Chapter 41
- Can We Be Friends? 2021.09.18.
Jeong-o kept looking around after arriving at the office, trying to run away as soon as she spotted Ji-heon. Fortunately, Ji-heon was nowhere to be seen.
‘He’s a busy man, so he wouldn’t be guarding this place on the weekend. He’ll probably forget all about today by Monday.’
Jeong-o locked away her anxiety and headed to the conference room. There were several cups of coffee from a brand-name coffee shop on the conference table. Chief Park Young-gwang, who had arrived earlier, said,
“Assistant Manager Lee, pick whatever you want to drink.”
“Are you buying, Chief?”
“No. The Director is.”
Jeong-o almost dropped the iced Americano she had confidently grabbed. Young-gwang took a long sip of his coffee and said,
“I was a little scared at first, but I think the Director really takes good care of the employees.”
“Really? I don’t know about that.”
“No, he even contacted me directly during the last tasting event and asked me to make sure Assistant Manager Lee wasn’t being harassed by demanding advertisers. That’s why I’ve been sticking by your side.”
Ah. Upon learning this unexpected fact, her head throbbed as if she had swallowed crushed ice. Meeting her in front of her house a while ago, asking Chief Park Young-gwang for that favor, taking her call and handling the situation today, and even today’s coffee. It felt like Ji-heon was constantly watching her from somewhere. The feeling that she was trapped in the palm of his hand, no matter how hard she tried to escape, took over her thoughts. Jeong-o put down the Americano she was holding. The team members arrived one by one, and the Competitive Presentation production meeting began. The Competitive Presentation was already just ten days away. Go Eun-ju joined the team in place of Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae, who had been kicked out of the production team. Jeong-o felt reassured, feeling like she had gained an ally. For some reason, Chae Eun-bi didn’t show up today, making the meeting easier. When she voiced her opinions in meetings with Eun-bi, it often drew subtle disapproval. Eun-bi would come after her again tomorrow and nitpick all of Jeong-o’s ideas, but at least today was peaceful.
“We’ve discussed a lot today, so should we wrap it up? Everyone should enjoy their Saturday evening and we’ll meet again tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
The team members cheered at Mi-ran’s words. Jeong-o, who had worked hard to come up with ideas, also got up from her seat with a sense of accomplishment. Just in time, the studio sent over the revised work. It would be perfect to check the work and go home to spend a cozy evening with her family. As Jeong-o sat down, Gi-hoon spoke to her.
“Assistant Manager, aren’t you leaving? I drove here today. I can give you a ride.”
“No, I have some work to check. Go ahead.”
“Okay. Then I’ll be going.”
The others also said their goodbyes one by one, and soon Jeong-o was left alone. Currently, Jeong-o’s team was the only one in the headquarters working on the Competitive Presentation, so there was no one around. Sitting alone in the office gave her an eerie feeling.
‘I should hurry up and leave too.’
It was just a matter of comparing the script with the work, so it was time-consuming but not difficult at all. Jeong-o, having finished checking the work, soon got up from her seat. And then, she made eye contact with Ji-heon, who was standing still in the distance.
‘Ugh, I’m doomed.’
He had been at the company. Jeong-o became very nervous at the way Ji-heon was looking at her. It felt like she was being beaten with his gaze.
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
He approached her and asked in a low voice. What was coming had finally come. Jeong-o was startled inside, but she didn’t show it. He continued teasingly,
“The password was quite unique. Especially the consonants, 'g, s'.”
‘I’m going to listen with one ear and let it out the other’… She felt like everything she had eaten for breakfast and lunch was sitting heavy in her stomach. Her face was turning red, but he continued to scold her, unconcerned.
“And you were even going to share it with Song Gi-hun.”
Jeong-o feigned ignorance and retorted playfully,
*
“Do you live with your mother?”
Ji-heon asked in the car as they drove down the road. Jeong-o fidgeted with her hands before slowly answering,
“Yes.”
Her heart inevitably raced when she lied.
“Isn’t it uncomfortable living with your mother?”
“No. My mom and I are soulmates.”
His eyes, unreadable, briefly turned to her before looking straight ahead again.
“What about you, Director?”
“What?”
“Aren’t you close to your mother?”
This time, she asked the question. Jeong-o’s lips felt parched as she waited for his answer.
“It’s been a while since we lived together.”
“So you’re uncomfortable with your mother?”
“I’m just more comfortable being alone.”
“It’s not that you don’t like her?”
She was serious, but he let out a deflated laugh. Did he think the question was absurd? Jeong-o quickly changed the subject.
“But you still like her a lot, right?”
“I respect her. In many ways.”
Jeong-o slowly nodded. She wondered if it had been pointless to even question the bond of kinship. The idea of trying to pry into any cracks between him and his mother was wrong in itself. But if not, how could she ever reach the truth? Could she ever get close to this man again? A man who had changed so much that she could have mistaken him for someone else if it weren’t for his appearance. Could she ever re-enter this man’s heart? While she was pondering, Ji-heon’s car arrived in her neighborhood.
“Which way from here?”
Ji-heon asked as he entered the alley in front of the convenience store.
“Ah, please stop here!”
Jeong-o shouted urgently. As Ji-heon stopped the car, Jeong-o quickly got out.
“Just a moment. I’ll be right back.”
Jeong-o quickly entered the convenience store and grabbed a few items. Barley tea, which she had once left in his car seven years ago, gum, and a piece of candy that she had once put in his pocket. Jeong-o quickly paid and came out of the convenience store. Ji-heon, who had already gotten out of the car, was standing blankly in the direction she had gone, but he spotted her and approached. Jeong-o handed Ji-heon the items she had bought from the convenience store.
“I prepared water for you to drink if you’re thirsty, and gum and candy to chew when you’re sleepy. Thank you for the ride.”
‘Please remember me.’ And ‘Please go back now.’ Ji-heon slightly frowned at the gifts she gave him, which contained both meanings. His expression seemed like he was trying to recall a memory, which made Jeong-o’s heart flutter. She needed to get closer to him. She needed to become more than just a superior and subordinate. But she couldn’t be too obvious. Could she find out about him without revealing too much about herself? Without anyone finding out? Without even Yena’s existence being discovered?
‘Can we be friends?’
I need to slowly build trust, and someday I’ll have to tell him the truth. I need to have the strength to stand against his mother. That I met his mother, that seven years ago I spoke on the phone with someone pretending to be him. I have to reveal all the facts and make him believe me. Can I do it? Do I have that kind of strength? I was afraid when I thought about the future. But still, I have to take a step.
“Director, I’m actually good at giving advice.”
I carefully took a step toward him.
“I can listen if you have any difficulties. For example, when you have friction with someone, when work is hard, or when you just feel like talking to someone.”
“……”
“I can be your friend.”
Don't make it too obvious... I approached him with a desperate wish as if casting a spell, but his eyes were sharp, as if seeing right through me. Fearing that he might be displeased, Jeong-o flinched and added.
“I’m your subordinate and younger than you, so the word ‘friend’ might be a little uncomfortable, but it’s good to have a young friend. You’ll definitely feel younger too.”
“……”
“Not like a romantic friend, but someone who can give you harsh words, rough words, advice.”
The silence between the words was precarious. After a long pause, he opened his mouth.
“Rough words.”
“……”
“Good.”
He said, twisting the corner of his lips.
“Friend.”
“……”
“Let’s do it. Friend.”
There was nothing unhealthy in the words he spat out, but somehow his pronunciation sounded obscene. Jeong-o tried to ignore the foreign feeling and nodded boldly.
“Yes. Friend.”
Maybe I’m walking into the lion’s den right now. If I’m going into the lion’s den anyway, I should go fully armed and catch the lion.
“Let’s keep our friendship a secret for now. I’m too worried about Eun-bi misunderstanding.”
Will this man keep this promise? I'll test him starting with that. Jeong-o held out her hand for a handshake. Ji-heon found her determined expression amusing. He could laugh thanks to her boldness in drawing a line as friends when he was trying to approach her so openly. It was amazing that the woman who had always seemed angry and frozen in front of him, the woman who had been so nervous that she even showed tears, had approached him like this. It felt like she was putting him, who was about twice her size, on the palm of her hand and pressing down on him. Ji-heon firmly grasped her outstretched hand. With an expression that said he would gladly walk into it, even if it was a trap. His hot body temperature was transmitted through her palm. I was just going to shake hands. I'm going to catch the tiger, so why do I already feel like I've been caught? Jeong-o's eyes widened as he suddenly lifted her hand instead of shaking it. Like a brand on a new relationship, his lips were imprinted on the back of her hand.
Smack. Heok! Her face quickly turned red. Jeong-o quickly pulled her hand away and scolded him.
“This isn’t something friends do! Don’t you know that? Don’t you have any friends?”
“Ah. I don’t have any, so I didn’t know.”
Ji-heon replied nonchalantly, hiding his sinister intentions.
“I don’t care, whatever.”
He was satisfied. The pretext doesn't matter. Friend or whatever. As long as I can take my place next to you. Ji-heon was the kind of person who had always lived that way.
