Chapter 2
“……What did you just say?”
Ji-an’s already large eyes grew even wider.
Her voice was full of injustice, but Mijin, regardless of Ji-an’s reaction, just smirked and held something out.
It was Ji-an’s employee ID card with her photo on it.
“So you’ve been converted to full-time, Ji-an? And on top of that, you’ve been assigned as the personal assistant to the newly appointed division head.”
At Seonwu Group, the lanyards for full-time and contract employees were different.
It was the red lanyard that Ji-an had wanted so badly, the one only full-time employees could have.
Attached to the end was Ji-an’s ID card with her photo.
“I’ve worked at Seonwu Group for over five years, and I’ve never seen a case where someone went from contract to full-time without taking the exam and was immediately assigned as an assistant.”
Normally, you had to wait two years to even qualify for the full-time conversion exam, but Ji-an had only been with the company for a year and seven months.
It was indeed exceptional.
“That it’s a special case I’ve never seen before…”
As Ji-an stood there speechless, Mijin’s face flushed with excitement.
“That means you did something no one else has, doesn’t it? Wow, you’ve got quite the nerve. How could you be with someone you don’t even care about…”
“Team Leader!”
Ji-an, feeling she couldn’t take it anymore, clenched her fists and shouted.
Loud enough to echo through the corridor where they stood.
Mijin glared at Ji-an as if she were crazy, then looked around.
“Can’t you lower your voice?”
“If there were an easy way like you suggest, I wouldn’t be working myself to the bone. You’ve seen how hard I work, Team Leader.”
Ji-an was so angry her voice trembled.
But Mijin just snorted dismissively.
“How should I know? I’m too busy with my own work to notice.”
No matter what she said, Mijin would just plug her ears and refuse to listen.
It was a ridiculous misunderstanding, but Ji-an had no energy left to defend herself.
Disgusting.
That was exactly the look in Mijin’s eyes.
It was clear that saying anything more would only hurt her own mouth.
“I can’t stop you from thinking whatever you want, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak as if it were the truth.”
“So I can’t even speak my mind?”
“Have you ever actually seen me doing the kind of thing you’re suggesting? If not, don’t say such things carelessly.”
“Seo Ji-an!”
“You’re not going to listen to me anyway, so I’ll go ahead.”
Having said what she needed to say, Ji-an brushed past Mijin and entered the restroom.
“Haa.”
Her heart was pounding ridiculously hard.
Standing with both hands gripping the sink, a rush of breath burst from between Ji-an’s lips.
Ji-an knew that her promotion to assistant manager and Cha Yuhyeon Director’s help had played a part.
But Yuhyeon hadn’t had any ulterior motives; it was simply because he liked her work style.
She had never met Yuhyeon privately, not even once.
In short, it was just luck.
But starting from that, malicious rumors began to spread throughout the company.
‘She got assistant manager that way? Guess her skills aren’t up to par.’
‘It might be possible since she was a contractor. It’s hard to become full-time at our company.’
‘Someone I know said they saw the two of them coming out of a hotel.’
She tried to ignore it because it wasn’t true, but it still turned her stomach every time.
She looked down and saw her new employee ID.
It was the moment of full-time conversion she had waited for so long.
She felt bitter toward Mijin for ruining even this.
‘It’s fine. As long as I know the truth.’
Besides, she had said everything she needed to say.
She lifted her head and examined her reflection in the mirror.
She checked the spot Mijin had been staring at earlier, but there was no hickey or anything else visible.
‘It’s okay. It’s okay, Seo Ji-an.’
Ji-an soothed herself and clutched the ID card with the full-time lanyard tightly in her hand.
This is enough.
A summons from the Chairman. Regarding your promotion…
Two days later.
A message arrived for Ji-an.
‘So you’ve been converted to full-time, Ji-an? And on top of that, you’ve been assigned as the personal assistant to the newly appointed division head.’
Mijin’s words, which had seemed like a lie, echoed in her ears again.
She had even received the full-time ID card, but nothing had happened for two full days, so she wondered if it had been canceled.
She had lowered her expectations, thinking that perhaps someone higher up had mistaken her for someone else and made an error.
Fortunately, the promotion was real, but another question arose.
Was the personnel change of a mere employee really something that warranted a summons from the Chairman?
Was the newly appointed division head such an important person?
It was strange to meet the Chairman over just a promotion, but she was even more excited than when she first heard the news.
After reporting to Mijin, Ji-an took the elevator to the very top floor of the building.
It was a place she had never been since joining the company.
“Whew, I’m nervous.”
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Ji-an’s heart pounded loudly.
As the elevator doors opened, a secretary who had come out to wait bowed her head to greet Ji-an.
“Please come this way.”
Throughout the walk.
Ji-an couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment wasn’t real.
She pinched her thigh several times.
Even though it hurt, why couldn’t she believe it?
Before she knew it, they arrived in front of the Chairman’s office.
Knock, knock. The secretary knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Permission came from inside.
Her heart trembled even more violently, and the secretary opened the door.
‘Stay calm, Seo Ji-an.’
The moment she slowly lifted her head, which she had bowed to compose herself discreetly.
‘…!’
Ji-an’s heart plummeted to the dizzying depths below her feet.
Because of another man waiting for her alongside Chairman Cha Jeong-hun.
‘Your lips are so hot.’
He was unmistakably Yun Tae-jun, the man who had taken Ji-an’s first kiss and her first experience.
She tried to calm her shocked mind, thinking it must be someone who looked like him, but the eyes that met hers seemed to recognize her too.
‘Why is he here?’
She had felt hazy since getting on the elevator; was this a dream?
Confused, she stood there like a statue, and Jeong-hun called out to her.
“Seo Ji-an? Can’t you hear me? I said come in.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
It seemed Ji-an had been so startled by Tae-jun that she hadn’t heard Jeong-hun.
This was essentially her first impression, and Ji-an had ruined it.
Approaching Jeong-hun, Ji-an bowed her head deeply.
“Hello. I’m Seo Ji-an from Overseas Sales.”
Chairman Cha had a sharp impression in the media, but in person, it wasn’t as pronounced.
Instead, his eyes alone were sharp and lively.
“Yes. Sit over there.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
Ji-an carefully sat where Jeong-hun pointed.
It was unfortunately a seat facing Tae-jun.
She immediately looked down, but she could feel Tae-jun’s gaze directed at her.
‘It can’t be. There’s no way Yun Tae-jun would be here.’
Ji-an repeated those words to herself.
But.
“Seo Ji-an?”
A familiar voice reached her ear.
Yun Tae-jun.
It was really him.
Memories of that day flooded her mind, making her dizzy.
She hadn’t forgotten a single place those lips that had called her name had touched.
The memory of the touch on her lips was so vivid that heat rose to her lower belly.
“Yes.”
One word squeezed out with difficulty, as if her throat was blocked by something.
Tae-jun’s brilliantly shining eyes ensnared Ji-an.
Soon, Tae-jun opened his red lips.
“I’m Yun Tae-jun, newly appointed as Division Head. Nice to meet you.”
It was the first time she had seen this face since that hot night.
Seeing eyes that seemed to know everything, it appeared he already knew that his new personal assistant would be Ji-an.
Yun Tae-jun, the man she had missed as much as she resented, and who had hurt her as much as she missed him.
‘You’re dirty.’
After holding each other hotly until the day before, Tae-jun had left her with only those words and ended things.
She wondered why he was acting like this after discarding someone so miserably.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Seo Ji-an. I look forward to working with you.”
Since it had come to this.
She decided to pretend she remembered nothing.
Because she couldn’t afford to quit the company over personal matters.
“Division Head Yun Tae-jun will now be in charge of the Overseas Sales department. He’s coming from the US branch and has just returned to Korea, so Seo Ji-an, who was in Overseas Sales, please help him out.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Whose choice had this been?
Ji-an couldn’t understand why she was being placed in the assistant position when there were more experienced and capable people.
“He’s a talent recommended by Director Cha, so expectations are high. Don’t forget that many people are watching you, Seo Ji-an.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Jeong-hun’s concern made Ji-an’s heart feel even heavier.
“Then you two may leave.”
After exchanging final greetings, Tae-jun and Ji-an walked out of the office.
Click.
The sound of the door closing made Ji-an feel like she couldn’t breathe.
The corridor was wider and more open than the office, and Jeong-hun’s secretaries were there.
But just having Tae-jun standing before her made all her senses focus on him.
They ended up side by side in front of the elevator.
She could feel Tae-jun’s gaze on her cheek, but Ji-an steadfastly stared only at the closed elevator doors.
“Seo Ji-an.”
She had hoped nothing would happen, but his cool voice broke the silence.
“Yes, Division Head.”
Suppressing her pounding heart, she answered calmly and looked up at Tae-jun.
He looked incredulous.
She wanted to immediately look away from his gaze, but that would seem like she remembered him, so she forced herself to hold eye contact.
Just then, the elevator arrived, and as soon as she stepped in, Ji-an pressed the button marked ‘11’.
“It’s almost lunchtime, so how about we grab a bite and talk? Do you have any favorite foods?”
But Tae-jun pressed the button again, canceling it.
In doing so, the distance between them briefly narrowed and then widened again.
Ji-an felt as if all the air in the elevator had disappeared.
“If we’re having a meal, I think it would be better to include other team members next time. Right now, it’s work hours…”
“Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Uncomfortable? Not at all.”
Ji-an smiled awkwardly and turned her gaze, looking up at the panel displaying the floor numbers.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Her heart was beating mercilessly.
She had thought that if she ever met Tae-jun again, she’d curse him out, but now that they were alone, she felt nervous.
She had thought all her remaining feelings were resentment, but foolishly, it seemed she had missed him.
‘Because I had nowhere else to put my heart, I put it on Yun Tae-jun.’
Her heart ached because she felt so foolish.
“It’s almost lunchtime anyway, so spare me a moment.”
“……Yes, understood.”
She couldn’t refuse repeatedly, so she reluctantly agreed.
All the while, Tae-jun’s persistent gaze swept over Ji-an.
She felt it but pretended not to.
She couldn’t even begin to guess what the meaning behind that strange look was.
