At Office
"Hae-in, congratulations on your wedding. Since you took a long leave for it, a lot of work is still pending. And those trainees… Mr. Park tried to help, but with his own workload, he couldn't guide them properly," her manager said, his tone professional, clipped. "I expect you to clear all the backlog and bring everything back on track."
Hae-in looked at him, her face blank. No reaction. No protest.
"I understand you're newly married," he continued, leaning back slightly, as if offering sympathy he didn't truly intend to use. "But if this was going to affect work, you should've informed us earlier. You gave the update very suddenly, and we had commitments. We can't disappoint clients over personal reasons."
He paused, then added, "So for the next month, stay fully dedicated. Complete the pending requirements and train the trainees properly. After that, your workload will reduce."
Hae-in nodded once. That was all.
She didn't argue. Didn't explain. Didn't defend herself.
Not because she agreed.But because she had learned, long ago, that her words rarely changed anything.
She had become good at this. Listening. Obeying. Absorbing expectations without letting them spill out as questions or complaints. Even when she spoke, no one really listened. So silence had become easier. Safer.
She walked back to her desk like a well-trained shadow, carrying another set of responsibilities placed neatly on her shoulders. Just another role to play. Another expectation to meet.
She carried her laptop to her desk, tied her hair back with practiced fingers, and called the trainees over. One update flowed into another. Instructions, explanations, corrections. Her voice stayed steady while her mind stayed busy on purpose. No gaps. No pauses. Not even five stolen minutes for herself.
Work became her shield.
She trained them, answered questions, fixed mistakes, and reviewed documents. Thought only in deadlines, deliverables, and logic. Anything was better than letting her mind wander back to the ache quietly sitting inside her chest.
Lunch was quick. Barely tasted. A few bites, a sip of water, and she was back at her desk. Pending tasks waited like an endless queue, and she took them one by one. Analyze. Discuss. Work. Repeat.
Time slipped without asking permission.
By evening, the office began to empty. Chairs scraped softly. Farewells floated through the air. Her trainees waved goodbye and left, relieved and tired. Soon, only a few scattered figures remained in the vast, glowing space.
Hae-in didn't notice.
She was still staring at the screen. Focused. Determined. And yet, when she checked her progress, not even five percent of the work was done.
Her phone buzzed. Again. And again.
She ignored it.
Night settled in slowly. Lights dimmed in sections. The silence grew heavier. Her head throbbed dully now. Shoulders stiff. Limbs aching. A yawn escaped her lips before she could stop it. Exhaustion seeped in, thick and unavoidable.
Her phone buzzed once more.
This time, she glanced at it.
Ji-hoon.
She hesitated for a second, then picked up.
"Hae-ina… I'm in front of your office building. How long will it take?" His voice came soft, careful, like he didn't want to startle her.
She lifted her gaze and looked through the huge glass window.
He was standing across the road, his car parked a little away, hands tucked into the pockets of a long trench coat. The night air was sharp, biting, and he kept glancing up at the building as if willing her to appear.
"I'll be late, Ji-hoon ssi. Don't wait for me," she said, her voice cold, distant.
"Late?" His brows knit instantly. "Hae-ina… It's already 11:30 at night. It's not safe to stay longer. And you haven't eaten anything."
She glanced at her phone.
11:27 PM.
A tired breath slipped out of her. "I have a lot of pending work, Ji-hoon ssi. Because of the leave I took."
On the other end, his expression fell. Not dramatic. Just a quiet concern settling in his eyes.
"You can't finish everything today," he said gently. "Don't push yourself like this. End your day. You can do it tomorrow. Please… come now."
She looked through the glass window again.
He was still there.
Waiting.
She closed her eyes for a brief second, then sighed. "Alright… I'm coming."
The relief on his face was instant, even before he spoke. "Okay."
The call ended.
She packed her things, logged off, and walked out of the building. The moment she stepped outside, the cold brushed against her skin. And across the road, Ji-hoon's lips curved into a wide, unguarded smile the second he saw her.
She crossed the road toward him, expression unreadable.
Before she could say anything, he reached into the car and pulled out a thick scarf. As she came closer, he stepped forward and wrapped it around her neck, careful, instinctive.
She froze, eyes lifting to him in confusion.
"You're barely dressed for this cold," he said softly, adjusting the scarf around her neck, not touching her skin more than necessary. "Your jacket isn't enough."
She didn't respond. Just stood there, wrapped in warmth that wasn't hers, looking at him like she was still trying to understand this man standing in front of her.
Once he was satisfied, he stepped back and smiled faintly. "Come, let's go," he said, opening the car door for her.
She paused for a second, looking at him, at the quiet gentlemanly ease in his movements. She didn't say anything, just slipped into the seat. He walked around, got in, and started the car.
Three minutes later, the car slowed and stopped.
Hae-in looked up.
The restaurant.
She turned toward him, confused. He met her gaze calmly. "Come, let's eat something. You must be hungry."
"Ah… no," she said immediately. "Please… let's just go home."
He frowned, concern creasing his forehead. "Not hungry?" His eyes scanned her face. "Look at you. You're pale. Come on, I'll feed you something. And I haven't had dinner either. I'm hungry too."
Before she could refuse again, he was already out of the car.
She sighed, knowing resistance was pointless now, and followed him inside.
Ji-hoon unlocked the door and held it open for her. Inside, Enwoo was slumped over one of the tables, half-asleep, clearly waiting.
Ji-hoon smiled. "Enwoo."
Enwoo startled awake with a flinch.
Ji-hoon chuckled softly. "Go on, go home. I'll close the restaurant."
Enwoo blinked, then looked from Ji-hoon to Hae-in, who stood there with a blank, unreadable expression, and back again, suddenly wide awake.
"Ye… gomawo, hyungnim," Enwoo said sleepily. Still yawning, he grabbed his bag and jacket and shuffled out.
Ji-hoon smiled. Once the door closed behind him, he locked the restaurant from the inside and pulled down the blinds over the glass walls, sealing the place into a quiet little world of its own.
"Sit. I'll be back in ten minutes," he said.
She looked at him, then sat down silently.
He disappeared into the kitchen. Soon, the soft clatter of utensils filled the space, followed by something far more dangerous. The aroma of warm food slowly crept out, curling through the air. Her stomach betrayed her with a low growl.
The kitchen door opened.
Ji-hoon stepped out carrying a large tray, steam rising gently from the dishes, and a soft smile settled on his lips.
She watched him. Not the food. Him.
He placed the tray in front of her. Her eyes widened just a little. "Ji-hoon ssi… this is too much. Why did you cook so much?"
He pulled the chair opposite her and sat down. "I thought you'd be hungry," he said simply. "You worked so late. Eat."
He began serving her, careful, unhurried, then served himself and started eating as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
She didn't move right away. Just sat there, watching him, quietly trying to understand the man who cooked a feast at midnight just because she hadn't eaten.
"I called Omma earlier," he said casually between bites. "To check if you reached home. She said you weren't home… so I came to your office. And I thought you might not have eaten properly." He scooped another mouthful. "I had already prepared everything here earlier. Just mixed it and served you now."
She kept her gaze lowered, said nothing, and finally started eating.
He watched her quietly, the way her shoulders stayed tense even while holding the spoon. After a moment, he asked gently, "How was your day?"
She paused, then replied flatly, "Just busy schedules. I have a lot of pending work to finish."
His eyes lingered on her face, taking in the tired lines she tried to hide, the stress sitting heavy on her expression. Slowly, carefully, he spoke again.
"If this work stresses you too much… you don't have to struggle like this."
Her eyes flickered up at him.
He continued, his voice low, steady. "I know this marriage happened against your will. But now…" He hesitated for a heartbeat. "Now you are my responsibility. Like I promised you earlier. If you give me a chance, I want to prove my love… and my responsibility toward you, Hae-in."
She said nothing.
But her eyes burned, moisture gathering as her throat tightened, her heart clenching all over again, caught between the weight of his words and the pain she was still carrying.
"I'm not asking you to rush," he said gently. "Take your time. Let's understand each other first… slowly."
She blinked, but no words came. There was so much inside her, crowding her chest, yet her lips refused to cooperate.
He noticed the way her spoon paused, the way her shoulders sagged. "Okay," he said softly, changing the direction. "It's already late. Just finish your food. You look really tired."
She nodded faintly and ate in silence.
When she finally placed the spoon down after finishing the food, he smiled, relief flickering across his face. He collected the empty dishes. "Stay here. I'll wash these. Five minutes."
She nodded again.
He disappeared into the kitchen. By the time he returned, nearly ten minutes had passed.
And then he saw her.
She had dozed off on the chair, head tilted to the left, hair spilling over her face. Exhaustion clung to her in the most fragile way.
A breathy chuckle escaped him. "God, this girl will kill me one day with her cuteness," he muttered under his breath.
He stepped closer, leaned in slightly, just to look at her. Her features softened in sleep, lashes resting against tired cheeks. His heart began to race, completely out of control. His gaze drifted to her lips, faintly chapped, vulnerable.
A dangerous thought flickered.
Damn. Calm down, you idiot. Don't scare her. She'll run away if she senses even a hint of your intentions towards her.
He straightened up immediately and gently tapped her cheek. "Hae-ina…"
She stirred, eyes heavy, unfocused as she looked at him.
He smiled. "Come. Let's go home."
She glanced around, realization settling in, then nodded, pushing herself up.
He guided her outside, locked the restaurant, opened the car door for her, and drove them home.
She fell asleep again during the drive, head leaning slightly toward the window.
He kept stealing glances at her, a soft smile playing on his lips, looking every bit like a man hopelessly in love.