Cha Geon Hak, who had hurried down to the lobby, moved his body.

He approached Han Jae Yi, who was sitting alone on the bench crying.

As her figure briefly overlapped with someone else’s, Geon Hak’s brow furrowed.

‘Why are you crying here?’

‘I don’t cry over things like that.’

The sudden thought in his mind made Geon Hak stop in his tracks.

He furrowed his brow at the faint afterimage.

What is this?

He narrowed his eyes and approached Han Jae Yi sitting on the bench.

He couldn’t understand why he kept being so nice to a mere employee like this.

Was it because she looked lonely being alone?

Because unlike people who cry easily and make excuses, she was different?

Is that why she’s causing this commotion now?

At the small sound, Jae Yi’s hands slowly lowered from her face. Her eyes widened at the sight of Cha Geon Hak standing in front of her.

“Oh, Executive Director.”

Geon Hak also looked visibly flustered, just like Jae Yi.

“Hah, this is driving me crazy.”

She wasn’t crying after all.

He rubbed his forehead and made an exasperated expression.

Jae Yi quickly got up from the bench and looked at Geon Hak. She had thought everyone would be asleep at this late hour.

“What brings you here at this time…”

“Well, what about Han Jae Yi? Huh, you weren’t crying after all.”

“What? No?”

Jae Yi replied, momentarily flustered.

“Crying? I’m not crying, Executive Director.”

Thinking Han Jae Yi was crying, he had rushed here, even rejecting Yoon Su Ah’s call. He was very taken aback by his own actions.

Am I really going crazy? How many times is this today?

“…I’m really not in my right mind.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

Geon Hak let out a deep sigh and plopped down next to Jae Yi. Then he stared intently at her face.

I thought Han Jae Yi was crying.

Geon Hak was dumbfounded by his own behavior in rushing all the way here. He stretched out his long legs.

“Why did you come out here at this hour? It’s time for everyone to be asleep.”

“That’s why I came out. It’s nice and quiet when everyone’s asleep. What about you, Executive Director?”

“Me.”

He stared fixedly at Han Jae Yi beside him.

“I just somehow ended up here.”

Because of Han Jae Yi.

“Ah. I see.”

Jae Yi nodded slowly. Pleased to be here with him, she looked up at the night sky for a moment before turning to gaze at him.

“Executive Director.”

“Yes.”

“I was really grateful earlier.”

“When are you referring to? I’ve helped Han Jae Yi quite a few times today.”

As he said this with a smirk, Jae Yi’s heart fluttered once again.

Now that I think about it, coming here was fortunate. Because I was given this time to be with the Executive Director like this.

Jae Yi turned her gaze forward and slowly opened her lips.

“When no one else would pair up with me, you partnered with me, and I was really grateful. And thank you for finding my handkerchief too.”

Geon Hak quietly watched her as she slowly spoke.

Han Jae Yi’s face was illuminated by the streetlight.

Her shy smile and beaming expression. And her snow-white cheeks turning red caught Geon Hak’s eye.

“I’m also very grateful that you even changed my accommodations to a better place, Executive Director.”

Geon Hak nodded slowly.

“But are you really grateful?”

“Pardon?”

“Why are you saying thank you without even looking at my face?”

“Ah, well…”

“Look at my face and say it. When talking to someone, you should make eye contact.”

As Jae Yi fidgeted with her fingers, not knowing what to do, Geon Hak leaned in closer to her.

A small yelp escaped her lips.

“Ah!”

He stared intently at Jae Yi’s face.

Come to think of it, even when he wanted to make eye contact with her, her bangs always covered her eyes, making it difficult.

Whoosh―

As a gentle breeze passed between the two, Jae Yi’s bangs fluttered. The pitch-black eyes that Geon Hak had wanted to see sparkled.

As he reached out toward Jae Yi, her body flinched.

“Um, Executive Director.”

“Stay still.”

His long fingers slowly moved and began tidying up Jae Yi’s bangs.

“Your bangs were messy.”

As Jae Yi’s small earlobes turned bright red, Geon Hak grinned.

“Th-thank you.”

“I’m sorry for reacting too sensitively in the elevator earlier.”

Jae Yi waved her hands and said,

“No, Executive Director. You don’t need to apologize. Why would you…”

“I felt I should apologize for that. I’m sorry if I made Han Jae Yi feel embarrassed because of me.”

Thump, thump. Every time she was with him, her heart pounded uncontrollably.

While not wanting him to discover her feelings, just being this close to him made her so happy that she kept breaking into silly smiles.

I’m happy.

As Geon Hak, who had been looking at the night sky, turned to look at Jae Yi, a smile slowly spread across Han Jae Yi’s lips. Seeing her smile for the first time, Geon Hak also stared at her intently.

So she knows how to smile too.

Her smiling face was prettier than he expected, leaving Geon Hak staring blankly.

* * *

A few days later.

Ever since Geon Hak had helped Jae Yi, all the other employees who had treated Jae Yi like she was invisible now treated her kindly.

Above all, Park Min Ju, who had subtly bullied Jae Yi, suddenly lost her standing and was now trying to read the mood of the other employees.

“Did you all see that? Park Min Ju wore the same lavender blouse she wore last week, even though she said she never wears the same clothes.”

“I saw it too. She made such a fuss about not being able to wear the same clothes, but there she was wearing it.”

They all giggled and laughed.

“You know that Cha**l bag Park Min Ju brought when we went to Guam? Apparently it’s a fake.”

“Really? She went around bragging that it was a limited edition with only 100 pieces in Korea.”

Even during lunch, the talk about Park Min Ju kept flowing.

“By the way, Jae Yi.”

“Yes?”

“Have you thought about cutting your bangs? Or you could grow them out completely. You looked really pretty without bangs that time. Why don’t you try doing something with them?”

Now they were chattering about Jae Yi’s bangs.

“Forget the bangs, how about changing your style a bit? Since we’re on the topic, should we all go shopping together this weekend?”

Jae Yi, disliking this, quickly said,

“I appreciate your thoughts, but I like my current style.”

“Why? Don’t be like that, let’s go together.”

“I’m fine, so please go with Park Min Ju instead.”

Everyone wore disapproving expressions. Jae Yi no longer wanted to stay and eat with them.

“I’ll be going first.”

“Already? You haven’t even finished eating yet.”

“I’m suddenly not feeling well.”

Jae Yi hurriedly placed her water cup on the tray and stood up.

Everyone briefly made displeased expressions before starting to badmouth Park Min Ju again. Jae Yi, disgusted by their behavior, quickly moved her feet.

As she left the cafeteria, she finally felt like she could breathe.

“Phew.”

Jae Yi, who was used to eating alone, found it difficult to eat with other employees.

Above all, constantly badmouthing others instead of having pleasant conversations was one of the things Jae Yi hated most.

I need to go somewhere else quickly.

Jae Yi’s steps came to a halt as she was moving. She spotted Cha Geon Hak in conversation with Manager Kim.

This was the first time she had seen Cha Geon Hak like this since that day.

I wanted to see him, even by chance.

Jae Yi’s heart started pounding loudly again. As Jae Yi raised her hand to cover her face, she felt a rush of heat in her palm.

While he looked great in casual attire too, he really looked more splendid in a suit. The black suit suited him especially well today.

Perhaps because it had been a while since she’d seen him, she wanted to keep looking at him.

“Han Jae Yi.”

As Jae Yi turned her head, she saw Seung Woo, her fellow new hire, approaching with a bright smile.

“Oh, Mr. Kang.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes. I heard you hurt your back, are you okay now?”

Seung Woo patted his back and laughed.

“As you can see.”

Jae Yi nodded.

“You must be very busy these days, Mr. Kang?”

“Well, the team atmosphere is pretty tense since it’s full of such rigid people. I’m wondering if I should have gone into marketing instead.”

Cha Geon Hak’s gaze turned towards Jae Yi, who was comfortably chatting with the male employee.

Was she always able to smile so easily like that?

The image of Han Jae Yi smiling on the bench on the day of the team-building event flashed through his mind. Her smile had been so pretty that he had frozen for a moment.

“Executive Director.”

Hearing Kim’s voice behind him, Geon Hak finally came to his senses and looked at Manager Kim beside him.

“Let’s talk again next time.”

As Manager Kim bowed and moved away, Geon Hak looked at Do Yoon standing behind him.

“Executive Director Park Yu Jun has arrived.”

Geon Hak moved. Jae Yi’s gaze had already turned towards Cha Geon Hak’s retreating figure.

He’s leaving already.

Once again, Jae Yi’s heartbeat raced uncontrollably.

After the team-building event, her feelings for him had grown even stronger.

Because she liked him so much for being so considerate of her. Because those emotions had grown too big to contain.

Jae Yi was actually scared too.

Afraid that she might really confess to him the words she had only been saying in her heart.

That she liked the Executive Director.

That her feelings for him had grown uncontrollably.

Seung Woo looked at Jae Yi in front of him and startled.

“Han Jae Yi. Your face is very red. Are you running a fever?”

Jae Yi shook her head vigorously.

“N-no, I’m not!”

* * *

Stride, stride.

As Geon Hak suddenly stopped walking, Do Yoon who was following behind also stopped.

An unknown emotion blossomed deep in his chest.

What is this?

Why am I getting annoyed seeing Han Jae Yi with another man? Geon Hak rubbed his smooth forehead.

“Did something bad happen?”

Geon Hak’s thick eyebrows twitched.

“Do I look that way to you too, Secretary Kim?”

“Yes. You look very displeased.”

“I see. Why?”

“Pardon?”

“Why am I like this?”

Do Yoon was rather taken aback by Geon Hak’s questioning.

Could it be that I’m jealous right now?

“Hah, that can’t be.”