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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Do You Have a Boyfriend?
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After lunch, Kang Yeon Jeong returned to the office and was fully immersed in her work.
Then she felt a tingling signal gradually coming from her lower abdomen.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Yeon Jeong stood up to head to the restroom.
“Ow.”
As Yeon Jeong stepped away from her desk, the edge of a drawer blocked her foot.
Her instep had collided squarely with the corner of the drawer, drawing a pained groan from her lips.
No wonder the top of her foot felt strangely bare compared to that morning.
The ornament from her shoe had caught on the edge and fallen to the floor.
Yeon Jeong’s mood plummeted.
She considered just going home like this but shook her head. She’d be bothered by the missing ornament the whole way home, so she decided to get it fixed now.
“What a hassle. Where was that shoe repair shop again?”
Fortunately, she remembered one not far from the company.
It shouldn’t take long to reattach the ornament, so she left the office right away.
She was on her way back after quickly visiting the repair shop.
Yeon Jeong spotted two familiar faces across the crosswalk.
“That’s Secretary Yu and the Vice President, right?”
An Do Hyun was the type who stood out even from a distance, so she recognized him immediately.
‘Ji Hu said he saw them holding hands.’
Yeon Jeong quietly observed the atmosphere between them.
Then it happened. She witnessed with her own eyes as An Do Hyun pulled Yi Yeon close and the two embraced.
It was the unbelievable truth she’d heard from Ji Hu, confirmed that very day—right before her eyes.
Clutching her shoes in both hands, Yeon Jeong ran as far away from the spot as she could.
Her jaw ached from her mouth hanging open in shock.
She hurried back to the front of the company on fast feet and sat down on the first bench she saw to catch her breath.
“What is this?”
Ji Hu had said he saw An Do Hyun and Yi Yeon holding hands secretly and chatting while laughing.
Honestly, Yeon Jeong had thought that alone wasn’t enough to infer anything. It could’ve been a misinterpretation of handing over an item…
While listening to Ji Hu’s suspicions, Yeon Jeong had been inwardly stunned. It was because Ji Hu, who claimed to have someone he couldn’t forget, had been acting like he had feelings for Yi Yeon too.
Was Yi Yeon making him forget that unforgettable person? Yeon Jeong couldn’t fathom Ji Hu’s feelings at all.
Even more unbelievable was the idea that An Do Hyun, who had such an unparalleled wife, was cheating with Yi Yeon. Doubting it could be true, Yeon Jeong had dismissed Ji Hu’s suspicions.
But it seemed her assumption was wrong.
“So Secretary Yu was seducing both Ji Hu and the Vice President?”
Ha! Unbelievable.
Even after sitting on the bench and thinking for a long time, it was hard to believe.
The shoe dangling from her finger dropped to the ground with a thud. Yeon Jeong bent down from her seat, picked it up, and lightly brushed the dirt off the ornament with her hand.
“Did the ornament act up so I could see this?”
Sitting on the bench and replaying the scene in her mind, Yeon Jeong shook her head vigorously.
No matter what, how could…
She could accept that Yi Yeon might harbor feelings for An Do Hyun. Even if Yi Yeon claimed to have no interest in men, yeah, with such a perfect guy, she might think about wanting him at least once.
Most of the women at the company had probably dreamed at least once of becoming the heroine in a drama with him. Who hadn’t hoped they might become his lover someday?
She herself had imagined it countless times with An Do Hyun as her man.
She’d once approached him relying on her looks. But seeing how he didn’t even flinch—like a stone statue—she’d given up early.
As a woman, Yeon Jeong felt envious and jealous of Yi Yeon.
The An Do Hyun she’d seen at the department store had treated his wife like a lover he truly cherished.
What was strange was that the gaze he’d given Yi Yeon just now… was the same.
Had he fallen for Yi Yeon, who was the complete opposite of his wife?
She couldn’t understand why An Do Hyun had crossed the line he shouldn’t with Yi Yeon.
Yi Yeon in An Do Hyun’s arms, An Do Hyun looking at her with worried eyes. The two of them gazing only at each other.
Yeon Jeong hurriedly got up and rushed into the office. She was dying to confirm with Ji Hu—no, to tell him about this situation right away.
“Ji Hu! Ji Hu!”
Yeon Jeong’s urgent voice called out to Ji Hu. He turned his head toward the sound and locked eyes with her—she was holding a shoe in each hand, breathing heavily.
“Come here for a sec!”
Yeon Jeong waved him over, swinging the shoes and glaring with wide eyes.
He had no idea why she suddenly looked so frantic, but one thing was clear: she looked ready to whack anyone with those shoes.
As soon as they reached the emergency stairs following her, Ji Hu asked,
“Why the shoes… Did I do something wrong?”
“Oh! Look at me. I forgot to put the shoes back!”
Yeon Jeong looked at the shoes in her hands with an awkward smile and laughed.
Then her eyes widened again, she smacked Ji Hu’s shoulder, and made a fuss.
“Jackpot! You were right, Ji Hu? Guess what I just saw?”
“No?”
Of course not.
“You were right. The Vice President and Secretary Yu are totally hooking up! I saw them embracing across the crosswalk with my own two eyes. What? Right after hearing it from you today, I went and confirmed it myself!”
At the mention of them embracing, Ji Hu’s brow twitched briefly, but seeing Yeon Jeong revving up like she’d started her engine, he soon let out a silent laugh, aware of his role.
Ji Hu suppressed the smile tugging at his lips to manage his expression.
⋮
“What’s with this coffee?”
After making a fuss in the emergency stairs and returning to her seat, Yeon Jeong spotted the coffees neatly placed on the empty table and asked Ji Hu.
“The department head bought them to boost morale.”
Really? Yeon Jeong replied, then suddenly whipped her head back around.
As if something had occurred to her, the corners of her mouth slowly curled up.
“There’s some coffee left over?”
“A few people are on vacation.”
“Then I’ll take one more. I’ll give it to Secretary Yu.”
Since when had Yeon Jeong ever looked after Yi Yeon? She grabbed an iced latte and walked off with a spring in her step, full of glee.
* * *
“Secretary Yu.”
Yi Yeon was sitting on the sofa in the break room, brewing hibiscus tea.
She was preparing some for An Do Hyun too, to calm her startled mind from the crosswalk incident and to bring him a cup.
Yi Yeon stepped out of the break room at the voice calling her.
Yeon Jeong stood in front of Yi Yeon’s desk, smiling.
She placed the coffee from her hand on Yi Yeon’s desk and looked at her with a beaming smile.
“The department head bought them, so I brought one for you to have too.”
Should she check if it was poisoned? When someone changes suddenly, suspicions arise even where there were none.
Ji Hu wasn’t even around, so why was she flashing such a friendly smile? Yi Yeon couldn’t read her intentions.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
Should she throw it out once Yeon Jeong left? Yi Yeon pondered briefly.
“Secretary Yu, do you have a boyfriend?”
“Yes?”
“I asked if you have a boyfriend. If not, I was going to set you up! A friend of my close dongsaeng—good education, big company, great personality! He says he doesn’t care about a woman’s face, and you came to mind.”
That last part grated. She came to mind because he hadn’t seen her face?
Yeon Jeong sure knew how to phrase things nicely.
Yi Yeon, who’d never had Yeon Jeong show interest in her love life, wondered what scheme this was.
It hadn’t been long since she’d been scolded over clothes, and now a blind date suggestion? The question was too out of left field.
“I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh, really? Who? What kind of guy? I’m curious—show me a photo.”
Why so persistent?
He’s right behind you, my man.
Yi Yeon’s gaze drifted to An Do Hyun visible behind Yeon Jeong. He’d stood up from his chair, probably on a call, hand in his pocket, looking out the window.
Seeing his broad back brought back their intense lovemaking from last night, flushing her face.
There couldn’t be a better man than him.
“I didn’t know Assistant Manager Kang was interested in my love life.”
“Other people’s romance stories are always the most fun. I’m curious what kind of guy Secretary Yu would go for. Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in men?”
“Interest can develop depending on the person.”
Yi Yeon forced her lips into a smile as she spoke.
She’d delivered the coffee, so please go back down—but today her words dragged on.
“Must be a guy overflowing with charm to spark interest where there was none.”
“Yeah. Thanks, I’ll enjoy the coffee.”
Goodbye.
Yi Yeon cut the conversation short so she couldn’t latch on.
“I’ve been away from my desk too long, so it’s getting awkward. I’ll head down!”
Even her farewell was so energetic. Yi Yeon watched Assistant Manager Kang walk away, puzzled.
On the other hand, Yeon Jeong’s steps back to the office were light.
“It’s gotten way too obvious.”
Yeon Jeong hadn’t missed Yi Yeon’s glance toward An Do Hyun when asked what kind of guy he was.
Finding the situation amusing, Yeon Jeong couldn’t help but smile.
Back at her seat, Yeon Jeong’s fingers flew nonstop—handling backlog work and sending internal messages.
Who should she share this juicy news with first?
[Big scoop! It’s a secret, but…]
It didn’t take long for the story, started as a secret, to spread throughout the company.
* * *
A few days passed, and as Yi Yeon was tidying her desk for the first time in a while, she heard loud, elephantine footsteps approaching.
Thud thud thud.
The sound quickly headed her way.
Earthquake?
“Yu Yi Yeon! Did you see my message?”
Su Jin had rushed up and was now standing in front of her, huffing and puffing.
“Did you see the message I sent you!”
