The Woman Who Stole My Flower
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
30.
‘If I got Kang Joo-heon’s autograph for my dad, he’d love it just as much.’
To be honest, the thought hadn’t never crossed her mind before, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to ask for an autograph from a man who glared at her every time their eyes met.
‘Should I ask him later?’
Just as she was pondering this, Kang Joo-heon strode over and asked,
“Did you bring the lunchbox?”
Instantly, Yeon-seo felt the sharp, burning glares of his fans pierce right through her.
‘Who is that woman?’
‘Who does she think she is, packing a lunchbox for Joo-heon?’
Yeon-seo panicked. ‘This tactless jerk! It’s not like he’s going to eat it here anyway, so why on earth ask for it in front of all these fans?’
No, wait—was he really just being clueless, or was he doing this on purpose? Was he sending a silent command to Honey Joo-heon? Like, Take care of her for me? Could this be the classic tactic of “killing with a borrowed knife” that people talked about?
If anyone found out she was the culprit behind the hickey incident on top of this, her life would literally be in danger.
Deciding she needed to survive first, Yeon-seo’s mind raced.
“I have prepared a meal with strictly calculated nutrition to support the player’s dietary management!”
Handing over the lunchbox respectfully with both hands, she spoke loudly on purpose for everyone to hear.
“We at Bellator are always cheering for you, Kang Joo-heon-ssi!”
Unlike the Honey Joo-heon fans, who breathed a collective sigh of relief as if realizing, Oh, she’s just company staff?, Kang Joo-heon furrowed his brows in deep displeasure.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Yeon-seo whispered frantically,
“We can’t have your fans misunderstanding!”
After the award ceremony concluded, lunchtime began. Other matches were scheduled to continue in the afternoon.
Amid the bustle of distributing lunchboxes, a secret transaction was underway on one side of the field. Kang Joo-heon’s manager slipped over to the captain of FC Thor, who had just received the soccer championship prize, and nudged his side.
“Do you have the promised goods?”
The captain of FC Thor whispered back,
“It’s ready.”
What was handed over as covertly as illicit contraband was none other than the championship prize: an Apple Phone. The pink model.
“What on earth does Kang Joo-heon need this for?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, the FC Thor captain asked, prompting the manager to let out a deep sigh.
“Don’t even get me started. He played today solely for this.”
The FC Thor captain could not understand it at all. Sure, the new Apple Phone was famously expensive, but was it expensive enough to matter to Kang Joo-heon?
“No, I mean, the man makes a fortune. Why not just buy one instead of going this far…?”
“He said she wouldn’t take something bought with money.”
“Pardon?”
The manager looked at the captain of FC Thor with eyes heavy with a complicated story. It was a look that seemed to say, It breaks my heart that I can’t tell you.
“There’s a whole situation.”
*
To reiterate, Bellator was not a company that pinched pennies on sports day. That applied to the prizes, and it certainly applied to the lunchboxes.
Naturally, boxed meals were delivered for Kang Joo-heon, his manager, and his secretary Yeon-seo according to headcount. Kang Joo-heon’s meal, in particular, seemed to be a special custom order, boasting a much more lavish spread than the standard ones. Seeing grilled eel, abalone, and braised short ribs, Yeon-seo was amazed. This had to cost at least fifty thousand won.
Compared to this luxurious boxed meal, the gimbap Yeon-seo had packed was utterly shabby. ‘I should have at least waited a bit and added spinach,’ she regretted too late, hesitantly trying to hide her container.
“Um, I think it might be better for you to just eat this lunchbox instead…”
“You eat it.”
Pushing the extravagant boxed meal toward Yeon-seo without the slightest hesitation, he popped open the lid of the container she had brought.
The moment he saw the gimbap inside, his eyes wavered.
“…”
It was lunchtime, and he should have been starving after running all over the pitch, but for some reason, Joo-heon didn’t pick up his chopsticks. He simply stared down at the gimbap for a long time. Watching him, an absurd thought crossed Yeon-seo’s mind. ‘If there were a staring-wistfully-at-gimbap contest, he’d definitely take first place.’
“Thanks for the food.”
It was a sincere voice she hadn’t heard in a long time, free of spite or irritation. Yeon-seo thought to herself, ‘It’d be so nice if he spoke like that all the time instead of being so abrasive. Just like that night…’
[When you’re sober, okay?]
The sudden echo of his voice from that night made Yeon-seo’s face threaten to flush red, and she hurriedly pretended to tear open the wrapper of her chopsticks.
“Then I’ll enjoy the food!”
Soon, the manager came over and held out a box to Joo-heon.
“Joo-heon-ah, here. They said this is the soccer championship prize?”
He handed it over while speaking loudly as if for someone else’s benefit, presenting the Apple Phone. The moment Kang Joo-heon took it, he tossed it carelessly into a corner as if he had no interest whatsoever. Yeon-seo, on the other hand, gasped in horror and quickly snatched the box.
“Director, this is extremely expensive!”
Even after she reminded him, Kang Joo-heon didn’t give the box a second glance.
“Use it if you need it.”
“What? Me?”
“I just changed my phone not long ago, so I don’t need it.”
He was giving it to her? The new Apple Phone? Yeon-seo wondered if she was dreaming, but she couldn’t just eagerly accept such an expensive item.
“Oh no, absolutely not. What did I even do to deserve this?”
He retorted casually,
“Just think of it as payment for packing the lunchbox.”
Even if she counted the cost of that lunchbox, three rolls came out to nine thousand won at best. And since it lacked both fish cake and spinach, around eight thousand won would be more accurate. Accepting a two-million-won item in exchange for an eight-thousand-won meal weighed far too heavily on her conscience.
“I’m really fine. Please give it to someone who needs it.”
When Yeon-seo refused to the end, he shrugged and looked at his manager.
“Hyung, go throw this out in the—”
“I’ll use it well!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Yeon-seo swiftly snatched the box back.
The lunchbox was no longer the issue. Using the toothpick included in the cutlery set as a tool, she popped the SIM card out of her old phone, transferred it into the new one, and powered it on. Her heart thudded in her chest.
Chime. At last, the new phone opened its bright eyes with a clear sound. The expansive screen and vivid colors—incomparable to her battered old phone—felt like they were brightening her very vision.
“Wow…”
Feeling a gaze on her, she looked up to see Kang Joo-heon staring intently at her, his chopsticks paused midair.
“Do you like it that much?”
Yeon-seo answered awkwardly,
“…Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you replace it sooner?”
“I have quite a few expenses to take care of.”
“Why, are you in debt or something?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.”
Ever since another snack restaurant opened nearby, business had been terribly slow since last year. The shop’s revenue barely covered the rent, leaving the living expenses entirely on Yeon-seo’s shoulders. But there was no reason to go out of her way to explain that to Kang Joo-heon.
“Anyway, thank you so much, I’ll use it well!”
Completely absorbed in exploring her new phone, Yeon-seo noticed nothing else. She didn’t notice Joo-heon unable to take his eyes off her thrilled face, nor did she notice his manager, Ho-jin, trying to sneak a piece of gimbap during that opening, only to get sharply slapped on the back of his hand by Joo-heon and wince in pain.
*
Though more matches were scheduled to continue in the afternoon following lunchtime, Joo-heon clearly had no intention of watching them. After finishing his meal, he prepared to leave.
“I should get going to training soon.”
“Yes. Best of luck with your training.”
Even after she bid him farewell, he lingered for some reason, hesitating to leave. He even volunteered information she hadn’t asked for.
“Because I took time off today, I won’t be able to come to work tomorrow either and have to train all day.”
‘What wonderful news!’ Yeon-seo replied without letting her delight show.
“Then best of luck with your training tomorrow as well.”
He glared at her with obvious displeasure before his frustration finally boiled over.
“You’re telling me to go alone?”
“Pardon?”
“We won’t even see each other tomorrow. Shouldn’t you at least see me off to the parking lot?”
Hearing that, she supposed it was customary for a secretary to see him off.
“Ah, yes. My apologies, I was being thoughtless.”
As Yeon-seo quickly followed after him, Joo-heon shot her a resentful glance.
“Honestly, do I always have to spell it out…”
Watching his broad back stride ahead, Yeon-seo secretly glared at him from behind. ‘Seriously, he’s not a child, so why does he insist on an escort when he can just walk by himself? It’s not like he’s alone either—his manager is right there with him.’
Shortly after, they arrived at the parking lot. His manager, Ho-jin, was already sitting in the driver’s seat, waiting. Looking at Joo-heon’s car, Yeon-seo couldn’t help but admire it.
“Wow, your car is so cool!”
Truthfully, Yeon-seo knew nothing about cars. Having never had a car in her household her entire life, how could she? Yet even to her untrained eyes, it was a remarkably sleek vehicle. It was undeniably a hefty, massive SUV, but its design was sharp and aerodynamic, resembling a sports car. In a way, it felt just like Kang Joo-heon himself.
She had merely praised it out of pure, genuine admiration, but a bizarre remark came from beside her.
“Why, do you want to ride in it?”