Jae’s hands resting on her knees began to tremble uncontrollably.

Jae clenched her fists tightly to hide her shaking hands.

It had been exactly 6 years since they last met.

Since she had met Park Ga Yeon.

Of course, she thought she would meet Park Tae In too.

She never dreamed they would meet again so soon.

“Sister can never leave my side. You must only look at me.”

As the memory of Park Tae In cornering her in her room that day surfaced, Jae’s breathing began to quicken.

“Haa, haa.”

She recalled the image of herself fleeing the house in the dark, early morning hours that day.

The image of herself continuing to run and escape even as her knees bled.

To get as far away from that house as possible.

The memory of running so they would never catch her again came to mind.

As Jae’s complexion worsened, Su Bin quickly came to her senses and grabbed Jae’s shoulders.

“Jae, should we go back inside if this is too difficult?”

Jae nodded in response, and Su Bin grasped her shoulders to help her stand.

“Let’s go, Jae.”

Park Tae In continued to stare intently at Jae without moving. He also looked uncertain of what to say to Jae after so long.

She could clearly feel his gaze upon her.

With those same eyes that had so relentlessly pursued her that night.

Jae’s heart began to race fiercely as if it would burst out of her chest.

“…J-Just a moment.”

Tae In’s voice stopped the two women in their tracks.

Su Bin turned her head while still holding Jae’s shoulders, but Jae did not turn.

“Yes? Did you have something to say…?”

Instead of answering, he stared fixedly at Jae.

Han Jae, whom he was facing after 6 years, was still the same. That fact still pained Tae In’s heart.

If there had been no one else around, he would have wanted to pull Jae outside to talk.

He had so many questions he wanted to ask about what she had been doing all this time.

If she was dating anyone, if there was someone she liked, who she was living with.

As Tae In continued to stare silently, Su Bin hastily spoke up.

“Um, Actor Park Tae In? If you have nothing to say, may we leave now?”

Tae In’s lips parted slightly.

“Han…”

“Park Tae In.”

Just as he was about to call Jae’s name, Geon Hak’s voice from behind caused Tae In’s lips to close.

As Geon Hak approached, Su Bin bowed her head.

“What’s going on here?”

Han Jae, who had not even looked at Tae In.

Raised her head the moment Cha Geon Hak appeared.

“You two may go now.”

As Geon Hak spoke, Su Bin bowed her head and moved. Tae In’s gaze remained fixed on Han Jae.

As Tae In took a step, Geon Hak blocked his path.

“…”

“Did you not hear what I said?”

As Tae In watched Jae disappear from his sight, Geon Hak blocked even that view. Tae In clenched his fists, seemingly irritated by Cha Geon Hak’s continued interference.

“If you would just step aside for a moment…”

“What brings you here? I believe the contract date is not today.”

Tae In wanted to say he came to see Han Jae, but he held back and quickly composed his expression. He put on a bright smile.

“I apologize. It was so noisy around here that I couldn’t hear.”

Geon Hak’s gaze shifted to Tae In’s mouth. The muscles around his lips were trembling again.

Geon Hak smirked, seemingly finding Tae In’s constant fake smiles pathetic.

“You seem to have more free time than I thought.”

“Pardon?”

“I thought I saw an article about your busy schedule with no time to rest. If you’re free enough to wander around like this, I’m starting to wonder if we should reconsider this contract.”

“…”

Geon Hak looked at the agency CEO and manager who had just entered the cafe. Judging by their expressions, it seemed Tae In had come in without consulting them.

“How strange. I wonder what urgent reason you had to come to the company like this, abandoning even your CEO and manager.”

“…”

“Especially for a rookie actor who should always be careful.”

At that moment, Geon Hak’s current demeanor overlapped with how he had looked at Tae In with displeasure in the hotel lounge.

He dislikes me this much.

Then why does he want to use me as an advertising model? When he despises me so.

Tae In still did not lose his smile.

“Thank you, Director. You were so considerate of me then, and you’re worrying about me again now. As expected, unlike your words, you’re truly warm-hearted…”

“Who’s warm-hearted?”

“Pardon…?”

“Park Tae In, you had this tendency back then too, to interpret things as you please. Why do you keep twisting people’s words? Should I speak more directly for you to understand?”

Geon Hak stared straight at Tae In standing before him as he spoke.

“Just one more time. If I catch you snooping around my company like this again, I won’t let it slide. Don’t cause trouble for my employees. Park Tae In.”

With those final words, Geon Hak turned around, leaving Tae In’s face visibly flustered. The CEO and manager standing behind rushed over.

“Park Tae In. Seriously. But what did you say to make Director Cha’s expression so unpleasant?”

“When did I ever cause trouble…”

As Tae In muttered to himself, the CEO massaged his forehead as if he had a headache.

“Really. Why did you suddenly jump out of the car like a madman and run in here? Sigh, the contract date isn’t even today.”

“I told you… there was someone I wanted to see. Someone I had to see no matter what.”

“So who is it?”

Tae In headed towards the sofa where Jae had been sitting earlier. An employee was cleaning up broken glass pieces there.

The moment he saw Han Jae’s face turn deathly pale upon seeing him, Tae In’s heart ached, but it also swelled with the thought that he had found her again, that he had met her again.

“Sigh, we’ll be late for the commercial shoot at this rate. Let’s go quickly. CEO, please calm down for now.”

The manager hurriedly wrapped up the situation and spoke.

“Hyung. Take me back down to Cha Myung after the commercial shoot is over.”

“Hey, didn’t you hear what Director Cha said? He told you not to lurk around the company.”

Tae In moved his feet as if he couldn’t hear the CEO’s words.

* * *

“I’m sorry you couldn’t finish your coffee because of me.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s fine. Team Leader Im said he just came up after cleaning up down there too. Apparently the atmosphere between Director Cha and Park Tae In in the lobby was intense.”

As Jae’s face turned pale again while wiping away the coffee stains, Su Bin spoke.

“There you go again. Don’t be like that, why don’t you leave work early today? Should I talk to the department head for you?”

“Oh, no. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. Your face is so pale, it looks like you might faint.”

Clack. As Jae turned off the faucet, Su Bin standing next to her handed her a paper towel.

“Thank you.”

Jae pressed the paper towel against her wet blouse, squeezing out the moisture. Fortunately, the coffee stains quickly disappeared.

As Jae looked at her blouse with a satisfied expression, Su Bin grabbed her shoulders and said,

“Jae, are you listening to me? The coffee stains aren’t the issue right now. Go to the hospital and get checked again, okay?”

“I’m really fine now.”

“How can someone who’s fine have their face turn so pale earlier? Do you know how scared I was that you might faint in the lobby? It’s not like you turned pale from seeing Park Tae In in person, so what is it?”

As Park Tae In’s name came up again, the smile that had bloomed on Jae’s face disappeared once more.

“Oh? You’re doing it again.”

“…”

“Is it really because of Actor Park Tae In? Anyone who saw you two would think you knew each other.”

Jae checked her wristwatch and changed the subject.

“Then let’s head back now. There’s not much time left for lunch.”

“Sigh, alright. Geez, you’re so stubborn.”

Su Bin shook her head and left the bathroom first. Jae also threw away the paper towel she was holding and came out right after.

“Oh? Department Head.”

“Oh, Deputy Han. Where’s Assistant Manager Han?”

As Jae, who was following behind, bowed her head upon seeing Department Head Kim Yong Su, he quickly approached her.

“Ah, if Assistant Manager Han was that sick, you should have said something.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh my, how did you know that, Department Head?”

“How could I not know when an employee in my team is sick?”

Su Bin swallowed a laugh at his words and nodded.

“True. Our department head is excellent at managing team members.”

“Of course! I may be clumsy with expressing myself, but I’m a very caring person. Assistant Manager Han. I’ve already approved your half-day leave request, so go home right away.”

“What, what?”

It was unusual for the strict Department Head Kim to readily suggest taking a half day off.

Even Su Bin seemed surprised by the actions of Kim Yong Su, who had once uttered the nonsensical phrase ‘If you’re sick, be sick at work!’, and briefly showed a shocked expression before looking at Jae and gesturing for her to quickly agree.

“I said to go home now, Assistant Manager Han.”

Jae nodded at Kim Yong Su’s consideration in personally approving her leave request.

“I understand. Thank you, Department Head.”

* * *

As Geon Hak, who arrived home earlier than usual, got out of his sedan, the chairman’s exclusive car that he hadn’t seen in a while caught his eye.

Already feeling like his ears would hurt, Geon Hak gently pulled on his earlobe and moved his feet.

As Geon Hak pressed the button, the wall door moved.

“Welcome, Director.”

Geon Hak looked at the clear evening sky before turning his head to see Manager Lee in front of him.

“You didn’t need to come out today.”

“The chairman said to bring you to the reception room as soon as you arrived, so I was waiting.”

“Geez. Grandfather is being troublesome. Making Manager Lee work hard. I’ll go on my own, so you can go in now.”

“Yes, Director.”

Come to think of it, Manager Lee’s face and Mrs. Kim’s face all looked gloomy today.

Geon Hak moved with large strides towards the reception room.

This was another space inside the annex. It was a space where VIP guests could be entertained, or where grandfather could relax alone when he wanted to. So it was a space that others could not freely enter.

As he opened the brass doorknob and entered, he saw Cha Seong Gu standing by the arched window.

Geon Hak closed the door and stepped inside, seeing his figure with hands behind his back.

“What do you have to say that you’re in the reception room as soon as I arrive?”

Chairman Cha Seong Gu, who had been looking out the window with his hands behind his back, turned his head.

The atmosphere in the house was unusually chilly today.

Wrinkles naturally formed on Geon Hak’s smooth forehead as well.

“Greet them, Geon Hak.”

Not knowing who he was supposed to greet, Geon Hak furrowed his brow.

“Who am I supposed to…”

His lips naturally closed.

As Geon Hak took a step, he saw pink flat shoes peeking out from the sofa.

Haa.

He discovered a young child sitting leisurely on the sofa. A little girl with eyes as big as marbles was looking up at Geon Hak.

A small girl of about four or five years old.

A child with a round face and fair skin. She looked at Geon Hak with her neatly cut bangs and dark brown eyes. Even Geon Hak, who usually doesn’t get flustered, had a clearly bewildered look on his face.

“Since when did my 38-year-old aunt become a child?”

Chairman Cha Seong Gu sighed deeply instead of answering.

Geon Hak made several guesses based on his grandfather’s demeanor.

“Who is this child? Don’t tell me you had a child at that age?”