Having decided to be happy, I was happy. I’m not the only one who lives without being able to report a criminal after being victimized.

But didn’t I receive a building in Gangnam in exchange? So let’s be happy. Even twisted joy is joy.

To fully enjoy the happiness of becoming a building owner in Gangnam, Ga Eul refused Jung Se Hyun’s offer to drive her to the office.

Then she went to see her building. The building was more modest than expected. She hadn’t expected Chairman Oh to give her a high-rise building like those lining Teheran-ro. Still, this was a bit…

Ga Eul stood in one spot and carefully examined the building. Then she grew fond of it. Don’t you grow attached to people when you look at them for a long time? Though it looks somewhat unimpressive mixed among the grand high-rises, this is her building.

From now on, she and her grandmother and Gyeo Ul will live off the rent from here. And pay off debts too. Thinking about paying off debts, joy welled up in her heart. This is real joy!

To return to the office, Ga Eul called a taxi using a mobile app in the middle of Gangnam. How many years has it been since she rode in a taxi!

The Gangnam air she breathed while waiting couldn’t have been sweeter. To feel this way! She knows there’s a considerable problem with her mental state. But what can she do when dopamine is gushing from her brain!

Ga Eul got into the taxi with an elegant posture and proudly stated Ki Dae Un’s office address. Her only thought was to go to the office and boast to the boss. Maybe she’s an even bigger rich person than the boss now?

Ga Eul got out of the taxi right in front of the office. She dragged out getting off as long as possible. Hoping someone would look out from the reopened convenience store or cafe.

I’m a woman who rides taxis! Ga Eul wanted to shout to the world.

Flinging open the door and entering the office, Ga Eul’s eyes fell on the boss sprawled on the sofa as always. Ga Eul approached him confidently and said,

“Boss, I’d like to take a half day off today.”

Dae Un, sprawled on the sofa, barely pushed up his sleepy eyelids and looked at Ga Eul.

He had no motivation. There was no reason to have motivation. The plan that had made him happy had turned to bubbles, so what motivation could he have?

Moreover, because of what he negotiated with Chairman Oh for Ga Eul’s sake, Ga Eul had grown even more distant from him.

Ga Eul, who had gone to meet Chairman Oh, returned looking like she could fly to the sky with happiness, which was unfamiliar to Dae Un. That made him more anxious.

“What you’ve taken so far was a half day.”

Oops! She had skipped the morning work to go to Chairman Oh. Ga Eul acknowledged her mistake.

“Then I’ll make it a full day off today. I can take a day off, right?”

Dae Un pushed up his lowered eyelids again. Eyes that seemed to ask ‘What’s this scheme now?’ appeared beneath his eyelids.

“Take it.”

Ask me why I want to take a day off. Ask me. Dae Un’s answer ignored Ga Eul’s desperate cry.

Even uttering one syllable seemed difficult as the boss’s mouth quickly closed.

To Dae Un, the happy Ga Eul was like a bomb that could explode at any moment. Her joyful appearance was pitiful.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I want to take a day off?”

“Mmm.”

“How can you do that? When an employee says they want to take a day off, you should ask why. Whether they’re going to the hospital because they’re sick, if something bad happened at home, or if they’re going for an interview to change jobs.”

“Why?”

Dae Un cut off Ga Eul’s words and tossed out the question as if annoyed. You don’t ask why I have no motivation. Resentment is boiling inside me because I can’t even make one proper confession. Because you’ve closed your heart to me. But you’ve decided to be happy.

Even hearing Dae Un’s blunt answer, Ga Eul smiled brightly. Nothing could ruin her mood today.

As if she had been waiting, the answer burst from Ga Eul’s mouth.

“I’m going to spend some money.”

“Go.”

Ga Eul’s face stiffened slightly. What an uncooperative boss. I want to be happy.

At this point, even in Ga Eul’s boundlessly generous heart, a line labeled ‘limit’ is drawn.

“Is today one-word answer day? As a boss, you should be interested in your employee’s circumstances. This is why the state of employee welfare is a mess.”

Where did the Han Ga Eul who swore loyalty with a split mouth after receiving cashmere go? Words of rebuttal swirled in Dae Un’s mouth, but he didn’t open it.

If he did, Han Ga Eul’s protests would drag on… and dealing with Han Ga Eul who doesn’t understand his feelings is tiring.

What Dae Un wants now is peace of mind. The Han Ga Eul who swore loyalty should just leave him alone. The closer Ga Eul hovers, the more unsettled he becomes.

While Dae Un is holding back what he wants to say to maintain his peaceful rest, Ga Eul doesn’t allow it. Ga Eul stood firmly next to Dae Un. She seems determined to draw attention to herself.

“If you have something to say, just say it. Why beat around the bush? It’s annoying.”

Finally, Dae Un gave up on his peace of mind and sat up. Dae Un guessed why Ga Eul was acting this way. He knew why Ga Eul had gone to Chairman Oh Kyu Baek. The answer comes out. It means she received that building from Chairman Oh.

Is she that happy? Dae Un decided to accept Ga Eul’s joy purely. With that mindset, his heart tingled from the aura of joy emanating from Ga Eul.

“You might have trouble seeing my face from now on. I might even quit the company.”

“Ah, is that so? This is quite disappointing.”

Dae Un thought his words about not beating around the bush must have evaporated. Seeing how Ga Eul wouldn’t stop beating around the bush.

“Oh come on, you should ask why I’m quitting the company. Really, is this your first time being a boss?”

“Ah~ Oh, I see. Ms. Han Ga Eul, why are you suddenly trying to quit the company?”

“Well, you see, I no longer need to work for a company.”

Hahaha. Ga Eul laughed out loud as if she couldn’t hold it in. Then she abruptly stopped laughing and spoke in a hushed voice as if revealing a great secret.

“I’ve become a building owner in Gangnam. I’ve become rich. Me, Han Ga Eul.”

“Ah, is that so.”

Your standard for being rich is quite modest. Dae Un’s mood sank as he watched Ga Eul rejoice purely.

Because he knew what Ga Eul had to give up in exchange for receiving that building. Even though he had made it that way, he couldn’t help feeling bad.

“Chairman Oh didn’t give it with a happy face, but. Considering Chairman Oh’s situation of being under intense media attack because of Oh Myeong Se, I should understand that much. And Chairman Oh said he had tried to help my father.”

That’s another reason why Ga Eul is so happy.

“He said he tried to invest in my father’s company after my mother passed away, knowing my father’s business was struggling. So my father wasn’t lying.”

My father is not a liar! Ga Eul felt like she could shout it dozens of times.

Hearing that, Dae Un’s eyes lit up. But Ga Eul, absorbed in her own feelings, didn’t see it.

“Chairman Oh said that? That he was going to invest in President Han Myeong Hun’s company?”

“No, I heard it from Chief Secretary Ahn Chang Beom on my way to see Chairman Oh.”

“Then why didn’t he help? He withdrew the investment promise. That’s why your father’s company went bankrupt. Knowing it would turn out that way, why did Chairman Oh change his mind about investing in your father’s company?”

“I didn’t hear about that. I was curious about that too and asked, but he said to hear it directly from Chairman Oh. He said he’d tell me when I’m ready.”

Dae Un slumped back against the sofa. His expectations must have been high, as all strength seemed to drain from his body. He also felt relieved. It seems Ga Eul’s father hadn’t lied to his father after all.

As Ga Eul, having finished her boasting and report, was pondering whether to really take the day off to go spend money, the office door burst open and Jung Mi O rushed in.

“Ga Eul!”

This person needs to learn office visiting etiquette first. Starting with breaking the habit of flinging doors open. Ga Eul thought as she watched Jung Mi O cheerfully calling her name in a high-pitched voice.

“I told you never to appear before me again!”

Dae Un greeted Jung Mi O with a shout before Ga Eul could. Dae Un had many grievances against Jung Mi O. If only Jung Mi O hadn’t run her loose mouth, by now he and Ga Eul would…

That’s not it. Ga Eul already knew everything before hearing Jung Mi O’s words. The mouths to blame are his and Se Hyun’s.

Dae Un knew what Ga Eul had seen. He had searched through all the videos on the SD card and found out why Ga Eul had grown distant from him. Ga Eul had seen the conversation between him and Se Hyun in the car while waiting for Ga Eul to come out of the English academy.

So Dae Un couldn’t chase Jung Mi O out of the office.

Jung Mi O also wasn’t intimidated by Dae Un, who was glaring at her with his neck stiff like an enraged cobra.

“Today I came because I have business too. Dad sent me. He said to get your permission, oppa. He said if you allow it, I can stay in Korea.”

What scheme is this now! Is today the day for women to collectively speak incomprehensibly? Dae Un glared at Mi O in annoyance.

At that moment, Jung Mi O rapid-fired words. As if realizing she was on the verge of being kicked out after seeing Dae Un’s expression.

“It was really just as Ga Eul said. When I did volunteer work at the orphanage like Ga Eul said, Dad changed his mind. He says I don’t have to go to America. Of course, only if Dae Un oppa allows it. He says I can help improve Cheonghae Construction’s image or something.”

Jung Mi O looked at Dae Un and Ga Eul with shining eyes.

Today is truly a happy day. For both her and Jung Mi O. Except for the boss.

The boss’s mood is foul. He’s always been like that since returning from India. So now they just accept it.

As if to show his foul mood, the boss shouted.

“Han Ga Eul, what have you done this time?”

“I haven’t done anything. I only advised Jung Mi O to live kindly.”

Ga Eul blinked her eyes as if she knew nothing.

“Jung Mi O, sit down there. Sit there and tell me everything about what you’ve done, how Han Ga Eul was involved. Don’t leave anything out.”

Dae Un shouted, regretting not having sent Jung Mi O to America sooner. Maybe he should have sent Jung Se Hyun to America instead. It was Jung Se Hyun who had run his mouth about sending Ga Eul to her maternal family’s home in the video.

Jung Mi O took a seat across from Dae Un as if she had been waiting for this. Then she said something that would make Ga Eul fall over in shock.

“Oppa, Han Ga Eul is a total genius, you know? Where did you find such a gem?”

“When I did what Han Ga Eul told me to do, Dad changed his mind.”

“You said that earlier too. So what did you do?”

“At first, I didn’t completely trust Han Ga Eul. So I was hesitating whether to do it or not…”

“So what did you do!”

Ki Dae Un finally exploded.