Chapter 9 ….
“The marketing team brochures we ordered just arrived. They’re in the logistics warehouse now, so let’s go pick them up.”
Assistant Manager Kim said this to Yeon-su and Kang Yeon-su.
Today, there had been a lot of fieldwork, so only three people were left in the marketing team.
“Yes!”
Unlike Yeon-su, who sprang up cheerfully, Kang Yeon-su stood up reluctantly. She didn’t want to do such menial work, but she hated even more the idea of letting Assistant Manager Kim and Yeon-su go alone together.
“Bringing the ladies along like this, I feel bad.”
Assistant Manager Kim said with an embarrassed smile.
“In exchange, lunch is on me today.”
“Oh my, what are you talking about, sir? Of course we should go. There’s no such thing as men’s or women’s work in the company, right?”
Kang Yeon-su grinned, showing her gums, while lightly tapping his arm. He chuckled as if he didn’t dislike her friendliness.
Watching the pink atmosphere forming between the two, Yeon-su bit the inside of her lip. For some reason, she felt embarrassed just standing there.
‘I must never, ever date someone from work.’
The warehouse was located underground.
Inside the vast space, endless rows of construction materials and boxes were neatly stacked. The marketing team brochures were right at the entrance.
“I’ll go fetch a cart first. In the meantime, open the boxes and check the contents.”
Assistant Manager Kim disappeared further inside, leaving the two women alone.
“Ha Yeon-su, you check them.”
Kang Yeon-su said lazily, glancing around with a half-hearted expression.
“There are two kinds of brochures. I’ll check this pile, so you check those boxes over there.”
Finishing her words, Yeon-su opened the nearest box first.
It contained the company’s annual promotional brochures—summaries of Hae-nam Construction’s history, achievements, and future direction. She picked one up and checked the print quality.
Just then, a dull crash echoed, followed by a small scream.
“My foot!”
Kang Yeon-su had collapsed on the ground, clutching her foot.
Startled, Yeon-su rushed over to her. At the same time, Assistant Manager Kim returned with the cart, also running toward them.
“What happened?”
Beside Kang Yeon-su lay a fallen ladder.
Groaning as if in pain, she explained,
“Ha Yeon-su told me to check the boxes on top, so I was climbing up, but the ladder slipped and fell.”
At that, Assistant Manager Kim turned to look at Yeon-su.
The box she had just opened was from the bottom stack.
His eyes seemed to reproach her.
But Yeon-su hadn’t told Kang Yeon-su to check anything on top. It was frustrating to be misunderstood, yet more urgent was checking how badly she was hurt.
“Are you okay? Let me take a look at your foot.”
Yeon-su bent down, trying to check.
“It hurts so much. I can’t move.”
Kang Yeon-su pulled her foot inward, not letting her see, tears welling in her eyes.
“Get on my back. Let’s go to the infirmary.”
Unable to watch any longer, Assistant Manager Kim crouched and offered his back.
Seeing his broad back, Kang Yeon-su’s lips twitched as she struggled to suppress a smile.
“Ha Yeon-su, tidy things up here.”
With her on his back, he hurried out toward the infirmary.
“Hah…”
An exasperated sigh slipped through Yeon-su’s teeth. She had clearly seen Kang Yeon-su putting weight on that supposedly injured foot.
After staring at the direction they had gone, Yeon-su rolled up her sleeves.
She had once worked part-time in a parcel warehouse. A few brochure boxes like these were nothing to her.
She quickly loaded the boxes into the cart Assistant Manager Kim had brought.
Just as she was nearly done, noises came from outside.
“These are the new exterior material samples for our high-end brand launch.”
“These days, the line between interior and exterior materials is blurring. So let’s review them together instead of separately.”
A low, resonant voice brushed past her ear.
Soon, at the entrance, Jin-hyuk appeared with his staff.
“Ha Yeon-su?”
Recognizing her, he raised an eyebrow.
“Hello, Executive Director.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to pick up the marketing team brochures.”
“Alone?”
His puzzled gaze made Yeon-su laugh awkwardly.
Without much reaction, Jin-hyuk gave a slight nod and disappeared into the warehouse.
Unconsciously, Yeon-su’s eyes followed his back. His neatly combed hair, broad shoulders, tall frame, and sharp navy suit all fit him perfectly.
“Yeon-su, this is fate. That man is your destiny.”
Suddenly, Su-ryeon’s words resurfaced in her mind.
No matter how psychic she might be, that was ridiculous. Her, connected by fate to Jin-hyuk? Impossible.
And yet, once the thought appeared, it wouldn’t leave.
Even after he vanished from sight, his image remained vivid in her mind, as though he were standing right beside her.
Yeon-su gulped unconsciously.
“Get a grip, Ha Yeon-su.”
Muttering to herself, she pushed the cart.
There were twenty boxes in total. Though each was small, stacked together they were heavy, and the wheels rumbled under the weight.
It was easier to push than pull.
So she changed position and started pushing from behind.
Music helped in tough moments.
She hummed quietly, pushing with effort.
“Stay strong, in this harsh world… stay strong…”
Just then, a languid voice came from right behind her.
“And what exactly do you need to stay strong for?”
Startled, she turned around.
Jin-hyuk was watching her, a faint smirk on his lips.
“Is that your solution?”
He gestured with his finger at the neatly stacked brochures on the cart.
“It’s nothing, really.”
Yeon-su replied quickly, but Jin-hyuk turned to his staff and instructed,
“When you move the material samples, take that cart to the marketing team too.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine!”
Yeon-su waved her hands.
But Jin-hyuk ignored her protest and said flatly,
“Let’s go eat.”
“Sorry?”
She hadn’t caught on immediately.
“It’s lunchtime. Let’s grab food.”
He said it so naturally that Yeon-su was even more puzzled.
But he gave her no chance to ask further.
“Come on.”
With that, he strode off.
‘Wait—why me?’
Having missed the chance to question him, she hurried after him, feeling a strange sense of foreboding.
Jin-hyuk led her to a ramen shop near the office.
Inside, it was crowded with people.
Employees who recognized him awkwardly bowed their heads, but Jin-hyuk remained perfectly composed.
The tables were small and cramped.
So much so that their knees brushed lightly under the table.
No matter how much Yeon-su tried to pull back, there was no room—especially with his long legs.
“What do you like to eat?”
He asked while looking over the menu.
“I eat pretty much anything.”
“Then let’s go with tonkotsu ramen. The flavor here is quite close to what I had in Fukuoka.”
He seemed familiar with the place, quickly choosing and placing the order.
She had assumed, given his position as an executive director in his thirties, that he might be arrogant—but he was surprisingly down-to-earth.
“You must come to places like this often.”
“Places like this?”
His expression turned curious.
“Oh, um… I mean, you know, regular people’s restaurants.”
“Pfft.”
A low laugh slipped from him.
Hearing it, Yeon-su’s heart melted softly.
Strangely, her chest stirred as well.
