Chapter 03
“Ms. Seol-ah, you’re here. Good morning.”
Tae-uk tossed out a light greeting, looking refreshed and relaxed, as if he’d spent the whole weekend resting.
“……?”
Seol-ah gaped in disbelief.
He’s just going to talk to me like nothing happened? Oh… so he’s going to draw a strict line between public and private at work, huh?
She’d spent the weekend in emotional turmoil, and yet here he was, perfectly fine. Grinding her teeth softly, Seol-ah could only fume.
After everyone moved to the conference room for the morning team meeting, Seol-ah and the others sat around the table. Soon, Tae-uk walked in.
He glanced around at his team as usual, but his gaze lingered on Seol-ah for just a second longer before moving on.
The same eyes as always. The same gentle look.
“Since it’s Monday morning, I got everyone some coffee—to boost morale.”
The conference room door opened, and Manager Oh walked in, struggling to carry two full trays of takeout coffee.
“Wow! Thank you, Team Leader!”
“You’re the best, boss! Thanks for the coffee!”
Everyone gratefully took their cups, letting caffeine chase away their Monday blues.
Normally, Seol-ah would’ve looked at him like he hung the moon and said thank you sweetly, but today she was too sulky to care. She barely mumbled under her breath, lips twisted to the side.
“Sure, thanks a lot.”
It seemed like Tae-uk glanced at her briefly, but his attention quickly shifted to the meeting documents.
Just because he bought coffee didn’t mean he wasn’t still Team Leader Choi Tae-uk.
Once the meeting began, his voice turned cold and sharp, void of all warmth—back to his role as the strict head of the Management Support Team.
“Assistant Manager Kim, the meeting with the subcontractors didn’t go well, did it? How are we supposed to accept a result like this?”
“I-I’m sorry, sir.”
“Contact them again and submit the report properly. And Manager Oh, what’s the status of the sample review? It was due Wednesday. Shouldn’t you have submitted an interim report by now?”
“I apologize, sir. It’s almost done—I’ll make sure to report it tomorrow.”
“Do I really have to remind you of such basic things? You’re not here to take a break, are you?”
“N-No, of course not!”
“I buy you lunch, coffee, and all, but this isn’t a social club. Show me results. Get it together.”
After a round of stern scolding, the morning meeting finally ended.
Seol-ah stayed quiet. She already knew how cold and professional Tae-uk could be at work, so there was no point reacting.
If even Mr. Yoon and Manager Oh get chewed out when they mess up, what about me?
If I lose focus because of my silly feelings and make a mistake, he’ll scold me in front of everyone… He’s strict like that.
She was already heartbroken over his weekend blind date betrayal—getting scolded on top of that might actually drive her to quit.
Get it together, Kim Seol-ah.
She slapped both her cheeks lightly and sat down at her desk. Just then, her office messenger icon blinked on her taskbar.
She clicked it open—and froze.
It was a message from Team Leader Choi Tae-uk.
[Your skirt zipper was twisted to the side. You must’ve been in a rush this morning to make such a mistake.]
Gasp.
Seol-ah’s eyes widened. She quickly glanced down—sure enough, the zipper that should’ve been at the center of her back was sitting at her left hip.
Oh no, how embarrassing! When did he even notice that?
She hurriedly straightened her skirt and typed a curt reply.
[Thank you for letting me know.]
Short and formal. Emotionless. Just business.
After what he’d done over the weekend, the fact that he could act so casual at work was unbelievable.
Before, she would’ve thought,
Wow, he’s so attentive… My zipper got me another chance to talk to him—thanks, zipper!
But not today.
Then another message popped up.
[No problem. What did you do over the weekend? You seem to like strawberry candies—want me to get you more when you run out?]
He sounded as warm and teasing as ever, like nothing had changed. Seol-ah frowned at the screen.
His two-faced behavior was so absurd she could only laugh bitterly.
“What the hell. Is he seriously asking me about my weekend right now?”
What was he trying to do? Was this some kind of game to him?
I spent the weekend in hell because of you, that’s what I did.
Fuming, Seol-ah decided to ignore the message completely.
Normally, she would’ve sent back a long reply—but not this time. She was done.
Later that morning, Seol-ah went to the copy room with a stack of papers.
She was carefully copying several drafts when the sound of men’s dress shoes echoed behind her. Someone entered the small, doorless room.
Startled, she turned—and froze.
It was Tae-uk.
“……!”
Her heart jumped into her throat. She quickly bowed and turned back to the copier, pretending to focus.
He was holding some A4 sheets too, apparently there for the same reason.
As he fed his papers into the copier, his voice came quietly from beside her.
“Why didn’t you reply?”
“Excuse me?”
She turned toward him in surprise.
He looked over slowly, eyes calm and steady.
“The messenger.”
He was asking why she hadn’t replied to his candy message.
Normally, she would’ve answered instantly—but now, she met his gaze with a cold, indifferent face.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Candy?”
We’re not in that kind of relationship anymore. There’s nothing between us now. What do you even want from me, Team Leader?
Just then, the copier beeped—her papers were done.
Without hesitation, she gathered them up and walked out, leaving him standing there.
Tae-uk rested one hand on the copier, watching the direction she’d gone, the air between them still and tense.
Five minutes before lunch.
Wearing a perfectly fitted suit and holding his briefcase, Tae-uk strode out of his office, composed and confident.
The team members, already looking forward to lunch, peeked over their cubicle walls.
“Team Leader, are you heading out for that client visit you mentioned?”
Manager Oh asked.
“Yes,” he said, tightening his tie neatly. “I’ll be heading straight from the client site after the meeting—it’ll run late, so I’ll be finishing work from there. Everyone can leave on time today.”
“Yes, sir!”
The mood in the room brightened immediately.
Seol-ah, who had been listening, flinched when he glanced her way. She quickly turned her head aside.
He didn’t react—just walked past their desks.
But—
“……!”
As he passed behind Seol-ah’s chair, his hand brushed lightly over the headrest.
Her heart skipped a beat. She whipped her head around, but he was already walking away toward the office door.
What is he doing? He knows I found out about that blind date. So why is he still acting like he cares?
Her eyes fell to the small glass jar under her monitor—the one that held her strawberry candies. It was nearly empty.
She liked to keep them around and eat them often, but somehow, the jar was now almost bare.
He must have seen it earlier—that’s probably why he’d sent that message about buying more.
But to her, the empty jar felt like a reflection of her heart—hollow and drained.
After work, Seol-ah headed straight to meet her best friend, Cha-hee.
They were supposed to meet Sunday, but she’d canceled, claiming she wasn’t feeling well. Tonight, though, she needed a drink.
She wanted to get drunk and talk.
To unload everything about this miserable “almost relationship.”
Even if Cha-hee told her bluntly that it was never love, just a fleeting fever dream—she wanted to hear it over a few drinks.
Because right now, she hated her team leader.
And because she couldn’t understand why that man still acted like he hadn’t done anything wrong.
