10 rules of a Secretary chapter 32

“I like you, Secretary Seonyul.”

The sudden statement made me look at his neat profile.

His next words made me frown again.

“So don’t wag your tail at those insignificant bastards.”

Wag my tail?

But first, the chairman isn’t some insignificant bastard. As an ordinary citizen, there’s no way I could ever beat the chairman.

There’s always someone better, and the chairman is definitely a cut above me.

“Dduki and Ddolboki have tails, not me. But if you keep bringing up tails like this, I might actually show up with one next time.”

As I stared intently at him, with the intention of slapping him with that tail, CEO Han smirked.

It was the kind of look you’d give a ten-year-old child showing off.

“I’ll get you that tail.”

“Make sure it’s encrusted with diamonds. Anything less, and I’ll consider it just a rock.”

“Why not ask for gold, too? Gold’s pretty valuable these days.”

“Fine, gold with diamonds. I won’t settle for anything less.”

Saying that, I pictured it in my mind. A dog tail encrusted with diamonds.

Wow, that would be insanely expensive.

How much could I sell it for? The thought made me smile without even realizing it.

When I looked over at CEO Han like that, he gave me his usual sly smile and asked, “What?”

“…I just thought it’s the first time I’ve seen you dressed like that.”

I wasn’t laughing at you, but at my future money.

But I didn’t have the guts to say that out loud. I thought it might be better to steer the conversation in a different direction, so I tried to continue, but the words felt awkward.

Waiting quietly for his response, I saw him hesitate for a moment before his lips moved.

His voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible, but the car was too silent.

“…So, what do you think?”

“It looks good. I like the suits too, but casual clothes suit you as well. You have a great body, so everything looks good on you.”

“I don’t think you’ve ever seen me with my shirt off.”

“I don’t need to. It’s obvious just by looking. You’ve got everything a man could want. Those toned muscles that show through your clothes, those broad shoulders. You’re fully equipped to be adored.”

Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen him without a shirt. Some people say bosses make their assistants help them dress, but CEO Han never did that.

Not that I didn’t know, though.

Unlike me, who, because of my thin build, always wore a jacket in the sweltering heat of summer to hide my body, CEO Han often wore just a thin shirt.

As I thought about this, I glanced at CEO Han’s thick profile and added.

“Yes, you’re very impressive. Impressive, handsome. You can do anything.”

Flattery had become so second nature to me that it no longer had any effect.

Maybe he didn’t think my words were worth responding to because CEO Han stayed quiet.

I thought his ears looked a bit red, but the passing streetlights soon obscured them.

Glancing at the LED display above the air conditioner, I saw the time flicker—10:32.

I licked my lips, thinking of the pills in my pocket. I kept reassuring myself that everything would be fine as I let out a light breath.

Tomorrow morning, I had an important reason to go home.

Surely, they wouldn’t keep me past midnight on a Friday night.

With that in mind, I absentmindedly stared at CEO Han’s thick, long, masculine fingers.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious about my own fingers, I curled them into a loose fist.

Yeah, it was definitely a good idea to give the car to those loan sharks in place of interest.

A person with hands like his should be the one driving, not someone like me.

Isn’t working six days a week too much?

As midnight approached, I started to pout. If I’ve been working diligently for eight years, shouldn’t I be allowed to enjoy my weekends?

If not, at least let me finish work and rest for more than three hours before being called back. This is just too much.

Hugging the documents to my chest, I looked down at CEO Han with all the emotion I could muster.

Maybe he felt my gaze because he rested his chin in his hand and tilted his head slightly, then smiled charmingly.

I don’t fall for that smile anymore.

That’s the result of eight years of working with him. I spoke with a slight tinge of annoyance.

“I’m going to charge overtime.”

“Do it. You talk like you haven’t been doing that all along. Go ahead, charge a lot.”

“I’ll only charge for the work I’ve done. Since I worked on Thursday, I’ll be charging for that as well. All of it.”

“Why not add a bit more? Even if you pad it a little, it won’t make a dent in my wealth.”

“That’s called embezzlement, CEO.”

Who does he think I am, a con artist?

As I neatly organized the documents, I heard the CEO ask for the sales team’s business plan for the year, and I moved my hand to comply.

I handed him the thick file and quietly observed the night view behind him.

Those lights were the tears of poor souls like me, who hadn’t left work yet.

Someone once said that Seoul’s night view is the best in the world.

But if they really understood what’s behind those lights, they wouldn’t find it beautiful at all…

For those who use 24 hours like 25, making the office feel more like home than their actual home, the night view was no longer a beautiful sight.

It was a reflection of the pain and sweat of our struggles.

I glanced away, paying silent tribute to those who, like me, cried while working late on a Friday night.

I noticed the CEO’s eyes were darkened, likely from lack of sleep.

If I hadn’t had a proper night’s rest, he probably hadn’t either.

“Did you have dinner?”

“If I could eat in front of that old man, I wouldn’t be human.”

So that’s why he made a quick exit from the party last time after just saying hello.

I hurried out of the CEO’s office to see if there were any snacks left in the break room.

Inside the break room, some simple bread, tea, and coffee were neatly arranged.

It had been a while since I last prepared such refreshments, and it gave me a peculiar feeling, almost like I had just started working here again.

I prepared some crackers and chamomile tea, known for its calming effects, and returned to the CEO’s office.

When I returned, I noticed something strange: the position of a few items had changed.

For example, the spot where I’d left my jacket and the disarrayed documents.

I glanced between the two for a moment, then dismissed it, thinking I was overreacting.

“I thought tea would be better than coffee at this hour, so I prepared it.”

“Hmm… but I prefer coffee.”

“Then I’ll make it weak for you. Your recent health checkup results have been on my mind.”

“Are you worried about me?”

He was oddly specific in his nitpicking today.

Watching the CEO nibble on a cookie, I smiled widely and picked up another one, gently shoving it into his mouth.

His soft lips brushed against my fingertips.

“Just eat your snack and keep quiet.”

He chewed the cookie and swallowed, then looked up at me with a bewildered expression. His face clearly said, “What the heck are you doing?”

It had been a long time since I’d seen such an expression that wasn’t one of irritation, sarcasm, or anger.

I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of victory, so I smiled.

“Where’s your respect for your boss?”

In response, I confidently showed him the time on my phone: 12:01 AM.

Today was Saturday, the weekend, not a weekday.

“It’s the weekend. Remember two years ago on New Year’s? You said you’d give me a chance for a casual chat.”

“So you’re going to take it.”

“Why not? You ruined the peaceful weekend I was planning.”

“How disappointing. You were planning a peaceful weekend? I have to attend meetings for the fashion business even on weekends.”

“Well, that’s not my schedule. You’re the one who chose that hassle.”

I almost thought about the meeting scheduled for this afternoon, but quickly stopped myself.

Worrying about it would be like paying interest on money I hadn’t borrowed.

Just being in the office at this hour was enough to give me heartburn; I didn’t need to add unnecessary thoughts.

“Then go.”

“…Now?”

I blinked with a flicker of hope.

The CEO gave a brief smile, motioned me over with a flick of his hand, and then clasped my hand.

“I’m not heartless enough to force a sick person to work.”

His cold touch transferred to my palm. It was an odd sensation—unpleasant yet somewhat comforting.

“Why are you holding my hand?”

“Why not? Is it a problem?”

Not really, but it did feel strange.

His fingers, long and straight, slid over my palm as if they were licking my delicate wrist.

Just as I was about to tell him to stop, he frowned slightly as if displeased and lightly grabbed my arm.

“You’ve got a fever now. You didn’t have it earlier, but it’s warm now.”

“I guess it’s… a cold.”

“If you’re sick, you should rest. You shouldn’t get sick in the first place.”

As I looked at his fine hair, our eyes met. He smiled brightly, literally like sunshine.

When a good-looking guy smiles like that, it’s hard not to feel something.

My heart skipped a beat, and my fingertips trembled briefly. He leaned in close and spoke softly, each syllable striking like a hammer in my ear.

“What should I do if I want to see you on the weekend, Secretary Seonyul?”

It was a line I heard every Friday, nothing special, but for some reason, it felt different today. It was as if I was hearing it for the first time. I stared at his clear face, and without thinking, I blurted out,

“…Shall I attend tomorrow’s meeting with you?”