Chapter 12
Just as Yunseo was about to lower her head and apologize,
Seungwoo’s phone rang.
He checked the number, then silently turned and walked out.
“Phew.”
Yunseo let out a light sigh and looked at Haejin.
“Sorry. Because of me.”
If she hadn’t said she wanted to help, she wouldn’t have had to hear that sharp tone. Yunseo didn’t know exactly why Seungwoo got so tense over something as simple as making coffee.
“No, really, it’s okay. He’s someone who values efficiency, so maybe having two people doing it at once annoyed him.”
Haejin smiled kindly as he said this.
“Are you okay, Madam? Since it’s your first day, he might be stricter than usual. He’s probably just more concerned. Don’t take it too much to heart.”
“Ah… that must be it.”
Even though Yunseo thought otherwise in her heart, she nodded awkwardly with a small smile.
Everything she did probably annoyed him.
He probably didn’t even think she belonged working here. Maybe he was planning to find any excuse to kick her out.
The more Yunseo thought this, the more sorry she felt toward Haejin.
“Still… the fact that you got scolded because of me is true. I won’t interfere unnecessarily from now on.”
“I said it’s okay. Here, you drink this.”
Haejin offered one of the coffees he had made.
“No, it’s okay.”
“Don’t refuse. Drink it all and shake it off.”
Realizing Haejin was only trying to comfort her, Yunseo didn’t refuse and took the coffee.
After one sip, her eyes widened.
“Haejin, you make coffee really well.”
“I’ve been doing only this for a year. At this rate, I might even get a barista certificate.”
Haejin laughed, and Yunseo laughed along.
Being with Haejin made her heavy heart feel a little lighter.
Yunseo knocked and entered the office.
Seungwoo, frowning at the monitor, turned to look at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Just meeting his eyes made her heart feel tight. Yunseo bowed slightly. Seungwoo watched her silently for a moment before speaking.
“For what?”
There was no real reason to apologize. She hadn’t done anything to be scolded over. But Yunseo felt that if she didn’t apologize, Haejin might also be affected.
She didn’t want to appear annoying from the very first day.
Yet even as she apologized, she felt anger rising. Thinking about who caused this situation made her blood boil.
Trying not to reveal her inner feelings, Yunseo lowered her eyes.
“I hesitated and didn’t do my work properly, even though I know what kind of person you are. I’m truly sorry for showing laziness on my first day.”
Seungwoo, staring quietly at her as if memorizing her words, crossed his arms leisurely.
“Are you sincere?”
Yunseo lifted her head.
One corner of Seungwoo’s mouth was slightly raised. The other side wasn’t, so it didn’t look like he was happy, but neither did he seem angry.
“Do you feel like I was nitpicking for no reason?”
Yunseo opened her eyes wide, then blinked again.
He was definitely acting a little strange.
Before their marriage, for five years as her boss, he wasn’t warm, but his instructions were clear and feedback precise, whether good or bad. Even when he scolded, the reason was clear, so the secretaries never got confused. He had been a good boss in that way.
But now… he was clearly creating confusion, almost deliberately.
“If I nitpicked, there must have been a reason, right?”
Yunseo replied, slightly puzzled.
At that, Seungwoo’s mouth curved a bit more. He looked at her silently, then lowered his gaze.
There’s a reason.
Even he didn’t really know why he had been angry earlier. Why seeing Yunseo with that young guy made him so uncomfortable.
Since she had started working, things like this would happen again and again.
“Go make a cup of coffee.”
Seungwoo held out an empty coffee cup.
“Don’t make someone else do it. You.”
Yunseo blinked. She thought he would scold her more, but it seemed to have resolved easily. She didn’t feel she had answered perfectly either.
“Go.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be right back.”
Yunseo took the cup and left the office, recalling the way Seungwoo had smiled earlier.
Why did he smile? She thought he would be angry.
Anyway, it was a relief that it passed without incident.
By afternoon, the secretarial office became busier.
Juseok had gone to a meeting with Seungwoo, and the other secretaries were busy with their tasks.
Yunseo was alone when the phone at the first-floor desk rang.
[Min Sunyoung has arrived.]
Yunseo checked the schedule. Min Sunyoung was a sculptor who was scheduled to come at 2 PM. She was in charge of the decoration for the rooftop remodeling.
“Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
Yunseo quickly started preparing to receive the guest.
Seungwoo would be back soon, but she didn’t know exactly when. She sent a message to Juseok, then heard someone approaching.
“Hello, I’m Min Sunyoung.”
The woman approaching Yunseo was pretty and around her age. Yunseo was slightly surprised. She thought the famous sculptor would be older.
“Hello.”
“Oh, haven’t we met somewhere before? Ah, are you Seungwoo’s wife?”
Sunyoung tilted her head, then smiled brightly.
“Nice to see you again.”
Sunyoung seemed to know Yunseo, but Yunseo didn’t remember her at all. At the wedding, she had met so many people she couldn’t remember them all.
“But why are you here?”
“Oh, circumstances… I’m temporary staff. Needed the position urgently.”
“Even so… Madam shouldn’t just show up here like this, right? Haha, am I being too nosy? Where’s Seungwoo?”
Yunseo felt uneasy at Sunyoung casually calling him “Seungwoo oppa.”
Maybe because she herself had never used that title.
“He’s in a meeting but should be back soon. Please sit. Would you like some tea?”
“No, that’s fine. Just sit for a moment.”
Sunyoung sat, lowering her eyes slightly.
There was a sense of arrogance in her posture and tone.
She wasn’t even Yunseo’s guest, so there was no reason to sit. Yunseo felt a bit irritated by Sunyoung’s attitude.
“Sorry, I have work. Please wait a moment.”
As Yunseo bowed politely and turned, a sharp voice came from behind.
“You were kind of… off that day too. Not a great impression, huh?”
Yunseo turned. Sunyoung crossed one leg over the other, swaying it.
“Or maybe it’s just the person I don’t like.”
Yunseo’s cheek twitched. She swallowed her emotions with her saliva.
“No, please leave.”
Sunyoung gestured, and Yunseo walked out of the office. Her heart raced, and her breathing was quick.
Sunyoung clearly showed hostility toward her.
Why? Could it be because she liked Seungwoo? Even so, why be so openly aggressive?
At that moment, a faint scent reached her nose, and a low voice whispered into her ear.
“Why are you standing there?”
She lifted her head to see Seungwoo had come up close.
“Ah… Min Sunyoung has arrived.”
“Is that so?”
Seungwoo asked, then was about to walk past, but looked back at Yunseo.
“Tea? Shall I bring some?”
Yunseo deliberately asked casually. Seungwoo stared at her silently for a moment, then furrowed his brows.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. Really.”
“Forget the tea. Tell Han to serve it when he comes.”
Seungwoo said that and went inside.
Yunseo stood just outside the door, still processing what Sunyoung had said. Her excited heartbeat echoed in her ears.
Don’t avoid it.
Since a guest had come, she had to serve tea anyway. Yunseo prepared two cups as usual.
“Busy today, huh.”
As Seungwoo entered, Sunyoung smiled warmly at him.
She was also the one responsible for planning and creating the hotel lobby sculptures.
She and Seungwoo had met through wealthy social circles. Though they were in different majors, they went to the same university. She had even joined the tennis club he was in, but he had never paid much attention to her.
Her smile revealed deep dimples. Seungwoo, expressionless, looked at her, then collapsed wearily onto the sofa.
“Always.”
“Of course. You were always busy in school too. Didn’t do other activities. Well, you kept all A+ grades until graduation.”
Many girls followed him because he was top of his class at the country’s best university and handsome. But he wasn’t interested in anyone.
So his marriage was a shock to Sunyoung, especially to a woman far below in status and wealth.
“Enough chit-chat. Here’s the rooftop remodeling plan.”
Sunyoung took the plan. As she flipped through it, Seungwoo leaned back and spoke.
“This is just the basic framework. If you cooperate, we’ll plan it in more detail.”
“This is just the framework? Seems like most things are already covered.”
Seungwoo was meticulous in work, but even so, Sunyoung was impressed. Many people thought the hotel’s sudden growth was thanks to his father, but she knew otherwise.
He was genuinely putting in every ounce of effort, almost obsessively.
After glancing at the plan, Sunyoung put it on the table.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
When Yunseo entered, Seungwoo’s face twisted.
