Episode 4
“I’m sorry. I gave the department head a document earlier, but he accidentally shredded it, so he asked where the original was. I just told him.”
“It’s fine. Our manager contacts people outside work hours all the time. It’s nothing new.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“But, Mr. Song… Can we go back to what we were talking about earlier?”
Yoo Si-a shifted in her seat as if to say that the other matter wasn’t important.
“I’m not someone who’s vain, you know.”
Deputy Manager Song Jin-sung thought it was probably a matter of wording.
‘Yeah, I guess using the word “vain” might have sounded offensive.’
He spoke carefully.
“Sorry, maybe the word I used came off too harsh. I apologize for that.”
“It’s not that.”
Yoo Si-a, without revealing everything, still tried to explain a bit.
“My family is rich.”
Second richest conglomerate family in Korea.
And not just “rich” in the usual sense.
Starting from the restaurant they were eating at…
Even if she were to buy every building in the Sinsa Station area — including all the supercars on Gangnam Avenue — she’d still have money left.
In fact, the building this restaurant was in had already been secretly registered under a fake name by Chairman Yoo Jin-gap, to eventually give to his granddaughter.
Of course, the people currently dining there had no idea.
But Song Jin-sung gave a completely unexpected response.
“You don’t have to make excuses.”
“What?”
“It’s understandable.”
He calmly placed both hands on the table.
“When someone starts earning their own money for the first time, it’s natural to want things. You want to spend, you want to enjoy. I’ve been through it too, so I get it.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean, I really am rich…”
Yoo Si-a blinked slowly, trying to be sincere.
But Song Jin-sung shook his head.
“Si-a, let me be honest.”
He seemed to think the conversation would just go in circles otherwise.
“At first, I really did think you were a chaebol.”
Seeing how often her clothes and luxury items changed daily — something normal people can’t usually afford — that thought made sense.
“But I heard something from Assistant Manager Park.”
“What did you hear?”
“That bag you brought last time — I heard you had to return it.”
“Oh, that…”
Yoo Si-a went speechless.
He must be talking about the new Hermesia bag she brought a while ago.
‘Well, technically, it does have to be returned.’
It happens sometimes.
When luxury brands launch special collections, they let top-tier VIPs test the products before release.
Especially for that Hermesia bag, only three people per country were selected.
Yoo Si-a was one of them.
So yes, it had to be returned — but not because it was rented.
But Song Jin-sung misunderstood.
“That’s a rental service, right?”
“…Rental?”
“It’s popular among the MZ generation. You rent luxury goods you can’t afford to buy, just so you can carry them for a bit. It’s a whole business now.”
“…I’ve never heard of that before.”
That kind of service was news to her — genuinely.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
“I really didn’t!”
“…Seriously?”
“Yes.” She nodded firmly.
That reaction gave Song Jin-sung a weird feeling.
‘What the…?’
At first, he thought she was just embarrassed.
‘But judging by her face… maybe she really didn’t know?’
But before he could think more—
Buzz!
His phone rang again.
“…One sec.”
[Caller: Manager Ma Won-ho]
“Sorry, it’s Manager Ma again.”
“You can take it here if you want.”
“No, I’ll just step out quickly.”
He walked outside to take the call.
“Yes, sir? Still can’t find the document?”
— No, Song. I found that. But there’s an urgent issue.
“An urgent issue?”
— Sorry for the late call, but I need you to come to the office right now.
“…Right now?”
It was past 8 p.m.
He’d barely finished dinner.
— You remember the GH Air Conditioner ad that launches nationwide tomorrow?
“Yes. We worked really hard to secure that project.”
— The actress in that commercial just got caught in a drug scandal. It’s under embargo for now, but it won’t stay secret past tonight.
“…Damn. Got it. I’ll head back immediately.”
After ending the call, he returned to the restaurant.
“Si-a, I’m really sorry, but something urgent came up.”
“…Huh?”
“I have to head back to the office.”
“Should I come with you?”
“No, there’s no need.”
Even though it was serious, this wasn’t something an intern needed to worry about.
“As an apology, let’s split the bill evenly.”
Leaving her behind, he rushed off toward the company.
Meanwhile, at the HR Group Chairman’s office…
“Mr. Choi.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“Do you think she’s upset that I sent her allowance late…?”
Chairman Yoo Jin-gap sounded genuinely worried.
His granddaughter usually replied instantly when he messaged her.
But today, she hadn’t responded at all.
“I’m sure she’s not upset. Miss Si-a isn’t the kind to be petty about that.”
“I hope so…”
He treated his grandsons harshly — barely giving them anything.
But when it came to Si-a, he was soft.
“Sigh…” He sighed deeply, then looked up.
“Mr. Choi…”
“Yes?”
“I can’t stop thinking about what Si-a said.”
“What did she say?”
At dinner a few days ago, Si-a had said:
“He’s a good person. He works at our company.”
“She’s so innocent… thinking that anyone from our company must be good.”
“I don’t think that’s what she meant…”
“Just because he works for us doesn’t mean he’s a good guy.”
“…That’s true.”
“There are wolves everywhere in this world…”
He let out another deep sigh.
“What if he’s just some sleazy punk?”
“…”
“Wouldn’t that mean HR failed?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Who’s the head of HR again?”
“Director Kang Baek-hyun.”
Chairman Yoo’s eyes lit up coldly.
“Should I fire that bastard?”
“…That might be a little extreme, sir.”
“You’re right… I’m just worried.”
“Yes, sir.”
Choi Kyung-geun, the chief secretary, was sweating nervously.
He’d worked by the Chairman’s side for over 30 years.
The Yoo Jin-gap he knew was calm and rarely said anything impulsive.
But now?
‘He’s completely shaken…’
All because of his granddaughter’s dating comment, Korea’s second-most powerful businessman was mentally collapsing.
In the end, Choi carefully offered,
“Would you like me to quietly look into the guy?”
“Absolutely not!”
The Chairman shot him a glare.
“If you do that, and Si-a finds out… she might… she might…”
He couldn’t even say the words “get pregnant before marriage.”
Just thinking about it made him feel short of breath.
He took deep breaths to calm down before speaking again.
“Mr. Choi.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Then let’s do it this way…”
He gave a secret instruction.
It wasn’t something he’d normally ever do.
But under these circumstances… it made sense.
“Can you handle it?”
“Yes, it’s possible.”
“Make sure none of my sons or grandsons find out.”
“Of course.”
And so, at that moment, a covert operation began to investigate the “wolf” who’d caught the granddaughter’s heart.
Back at the restaurant near Sinsa Station…
“…What just happened?”
Left behind, Yoo Si-a stared at the restaurant’s entrance in a daze.
“Did he really leave?”
He’d even taken his coat and bag.
He clearly wasn’t coming back.
“But… I didn’t even get to explain properly…”
Somehow, HR Group’s youngest daughter had ended up being misunderstood as a shallow, image-obsessed 20-something.
“He really thinks all the luxury bags and clothes I wear are rentals?”
She opened her phone’s photo gallery.
Her home’s showroom.
Bigger than most people’s living rooms.
One wall covered with designer handbags and shoes.
Another wall packed with luxury clothes, each worth hundreds of thousands of won.
And that’s not all.
Their garage was filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Range Rovers, Aston Martins — even a one-of-a-kind new Bugatti her uncle gifted her for her 24th birthday.
Even in the backyard of her grandfather’s mansion, there was a private villa built just for her.
The land alone was worth hundreds of billions.
‘How am I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding?’
To be honest, she didn’t even mind being seen as someone who liked luxury.
In fact, she thought it was fine.
‘It just means I have a solid grasp on money.’
Even if the level of “money” was completely different from her normal.
Ding!
A message popped up on her phone.
[Song Jin-sung: Si-a, dinner was 65,000 won, right?]
[You ordered steak, and I got pasta.]
[Song Jin-sung has sent you 27,500 won.]
[Song Jin-sung: Since we didn’t open the wine, let’s refund that.]
“…Pfft!”
Si-a let out a small laugh as soon as she saw the message.
Not only did he split the bill down to the last won…
He even refused to pay for a wine they hadn’t opened.
‘I’ve seriously never met someone like this before.’
She’d never had a serious relationship before, but she’d gone on dates or been introduced to several guys.
And every single one of them had been chaebol heirs or tech CEOs.
Dutch pay?
She’d only ever seen that in dramas.
So for her, this entire experience was a first.
And the strange part was…
‘I mean… Mr. Song is really…’
Her lips curled up slightly.
‘Kind of adorable, isn’t he?’
