14.3

“Isn’t this a pub, right?” 

Seonho asked Junsu, showing him the photo Chaeyoon posted on her SNS.

“How long has she been there that she already has drinking buddies? Who the hell did she go with?”

Before Junsu could answer, Seonho muttered to himself with a serious expression.

“She couldn’t have gone alone, right?”

If one could open Seonho’s brain and look inside, it might reveal a whirlwind of simultaneous thoughts.

Chaeyoon never posts faces, whether her own or others’, just places and things. Therefore, the current photo only showed the interior of the pub, revealing no information about who she was with.

Seonho, following the leads on Chaeyoon’s SNS, finally found a photo posted by the person she was with.

“Foreigners, one woman, one man.”

After analyzing the woman’s SNS who posted the photo, Seonho concluded:

“They must be friends from school.”

Junsu, paying attention to Seonho’s murmurs, checked his schedule and documents that he needed to report by 9 a.m.

Seonho, who came to work early, began his day by checking Chaeyoon’s SNS, where she documents her days through photos, and her blog, which she uses like a diary of her study abroad experience.

He strictly separates personal and professional time, so he wouldn’t look at it during work hours, only before work and after he left, so there wasn’t much Junsu could say. How Seonho spent his private time was not for Junsu to interfere.

However, what seemed like a fleeting habit had become a routine, and that worried him. Seonho’s obsession with Chaeyoon was becoming increasingly serious.

That, Junsu thought, was a dangerous sign.

“Junsu, no, I mean, Secretary Hwang.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“London seems too dangerous. Let’s assign her a bodyguard.”

“A bodyguard?”

“Assign a secret bodyguard to her, someone she won’t notice, and tell him to take pictures of her everywhere she goes and report back to me every day.”

“Isn’t that more like paparazzi, and not a bodyguard?”

“No, the main task is for protection; taking photos is just a secondary task. Assign the best person for 24-hour protection.”

“Without Chaeyoon’s consent, that seems illegal to me.”

“That’s why we must be careful not to get caught, right?”

Seonho looked at Junsu with an unabashedly innocent expression, showing no sign of guilt on his face.

Should I be grateful that he’s not asking to “kill” someone with that face?

“I suppose It’s necessary.”

“Please implement this as soon as possible. Otherwise, I don’t think I can focus on my work.”

The intensity in Seonho’s gaze, as he stared at Junsu, carried an undeniable pressure. 

You’ve really improved, Yoon Seonho. Even your threats have become sophisticated.

Junsu swallowed these words, maintaining his professional demeanor, and answered, 

“Yes.”

“What’s today’s schedule?”

Noticing it was 9 a.m., Seonho swiftly switched to work mode.

After receiving approval from the honorary chairman, Seonho formed a dedicated team and was rapidly preparing the car subscription service.

He efficiently reassigned the declining systems and personnel of his company, utilized outsourcing well, and personally selected team members based on skill and performance, regardless of their educational background, gender, or age.

Most were bold choices, unconventional hires, and while some higher-ups expressed concerns about their lack of experience, others sneered at what they saw as the naivety of a young upstart.

However, the dedicated team itself was highly motivated. Aware of the criticisms their leader faced, they were determined to prove themselves and repay the trust he had placed in them by banding together and turning into workaholics.

This was why they could push forward at such a terrifying speed.

“In the morning, there’s a meeting with the marketing and sales teams, and then an interview later.”

“Is the journalist from the magazine a panelist on the economic program?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s settled that he will cover our car subscription service related to the sharing economy on his program.”

“He wanted an exclusive interview with you, Team Leader, in addition to supporting the production costs through advertising. It seems he’s quite interested in you, having kept an eye on your activities.”

“Hmm, but isn’t it a little early for an interview? We don’t yet have substantial results to show.”

“He probably wants to get ahead before everyone starts paying attention. He seemed very positive about the car subscription service.”

“Out of curiosity or genuine interest?”

“He’s convinced it’s going to get your name out there in the business world.”

“That so? I like the sound of that.”

Seonho showed interest in the other person.

“I’ve arranged for you to have dinner after the interview. I think it would be good to get to know each other more, it could develop into a useful relationship to be aware of.”

Seonho looked at Junsu and smiled, liking the way he had the good sense to do things without being told.

“Here are the interview questions and answers sent by them. You can check the answers and make any modifications. They also mentioned taking individual photos during the interview, so I have a stylist on standby.”

“Okay. What about the list I asked you to prepare?”

“It includes names, the social gatherings they attend, and their schedules.”

The list Seonho requested was about the wealthy families he wanted to contact before launching the subscription service to promote it and secure premium members. These were people Seonho himself needed to approach directly.

“After lunch, we have visits to the garage and service station scheduled. And in the evening, there’s a reunion with your elementary school classmates.”

“It looks like I’ll be running around all day again. Who set up such a hectic schedule? I’m not a fan of being this busy. Don’t you know work should only be as much as it’s enjoyable?”

Seonho grumbled a bit, shedding his boss persona for a moment.

“If that were the case, you shouldn’t have started new projects, just loosely managed the tasks at hand.”

Some people get better at their jobs through experience, but there are some people who just seem to know what to do. It’s a kind of talent.

It seems likely that Seonho, too, belongs to that talented group, burdened with abundant work whether he wishes it or not.

“How easy is that?”

“Let’s go.”

Junsu replied with a bright smile, pulling Seonho up from his chair.

***

On a Saturday morning, Chaeyoon allowed herself a bit to sleep in.

Next week would mark one month since her arrival in London. Initially, the physically demanding and unfamiliar classes were tough, but her innate adaptability hadn’t left her, and now she felt generally settled.

The muscle soreness persisted, and her fingers still sported bandages. However, the number of minor injuries was decreasing, and she had reached a stoic acceptance of most wounds, no longer making a fuss about them.

Chaeyoon opened the fridge and took out all the leftover fruits and vegetables. She planned to make a quick juice before heading out to the traditional market to browse and have lunch.

As she was chopping apples, cabbage, and carrots into suitable sizes and putting them into the blender, her phone rang. It was an unknown number.

“Hello.”

• Good morning.

A familiar male voice came through the phone.

“Seonho?”

Although she thought it couldn’t be, Chaeyoon inadvertently said his name out loud.

• Surely you haven’t forgotten my voice, have you?

A low, sweet laughter echoed through the phone, sending a shiver down her spine.

How could I forget such a sexy voice?

“How did you find out my number?” 

Chaeyoon asked, not recalling ever giving him her London mobile number.

• It’s not really that difficult to know. I have a capable secretary, after all.

“Right.”

Chaeyoon chuckled, picturing Junsu’s face in her mind.

• Can you give me your address?

“Address? Why? Planning to send a gift?” 

Chaeyoon asked playfully.

• Want anything in particular?

“No, thanks. Jokes don’t really work on you.”

If it was Seonho, he would certainly send whatever she mentioned wanting. It was best not to make careless jokes.

“Why do you need my dress? Couldn’t your capable secretary find it?”

• My capable secretary said it’s proper to ask you directly for your address. Is that really the proper etiquette?

Seonho seemed somewhat dissatisfied with that protocol.

“It depends on the situation. If someone tries to find out your address without your consent, it might feel intrusive.”

• So, what about you? You don’t want to tell me?

“Like it or not, what’s the point? I’m just wondering why you need the address.”

• I’m at Heathrow Airport right now.

“What?”

Chaeyoon’s eyes widened in surprise. That was completely unexpected.

• I was on a business trip in Germany and thought I’d drop by. I figured you might be missing seeing fellow Koreans.

“Ha, what are you talking about? There are plenty of Koreans here. I probably see one every day at least.”

• So, you don’t want to see me? When I came all this way?

Seonho had a unique way of speaking. Somehow, he always managed to pull people into his pace.

“It’s not like you came just to see me.”

• Well, I was passing through, but I decided to stop in London to see you.

“So, should I be grateful for that?”

• Not necessarily, but I can make you feel grateful for meeting me.

“Hmm, I’d probably only be grateful if it was a first-class ticket or something.”

Chaeyoon said in a boastful tone.

• I’ll think about it on my way. What would it take to reach that level?

“There you go again, taking my joke seriously. Can’t you understand subtlety?”

• You’re the one who doesn’t understand.

“What am I not getting?”

• We can talk about it over lunch.

“You want me to have lunch with you?”

• Are you not going to eat? You want me to eat lunch alone after coming all this way to see you?

“Fine, fine.” 

Chaeyoon shook her head, slightly exasperated but also touched by his persistence.

It was strangely effective how he played on her sense of guilt.

“But I have things I need to do today. I can’t change my plans just because of you.”

• Since I came without an appointment, I should naturally fit into your schedule.

“Can I text you at this number?”

• Yes. Wait for me. I’ll be there soon.

“Okay.”

Chaeyoon hung up and sent her address via text message.

“Funny when I think about it. Him coming all the way to London.”

She mused to herself, her gaze drifting to her long coat hanging on the clothes rack, contemplating the unexpected visit and what it might bring.

March was just around the corner. Strangely, as time passed, the winds seemed to change with the seasons. It was still cold, but the air was gradually becoming different. 

Chaeyoon planned to soon pack away the long padding that had kept her warm all winter as an international student. 

She had thought she would gradually think less of Seonho with the changing seasons, but instead of fading memories, he was about to appear in person.

“Better hurry and take a shower.”

With the sudden busyness, Chaeyoon quickly finished her juice and dashed into the bathroom.