* * *
True to his word, Saheon didn’t bring up the subject again after that day.
On that day, Wookyung had felt guilty and anxious, watching him closely.
But thanks to Saheon’s restraint, he was able to take more time to sort through his feelings.
In truth, the project was reaching its final stages, and Wookyung had more than enough on his plate.
That was a convenient excuse not to dwell on other things.
“Assistant Manager Wookyung, schedule a five-day business trip starting next Monday.”
Normally, the TF team didn’t hold morning meetings.
Everything had been coordinated early on, and each member could check their own schedule through the company system.
Any tasks that needed discussion were handled through ad-hoc meetings in the conference room as needed.
So a full team meeting led by the director was rare.
And to bring up a business trip right at the start—that was even rarer.
“Am I going alone?”
Wookyung asked, and Saheon gave him a look as if to say, “What’s the problem?” Wookyung glanced beside him.
Associate Choi was furiously typing up meeting minutes and hadn’t even lifted his head.
This wasn’t nosiness.
“I thought maybe Mr. Choi Siwon could accompany me.”
At that, Choi Siwon snapped his head around to look at Wookyung so fast it made a sound.
His eyes were wide with surprise.
“I can go?”
And then he actually asked that.
Wookyung felt a small pang of guilt.
How Choi Siwon had joined the team didn’t really matter.
He was technically on the same team, and yet Wookyung hadn’t paid him much attention.
Thinking back, he’d excluded him from fieldwork quite often, always sticking close to Saheon.
Now Choi Siwon’s eyes sparkled with eagerness.
The guilt only deepened. Still, this was likely the last time.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for them to go overseas together.
“Director, what do you think…”
Wookyung turned to ask Saheon’s opinion but trailed off, blinking.
The look in Saheon’s eyes seemed almost… resentful.
‘What’s that about?’
Did he still think Choi Siwon had feelings for him?
But Wookyung had absolutely no intention of reciprocating.
He’d been clear, even if it came off a bit cold—firmly turning Choi Siwon down.
And after that, Choi Siwon had seemed to give up, acting more professionally.
If there had been any ambiguity, Wookyung wouldn’t have even suggested this.
It was purely to give him valuable work experience.
‘Is he… jealous?’
That expression—that look—it was hard to interpret it any other way.
Wookyung suddenly felt the corners of his lips twitch and subtly covered his mouth with his hand.
But he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading.
Apparently, Saheon noticed too—his eyebrow arched ever so slightly.
“I believe this trip will be very beneficial for Choi Siwon as well. If there’s no major issue, why don’t we all go together?”
Personal feelings aside, work matters should be handled objectively.
Wookyung emphasized that this was purely for work, and Saheon finally nodded.
“Then let’s have the whole team go. It’ll be good to get a sense of the local situation. But we can’t be away too long, so let’s limit the trip to three days. After that, you and I will continue handling things.”
The sudden overseas trip stirred the team.
Some were excited to be going out for the first time in a while, while others were skeptical about whether they needed to go at all.
“Director, I’ll stay behind. We’ll need someone to coordinate between the office and the site.”
Among the latter was Assistant Manager Pyeon, who oversaw the entire TF team.
Saheon immediately nodded.
“Do that.”
He had a point—someone needed to manage communications and logistics back home.
Plus, as a mother of two high schoolers, being away for several days would be difficult for her.
“I’ll stay too, then.”
Senior Associate Sun also raised her hand to decline the trip.
She reasoned that someone needed to organize the revisions.
Once again, Saheon readily agreed. In the end, four people would go on the trip.
“Then if possible, please schedule the trip for Wednesday through Friday…”
And then Assistant Manager Oh quietly slipped in a personal request—he wanted to take care of something while on the trip.
“How about you, Assistant Manager Wookyung?”
While Wookyung was busy marveling—albeit in multiple layers of meaning—at Assistant Manager Oh’s boldness to still pursue his own agenda in the middle of all this, he quickly straightened up at the sudden mention of his name.
He had no idea why he was being dragged into the conversation now.
He sent Saheon a look as if to say, ‘Can’t you just handle this on your own?’
But Saheon merely looked at him in silence. This was payback.
He added Choi Siwon to what should’ve been a business trip for just the two of them.
But wasn’t it Saheon who then suggested bringing even more staff?
‘Wow. That’s petty.’
He didn’t say it out loud, just grumbled internally, but still answered as indifferently as he could.
“I’ll go along with whatever the Director decides.”
‘Isn’t that the kind of thing the highest-ranking person here should decide anyway?’
That’s the subtext his gaze carried.
Saheon’s eyes briefly crinkled into crescents, then returned to normal.
‘He laughed at me, didn’t he? Huh? That was definitely a laugh, right?’
“Let’s do that, then. Just like last time, Assistant Manager Oh and I will leave first, and the three of you can follow later.”
Assistant Manager Oh looked visibly pleased, as if he was thrilled his idea had been accepted.
On the other hand, Choi Siwon gave him a look that screamed called it.
Wookyung, suddenly feeling guilty, shifted his gaze toward a random spot in the conference room.
Strange.
Why were his ears burning, and why did his fingertips feel tingly?
“Well then, that’s it for the meeting.”
Thankfully, Saheon wrapped things up quickly.
“Thank you, everyone.”
“Great job.”
“Let’s do our best again today!”
Assistant Manager Oh was all smiles—clearly thrilled about how Saheon had adjusted the travel schedule.
Wookyung watched him and wondered if it was really that great.
Then he suddenly remembered his own itinerary.
‘If the two of us go first… what about the rooms? Will we be sharing?’
Sure, people of the same sex often share rooms.
Still, he couldn’t help feeling awkward at the thought.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Wookyung quickly left the conference room.
‘I’ll just casually ask later.’
Not because he particularly wanted to share a room or anything.
He just wanted to know what the company’s plans were.
Despite the excuses playing in his head, Wookyung’s footsteps were noticeably lighter than usual.
3 p.m.—that late-afternoon slump when focus begins to wane.
To shake off the drowsiness and get a bit of fresh air, Wookyung got on the elevator, planning to stroll to a neighborhood park near the office.
But someone was already inside.
And not just anyone—people he would’ve rather avoided running into: CEO Choi and her secretary, Secretary Ahn.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.”
Still, with direct eye contact already made, there was no avoiding it.
Wookyung gave a polite greeting and stepped in.
“……”
An uncomfortable silence filled the space.
Or maybe it just felt that way to her.
CEO Choi only spared him a glance, and Secretary Ahn gave a polite nod, not bothering to pay him further attention.
‘Just get there quickly. Please.’
Yes. This was preferable.
Like strangers who’ve never met before. He only had to endure it for a few more seconds.
“Assistant Manager Gil Wookyung.”
Unfortunately, that fragile peace was shattered—CEO Choi had spoken his name.
“Yes, sir?”
“Don’t worry about what I said the last time we met. I have no intention of interfering.”
…What was that supposed to mean?
Wookyung blinked as he replayed the words in his head.
The meaning became clear without much pondering.
‘What? Why? Out of nowhere?’
Why was CEO Choi suddenly speaking as if she were acknowledging his relationship with Saheon?
“Just keep that in mind.”
With that parting remark, CEO Choi exited the elevator as the doors opened.
Left alone, Wookyung turned to Secretary Ahn, still visibly baffled.
Secretary Ahn simply gave a slight bow before following after the CEO.
“…What the heck was that?”
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t begin to guess what had prompted the CEO’s sudden change in tone.
He figured he’d have to ask Saheon about it later and made his way to the building’s entrance.
That’s when he made eye contact with an elderly woman in traditional Korean hanbok.
Figuring she was just a visitor, he started to pass by.
“Excuse me. Could you tell me what floor the Business Strategy Department is on?”
Not only did the elderly lady speak to him directly, but she was asking for his department’s location.
Instinctively, his eyes returned to her.
* * *
