Ji-eun arrived at the office earlier than usual, hoping to avoid running into Kang Joon-hyuk. After the unexpected ramen dinner, she wasn't sure how to face him. Would he act like nothing had happened? Or worse—would he acknowledge it?
She shook off the thought as she settled at her desk. Today, she had more important things to worry about—her first major task in the company.
"Ji-eun, come with me," Manager Choi called out.
She followed him to the meeting room, her stomach tightening when she saw Joon-hyuk already seated at the head of the table. His sharp gaze flickered toward her but betrayed no emotion.
"We have an important presentation for an international client," Manager Choi explained. "Since you're in the planning team, you'll be assisting with the data analysis."
Ji-eun nodded quickly. She had prepared the reports last night, reviewing them multiple times. This was her chance to prove herself.
The meeting started, and as the discussion unfolded, Ji-eun noticed how effortlessly Joon-hyuk commanded the room. His cold demeanor made it easy to forget the man who had quietly eaten ramen with her just the night before.
Everything was going well—until a senior executive pointed out an error in one of the data sheets. Ji-eun's heart sank. She had checked those numbers so carefully!
Joon-hyuk's gaze landed on her. For a moment, she braced herself for a cutting remark, but instead, he leaned back in his chair and spoke calmly.
"We'll revise the figures and send an updated report by the end of the day." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Ji-eun blinked in surprise. He wasn't throwing her under the bus?
The meeting ended, and as she packed up her notes, Joon-hyuk walked past her. Just when she thought he would leave without a word, he paused beside her.
"Double-check before submitting next time," he said in a low voice. "But you handled yourself well."
Ji-eun looked up, startled. Was that… a compliment? Before she could react, he was already gone.
Her heart still pounded as she returned to her desk. Maybe Kang Joon-hyuk wasn't just the ruthless CEO everyone thought he was.
Maybe, just maybe, there was more to him than met the eye.
Ji-eun barely had time to catch her breath after the morning's tense meeting when another task landed on her desk. The revised report was due by the evening, and she couldn't afford another mistake.
She hunched over her laptop, double-checking the figures with sharp focus. The weight of the company's expectations pressed down on her shoulders. The entire department was counting on her, and more importantly, he was watching.
At lunchtime, her colleagues invited her to eat with them, but she declined, opting to stay behind to finish her work. Just as she was about to return to the data sheet, a familiar deep voice interrupted her concentration.
"You should eat."
Ji-eun nearly jumped in her seat. She turned to find Joon-hyuk standing beside her desk, his usual cold expression unreadable.
"I will… later," she replied quickly, looking away.
Joon-hyuk set down a takeaway bag on her desk. "Don't work on an empty stomach."
Before she could protest, he was already walking away, leaving her speechless.
Why was he doing this?
Ji-eun stared at the bag for a long moment before sighing. She couldn't afford to overthink things right now. Brushing aside the confusion bubbling inside her, she opened the container and started eating—because honestly, she was starving.
By the time she submitted the corrected report, the sky had darkened. Her body ached from sitting all day, but she felt relieved that the numbers were finally correct.
Checking the time, she gasped. She was late.
Ji-eun hurried to the grocery store near her apartment, grabbing the essentials for dinner. Her mother and brother relied on her to bring food home, and she couldn't let them down.
As she rushed toward the checkout counter, she froze.
Standing near the instant ramen section was Kang Joon-hyuk. Again.
Why does this keep happening?!
Unlike last time, he wasn't alone. A woman, elegantly dressed, stood beside him, speaking in a low, intimate tone. Ji-eun instinctively hid behind a shelf, watching them.
"It's been a while, Joon-hyuk," the woman said, her voice smooth and familiar. "I didn't expect to run into you here of all places."
Joon-hyuk exhaled, looking unimpressed. "Neither did I, Min-ah. What do you want?"
Min-ah smiled, tilting her head. "Still as cold as ever. I was just wondering if you've thought about my offer."
Ji-eun frowned. Offer?
Joon-hyuk's jaw tightened. "I told you before—I'm not interested."
Min-ah sighed dramatically. "You're making a mistake, you know? We were good together, Joon-hyuk. We could be again."
Ji-eun's grip on the shopping basket tightened. Who was this woman? And why did her words sound so… personal?
Joon-hyuk's next words came out clipped. "I don't have time for this."
Min-ah chuckled softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "You used to make time for me."
Ji-eun looked away, her chest tightening. She knew it was none of her business, yet an unfamiliar feeling stirred in her chest. Shaking it off, she took a deep breath and hurried past them, hoping he wouldn't see her.
She should be focused on her own life. On her family. On survival.
And definitely not on her enigmatic boss.
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