Munyeong stared blankly at his retreating back as though he’d been possessed by a ghost. Then he slowly brought his fingers to his lips and drew in a deep breath. A kiss. One that made his entire body tingle, that left him breathless with a fluttering so intense it felt suffocating… exhilarating.
**
Throughout the entire work briefing, Secretary Ju kept sneaking bewildered glances at Yeon Haejeong. It was the first time she’d seen him like this since he’d arrived.
“Hmm.”
Yeon Haejeong was even humming to himself as he twirled his fountain pen. On top of that, he was accepting the heavy pile of work Secretary Ju handed over without complaint, unable to hide the buoyant energy coming off him.
Just a few days ago, he’d been a man perpetually cloaked in gloom — worse than gloomy, practically blanketed in dark clouds — reeking of alcohol every single day. Today, he was acting like a brand new person.
“Something you want to say?”
Seeming to notice her constant glances, Yeon Haejeong asked lightly. When he followed it with a gentle smile, a strange unease crept over Secretary Ju.
“No, just… you seem to be in a good mood.”
“Do I?”
Yeon Haejeong replied with a nonchalant shrug, trying to seem indifferent — but the corners of his mouth kept creeping upward.
“I’m not.”
Even as he said so, he kept drifting into his own thoughts and letting out quiet, amused laughs to himself. Then he even laughed out loud without warning. …Sure you’re not. You’re absolutely over the moon.
“Has the matter with Munyeong been resolved, then?”
Not long ago, he’d called her out of nowhere after work hours with orders to find someone — and Secretary Ju had felt extreme stress at being made to work past her hours. But sensing that something was seriously off in Yeon Haejeong’s voice and state, she’d quietly followed his orders. The secretaries assigned to executives had direct lines to staff that the upper echelons of Baekil Group could deploy at will. Those staff members were generally people who operated in the shadows doing illegal work — things like tracking mobile phone locations, finding people, and not stopping short of violent tasks when necessary.
Secretary Ju had spent the entire night with those staff members searching for Im Munyeong. They tracked the last location his phone had been switched on, traced the places he’d stayed, and hacked road CCTV cameras — and the place they found him was none other than Seoul Station. She couldn’t know the full story, but she could tell clearly enough that Yeon Haejeong had been more desperate than she’d ever seen him. It was then that Secretary Ju was able to piece together a puzzle that had seemed oddly connected all along. She’d wondered why Yeon Haejeong showed such particular interest in one person — why he was so emotionally charged when it came to that cleaning employee of all people. There was only one answer.
“Yeah. Thanks to you.”
Secretary Ju’s handling of the matter had been flawless. She’d moved directly with the staff and tracked Munyeong down in no time — and on top of that, she’d quickly located the financial outfit that Im Munyeong had been listed as a guarantor for.
“Not at all.”
“I’ll raise your salary.”
“I won’t turn that down.”
“In exchange, watch what you say.”
“Of course. Without discretion, I’m nothing.”
Secretary Ju smiled pleasantly and answered with her characteristic flair, then smoothly steered the conversation back to work matters. Checking the schedule on her tablet PC and adjusting her glasses, she spoke in a businesslike tone.
“Shall we return to the work agenda?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
The moment work came up, Yeon Haejeong’s face went flat with disinterest. If only he’d just apply himself diligently, that’d be plenty.
Secretary Ju set aside the smaller miscellaneous items and led with the most important schedule first.
“You may skip the other meetings, but the second-half new product launch event this time is one you absolutely must attend.”
“When is it?”
“This weekend. The Vice Chairman personally asked that you be sure to attend, as it’s a gathering for executives.”
“Honestly, hyung. He must think I’m still some reckless kid who can’t read the room. Always passing on messages, always sticking his nose in. Don’t you think? What must Secretary Jo think of me.”
“I don’t allow personal feelings to enter into professional matters.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Secretary Ju smiled professionally and gave a brief nod.
“The weekend is a bit inconvenient.”
Tapping his fountain pen against his lips, Yeon Haejeong drew the words out as if genuinely put upon. Despite this being one of the major events of the second half of the year — important enough for the Vice Chairman to reach out personally — the man himself was pouting about it being inconvenient.
In name it was a launch event, but it was effectively a party for VIPs doubling as a new product promotion. A world unto themselves, quite literally. It was a private business gathering where prominent companies met regularly to promote each other’s ventures and explore collaborations.
“…The Vice Chairman’s personal request that you ab. so. lute. ly. attend…”
“Alright, I get it. Stop emphasizing it.”
How much had she even emphasized it. She was seething inside, but Secretary Ju answered a calm “Yes.” and let it go.
“By the way, where’s good these days?”
“Pardon?”
“You know, that kind of thing. Somewhere nice to go out. Places like that.”
Having been away from Korea for so long, there wasn’t anywhere he particularly knew. And even when he was around, it had always been clubs, lounge bars, wine bars, and drinking holes — so of course he wouldn’t know.
“…Are you going somewhere?”
Is that why the weekend is inconvenient? Passing over that important event for that?
“Well… just. If I have the time.”
He spoke casually, but his expression was full of interest. She’d noticed him doing nothing but staring at his phone for a while now — so that was why.
“……Do you have a partner now?”
Having a fairly good idea of who that partner might be, Secretary Ju asked with feigned ignorance — and Yeon Haejeong broke into a goofy grin and yelled,
“A partner?! — “
“…Pardon?”
“A part — ner…”
“……?”
“Well, I mean, we’re not quite on the same level…”
Yeon Haejeong continued with a giddy yet somewhat conflicted expression. Secretary Ju felt she was now beginning to understand why the Vice Chairman always went out of his way when it came to Yeon Haejeong’s affairs. A chaebol executive past thirty, with his emotions this plainly written all over his face — of course people worried. Seeing him act this childlike, it made sense why everyone fussed over him like a youngest sibling and rallied around him.
“…There’s rain forecast for this weekend.”
The response carried a deep, unspoken wish — so don’t even think about going out to play, just do your work — but Yeon Haejeong said “Oh?” with a surprised face and then added, as if thinking aloud,
“Then… is there somewhere good indoors……”
…Hopeless.
“…I’ll be heading out now.”
“You’re still here?”
This bastard.
Despite what she felt inside, Secretary Ju maintained her polished professional smile, turned without showing her back, and quietly closed the office door behind her.
Through the window, Yeon Haejeong looked thoroughly elated. Not just humming but whistling, spinning around and around in his swivel chair. Secretary Ju felt secondhand embarrassment at the thought of anyone seeing her direct superior acting so juvenile.
He really must have found a partner. Rumor had it he played the field recklessly — partners, flings, all of it. But watching him lose himself in daydreams about going on a date while neglecting his work, she was freshly reminded that rumors weren’t always worth trusting.
**
Munyeong never could have imagined in his wildest dreams that cleaning a house could be this grueling. He’d done housekeeping work before, but a house this vast was a first — no matter how much he did, there was no end to it. By the time he’d properly finished, evening was nearly upon him. He thought about starting dinner and opened the refrigerator, but having used up all the ingredients at breakfast, it was completely bare.
What to do. Seeing how well he’d eaten breakfast, Munyeong had wanted to make him a proper dinner too — but the ingredients were sorely lacking. Maybe fried rice…… Munyeong muttered quietly to himself as he looked over the few remaining ingredients.
While he was deliberating, the phone tucked into his apron pocket gave a short vibration. Munyeong closed the refrigerator door and checked his phone.
[Come down.]
