Chapter 8 (Part 4)

Seongtae, looking displeased, was sitting on the sofa in Seong-jun’s director’s office, complaining.  

“Are you going to let him handle the Jinseong Resort project like this?”  

Seong-jun responded coldly,  

“Who made it like this?”  

Seongtae flinched but raised his voice again.  

“Is it important to assign blame now?”  

“I told you staying out of it would help.”

“What do you plan to achieve by being so gentlemanly?”  

Seong-jun brushed Seongtae’s feet off the table and said icily,  

“I told you not to come to the office.”  

Seongtae, embarrassed, pulled his feet together, watching Seong-jun.  

“You didn’t answer my calls, so I came. Fine. I’m leaving.”  

As he hurried out, he stopped upon seeing In-ah.  

“Well, well, isn’t it the scary designer?”  

Jinwon appeared behind her. Seongtae grinned,  

“Hey, Lee Jinwon. If your subordinate messes up, it’s your fault. Got it?”  

Jinwon remained silent, not engaging. But Seongtae didn’t stop.  

“You’re petty and cowardly…”  

“Must be in the blood.”  

“What? What did you just say!”  

Seongtae’s face reddened as he lunged at Jinwon but was stopped by her crutch.  

She had lifted her crutch to block him.  

Just as Seongtae was about to get angrier, the director’s office door opened, revealing Seong-jun. Seongtae cleared his throat, calming down.  

As he passed Jinwon, he whispered through clenched teeth,  

“You’d better watch your mouth. Take care of your healthy body, alright?”  

He tapped Jinwon’s shoulder and left.  

Watching Seongtae leave, she wondered about their relationship.  

***  

Arriving in front of the officetel elevator, she was startled by the notice. The notice stated that the elevator was out of service until tomorrow morning due to a malfunction. It was like a bolt from the blue for her, who was on crutches. 

Just as she turned around in despair, Jinwon, entering the lobby, saw her and asked

“Where are you going?”  

Jinwon had just entered and saw her. She pointed silently to the notice.  

As she attempted to move with her crutches, he asked,  

“Want a piggyback ride?”  

Startled, she looked at him. He added awkwardly,  

“If you’re okay with it.”  

“It’s not the 3rd floor, it’s the 13th. How can you carry me? No, thanks.”

“Are you sure tomorrow’s meeting preparation won’t be affected?”

His question hit her like a ‘ding-‘.  

His words hit her like a ‘ding.’ The materials for tomorrow’s meeting were on the laptop at home. She had brought it home to work, leading to this unexpected situation.

Seeing her complex expression, Jinwon asked repeatedly,  

“Are you sure you’re okay?”  

She quickly thought. 

Should I give him the door code and ask him to bring the laptop from home?  

But the next moment, she wanted to hit herself for even thinking that.  

She remembered the state of her house, which was so messy that even a pig would claim it as its own due to her excuse of being injured.  

She was in a dilemma.  

No, she could ask someone else to help with the laptop. The thought of being carried by him to the 13th floor made her dizzy.  

“You’re not doing this because you don’t trust me, right?”  

He was echoing what she had said to him a few days ago at the hotel.  

It might sound like a joke, but it left her feeling uneasy.  

“Well, if you’re confident.”

With her words, he turned his back to her and knelt on one knee.  

***  

Looking at his broad back, she was lost in thought for a moment.  

As he climbed the stairs, he glanced at her on his back and asked casually,  

“You haven’t heard from Jung Yi-hyuk since then, right?”  

“…”  

“Don’t just look at a guy’s face.”  

Intrigued, she asked,  

“Then what should I look at?”  

“Well… his character. A man can tell about another man. That guy is no good.”

She smiled secretly.  

He carried her effortlessly up to the 5th floor, but after that, his breathing noticeably quickened.  

He paused for a moment and adjusted her on his back.  

Feeling burdensome, she checked the floor number and said,  

“If you can’t do it, just say so now.”  

He glanced at her on his back and reluctantly said, 

“Let’s rest for a bit. Is that okay?”

He gently set her down on the stairs.  

Sitting there, she looked at him with a troubled expression. Sweat dripped from his forehead down his chin.  

Without thinking, she reached out and wiped his sweat.  Startled, he flinched. Embarrassed, she blurted out,  

“You’re not going to collapse on the way up, are you?”

“I’m not that weak.”  

She gazed at him. Feeling her stare, he glanced at her.  

“What?”  

“Not weak? You can’t even talk straight.”

He awkwardly covered his mouth with his fist and cleared his throat. Watching him, she hesitated before speaking,  

“Why haven’t you asked to start over with me?”  

Surprised, he looked at her intently.  

“Afraid I’ll reject you?”

Her blunt question made his eyes flicker.  

“Or do you not want to start over with me?”  

“No, it’s not that.”  

This time, his answer came quickly. She barely suppressed a smile.

“Maybe I should just date Jung Yi-hyuk. He said he likes me.”

“No way!”  

His sudden outburst made her stare at him in surprise.  

Hesitantly, he spoke while staring at the floor,  

“I don’t have the nerve to…”  

“What kind of confession is that?”  

“What?”  

Finally, he met her eyes. She looked at him seriously,  

“Weren’t you confessing to me just now?”  

After a moment, he slowly said,  

“Sorry, In-ah. My confession is so shabby and pathetic. But my feelings for you have never changed. Please understand that.”  

Silence fell between them. He swallowed nervously, waiting for her response.  

“I’m not.”  

Her answer left him speechless. Calmly, she continued,  

“I’ve hated you to death, cursed you, and my feelings have changed many times. Are you still okay with that?”  

A relieved smile appeared on his face.  

“Of course. Naturally.”  

He hugged her tightly. She quickly pushed him away.  

“Hey! Don’t get ahead of yourself!”  

He looked puzzled.  

“In-ah, did you just speak informally to me?”

“You clueless person, I’ve been speaking informally for a while!”  

“Really?”  

A broad smile spread across his face.  

“Anyway, are you sure you can still make it up?”

She looked worriedly up the stairs. He stood up energetically.  

With renewed vigor, he carried her up one floor at a time.  

But just past the 11th floor, seeing him struggling, she muttered,  

“I did gain some weight recently…”  

“Seems like it.”  

She playfully slapped his back. Startled, he flinched.  

“If you want to get along with me, think before you speak.”  

He nodded vigorously.  

***  

With her cast removed, she walked lightly into the meeting room.  

As the meeting began, Hye-yoon whispered to her,  

“Isn’t Team Leader acting strange?”  

She looked at Jinwon,  

“What?”  

“He’s been smiling since earlier.”  

Indeed, he couldn’t control the corners of his mouth from dancing.  

She replied nonchalantly,  

“Not really.”  

“That’s not strange? He barely smiles once a year, yet he’s been like that the whole meeting?”  

Hye-yoon’s exaggerated reaction made her uneasy.  

In-ah focused on the screen to avoid meeting Jinwon’s eyes.  

After the meeting, In-ah hurried into the break room where he was alone and closed the door.  

Moving stealthily like a spy, she checked if anyone was outside.  

Reaching him, she whispered,  

“Why were you smiling like that during the meeting, oppa?”  

“Was I?”  

“Yes, you were. You’re so transparent.”  

He smiled, looking at her foot.  

“It’s nice without the cast.”  

“Why would you care?”  

“I just like it. I like that you’re calling me oppa again.”  

Seeing his bright smile, she whispered,  

“I told you not to smile!”  

Just then, someone entered the break room. She quickly stepped away.  

“I didn’t buy it.”  

“??”  

He looked at her, puzzled.  

She raised her voice for the employee who had entered to hear.

“How could I know your tea preference,Team Leader?”  

“What are you…”  

“You’re too much!”  

She stormed out, leaving him looking confused at the employee.  

“It’s not like that.”  

***  

In-ah and Hye-yoon were in a meeting with the Corners Hotel representative. They were discussing revisions to the design proposal.  

The door opened, and Shin-hye entered. It seemed unannounced even to the hotel staff, who hurriedly prepared a seat for her.  

She leaned back in her chair, flipping through the proposal.  

Her rough handling of the pages chilled the room’s atmosphere. Placing the proposal on the table, she instructed the staff,  

“This proposal won’t do. Let’s start fresh.”  

“But the CEO already approved…”  

The staff member stopped mid-sentence, nudged by the colleague next to them.  

Shin-hye, unfazed, said,  

“What can I do if I don’t like it? Right?”  

With a steady expression, In-ah replied,  

“Yes. I’ll propose a new design.”  

Without another word, she gathered the proposal from the table. This seemed to irritate Shin-hye.  

“Oh, Seo In-ah. I didn’t expect it, but your personal life seems lively.”  

Her words drew the staff’s attention to In-ah.  

Satisfied with the reaction, Shin-hye continued arrogantly,  

“I’d prefer if Corners’ name wasn’t involved in unpleasant matters, even if it’s personal.”  

Seeing no change in In-ah’s expression, Shin-hye couldn’t help but speak again,  

“Jung Yi-hyuk…”  

Just then, Jinwon entered the room.  

“What unpleasant matter are you referring to?”  

“Oh? I thought you couldn’t come.”  

She brightened upon seeing him.  

He sat next to In-ah, his expression stern. Her smile faded.  

As he took out materials and a pen, the pen fell to the floor. Both he and In-ah reached for it.  

Their hands overlapped.  

She tried to pull her hand away, but he didn’t let go.  

Surprised, she raised her eyebrows at him. But he ignored her signals, turning to face Shin-hye.  

Under the table, he held her hand firmly.  

Worried Shin-hye might notice, she maintained her composure and looked at her. Luckily, Shin-hye seemed unaware.  

Glancing at him, she saw his content smile.