Chapter 8
“Eun-woo, did you see that the Director made the main page of the portal site?”
“Of course. Director Moon of the London branch saw it first and even posted the link and screenshots in the group chat with the London office staff—‘Director more radiant than flowers,’ no less.”
“Heh.”
Hearing the laugh over the laptop, Eun-woo tilted her head, wondering if she had misheard.
“Secretary Seo?”
“Oh, yes.”
Secretary Seo raised his right hand, which had been typing, to adjust his glasses. Behind the lenses, his gaze remained as serious and composed as ever.
Was there laughter just now?
Eun-woo briefly tilted her head before returning her focus to the monitor and continuing to type the draft.
The article that had drawn attention, titled ‘Director More Radiant Than Flowers,’ had originated from the press release draft Eun-woo had prepared the night before.
The “flower” referenced in the article referred to the poppy brooch that HJ had pinned to his jacket.
This week marked the beginning of Remembrance Week in the United Kingdom. To commemorate the occasion, British officials wore red flower brooches at formal events.
The poppy brooch, roughly the same size as the red carnation brooches distributed in Korea before Parents’ Day, sold like wildfire across the UK during Remembrance Week. In every city and on every street, one could see people wearing poppies.
The metal brooch that HJ wore was smaller than those typically worn by the British, yet it was so finely crafted that anyone could immediately recognize it as a poppy.
Unexpectedly, the first person to notice the brooch was the King of the United Kingdom.
“Ah… is that a poppy?”
During the treasure viewing scheduled before yesterday’s dinner, the King had taken interest in the brooch on HJ’s chest and praised him for showing respect for British culture.
“I sincerely appreciate your wearing a poppy during Remembrance Week, which honors the sacrifices of those in war. Korea and the United Kingdom are allies with a long-standing friendship, working together toward shared peace and prosperity. Through the brooch on Mr. Kang’s chest, we are reminded of the history of solidarity between our two nations. Thank you, Mr. Kang.”
Eun-woo, standing beside him, quickly took notes and incorporated the King’s words into the press release draft.
Journalists who received the finalized press release highlighted the anecdote between HJ and the British King, while also providing in-depth coverage of the previously unseen successor of Seomgwang, ‘Kang Hee-jae.’
Comments on the portal site’s main article were overwhelmingly positive:
“Wow, diplomatic sense. 👍👍 That’s what diplomacy looks like.”
“Government diplomats should take note—this young director has raised Korea’s prestige.”
“Time to buy Seomgwang Electronics stock!”
“Let’s get out of 70k electronics!!”
“Praying for an escape from 70k electronics!”
“Go go go!!”
Until then, reports on HJ had been limited to short news of his appointment as Executive Director of Seomgwang Group. As of yesterday, Kang Hee-jae’s name and face were widely recognized.
It had been a successful media debut for HJ.
Thirty minutes later, Secretary Seo and Eun-woo cross-checked their documents, verifying the facts.
“As always, perfect. I’ll send it to headquarters immediately.”
“Yes, understood.”
Eun-woo, who had been wearing business shoes until then, finally bent down, clasped her hands, and lightly tapped her ankles.
“Oh, Secretary Seo.”
“Yes?”
“The day Director leaves the country, the London office staff are planning to hold a banner incorporating the phrase ‘Director More Radiant Than Flowers.’”
“A banner saying ‘Director More Radiant Than Flowers’…?”
It was Director Moon’s carefully planned stroke of genius.
HJ’s protocol had exceeded expectations. Director Moon, regardless of his internal political standing, had now officially overseen a successful protocol. The farewell event was both a celebration of the London office’s success and a recognition of HJ marking his media presence as Seomgwang’s successor.
“The banner draft is already up in the group chat. Would you like to take a look?”
Secretary Seo leaned toward Eun-woo, who sat diagonally across from him. Eun-woo turned on her phone, zoomed in on the image from the chat, and handed it over.
“But, Eun-woo,”
“Yes?”
“Wouldn’t a photo of him smiling be better than this one?”
“I thought the same, but the director’s photos in the article all show him expressionless, so I guess they chose one from those.”
“Oh, I see… well then, I have a few personal photos of the director…”
At that moment:
“Let me see too.”
Startled by the voice behind them, Secretary Seo and Eun-woo quickly withdrew from the phone.
“Director?”
He appeared, having changed into more comfortable attire, and looked down at Eun-woo’s phone.
The screen displayed his face surrounded by a vivid poppy wreath.
Eun-woo found it fine, but Kang Hee-jae seemed slightly displeased—understandably so, as the image had been styled almost like a sticker for a child’s first birthday gift, excessively cute.
“If you dislike such events…”
“I don’t dislike them.”
But his expression said otherwise.
“My protocol officer is Kim Eun-woo, so whether I do it or not, I’ll leave the decision to her.”
There was a peculiar emphasis on “whether I do it or not,” Eun-woo thought, just as he revealed the reason for coming out to the living room.
“Let’s have dinner on the rooftop tonight.”
Eun-woo quickly collected herself.
“Yes, I’ll order room service immediately.”
“I’ve already ordered.”
“You did?”
“Since I’m the least busy right now.”
Having stated his purpose, HJ headed straight for the stairs leading to the rooftop.
Did a cold breeze suddenly blow from his turning back, or was it just her imagination?
Moments later, the terrace door opened and closed. Eun-woo, still drowsy, turned to Secretary Seo.
“Does the Director usually order meals for staff?”
“Not usually.”
Eun-woo wanted to show her full capability as a protocol office secretary, appearing competent in every task. She hadn’t expected such a basic task like meal ordering to slip through.
“Would I be seen as just a chatty employee?”
“No way. Ordering something as minor as a meal wouldn’t make you look bad. It’s not that he never orders, just that he rarely does.”
Earlier, he seemed ready to scold her over the photo.
“By the way, he really dislikes farewell events, right? This draft is a little playful…”
“Hmm… probably just because he’s not used to it.”
“It seems like he doesn’t like it.”
“He does. Eun-woo, I need to shower before room service arrives.”
Eun-woo misinterpreted Secretary Seo’s statement, thinking he meant to have a private moment with HJ.
“His mood is clearly off because of the photo, so how can I be alone with him…”
Ahem. “I’ll leave it in your capable hands, Eun-woo.”
Without looking back, Secretary Seo entered his room with an attached bathroom.
“Secretary Seo…”
Left alone, Eun-woo forced herself to move toward the rooftop, despite her unwilling feet.
A breeze swept over the rooftop. Her stray strands, disheveled from a long day, fluttered in the wind. On the terrace, Eun-woo released the tips of her hair, twisted up all day in a bun.
Her long hair, now down, brushed against her shoulder blades, easing the tension from her scalp.
She placed the hairpin in her skirt pocket and walked toward Kang Hee-jae, who stood at the edge of the terrace.
He rested his elbows on the railing, leaning slightly as he looked down at Regent Street below.
Taking a deep breath, Eun-woo approached him. Noticing her, Kang Hee-jae stepped aside slightly.
Acknowledging the unspoken invitation to appreciate the night view, Eun-woo hesitated briefly, then stepped forward. Placing her hands on the cool railing, she looked down at the world spread below.
From Westminster Abbey to Piccadilly Circus, the streets glowed with a warm amber light. The main avenues, crowded with people enjoying a November night, sparkled with festive life.
London, often called the city of festivals, was always lively late into the evening, yet few streets matched this one in vibrancy. Enchanted by the golden lights, Eun-woo stood in awe.
As she was immersed in the view, Kang Hee-jae, standing beside her, spoke.
