ALRE 12

Chapter : 12

After Director Kim Mi-hyun left, Jae-won ran the simulation again.

No matter how he looked at it, the wall leading to the dining room seemed plain and lifeless.

Rather than using the same color finish throughout, it seemed more fitting to project media art onto the wall or use nature-themed artwork—it would better align with the overall concept.

Jae-won tapped the desk with the tip of his pen, lost in thought.

How many minutes passed like that, he wasn’t sure.

A hurried knock sounded, and Park Sun-ho entered the office.

Checking the clock, it had been less than two minutes since the call.

Everyone knew Jae-won’s hardworking nature.

“Huff huff… You called?”

Sun-ho approached, breathing heavily—he must have taken the stairs due to the morning rush.

“Look at this.”

Jae-won pointed at one spot on the computer screen. Sun-ho leaned over and squinted at it.

“It’s a deep cobalt blue. You don’t like the color?”

“No, it’s just… plain.”

“Ah… I can see how you’d think that.”

“The ceiling is high, so if we paint the whole wall blue, it’ll look dark.”

Since Jae-won was hailed as a renovation genius, his judgment was probably correct.

Sun-ho nodded in agreement.

“I’ll discuss it a bit more.”

And since Jae-won had seen the site in person, he likely wasn’t wrong.

“Quickly. Don’t take too long. And don’t forget to use German eco-friendly flooring Meister for the bathroom finishes.”

“Of course. Should I just fix that and run the simulation again?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

Sun-ho turned to leave the office but stopped mid-step and looked back.

He had just learned from Team Leader Ji-soo today—

That sly president had gone on a blind date a few days ago.

“You went on a blind date when you went to Gangwon-do, right? How was it? With President Kang’s daughter too?”

“Mind your own business.”

The more he pretended not to hear and focused on the screen, the more curious Sun-ho became.

Jae-won, of all people, went on a blind date?

“Was she pretty?”

Only then did Jae-won lift his gaze from the screen and issue a subtle command to Sun-ho.

“Not busy? Got free time?”

“Busy. Insanely busy. But I’m curious, what can I do?”

“Loose-lipped employee… I don’t like it.”

“You talking about Ji-soo?”

“Then who else would I hear it from besides her?”

Yes, he had heard it from Ji-soo.

“Still, Ji-soo isn’t just any employee. She’s your junior. And mine too.”

“Does being a junior mean you can gossip?”

“You’re way too cold.”

Jae-won refocused on the screen, clearly uninterested in continuing the conversation.

Sun-ho shook his head and left.

What a heartless guy.

Behind Sun-ho, Jae-won’s low voice fell.

“If you like her, then take it seriously.”

“You’re impossible! I shouldn’t even talk to you. Ugh, you’re infuriating.”

If it were that easy, he’d have already taken action.

“Now you get it?”

Jae-won smirked in response.

Yeah, good for you.

Sun-ho, annoyed at his friend’s competence, glared at him one last time and left the office.

Watching Sun-ho’s retreating back, Jae-won’s expression gradually stiffened.

People’s hearts don’t flow according to one’s will, and knowing where Ji-soo’s heart was headed made him increasingly uneasy.

Why did he have to like Ji-soo?

He felt guilty, realizing he had unintentionally complicated his friend’s feelings.

Resolving to meet Ji-soo soon and settle things, Jae-won refocused on work.

Knock knock.

Immersed in work, Jae-won replied shortly.

“Yes.”

Director Kim Mi-hyun approached, looking uneasy.

“Uh… President, Kang Ju-sik is here to see you.”

“Kang Ju-sik?”

For a moment, the face of Kang I-yeong flashed across his mind like a panorama.

“Yes. What should we do? You’ll need to attend the Gangnam M Gallery reception soon.”

“Ah… cancel that schedule. Bring him in immediately.”

Discovering new talent was important, but right now, President Kang took priority.

“Yes, understood.”

After Kim left, Jae-won stood, ready to greet him.

The office door opened, and Kang Ju-sik entered.

“Welcome, President.”

“Director Jeong, how have you been?”

His smile was always warm and pleasant.

Now that Jae-won saw her, she resembled him—soft features, gentle demeanor.

“Yes, always the same. Please, have a seat.”

Jae-won roughly guessed why he had come.

Probably curious about the blind date, he had decided to come personally.

But Jae-won had nothing much to say, so he chose to listen first.

Other reasons might exist as well.

“Would you like some tea?”

He offered the tea Kim had left as he waited for Kang to speak.

“Thanks, I’ll have some.”

Taking a sip, Kang Ju-sik looked at Jae-won with his signature smiling eyes.

No doubt about it—they were related. Blood shows itself.

“Director Jeong, curious why I came? Don’t beat around the bush; I’ll just tell you.”

“Yes, please do.”

Jae-won sipped the tea before him, feeling oddly nervous.

No matter how successful he was now, none of it came from nowhere.

He had learned it all under President Kang Ju-sik.

This meant Kang was not someone to be underestimated.

“The last time, I asked you to find someone. Not a full-time staff, but a short-term contract worker.”

Ah…

Jae-won realized his guess was completely wrong and flushed slightly, clearing his throat.

“Ah, yes, I see. Do you have someone in mind?”

Having trained under President Kang, he could hire someone without even holding an interview.

“Yes. An art major. Experienced in this field, and excellent at designing spaces aesthetically. They’ll be a great help.”

He had indeed needed a skilled person for the art side.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. It’s your work, but we help each other out.”

“I feel like I’m always the one being helped.”

“Also, this person is somewhat close to me. Don’t feel pressured—just hire them. You can manage it, right?”

“Of course.”

“Haha, thanks. I trust your skills.”

Kang’s confidence in this person made Jae-won trust the recommendation even more.

“When should they start?”

“First, I’d like to see their resume—via email…”

“Of course, I brought it. Here it is.”

Kang pulled a small envelope from his inner pocket.

“Hmm, we’ll look at this later. Right now, I’m curious about something.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“How do you find my daughter?”

The moment had come.

Jae-won believed in clear, decisive answers, and spoke firmly:

“I’m sorry.”

It might have sounded disappointing, but it had to be said.

“Hmm. No, no. Things are going well. Honestly, my daughter isn’t very mature yet.”

Ju-sik watched Jae-won’s reaction and continued:

“I pushed her on someone who wasn’t interested in marriage. Could it have gone well?”

“That’s a relief.”

“So, let’s see this resume.”

Following Kang’s instruction, Jae-won opened the envelope and took out the resume.

When he unfolded it, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“It’s my daughter. Since neither of them is thinking about marriage, it shouldn’t be awkward. I’ll keep her under my wing, so other employees won’t notice. She’s my daughter after all—how could I let her work freely?”

Jae-won, surprised, just listened, his expression stiff.

“Trust her. She needs experience before she eventually takes over the company. You also learned a lot under me before starting your own company, right?”

Jae-won had indeed been indebted to Kang and intended to repay him.

But sending his daughter here so suddenly…

Jae-won was dumbfounded, as if hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

After a blind date, now this job…

Jae-won stared blankly at Kang, who rose from his seat and prepared to leave.