Chapter – 23…
Even though she had been drinking a little and was starting to feel the buzz, Seol-ah’s body grew warm when Tae-uk subtly touched her.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
As she stood up, the alcohol hit her all at once.
“Ah… I feel dizzy.”
She wobbled on one foot, trying to regain her balance, and Tae-uk, who was sitting next to her, quickly grabbed her shoulder to support her.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, I think I might have had a bit too much.”
“You don’t look okay. I’ll take you to the bathroom.”
In the end, Seol-ah accepted Tae-uk’s escort and slowly made her way to the bathroom.
Ruby’s gaze followed them as they walked out the door.
Ha—Ruby scoffed, one side of her lips curling unnaturally.
‘Wow, Kim Seol-ah… this girl isn’t ordinary. Pretending to be drunk just because the team leader is next to her? Of course he’d worry and take her there.’
Seol-ah’s clever move boiled Ruby’s blood.
‘So annoying. I was sitting right next to the team leader, and she just took the chance while I wasn’t paying attention? You’re asking for a fight, huh, Kim Seol-ah? Gotcha.’
Ruby gritted her teeth.
She hadn’t played those mischievous games since school, but seeing Seol-ah made her want to start again.
‘I’ll make it hard for you to work here.’
“Go ahead. I’ll wait here.”
Tae-uk leaned against the wall outside the women’s restroom, hands in his pockets.
“Team leader, you don’t have to—”
“Hurry up.”
Seol-ah’s eyes flickered with gratitude and emotion at his attentiveness, almost like a boyfriend taking care of her.
He simply watched her with a deep, steady gaze, as if he couldn’t leave a woman who was getting drunk alone.
After finishing quickly and washing her hands, Seol-ah came out, not wanting to keep him waiting too long and wanting to see him again soon.
“Shall we go?”
Seeing her come out, Tae-uk took her shoulder again, supporting her as they headed back to the room.
Seol-ah looked up at him, reluctant to leave the corridor.
‘Lately, the team leader hasn’t called me to his office because of Jeong-wook… We hardly get any time alone together. Maybe this is my chance.’
Summoning her courage, she spoke.
“Team leader.”
In the quiet corridor, away from the noisy restaurant, she steadied her dizzy mind, grabbed his shoulder, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.
Peck.
“I wanted to thank you for waiting.”
“Kim Seol-ah.”
His deep voice saying her name made her heart flutter.
“And… I wanted to kiss you.”
“This is dangerous here.”
“No one’s around…”
At that moment, sounds of people approaching came from the end of the corridor.
“…Or not. Seems like someone is here. Haha.”
Seol-ah, worried they might be other employees, stepped slightly away from Tae-uk.
He then grabbed her waist from behind.
As Seol-ah’s eyes widened in surprise, he spoke close to her ear in a husky, low voice.
“Don’t leave right away. Wait under some pretext. I’ll take you there.”
Under the pretext of escorting her, Tae-uk put his hand on her lower back and led her back to the room.
Seol-ah, flushed from the alcohol, sat down, still a little disappointed, while Ruby’s mouth stretched into a grin from ear to ear.
Ruby hovered near Tae-uk, worried he might sit beside another teammate, pushing food at him and taking care of him.
“Team leader, the lamb tastes even better with you. I want to eat with you again next time.”
Tae-uk only smiled silently and poured another drink for Deputy Director Yoon and Manager Oh.
Time passed, and the company dinner came to an end.
Everyone busily called a designated driver or asked for a ride home.
“Seol-ah, where are you headed? If it’s the same direction, I can drop you off on my way. I’ll also drop off Deputy Manager.”
When another male colleague kindly offered a ride, Seol-ah used the excuse Tae-uk had given her earlier.
“I… can go separately. You go first. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Then we’ll go first. Take care getting home, Seol-ah.”
Another female colleague asked her again about her route, but Seol-ah gave a polite evasive answer.
Meanwhile, Tae-uk busied himself arranging taxis and drivers for everyone else.
“Team leader, let’s go together on the way home.”
Ruby clung to Tae-uk’s arm, drunk and acting coquettishly.
“How about it, Ruby? Isn’t your way home the opposite direction?”
“But I can go with you up to the intersection ahead.”
“That’s just a short walk… you don’t have to.”
“I’m happy because of the delicious meat today. The alcohol is sweet—I drank a lot.”
Ruby stumbled and practically hugged him in her drunken state.
“You’ve had enough. Let’s get you in a taxi with Ran-jung quickly.”
“Team leader, ride the taxi with me, okay?”
Annoyed by her antics, he hurriedly sent her off with Ran-jung.
Meanwhile, Seol-ah staggered at the dark parking lot entrance, having seen off the remaining employees.
“Everyone… gone? Ah, dizzy.”
The alcohol she had sipped lightly had now fully taken over her body, making her pulse and heart race.
Late at night. Small sparkling stars. A quiet outdoor parking lot, empty of employees.
Seol-ah leaned on the fence, hand on her forehead.
“Are you okay?”
A man with the same face, build, and voice as Tae-uk gently grabbed her arm and shoulder.
With few streetlights and her blurred vision from the alcohol, she couldn’t even tell if he wore a white shirt or a light blue one.
Since everyone had left, she assumed it was Tae-uk who had promised to take her home.
It must be the team leader.
“…I think I’m a bit drunk.”
“Then, do you want to lean on me?”
“Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Seol-ah leaned softly against him, eyes closed, letting him support her.
Jeong-wook’s lips curved with a faint, satisfied smirk.
A designated driver waited by his car.
If he took her to the backseat now, it would be easy to get closer. Holding her close, he turned—
“….”
Tae-uk was standing right in front of Jeong-wook.
“Ah! You scared me!”
Jeong-wook flinched, hand on his chest.
“Why are you standing there like a grim reaper?”
Thud.
Ignoring the comment, Tae-uk forcefully pushed Jeong-wook’s hand off Seol-ah’s shoulder.
“I’ll take Seol-ah home.”
“What?”
Jeong-wook, feeling wronged, gripped her hand tighter and glared at Tae-uk.
“I got here first, team leader. You should wait your turn. Jumping ahead isn’t proper.”
It was practically a challenge.
“….”
Tae-uk’s eyes narrowed as he alternated his gaze between Jeong-wook and Seol-ah in his arms.
