It was an unexpected appearance of the Managing Director.

My heart started pounding again.

Everyone stood up as Geon Hak appeared in an elegant suit.

As everyone stood up and greeted him during the meal, Geon Hak smiled and said,

“Don’t mind me, everyone please sit down.”

Manager Kim approached Geon Hak with a touched expression.

“For the Managing Director to personally come to our Team 1 dinner, I really don’t know what to do with myself.”

“I hope I’m not making things uncomfortable by coming.”

“Uncomfortable? Absolutely not. Absolutely not.”

Kim Yong Su waved his hands exaggeratedly. Then he quickly wiped his seat with his sleeve and offered it to Geon Hak.

“Managing Director. Please sit here.”

As Geon Hak nodded and sat down, a new glass and alcohol were set in front of him. Manager Kim quickly arranged the table.

Seeing the excited Manager Kim, Su Bin downed her half-full glass in one shot and said,

“Manager Kim, you seem very excited now that the Managing Director is here. Well, I guess it’s because he’s never shown up at other team dinners before.”

Jae Yi slowly nodded.

Before she knew it, Geon Hak had taken off his jacket and started rolling up his shirt sleeves. The bulging veins under his half-rolled sleeves were visible.

Perhaps because it had been a while since she’d seen the Managing Director this close, Jae Yi’s cheeks naturally turned red.

As her cheeks suddenly turned red, Su Bin burst out laughing.

“What’s this, Jae Yi?”

“Yes?”

“Are you already drunk after just half a glass? If you drink a full glass, you’ll black out.”

Jae Yi brought her palm to her red cheeks and felt the hot sensation.

Her face had quickly heated up just from seeing the Managing Director. Now that she thought she could freely like him, her heart was pounding as if it would burst.

Jae Yi stroked her chest.

“Thank you so much for coming all the way here.”

“I’m also glad that sales have been going well thanks to Team 1’s hard work. I’ll look forward to more in the future.”

Geon Hak downed the drink in his glass in one go. Then he looked at Han Jae Yi with her hair in a ponytail. Her red face smiling was cute.

She kept stroking her chest with her small hand and glanced at Geon Hak.

When their eyes met, a startled Jae Yi dropped the chopsticks she was holding and acted flustered. Then as she bent down to pick up the chopsticks that had fallen under the table, she banged her head with a thud.

Geon Hak laughed as he watched her rubbing the back of her head.

The woman who had told him at the hospital that day not to be nice if he didn’t like her was now stealing glances at him again.

Ah. Why does this feel so good?

A smile spread across Geon Hak’s face.

‘I met that woman Han Joo-im earlier.’

‘Are you going around talking about me like Park Yu Jun?’

‘What are you saying. How can you compare me to him.’

‘So you just met her and that’s it?’

‘No. I told her honestly. That you’re not my girlfriend, just a friend. When I said that, Han Joo-im’s expression changed dramatically.’

As Geon Hak looked at her with a curious face, Ri Na smiled brightly and acted like she would never tell him.

‘If you’re curious, ask her yourself. What expression Han Joo-im made.’

Well, it was already clear enough without asking.

Geon Hak picked up the glass in front of him and downed the alcohol in one go.

An embarrassed Jae Yi unnecessarily smoothed her hair. Su Bin sitting next to her seemed to think Jae Yi was definitely drunk and took away the glass in front of her.

Since Geon Hak had arrived, Jae Yi’s gaze had been fixed on him. Even though he was wearing a white shirt, his sturdy upper body seemed visible right before her eyes.

Zing, zing.

“Jae Yi.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t that your phone? I think it keeps ringing.”

“Really?”

Jae Yi tilted her head and took out her phone from her bag to check.

Huh, what could it be at this hour?

“Who is it?”

“It’s the real estate lady.”

“Jae Yi even knows the real estate lady’s number?”

“I just saved it just in case.”

Jae Yi tilted her head. The phone in her hand rang again.

As Jae Yi looked at the background screen, there was even a text message from the lady.

[Miss. This is Starlight Real Estate. Can you please answer the phone? The neighbor is causing a fuss saying they’ll call the police.]

What does this mean?

As Jae Yi stood up, Su Bin looked up at her.

“I’ll just take this call for a moment and be right back.”

“Okay. Got it.”

Jae Yi hurriedly walked away.

Jae Yi who came outside looked up at the darkened sky. Then as she pressed the call button, the real estate lady’s voice came through after a short ring as if she had been waiting for Jae Yi’s call.

― Oh, you finally answered.

“Hello, ma’am. What’s the reason for—”

A sharp voice was heard over the call and someone other than the real estate lady answered instead.

― Excuse me. I’m, I’m the neighbor, and it’s so noisy I could die. What are you going to do about this?

“What? What do you mean…”

― Some man seems drunk and is banging on your door and causing a disturbance. Why on earth are you doing this?

“…”

― When I said I’d call the police, that man went down, but if this happens one more time, I’ll call the police then, so keep that in mind!

Jae Yi’s hand holding the phone started trembling.

Then the real estate lady’s voice was heard.

― Oh my, this young lady’s personality. You must have been very surprised? Hello…? Oh, did it disconnect?

Beep—. The sound cut off as if there was a ringing in her ears. The phone she had held to her ear lowered.

The only person who would come to her house at this hour and cause a disturbance was him.

Park Tae In had finally come.

The thing she had hoped would not happen finally happened.

Haah. Why…

“Managing Director, have a drink.”

Geon Hak’s gaze kept turning towards the door.

As quite some time had passed but Jae Yi still hadn’t come in, Geon Hak’s thick eyebrows raised then quickly returned to normal.

The door opened and she came inside.

Seeing her face that had turned pale, Geon Hak’s brow naturally furrowed.

What’s going on?

As if she was about to leave already, she hurriedly packed her bag and stood up.

After exchanging some words with Manager Han, Jae Yi quickly slipped out.

What kind of call did she receive to leave so suddenly.

Geon Hak stared intently at the door Jae Yi had left through.

Su Bin said something to Team Leader Im Jin Seop, and he stood up and came over here.

“Manager.”

“Oh, yes. Our Team Leader Im has worked hard too. Here, have a drink from me.”

The manager’s hand stopped as he was about to pour the drink.

“Actually, Han Joo-im seems to have had an urgent matter at home, so she said she’s leaving first. I’m sorry she left without saying goodbye to you, Manager—”

“Han Joo-im already left? No, how urgent of a matter could it be for her to disappear without even telling me.”

Manager Kim frowned, seeming displeased that Jae Yi had left first without saying goodbye.

“Since the Managing Director came today too, don’t anyone think of leaving early. There are no exceptions today.”

Manager Kim hiccuped and clinked glasses with the employee sitting across from him.

Geon Hak couldn’t forget Jae Yi’s face as she had hurriedly left.

* * *

Jae Yi quickly hailed a taxi and got in.

“Where to?”

At the taxi driver’s question, Jae Yi swallowed dryly and said,

“Ple-please take me to Zerville.”

Jae Yi’s voice trembled as she gave her home address.

As that nightmarish moment came to mind again, her hands on her knees started shaking uncontrollably.

The taxi driver who had been observing Jae Yi’s complexion through the rearview mirror even turned off the air conditioning at her appearance.

As the taxi pulled up to the entrance of the officetel, Jae Yi hurriedly said,

“You, you can let me off here.”

At Jae Yi’s words, the taxi driver stopped the car.

Even as she handed over her card and received the receipt, Jae Yi’s mind was going blank.

She was even afraid that Park Tae In might still be waiting.

Jae Yi quickly got out of the taxi and walked towards her home. Jae Yi’s steps moved slowly.

As Jae Yi was about to turn the corner, she abruptly stopped and quickly hid herself.

“I’ll be there soon, I’m coming!”

It was Park Tae In wearing a black hat and black mask. If he hadn’t been talking loudly on the phone, she would have thoughtlessly gone inside.

“I said I’m coming soon, hyung! I’ll be there soon so don’t tell the CEO. No, why are even you like this, hyung.”

He even spat out harsh curses as he angrily talked on the phone. Thump thump, her heart pounded as if it would jump out. Jae Yi’s eyes trembled as she hid around the corner watching him.

Why, why did you come all the way here.

Why did you come into the space I’ve worked so hard on all this time.

As Tae In who was on the phone with his manager suddenly whipped his head around, Jae Yi was startled and hid her body.

“…Hyung. Hang up for now.”

Tae In furrowed his brow and quickly pressed the end call button. Then he slowly moved his feet.

He sharply turned the corner.

“Noona…”

Tae In narrowed his eyes. He tilted his head and moved his body back to where he was before.

Jae Yi’s heart started pounding as if it would burst.

At that moment, a large hand covered Jae Yi’s mouth.

The familiar scent of cologne instantly calmed Jae Yi’s heart.

She felt like she knew without looking back.

Another hand wrapping around Jae Yi’s shoulder gently soothed her as she trembled in fear.

Tears quickly welled up in Jae Yi’s eyes, blurring her vision.

Just the fact that he had appeared brought her relief.

Because of Cha Geon Hak who always appeared in situations like this. Because of this man, her heart was pounding.

“Han Jae Yi…”

Had he run here? Because he was worried about me?

His voice sounded out of breath, unlike usual.

“Do you want to go to my place?”

Geon Hak’s hand that had been covering Jae Yi’s lips slowly lowered and Jae Yi’s body slowly turned around.

At the sight of Cha Geon Hak right in front of her, Jae Yi slowly nodded and the tears that had filled her eyes fell at the same time.

“Yes… I want to go. Please take me.”

At Jae Yi’s answer, Geon Hak nodded.

Geon Hak looked at Park Tae In who was loitering in front of Jae Yi’s home.

As Tae In suddenly moved, Geon Hak grabbed Jae Yi’s shoulder and pushed her into a corner. Then he tightly embraced her.

Their touching body temperatures were hot.

Their overlapping bodies felt like they would melt together, it was so hot.

Jae Yi’s hands that were in Geon Hak’s large embrace tightly grabbed his waist.

Rather. I wish time would stop like this.

The strength left Geon Hak’s hands that had been holding her tightly as if she would break. They faced each other in the pitch darkness where not even a streetlight shone.

As always. She was probably looking at him with her face red all the way to her neckline.

Even though she knew it didn’t fit the current situation, she wanted to say it.

Just as Kim Ri Na had whispered in her ear earlier.

‘Try confessing once. From what I see, Cha Geon Hak seems interested in you too.’

“Managing Director. I still… like you.”

Geon Hak felt like he would go crazy because of Han Jae Yi looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

Because of her confessing again with that kind of face, Geon Hak could no longer hold back.

His head tilted slightly and he kissed her right there.

Jae Yi’s eyes slowly closed.

Her lips parted slightly from Geon Hak gently rubbing and diving in. The sensation of him entering her mouth was soft.

They moved deeply as if exploring each other. Jae Yi’s hands tensed up from him rubbing against her delicate skin as he moved.

Geon Hak continued the kiss gently while supporting her waist.

The lips that had been tightly sealed slowly parted. It was just enough distance for their lips to overlap again.

Geon Hak’s lips parted slightly.

“Let’s go to my place, Jae Yi.”

Geon Hak gently grasped her wrist and started walking.

Jae Yi’s heart pounded as she was led along with her wrist held by him.