Knock, knock.
A quiet knock preceded the slow creak of the conference room door. The sound of a chair being pulled out echoed in the silence as Seo Jung-hoo, eyes still fixed on the document, registered the new presence.
“Did you prepare this, Assistant Manager Han?”
He lifted the file he’d been reading and asked, his tone as flat as if addressing a complete stranger.
Though she hadn’t expected anything, a cold shiver ran down Bom’s spine.
It felt like he was intentionally putting distance between them.
“Yes, I did.”
“It’s neatly done.”
His sharp eyes dropped back down to the report. Everything was organized clearly, concise to the point that anyone could grasp it at a glance.
“Thank you for the kind words.”
With just that one line of praise, some of Bom’s tension eased.
“One year as an intern. Two years as a full-time employee.”
He murmured her résumé aloud, almost to himself. Seongho Group had far more stringent requirements for full-time employment than most companies. Unlike places where you became permanent after your internship, Seongho required performance evaluations and an official conversion exam. Because of this, conversion rates were relatively low.
“Is the work hard?”
He asked while flipping to the next page.
“It’s difficult, but fulfilling.”
Bom replied sincerely. Though the frequent late nights were draining, seeing the results made it feel worthwhile.
Her hands were clasped tightly on her lap, a damp sweat clinging to her palms. When she finally looked up, the sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast Seo Jung-hoo’s refined features into sharp relief. The backlighting made his presence feel colder somehow.
Each time he moved, the cufflinks on his sleeves caught the light. The tie pin, the same design as the cufflinks, gleamed against his deep gray tie. Dressed in muted monochromes, he felt distant and unfamiliar.
“Is the company treating you well?”
“Yes. I’d like to keep working hard here.”
His lips curved ever so slightly, then quickly returned to their usual line.
“You’re a very diligent worker, Assistant Manager Han.”
She couldn’t tell if it was praise or sarcasm.
“No one’s been giving you trouble?”
For a moment, Bom thought she misheard. She paused, trying to make sense of the ambiguous question.
Up to this point, Seo Jung-hoo had only ever asked formal, business-related questions.
Sensing her confusion, he clarified.
“I was just curious if there was any workplace bullying. It’s become more common these days.”
Only then did Bom stop thinking.
But a strange sense of disappointment caught in her throat.
Why did it bother her so much that he was keeping a clear line between them?
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. Everyone’s been kind, and I’m learning a lot.”
“That’s not what I heard.”
Surprised, Bom looked up wide-eyed. His tone had carried a note of certainty, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask what he meant.
A lull fell over the room. The air turned thick with awkwardness, drying out her lips.
“Do you have anything you want to say before we wrap up?”
He lifted his gaze and stared at her.
Faced with him directly, Bom’s lips moved—but no sound followed.
That night in New York… it was as if he had erased it from memory.
He’d maintained a strictly professional demeanor from the start. And Bom couldn’t bring herself to blur that line. Not here. Not now.
“…No, sir.”
“You may go.”
Bom stood and gave a polite bow. As she turned and left the room, Seo Jung-hoo’s gaze clung stubbornly to her back.
Clunk.
The door finally shut behind her.
The elegant pen in Jung-hoo’s hand rolled off the table with a soft clatter.
“Nothing to say, huh…”
A crooked voice escaped his slightly parted lips.
***
As the hectic morning passed, lunchtime arrived. The female employees of International Business Team 1 descended to the cafeteria. Bom had just sat down at a table with her tray of food when Assistant Manager Yoon and Section Chief Lee joined her. Bom pulled back a chair for Lee to sit.
“Thanks.”
Lee placed her tray down and glanced between Bom and Yoon.
Yoon’s evaluation interview had been right after Bom’s.
“So, how did your interviews go?”
“Don’t even get me started. He knew the work better than I did! I’d answer one question, and he’d shoot back two or three more. I was completely flustered.”
Yoon shook her head, still rattled. Lee, having already been through it, nodded knowingly.
“Seems like the rumors weren’t wrong. Kim from Team 2 said he was notoriously picky.”
“Not just picky—he’s thorough and leaves no room for error. No wonder people say he crushed the European branch.”
Bom, quietly listening, let out a small sigh.
“What’s with the sigh?”
She was usually quiet, but today she was practically mute. Even when spoken to, she often didn’t respond. Since her interview ended, she’d seemed off. They wondered if she’d been scolded.
“I’m just worried about what’s ahead.”
She gave a vague answer and picked up her spoon. That seemed to satisfy Lee’s concern.
“I heard the Director is the Chairman’s grandson. I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not.”
Yoon grumbled. The same person who had sung Jung-hoo’s praises was now visibly deflated after the interview.
“What’s it got to do with us if he’s running the department? We just do our work.”
“How does it not matter? If we get on his good side, we’re golden. If not, we’re screwed.”
“You already thought that far ahead?”
Lee looked at Yoon like she was impressed.
“Of course! It’s about securing my future.”
Bom listened but barely touched her food. Chairman Seo of Seongho Group had only one grandchild from his two children—and he treasured that boy even more since the estrangement with his son and daughter-in-law.
Seo Jung-hoo, the Chairman’s beloved grandson.
Even that title alone made his presence feel all the more overwhelming.
Though they’d briefly attended the same university, she’d never heard that before.
She’d always assumed he came from wealth based on his car and clothes—but this revelation was something else.
Suddenly, Bom realized just how little she truly knew about Seo Jung-hoo.
He felt impossibly distant.
“Mind if I join you?”
With a cheerful grin, Deputy Manager Kim placed his tray beside Lee and pulled up a chair.
“You’re late for lunch, Kim.”
Lee and Yoon were almost done eating.
“Don’t get me started. They made me resubmit what I worked on over the weekend. I’ve just come from that.”
Kim sighed heavily, his expression dark. It felt like he’d landed squarely in the Director’s crosshairs. What sealed the feeling was the parting comment Jung-hoo had made:
“I’m more meticulous than I may seem.”
The jab had hit home. Kim could already see a path of suffering ahead.
“Hang in there, Kim. All that hard work will pay off.”
Lee patted his shoulder in sympathy.
“We’ll head up first. Enjoy your lunch.”
After Lee and Yoon left, Bom stood with her tray. Kim looked up in surprise.
“You barely touched anything. Already leaving?”
“Ah… I don’t really have an appetite.”
“You should eat at least a few more bites.”
He hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but the words slipped out. He was hoping to have a coffee with her after lunch—just the two of them.
“I’ve got work to do. I’ll head up first.”
She gave a polite nod and walked away, tray in hand. Kim let out a long, weary sigh.
***
“Deputy Manager Kim’s the only one who really looks out for Assistant Manager Han.”
Back in the elevator heading upstairs, Lee nudged Bom’s side. Yoon chimed in as something occurred to her.
“That’s true. Even when she was on her business trip, he looked pretty concerned.”
“He kept hovering around our team’s area.”
Listening to them banter in sync, Bom’s expression turned awkward. It seemed they were misinterpreting Kim’s kindness.
“I used to be in Team 2 when I was an intern. Deputy Manager Kim is just naturally thoughtful with all his teammates.”
“Hmm. Still doesn’t feel like it’s just that.”
Lee’s subtle expression of hope made Bom uneasy.
“Come on, Kim’s a catch. Reliable, hardworking, not bad-looking either.”
Yoon backed up Lee’s words. Just as Bom opened her mouth to steer the conversation elsewhere, the elevator doors slid open—and a familiar scent hit her nose.
When the doors fully parted, a voice called out from behind.
“Assistant Manager Han, how about giving Deputy Manager Kim a chance?”
At the same time, a large silhouette blocked Bom’s path.
Silver cufflinks. A matching tie pin.
Reflexively, she tilted her head back—only to meet a pair of pitch-black eyes.
