Jae’s eyes trembled.

PTI.

It wasn’t a bouquet sent by Cha Geon Hak, but a bouquet from Park Tae In.

Goosebumps spread all over her body.

As if remembering every single day of their 6-year separation, the number written on the card seemed to choke Jae’s neck.

He’s gone crazy. Really……

“Ms. Jae. What’s wrong?”

Jae’s face, which had been smiling happily just moments ago, instantly turned pale and stiff.

Surely it must be a bouquet sent by someone who likes her. Jae’s complexion turned white. It looked like she had received a terrible gift.

Jae crumpled the card in her hand in one go.

In the past, Park Tae In used to drive situations just right for others to misunderstand, and this time was no different.

It was to the point where one might mistakenly think she and Park Tae In were dating.

Nevertheless, still not appeased, Jae tore up the card in her hand and threw it in the trash.

The two were even more flustered by Jae’s actions.

“J-Jae?”

“It seems someone played a prank.”

Jae looked at the large bouquet placed on the desk. It was so big it wouldn’t even fit in the trash can.

She forcibly stuffed the useless bouquet into the trash can.

“No, why are you taking it out on the bouquet, Han Team Leader? Are you just going to throw away such a precious thing?”

Jae nodded at Manager Kim’s question.

“Yes. I don’t really like flowers.”

“No, but still. How can you ignore someone’s sincerity like that? Give it here. I’ll take it.”

Manager Kim approached and picked up the bouquet forcibly stuffed in the trash can, even humming a tune.

The bulky bouquet kept drawing Jae’s gaze.

Jae covered her face and sighed.

Su Bin had many things she wanted to ask Jae today, but seeing her dark expression, she took a step back.

Ding, as the phone placed on the desk rang, Jae checked the message.

An unsaved number.

[Noona. Do you like the bouquet? I changed my phone number again since it seemed you blocked my number. Hang in there today too, noona. I love you.]

It was a message from Park Tae In.

She had blocked all his previous phone numbers that called countless times before. As another message came from a new number, Jae bit the inside of her mouth.

He doesn’t stop.

Park Tae In hadn’t changed.

Rather, the more she pushed him away, the more tenaciously he acted.

She thought he would back off after Cha Geon Hak’s confession that day.

But he didn’t back off at all.

* * *

“It’s me. Open the door. I know you’re in there.”

Ga Yeon knocked on the door, but there was no sign of movement from inside. She frowned and kept pressing the doorbell.

“What should we do, madam?”

Hyun Joo, who was enjoying tea sitting on the sofa, didn’t even flinch at the continuous doorbell ringing.

“Pretend we’re not here.”

“Yes, madam.”

Yet the doorbell sound didn’t stop.

In the past, Ga Yeon would have given up and left quickly, but she showed no signs of leaving this time.

Hyun Joo put down the teacup she was holding and got up from the sofa. Then she looked at the intercom.

What is it? What’s she doing this for again?

Hyun Joo pressed the intercom.

“Speak.”

“Ha, why are you pretending not to be there when you’re inside?”

“You kept ringing even though you knew I was pretending not to be here. Moreover, dealing with you stresses me out too much. We both probably don’t want to see each other’s faces.”

Jae’s mother, Hyun Joo, didn’t watch Ga Yeon’s mood like before.

“Then at least answer the phone, why don’t you answer the phone? It’s so annoying.”

“I’m the one annoyed by seeing your face and hearing your voice. And your behavior is still rude. I at least saved your name, but why would I want to talk to you who saved me as ‘bedbug’?”

Ga Yeon laughed.

She wondered what made her upset, but it seemed she was displeased because of the name she had saved.

Ga Yeon laughed out loud. How is this ahjumma still the same?

“I have my reasons for that. So open the door first. I have something to say.”

“I have nothing to say to you. If you came because you want to see your father, go to Mapo-gu instead of here. He should be rolling around well with his mistress there.”

“I said I came because I have something to say to you, ahjumma. And it’s your birthday today, right? Tae In sent a gift too.”

At the word ‘gift’, the tightly closed door opened and Ga Yeon muttered a low curse as she entered.

She said she didn’t like being called a bedbug. But she was the one monopolizing this apartment alone.

As Ga Yeon opened the door handle and entered, she found Hyun Joo sitting on the sofa.

“Empty-handed? Where’s the gift?”

Ga Yeon threw down the white envelope she had put in her bag.

Familiar with Ga Yeon’s ill-mannered behavior, Hyun Joo checked the envelope first. A smile spread softly on Hyun Joo’s lips, seemingly pleased with the thick envelope.

“Tae In seems to be doing well these days, his income must be good.”

“That income. You never know when it’ll go bust. No, maybe Park Tae In’s life might end.”

Hyun Joo frowned.

“What do you mean? Wasn’t the entertainment business doing well? Your father thought at least the entertainment business was doing well, is that not the case?”

Ga Yeon didn’t have the skill to beat around the bush.

“Why would the hardworking Park Tae In falter? It’s because Han Jae appeared.”

“……”

Hyun Joo’s lips closed, seemingly quite surprised. Seeing her expression, Ga Yeon leaned against the sofa.

Looking at her face, it seemed she hadn’t been in contact with Han Jae at all for 6 years.

“First, something to drink. Ahjumma, bring me a cold beer.”

As Mrs. Kim brought a cold beer in front of Ga Yeon, she gulped it down. She roughly wiped the foam on her mouth with the back of her hand.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“What do you mean, what do I mean? You heard me. I said Han Jae appeared. They met recently too.”

Even though she heard news of her daughter after 6 years, she didn’t look happy at all.

“…They met.”

Ga Yeon nodded and said.

“So, about that. Meet Han Jae.”

“…What?”

Hyun Joo frowned.

“Why should I… meet her.”

“I’ll give you money that you like. How about it?”

* * *

Geon Hak looked at Jae, who was quiet unlike before. Various emotions bloomed on her face as she gazed out the window.

“Did something happen?”

“Pardon?”

As she turned to look at Geon Hak and asked back, he twitched his thick eyebrows.

Is it because of that incident earlier?

Even as Manager Kim came to the executive office to deliver approval documents, he looked at Geon Hak with a face that seemed to have a lot to say.

‘Do you have something to say to me?’

‘A bouquet came to Team Leader Han’s desk, but she said she was going to throw away such a precious thing, so I brought it to my desk, Executive Director.’

So what should I do about it? As he looked with that expression, Manager Kim winked.

It was a face that seemed to say, what are you asking when you know?

‘It’s so romantic that you even sent a bouquet to Team Leader Han’s desk, Executive Director.’

‘Manager Kim. What are you talking about?’

‘Pardon?’

‘If you’re going to say useless things, just write the report properly and submit it. Can you properly raise this quarter’s performance like that? It was quite poor this time, wasn’t it? If you don’t want to fall behind Team 2, focus on your work properly instead of paying attention to useless things.’

‘Yes, yes. I understand, Executive Director.’

As the embarrassed Manager Kim hurriedly left the executive office, Geon Hak took off the glasses he was wearing and pressed the bridge of his nose.

A bouquet came but she was just going to throw it away?

Could it be Park Tae In?

Geon Hak recalled the earlier incident and asked.

“You don’t answer when I call, why are you like this? Did something happen at work? Was it hard because of the rumors today?”

Jae shook her head.

Ever since receiving the bouquet from Park Tae In, Jae’s complexion had been dark all day. Perhaps because of that, no one approached Jae to ask about the rumors.

“No. It wasn’t hard.”

“Then, is that bouquet the culprit?”

Jae looked at him with a surprised face.

“H-How did you know?”

“How did I know? Manager Kim came and told me. That a bouquet came to Han Jae’s desk but she was going to throw away such a precious thing.”

Ah, Manager Kim.

No wonder he was humming happily, he must have misunderstood that it was from the Executive Director.

Jae had no choice but to say.

“Yes. Actually, I received a bouquet. Park Tae In sent it to my desk.”

Geon Hak’s hands gripping the steering wheel involuntarily tensed.

As expected, it’s Park Tae In again.

The person who made the smile disappear from Han Jae’s face.

I told him not to come into the company as he pleased, but this time he even sent a gift without permission.

What should I do with that bastard?

“But it’s fine now. I felt bad earlier, but being with you made me feel better again, Executive Director.”

As Jae smiled and spoke, Geon Hak patted her head.

“Han Jae suffered alone.”

“It’s okay, Executive Director.”

“If I had known this would happen, I should have just sent you home.”

“No.”

Jae shook her head.

“If you get tired or it’s too noisy, tell me. We’ll go home right away. Okay?”

* * *

As Geon Hak took Jae down to the basement, loud singing could be heard. Jae now understood what Geon Hak meant. Her heart pounded at the deafeningly loud music.

Men and women were gathered dancing under the flashy lights.

Geon Hak tightly grasped Jae’s hand as they walked, perhaps afraid of losing her. As they passed the central stage, two men in black suits greeted Geon Hak.

“You’ve arrived.”

As Geon Hak nodded slightly, the man in the black suit guided Geon Hak and Jae.

After moving a bit from there, a large door came into view.

As the gold-painted doorknob opened, a quiet space different from the atmosphere here appeared. As the door closed with a thud, the loud music could no longer be heard at all.

It was clearly felt that the two spaces in one building were separated. The atmosphere on this side and that side across one door was distinctly different.

Here, soft music flowed, and the attire of the people here was elegant as if they had come to a party.

Geon Hak turned his head to check Jae’s complexion. He chuckled at her appearance as she rolled her eyes around in wonder.

“Shall we go then?”

Jae nodded.

As her body moved led by his hand, Ri Na sitting on the velvet sofa raised her hand high.

“Over here!”

Ri Na waved her hand vigorously looking at the two. Geon Hak moved holding Jae’s shoulder.

At the appearance of Cha Geon Hak after a long time, the people here whispered looking at him.

They naturally turned their gaze to Jae next to Cha Geon Hak.

The women began to quickly scan Jae up and down.

She thought it was fortunate that she came out wearing the clothes Cha Geon Hak gifted her today.

“Ms. Jae came too.”

Ri Na got up from the velvet sofa and hugged Jae. Then she smiled brightly.

As expected, she was pretty today too. The mini black dress and drop earrings suited her well. It was a simple yet luxurious style.

“Where’s Park Yu Jun?”

“He left sulking because you didn’t come.”

“He has a lot to sulk about. A birthday that comes every year. Isn’t he making too much fuss? I told him to take it easy.”

“Leave him be. This is how he relieves stress too, you know.”

Ri Na smiled and looked at Jae.

“You look so pretty today, Ms. Jae. Glad you came.”

“Thank you, Ms. Ri Na.”

Was it because she had seen her a few times? Still, with Ri Na here, Jae felt much more at ease.

Ri Na’s head moved back.

“Well, well. Now he comes.”

Geon Hak turned his head.

Yu Jun looked at a woman next to Geon Hak. Quite a familiar figure.

Huh? When did she return from America? Could it be a surprise?

Yu Jun moved his body with a big smile on his face. Then he put his arm around Jae’s shoulder next to Geon Hak.

“Noona Su Ah!”