“Secretary Baek, the house remodeling...”
“We finished selecting the company and construction is progressing only when the CEO is not ho. It’s expected to be completed within three days.”
Crazy bastard. I had so idea, but it really seed Yoon Taeo hadn’t noticed his house was slowly changing. Even though the furniture and flooring in the living room and kitchen were all replaced.
“The garden...”
“Except for the 300-year-old golden pine in the center of the ho garden, everything else was replaced. The team working on it consisted of a forr national forest manager, an ecological park expert, and a professor from Korea University’s horticulture departnt, and they put their heart and soul into it.”
“Already...? That’s pretty fast. Then, the business trip preparations...”
“The one-year plan has been finalized. If there are no sudden additions, you just have to depart on the set date.”
At first, I was in the dark about how to handle this nonsense. But sohow, the secretaries helped as if it was their own task, so thanks to that, I finished Yoon Taeo’s orders faster than I expected.
“...So, about that, CEO. It’s about ti...”
“Oh, now that I think about it, the house interior was not very good.”
“Yes...?”
Taeo’s index finger tapped busily on the empty desk. Tap, tap, tap.
“Why are you handling things like that? I’m more than disappointed. Put it back the way it was. The old interior was better.”
Listening to him speak, I heard a snap—sothing inside breaking. That was my sanity snapping.
“CEO!”
I must be crazy. I was shocked at the loud voice coming out of my own mouth. I knew Taeo was stalling my resignation. Still, I shouldn’t have responded so emotionally... But it was too late. Taeo was already standing up from his seat and approaching .
“Why, Sieon?”
“...Sorry. I didn’t an to yell, but no matter how I think about it, the tasks you assign are just too...”
I stepped back hesitantly, but Taeo’s approach was faster. The distance between us narrowed instantly until even my retreating steps were forcibly stopped. Taeo’s hands supported my waist as he pulled in.
“The tasks you assign, what about them?”
Yet he didn’t stop advancing. Our chests pressed against each other, and my hands, trying to stop him, ended up crushed between us. Moreover, his breath accompanied his voice, spilling onto my neck, not even blocked by clothes.
“Are they all useless? Did you hastily make them up just to keep ?”
I did want to say that. But I couldn’t even nod at Taeo’s question. Even a slight move seed like his lips would touch my skin. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the warmth spreading from his lips already seed to reach . The heat starting at my nape spread rapidly all over my body.
“Why would I do that? Why would I, Sieon?”
Because... I need you. Taeo said. He needed , Baek Sieon. That was truly a crisis mont. Words that almost made all the strength I had gathered go to waste. If he had said those words before I regained my composure, if he had said that before I gave up everything—I don’t know what would have happened. Back when I was lost in delusions, hoping for ‘sothing’ with Taeo, hearing those words would have made confess every secret.
Lately, he’s been like this all the ti. Constantly shaking my resolve and choices. Making hope again and again. Making expect. Making assu positivity.
“Stop... please. It’s not fun, this.”
But now I know. The weight of despair that follows that hope is too much to bear. It’s better not to hope at all, I deeply felt. I’m not confident I can bear the cost of falling into the sweetness of this mont.
What if one day Taeo chooses Choi Hyunjin? Or, if not that, what if he discovers my secret? Realistically, it was wrong to have any feelings for him. It was foolish to think, even for a mont, I could take Hyunjin’s place.
I pushed away his chest with force.
“...Do you hate that much?”
For a mont, Taeo’s actions and voice were playful. But as distance grew, his voice changed. It sounded heavily settled—like anger, but also like hurt.
I admit it. I didn’t hate it.
I liked Taeo’s yearning attitude, how he wouldn’t let go easily. Even knowing he was using every ans to delay my resignation, I didn’t pretend I didn’t know. But now... this ga has to end.
“First, do your work until the resort opens. I won’t make you do anything else.”
Watching Taeo turn away, I also turned my body. His words sobered up even more. Resort opening. It might be just one event, but it was the final story of this drama. The ending was just one step away, so whether I wanted to or not, it was ti to step back.
Turning our backs, we went our separate ways.
❖ ❖ ❖
In the drama Gwangin, the resort ultimately never opened. During the stalled preparation, Yoon Taeo was too busy dating Choi Hyunjin, and while the company was shaking, the Chief Secretary stole the final construction funds and Taeo’s slush fund and ran away.
“Slush fund...”
Even then, Taeo chose to protect the endangered Hyunjin instead of chasing the Chief Secretary. It might have been a device to show sincere romance over money, but... isn’t that pathetic? No matter how much he liked dating, did he have to ruin the company for it...?
“Team Leader Baek, is the handover almost finished? Though I doubt there’s much to hand over.”
“...Ah, well. It’s mostly done.”
I was startled. I snapped out of my daze hearing the Chief Secretary’s voice.
“Hyunjin seems to have a bit of a cold. Take him to the hospital at lunch.”
“I’ll send the assistant team leader. I’m going to focus only on company work until I resign.”
“Team Leader Baek, don’t forget you’re still my subordinate even if you’re resigning.”
“Should I report to the CEO first and then go?”
It’s so nice to resign. No need to keep words inside. No matter how much the old man rants, it’s zero damage. Especially, I really don’t want to take care of anything but Hyunjin. Even from a resigning position.
“Ha... just finish the handover roughly and clear out your desk quickly. If soone quitting stays long, it just kills the atmosphere.”
Of course. When Taeo was ntioned, the Chief Secretary stepped back unhappily but cautiously. Everyone knew Taeo had been sensitive lately, so they tried not to upset him.
Bzzzz.
Just as I was about to ignore the Chief Secretary and go back to spacing out, my phone vibrated. It was the informant I’d been waiting for.
“JㅇJㅇ, coffee 2.”
I chuckled reading ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) the cryptic ssage. Maybe because I kept stressing it had to be secret, the guy really acted like a spy. It was a ssage telling to buy two coffees and et at the central garden.
When I brought the coffees and went to our eting spot that was basically a hideout, a huge guy sat there arrogantly.
“You’re here.”
“Yeah... but what’s with that pose?”
“What, you got a problem? Co on, give your hyung a leg massage.”
“Are you crazy, Team Leader?”
Kang Seokho arrogantly snatched an Aricano from my hand.
“Don’t want to hear what I found out? You begged so much, so I finally got info for you.”
Ha... how is it that everywhere I go, it’s full of elentary school kids?
“Team Leader... which leg hurts more, left or right? I’m stronger than I look.”
But what can I do? I sat next to Kang Seokho and had to knead his thick thighs like a pillar of the building. His flatterer voice was a bonus.
“Ah, that’s refreshing.”
“Then hurry up and tell .”
“Well... the Chief Secretary’s been acting a bit strange.”
“Right? Where is he trying to run off to?”
“No! It’s not like that, man. I don’t think he’s running away.”
A few days ago, I told Kang Seokho the Chief Secretary might flee abroad. I asked him to watch for suspicious moves. That cunning old man would surely secure a safe escape route before making a move.
“Really...?”
“He t with people from Next.”
“Next? What the hell kind of group is that...?”
“Don’t know. Seems like they’re plotting sothing, but I don’t think it’s what Baek Team Leader suspects.”
Maybe this is also why the story is off course. Originally, the resort should have been such a ss that opening would be impossible. But sohow, maybe because Taeo put the attention he should’ve spent on dating into the resort, the opening was right around the corner. The construction was almost done, and the opening was just days away.
“But you’re quitting soon. Why bother caring about that? Whether the Chief Secretary runs or not?”
Right. Just leave and be done with it, but sohow I cared. At least as much as I could, I wanted to help Taeo a little. I know it’s silly. He’s going to live well with soone else, so what does it matter if the company collapses or I get stabbed in the back?
“...Well, until I quit, I have to work properly. And it’d be annoying if the Chief Secretary runs away alone. I’m quitting through all this hardship.”
“Tch, what an attitude...”
Yeah, right. Even if no one else, I’ll drag down the Chief Secretary and leave. After hearing a bit more from Kang Seokho, I headed to Taeo’s office.
“CEO. I have sothing to tell you.”
By his words, it was the last gift I, who ‘had nothing else,’ could give to Yoon Taeo.
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