Chapter 04
Lee Han asked again, and Da-in carefully pronounced her name.
“My name is Bae Da-in.”
It was certainly not a common name. Not a common surname either.
How could he possibly meet another woman with the name Bae Da-in?
It was too strange to be just coincidence.
The moment he heard that name, the blind date from a few days ago naturally came to mind.
From the very first impression to the very end, nothing about her had been ordinary—her face refused to leave his memory.
There weren’t many women who lingered in his thoughts for so long, in whatever sense.
“I look forward to working with you for the next three months.”
Lost briefly in thought, Han belatedly opened his mouth.
“You don’t need to ask me for anything. Just do your job well.”
Da-in was a little taken aback by the brusque tone but quickly replied, “Yes.”
Han returned his gaze to the documents and added offhandedly,
“If the introductions are over, you may leave now. Have Chief Kim come in.”
Da-in bowed her head and left the CEO’s office.
Chief Kim, sensing the mood, closed the door and approached Han.
“Please bring me Bae Da-in’s résumé again.”
“Yes, sir.”
She was just one of several secretaries, a temporary hire to cover for someone else, so he hadn’t paid her much attention.
He only vaguely remembered her academic background and career being impressive.
That was all—until he heard the name. Now, it seemed worth reviewing again.
Could it be that she had gone on that blind date in someone else’s place as well?
Could the real blind date partner have been the very Bae Da-in who had just walked in? The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly shook his head.
According to Seung-jae, the woman he was supposed to meet was the daughter of the chairman of the country’s number-one furniture company.
Such a person wouldn’t be working as a secretary. Certainly not as a temporary one.
While his thoughts wandered, the phone on his desk vibrated.
Who was that woman next to you?
You didn’t go up to the hotel room together, did you?
Han ignored the flood of messages from Byul-na.
Apparently shaken, she had gone quiet for a while, only to start interrogating him now.
He flipped his phone face down and turned back to the documents.
Haru stood leaning against a concrete wall, clad in a tight leather dress.
She had never imagined wearing such clothes again.
But perhaps she had grown used to it—her expression and posture looked surprisingly natural now.
“Haru, your pose is perfect right now.”
She was working a part-time job as a fitting model.
Apparently, Da-in had sent a photo of Haru in a leather two-piece to a shopping-mall owner she knew.
The look fit the mall’s concept so perfectly that she had ended up in front of the camera.
“Thank you, that’s all for today.”
“Yes, thank you.”
She had once dreamed of seeing her name on the big screen and pursued a career as a translator.
But in reality, she was a struggling freelancer, barely landing any projects.
Translation alone couldn’t support her, so she juggled other part-time jobs.
The upside was that she had learned many odd skills along the way. The downside was that her life was exhausting, hand-to-mouth.
Perhaps her fate really did follow her name—Haru, meaning “a single day.”
“Haru, that outfit looks so good on you. Just take it home, it’s a gift.”
Normally, she’d never wear such clothes, but it felt rude to refuse.
“Ah… okay. I’ll wear it well. Thank you.”
Too tired from the shoot, she decided to change at home and immediately hailed a taxi.
Usually she’d take the bus or subway, but not today—she had no energy, and her eye-catching outfit drew too much attention.
Once she gave her address to the driver, she leaned her head against the seat.
The driver’s glances in the rearview mirror unsettled her just as her phone buzzed.
The caller was a senior from her university.
“Hello, sunbae, what’s up?”
—Hey, Haru. You know GN Media’s OTT platform, Flex, right? They’re looking for an in-house translator. It’s contract work, but good experience.
GN Media was the leading giant in media and film.
Even Da-in, who dreamed of starting her own film company, had joined as a secretary just to understand industry trends.
Working there, even on a contract, was a golden opportunity.
There was no reason to hesitate.
“Of course I’m interested. Should I send in my résumé?”
—I’m actually at GN Media right now and mentioned you. Can you come for an interview today?
“Right now?”
—Yeah. Today’s the last day. They’ve already seen a few candidates.
Looking down at her leather dress and heavy makeup, Haru bit her lip.
Why now of all times?
—Is it too much to ask on such short notice?
But she couldn’t let this chance slip away.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll come right away, sunbae.”
—Great. See you soon.
The moment she hung up, she leaned forward.
“Driver, please take me to GN Media instead.”
A pair of long legs carried brisk strides across the spacious lobby.
Employees bowed as Lee Han, in a perfectly tailored suit, passed by.
He nodded lightly in return, holding his phone to his ear.
“What.”
—Just wondering how the blind date went.
Han kept walking as Seung-jae pressed him.
“Ended in ten minutes.”
—Wow, the blind-date-breaking master strikes again!
Seung-jae sounded impressed, then curious.
—So what excuse did you use this time?
“None.”
—What? You broke it off without a reason?
“She came with the same purpose as me—to ruin the date.”
She had made it obvious, her whole demeanor screaming, I’m here to sabotage this meeting.
Thinking back to the woman, Han couldn’t help but chuckle.
But then, his footsteps slowed to a halt.
An all-too-familiar face had appeared in his line of sight.
The very woman he had just been recalling.
Wearing a leather dress and heavy makeup—wasn’t she the blind date?
He had assumed she dressed that way deliberately for the occasion. But was this her everyday style?
What was she doing here?
His head filled with questions when a voice crackled from the phone.
—Tae Han! Are you listening?
Just like on the blind date, the woman—Bae Da-in—walked with her head lowered, avoiding attention.
Almost running, she darted into the restroom.
“Send me Bae Da-in’s number.”
—Why? Didn’t you say it ended in ten minutes? You weren’t planning to see her again.
That was true. He hadn’t.
But now that she had appeared right before him, he couldn’t ignore it.
He needed to sort out why she was bothering him so much.
“Just send it. Now.”
As soon as he hung up, Seung-jae forwarded the number.
It appeared unsaved in his phone—just digits, no name.
That alone made Han suspect she might not be the same person.
He pressed call.
The line barely rang before a voice answered.
—Yes, sir.
Han’s brow furrowed.
It wasn’t the voice of the woman he’d met on the blind date.
And a blind-date partner would never address him so formally as “sir.”
—Do you have any instructions for me?
That settled it.
The one who had answered was his temporary secretary, Bae Da-in.
Unbelievable. Just as he had attended the blind date in someone else’s place, she had done the same.
He had even checked her résumé earlier, but of course résumés didn’t list family backgrounds.
Who could have guessed the chairman’s daughter of Home & Living would be working as a secretary?
—Pardon?
Da-in asked, puzzled by his muttered words.
“It’s nothing. Carry on with your work.”
He ended the call, but his eyes lingered on the restroom.
He wanted to confirm it with his own eyes—the fake blind-date partner.
Soon, she emerged.
He almost didn’t recognize her.
Now she wore a blouse and pencil skirt, her hair neatly tied up, her face bare and clear.
As she hurried past, Han’s gaze clung to her.
For some reason, her face felt achingly familiar.
