Chapter 3 (Part 4)

As she stood at the bus stop in front of the department store, a sleek sedan glided to a stop in front of her.

“Not ‘Miss,’ but Employee Seo In-ah!”

What was this now?

The voice came from the open window of the sedan.

Bending down to look into the back seat, she saw Seong-jun smiling warmly.

“If you’re heading back to the office, hop in.”

“No, thank you.”

In-ah’s reply was immediate and firm.

“In a country with no oil, we should all conserve, right? Haha.”

What on earth…

“I’m taking the bus, so I won’t use extra fuel…”

“You’re colder than you look, Seo In-ah.”

“Excuse me?”

In-ah, with a wary expression, bent down again to look into the back seat. There, she saw Seong-jun’s face, slightly flushed.

“I’m feeling a bit awkward right now.”

In-ah hesitated, unsure of how to respond. At that moment, she noticed a car approaching from behind. Jinwon was in the driver’s seat, staring intently at her.

Quickly, In-ah opened the car door and got into the back seat. Seong-jun, as if waiting for this, handed her a coffee.

“Thank you.”

“Out on fieldwork?”

“Yes, at the department store.”

After a brief pause, Seong-jun spoke as if casually.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“What’s going on between you and Team Leader Jinwon?”

In-ah hadn’t expected Jinwon’s name to come out of Seong-jun’s mouth. Caught off guard, she remained silent for a moment.

Gathering her composure, In-ah finally spoke.

“Isn’t that crossing a line? I don’t have any obligation to answer.”

She quickly shifted her gaze to the window and took a sip of coffee. She really shouldn’t have gotten into the car.

Seong-jun, unable to respond, pressed his lips together.

Just then, as Seong-jun’s car waited at a signal, Jinwon’s car glided to a stop beside it.

In-ah glanced at Jinwon, who was focused on the traffic light ahead.

“I know you used to date Team Leader Jinwon.”

In-ah’s eyes widened. 

What was this about? Since when did directors get involved in their employees’ personal lives?

She was so taken aback that she couldn’t close her mouth. Unfazed by her reaction, Director Lee Seong-jun continued.

“Are you starting over?”

Instead of answering, In-ah let out a dry laugh. Her mind felt like it was spinning out of control. Without waiting for a response, Seong-jun added.

“It seems like you’ve forgotten about the company.”

Director Lee Seong-jun met In-ah’s still-confused gaze.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d be more careful.”

“What are you talking about?”

Finally, In-ah asked incredulously. As if expecting this reaction, Seong-jun replied calmly.

“Things like the Milan incident, they all reach my ears…”

‘Screech—!’

At that moment, the car came to an abrupt stop because of the vehicle in front. Simultaneously, In-ah’s arm swung through the air, and the coffee she was holding spilled all over the director’s pants.

“Ah, hot…!”

It all happened so quickly that it was hard to tell if In-ah had spilled the coffee on purpose.

In-ah was flustered, apologizing profusely. 

“Oh my, what should I do! I’m so sorry. I can’t even clean it up for you. I’ll get off here. I feel like I’m just being a nuisance.”

At the Director’s gesture, the driver pulled the car over to the side of the road. In-ah quickly got out of the car and closed the door as if she had been waiting for this moment. Then, as if she remembered something, she turned around and knocked on the car window. As the window slowly rolled down, In-ah spoke in a clear voice.

“I should mention this. You know there are rumors about you and me at the company, right?”

“That is…”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d be more careful. Please avoid situations like today.”

The color drained from the Director’s face in an instant. In-ah, with a bright smile, didn’t forget her final farewell.

“Thank you for the ride.”

Without giving the Director a chance to respond, In-ah bowed and walked away.

“Huh!”

Director Lee Seong-jun let out a dry laugh, looking dumbfounded. He had been completely caught off guard.

***

The next day, In-ah’s project construction began. She was on high alert, checking the materials and parts arriving at the company and ensuring nothing was missing. As the end of the workday approached, the construction team left one by one. However, In-ah remained focused, inspecting the construction status.

“Aren’t you going home?”

Hye-yoon, who had already packed her bag, approached In-ah, teasing her.

“Yeah. I find it more comfortable to spend the night in the company dormitory.”

“You really are something. I’m leaving.”

In truth, In-ah had a superstition. On the night before the completion of the furniture she was in charge of, she would dedicate herself to the company’s guardian spirit. It was a superstition that her project would succeed if she did so.

When all the employees had left the company and it was close to midnight, the lights in the hall where the furniture was being constructed were all turned off, leaving it dark. A faint light was coming from between the unfinished furniture. It was the candle on the rice cake In-ah had placed in the center of the hall.

Having removed her shoes, In-ah knelt neatly with her hands clasped together in front of her. She closed her eyes.

“Dear God, this time I…”

‘Ziiik-‘

In-ah opened her eyes wide, hands still clasped. 

What was that sound? No, I must have misheard.

Trying to focus again with her eyes tightly shut, it happened again!

‘Ziiiiik–!’

Startled, In-ah turned around with a frightened face.

“Eek!”

“Ahh!!”

In-ah quickly covered her mouth with her hands to stifle the scream that had already escaped. The person who screamed in surprise at In-ah’s scream was Jinwon.

“What are you doing here, Team Leader?”

Jinwon, picking up the phone he had left at the construction site, spoke.

“That’s what I want to ask.”

Jinwon looked at the rice cake and candle in front of In-ah and asked.

“What on earth are you doing here?”

“Could you lower your voice?”

In-ah stepped forward and whispered to Jinwon. Jinwon glanced at her with a disapproving look.

“Why?”

“Because there’s a reason…”

In-ah’s eyes widened as she was giving a serious warning in a low voice.

“Eek!!”

Startled, In-ah let out a scream.

“You heard that, right? There was definitely a sound!”

“Could you let go of this?”

At Jinwon’s words, In-ah finally came to her senses and looked down at her hand. To her surprise, she had grabbed Jinwon’s collar tightly.

“Oh.”

Feeling embarrassed, In-ah slowly released Jinwon’s collar.

“Why don’t you go now? I have something to do.”

Jinwon sighed softly, glanced at the rice cake, and turned around.

At that moment, In-ah’s phone rang loudly in the spacious hall. Startled once again, In-ah realized it was her ringtone and quickly answered the call, trying to act as if she wasn’t startled.

“What, what. What? Okay.”

Jinwon stopped in his tracks. In-ah’s voice and expression had suddenly darkened while she was on the phone.

“I’m coming now.”

After hurriedly ending the call, In-ah started running, forgetting to put on her shoes. Jinwon urgently grabbed her wrist.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

As In-ah tried to shake off Jinwon’s hand and leave, Jinwon held her firmly again.

“Let’s go in my car.”

“I can take a taxi.”

“Isn’t it urgent?”

At Jinwon’s words, In-ah stared at him blankly. Her eyes looked dazed, as if she were in a trance.

In front of the hospital operating room, In-ah was anxiously waiting for the results with her mom, sister, and younger brother. Her father had suddenly collapsed and was undergoing emergency surgery due to intestinal adhesion.

Jinwon watched In-ah from a distance. His gaze eventually fell on In-ah’s bare feet. She had rushed over without even having the presence of mind to put on shoes.

Much time passed like that. The doors to the operating room opened, and the surgeon approached In-ah’s family.

“The surgery went well. He’ll be moved to a hospital room.”

“Thank you, doctor. Thank you!”

In-ah and her family breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if they had aged ten years. In-ah, feeling weak in the knees, sank into the chair behind her.

In-woo, In-ah’s brother, sat down next to her. As he absentmindedly lowered his head, he noticed In-ah’s bare feet.

“Why are you barefoot?”

“Oh, right. Where are my shoes?”

In the chaos of the situation, In-ah couldn’t remember for a moment.

“Aren’t those yours?”

At In-woo’s words, she turned her head and saw her shoes neatly placed at the end of the long bench.

While In-ah was anxiously waiting for the results in front of the operating room, Jinwon had gone back to the company. In-ah stared at her shoes in silence, lost in thought.