Chapter 5
She wished time would stop, but morning came diligently again and again, and the day Taejun went to work arrived.
Taejun’s office was set up right next to the Overseas Sales Department.
In front of it was the secretarial office, but perhaps because it was still early in the morning, the other employees hadn’t arrived for work yet.
‘Hoo.’
Jian put her bag down on her desk and silently let out a sigh.
‘From now on, I have to spend more than half of my day together with him in this space.’
Just thinking about it was frustrating.
She was organizing her desk with a worn-out expression when—
“I knew you’d be here early.”
A familiar voice approached from beside her. She turned her head to see Juhye standing there holding two takeout coffees.
“Oh? Juhye.”
“Here, have one. I bought it for you, Assistant Manager.”
“Really? Thanks.”
Jian took the coffee Juhye offered and softly lifted the corners of her mouth.
“I liked it when we were next to each other, but now you’re too far away.”
Juhye alternated pointing with her finger between her original seat and where Jian was standing now, shaking her head before taking a sip of coffee. Then she quickly glanced around the nearly empty office, stepped closer, and whispered quietly.
“I heard the new department head coming in today is incredibly handsome.”
“Wh-Who said that?”
Jian nearly spat out the coffee in her mouth because Juhye suddenly brought up Taejun. Barely managing to avoid a scene, Jian tried her best to act nonchalant.
Just then, she saw Mijin walking into the office entrance, looking slightly different than usual.
“The rumor has spread everywhere. Look—Team Leader Mijin came in all dressed up. I hear the Department Head is still unmarried.”
Ah, so that’s why.
Jian once again realized she was slow when it came to office gossip.
“I also heard he’s from the orphanage our company sponsors. He caught the chairman’s eye, worked at the U.S. branch, and was brought back to Korea to take the Department Head position.”
“Ah.”
Jian had often wondered how, in all of South Korea, she could possibly run into Taejun at this particular company. But hearing Juhye’s explanation, she thought it made sense.
‘The real problem is that I happened to join this company.’
A bitter taste filled her mouth at the thought.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly noticed Juhye’s eyes go wide as she nodded vigorously.
“You think it’s strange too, right, Assistant Manager?”
“Huh? What is?”
“The fact that the chairman suddenly brought back the Department Head from the U.S. when Director Cha is still working perfectly fine, especially with all the succession talk going on.”
“Now that you mention it…?”
“The chairman loves his children dearly, but I don’t think he’d hand over the company based on that alone.”
“Then, surely…”
Juhye clicked her fingers together.
“Some say the chairman is considering the Department Head as a successor candidate. That’s probably it, right?”
“Ah, that could be possible.”
Jian couldn’t hide her surprise at the rumors surrounding Taejun.
“And considering he was placed as head of the Overseas Sales Department—said to be a key division of Sunwoo Group—it seems like the succession might be leaning in that direction.”
To be skilled enough to receive the favor of a major conglomerate’s chairman.
For some reason, Jian felt even more distant from Taejun and thought it was good she had pretended not to know him. Besides, if she got privately entangled with Taejun, who was already a topic of conversation, it would clearly only create worse rumors. She already had more than enough rumors following her around and didn’t want to add to them.
Jian glanced briefly toward Taejun’s office, where the blinds were drawn so the inside couldn’t be seen.
She thought it would be best to maintain this distance going forward.
At exactly 9 o’clock, the Overseas Sales Team became busy.
Because Taejun would be arriving soon.
The secretarial staff also rose from their seats to prepare to welcome him.
Just as the commotion was about to settle—
“The Department Head has arrived.”
Section Chief Shin, the leader of Overseas Sales Team 1, walked into the office and announced in a loud, gruff voice.
Turning in that direction, Jian saw Taejun standing there with his sturdy build.
Thump.
Even though she had mentally prepared herself over and over again, the moment Jian saw Taejun, her heart dropped to her feet.
At the same time, Taejun’s eyes immediately locked onto Jian.
“……!”
Since other employees were present, she quickly averted her gaze, then immediately regretted doing so.
“This is Department Head Yun Taejun, who will be leading the Overseas Sales Division from now on.”
“Hello. I’m Yun Taejun. I look forward to working with everyone.”
“Now, everyone, give a round of applause!”
As soon as Section Chief Shin finished speaking, applause filled the office.
Taejun, standing behind him, seemed uncomfortable with the situation, his brows slightly furrowed.
Soon, Section Chief Shin began introducing the employees to Taejun.
The closer Taejun got to where Jian was standing, the more she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
But as always, the moment she wanted to avoid arrived.
“Hello. I’m Seo Jian, and I’ll be assisting the Department Head from now on. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Yun Taejun. Let’s do well together.”
Dressed in a sharp suit, he introduced himself in a low voice.
She hoped that would be the end of it, but Taejun offered a handshake.
Unable to pretend otherwise, Jian had no choice but to take his outstretched hand.
For a moment, her body trembled slightly. She was reacting to him again.
‘Pathetic, Seo Jian.’
Jian found her own behavior pathetic every single time.
She didn’t know why she became like this whenever she stood in front of Taejun.
Forcing her true feelings into hiding, Jian looked at him with an awkward smile.
“Yes.”
Only after her short reply did Taejun let go of her hand.
They had held eye contact for only a brief moment, but Taejun’s appearance in the office was different from how he had been in the chairman’s office.
Dark eyebrows and deep-set eyes.
Below them, a high, clean nose bridge and full lips.
On top of that, he was tall, so he inevitably drew people’s attention.
Jian’s heart still raced, as if her taste hadn’t changed one bit.
Her worries that something might happen turned out to be unfounded.
Nothing happened on the first day.
That was because Taejun had barely been in his office.
Having not slept a wink all night, Jian arrived early again today. She put her bag on her desk and stretched her arms above her head.
‘If it continues like this, I might be able to handle it.’
But no sooner had she thought that—
“You’re here early, Secretary Seo.”
“……Good morning, Department Head.”
Taejun’s voice reached her from behind.
Startled, she felt her cheeks flush, so she quickly bowed her head.
Since the other employees hadn’t arrived yet, they were alone in the spacious office.
Hadn’t a strange atmosphere occurred the last time they were in a situation like this?
Jian grew anxious for no reason and stood frozen like ice.
She hoped he would just walk past her.
“Secretary Seo.”
“Yes, Department Head?”
“Step inside for a moment.”
“……Yes. Understood.”
Leaving only those words, Taejun went into his office.
“Hoo.”
Only then did Jian, who had been holding her breath, exhale and move her stiff body.
Her feet felt as heavy as if they were tied to heavy weights.
‘This is work, Seo Jian.’
She reassured herself that what had happened at the restaurant last time would absolutely not happen again.
Soon, she stood before the door to his office.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
At the sound of Taejun’s voice after her knock, her heart felt like it was freezing.
Jian, trying to calm her anxiety, wet her dry lips with her tongue, then opened the door and stepped inside.
“Departm—”
“I need a sales analysis report for the Overseas Sales Department for the past five years. How soon can you have it ready?”
Taejun spoke before Jian could finish her sentence.
And he did so while holding a tablet, without making eye contact even once.
She had been extremely nervous, wondering if he might bring up their personal history at work, but fortunately, it was work-related.
Relieved, Jian’s shoulders relaxed.
“I’ll have it ready for you by tomorrow morning.”
At that answer, Taejun’s eyebrow twitched.
“By tomorrow morning, not even afternoon. Are you planning to pull an all-nighter?”
“It seemed like you needed it urgently.”
Taejun, looking displeased with that answer, locked eyes with her more deeply.
Having worked under Team Leader Mijin, who always demanded things “quickly, quickly,” for nearly two years, Jian had gotten into the habit of setting tight deadlines for herself. As he said, if she aimed for tomorrow morning, she would have to come to work without getting any sleep.
“An employee who obediently follows orders is indeed different from the others. But I don’t want to be the kind of boss who makes his secretary work overtime from the start, so adjust your schedule and submit the report.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
“Then leave.”
“Yes, understood.”
As soon as she turned around after giving her formal reply, Taejun spoke again.
“Have you remembered?”
There was no subject, but she clearly understood the meaning of his words.
Just when she thought it would end like this, their personal history had come up after all.
During the week leading up to his official start, Jian had mulled over this issue many times. But she had concluded that if she acknowledged it, there was no way she could work with Taejun.
Because she wanted to pretend the secret, intimate story that only the two of them knew had never happened.
‘I’m too different now from back then.’
She didn’t want to show the man who was her first love the mess she had become.
After all, the Seo Jian that Taejun remembered would be the child of a wealthy family.
“My answer is the same as before.”
Taejun let out a scoff at her unchanged response.
“Still don’t remember?”
Taejun tapped his temple with his index finger.
Before answering, Jian gave a small nod.
“Yes.”
Whether her short answer irritated him, Taejun frowned and showed his displeasure.
She wished he would just give up.
“Why do you keep lying? I can even vividly remember what sounds Seo Jian made under me.”
He mercilessly crushed Jian’s hopes once again.
