Chapter – 24
At Secretary Tak’s greeting, Da-in tilted her head slightly toward him with a flustered expression.
“Y-Yes. Tak Ji-hoon.”
Da-in awkwardly called out Secretary Tak’s name.
What is this situation?
She wasn’t the only one confused.
Seok-jin was staring at Secretary Tak, a puzzled look on his face as if asking what was going on.
“You’re working here?”
“Yes, I’m President Joo Seok-jin’s secretary.”
“I see.”
The exchange between the two, carrying a sense of a shared story, made Ga-eun and Seok-jin step back a little.
“Secretary Tak…”
“Why is Kim Da-in acting like that?”
To those who had known the two for a long time, Secretary Tak’s serious demeanor paired with Da-in’s shy expression seemed very unusual.
It felt like it had been a long time since they last met. They exchanged greetings as if they were the only two people in the world.
“Why is Secretary Tak calling her ‘teacher’?”
“Did Kim Da-in do student teaching?”
“No, not exactly student teaching… Ah!”
“You know something?”
Ga-eun nodded to herself as if she had figured it out.
Seok-jin, however, was still confused, unable to piece together the situation.
“I think I get it.”
“Let’s figure it out together.”
“Looks like their conversation is over.”
Ga-eun tried calling out to them as she walked over, but her small voice quickly faded.
“Then, see you next time.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Secretary Tak bowed to Da-in and his eyes sparkled.
“Let’s go, Da-in. I’ll introduce Seok-jin properly next time.”
“Okay. We’ll go first.”
Even though it was a lie, Ga-eun thought it was right to explain the situation to Da-in. Today, she wanted the two of them to meet alone.
But Seok-jin didn’t seem willing to let her go just like that.
“Seok-jin, I’ll contact you later.”
“We just met, so let’s have a meal together today.”
“We’re having a date today, just the two of us.”
“Actually, I have another appointment on Saturday.”
It didn’t make sense that he suddenly had another appointment after asking Da-in to meet on Saturday.
“President, did you schedule something without telling me?”
“……”
Secretary Tak, hearing this for the first time as well, asked Seok-jin.
“You haven’t told me about any schedule yet.”
“……It’s a very private matter.”
There was a hint of irritation in Seok-jin’s tone.
Private matter? Who could it possibly be with, that it would take precedence over his appointment with me…?
“Ah… Then introduce me today, Ga-eun.”
Reluctantly, Da-in took Ga-eun’s arm, indicating she was fine with it.
“……Wait. What’s this super private schedule that even I don’t know about?”
No matter how important or private it was, Ga-eun thought that no one should be more concerned than her.
Moreover, she had asked if her only friend could have a meal first, yet he so easily canceled the plan—Ga-eun felt disappointed.
“Well……”
“President, it’s fine. You can treat us to lunch today.”
“Hey, Kim Da-in. We agreed to chat late tonight.”
“Since you have another appointment……”
Ga-eun deliberately narrowed her eyes at Seok-jin to put pressure on him.
But the way he looked at her was strange.
Why is he looking at me so gently and warmly?
“Since I suddenly said I have another appointment, I guess our Ga-eun is a bit upset. I was going to keep it a secret……”
“What secret?”
Seok-jin whispered into Ga-eun’s ear.
“A proposal.”
Of course, his whisper was loud enough for Da-in beside her to hear as well.
A proposal?
There had been no mention of it…
“Oh my, then we absolutely have to have lunch today. Ga-eun, you’re lucky!”
“……Ouch.”
Da-in laughed, patting Ga-eun’s back with her hand, even more shy than Ga-eun herself.
“Then let’s go. Secretary Tak, go home first.”
“……Me, first?”
“You don’t need to accompany us to a personal appointment.”
“I-I see. Really, it’s okay?”
Ga-eun looked at Seok-jin with a slightly displeased expression.
Before marriage, they needed to clarify working hours and overtime pay properly.
“Go.”
“Really?”
“I’ll say it one last time. Go.”
“Then reluctantly, I will. Though I feel I might be needed, I will go.”
Just as Secretary Tak was about to turn around with a brief bow, Da-in cautiously spoke.
“If you haven’t eaten, how about Secretary Tak joins us, Ga-eun?”
“I’m fine with it, but Secretary Tak……”
“I’d be happy.”
Secretary Tak answered instantly, as if he had been hoping someone would ask him to come along.
“Then, Da-in, what would you like to eat?”
“Kim Da-in likes meat.”
“You remembered that?”
“It’s important.”
Look at them. They hadn’t even decided where to go, yet Secretary Tak and Da-in were already walking ahead.
Following behind, Seok-jin asked Ga-eun,
“What’s the relationship between those two?”
“Curious?”
“Isn’t curiosity 500 won?”
Seok-jin looked confident, like he already knew.
“If you tell me, I’ll pay.”
“Paid, just now.”
“Oh, quick. Secretary Tak, did you take a GED or something?”
“What’s going on with this conversation?”
Ga-eun nodded slowly with a suspicious look.
“500 won.”
“Wow, seriously…… Is this how it is?”
Seok-jin held out his hand, and Ga-eun placed the 500 won coin onto his palm with a ‘tap’ sound, closing his hand over it.
Then she studied Seok-jin’s face carefully.
She wanted to notice even the slightest curve of his lips.
But his lips, stretched firmly straight at both ends, didn’t show any hint of a smile.
It was her first time seeing a chaebol this close, but also her first time seeing a chaebol this stingy about money.
So petty, so cheap.
“Secretary Tak, you did take the GED, right?”
“Ah, then it’s right. This is what I thought—the reason he calls Da-in ‘Teacher.’”
“So what is it?”
Taking a deep breath, Seok-jin placed his hand over Ga-eun’s, holding the 500 won.
“Tell me why Secretary Tak calls Kim Da-in ‘Teacher.’”
“Da-in taught students at a night school during college. She said there was a very handsome student there, and that must have been Secretary Tak.”
“That fits. It was probably during her night school days.”
“So the two of you met outside the company?”
Just as Ga-eun asked, Seok-jin opened his hand.
“Ha, really.”
At the moment they placed the coin in Seok-jin’s hand, Secretary Tak and Da-in turned to look back.
Oh no.
Even if Secretary Tak was fine, Da-in’s gaze needed to be shielded.
The two of them pressed their palms together with the coin between, looking affectionate.
Da-in quickly turned her head forward. If she turned her head, they would release their grip immediately.
“No way, Ji-hoon. Since they’re all lovey-dovey behind us, I feel jealous. We have to walk side by side like this.”
Da-in linked arms with Ga-eun, standing next to her.
Seok-jin couldn’t release her hand. If he did, the 500 won would fall to the ground…
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one worrying about the 500 won.
Even stingy, tight-fisted chaebol Joo Seok-jin held onto the coin tightly in his hand.
Ga-eun gathered all her strength and gripped Seok-jin’s hand tightly.
Why is a man’s hand so soft and warm?
Feeling the warmth in her hand, Ga-eun curled her fingers slightly inward.
She could feel the heat of the coin warmed by their combined body heat.
“Let go. It’s mine.”
The two of them were fiercely tugging at the 500 won coin in their palms, while Da-in watched, envious.
“You two… the way you look at each other is so romantic.”
“Exactly why you’re rushing into marriage like this, Teacher.”
“Ji-hoon, just call me by my name. ‘Teacher, Teacher’ makes me sound so old.”
“One is always a teacher. How can I carelessly call you anything else?”
“……”
The romantic gaze is between you two, not us.
Ga-eun watched Da-in and Secretary Tak exchanging affectionate looks across the strictly businesslike space she maintained.
“Relationships can change, so what’s the problem?”
“No, President, that’s not how it is… A teacher is a teacher.”
Ga-eun couldn’t help but laugh at the way Secretary Tak called Da-in ‘Teacher.’
“Teacher, Kim Da-in… sounds like a pansori master.”
“Do you want me to hit you while singing pansori, Oh Ga-eun?”
Ga-eun laughed heartily, but quickly stopped when Da-in gave her a cold warning.
“Where would you hit me?”
Seok-jin, letting go of her hand, wrapped his arm around Da-eun as if scolding her.
Caught off guard, Ga-eun relaxed her grip, and Seok-jin snatched the 500 won coin.
“See, where would I get hit?”
Ga-eun tried to retrieve the coin from between his fingers, but Seok-jin held on tighter each time.
“Um, Ji-hoon, do you have an envelope?”
“Teacher, why do you ask?”
“I feel uneasy. Being around these two will make your tolerance extremely strong.”
“Haha, well, I guess so.”
It was an awkward response only those in the know could understand.
“Da-in, watch us. We’re not long into marriage yet, so it’s like this.”
“I’m just jealous, President.”
“I know.”
Seok-jin let go of his hand from Ga-eun’s shoulder with a relaxed smile.
The 500 won—small in value, but losing it to Seok-jin felt maddening to Ga-eun.
She thought: “Go ahead, take the flea’s liver, Joo Seok-jin.”
“So, what kind of beef are we going to eat?”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Then I’ll have 500 grams of beef. How much is 500 grams these days? 55,500 won?”
Ga-eun emphasized the number 500, glaring at Seok-jin.
She was determined to make him pay dearly for taking money from Oh Ga-eun’s pocket.
