Chapter#4
“We’ve got a new member, so we should have a welcome dinner!”
Near the end of the workday, Yooncheol suddenly suggested a team dinner.
A dinner on a Monday… The team members clearly didn’t like the idea, but no one said anything.
“Alright, let’s meet at Manbok Galbi!”
Manbok Galbi again. The female employees frowned. It was cheap but low-quality meat—a place Yooncheol loved because it saved money.
“Are you going too, sunbae?”
“I have to.”
Yulhee sighed deeply.
After such an exhausting day, she wanted more than anything to skip it. But if she did, Yooncheol would bother her for days.
I’ll just stay for a bit and sneak out early, she thought, finishing her work quickly.
Manbok Galbi was filled with thick smoke. The ventilation was poor, so clothes always ended up smelling like meat.
They also had to take off their shoes, and the restroom was outside—everything women disliked.
Yulhee stepped onto the greasy floor after taking off her heels. Si-hyuk followed and naturally put her shoes into the rack.
“Looks like we’re the last ones.”
The others had already started drinking.
“Si-hyuk! Over here! We saved you a seat!”
Yeonju waved loudly. His seat was already decided, so Yulhee looked for another.
But the only empty seat was across from Byungjoo and Sora.
Even though they knew her situation, they had left that seat. Yulhee felt disgusted by their thoughtlessness.
“Sit down, everyone! Let’s make a toast!”
With no choice, she walked toward that table—and Si-hyuk followed.
“Please sit here.”
He placed a cushion for her and sat at the corner.
“There’s a seat over there…”
She pointed awkwardly to another table where Yeonju was still waving.
But he didn’t even look.
“That table seems like they drink a lot.”
Yulhee noticed Yooncheol was there and nodded. It was a smart choice.
“To our new employee, Baek Si-hyuk!”
After the toast, Yooncheol focused on drinking.
“Drink! Drink!”
He kept refilling Yeonju’s glass. She looked miserable, glancing at Si-hyuk.
“Here, eat this.”
Si-hyuk placed grilled meat onto Yulhee’s plate.
“Ah, thanks.”
She smiled awkwardly. She had always been the one grilling meat—never receiving it.
“Baek Si-hyuk, you take good care of Assistant Kang.”
Byungjoo mocked.
Si-hyuk met his gaze calmly.
“She’s my valuable supervisor who takes care of me.”
“Valuable supervisor~?”
Byungjoo sneered, but Si-hyuk ignored him.
His expression twisted in irritation.
“Sora, eat this.”
Suddenly, Byungjoo started taking care of Sora—feeding her, even wiping her mouth.
It was something he had never done for Yulhee in four years.
“I want to drink too…”
Sora pouted.
“You know you can’t. Want a drink instead?”
He gently pinched her cheek, and she laughed, leaning into him.
Watching them, Yulhee bit her lip. To suppress her scream—and her boiling emotions—she drank.
She forgot her plan to leave early and kept drinking.
Si-hyuk watched her silently. He looked worried but didn’t stop her—just drank at her pace.
Despite drinking a lot, he looked fine. But Yulhee got drunk quickly—her face flushed, her body swayed.
“I… I want to go home.”
She suddenly stood—but bent over before taking a step.
“Ugh!”
She vomited—directly onto Byungjoo’s head.
“Aaaah!”
Sora screamed. The restaurant turned chaotic.
But Yulhee, feeling better, grabbed a water bottle and staggered outside.
Behind her, Byungjoo stood frozen, covered in vomit.
The freezing winter air cut through her thin sweater. She had rushed out without her coat.
She was even wearing bathroom slippers.
“Cold…”
She crouched on the street, hugging herself.
Everything looked unfamiliar.
“Miss, you’ll freeze out here.”
A middle-aged man approached. But Yulhee, still drunk, mumbled incoherently.
“Ah… I can’t just leave her…”
He scratched his head—but his eyes had bad intentions.
He looked around, then forced her up.
His hand, pretending to support her, started touching her inappropriately.
Yulhee snapped awake.
“N-no…!”
“Come on, let’s go somewhere warm.”
He tightened his grip, trying to drag her away.
Someone… please help…!
She wanted to shout—but fear stopped her voice.
Just as despair filled her face—
“Yulhee!”
Si-hyuk ran toward her.
He was sweating despite the cold, breathing heavily.
“How dare you…”
He grabbed the man by the collar.
“Get lost.”
He threw him aside. The man scrambled away.
“…!”
As he disappeared, Yulhee hugged Si-hyuk and burst into tears.
Why was today so hard?
She cried into the cold night air as he gently patted her back.
His touch was warm… so warm that she clung to him.
“I… I’m kind of dangerous right now, aren’t I?”
She looked up at him with tearful eyes.
He didn’t answer.
“I might make a mistake like this…”
Embarrassed, she stepped back slightly—
“Then make that mistake with me.”
