Chapter 17
Villain
Pure Love
17.
The Adjustment Phase
Inside Unseondang, where not a single flashy light could be found, lamps hanging from every pillar emitted a soft, mellow glow.
Yeonwoo, not understanding a word of Seongheon’s meaning, turned her body further toward him and stood straight.
A favor and an impulse purchase. She hesitated, unsure how to respond to such cryptic words that were difficult even to interpret, when Seongheon continued.
“I have a favor to ask of you, Ji Yeonwoo-ssi.”
A favor. At the unexpected word coming from Seongheon’s mouth, Yeonwoo’s eyes went round. It was hard to believe even though she had heard it clearly.
“A favor? To me? Oh, yes. A favor.”
Though Seongheon was the one asking, it was Yeonwoo whose posture became even more humble.
She was the one who had asked first, in any case, to be allowed to work at Domyeongjae. Therefore, she quickly reasoned that it would be difficult to refuse a request from him.
She only hoped, she thought next, that it would be a favor within her power to grant.
What could it be?
Yeonwoo waited in silence.
A faint scent of alcohol drifted from Seongheon as he paused, choosing his words. He didn’t seem drunk, but he had certainly been drinking.
“I’d like you to make some time this coming weekend.”
“Pardon?”
She asked back, her voice slightly louder than before. At the request to make time, her heart dropped with a thud for reasons she couldn’t quite name.
As if to explain so there would be no misunderstanding, Seongheon added more. His tone was dry, the ambiguous warmth from before having vanished.
“Architectural associates from France are arriving, and I think it might be a bit much to handle alone.”
“Ah…”
“I need someone to smile on my behalf.”
Yeonwoo lowered and then raised her heavy eyelids.
He needed someone to smile? Once again, she found herself at a loss for words, unsure of how to reply.
“You need… someone to smile. On your behalf, Vice President?”
“That’s right.”
“This weekend.”
“That’s right.”
Yeonwoo wore a hesitant expression. Words didn’t come easily, as if her vocabulary had run dry. She wasn’t even sure if she should ask more questions or give an answer right then and there.
Plucking up her courage, she lifted her gaze. Seongheon’s steady stare seemed to urge her to say something, anything.
Having made up her mind, Yeonwoo spoke in a relatively low voice.
“Since it’s a request from you, Vice President, I’d like to help, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“As you can see, I’m not exactly a person who smiles a lot.”
Seongheon tilted his posture slightly.
“That’s not true. You seemed to smile quite well.”
“And very brightly, too. Like someone who just reclaimed their lost nation.”
I smile well? Me?
It was an absurd response. She had no memory of ever smiling in front of this man, so she had no idea what he was talking about.
“Could you perhaps have me mistaken for someone else? That doesn’t sound like me.”
“It is you.”
“I don’t believe I’ve ever smiled.”
“Of course, it hasn’t happened in front of me.”
And that was the part that was irritating.
Seongheon swallowed the rest of his words and shoved his hands into his pockets. Yeonwoo’s deeply serious gaze seemed to say his words made no sense.
In truth, he had seen her with her cousin. She had smiled beautifully. The image had lingered in his mind, refusing to be forgotten.
But explaining that felt pathetic. Seongheon took a short breath and opened his lips.
“A favor comes with a price. To ask a favor without considering the price one must pay is nothing but selfishness.”
Moreover, since there was something he had already done for her, she had no grounds to protest.
Reading the answer in Yeonwoo’s flagging expression, Seongheon lifted his chin and looked down at her.
“I’d appreciate it if you considered it part of your duties. In that sense, I will compensate you amply.”
As if intending to end the conversation, Seongheon began to move. Yeonwoo hurriedly added more as she watched his back.
“No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I’m the right person, Vice President.”
Seongheon let out a short breath.
- 3 -
“I’m not confident. It sounds like an important occasion, so perhaps you should look for someone else…”
“There is no one else.”
Turning back, Seongheon looked straight at Yeonwoo.
“I have no intention of looking.”
“…”
“And I don’t want to look.”
After a slight nod, Seongheon stepped inside Unseondang. Yeonwoo stood there blankly, nibbling on her lip.
The next day.
Having finished his preparations for work, Seongheon entered the Bongwan. For Seongheon, who had had a bit of a drink the night before, the breakfast prepared was a hot, refreshing cod soup.
Seongheon took a spoonful of the hot broth. It was hot enough that one would usually need to blow on it, but Seongheon continued his meal quietly, without making a sound.
Mun Siljang, whose every waking thought was on meal preparation, assisted Seongheon with his breakfast. In the meantime, Yeonwoo, who had gone to the front gate to collect the mail, returned to the Bongwan.
She had brought it in early today to avoid walking side-by-side with Seongheon like yesterday.
“Where have you been while the Vice President is eating?”
When Eunja, who looked for any excuse to nitpick, asked grumpily, Yeonwoo set the mail down. Eunja then gave her a pointed look to get into the dining room and turned away.
Yeonwoo stepped into the dining room with hesitant feet. Seongheon’s meal was nearing its end, and Mun Siljang was pouring lukewarm water.
After drinking the water and wiping his mouth, Seongheon looked at Mun Siljang.
“Mun Siljang-nim.”
“Yes, Vice President.”
Seongheon’s gaze landed on Yeonwoo.
“Ji Yeonwoo-ssi is unable to work this weekend, so please handle the arrangements accordingly.”
Mun Siljang was startled by the sudden remark, Yeonwoo cast her gaze down, and Eunja wore a shocked, harsh expression.
After a sideways glance at Yeonwoo, Mun Siljang looked back at Seongheon.
“Yes. I will do so.”
“Ji Yeonwoo-ssi will be away for the weekend. She will be accompanying me for work.”
“Yes. Understood, Vice President.”
No questions or reasons were necessary. If Seongheon said it was so, then it was so.
Had she not recently received a chilling remark from Seongheon for her habit of following up with questions and cutting him off? Mun Siljang finished her response without further word. It was then.
“What business would the Vice President have with a newbie…?”
Eunja, whose words always flew out faster than her thoughts, muttered. Mun Siljang glared at her to be quiet, but it was already too late.
Then, surprisingly, Seongheon provided an answer.
“There is a dinner meeting with overseas architectural associates, and I need someone to assist.”
“Ah. Yes. An assistant.”
Eunja finished with a lukewarm response, lacking any tact. It would have been better if she had stopped there, but Eunja muttered once more.
“An assistant needs to know something to be useful. How’s a newbie who just washes dishes supposed to know how to assist the Vice President…?”
Mun Siljang nudged her arm to please be quiet, but this, too, was too late. Seongheon leaned back in his chair and stared intently at Eunja.
Feeling his gaze, Eunja cleared her throat for no reason and turned her head. He wasn’t a tiger, but the flash in his eyes was so formidable that she naturally avoided his gaze.
Yet even in such a moment, her lips moved of their own accord, and words that didn’t need to be said popped out.
“With one phone call, the Vice President could have plenty of staff come down from Seoul.”
When Seongheon didn’t reply, Eunja raised her head, realizing she had misspoken. It seemed she would never stop the cycle of speaking and then regretting it until the day she died.
“That is, what I mean is, I was just worried about what help a newbie could be for the important work you do, so please don’t mind me…”
“I took into account that Ji Yeonwoo-ssi has experience working as a secretary at her previous company.”
The work history he had discovered on the resume Yeonwoo had left behind yesterday served as a good excuse.
As Seongheon spoke softly, Eunja just blinked as if she hadn’t known. Standing up from his seat, Seongheon pointedly stood in front of Eunja.
“The employees at the main office value their work-life balance, so it’s difficult to call them on the weekend. We live in a world where the lowest-ranking employees are the scariest, after all.”
“Ah, yes, well…”
Seongheon glanced down at Eunja’s name tag. Then he raised his gaze again and looked at her.
“…It’s a pity, but what can be done? I can’t exactly take Mun Siljang-nim, and I can’t very well take Do Eunja-ssi, either.”
“Oh my, what would I even do there? I’d clearly be a burden rather than a help.”
“Exactly. Even if one can’t be a big help, one shouldn’t be a burden.”
“Don’t you agree?”
For the first time, Eunja shut her mouth.
Seongheon, who had been looking at Eunja as if suppressing her stubborn energy, turned his gaze to Mun Siljang. Then, Yeonwoo, who was staring fixedly at the floor, caught his eye.
Even though she knew they were talking about her, Yeonwoo stood with a blank expression, as if the conversation had absolutely nothing to do with her.
“Mun Siljang-nim, please prepare a suitable banquet dress for Ji Yeonwoo-ssi.”
“Vice President. By a banquet dress, what kind of…?”
“Something she’s never worn before and couldn’t possibly be comfortable in. That should do.”
“Understood, Vice President.”
As Mun Siljang answered quickly, Seongheon left the Bongwan.
Only after they had finished their bows and the sound of Seongheon’s footsteps had long faded did Eunja grab the hem of Mun Siljang’s clothes.
“Sister. What is it that the Seoul employees value so much that he can’t call them? Worra? What’s a worra? Do Seoul people learn to dance on the weekends?”
Mun Siljang clicked her tongue as she sharply pulled her hem away from Eunja’s grip.
“Unless you put a padlock on that trap of yours, you won’t die of natural causes. Just know you’re perfectly suited to be beaten to death somewhere!”
“Oh my, Sister, your words are so harsh this morning. Truly harsh. I’ve lived my whole life like this; do you think it’s something that can be easily fixed?”
When Mun Siljang and Eunja returned to the dining area, Yeonwoo was clearing the dishes.
Eunja flopped down into the chair the master had vacated, watched Yeonwoo’s back, and muttered lifelessly.
“Hey, newbie.”
“Yes?”
“You worked as a secretary in Seoul? That’s some fancy work, isn’t it?”
“No, it just happened to be for a short while.”
Yeonwoo trailed off and hurried to clear the plates.
A world where everyone but her was fancy. Eunja let out a long sigh and looked at Mun Siljang.
“Anyway, Sister. What kind of clothes does he want us to prepare? Do we have to scour the valleys of Yeosongsan and find her a fairy’s winged robe or something?”
As Yeonwoo, whose earlobes were red as if from embarrassment, quietly moved back and forth clearing the table, Mun Siljang watched her for a moment before tapping the table and calling Eunja.
“Call them. Tell them to come to Domyeongjae today.”
“Where? Oh, there?”
As if their thoughts had aligned, Eunja pulled out her phone.
“Right. There’s that place. Oh my, our Sister’s brain is still spinning fast even at her age. How did you think of it so quickly?”
“Where else is there that sells clothes like banquet dresses but there?”
“True, very true. That place is the pride of Moksan County. Of course. Hey, newbie! You should consider yourself honored! Thanks to Sister Mun, you’re going to be living it up in a winged robe!”
Eunja found the business card she had saved in her phone’s photo gallery and pressed the numbers with clumsy fingers.
A moment later, Eunja’s loud voice rang out.
“Yes. Hello? Is this the Domyeong Costume Room? Is this Director Hong Geum-soon’s cell phone?”
