Jae Yi’s firm voice echoed through the hallway.

When she turned her head to look at the employees behind her, their bewildered expressions were evident.

Jae Yi’s facial expression was different from usual.

“Team Leader Ji Yeon Jang.”

“Uh, huh? Y-yes…?”

“Please don’t spread baseless rumors about me in the future. If I see this kind of behavior again, I won’t stay quiet next time.”

All the employees were flustered by Jae Yi’s strong stance.

Before, even when she overheard gossip or was blatantly disrespected, she never changed her expression. But now she was squirming, saying it hurt when stepped on.

Jae Yi turned her head again and met Geon Hak’s gaze. Her eyes trembled slightly as she looked up at him.

Thump, thump. She felt a bit resentful of her heart that still fluttered at the sight of him even in this situation. The endlessly affectionate Cha Geon Hak from yesterday was gone.

The man who had playfully looked at Jae Yi with a tender expression in bed was now gone.

Jae Yi’s gaze, which had been directed at his face, fell on Geon Hak’s girlfriend.

I’m sorry. Truly…

Jae Yi apologized inwardly as she looked at her.

“Well then, I’ll be going first, Executive Director.”

Jae Yi bowed her head in greeting and walked past Geon Hak.

Click, click. As her heels echoed in the hallway, Geon Hak’s thick eyebrows twitched naturally.

Geon Hak’s head turned.

Her gait was quite unnatural. Geon Hak unconsciously lowered the hand that was about to grab her, seeing her move weakly as if in pain with each step.

As Geon Hak stared intently at Han Jae Yi, Ri Na standing next to him watched with an interested expression.

Cha Geon Hak makes that kind of expression for that employee.

* * *

Stop.

Jae Yi, who had been walking with difficulty, stopped and turned her head.

As surging emotions welled up like a flood, Jae Yi’s shoulders naturally drooped.

Jae Yi opened the emergency stairwell and entered.

Thud, as the door closed, the emotions that had been building deep in her chest burst forth and her heart ached.

Jae Yi leaned against the wall and closed her eyes tightly.

The dreamlike events had ended.

It felt like all the magic had been undone and returned to reality, like everything had been emptied out.

A feeling of being left as an empty shell with nothing remaining.

So the Executive Director had a girlfriend.

Why didn’t I know that?

Not knowing that, I…

Lies.

Even if you knew he had a girlfriend, you wouldn’t have changed.

You wouldn’t have refused that proposal.

You thought someone as wonderful as the Executive Director could be your man.

“I really thought it could happen…”

Jae Yi covered her face with both hands.

Fool, Han Jae Yi.

* * *

When Jae Yi, who had swallowed her feelings alone in the emergency stairwell, entered the office, Su Bin greeted her.

“Jae Yi, where were you during lunch?”

“I just went out for a bit.”

Su Bin nodded.

“I heard Team 4 got caught talking behind your back. And even in front of the Executive Director.”

Rumors sure spread fast.

Jae Yi slowly nodded and sat down at her desk.

“But Jae Yi, you were pretty impressive?”

“Pardon?”

“Before, whether it was to your face or behind your back, you never spoke up when people insulted you or said things about you.”

That’s right.

I didn’t speak up. Because I didn’t change.

Even when begged and pleaded with to stop, I didn’t change. It had become ingrained in me without realizing, so I didn’t react.

‘Even if it’s not about you directly, it makes everyone angry to hear such blatant insults.’

At that time, the look in Geon Hak’s eyes as he watched me was unforgettable.

It was a face that found my behavior pathetic and irritating.

And above all, the situation just now wasn’t one where I alone was being insulted.

I couldn’t bear to see the Executive Director being harmed because of me.

Jae Yi smiled faintly.

“I had always wanted to say something at least once.”

“You did well. It made me feel good too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You might not realize it as the person involved, but lately you’ve been noticeably brighter and speaking more assertively, which I like to see. Before, when other employees asked you to do work, even if it wasn’t your job, you’d say ‘okay’ and take it all on. So you were always busy and looked overwhelmed, but lately you’ve been speaking firmly, which is good to see.”

I must have been unconsciously trying to change bit by bit. To become a better person.

“Anyway, if I had been there, I would have given them a stern talking to. Spreading useless rumors like that. Really, why are people so interested in others’ business… Oh? Jae Yi.”

As tears welled up in Jae Yi’s eyes, Su Bin became flustered.

“Jae Yi, why, why are you crying?”

I don’t know, Team Leader.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m grateful that you’re standing up for me.

Or if it’s because I now have to let go of my feelings for the Executive Director who gradually changed me.

Jae Yi rubbed her eyes and smiled.

“Thank you, Team Leader.”

* * *

‘I, I like you.’

Long fingers tapped on the table, thump, thump. With Geon Hak’s expression sunk so low, Yu Jun and Ri Na’s conversation came to a stop.

“He’s been strange lately.”

“He has reason to be.”

“What? You have a knowing look.”

“Is there anything I don’t know?”

Geon Hak stared blankly out the window, tapping on the table, oblivious to the two people chattering beside him.

‘Executive Director… I, I like you.’

Geon Hak’s long fingers tapping the table suddenly stopped.

‘No. There is nothing between the Executive Director and me.’

Sigh. He felt irritation rising over something so trivial.

He had orchestrated that situation for Han Jae Yi’s sake, but her curt denial kept coming to mind.

He fiddled with the lowball glass in his palm. As he swirled the glass with his sleeves half rolled up, he looked to the side and their gazes met.

“You’ve really been weird lately, you know? Why are you in such a bad mood? You were like this last time too.”

“I told you earlier. I know the reason. Cha Geon Hak is interested in a woman.”

Yu Jun, who was about to drink champagne, looked at him with a surprised face.

“Cha Geon Hak?”

Ri Na answered for him.

“Yeah. Cha Geon Hak, be honest. You like that woman, don’t you?”

“What, really? Cha Geon Hak has a woman he likes? You’re not joking, right?”

Geon Hak ran his fingertips over his eyebrows and sighed.

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m like this either.”

At his answer of not knowing rather than liking or disliking, Yu Jun set down the glass he was holding on the table.

He still had a disbelieving look. There had never been any woman in Cha Geon Hak’s life besides Yoon Su Ah. Now he’s harboring feelings for another woman?

Curious, Yu Jun turned to look at Ri Na.

“What kind of family is she from? Do I know her?”

“No. You don’t know her. But, come to think of it, I was wondering who that woman resembled. She seems to have a similar image to Su Ah unnie.”

“What? So this bastard likes a Yoon Su Ah knockoff?”

Yu Jun shook his head and made an expression that said, ‘Well, I guess so.’

No. She’s not similar at all.

‘Geon Hak. What if, hypothetically, I got engaged to another man?’

‘What’s with that random question all of a sudden?’

Geon Hak furrowed his brow and looked at Su Ah. She was arranging flowers with a completely nonchalant expression after throwing out such an irritating topic.

‘Just. I’m asking. What would you do?’

‘What kind of question is that? What do you want me to do?’

She stroked a part of the flower she didn’t like and picked up sharp scissors to snip off a rose.

‘I’d like you to kill that man.’

‘What?’

‘Pfft, I’m joking. Just joking. Geon Hak, I want you to only look at me for the rest of your life.’

As that random memory suddenly surfaced, Geon Hak downed the whiskey in front of him in one gulp.

“They’re not alike at all. Different.”

* * *

The one who greeted Geon Hak when he came home was Mrs. Kim. She poked her head out slightly as if looking for someone and glanced around.

“Oh? You didn’t come together?”

“With whom?”

“Who else? That young lady. Why didn’t she come with you? She only took one of each gift the Executive Director gave.”

“I’ll have Secretary Kim give you the address, so please send them to Han Jae Yi’s home, Mrs. Kim.”

“Alright. I’ll do that. Oh, by the way, Executive Director. The Chairman contacted us. He said he’ll be coming to Korea soon.”

Geon Hak furrowed his brow and said,

“So he finally found it, I see.”

“Yes. It seems so. Well then, have a good rest, Executive Director.”

Geon Hak loosened his tie as if tired and went up the stairs.

Somehow the atmosphere in the house felt deflated. It had seemed so full just yesterday, but now it felt strangely empty.

Geon Hak opened the bedroom door and immediately slumped down on the sofa. Though he had drunk enough for the smell of alcohol to be overwhelming, he was frustratingly not drunk.

‘You’re surprisingly bad at this, Han Jae Yi.’

‘Ah, that’s, it’s because I…’

Geon Hak’s eyes, which had been tightly closed as he leaned back on the sofa, opened.

Why does Han Jae Yi keep coming to mind?

He had tried not to think about her anymore.

He had tried not to cross the line anymore.

Was last night actually that good?

Good enough to keep haunting his thoughts like this?

Ah, I guess it was.

Geon Hak’s gaze turned to the mug placed on the table.

Thinking it couldn’t be used as a cup, there was a fountain pen in the mug she had given as a gift. Geon Hak reached out and picked up the black mug.

‘It’s a gift for you, Executive Director.’

You always buy such useless gifts, Han Jae Yi.

He took off the watch on his wrist and placed it on the table, then unbuttoned his crisp white shirt.

His gaze lingered on the bed once again.

He couldn’t forget the look in her eyes as she gazed at him, making faint sounds. The image of her covering her eyes with slender arms in embarrassment, trembling her waist in a maddening way, came to mind naturally.

The sheets on which he had embraced her countless times throughout the night had been replaced with new ones. It seemed every corner was tinged with Han Jae Yi, as she naturally came to mind wherever he looked.

Geon Hak roughly ran his hand through his hair and turned his head to see a small piece of paper on the nightstand. A familiar handwriting he had seen before.

He reached out and picked up the paper.

―Thank you, Executive Director.

It was the happiest moment of my life.

Thank you for making unforgettable memories.

And, I truly love you so much.

“How annoying.”

Everywhere was filled with Han Jae Yi.

This was supposed to be his space, but it was stained with traces of her. Geon Hak crumpled the paper in his hand and threw it in the trash.

He completely took off his shirt and tossed it aside, then picked up the phone placed on the table.

After a short ring, the other person’s voice was heard and Geon Hak spoke.

“Secretary Kim, proceed with that matter I mentioned before.”

― Yes, understood.

Click. Geon Hak ended the call and looked at his phone.

“Just wait, Han Jae Yi. I’m curious about my feelings too now.”