Young Hwa prepared tea for Sun Woo who came to visit the design department.

In Ha frowned at the sight, but Young Hwa ignored it as she was just doing her job.

And seeing In Ha’s discomfort felt like a kind of pleasure to Young Hwa.

She knocked on the meeting room door and carefully opened it to enter.

Sun Woo’s gaze lazily swept over Young Hwa as he smiled.

“I heard rumors about a merger, seems it’s true.”

Young Hwa asked casually as she set down the tea.

“Yeah. That’s why I said I’d get involved in this business.”

“Is that so? But it must be different from a large company like The K. It’ll be tough for you.”

“Tough? If it doesn’t make money, I’ll just shut it down right away. No big deal.”

Sun Woo spoke as if he was closing some small store. So that expression wasn’t pleasant to Young Hwa.

“Did you come because of the business?”

“No. I came because of you.”

Young Hwa felt her face flush at his words that it was because of her. No matter how she thought about it, Sun Woo’s words flowed unfiltered like raw water.

“You should focus on work. With a merger, everyone will be confused trying to align operations for a while.”

Young Hwa quickly changed the subject.

“Yeah. I’m going to focus on you.”

“Yes. Please concentrate on the business.”

Kang Sun Woo as portrayed in the media was quite an attractive character. Bold expressions and near-perfect management skills.

But Sun Woo in Young Hwa’s eyes right now just looked like a rascal? That’s exactly how he seemed.

“Don’t you think it would be fun?”

“What?”

“A secret romance. Especially a secret office romance seems like it would be thrilling.”

In fact, Young Hwa had never created a framework of dating Sun Woo.

But Sun Woo seemed to think of it as dating.

“Dating?”

“Yeah. Dating.”

“Us?”

Sun Woo’s eyes distorted at the expression ‘us’.

“Were you that kind of person?”

“What kind?”

“The kind who sleeps around with people you’re not even dating?”

That kind of promiscuity seemed to be more associated with Sun Woo.

Young Hwa shook her head side to side.

“I have a bit of a chaste side. I’m not the type to do that casually with just anyone.”

“Ah. I see.”

Young Hwa smiled as she picked up the tray she had brought the tea on.

Knock knock−.

There was a knock and In Ha entered.

Normally In Ha would have kept people waiting for a long time, but she came in unusually quickly, seemingly concerned about Young Hwa.

“Elder sister, you can go. I need to discuss some business matters with Sun Woo.”

“…Alright.”

Young Hwa gave a slight smile and left the meeting room.

That brief moment was enough to make Young Hwa’s entire body stiffen.

***

In Ha maintained a businesslike smile and cool attitude towards Sun Woo.

She wanted to show how professionally cold and thorough she could be.

“I didn’t expect you to come so soon.”

“It’s business. I thought it would be good to align our management styles as quickly as possible.”

“I see.”

“I’ll come to U&I regularly three days a week. More if needed.”

Sun Woo carefully picked up the teacup in front of him and moistened his throat.

He wanted to tell someone other than Young Hwa to bring tea, but having Young Hwa serve guests was something he had instructed.

To bring tea for all visiting guests.

Previously, the instruction was for each person to take care of their own guests. But that instruction disappeared when In Ha became team leader.

The reason was that designers who were already overwhelmed with creative work 24 hours a day couldn’t be burdened with such trivial tasks.

So he couldn’t bring himself to stop Young Hwa from going to make tea.

“Now that we’ve greeted each other, let’s take a look at the overall atmosphere of the main office and the work systems.”

“Yes. We should. Shall I guide you?”

In Ha stuck close to Sun Woo as they left the meeting room.

“No need. I came with a The K employee, so I’ll move around with that person.”

Young Hwa’s desk was right in front of the meeting room. Their voices would probably be audible to her by now.

“Sun Woo.”

In Ha called out to Sun Woo in a soft voice.

“Did you perhaps come to the design department because of me?”

In Ha wanted Young Hwa to hear Sun Woo’s answer.

“What? I came. For. Business.”

Sun Woo’s pronunciation was precise.

In Ha’s face flushed slightly. But she was in front of Sun Woo. She used all her facial muscles to smile.

“Yes. Of course. No matter how distracted you are, you should focus on the business, not on me.”

Sun Woo’s face tilted to one side.

“I was already planning to focus only on my. Work. For a while.”

He smiled, pulling up one corner of his mouth.

Sun Woo strode past In Ha. In Ha quickened her pace behind him.

Behind the meeting room, at a lone desk, Young Hwa was hunched over with her head down, spreading out a large work order sheet and cutting and pasting small fabric samples.

When In Ha glanced towards Young Hwa, their gazes stuck together.

Young Hwa was smiling at In Ha with a truly unpleasant expression.

***

Han Ul was waiting for someone in front of The K Hotel in Seoul.

Though it was a busy time with work, he had come out with an excited and happy heart.

It was a friend he was meeting after a really long time.

It’s already been 10 years. So much time has passed. He was inwardly amazed.

Looking at the watch on his wrist, there was still a lot of time left before the appointment.

But a taxi glided into the front of the hotel.

“Han Ul!”

A tall woman, as tall as a man, called out to Han Ul as she got out in one breath.

“Jang Hee. Why did you come so early?”

Jang Hee waved to Han Ul and handed her card to the driver to finish paying.

She had gotten out of the taxi before finishing payment, overcome by the joy of seeing him. Knowing her feelings, Han Ul clicked his tongue but smiled happily.

“If I’d known, we could have moved our meeting time up by 30 minutes.”

“I know.”

Jang Hee put her long arm over Han Ul’s shoulder.

“Have you been well? Your face looks a bit older.”

“Oh really?”

The two expressed their happiness at seeing each other through playful insults.

As they moved to a cafe inside the hotel, they couldn’t smile like they had when they first met.

“Why did you only tell me now?”

Jang Hee didn’t look as lively as she used to.

“Well. I guess I didn’t have the courage to say it.”

“That’s mean. She may have been your lover, but she was also my dearest friend. You should have let me see her one last time.”

Jang Hee had heard the news of her friend’s death while at the European branch office. And it was already old news, from over a year ago.

The person who delivered that news was Han Ul.

“I heard about your divorce. I thought you were already having a hard time, so I couldn’t give you an even bigger trial. I decided I shouldn’t say anything.”

“What does divorce have to do with it? That person wasn’t any help to the child either.”

Han Ul’s expression was darker than ever before.

Of course, she thought it would be.

They had met in college.

Sang Hwa entered as a freshman in the Fashion Department at Korea University where Jang Hee and Han Ul were studying.

Sang Hwa, who became a freshman at an age when most were about to graduate, stood out as uniquely beautiful among the younger students.

Perhaps it was natural that Han Ul, who had returned to school after military service, fell for Sang Hwa.

At that time, it felt like there wasn’t a man who didn’t like Sang Hwa.

Han Ul pestered his close friend Jang Hee to introduce him to Sang Hwa.

Ironically, in that process, Jang Hee also came to like Sang Hwa.

Contrary to her aloof face, Sang Hwa was easygoing, and always smiling despite quite difficult circumstances.

That’s how the three of them became close.

It was two more years after that when Han Ul and Sang Hwa became a couple. They started dating after Jang Hee blew up the confession that the timid Han Ul had been dragging out.

Perhaps that time was the flower of youth for Sang Hwa. And it was the same for Han Ul and Jang Hee.

But their romance didn’t last long.

Sang Hwa broke up with Han Ul just before graduation. It was news of a breakup for a couple that had been dating so beautifully.

Are they planning a surprise? At that time, Jang Hee couldn’t believe the two had broken up.

And then came the news of Sang Hwa’s suicide attempt.

The police concluded that it appeared to be an extreme choice made by a college student suffering from depression due to financial difficulties.

No, Sang Hwa wouldn’t do that.

Neither Han Ul nor Jang Hee believed the police investigation at that time.

But Sang Hwa, who could tell them the truth, couldn’t open her eyes.

She was only barely maintaining her breath with the help of machines.

“Jang Hee.”

“What is it?”

Even though they had been apart for a long time, the two were still the closest of friends.

Jang Hee grinned.

“I can tell just by looking at your expression. Don’t try to hide it, just tell your elder sister.”

Jang Hee asked teasingly, habitually treating Han Ul like a younger brother.

“You know. When Sang Hwa died, it had been over a year since we broke up.”

“Yeah. I remember that too.”

“But…”

Han Ul struggled to continue. Jang Hee waited without pressing him.

“At that time, Sang Hwa was pregnant.”

Jang Hee inhaled sharply and then choked, coughing.

“What did you say?”

Han Ul lowered his head and trembled.