Chapter 14: Calculated Cruelty

Yoonseo deliberately bowed lightly to the man he didn’t know, who was standing next to Kim Injun.

He looked to be about his age, and he didn’t seem uncomfortable with Kim Injun at all.

The man returned Yoonseo’s greeting with a polite nod.

Kim Injun, smiling amiably, introduced Yoonseo to the man.

“This is PD Choi Yoonseo, a junior I used to work with on ‘Good Morning.’ And this is Announcer Kang Wonseok.”

“Do you work on the 9th floor, by any chance? I feel like I’ve seen you around.”

“Ah… yes. I’m on ‘Today Live.'”

“I see. Then we’ll be seeing each other often. I’m Kang Wonseok. I’m with the Sports Department.”

Yoonseo smiled skillfully at Kang Wonseok, who was cheerfully offering a handshake, and took his hand.

The man with the friendly face didn’t seem to have any ill intentions, which was a relief, but Kim Injun was still on his mind.

At Kim Injun’s urging to go inside because it was cold, Yoonseo had no choice but to follow them through the revolving door and into the first floor.

After scanning his employee ID and passing through the speed gate, Kim Injun sidled up to him and asked in a friendly voice,

“No filming today?”

“…No.”

It was a casual question, but it was incredibly difficult for Yoonseo to answer.

However, as always, he put on a smile and replied with a single word in a calm voice.

Unfortunately, their destination was also the 9th floor, so he couldn’t let his guard down until he reached the office.

It seemed that not running into Kim Injun for a while had been pure luck.

His efforts to bury the memory of that day were in vain; as long as one of them didn’t quit, he was in a situation where he could run into him at any time.

The situation was different from when he had run away from Kim Injun before.

It had only been six months since his debut as a PD.

There would be hardly any places willing to hire him, who hadn’t even held the title of PD for a year yet.

He needed to build more experience in his current team.

“We should grab a meal together sometime.”

It was when they had boarded the elevator that had come up from the basement.

Kim Injun pressed the 9th-floor button with a leisurely hand and then lightly squeezed Yoonseo’s shoulder as he spoke.

Startled by the unexpected contact, Yoonseo reflexively brushed his arm away. Kim Injun raised his hands slightly, as if to proclaim his innocence.

“Yoonseo, did I do something wrong?”

“…No. I was just, a little startled… I’m sorry.”

As Yoonseo stammered his reply, Kim Injun smiled brightly at both him and Kang Wonseok.

Making it seem to Kang Wonseok, who didn’t know what had happened between them, that Yoonseo was overreacting.

Yoonseo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

A cold chill ran through him, and a cold sweat trickled down his back.

The elevator didn’t go straight to the 9th floor and stopped once on the 3rd floor.

But no one got on.

As Yoonseo quickly pressed the close button, Kim Injun asked casually,

“By the way, Yoonseo. That guy back then, do you know him?”

“…Excuse me?”

“The guy who was with you on the emergency stairs. I was curious who he was.”

Kim Injun’s voice, as he recalled the memory, had become chillingly cold.

Yoonseo bit his lip hard.

He hadn’t expected him to bring up that day, especially with a third person, Kang Wonseok, present.

As his throat went dry from not understanding his intentions, Kim Injun leaned in close to Yoonseo and whispered in his ear,

“Don’t tell me you told him everything?”

“…”

“Hmm?”

It seemed that even though he had been in a rut and had even passed out from Han Taekyung’s pheromones, he still had some memory of it.

Yoonseo pressed his lips together and then shook his head.

He was trying his best to appear calm.

“…I don’t know him. And I didn’t say anything.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Kang Wonseok looked like he had many questions, but he kept his mouth shut, having noticed the unusual atmosphere.

Kim Injun lightly patted Yoonseo’s shoulder and then took a step back.

A creepy shiver ran through him, and his body trembled.

The elevator finally arrived at the 9th floor, and the doors opened. Kim Injun was the first to step out.

Yoonseo got off last, after Kang Wonseok.

Kim Injun was already holding his employee ID up to the security device.

“See you later, Yoonseo.”

As the firmly closed glass door opened, Kim Injun stepped inside and said his goodbyes to Yoonseo.

Kang Wonseok also gave Yoonseo a nod and then followed Kim Injun, quickly disappearing to the right of the corridor.

Yoonseo was about to turn and head to the office as if nothing had happened.

But his legs gave out, and before he could take more than a few steps, he leaned against the corridor wall and slid to the floor.

He couldn’t guess what Kim Injun was planning to do to him, and he didn’t want to.

The more he told himself that it was okay, that nothing would happen, the more things that were not okay piled up.

When he closed his eyes, the inside of his chest turned as black as his blocked vision.

At the same time, a wave of despair washed over him, draining not only the smile but also the color from his face.

<Han Taekyung Cast in ‘To You, Whom I Met Again’… First Meeting with Writer Kwon Hyojoo>

<Actor Han Taekyung Cast as Male Lead in UBS’s New Drama ‘To You, Whom I Met Again’>

Taekyung was holding down the fort in the CEO’s office, even without CEO Im.

He was leisurely leaning back on the sofa, one leg crossed, and scanning the headlines of the articles featuring his name.

<Han Taekyung Scores Lead Role in Drama ‘To You, Whom I Met Again’… First Rom-Com Challenge>

<Han Taekyung and Baek Dahye to Star in ‘To You, Whom I Met Again’>

After seeing the headline that also mentioned Baek Dahye, who had been cast as the female lead, Taekyung closed the internet browser and checked the time.

His lunch appointment with CEO Im was at 1, and he still had some time.

Without hesitation, Taekyung immediately searched his phone contacts.

‘Jung Hanna’

Fortunately, one saved contact popped up.

Thinking that her number might have changed, Taekyung called her right away.

The monotonous ringing tone continued for quite some time.

As he was testing his patience, tapping his knee with his index finger, the ringing finally stopped, and a voice came through.

– Han Taekyung?

The surprised voice was familiar.

Fortunately, it seemed Jung Hanna’s number hadn’t changed.

Taekyung greeted her with a voice tinged with a smile.

“Long time no see.”

– I was so surprised, I almost pressed the wrong button. How many years has it been?

Taekyung let out a small laugh at the dramatic reaction.

The last time he had seen Hanna was six years ago, but just from her voice, he could tell that she hadn’t changed at all.

“Are you doing well?”

– Well, so-so. But what’s up all of a sudden? You, calling me.

Hanna’s voice was a mix of curiosity and pleasure.

Taekyung got straight to the point.

“My father suddenly brought you up yesterday. He told me to try meeting you seriously.”

– The Chairman? Why all of a sudden?

“He said he won’t ask me to get married, but just to please date someone seriously for once.”

At those words, Hanna burst out laughing.

After a long time, Hanna, who had been laughing so hard she was almost out of breath, finally calmed down and replied.

– I’m so sorry, what can I do? I’m still seeing Seungjae.

“Still a secret relationship?”

– No. My dad was nagging me so much about getting married that I blurted out that I was seeing someone. I’m planning to introduce him formally soon. I want to get married within the year… but I don’t know if it’ll happen.

“I should tell my father right away. That you’re getting married.”

Since Hanna had stopped her secret relationship and was even thinking of marriage, his father would have no choice but to give up.

He might diligently look for another candidate, but at least he wouldn’t bring up Hanna again.

As Taekyung let out a laugh at the end, Hanna, who had laughed along, changed the subject.

– I guess people have a sixth sense. I saw the article about your drama this morning and was thinking of contacting you. My cousin recently transferred to UBS, so I guess that’s why I felt a strange sense of familiarity.

“Really?”

That was unexpected information.

Did Hanna’s family have a connection to the broadcasting industry?

Taekyung was lost in thought for a moment.

But the person who came to his mind had no connection to Hanna whatsoever.

It was the PD who worked at UBS, Choi Yoonseo.

The person who hadn’t replied to his message, whose actions clearly showed how uncomfortable he was with Han Taekyung.

The thought of his prim yet cold, expressionless face made him wonder what Yoonseo was doing right now.

PD Choi probably had no idea that his actions were stimulating the curiosity of a vulgar man like Han Taekyung.

He was about to push aside his curiosity for a moment and focus on his call with Hanna when the closed door was flung open.

CEO Im, who appeared in the doorway, was frowning.

Taekyung continued his call, unfazed.

“You should have introduced me.”

– I should have, shouldn’t I? But I don’t really keep in touch with my cousin often, so I didn’t have a chance to mention it. And he’s not a drama PD… I heard that unless you’re in dramas or variety shows, there’s almost no opportunity to work with celebrities.

CEO Im looked at Taekyung with a disapproving gaze and headed toward his desk.

Taekyung followed his movements with his eyes while continuing the call.

“What program is he on now?”

– I can’t remember all of a sudden. I think it was something like Baseball… You’ll probably find it if you search for PD Kim Injun. I should tell my cousin about you too.