* * *
Wookyung hesitated for a moment.
Why would the CEO’s secretary be calling me?
Could it be a special promotion?
Or maybe there’s a bonus I don’t know about?
‘No way.’
If it were work-related, Saheon—who’s sitting right next to him—would be the one to tell him.
But he hadn’t said a word.
In fact, he was silently asking with his eyes what was going on.
‘Could it be about Manager Shin and Director Min…?’
That seemed more likely.
Just a few days ago, those two had a huge argument.
He had even tried to calm Manager Shin down with a few words.
And if Manager Shin had done something after that—
Even then, it didn’t quite add up.
That was clearly their family business, and at best, he was just a close junior or subordinate.
There was no reason for the CEO’s secretary to call him directly.
“…Ah.”
As if on cue, the smartphone in his hand buzzed again.
The number on the screen matched the one that had sent the earlier text.
“Wookyung, what’s wrong? Who is it?”
Saheon, always sharp, immediately picked up on the shift in his mood.
He glanced down at the phone in Wookyung’s hand.
An unsaved 11-digit number caught his eye.
“It’s Chief Secretary Ahn. What would he want with you?”
“Huh? How do you know?”
Wookyung flinched, even his shoulders twitching as he looked at Saheon.
Then again, it would be weirder if Saheon didn’t know.
“Chief Secretary Ahn is the one constantly reaching out to find the CEO. You might not remember, but back in college, he was the one who came to school and sorted out one of my issues.”
Was that so?
It had been so long that he couldn’t recall the face.
But Wookyung knew of that secretary.
He was CEO Choi’s closest aide—someone who had assisted him in both public and private matters for twenty years.
There were rumors that the two had been friends since middle and high school.
“Why do you think he’s calling?”
At this point, it felt easier to just ask Saheon outright.
Saheon gazed at him quietly, his eyes clearly weighing something.
So Wookyung waited for him to say more.
Or at least, he wanted to, but the constant buzzing of his phone made that impossible.
“Just answer it.”
“…Yeah, I guess I should.”
Not knowing the reason, the only way to understand the situation was to pick up.
Especially since the call came after a message explicitly saying they would call—he couldn’t keep avoiding it.
“This is Wookyung speaking.”
—Hello, Assistant Manager Gil Wookyung. Apologies for disturbing you. As mentioned in the text, I’m Ahn Hyokyung, the secretary of the CEO. Please feel free to call me Chief Secretary Ahn.
“Yes, nice to meet you, Chief Secretary Ahn.”
Instead of sighing, Wookyung took a deep breath and opened his mouth again.
“So what’s the reason for contacting me?”
There was no need for small talk—they weren’t exactly close, and there was no point wasting time.
He got straight to the point.
His tone was polite yet firm, and Saheon couldn’t help but smirk, the corners of his lips curling in approval.
As if to say “well done,” he quietly reached out and held Wookyung’s hand.
The touch was so natural that Wookyung didn’t even register it.
He simply waited for the other side to respond.
—The CEO would like to meet with you. Would 9 p.m. tonight work for you?
It was phrased as a question, but Wookyung wasn’t fooled. It was practically a command.
What the hell?
Why does CEO Choi want to see me?
And tonight, of all times?
At 9 p.m.?
What was with that absurd timing?
The utter lack of consideration, clearly choosing a time that only suited his schedule—how typical.
‘Ugh, just like his son… and his mother.’
Sure, it might be unfair to generalize, but there was no denying that CEO Choi had played a major role in shaping Director Min’s arrogant personality.
Still, it wasn’t like he could refuse.
He was just about to agree when—
His wrist, still holding the phone, was gently grabbed.
“Wookyung, just a moment. Would it be okay if I took the call?”
It wasn’t forceful—he was careful not to hurt him.
But the gentleness in Saheon’s voice made Wookyung unconsciously yield to him, letting him do as he pleased.
The phone passed naturally into Saheon’s hand, and he took the call as smoothly as flowing water.
“Hello, Chief Secretary Ahn. This is Choi Saheon.”
There was a brief pause—perhaps surprise—but Chief Secretary Ahn quickly recovered and responded calmly.
—Ah, hello. Young Master Saheon. So you’re with Assistant Manager Gil right now.
“Yes. So I happened to overhear the conversation. May I ask why my aunt is trying to meet with Wookyung?”
—She said she had some business with him. I don’t know the details myself.
If CEO Choi had given the order, then Secretary Ahn definitely knew why they were meeting.
If he wasn’t saying, it meant one of two things: either it was something personal and confidential, or…
Saheon turned to look at Wookyung, who was clearly straining to hear every word of the conversation.
His desperate eyes didn’t match his composed face—it was both endearing and a little heartbreaking.
“I’ll let him know the meeting is confirmed, then.”
Chief Secretary Ahn tried to say something more, but Saheon firmly, yet politely, wrapped things up and ended the call.
“What was that? How could you just end the call like that when it was me they were calling?!”
This wasn’t just anyone—it was the CEO’s secretary.
There was a good chance they’d meet again, and being labeled as an inconsiderate employee would do him no good.
Not to mention, he was part of Saheon’s TF team now!
“As long as the meeting’s arranged, that’s all that matters.”
“That’s not the point. Why did you have to answer?”
“Sorry. But has this ever happened before? Has my aunt ever contacted you like this?”
“No, never.”
Wookyung answered automatically, then realized Saheon had deftly changed the subject and narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t change the subject. Are you going to keep butting in like this every time someone calls me?”
“If it concerns me.”
He didn’t quite get what that meant and tilted his head.
Saheon let out a long sigh and handed the phone back, then shared the suspicion he’d had earlier.
“I’m certain whatever my aunt wants to talk to you about… it’s something to do with me.”
“With you?”
“Yes. She used Chief Secretary Ahn to arrange a meeting with you. Then when I asked what it was about, he said he couldn’t tell me. So what else could it be?”
Apparently, Saheon had the same idea Wookyung had earlier.
That it was a personal matter, but one involving him.
“Ah…”
Only then did Wookyung seem to grasp the situation, his eyes flickering slightly.
Even so, his face remained mostly unreadable, and that made Saheon feel oddly guilty.
“I’m sorry. My aunt can be… a little rude.”
“It was surprising, yeah. But more importantly! If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have been so quick to say we’d meet!”
Wookyung finally narrowed his eyes and gave him a hard stare.
If it’s something related to Saheon, then… isn’t it pretty obvious what kind of talk this is going to be?
‘What if he tells me to stay away from Mr. Saheon right away? What if he snaps that I’m not someone I should even think of approaching?’
Even if he had to hear something like that, he needed to be mentally prepared to not waver.
‘What if he tries to hand me an envelope full of money? I wonder how much would be in it. Or worse, what if he throws something at me and tells me to break up immediately… or pours water on me…’
All kinds of crazy melodramatic scenarios flashed through his mind.
But then he remembered what Manager Shin had told him about meeting CEO Choi, and he calmed down a little.
As far as he knew, CEO Choi had never acted like someone completely lacking in common sense.
If anything, he was the type to stay composed and aloof while saying condescending things with a polite tone.
‘Which honestly feels worse.’
There’s no way the person hearing it wouldn’t realize he was being talked down to.
That’s probably why Manager Shin had that bitter look on his face when he mentioned it.
“Even if you had said no, Mr. Saheon wouldn’t have backed off easily. He probably would’ve made things even more exhausting.”
“Well, yeah, I figured as much…”
Having seen it up close, Wookyung knew that all too well.
Still, it didn’t sit right that Saheon had said those things on his behalf.
“Still, what happened today was Saheon’s mistake. He acted without properly explaining anything to me.”
As Wookyung stared at him firmly, Saheon, for some reason, looked oddly pleased—almost happy.
Did he not realize he was being scolded right now?
Wookyung narrowed his eyes, bewildered by his reaction.
But then Saheon, still smiling, said something even more ridiculous.
“Good. Just like that. Do it exactly like that in front of your aunt too. Be yourself, Wookyung.”
* * *
