* * *
“Uh… Please calm down. Can I see your identity card first?”
Despite my urgency, they insisted on procedures.
I knew it was the correct order of things, but my fingers trembled uncontrollably with anxiety.
How long had it been?
This was the first time I’d missed a dose of the suppressant.
Perhaps out of pity for my trembling, the pharmacist cautiously placed the medication on the counter and spoke carefully.
“If you’re taking the suppressant because you’re close to your cycle, it’s not too late to take it as soon as you notice the symptoms.”
“No, no. It’s not that…”
Then I realized—I didn’t have an identity card like everyone else.
Naturally, since I was unregistered. The old pharmacy near my house never asked for one, so I was caught off guard.
As I rummaged through my jacket and pockets, my eyes shook with panic.
The pharmacist, after some hesitation, opened the box and handed me two pills. Her short bobbed hair swayed at her chin.
“Lately, some betas have been misusing suppressants for other purposes, so things have been tense. If you take it here, I’ll give it to you without the ID, but just this once. I’m helping because you seem desperate.”
“Thank, thank you…!”
I quickly swallowed the pills dry, feeling the rough, bitter taste scrape down my throat.
My vision briefly blacked out before slowly returning.
When I came to, I was sitting on the floor in front of the pharmacy counter.
The pharmacist in a white coat crouched before me, looking concerned.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, yes… I’m fine.”
This was the first time in three years that I had missed a dose.
The alarm I set always went off on time, never missing once.
With trembling hands, I looked at my phone and finally saw the notification that read “Remind me later.”
The moment I called CEO Han must have coincided with the time the alarm was supposed to go off.
Not just my hands, but my whole body trembled.
What happens if I miss the dose? I have to go to work now.
What if something happens suddenly?
No, but I did take the pills… It should be okay, right?
Even though I’ve never actually experienced the heat cycle, the anxiety was overwhelming.
The thought that getting caught would be the end of me.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to pull myself together.
The pharmacist helped me stand up, asking repeatedly if I was okay. I smiled faintly at her concern and cautiously asked,
“I missed the time when I was supposed to take the pills… Is that okay?”
“How long did you miss it by?”
“About 10… no, 20 minutes.”
“That should be fine.”
Finally, the tension released from my body, and I let out a deep breath.
I fumbled in my pocket, pulled out two 10,000 won bills, placed them on the counter, and bowed my head.
I heard the pharmacist saying something about “long-term use” as I left the pharmacy, but I didn’t catch all of it.
The sticky summer air clung to my skin, even at night. The suffocating heat didn’t ease, but I sighed in relief, knowing I had taken the pills.
I resolved to stop by my house and grab more pills before tomorrow morning, but just then, a familiar car pulled up with a bang.
It was an insanely expensive car. I’d seen it a few times before.
A Maserati Levante Trofeo. A rare white car with cheap street lights glinting off its body.
It seemed CEO Han hadn’t gone straight to his family home from the office.
I wondered why he had brought such a car, standing there dumbfounded.
Soon, the passenger window rolled down, revealing a familiar face.
“What are you doing there?”
“…I was on my way to the office.”
“Walking?”
“…Yes, walking.”
I bowed my head, intending to leave, but a familiar voice called out, making me turn around.
It was the pharmacist.
“You should take the medicine with you.”
“…Ah.”
Afraid that CEO Han might see, I almost snatched the medicine from her hands. She looked at me with concern and added,
“It’ll be okay. But if you’re worried, maybe you should visit a hospital. Um… in case…”
“Secretary Seonyul.”
Startled by the sudden close proximity of CEO Han’s voice, I instinctively turned, only to be pulled back by a firm hand on my shoulder.
My shoulder collided with his solid chest.
A faint warmth seeped through my thin clothes as something light draped over my head, only to be blown away by the muggy night breeze.
What was that just now?
I wanted to ask, but CEO Han was quicker.
“You should be heading to the office. Unless you plan to waste time on the street.”
“…Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I was just about to move.”
As he guided me, I momentarily lost my focus, but I managed to bow my head towards the pharmacist.
I was used to CEO Han’s unpredictable behavior, but I worried it might seem strange to others, so I smiled, trying to assure her that everything was fine.
“Get in.”
The door swung open, and the force pushed me so hard that I almost collapsed onto the seat. A grunt escaped me.
After struggling to get my body upright and fixing my squashed nose, I replied,
“Then, I’ll drive.”
“Secretary Seonyul.”
“…Yes?”
“Get in.”
As I stood there, he had already climbed into the driver’s seat and, with a grim expression, ordered me sharply.
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
“…I’m sorry.”
I bowed my head and squeezed into the seat. After closing the door and fastening my seatbelt, he immediately started the car.
The pharmacist watched me with a worried. I waved lightly, and she raised her hand in response.
The pharmacy was only about a 10-minute drive from the office, but this felt unnecessary. I fiddled with my fingers in the silence that filled the car.
Glancing at him, I saw that CEO Han looked furious, as if he could explode at any moment.
It seemed like he might have heard something back at the main house, but there was no way for me to know unless he told me.
Amid the awkward silence, I wondered if I should say something and was staring at my fingertips when I heard a sigh and turned my head.
There, I saw the picturesque profile of CEO Han, one hand on the steering wheel, his elbow resting on the window frame. Without even glancing at me, he spoke.
“Is she your type?”
What nonsense was he talking about now?
He was sulking because he was annoyed about the suggestion to go on a blind date, and he was upset that I looked away.
If I can’t find a girlfriend, it’ll be all CEO Han’s fault. I swallowed a sigh and replied.
“I just went to buy some medicine.”
“…Why?”
“I think I caught a cold. That person just handed me the medicine I left at the pharmacy.”
The lie rolled off my tongue so easily now that I didn’t even feel a twinge of guilt.
I watched CEO Han’s face carefully, waiting for his reaction.
Fortunately, I could see his expression softening little by little. Seriously, that annoying personality of his.
“That’s a relief. I was debating whether to grow my hair out and keep it short.” (Tl: idiom that means to become wiser with experience. Because CEO Han has more dating experience, it is like he is saying that he will give Seonyul some tips.)
CEO Han with a bob cut?
I imagined it for a moment, then looked at his naturally soft hair, not slicked back with wax as usual, and had to admit, without realizing it.
As they say, this man had the kind of god-given looks that would suit even long hair.
Seriously, life is so unfair.
Some people get both good looks and money, while others get neither.
As I grumbled inwardly, CEO Han casually asked, “Where’s the medicine?”
“I took it.”
He must have been satisfied with my answer because the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
People say his face is as cold as ice, but after eight years of watching him, I can tell you, he’s got all the emotions like everyone else.
The problem is, most of it leans toward mocking others.
After thoroughly studying his face, I finally relaxed and sank into the soft car seat.
The interior was so well-insulated that even CEO Han’s breathing was crystal clear.
When I glanced over, I noticed that his outfit was quite different from usual.
He always wore suits with crisp creases, but today, he was dressed casually in a Henley shirt and slacks.
I guessed he dressed comfortably because he was visiting the main house.
Even when attending company outings, he always wore formal suits.
Sure, the suits looked better on him, but he still looked pretty good dressed like this too.
Sensing my gaze, CEO Han, who had stopped the car at a red light, reached out and lightly tapped my forehead with the back of his hand.
I squinted at the muscular arm that looked thick and strong.
Did you just hit me? My forehead’s probably going to bruise tomorrow.
Noticing my look, CEO Han said casually, “No fever.”
He glanced briefly toward my pocket and continued, “Go in, pretend to work, and then leave early.”
“Are you aware that the housekeeper at the main house nags me constantly? I don’t want to get texted twice a day.”
“Secretary Seonyul, you really don’t listen. I’m the one who pays your salary, so why do you keep listening to others?”
My face twisted like a crumpled piece of paper, but fortunately, the light changed, and CEO Han’s gaze shifted to the windshield.
I clenched and unclenched my fists slightly as I replied.
“You’re my top priority, of course. But—”
“Then you should just listen to me. Why are you paying attention to things that don’t matter? That’s not what your ears are for, Secretary Seonyul.”
“…Yes, sir.”
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