From Now On, This Is My Seat
Yulri stared blankly at the beer glass in front of her.
If she had known that tonight’s company dinner was mainly a welcome party for Jeho, she would have just gone home…
Except for Yulri, all the other employees were laughing and chatting excitedly. It had been a long time since they had a proper company dinner, and the atmosphere couldn’t have been better. Usually, they went to unlimited pork rib restaurants, but today they were at a premium Korean beef place. Of course everyone was happy.
“Tonight’s dinner is on me, so order whatever you like.”
At Jeho’s words, everyone’s faces lit up with wide smiles.
Only Yulri remained expressionless, lightly turning her beer glass in her hand.
Is he trying to earn points through food?
She glanced at Jeho, who was sitting at the next table. Fortunately, he wasn’t sitting right beside her. After the formal introduction earlier, they hadn’t had a chance to talk. Curious employees had completely surrounded him.
“How long will you be staying in Korea?”
“How did you first meet Director Kim?”
“Are you really going to come to the office to work?”
Even though their tables were apart, she could hear every question clearly.
“I’m not certain yet, but I plan to stay at least a year.”
Jeho answered calmly as questions poured in.
“I’ve known Director Kim since high school. And yes, I plan to start coming to the office from tomorrow.”
From tomorrow?
Yulri frowned. She couldn’t believe it.
Wasn’t he supposed to return to Korea temporarily because of the KG Group headquarters project? Then why was he coming to work at Bauhaus? Was he planning to use the office as his personal workspace?
Her thoughts became complicated.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Jinman, who was sitting next to her, placed a piece of beef on her plate.
Tonight’s dinner also served as a farewell party for him. Starting tomorrow, he would be moving to Busan to work at a partner company for a year.
“Are you worried your wedding dress won’t fit?”
“As if you could get any slimmer.”
“Exactly. Just relax and eat.”
The employees, who all knew she was getting married soon, teased her playfully.
Yulri forced a small smile and put the beef into her mouth. The rich taste of the meat spread across her tongue—yet it felt strangely bitter.
Since last night, she hadn’t allowed herself to think about the upcoming wedding even once. Not the wedding dress. Not the invitation wording. Not the newlywed house. Nothing.
Marriage was right in front of her—the marriage that would free her from her family.
Was she being too careless?
Even if her first love had reappeared, how could she be this shaken?
And yet, her eyes kept drifting toward Jeho.
The way he smiled lightly while talking to the staff made her heart flutter for no reason.
Get a grip, Cha Yulri. You still haven’t come to your senses.
She let out a bitter smile and raised her glass. She had only meant to fill it and leave it untouched, but before she knew it, she kept emptying it.
By the time the dinner ended, she felt slightly dizzy. She hadn’t drunk that much, but she hadn’t slept well the night before.
Instead of calling a substitute driver, she decided to leave her car and take public transportation. After saying goodbye to everyone, she headed toward the subway station. When her thoughts were messy, sitting blankly on the subway felt better than taking a taxi.
But after only a few steps, she realized someone was walking beside her.
A familiar citrus scent brushed past her nose.
With a hesitant feeling, she turned her head.
Jeho was looking down at her.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Can’t you see I’m going home?”
Of course, he hadn’t followed her on purpose. He had said before that they lived in the same direction. But was he really taking the subway?
“You’re not taking a taxi?”
“Then why aren’t you calling a substitute driver?”
“I prefer the subway.”
“I prefer the subway too.”
“Do you even know the route?”
The sharp tone slipped out before she could stop herself.
Jeho calmly showed her his phone.
“It’s all on Naver Map.”
He had just said he preferred the subway—if she suddenly changed her mind and took a taxi now, it would look ridiculous.
The route on his phone matched hers exactly.
Too late to regret it.
She pressed her lips together and walked ahead quickly. Then she suddenly stopped and turned to face him.
“You’re not really coming to work starting tomorrow, right?”
“Why do you think I wouldn’t?”
“Didn’t you come back to Korea because of the KG Group headquarters project?”
“Who told you that? Minwoo?”
When Minwoo’s name came out of Jeho’s mouth, she frowned slightly.
She hadn’t told Minwoo that Jeho had become a partner at Bauhaus.
How would Minwoo react?
Should she tell him first? Or wait until he found out himself?
Why am I even worried about this? It’s not like I’m hiding something.
Her thoughts grew chaotic, but at least she became less aware of Jeho walking beside her.
However, after they got off the subway and he continued following her, she finally stopped.
“I don’t think we’re heading in the same direction anymore.”
“You’re right. We’re not.”
“Then why are you coming this way?”
“Because I need to walk you home.”
She blinked in surprise.
“Why do you need to walk me home?”
“It’s not because you’re going to be my sister-in-law, so don’t feel burdened.”
At the word “sister-in-law,” she instinctively frowned.
If anyone else had said it, she wouldn’t have minded. But hearing it from Jeho felt like a sharp blade cutting into her.
When she accepted the arranged marriage, she should have thought more carefully about the relationship between Minwoo and Jeho.
But at that time, all she could think about was escaping from Assemblyman Cha’s control.
There was no easy way out.
Walking beside Jeho didn’t make her feel comfortable, yet as they got closer to her house, her chest felt more and more suffocating—like a heavy rock pressing down on her.
“I can go alone from here. You should leave.”
“I don’t want to.”
Instead of turning back, Jeho stepped closer.
When she glared at him angrily, he lifted one corner of his lips.
“I can’t let a woman who keeps drawing my eyes—and troubling my heart—walk alone at night.”
“What?”
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
“That joke isn’t funny.”
“Why do you think I’m joking?”
“You clearly said before that you like someone.”
That woman couldn’t possibly be her.
He must think she was drunk and was crossing the line with a reckless joke.
Or…
No, impossible.
He couldn’t have noticed that she was shaken by him and was teasing her on purpose.
“Stop following me. I can go on my own.”
Perhaps because her emotions surged suddenly, she turned too quickly and lost her balance.
In the moment she felt herself tipping sideways, a large hand grabbed her shoulder.
Her back pressed against a wall.
When she regained her senses, she found herself trapped—behind her was the wall, and in front of her was his broad chest.
Startled, she looked up at him.
His voice came out low and slightly rough.
“This is exactly why I said I’d walk you home.”
Was it the citrus scent filling her nose? Or the warmth wrapping around her body?
Her heart began pounding violently, and her vision spun.
“Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”
His voice sounded genuinely worried.
She nodded slowly.
Even after confirming she was fine, he didn’t let her go.
Was it because of the alcohol?
It felt as if electricity ran through her where their chests touched.
His large hands wrapped around her back and waist. His face was so close she could feel his breath.
She knew this was wrong.
But she couldn’t push him away.
His warm embrace felt too good.
At that moment, bright headlights flashed as a car passed beside them. The car suddenly stopped with a screech.
A moment later, the door opened.
“Isn’t that Yulri over there?”
At the familiar voice, she quickly pulled away from Jeho.
The brief, dreamlike happiness shattered instantly.
A dark shadow fell over her face.
Beside the stopped car stood her father, Assemblyman Cha Hyungshik, with his aide.
“Let’s talk.”
As soon as they arrived home, Assemblyman Cha called her into his study.
After hearing Jeho’s explanation that she had almost fallen and he had supported her, he had simply nodded. But it was clear he still had something to say.
Of course he did. The wedding was near, and she had been in another man’s arms.
But surprisingly, his words were different.
“I received a call from Chairman Kwon today. He said Director Kwon has been very busy handling the shopping mall accident lately. He’s worried that you’re having a hard time preparing for the wedding alone.”
Yulri listened quietly.
“You haven’t even decided on the newlywed house yet, so I suppose time is tight. The chairman said he would personally take care of the house and make it the best.”
“That’s fine.”
She didn’t care what kind of house it was.
The marriage was only formal anyway.
If it meant escaping this house, she would even accept a tiny basement room without complaint.
“But…”
Finally, the question she had expected came.
“Why did Jeho walk you home?”
“There was a company dinner tonight.”
“A company dinner?”
She briefly explained that Jeho had become a new partner at her company.
Her father looked slightly surprised but didn’t ask further.
“Alright. You may go.”
As she reached the door, she stopped and turned around.
“Father…”
He looked up from his documents.
“Aren’t you going to ask if I was okay that day? I was inside the mall during the accident too.”
He frowned slightly, as if troubled.
“I heard you were fine. Why? Were you hurt?”
“No. It’s just… you didn’t ask.”
He seemed not to understand her.
Honestly, even she didn’t fully understand what she was saying. But she couldn’t keep it inside anymore.
“If Yuri had been at the mall instead of me… would you have reacted the same way?”
Do you even see me as your child?
Are we really family?
“What kind of answer are you looking for?”
She hadn’t expected much, but his cold response still made her smile bitterly.
How foolish of me. What was I hoping for?
“I don’t know. I’m not sure either.”
With that, she quietly left the study.
Yulri couldn’t sleep again.
She wanted to take a day off, but she would need more time off later for wedding preparations, so she went to work as usual. Staying home wouldn’t feel like resting anyway.
When she entered the office, several employees were gathered around her desk.
No—more precisely, around the desk next to hers.
That’s Jinman’s seat… what’s going on?
As she sat down, one of them turned to her.
“Yulri, did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
Just then, the door opened.
Jeho walked in.
At once, the employees who had been surrounding the desk scattered back to their seats.
She thought he would head straight to Director Kim’s office.
Instead, he walked toward her.
Then he placed his bag down on the empty desk beside her—the desk Jinman had used until yesterday.
Looking at her with slightly raised eyes, he said,
“From now on, this is my seat.”
