The Secretary's Power (Completed Main Story) - Side Story 4

Tae Beom headed to her house. He considered entering the front door passcode she’d shared with him, but instead pressed the doorbell.

After a brief wait, Hye Won opened the door. They both felt a little awkward about this intimate act—welcoming each other after work—and laughed without needing to say a word.

“You’re here early? I thought you’d be late since I hadn’t heard from you all day.”

“Work wrapped up earlier than I expected.”

“Oh, okay. Come on in.”

As Hye Won let go of the doorknob and stepped into the entryway, Tae Beom followed. Naturally, Hye Won took his briefcase and walked with him toward the closet.

“Oh, I’ll do it.”

As Tae Beom started to take off his jacket, Hye Won set the bag down and reached out to help. She neatly hung the jacket on a hanger, then moved to his tie.

It was perfectly normal—and completely doable—for him to handle this himself, so Tae Beom raised an eyebrow when Hye Won eagerly stepped in. Normally, he’d have teased her, saying, “Was it me you were waiting for, or just my body?” But for some reason, today he just wanted to let her do as she pleased.

Maybe this was the beginning of the ideal home she’d dreamed of. It seemed almost laughable—what even was this? Why call it a “dream”?—but with her, it felt entirely, entirely possible.

“Oh, all done.”

She looked proudly satisfied after simply undoing his tie. Tae Beom gave a faint, bittersweet smile. He couldn’t understand why those two documents in his bag were making his thoughts so chaotic.

As time passed, his heart felt heavier and heavier. It was as if he’d just glimpsed a condensed, fragmented photograph of her past, leaving him with a gnawing ache and nausea in his gut.

Your childhood life—the one I’d only heard about, spoken in that flat, emotionless voice.

Vaguely imagining how hard it must have been. Faintly, distantly trying to grasp just how difficult your life had truly been.

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