CHAPTER 72……………………………….
Standing in front of the executive desk, Dain handed Yihan a file for approval.
“This needs your approval by tomorrow.”
“Yes, understood.”
“This will be the last time we meet like this.”
Today was Dain’s last day working as Yihan’s secretary.
“I hope I wasn’t the kind of boss you never want to see again.”
At his words, Dain smiled and shook her head.
“There were times it was tough because you don’t allow even the slightest mistake in work, but thanks to that I learned a lot.”
“That’s a relief, then.”
While Yihan nodded, Dain spoke again.
“I guess this is the last time I’ll call you ‘CEO.’”
“That somehow sounds a bit ominous.”
“Since we’ve already started, can I drop the titles—CEO and secretary—and talk about something personal?”
Yihan tilted his head slightly, giving silent permission.
“Haru is very innocent. I used to keep an eye on her, but I’ve been busy lately and haven’t been able to. I’m worried she might get hurt.”
Yihan let out a low laugh while looking straight at Dain.
“I’ve felt this since last time—do you really distrust me that much? Do you think I’d hurt Miss Danharu?”
“Even if you don’t intend to, you’re the CEO of a major company. Isn’t that different from an ordinary relationship? And now that the articles are out, your face is known too. Haru might end up having a hard time in many ways.”
Listening to her speak plainly, Yihan replied,
“I’ll treat her well enough that you won’t have anything to worry about, Miss Bae Dain. Satisfied?”
“Yes. Since you’re the kind of person who does what he says, I’ll believe you. On that note, I’m borrowing Haru for dinner tonight.”
Yihan, who had been smiling lazily, tilted his head and asked,
“Says who?”
“That’s why I’m asking for permission right now. Please approve it, CEO.”
“I’ll approve it on one condition—tell me the place you’re meeting.”
“Just as expected, you know how to make a deal. Fine.”
Dain answered as if impressed by his condition.
Yihan nodded with a satisfied smile.
“You worked really hard all this time!”
Haru clinked her beer glass against Dain’s.
Dain gulped down the cold beer and nodded as she set the glass down.
“Seriously, I worked my butt off. Being a secretary when it’s not even suited to me.”
“Right? I can’t believe you endured three months.”
Haru held out some snacks toward Dain like she was praising her.
Dain accepted them happily and grinned.
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to start preparing to open my film company.”
“Finally?”
“Yeah! Finally!”
Haru knew that starting a film company had always been Dain’s dream and goal, so she felt as happy as if it were her own achievement.
“Did working at GN Media help?”
“Yeah, it definitely helped. But it’s not enough. I need to look into more things and expand my connections.”
“It’d be nice if someone knowledgeable about that field could help you.”
While they were talking, a man’s voice suddenly interrupted.
“I can help.”
“Whoa! What was that?”
Startled, Dain turned her head. Seungjae was standing there with a grin.
Yihan was beside him.
“Huh? Yihan, how did you get here?”
“I told him.”
When Dain confessed, Haru blinked in confusion.
“I traded the location in exchange for drinking with you.”
Dain exchanged a glance with Yihan and smiled.
Then she noticed Seungjae’s sly grin and quickly turned her head away.
“CEO, I don’t believe we agreed on the condition that you’d bring someone along.”
“I was planning to come alone. He just followed me.”
Yihan replied and sat beside Haru.
Seungjae naturally took the last remaining seat—next to Dain.
“Why are you sitting there without asking?”
“You don’t like me sitting here?”
“Do you think I would?”
Even when Dain shot back bluntly, Seungjae didn’t look offended.
Instead, he lifted the corner of his lips even higher.
“Ah, did you want to sit facing me instead? Then switch seats with Haru.”
“Oh please, forget it. Just stay there.”
Haru chuckled softly as she listened to them.
She knew that Dain never even talked to people she truly disliked.
Their bickering was actually a sign of interest.
“So what exactly can I help with?”
“You don’t need to know, Mr. Cha Seungjae.”
Dain immediately shut down his question, and Haru quickly stepped in.
“Come to think of it, since you’re the head of an entertainment company, wouldn’t you know a lot of industry people? Dain is preparing to start a film company.”
“Oh, then you’ve met the perfect person.”
Seungjae leaned in with a smile.
“That field is totally my specialty. I meet people from film companies almost every day.”
“If you’re talking like that, I know more than you.”
Yihan cut in abruptly.
Seungjae frowned.
“Hey, man, read the room.”
While Seungjae muttered through clenched teeth, Dain raised her hand.
“Thank you for the offer, both of you. But I’m planning to do this entirely on my own.”
“That’s exactly why I can’t help liking Miss Bae Dain.”
Seungjae lifted his beer glass toward her.
Though Dain looked reluctant, she still clinked her glass with his.
“Since it’s a farewell party, I’ll pay tonight. That’s okay, right?”
“Oh of course. More than okay.”
Dain bowed toward Yihan playfully.
“Should we look at the menu again? We can order more, right?”
“Order as much as you want! Only the expensive stuff!”
Seungjae encouraged her from the side.
The two of them scrolled through the digital menu, discussing what to order.
Watching them grow friendlier already, Haru smiled warmly.
“Haru, what do you want to eat? Order whatever you like.”
“Dain knows what I like. She’ll order it.”
Only then did Haru and Yihan finally meet each other’s eyes.
Since joining the table, Seungjae and Dain had been doing most of the talking, so they hadn’t properly greeted each other.
“Did you have a good day today?”
“Yes. How about you?”
“Me too.”
Even such a simple exchange made them smile.
Meanwhile, after carefully choosing, Dain and Seungjae finally finished selecting the menu.
When Haru saw the items in the cart, she gasped.
“Why did you order so much? Does it really cost that much here?”
“The CEO said he’d pay for the farewell party! Why are you worrying about your boyfriend’s wallet? He’s literally a chaebol. You don’t worry about rich people.”
“I don’t think you’re the one who should be saying that.”
Dain laughed awkwardly at Haru’s remark.
While they were talking, Seungjae reached out and pressed the order button.
“Thank you for the meal, CEO.”
Soon the dishes they ordered began arriving one by one, filling the table.
Beer glasses were constantly emptied and replaced with new ones.
As time passed and they became slightly tipsy, the conversation drifted into personal stories.
Seungjae began revealing stories from the time he lived with Yihan in Italy.
“Even though he looks perfectly fine like this, he never dated a single woman. I’ve known him since he was twenty, and the only time he ever talked about a woman was about that girl he saw in Italy—the traveler named Haru. Other than that, I’ve never heard him mention any woman.”
“How can you bring up another woman here when his current girlfriend is right in front of him?!”
At Dain’s scolding, Seungjae froze and covered his mouth.
“That was a slip of the tongue. I’m sorry.”
While he bowed his head in apology, Dain muttered,
“But I feel like I’ve heard this story somewhere before. Haru also said she couldn’t forget a man she met briefly during her trip to Italy, and that’s why she never dated anyone until now.”
“Really? Wait a second… Tae Yihan, why aren’t you stopping me?”
If Seungjae was talking about another woman in front of Haru, Yihan should have stopped him.
Normally he would have shoved food into his mouth or stepped on his foot to give him a hint.
But Yihan had done nothing and simply listened.
“Hold on. This is weird. Danharu isn’t telling him to stop either.”
Dain also looked puzzled.
“Wait… don’t tell me… the person you met in Italy back then—”
“Was it you two?”
Yihan and Haru didn’t deny it.
They simply smiled.
Seungjae and Dain’s mouths dropped open at the same time in shock.
