Jae Yi hurriedly snatched his phone, extending her hand.

It was an action she did without realizing.

I’ve gone crazy.

Geon Hak looked at Han Jae Yi who had snatched his phone. She had a very flustered expression.

“I’m, I’m sorry, Executive Director.”

Jae Yi quickly handed over his phone that she was holding.

“I did it without thinking… I’m truly sorry.”

Geon Hak silently looked at Jae Yi. The phone in his hand kept ringing without being disconnected.

Han Jae Yi. Even so, how could you. How could you rudely snatch someone else’s phone.

This isn’t right. The Executive Director also seems very taken aback.

But it was really strange.

She should act calm, but was it because she knew all the circumstances? That woman kept bothering her.

“Th-then. I’ll… go ahead first, Executive Director.”

As Jae Yi turned to move, Geon Hak grabbed her wrist. Jae Yi stopped walking and turned her head to look at him.

“Where are you going?”

“I thought I might be disturbing you while you’re on the phone, so I…”

Was going to give you some space.

I don’t have the courage to watch you talking on the phone with her.

Geon Hak looked at the phone that kept ringing and put it back in his suit’s inner pocket. When Jae Yi looked at him with a surprised face, he gave a faint smile.

“How can I answer the phone when you’re looking at me with a face that’s about to cry. When Han Jae Yi dislikes it this much.”

“…”

Geon Hak took one more step closer and cupped Jae Yi’s cheek. He gently stroked the corner of her eye.

“If you had the courage to snatch it, you shouldn’t have handed it back. Why such a sad face?”

“Executive Director…”

“If Han Jae Yi doesn’t like it, I won’t answer. Right now, I belong to Han Jae Yi.”

Ah. At his words, Jae Yi’s cheeks turned red.

When he comforts her with such beautiful words, how could she hate Cha Geon Hak?

Jae Yi rose on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Geon Hak’s neck. Geon Hak chuckled and stroked Jae Yi’s small back.

“I told you before. That I like Han Jae Yi. Those words were sincere. Really.”

Geon Hak’s eyes sank infinitely low.

* * *

― The customer you are trying to reach is currently unavailable…

No matter how many times she called, instead of Cha Geon Hak’s voice, only a mechanical voice flowed out. Su Ah threw the phone she was holding onto the bed.

She recalled last night’s conversation.

‘Don’t you have anything to say to me?’

‘What do I have to say? Ah, do you want to hear that I love you? Geon Hak, you’re so consistent. I love you. Geon Hak.’

‘…’

‘Why. No answer. You hurry up and answer too. If you keep acting like this, I’m really going to get angry. Answer me. Tell me you love me too.’

‘…Alright. I love you.’

His attitude wasn’t different from usual, but it felt somehow different.

Even now, he had changed.

Even though she called, he wasn’t answering the phone. The frequency of this had increased more than expected.

Su Ah bit her fingernails.

Has his feelings for me really changed? No, that’s not it.

“Ah…”

Su Ah looked at her broken nail. It felt as if Cha Geon Hak’s love for her had shattered to pieces.

“…No. Still, I should be the only woman for you.”

She had always been first for Cha Geon Hak.

Even when she got engaged to another man, he was always behind her.

So Su Ah always made him desperate. She only allowed skinship without giving her body. To make him yearn for her even more.

To make him want to possess her more.

It didn’t matter who was beside Cha Geon Hak. If she returned to Korea again, he was a man who would always come back to her side.

* * *

One week later.

Ye Na, sitting on the sofa, was so excited she was swinging her feet that didn’t even reach the floor.

Jae Yi couldn’t help but smile at Ye Na’s appearance.

They had promised to go to the amusement park together for the homework given by the daycare center.

Chairman Cha Seong Gu, who had returned from an overseas business trip, also burst into laughter at the sight of the happy Ye Na.

The number of times Jae Yi had met him could be counted on one hand.

When she first met him, she was so nervous she was almost afraid to look at him. But he greeted Jae Yi with a kind smile instead.

“It seems our Ye Na is happy.”

“Yes! I’m ve~ry happy, I wish uncle would come soon.”

“Not uncle, but oppa. Ye Na.”

“No, no, it’s uncle.”

“Alright, if our Ye Na likes it, call him that, but later you’ll have to call him properly.”

Chairman Cha Seong Gu indulged Ye Na’s whims, but he clearly told her what was incorrect.

“Han Jae Yi is working hard again today. Even on the weekend, taking the trouble to make time to go to the amusement park because of Ye Na.”

“Not at all, Chairman. It’s not troublesome at all. I enjoy the time spent with the Executive Director and Ye Na more.”

“I’m grateful that you say that. Oh right, I almost forgot, Director Lee.”

At the Chairman’s call, Director Lee approached Jae Yi and handed her a white envelope.

The Chairman said with a smile.

“I thought long and hard about what gift I could give Han Jae Yi, and money seemed like the best gift.”

“Ah. No, Chairman. I’m really fine.”

As Jae Yi waved her hands and spoke, Cha Seong Gu gave a gentle smile.

“I’ve wanted to express my gratitude for a while now, just think of it as a small gift from me and accept it.”

Even so, when Jae Yi still tried not to accept it, Chairman Cha continued speaking.

“If it’s that uncomfortable, think of it as allowance I’m giving you.”

Sung Kyung placed a fruit platter on the table. Jae Yi was still not accepting the money envelope.

“It seems our Chairman really likes Jae Yi. Even giving allowance.”

“Of course I do.”

“Jae Yi. It’s not polite to refuse a gift from an elder.”

Mrs. Kim smiled and entered the dining room.

Jae Yi looked at the white envelope on the table.

“Thank you, Chairman. Then I’ll gratefully accept it.”

The thick envelope felt quite heavy when she picked it up.

As Jae Yi showed her surprise, Cha Seong Gu burst into hearty laughter.

“What’s so funny this early in the morning?”

At the sudden sound of Geon Hak’s voice, Jae Yi turned her head.

“This rascal. How can you keep two women waiting? You should have come home early.”

“Uncle!”

Ye Na ran excitedly to Geon Hak, and he easily lifted her up. Geon Hak looked at Ye Na who was unusually acting cute.

“Are you being affectionate because we’re going to the amusement park, Choi Ye Na?”

“Hehe! I’ve been waiting, let’s go quickly.”

“Alright. I got it.”

Geon Hak stroked Ye Na’s cheek. He looked at Jae Yi sitting on the sofa and then at the money envelope in her hand.

“What’s that?”

“You don’t need to know. It’s a secret between the two of us.”

The Chairman put his thick finger to his lips and burst out laughing.

“Since when did you two get so close? I’m jealous.”

Geon Hak smirked and looked at Jae Yi.

“Take it. It’s not often that grandfather gives someone allowance.”

Geon Hak spoke kindly to Jae Yi and then looked at Chairman Cha sitting on the sofa.

“I understand you’ve given her a generous allowance. If you put in too little, please send the rest by bank transfer, Chairman.”

“This rascal!”

Geon Hak smiled and held out his hand towards Jae Yi sitting on the sofa.

“Then shall we go too?”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

Jae Yi grasped Geon Hak’s outstretched hand and stood up.

A smile spread across Chairman Cha’s face as well. Anyone who saw them would think the three were a family.

Geon Hak had also changed from before, smiling more and becoming more talkative.

Cha Seong Gu couldn’t help but find Jae Yi, who put smiles on his grandchildren’s faces, lovely.

* * *

As he looked in the rearview mirror, he saw Ye Na sleeping, slumped in her car seat.

“Looks like she was very tired.”

“She was so excited about going to the amusement park that she couldn’t sleep properly.”

Jae Yi also looked lovingly at the sleeping Ye Na. A few days ago, Ye Na had been asking how many nights she had to sleep before they could go to the amusement park.

She hadn’t slept well yesterday either, so it was much better for her to sleep now.

“But looking at it now, Han Jae Yi seems more excited than Ye Na?”

“That’s right, actually I’m more excited. I’m just holding back in front of Ye Na.”

“Really? Somehow it seemed like Ye Na already knew Han Jae Yi was excited.”

As he placed his large palm on Jae Yi’s knee, Jae Yi naturally interlaced her fingers with Geon Hak’s.

“Maybe it’s because this is only the second time I’m going to an amusement park.”

“Then, what about the first time?”

“When I was in my second year of high school, we went to an amusement park on a school trip. I wasn’t this excited then.”

Wherever she went, she always went alone without a partner. That’s why Jae Yi didn’t even have happy memories of school trips. While others were happy eating lunch boxes packed by their mothers, Jae Yi’s meal was just a triangle kimbap from the convenience store.

That’s why she was happier now. At Jae Yi’s feet was a special 5-tier lunchbox that Mrs. Kim had packed earlier.

“So, I’m the happiest right now.”

“If Han Jae Yi is happy, then I’m happy too.”

Geon Hak lifted their interlaced hands and stroked Jae Yi’s cheek.

* * *

Ye Na, her eyes sparkling brightly, entered the accessory shop and looked around.

Jae Yi couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Ye Na pondering which headband to choose.

“Ye Na, have you chosen?”

“Not yet. Just a moment.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Jae Yi nodded.

The amusement park was, as expected, packed with people.

Even to ride one attraction, they had to wait at least two or three hours.

After eating the lunch box Mrs. Kim had packed, Jae Yi and Geon Hak were a bit tired, but five-year-old Ye Na was fine. With energy to spare, she moved here and there.

Spotting an accessory shop next to the merry-go-round, Ye Na said she wanted to buy a headband and went inside.

But Ye Na still hadn’t chosen yet.

Seeing Ye Na deep in thought, Jae Yi picked out a fluffy cat ear headband.

“Ye Na, how about this?”

Liking it, Ye Na nodded her head vigorously.

“Ye Na likes this one, put it on me.”

Jae Yi bent down and put the headband on Ye Na’s head. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Ye Na smiled a happy smile.

Ye Na’s facial expression was much cuter than the cat ear headband.

“Wow, our Ye Na is so pretty?”

“Hehe, I really like it.”

Jae Yi’s gaze suddenly turned towards Geon Hak standing at the entrance.

“Ye Na, come here for a second.”

As Jae Yi whispered something in Ye Na’s ear, Ye Na smiled brightly and nodded her head big.

“Okay!”

Geon Hak was looking at Ye Na with Jae Yi in the accessory shop when he turned his head. Playing with Ye Na was more tiring than working.

Feeling tired, Geon Hak gently pressed his eyelids.

“Uncle.”

Ye Na, wearing cute cat ears, approached Geon Hak.

“How does Ye Na look, am I pretty?”

“Cuter than I expected.”

At Geon Hak’s praise, Ye Na burst into laughter.

His gaze moved. Jae Yi, who had been choosing headbands with Ye Na, was nowhere to be seen.

Where did she go?

“Ow!”

Ye Na suddenly squinted one eye.

“What’s wrong? Did something get in your eye?”

Ye Na nodded.

“Yes.”

“Sigh, you’re quite high maintenance, aren’t you.”

Geon Hak bent one knee and cupped Ye Na’s small face with his hands.

“Let me see.”

As Geon Hak peered into Ye Na’s eyes, concentrating, a smile spread across Jae Yi’s face as she watched them.

Now’s the time.

Jae Yi, who had been hiding around the corner watching them, quickly approached behind Geon Hak. Then she put a headband on his head.

“Ha.”

Geon Hak’s thick eyebrows twitched upwards.

“Waaah!”

Ye Na burst into laughter, pointing at Geon Hak’s head.

“Uncle is wearing a headband too!”

“Ha, what are you two doing right now?”

As Geon Hak turned his head, Jae Yi, wearing rabbit ears, smiled brightly and said.

“Mission accomplished: Get the Executive Director to wear a headband.”