“Director. Those words……”

“They mean exactly what I said. I’m interested.”

Jae Kyung seemed to have reached a conclusion about his previously uncertain feelings.

“……”

Bo Mi was about to say it was difficult, but closed her mouth.

“Not yet.”

“Not yet……”

Jae Kyung realized that Bo Mi was always tense like a deer being chased by a hunter in front of him. Even though she laughed well when with CEO Ha Su Young or other people.

Jae Kyung wanted to see Bo Mi smile.

Jae Kyung took a light deep breath as he turned the doorknob.

“Narae……”

“……?”

Bo Mi lifted her head at Jae Kyung’s sudden words.

“Tori.”

“Pfft……”

Bo Mi burst into laughter as she realized the meaning of Jae Kyung’s words in the serious atmosphere.

When Bo Mi looked at Jae Kyung, this time he covered his mouth and avoided her gaze.

Seeing his flushed face embarrassed by his own words made her laugh. Rather than a man resembling paradise, Do Jae Kyung seemed cute.

“Let’s go. I’ll buy you coffee.”

“Not that.”

Jae Kyung glanced at Bo Mi smiling brightly. She’s even prettier when she smiles.

Why is it only now that he understands the feelings of men like Yeon Ga Jin and Ha Su Young hovering around this woman? He felt dismayed by the ominous feeling that Do Jae Kyung would likely become one of them too.

“I’ll buy the coffee, if you say this.”

Bo Mi noticed Jae Kyung’s reddened earlobes. Her own cheeks flushed for no reason.

“Have coffee with me.”

“Even though you ended up paying for the meal last time……”

“Turn a blind eye whenever I cross the line.”

“Is this a declaration of war?”

Bo Mi furrowed her brow and pouted her lips.

“I’ll buy you a lot more in the future.”

If Do Jae Kyung, who considered even sleep and meal times a waste when working, wanted to make time to have coffee with someone in his schedule, what hesitation was needed?

Jae Kyung didn’t want to think too deeply about his interest in Bo Mi.

He wasn’t officially engaged to Ga Young yet, just planning to be. He hadn’t heard that Bo Mi was married. And Yeon Ga Jin said they weren’t lovers… Had he gotten a definitive answer?

“Somehow I feel like I’m at a disadvantage.”

It wasn’t bad that Jae Kyung was showing interest in her as a woman. To the point of forgetting he had a woman to marry……

It hadn’t even been half a day since swearing that Han Yeo Reum was all she needed, yet the human heart was so fickle.

“I’ll just buy and bring you coffee.”

Bo Mi thought she shouldn’t get any more entangled with Jae Kyung.

“If you don’t like coffee, shall we have a meal?”

This man has no intention of backing down at all.

The last meal together was tense the whole time, so it wasn’t a particularly good memory.

“Coffee is good. Let’s go for coffee.”

Jae Kyung walked out first and pressed the elevator button.

“Let’s get in.”

Su Young, coming out of the bathroom, spotted Bo Mi and waved.

“Han Bo Mi. Where are you going?”

Su Young approached and spoke only to Bo Mi, not seeming to notice Jae Kyung who had already entered the elevator.

As Bo Mi was about to turn her head to answer, Jae Kyung pulled her in.

Bo Mi stumbled into Jae Kyung’s arms as she was swept into the elevator.

“Sorry. It looked like the doors were closing.”

Jae Kyung lied shamelessly.

Ah… How could she get angry at this man who resembled paradise so closely?

Bo Mi tucked her hair behind her ear and stood in the corner of the elevator.

Jae Kyung was glad Han Bo Mi hadn’t seen Ha Su Young’s expression as the doors closed.

Those types who hang around pretending to be friends are the most annoying.

Su Young swallowed his frustration at Jae Kyung’s warning glare between the closing doors. Director Do Jae Kyung. That man resembling paradise was stirring up Bo Mi’s heart, which had started relying on Su Young.

He had an ominous feeling that he might lose Bo Mi to another man again.

Jae Kyung was participating in a book donation event at a library, part of Dowon Group’s cultural support initiatives. As reporters started taking flash photos, Jae Kyung frowned and stepped back. Secretary Kim, noting Jae Kyung’s discomfort, guided him.

“I told them to focus on photographing the library today. If you’re uncomfortable, there’s an emergency staircase over there.”

Jae Kyung knew such events needed reporters for the company’s image, but he never got used to photos. Instead of Jae Kyung, the PR director from the Strategic Planning Office took the stage in the spotlight.

The flashes from numerous cameras made Jae Kyung’s stomach churn.

His father’s death had caused a huge stir, inflated beyond reality, and reporters hounded Yeon Hee and Jae Kyung daily for coverage.

Dowon Group had the power to placate the media, but they left Yeon Hee and Jae Kyung to suffer from the press. It was because they had become discarded cards of Do Won Il at the time.

Only later did he realize it was to divert public attention to Won Il’s scandal to mitigate moral responsibility for the building collapse due to poor construction that had shaken both Hwang Construction and Dowon Group.

It was a moment when Chairman Do Jun Seok’s cruelty became apparent. Swallow what’s sweet, spit out what’s bitter. That logic applied even to his own flesh and blood.

As a result, Jae Kyung extremely disliked the media and having his photo taken.

Jae Kyung never took photos except for passport photos.

Exiting via the emergency stairs, he felt a calmness different from the bustling event venue, which put him at ease.

Jae Kyung took a deep breath as he rubbed his face.

Breathing in the fresh air, he thought of her.

Several days had passed since having coffee together, unable to see Bo Mi due to busy schedules.

‘Director Han Bo Mi.’

‘Yes……’

Bo Mi lifted her head, taking her lips off the straw of the coffee Jae Kyung bought. The mascara still smudged on her moist lips strangely suited her. He thought she didn’t need to be any prettier than this.

‘I didn’t get an answer about whether you’re dating anyone.’

‘Director. You’re surprisingly persistent about this.’

‘I want to be sure.’

‘No comment.’

Such a stubborn woman, refusing to answer till the end. What’s wrong with just answering straightforwardly?

Though Jae Kyung didn’t think Bo Mi would feel the same temperature just because he was interested……

He had never given his heart to any woman like this before, so his own emotions felt unfamiliar.

Even Jae Kyung didn’t know clearly what he wanted to do.

One thing was certain – he wanted to get to know Director Han Bo Mi well.

He walked towards the park attached to the library. It served as a walking area for nearby daycares and as a playground substitute.

Seeing the children gathered noisily in the park, Jae Kyung decided it would be better to wait in the car.

He felt a faint tug on his clothes.

“Mister.”

A round face with big eyes was looking up at Jae Kyung.

Why? The child’s face reminded him of Han Bo Mi. Had he missed her this much??

He couldn’t tell how old, but since the child seemed to be from a nearby daycare, probably not an elementary student.

The child was holding shoes in one hand and standing in socks.

Looking up at Jae Kyung, the child blinked hesitantly.

“What?”

Though annoyed, Jae Kyung couldn’t just leave a barefoot child.

“Mister. Do you have children?”

“No.”

The child looked dejected, then stood on tiptoes and craned their neck.

“Mister. You’re tall.”

“Yeah. Is it hard to look up?”

Jae Kyung, nearly 190cm tall, bent down to meet the child’s eyes.

“No, that’s not it. It’s here.”

The child’s shoes were dangling where their finger pointed.

It wasn’t that high, but out of reach even on tiptoes for the child’s height.

“Why did you put your shoes there?”

It wasn’t likely a new game, and he knew the reason for the child’s bare feet, but something felt off.

“Can you get them down? If my socks get dirty, it’s hard for mom when she does laundry.”

“You know that but put your shoes in a place like that?”

“Uh……”

The child looked about to cry. The tear ducts by their eyes quivered finely. Even this way of holding back tears resembled her.

Am I crazy? Will the whole world start looking like Han Bo Mi?

“Please help.”

Jae Kyung lightly picked up the shoes and handed them to the child.

“Thank you.”

When the child smiled brightly, the deep dimples looked familiar. Where had he seen them before?

The child lifted a leg to dust off their foot, but lost balance and stumbled. Jae Kyung quickly lifted the child who seemed about to fall.

“Wow!”

The child shouted joyfully as their body was lifted. As Jae Kyung moved while holding the child, they asked with a slightly anxious expression.

“Mister. Where are we going?”

“Sit here.”

Jae Kyung sat the child on a bench and lightly dusted off their feet. The child burst into giggles, ticklish. Cute.

Jae Kyung’s heart also tickled at the sight of the child wiggling their toes and smiling brightly.

Is it really time to get married? For a child to look cute……

Thinking of marriage gave him a headache.

He’d have to deal with the engagement to Yeon Ga Young first. He needed to find a way to overturn the unwanted engagement.

“Mister.”

The child raised a hand and pressed their thumb firmly between Jae Kyung’s brows. A sweet peach-like scent came from the child. Just like Han Bo Mi……

‘You’ll get wrinkles.’

The face of the woman who had worried while pressing his brow flashed by.

The child hopped off the chair and gave a belly button bow.

“Mister. Thank you.”

“You didn’t do this to your shoes, right?”

Seeing the red scrapes on the child’s knees, it seemed they might be getting bullied.

“Mister. Don’t you know shoe kicking?”

“If you got hurt playing, that’s fine.”

“Thank you, mister. But mister, you really don’t have children?”

“No, I don’t.”

“I see. Mister, you must have your reasons.”

The child smiled brightly and ran off to a group of other children.

Jae Kyung stared blankly at the child’s retreating figure. The child seemed about to join the other children when a bigger child ran over and pushed them. Though smaller than the others, the child didn’t cry when knocked down, just glared at the bigger one.

There must be strong and weak even among children.

Jae Kyung hesitated, wondering if he should help the child. Just as he was about to walk towards the child, a woman who looked like a teacher came and said something to the bigger child while helping the fallen one up.

Jae Kyung chuckled at his momentary impulse to meddle.

It wasn’t like Do Jae Kyung.

As Jae Kyung walked towards the parking lot, he spotted Yeon Ga Jin, who was representing Hwang Construction at the event. So he was skipping out here when he hadn’t shown his face at the event.

Ga Jin was on the phone with someone.

“Yeah, Han Bo Mi. I know she’s a lightweight too.”

Jae Kyung reacted to Bo Mi’s name and hid out of Ga Jin’s sight.

“I’ll handle it, so you take care of that Ha Su Young guy or whatever. He’s been hanging around Han Bo Mi since college and he’s still around? Tsk.”

Ga Jin spoke in an irritated tone, hands in pockets, kicking at the ground.

“Got it. He owes me too, so he won’t be able to resist. Just get him drunk. He’ll definitely try not to drink. Yeon Ga Young, you do your part well.”

Ga Jin hung up and went into the building humming.

Is it luck? To overhear Yeon Ga Young and Yeon Ga Jin’s plot to harass Bo Mi.

He couldn’t know when or where the plan would be executed. Thinking he might have to have a meal with Yeon Ga Young for this annoying reason, Jae Kyung got in his car.