The next morning, Kang Hye-rin sat at her desk, eyes fixed on the open document in front of her but mind miles away. The cursor blinked mockingly at the half-finished paragraph, waiting for words that refused to come. All she could see was the shimmer of the restaurant lights, the way Choi Min-jae had looked at her — not like another faceless employee, but like someone worth noticing.
And the way Lee Joon-hyuk had cut her down in one effortless breath. Junior staff. That label still burned under her skin, sharper than it should have.
Marriage. Stability. The words from last night echoed again and again. What had they meant? A passing comment? Or something more — something about Joon-hyuk himself?
She was so lost in thought she didn't notice the shadow fall over her papers until a warm voice broke the silence.
"Rough morning?"
Her pen slipped from her fingers. She looked up — and froze.
Choi Min-jae stood there, perfectly composed in a light gray suit that made him look both casual and impossibly out of place in their bland office space. His smile was easy, the kind that instantly softened the air around him.
"Mr. Choi?" she stammered, rising quickly. "What—what are you doing here?"
He chuckled, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Relax, I'm not here to audit your work. Your CEO and I had a meeting, but apparently he's… busy. So I thought I'd say hello."
She blinked, trying to find her voice. "Oh. That's… very kind of you."
His gaze lingered on her a moment too long — curious, not inappropriate, but undeniably attentive. "You seem tense. I hope I didn't cause trouble last night."
Before she could answer, another voice cut sharply through the office.
"Miss Kang."
Every head turned. Lee Joon-hyuk stood in the hallway, his tone calm but eyes like ice. "My office. Now."
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Hye-rin felt her pulse jump, but she bowed quickly to Min-jae. "Excuse me, Mr. Choi."
As she followed Joon-hyuk into his office, the air between them thickened. The door clicked shut, muffling the buzz of the office outside.
"Be careful," Joon-hyuk said, his back still turned to her.
"…Of what?" she asked carefully.
He faced her, eyes sharp. "Men like him."
Her brow furrowed. "He was just being polite."
His jaw flexed, but his expression didn't change. "Politeness isn't always harmless."
Before she could respond, he handed her a folder, his tone abruptly cool again. "Your revisions. I expect them tomorrow morning."
That was it. No explanation. No emotion. Just dismissal.
As she left his office, her heart twisted with frustration she couldn't name. Why did it matter to him? And why did she care that it did?