wasn’t really family as his parents, having to play along with his grandfather’s antics.

“Mother,”

Swallowing his complicated feelings, Seung Jun continued.

“Are you still so afraid of grandfather?”

Deliberately calling the Chairman “grandfather” was meant to provoke her. As expected, Hyo Young’s eyes widened as she took a deep breath.

“Wh-what, what are you talking about?”

Until now, he had always quietly endured whatever scolding came his way. Since he was adopted at seven years old, Seung Jun had lived without deviating an inch from his parents’ orders.

Staring at the flustered Hyo Young, Seung Jun ran his hand through his hair.

Right, I don’t know why I’m acting like this either. Why I suddenly went to the convenience store in the middle of meeting a marriage prospect. Why I went all the way there just to get slapped.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit tired.”

Seung Jun turned around.

Surprised by his unusual demeanor, Hyo Young couldn’t say anything.

As he sat in the driver’s seat, he drove aimlessly. As he drove down the empty road, memories hazily rose in Seung Jun’s mind like fog.

After age seven, nothing in his life had been to his liking.

At twenty-seven, he finally found one thing he liked. The youngest secretary who blushed and avoided him whenever she saw him. A woman who was terrible at her job and speaking, but he couldn’t help but keep looking at her.

He believed it was love.

On days when he was scolded by Chairman Han in meetings, she would offer him warm coffee while checking his mood.

Sometimes she would reach out her small hand and hold his for no reason. He would chuckle seeing her trembling hand, then pull her into an embrace, making her whole body tremble as if it had turned into hands.

− If you’re going to comfort me, do it properly.

He would say that while covering her lips with his own, and she would close her eyes tightly with a bright red face.

He thought it would always be like that. That she would always be there for him, prepared with something whenever he was troubled or tired or weary.

He never thought she would abandon him first.

And that she would do so while carrying his seed, without saying a word.

How should I repay her to make her understand my feelings, how can I be compensated for my trampled heart?

First, I had to bring the child. That would be the surest revenge on her, and the most guaranteed way to give the child a good life.

That would be for the best, but.

I couldn’t do it.

Seven years old. The age when I lost my mother and the world.

I couldn’t pass on the same world to my son.

*

“Our application went through well, right? I’m so nervous. I really hope we pass JK Foods’ evaluation.”

On Monday, when Seol Ah arrived at work, she saw chocolates placed on her desk and turned her head, meeting Yoon Jin’s eyes.

“Did you buy these, Seo team leader?”

“I stopped by the convenience store this morning because I didn’t eat breakfast. I know you like chocolate, manager.”

Seeing Yoon Jin’s bright smile, Seol Ah lowered her gaze in surprise.

Could it be.

She recalled the chocolates Seung Jun was holding. He had left without paying for them in the end.

No, it couldn’t be. It probably doesn’t mean anything.

“My grandmother used to say that you don’t need much to make people smile. People are always moved by small things. I really didn’t want to come to work today, but after stopping by the convenience store and eating well, I felt energized. I thought of you too, manager.”

Seeing Yoon Jin’s smile, Seol Ah smiled back.

Yoon Jin’s circumstances were similar to Seol Ah’s. While Seol Ah grew up in an orphanage, Yoon Jin was raised by her grandmother after her parents divorced when she was young.

That grandmother had been battling cancer for the past year. Yoon Jin was struggling to pay for her grandmother’s chemotherapy while working at the company.

“Thank you. How is your grandmother’s condition?”

“She’s much better. They say she only needs two more chemotherapy sessions.”

Seol Ah patted Yoon Jin’s shoulder.

For her part, Seol Ah didn’t know what else to say to Yoon Jin. She wondered if words could fully cover that sadness and worry.

“I’m okay. But my contract is up this time, right? We need to pass the JK evaluation to even hope for a contract extension. It’ll work out, right?”

At Yoon Jin’s words, Seol Ah snapped back to attention.

While Seol Ah was a permanent employee, Yoon Jin was not. As she said, her contract was ending at the end of the month.

If they didn’t pass the evaluation, Udan Foods would have no reason to keep Yoon Jin on. Their workload would decrease that much.

‘But I went and slapped JK’s vice chairman.’

It was an unbelievable thing. Moreover, Seung Jun knew that Seol Ah’s company had submitted an application for evaluation.

He was a man who unfailingly repaid even the slightest harm done to him. Could such a man really be generous only to Seol Ah?

“How…”

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Hearing the sigh that unconsciously escaped Seol Ah’s lips, Yoon Jin asked with worried eyes.

“Is it going to be hard for me to get my contract renewed?”

“No, no. It’ll work out, don’t worry.”

Just then, Seol Ah’s phone rang. It was a summons from the president’s office.

Seol Ah stood up with an uneasy feeling.

Entering the president’s office, Seol Ah stopped abruptly.

Sitting there was Jung Soon Rye, the president’s mother and founder of Udan Foods.

“Are you an employee here? Sit down. I came by wondering how the company was doing. So, what’s the status on the JK evaluation application?”

Udan Foods began when Jung Soon Rye started making products from the dishes she served at the restaurant she ran.

She started by making and selling buckwheat noodles, cheonggukjang, and buckwheat pancakes to acquaintances, and when business went well, she even established a company.

“That? It’s as good as done. I’m close friends with JK’s vice chairman. He was my junior in elementary school.”

Seeing President Moon’s profile as he laughed heartily, Seol Ah couldn’t help but smirk.

Junior in elementary school. Seung Jun probably didn’t even know President Moon existed. Even if he did, Seung Jun would never associate with someone like President Moon.

“Elementary school junior? Really?”

“That’s right. When I was kicking a ball around the playground, that vice chairman, what was his name, Han Seung Heon, was running around with a runny nose.”

“It’s Vice Chairman Han Seung Jun, not Han Seung Heon.”

When Seol Ah spoke up unable to hold back, President Moon blinked as if embarrassed and replied.

“Ah, right. Who was Han Seung Heon again?”

“Han Seung Heon is Vice Chairman Han Seung Jun’s cousin.”

Han Seung Heon was Seung Jun’s brother, but they were the same age. However, when Seol Ah was working as a secretary, he was in America so she had never seen him separately.

At Seol Ah’s words, President Moon clapped his hands.

“Right, that’s it. Their names are similar. Anyway, whether it’s Han Seung Heon or Han Seung Jun, I know him. Mom, don’t worry. We’re going to hit it big now.”

“Really? You’ve always exaggerated so much since you were young. Are you sure this time?”

“I’m telling you it’s true. Don’t worry. Oh, right, Manager Yu Seol Ah, set up a meeting with JK Vice Chairman Han Seung Jun right away this week.”

Looking at President Moon as he called out confidently, Seol Ah lowered her head.

A meeting this week. His schedule would already be full for the next three months.

Even if his schedule wasn’t full, Seung Jun would have no reason to meet President Moon.

“Call him right now, quickly!”

President Moon stomped his feet noisily and pointed. Mrs. Jung glanced at the flustered Seol Ah and stood up.

“Oh my. Why are you acting like this? Don’t make things difficult for your subordinate unnecessarily. Okay?”

As Mrs. Jung left the president’s office, Seol Ah let out a quiet sigh. She had been conflicted about whether she really had to make the call.

He was probably just showing off to his mother. Now that Mrs. Jung had left, he would tell her to leave as if nothing had happened.

But even after Mrs. Jung left, President Moon just gave Seol Ah a puzzled look.

“Why aren’t you doing it?”

“Pardon?”

“Call JK’s vice chairman and set up an appointment. Can’t you hear me?”

“Excuse me?”

Seol Ah looked at President Moon with bewildered eyes.

“President, even if I contact JK Group’s vice chairman’s office, it will be difficult to get connected to the vice chairman. Even if I do get connected, he won’t agree to meet.”

As Seol Ah explained, not understanding why she was even explaining this, President Moon slammed his hand on the desk.

“Ha, this, really, you can’t understand a single word.”

“But.”

“You have to make it happen even if it’s impossible. Okay? I told you Vice Chairman Han was my elementary school junior. If they say anything, tell them the president went to the same elementary school. The world runs on connections, you know.”

He was someone who wouldn’t listen no matter what was said.

Would he really care about an elementary school classmate, not even a college one? Especially when he doesn’t even know what they look like.

“You can’t do it? Ha, I’m really going crazy. If you can’t, bring in that Seo Yoon Jin team leader.”

“Team leader Seo?”

“Her contract expires this month, right? If you threaten her with the contract, she’ll at least make the call.”

The image of Yoon Jin smiling brightly while giving her chocolate came to mind.

And the sight of her crying last year when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Yoon Jin and Seol Ah did all the work at the company. The two of them did more work than all the other employees combined.

After working so hard like that.

She couldn’t let her be dismissed like this.

“I’ll do it.”

Seol Ah answered with boiling blood.

“You’ll make the call?”

“No, that’s not it. I’ll somehow try to pass JK Foods’ evaluation.”

“You? How will you do that?”

President Moon looked at Seol Ah with a face that showed he didn’t trust her.

“I’ll do my best. Our food products are competitive. If we prepare properly, we should be able to pass the evaluation.”

That seemed easier than setting up a meeting between President Moon and Han Seung Jun. As Seol Ah said, Udan Foods’ internal affairs were in good shape.

Even now, they were selling well through word of mouth without any special marketing.

“Really?”

Seeing Seol Ah’s confident face, President Moon also seemed moved and nodded.

“Alright. Do your best. I don’t need to step in, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

Seeing Seol Ah’s expression, President Moon smiled broadly.

“Then I’ll trust you and leave it to you.”

“But I have one request.”

Seol Ah cleared her throat and looked directly at President Moon.

“If we pass the JK evaluation, please renew Team Leader Seo’s contract. There will be more work after the evaluation anyway.”

President Moon furrowed his brow slightly, then relaxed it.

“Fine.”

President Moon answered as if he was granting a huge favor.

“I can do that much.”