Chapter 50…………………….
Before he knew it, Hana had quietly fallen asleep. Her head was slightly tilted toward the window, her long hair brushing against her cheek.
When the car stopped at a signal, Geon-woo turned his head to look at her.
Her peaceful expression, slightly pursed lips, and steady breathing—along with the fatigue of a long day, there was a subtle sense of relief resting on her face.
A small smile formed on Geon-woo’s lips.
‘She must’ve been really tired.’
He turned back to the front and continued driving, being especially careful when changing lanes.
So that the car wouldn’t shake even a little, so that not a single noise would disturb her.
Evening was gradually deepening. Outside the window, city lights began to appear one by one. In the distance, the lights of apartment complexes flickered.
Geon-woo suddenly wondered—
whether Hana had truly enjoyed the day.
He had.
Walking by the sea without saying much, talking, sharing a seafood stew.
Just breathing in the same space had been enough.
With a faint smile, Geon-woo gently turned the steering wheel.
Another hour passed like that. Familiar street signs began to come into view one by one.
They were getting close to home. Geon-woo slowly reduced his speed. The car came to a smooth stop. As the engine noise faded, the quiet night air filled the car.
Hana was still asleep. Without waking her, Geon-woo simply looked at her for a moment.
He quietly took a breath. A soft, steady breath slipped through her strands of hair. The streetlight outside settled gently over her face.
‘Maybe I should let her sleep a little longer…’
He sat there like that for a while, watching her—as if hoping this quiet moment would last just a bit longer.
But soon reality knocked on his thoughts. The car was cold and uncomfortable. He realized that if he left her like this, she wouldn’t be able to rest properly.
Carefully, Geon-woo reached out and gently shook her shoulder.
“Hana.”
“…Mm.”
With a faint groan, Hana slightly furrowed her brows.
“We’re here.”
Only then did her eyes slowly open. The familiar scenery outside the car window came into view.
The streetlight softly illuminated the inside of the car.
“…Are we home?”
“Yeah. We’re here.”
Hana looked around blankly for a moment before slowly sitting up.
“…When did I fall asleep?”
“You slept well. You must’ve been tired.”
“I’m sorry. I was supposed to drive on the way back…”
“It’s okay.”
Geon-woo said with a small smile.
“I like driving anyway.”
Their eyes met briefly. It was a little awkward, but the air between them was no longer as cold as before.
“Let’s go in.”
“Okay.”
They got out of the car. The cold night air seemed to carry a hint of the sea.
The elevator was quiet.
Hana let out a small breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The flush on her cheeks had calmed down a little.
Ding—
The doors opened, revealing a familiar hallway. When they reached the front of the house, Geon-woo entered the password and opened the door.
“Go ahead.”
“Okay.”
Hana took off her shoes and stepped inside first. As Geon-woo turned on the lights, the subtle scent of a luxury candle spread through the air.
A familiar home. But somehow, it felt a little different today.
Warmer, somehow.
The thought quietly settled in that this was a home the two of them shared.
“Use the bathroom first.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I’ll use the other one.”
“Then use the guest room one. Towels and toiletries are all new.”
“Okay.”
Hana nodded and went into the room. Taking out clothes from her bag, she headed to the guest bathroom.
Warm water flowed down her shoulders. The chill of the sea breeze lingering on her body slowly melted away.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It felt like the fatigue of the day was washing away with the hot water.
After finishing her shower, a soft scent spread along with the steam.
Wearing a soft robe, she headed toward the living room, when she heard the sound of running water from Geon-woo’s room.
A little later, his voice came from the living room.
“Hana, I made some tea. Drink it while it’s warm.”
“Okay, I’ll come out.”
Hana dried her hair and changed into comfortable clothes. When she stepped into the living room, Geon-woo was sitting on the sofa.
On the table were two cups of tea and some simple snacks.
“Sit.”
“Thank you.”
Hana sat across from him. Warm steam rose from the teacup she held. As she took a sip, a gentle aroma spread, warmth flowing down her throat.
“It’s good.”
Geon-woo smiled.
“That’s a relief. I made it myself.”
Hana raised her eyebrows slightly.
“Yourself?”
“Yeah. I boiled the water.”
Hana let out a small laugh. Geon-woo smiled along with her.
A comfortable silence followed.
Outside, city lights shimmered. Inside the living room, only soft lighting and the scent of tea remained.
“Today…”
Geon-woo slowly spoke.
“I had a good time.”
Hana lifted her head. His gaze was sincere.
“Me too.”
She answered softly. She meant it.
“That’s good.”
Geon-woo took another sip of tea, smiling.
“Let’s go again next time. A little farther, maybe.”
Hana smiled faintly.
“Hmm… I’ll drive next time.”
“No need. I told you, I like driving.”
A quiet laugh spread between them. It was a light, peaceful feeling they hadn’t experienced in a long time.
And so, the night passed quietly.
* * *
Monday morning.
Chaeyeon headed toward the chairman’s office with a tablet in hand. It was her turn to present this week’s strategy planning report—data summarizing the results of a new business market analysis.
When she arrived, the secretary looked up.
“The chairman is waiting for you.”
“Yes.”
Chaeyeon replied briefly and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
“Come in.”
When she entered, Ki-hoon was sitting at his desk reviewing documents. He looked up at her and gestured toward the sofa.
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
Chaeyeon sat down and turned on her tablet. Ki-hoon spoke first.
“The market research results are in?”
“Yes. We’ve completed analysis for three countries.”
She turned the screen toward him. Cleanly organized graphs filled the display.
“Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia all show high potential for market entry. Vietnam, in particular, is the most promising, with an annual food market growth rate of 15%.”
Ki-hoon examined the screen carefully. Chaeyeon continued calmly.
“Securing local distribution networks will be key, but we expect that to be resolved through cooperation with Iljoo Group.”
“Hmm.”
He nodded.
“What about competitor analysis?”
“We’ve analyzed three local brands and two global brands. The data is on the next page.”
As she swiped the screen, a comparison chart appeared. Ki-hoon looked at it for a moment, then nodded with satisfaction.
“Good work.”
“Thank you.”
“What about projected investment and returns?”
“The initial investment is estimated at around 5 billion won. We expect to reach break-even within three years, with a projected annual return of about 20% after five years.”
“Not bad.”
Ki-hoon leaned back with his arms crossed.
“Organize this into a final report by next Monday.”
“Understood.”
“And we should schedule an on-site inspection in Vietnam. Can Executive Director Yoo go personally?”
“Yes, that’s possible.”
“Good. Coordinate the schedule and report back to me.”
“Yes.”
Chaeyeon turned off her tablet and was about to stand when Ki-hoon called out to her.
“Oh, Chaeyeon.”
“Yes?”
“Tomorrow’s your birthday, right?”
She paused, then slowly looked at him.
“…Yes. How did you know?”
“Aera mentioned it.”
Ki-hoon smiled slightly.
“Let’s all get together and have dinner tomorrow evening.”
