Chapter 8: The Morning After Wasn’t Quiet

Jiheum quickly changed the subject before Seungji could flip the switch.

“By the way, is your team leader still giving you a lot of work?”

Whenever the team leader was mentioned, Seungji flared up like fire, so it was bound to work.

Sure enough, the mention was instantly effective.

“Ugh! That man. Just thinking about him makes me furious again!”

“Seriously, yesterday too, he dumped his work on me an hour before clocking out.”

Seung-ji vented her anger while clutching the bag of bread.

“Give it here, I’ll toast it.”

Fearing the bread would turn into crumbs, Jiheum snatched it away.

She turned the dial and pushed the button.

Relieved that the topic had shifted, Jiheum smiled and pushed the strawberry jam toward Seung-ji.

Seung-ji said she didn’t need jam and tore the toast vertically.

Taking a bite, she asked, “So, was the rebellion good?”

Ah… Jiheum sighed.

She thought she had successfully diverted her attention, but seeing the sly curve of Seungji’s lips, the plan was a total failure.

Looking at Seungji’s eyes sparkling with anticipation, she didn’t have the confidence to avoid it anymore.

“Fine. It was good! It was soooooo good.”

Jiheum stared at her as if asking if that was the answer she wanted.

“Oh my god, what did you do? Huh? Specifically, how was it good? Tell me, tell meeeee.”

“Secret. I’m going to leave you wondering for the rest of your life.”

Because it was a rebellion even she wanted to forget.

Jiheum chuckled and stared at the toast browning in the machine, while Seung-ji hovered beside her, persistent.

“No way, I’m curious. Tell me. Hurry.”

Surrendering to Seungji’s relentless, rapid-fire questioning, Jiheum gave a brief account of last night.

She only described the general atmosphere and situation.

But every time she spoke, Seung-ji would scream, “Kyah!” and pound on a cushion, repeatedly shouting, “Oh my god! Oh my god!” until Jiheum finally shut her mouth.

****

Friday, heavy snow, rush hour.

When these three combined, the streets everywhere suffered from congestion.

Jiheum was also stuck in the middle of the crowded city.

It had only been cloudy when she left the office parking lot.

Before she knew it, snowflakes began to drift, and now it was a full-blown heavy snowfall.

A sigh escaped her at the line of red brake lights stretching out before her car.

The cars were completely immobilized under the thick, falling snow.

The destination was close, but at this snail’s pace, it felt like it would take forever.

Part of her wanted to pass the destination and just go straight home.

‘The trio is getting together for the first time in three years, so we have to enjoy it properly. Right?’

She should have said ‘no’ to Seungji’s question.

Seung-ji said she had booked the restaurant two months ago.

She couldn’t ignore Seung-ji, who was insisting they must enjoy the last days of their twenties, which would never come again.

She wanted to argue that it was a relief those days would never return.

But because her personal life was something she hadn’t even shared properly with Seung-ji, she just drove silently toward the destination.

The ringtone echoed throughout the car, breaking the heavy, sinking silence.

The navigation screen changed, and ‘♡Seungji, Seungji♡’ appeared.

Jiheum pressed the call button on the steering wheel.

Immediately, Seungji’s excited voice rang out.

– Jiheum. Where are you?

“I’m on my way.”

– I mean, how far are you?

Honestly. So persistent. Jiheum chuckled and checked the navigation.

“The GPS says one kilometer left. But given the traffic, maybe thirty minutes?”

– Okay. I’m still a bit far, though. My team leader dumped work on me again at the last minute, so I started late. I’m going to rip him a new one tonight!

For Seung-ji, who usually grumbled about not getting along with her team leader, today was no exception.

“I’m telling you, that team leader is interested in you.”

– Oh! No! A man who expresses interest by giving work? Absolutely not.

While Seung-ji was expressing her horror, the signal changed and the car in front moved.

Jiheum took her foot off the brake and stared blankly ahead.

– I thought I’d arrive first. Looks like I’ll be the latest.

Since she was the one who made the reservation, Seung-ji sounded a bit dejected.

“Where are you?”

– The subway station. I’m going straight there without transferring, so I won’t be too late.

“Got it. Be careful. The roads are slippery.”

The snow was falling even harder now.

– Yes, yes. Don’t worry. Oh, Haejun will probably arrive first. He said he’s about ten minutes away.

“Really? Okay.”

– Jiheum, you’re okay, right?

Seung-ji tentatively tested the waters of Jiheum’s mood.

“What’s there to not be okay about? It’s nice to see everyone after a long time.”

– Okay. I was just worried things might be awkward between you two.

“It’s been a while since we saw each other, but I don’t think it’ll be awkward.”

– Even though he’s a guy friend you used to have something with?

Jiheum let out a light sigh and shrugged.

She rested her elbow on the window frame and leaned her temple against her hand.

Like the cars repeatedly stopping and starting before her, she felt her own heart was congested.

“Not true. How long are you going to keep bringing that up? Stop pushing suspicions that are way past their expiration date.”

Jiheum couldn’t help but groan in response.

There was a time when things were awkward with Haejun.

Well, actually, it was just Jiheum unilaterally avoiding him.

Because of that, Seung-ji had misunderstood in a completely wrong direction.

She thought Yoon Jiheum had confessed to Kang Haejun and been rejected.

– Hehe. Is that so? Sorry, sorry.

Because she couldn’t tell the truth, a strange misunderstanding had persisted for years.

If she had known it would turn out like this, she would have cleared it up sooner.

Actually, she still didn’t have the confidence to deal with it.

So, she would just continue to play it off and ignore it.

“Forget it. Just come safely.”

– Got it. See you later.

With Seungji’s cheerful voice gone, the car sank back into a quiet calm.

****

The house was enveloped in a silence like that of a temple.

Joyoon stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair. He was heading toward the second floor when he stopped.

Chief Seo, who had been waiting in the drawing room, was approaching.

“What is it? Haven’t you gone home yet?”

His refreshing mood ruined, Joyoon passed Chief Seo and stepped onto the stairs leading to the second floor.

Junhwan followed behind like a shadow and reported.

“I have. However, there are two things the Chairman told me to deliver to you.”

“Is it urgent?”

“It would be best for you to see and judge for yourself.”

When they reached the second floor, Joyoon held out his hand to the side.

Junhwan handed him a tablet displaying data received from Chairman Ki.

Following the instruction to hand it over when Ki Joyoon was in his best mood, he had even delayed his departure and waited.

Joyoon had looked most refreshed after running on the treadmill and washing up, so Junhwan didn’t miss that moment, but it didn’t seem to be very effective.

Junhwan watched his superior’s movements with high tension.

Joyoon took the tablet and sat on a large leather sofa.

Silently, he scanned the ID photo occupying half the screen and the brief resume written beside it.

Joyoon’s gaze fixed on the photo again.

Short hair.

For the past few days, only short hair had caught his eye.

A week had already passed.

Yet the heat that had surged for one night had not cooled, occasionally cluttering his mind.

Short hair and a doll-like, indifferent expression.

She seemed calm, but her eyes, whose depth was unreadable and made him want to shake her, kept appearing before him.

The hands that clung to him with eyes tightly closed during the violent, surging movements.

The gasps that occasionally broke through as she bit her lips, trying to maintain silence.

The eyes that couldn’t hide the spreading excitement every time he briefly opened his to check the situation.

The memory of her face blushing shyly resurfaced, and a laugh escaped him.

He felt ridiculous for being so obsessed with a mere one-night stand.

Junhwan swallowed hard as he watched Joyoon staring at the photo on the tablet and smiling.

It was hard to tell if his smile was a good sign or a bad one.

Ki Joyoon was the type to smile with a poker face while slowly trampling over his opponent.

Therefore, the answer had to change depending on what Joyoon said next.

While Joyoon stared intently at the photo, Junhwan racked his brain for the appropriate response.

“Another blind date?”

Joyoon brushed back his hair and tossed the tablet aside.

“Yes. It’s the day after tomorrow.”

Ha. A hollow laugh escaped Joyoon’s lips.

He really intended to send him on one every week.

“Are there other candidates?”

“Well, if you swipe the photos, the profiles and brief resumes of the candidates are listed in chronological order.”

“Ah—”

Joyoon straightened up, sighing as if he had just realized.

“He said he was giving me wings, but he’s certainly exacting a high price.”

Ignoring Joyoon’s opinion like moving a chess piece, the Chairman had moved him from the position of Executive Vice President of Trading to CEO of the Department Store.

Then, like giving a crying child candy, he had handed him the Strategic Planning Team.

But that wasn’t enough; now he was pushing him toward marriage.

How far does the old man have to go to be satisfied?

Joyoon glared at the tablet as if he were going to set it on fire.

He wondered how many candidates were stored in there.

The problem would only end if he entered that damned marriage.

But the real problem was that he had no intention of getting married.

At this rate, he and Chairman Ki would be running on parallel lines. Forever.

The thought alone was horrifying. Joyoon shook his head lightly.

“What’s the other thing to deliver?”

“The resumes of the dedicated team members.”

Junhwan handed over a file.