Why did her bad feelings always turn out to be right?

Yoonseul let out a deep sigh as she rode the elevator.

It was Monday, which meant another meeting first thing in the morning. But before that, of course, she'd received a message from Go Wooyoung.

Bad Go Wooyoung

I'm waiting at the café. Why aren't you coming?

She hadn't bothered replying. She'd simply read his message and ignored it.

No matter how she looked at it, she was hardly in a position to sit around eating sandwiches with Go Wooyoung in the company lobby.

Unlike him, an Executive Director, she was just an ordinary employee.

Her goal was to keep her head down, stay out of trouble, and remain employed for as many years as possible. She had no choice but to be careful.

She'd spent the entire walk through the lobby anxiously checking the café, terrified their eyes might meet.

Fortunately, she'd arrived early enough to avoid the catastrophe of running into him.

But then…

"Did you see the Executive Director sitting in the lobby?"

"Oh, you saw him too? He was leaning back in his chair like this, drinking an espresso. I swear, he looked like he'd stepped straight out of a painting."

"Right? He was just looking at his tablet, but somehow even that looked incredible. I honestly thought he was a model."

Her teammates had come upstairs recounting their sightings of him, one after another, like witnesses giving testimony.

So he really was sitting there.

She'd assumed he was just saying it, but apparently he'd genuinely been waiting for her.

The moment she imagined herself sitting across from him, a wave of dizziness swept over her.

If she'd had all those eyes on her…

She pressed a hand to her chest, relieved to have escaped what could have been a complete disaster.

Unfortunately, while she was sitting at her desk working, Team Leader Shin Hoonjin returned from the Briefing and called her name.

Just like the previous Monday, one week ago.

"Ms. Na Yoonseul?"

Had her own name ever sounded so terrifying?

Yoonseul flinched and slowly turned toward Hoonjin.

"…Yes?"

"Well."

Sure enough, the moment the Team Leader called her, her colleagues glanced up from their work.

She could feel their eyes converging on her.

Please, no.

She desperately hoped it wasn't what she thought.

"Head upstairs."

He didn't specify where, but Yoonseul understood immediately.

The strange, rather complicated expression on his face told her everything.

There was no point asking questions. Her Team Leader probably didn't know the reason himself, much less how to explain it.

She rose awkwardly and hurried out of the office.

"Ugh, Go Wooyoung. Seriously. You're going to get it."

She vowed to give him a piece of her mind as soon as she reached him.

Stepping out of the elevator, she marched toward his executive office.

For six months after joining the company, she'd kept such a low profile that she might as well have been invisible.

And now, in the space of a single week, her peaceful life had been completely turned upside down.

All because of Go Wooyoung.

Still fuming, she entered the secretarial office, where a secretary greeted her with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning."

"I'd like to see the Executive Director."

The title still felt strange on her tongue. Yoonseul forced a smile.

"Of course. Please wait a moment."

The secretary led the way and knocked on the office door.

Permission to enter came almost immediately, as though he'd been expecting her.

Unbelievable.

Yoonseul stood there and gave an indignant snort.

After opening the door, the secretary bowed politely, inviting her inside.

She stepped in quickly and found Wooyoung sitting behind his desk, absorbed in work.

She'd come determined to give him a furious lecture, but the imposing atmosphere of his office left her suddenly speechless.

"What are you doing standing there? Have a seat."

He spoke without even looking up.

Go Wooyoung seemed like a completely different person from the man she'd been with yesterday.

Yesterday, he'd been the Wooyoung she knew.

Today, he seemed every inch Executive Director Ju Taehwan, a name she still couldn't quite reconcile with him.

Could someone's entire demeanor really change so much overnight?

Then her gaze fell on the table.

"…"

On the table in the middle of the office sat a simple meal: sandwiches, coffee, and the Roasted Grain Powder drink she'd loved so much.

"I have a meeting in twenty minutes. Hurry up and eat before I leave."

Oh, for goodness' sake.

She wanted to say something, but he looked terribly busy.

His brows were drawn together, his expression serious.

After hesitating for a moment, Yoonseul finally gathered her courage.

"If you're busy, you really don't have to do this."

"Exactly. I'm extremely busy, which is why I'm telling you to finish eating within twenty minutes."

"But when you summon me up here…"

Her words came to an abrupt halt as a phone began ringing through the office.

Wooyoung picked up the phone from his desk and brought it to his ear.

"Yes. Ju Taehwan speaking."

"…"

Ju Taehwan.

Taehwan.

His other name.

Yet Wooyoung spoke it effortlessly, as though there were nothing unfamiliar about it.

Yoonseul watched him as he continued his conversation.

Apparently displeased with something, he sighed and loosened his tie.

Everyone had been making such a fuss about how handsome he looked in a suit.

And she had to admit, he really did look magnificent.

Then again, he'd looked wonderful in his school uniform, too.

For a moment, the image of the boy in his school uniform overlapped with the man sitting before her.

She was staring absentmindedly when their eyes met.

His gaze was surprisingly sharp.

Yoonseul froze, pressing her lips together.

Watching her, Wooyoung silently mouthed two words.

"Eat. Hurry."

He tilted his head toward the sandwiches on the table.

Yoonseul slowly crossed the room and sat down on the sofa.

The secretary must have seen all this food earlier.

Anyone who noticed would undoubtedly find the situation strange.

It was troubling. Awkward. Potentially disastrous.

People loved gossip, and rumors could spread through a company frighteningly fast.

She stole another glance at Wooyoung.

Even while speaking on the phone, he was watching her intently.

Their eyes met across the room.

Why was he so obsessed with making her eat?

Unable to withstand his silent insistence any longer, Yoonseul picked up the glass of Roasted Grain Powder and took a sip.

The coffee he'd prepared was an Americano rather than a latte, probably because he knew she couldn't drink milk.

As she listened vaguely to his conversation, she wondered whether he was speaking to the Chairman.

Wooyoung still hadn't told her anything about what had happened to him over the years. She had no idea how he'd come to lead this kind of life.

She continued sipping her drink while eavesdropping, and before she realized it, the glass was empty.

"I'll come see you this evening."

He ended the call and rose from his chair.

With his long strides, he crossed the room in no time and settled onto the sofa opposite her.

"Why did you only drink that? I told you to eat this, too."

He gestured toward the sandwiches with his chin.

"I'm not particularly hungry."

Wooyoung gave a quiet chuckle at her curt reply.

He could tell exactly how Na Yoonseul was feeling just from her tone.

Actually, he didn't even need that.

The deep furrow between her brows said enough.

As he studied her, Yoonseul narrowed her eyes and stared right back.

"Someone's angry, Ms. Na Yoonseul."

"I would appreciate it if you'd stop calling me up here during work. Seriously, what are you trying to do? What do you think is going to happen?"

"Now that's an interesting way of talking. Half formal, half informal."

There was something undeniably adorable about the way she was snapping at him.

Clearly, she was furious because he'd summoned her to his office.

With so many people watching, it was probably sensible to be discreet.

But so what?

I wanted to see Na Yoonseul. Why should I care what anyone else thinks?

Wooyoung leaned back against the sofa and spoke casually.

"Well, you could've come to the café. At least we would've gotten to see each other."

"Do you seriously think that makes sense? There are practically fifty thousand people walking through the lobby on their way to work! Everyone would be wondering who that woman sitting with you was! Why don't you just put up an advertisement while you're at it?"

"Should I? How about an announcement that Na Yoonseul and I live together?"

"What? Who says I'm living with anyone? Have you completely lost your mind?"

Yoonseul practically jumped out of her seat, her eyes widening.

But the more worked up she became, the more mischievous Wooyoung looked.

He was obviously teasing her.

She knew it was ridiculous to keep falling for his provocations, but now that she'd come all the way up to his office, she felt she had to say everything she'd come to say before leaving.

"I'm warning you. Don't ever summon me up here again. I'm serious!"

"Seul."

"What?"

"How about we live together?"

"…"

The proposal came so abruptly that her mind went blank.

It was the last thing she'd expected him to say.

Her lips moved soundlessly for a moment before she let out a disbelieving laugh.

"What did you just say?"

"I've got quite a few spare rooms at my place. I think it'd work out fine. Give it some thought."

What on earth…

She'd assumed he was joking, but his expression was completely serious.

"That apartment you're living in now. The security isn't great, and the building's pretty old. I can't stop worrying about it."

With every word, the smile gradually faded from his face.

"That's why I called you here. I want you to come live with me."

"Are you seriously asking me to move in with you?"

"Or how about getting married?"

Married?

Yoonseul went rigid at the utterly unexpected word.

But as if to make absolutely certain she'd heard him correctly, Wooyoung spoke again.

"I'm not joking, Seul. Think carefully about what I just said."

Chapter 16

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