Chapter 3
When Eunwoo stepped out into the hotel corridor to send away the tailor’s assistant who had been waiting on standby, Branch Manager Moon Gyo-hyun—who had been pacing the hallway anxiously—hurried toward her.
“Deputy Manager Kim Eunwoo.”
“Yes, Branch Manager.”
“From what I heard the Director say, it seems he actually finds it bothersome to have staff stationed beside him, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, that does seem to be his tendency.”
Even if his footing within the company was still weak, HJ was the heir. It was only natural that Branch Manager Moon would be anxious about upsetting him.
“I feel like I’d only get in your way if I stayed, Ms. Kim. So I’m afraid you’ll have to bear the burden. Please handle this matter well. Always remember—the future of the London branch staff rests on your shoulders.”
For Branch Manager Moon, who had been instructed by headquarters to return to Korea next year, this assignment was especially critical. His position upon returning to Seomgwang headquarters would be determined by the success of this protocol.
“I’ll be waiting in the office, so if anything comes up, request support immediately.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Just hang in there for five days, Ms. Eunwoo. Let’s do this—fighting!”
Eunwoo gave him an awkward smile as he left with a clenched fist of encouragement. Once he turned the corner and disappeared, she let out a heavy sigh.
Since she had been the one most closely involved in protocol-related work, it was inevitable that assisting Director Kang in London would fall to her. Still, there was something about HJ that made her uneasy for reasons she couldn’t quite place.
The way he had scrutinized her as if assessing her in the protocol vehicle… the way he seemed to test her reactions under the pretense of conducting the outfit fitting…
The problem was that no one else in the office had any experience handling protocol duties. That left her as the only one who could face him and carry out the work.
She could only hope that his interest in her was not driven by ulterior motives.
Unfortunately, the only things Eunwoo could rely on now were his character—or his sense of responsibility ahead of an important engagement. Just as she let out a quiet sigh in her frustration—
“Ms. Kim Eunwoo?”
“Ah, yes. Secretary Seo.”
The door behind her opened, and Secretary Seo stepped out.
“I look forward to working with you over the next few days.”
Now that they were finally alone, Secretary Seo handed her a business card with both his direct office number and personal number.
He had a gentle, approachable appearance. However, as the only person Director Kang Heejae had kept by his side after dismissing most of the Strategy Office secretaries, it was clear he possessed far more substance than his outward demeanor suggested.
Accepting the card with both hands, Eunwoo glanced at it briefly—just enough to remain polite—before slipping it into her jacket pocket.
“Secretary Seo, I look forward to working with you as well. If there’s anything lacking in how I attend to the Director, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll do my best.”
“Haha, if you’re already worrying about shortcomings from the start, that makes me anxious instead. In any case, let’s both do our best. Ah, we’ll be holding schedule briefings every evening at dinner, and again before breakfast at the temporary meeting table set up in the suite.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“The Director is waiting inside now. If you’re ready, you can proceed with the fitting right away.”
Eunwoo put on the polite smile that had become second nature to her.
“Yes, I’ll go in immediately.”
That scent again.
The smell of rain-soaked wood.
His scent filled the enclosed dressing room. It wasn’t unpleasant, yet for some reason, it made her chest feel tight. Releasing the hand she had unconsciously clenched, Eunwoo took a firm step toward Kang Heejae.
Spotlights installed along the wardrobe rail illuminated the suits hanging in the room. They were the outfits Eunwoo had prepared for HJ over the past month, traveling back and forth between tailor shops across London.
Ordinarily, something like wardrobe preparation would be left to professionals—but HJ had entrusted even this to the London office.
“There’s a stereotype that Koreans tend to wear mostly black, so I prepared outfits for you in subdued tones but with a bit more variety in color. I also tried to match the classic business sensibilities favored by the British.”
Director Kang Heejae, with his lightly tanned complexion, usually preferred darker suits. There had been limited reference material due to the scarcity of public photos, but Eunwoo had prepared his wardrobe with advice from professionals.
“London’s weather in November is unpredictable, so aside from business suits, I’ve prepared additional items. For the outdoor welcome ceremony, you’ll wear a navy-toned suit with a coat, and depending on the conditions, you may also add a wool muffler.”
She stepped back slightly from the rack to give him a better view.
“The fabrics used for the clothing and accessories were selected from a British company that will be signing an MOU with Seomgwang on the third day during the business forum.”
“You’ve put quite a lot of preparation into this. It must have taken a great deal of effort.”
As his gaze fell away from the clothes, Eunwoo gestured politely toward the glass case displaying men’s accessories.
“Starting on the second day, in observance of Remembrance Day, you’ll be wearing a poppy-patterned tie pin and brooch at appropriate times.”
“Do I really need to observe the UK’s memorial day as a Korean?”
Eunwoo had thought the same, but in business and diplomacy, such gestures of respect were often necessary.
“Even if not as prominently as the British themselves, it’s customary to show respect for their values, so I’ve chosen to follow that convention. Shall we begin the fitting?”
“Let’s.”
When she had been preparing the outfits, Eunwoo had wondered whether she might be overdoing it with so many selections. Yet when HJ arrived in London, all he carried was a single suitcase with only the essentials for the trip.
Secretary Seo had also arrived with just one suitcase, confirming they hadn’t brought additional clothing.
Rumors had spread even to London that the newly appointed Director minimized his entourage at official events and often inspected regional manufacturing facilities alone—but she hadn’t expected to see it firsthand.
Eunwoo took a shirt down from the rail. For formal settings like diplomacy and corporate business, dress shirts extending to mid-thigh were preferred.
As she lifted the perfectly pressed shirt—so smooth that not a trace of seam creasing could be felt—Kang Heejae casually removed the shirt he was wearing. His movements were natural, as though being attended to was second nature.
Eunwoo waited until he had taken it off, then approached him and raised the shirt toward his bare torso. A glimpse of the muscles along his back caught the light, casting deep shadows. He seemed to be someone who maintained himself meticulously.
Kang Heejae slipped his arms into the dress shirt she held. While he fastened the buttons, Eunwoo tried to avoid looking at his body, instead placing the cufflinks in her palm and offering them to him.
“Have you been working in the Strategy Office for three years, Deputy Manager Kim?”
As he picked up the cufflinks, his fingertips brushed against her palm.
Eunwoo curled her hand slightly as she replied.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Once fully dressed, Kang Heejae tilted his chin slightly upward.
Recognizing the gesture, Eunwoo picked up the tie for the first engagement and stepped closer, wrapping it around his collar.
She had practiced tying ties for this assignment, as she didn’t originally know how.
While the technique itself hadn’t been difficult to learn, tying a tie for someone else proved to be unexpectedly different.
“All the shirts are the same size, so there’s no need to try more. It fits well. Let’s just try on one jacket and one coat.”
Each time he spoke, his breath brushed against her forehead. The ticklish sensation made the fine hairs on her skin stand on end. Steadying herself, Eunwoo spoke.
“We should also check the color combinations, and there may be slight size differences depending on the fabric, so it would be better to try them on.”
“Ms. Kim Eunwoo.”
“Yes?”
She released the neatly tied knot and quickly stepped back.
But as much as she retreated, he stepped forward.
“I’ll ask you directly.”
Lowering his gaze slightly to meet her eye level, Kang Heejae leaned back his shoulders.
“Do you not remember me?”
The sharp rush of his scent. His deep gaze, overwhelming her.
Eunwoo froze where she stood, unable to retreat any further. From the moment their eyes met, the only sign she was alive was the faint trembling of her gaze.
“I’m sorry, Director.”
Stubbornly lowering her eyes, she avoided his gaze.
“As you may already know, my memory from two years ago is incomplete due to an accident.”
“Not even a single thing comes to mind?”
“No, not at all.”
When she straightened after bowing slightly, what caught her eye was the curve of his lips. She didn’t know what amused him, but he was smiling.
“That’s rather disappointing.”
“My apologies once again.”
Eunwoo quickly lowered her gaze elsewhere. Then, noticing that his tie knot had shifted slightly to the side, she spoke as if to change the subject.
“Let me adjust your tie for a moment.”
After informing him, she carefully stepped forward and placed her hands on the knot of his tie.
“I’d like to think I was a fairly close superior to you.”
“Director, just a moment. It’s difficult to focus—”
Eunwoo bit her lip in haste. Of all things to say, why mention focus now… She had blurted it out in her fluster.
In situations where a superior’s unnecessary actions or remarks are involved, remind them that this is a work-related setting.
After taking a brief breath, she recalled the work manual she had rehearsed countless times and tried to recover.
“Director, for now, I would appreciate it if you could focus on the fitting. If there are any size issues, we need to proceed with alterations promptly—”
“Very well.”
Kang Heejae let out a soft laugh.
“For now, let’s continue what we were doing.”
The way he agreed with a smile didn’t quite feel like agreement—because of what he added next.
“I’ll keep quiet… for now.”
For now. Which meant he had more to say later.
