“Hyunseo, aren’t you getting off?”

“Huh? Oh…”

Hyunseo, who had been spacing out, hurriedly got off the subway at Assistant Manager Hwang’s call from a distance. The door closing right behind her back told her she would’ve been late if she’d delayed even a little.

“I’m the one who drank, so why can’t Hyunseo get it together?”

At the teasing remark, Hyunseo smiled awkwardly. Just as she was about to climb the stairs following the crowd, Assistant Manager Hwang staggered and pressed against the wall, seemingly dizzy. Hyunseo quickly checked on him.

“Are you okay?”

“I should just quit drinking.”

“You must’ve had a lot yesterday.”

“My body’s not doing well. I’m in this state even though I only went to the first round.”

Assistant Manager Hwang sighed, saying his body must be worn out from being buried in work all the time. 

At the addition that his physical condition was different each passing year now that he was getting old, it was hard to agree—they were only two years apart.

Soon Assistant Manager Hwang, having pulled himself together, took the lead energetically, saying let’s go.

Assistant Manager Hwang, who usually drove his own car, said he took the subway for the first time in a while today since he was absolutely in no condition to drive. 

He was also the one who first noticed Hyunseo standing blankly against the opposite door and approached her.

“Still, what can you do? A lot of useful information circulates at drinking gatherings.”

Trudging up the stairs, Assistant Manager Hwang voiced his complaints. The department head, who said attendance was voluntary, remembered those who didn’t show their faces for a long time and always added a word or two. 

Assistant Manager Hwang, who had been muttering that you had to endure it to get promoted and that it made working in society difficult, paused and looked back at Hyunseo.

“You know I wasn’t saying that for you to hear, right?”

“Of course. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks for yesterday. I’ll buy you coffee later.”

Hyunseo smiled softly at Assistant Manager Hwang, who was expressing gratitude for her taking over the Excel organizing. After passing through the ticket gate in order and getting on the escalator, the smile gradually disappeared from Hyunseo’s lips.

When it came to things like promotions, she as a contract worker was completely excluded. Honestly speaking, she didn’t need to attend every company dinner and show her face. 

That’s why the department staff didn’t particularly pressure her from the start, and she also hated drinking gatherings, so she just considered it fortunate.

She was slightly curious. What kind of conversations they had. However, it was certain that it wasn’t a place for her.

There was nothing to feel disappointed or regretful about. It was enough to think that their paths were different from the start.

A story she’d heard in passing sometime came to mind. 

What was it? Something like, ‘If I’d known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have killed myself building my specs and would’ve just waited for the special screening for minorities with a GED.’ 

The one who said that was probably…

“Oh my, how are you two coming together?”

As soon as they exited the escalator, Miae approached with a bright smile and stood next to Assistant Manager Hwang.

“Assistant Manager Hwang, you took the subway?”

“Yeah, as you can see.”

“I took the bus too. It was really hard to drive today.”

“Miae, were you there until the end yesterday?”

“Yes, all the way to the third round! But yesterday was really fun. You know, at the karaoke, the department head and Jungsu—”

Saying she almost died laughing when the two men hugged each other and sang a ballad, Miae naturally linked arms with Assistant Manager Hwang. 

Though slightly burdened, Assistant Manager Hwang didn’t particularly shake off her arm.

Hyunseo followed the two walking toward the company building in that state without falling behind. 

It was thanks to Assistant Manager Hwang, who occasionally looked back when she fell behind and told her to hurry up. Miae chattered noisily throughout.

Some people are born bright. Miae was that type. The kind who grew up showered with love in a wealthy family.

Hyunseo somehow found Miae, who had nothing in common with her except age, difficult to deal with.

‘I don’t envy her.’ 

She knew that would be endless. ‘It’s just a different world,’ that’s all.

Gyeom wasn’t much different either. Hyunseo suddenly found herself thinking of Gyeom again without realizing it. 

Special by his very existence, living in a magnificent world she couldn’t even dare imagine—that’s why yesterday’s incident could never be reality. She still couldn’t believe it. 

That brief moment when she encountered him, the words he said to her. Not at all.

“Oh my, is that Director Sunwoo over there!”

“Good morning, Director!”

“Director! Good morning, sir!”

Just now, like how Miae appeared when she thought of her, Gyeom also soon revealed himself before Hyunseo.

Employees from all directions greeted Gyeom as he got out of the back seat of a magnificent black sedan. Gyeom, perfect from head to toe as always, entered the lobby through the revolving door accompanied by his secretary. 

Hyunseo, who was just about to pass through the entrance gate, quickly stepped back with Assistant Manager Hwang and Miae and bowed.

‘Should I look or not?’ 

The dilemma wasn’t long. Hyunseo’s gaze carefully rose toward Gyeom.

“He’s absolutely glowing today too.”

“I know, right? I think I’ll go blind. How can he be so perfect?”

Listening to Assistant Manager Hwang and Miae whisper, Hyunseo slowly closed and opened her eyes. Indeed, admiration came naturally at Gyeom’s appearance—from his well-styled hair to his luxury suit, flawless in every way.

That’s the kind of person he was. Sunwoo Gyeom was someone in a position everyone looked up to, with superior looks that made you fall for him the moment you saw him. Truly, yesterday’s Sunwoo Gyeom was nothing but a mere illusion.

‘I paid those people earlier. To stomp on me a bit.’

‘…Pardon?’

‘I wanted to get beaten until I couldn’t think straight. Too bad someone butted in.’

“What, why is he looking this way?”

“Oh my…”

Suddenly Gyeom’s gaze flew over. Assistant Manager Hwang and Miae, anxious that their conversation might have been heard, hurriedly bowed their heads, but Gyeom’s eyes were directed at Hyunseo, not them.

It wasn’t for long. The emotionless gaze that seemed to touch briefly was soon withdrawn. 

Realizing there had been no wavering whatsoever in the expression looking at her, Hyunseo bit down on her innocent lower lip.

“Wow, did you see? Even just his gaze could kill you with butterflies.”

“I’m telling you. His presence is no joke. I almost suffocated to death.”

“Anyway, what a treat for the eyes this early in the morning. Jackpot!”

Only the female employees’ fuss remained where Gyeom had disappeared. Even at Assistant Manager Hwang’s words to get going, Hyunseo, who had been dazed a bit longer, belatedly scanned her ID.

Even while riding the elevator, her head was filled only with Gyeom’s image. Not him from earlier, but him from that dreamlike encounter last night.

These were the things that tormented her all night. The jet-black eyes she’d met up close made Hyunseo toss and turn all night. The warmth of the large hand that covered her mouth wouldn’t easily fade. 

The touch of the strong arm that embraced her head, the sweet body scent mixed heavily with the smell of alcohol. Even her heart that kept pounding.

“Hyunseo?”

“I need to use the restroom. Go ahead without me.”

Unable to overcome the warmly rising heat, Hyunseo turned away in front of the office.

She turned on cold water and wet her eyelids. After washing repeatedly, she looked in the mirror and sighed. 

‘What does my reaction right now mean?’ she thought. 

No matter how much she examined it, the essence was ambiguous.

Favorable feelings—of course they weren’t absent. There was no way Hyunseo would dislike the man called Sunwoo Gyeom, who monopolized the attention of all female employees in the company.

But it wasn’t like she liked him enough to mention him all day or pine away like some people did. It was closer to vague admiration, so to speak.

‘Why do I keep thinking about him? Why do I want to know? The inside story about his behavior yesterday. Why on earth?’

She wasn’t sure, but it was a dangerous signal. Hyunseo definitely felt that way. For someone like her who didn’t desire what she couldn’t have from the start, this unfamiliar emotion was absolutely unwelcome. 

She hurriedly turned off the water.

***

“Hyunseo, just a moment.”

Around the time afternoon work was in full swing, Assistant Manager Hwang, who had briefly left his seat, called Hyunseo out. 

When she went into the hallway, Assistant Manager Hwang held out something he’d hidden behind his back. It was a sweet coffee topped generously with whipped cream.

“What I said I’d buy this morning.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“I know you only insist on americanos, but you need to eat sweet things like this sometimes.”

If he’d asked what she wanted, Hyunseo would’ve definitely tactfully said the cheapest americano. 

That’s why Assistant Manager Hwang, who had chosen and bought the most expensive one on his own, led her to the central lounge in the hallway.

“Let’s drink and go in. I don’t want to hear complaints about only buying for certain people.”

“Okay.”

“Did you send the report I asked for?”

“Just now. There were no typos.”

“If you say it’s right, it must be right. Good work.”

The calm praise was just like Assistant Manager Hwang. Hyunseo liked this way of speaking from Assistant Manager Hwang. Even if it seemed calculating in a way, Assistant Manager Hwang, who didn’t give excessive praise or empty words, felt more human instead.

Watching Assistant Manager Hwang, who always maintained an appropriate distance with employees, she sometimes thought she wanted to be like him. 

‘How nice would it be to work together for a long time?’ 

Of course, for that to happen, she’d first need to be converted to a regular employee.

“By the way, tomorrow’s the weekend—what are you doing?”

Hyunseo, who had been quietly drinking her coffee without making noise, raised her gaze at Assistant Manager Hwang’s words.

“Are you busy by any chance?”

“No, not busy. Do you have work for me?”

“Well.”

Assistant Manager Hwang paused. Frowning like he was troubled, Assistant Manager Hwang soon moved his lips.

“The coffee was to thank you for yesterday’s work.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s absolutely not groundwork laid in advance. You can’t misunderstand, okay?”

“Ah, yes. What is it about?”

“Listen. Would you go on a blind date?”

At the sudden proposal, Hyunseo’s eyes widened slightly. Assistant Manager Hwang continued with a heavy sigh.

“Actually, there’s a college friend of mine in the Business Support Team.”

“Deputy Manager Han?”

“You remember. Yeah, that b*stard’s been nagging me so much.”

Grumbling that he couldn’t live, Assistant Manager Hwang repeatedly let out sighs deep enough to sink the ground. 

It was easy enough to tell how much Assistant Manager Hwang, who wasn’t the type to talk about such things normally, had been harassed by Deputy Manager Han.

Sure enough, Assistant Manager Hwang rattled off explanations. 

That no matter how much he said no, he wouldn’t listen, that every time they ran into each other he begged to please set up that d*mn blind date just once and it was suffocating, that he wanted to just cut ties completely—Assistant Manager Hwang asked Hyunseo with a serious expression.

“You don’t have a boyfriend, right?”

“No, I don’t, but…”

“Then just close your eyes and have one meal with him. He’s a pretty decent guy. You saw his face, he’s good-looking. And how well he works. He joined during his senior year and already made deputy manager in his second year. His family’s probably quasi-chaebol level.”

“Does it have to be me? Miae or…”

“No, that won’t work. Deputy Manager Han isn’t good enough for Miae.”

At the firm answer, Hyunseo was the one who hesitated instead. Assistant Manager Hwang, who also hesitated, hurriedly added.

“He’s not someone I’d set up with just anyone. Only if it’s you will I save face.”

“…I’m not that great though.”

“Why, what’s wrong with you? You’re kind, gentle, pretty—in my view, there’s no one like you.”

At the sudden praise, Hyunseo’s cheeks reddened. Quite surprised that Assistant Manager Hwang thought well of her, she hesitated and suddenly remembered Hyungja’s words. 

How she’d been nagging her to please meet someone.

“Just meet him once. If you meet and really don’t feel it, you can reject him flatly, okay?”

Being alone was comfortable. It was true that she had no thoughts of meeting a man and little interest in dating, but she also wondered if she should give up without even starting. Most of all, when Assistant Manager Hwang was asking this much.

“Would Sunday be okay?”

“Huh?”

“I think I need to go to the provinces tomorrow.”

“That’s fine. So Sunday lunch then? Is it a promise?”

Assistant Manager Hwang grabbed Hyunseo’s hand as she carefully nodded. At the words praising her as truly grateful, even calling her a lifesaver, Hyunseo couldn’t help but laugh.

Why was it? 

She barely erased Gyeom’s face that suddenly flickered before her eyes. She pulled up the corners of her mouth that were trying to stiffen even harder.