TSG 12

He thought that the relationship between a superior and a secretary was a very thin line. As a secretary, he couldn’t help but peek into his boss’s personal life, and getting involved to some extent made it different from the usual relationships encountered in the workplace.

He believed that it was the secretary’s role to blur and redraw the line within that boundary multiple times. He thought it was crucial not to show his feelings too much. He had carefully maintained this boundary until now.

Se-hyun lowered his hand and then swung it hard.

Towards the head of the perverted cat.

“Ugh.”

Shin Tae-oh reflexively avoided the hand swinging at his head. When the hand came back down from the missed swing, Se-hyun remained calm and still as if nothing had happened. Shin Tae-oh acted like he knew he wasn’t going to get hit, which made him laugh even harder.

“I’ll take you to headquarters.”

“Okay.”

Shin Tae-oh nodded and got into the car. …This time, too, in the passenger seat.

It would be nice if he went to the back seat.

“Oh, Secretary An.”

Shin Tae-oh rolled down the window and slightly tilted his head.

“What I just said wasn’t directed to Secretary Ahn. It was done to a man named Ahn Se-hyun, so clearly distinguish between work and personal matters.”

“…”

“Aren’t you getting in, Secretary Ahn?”

Could he tell a man who spoke like that to sit in the back seat?

⍣⍣⍣

Shin Tae-oh entered the headquarters and headed to the elevator without hesitation. There was no one to stop him, and quietly standing next to him, he pressed the button for the top floor and exited the elevator.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Have a cup of coffee.”

“All right.”

Since he didn’t know when Shin Tae-oh would come out, Se-hyun planned to wait nearby but outwardly pretended to follow the boss’s instructions.

Just before the elevator door closed, Shin Tae-oh squinted one eye.

“I will check.”

Se-hyun was not sure if that was a wink. The other eye wasn’t visible because it was blocked by the door.

Se-hyun’s stiff back relaxed as the elevator door closed and he realized he was no longer with Shin Tae-oh. He hasn’t been able to relax even for a moment since meeting Shin Tae-oh today.

“Work and personal matters.”

As if he couldn’t distinguish work and personal matters better than anyone else, but if you dig deeper, he was a person who used that line very well.

‘I think I have fallen for Ahn Se-hyun. What do you think?’

To say it was sexual harassment, Shin Tae-oh called him in a sweet voice and called him Ahn Se-hyun.

“No, I don’t know, but I think I’ve fallen for Secretary Ahn’s… charm.”

When Se-hyun tried to refuse, he treated him like a secretary, as if he’d never done anything like that before.

Se-hyun muttered as he looked at the elevator Shin Tae-oh rode up.

“He’s like a cheeky cat.”

⍣⍣⍣

Shin Tae-oh entered the chairman’s office and did not slow down his walking pace. He rushed to the middle-aged woman who got up from her seat and hugged her.

In Shin Tae-oh’s embrace, Jeong Mi-jung lightly tapped his shoulder.

“It’s hard to accept you now that you’ve grown so big.”

“If I’m big, isn’t my cuteness big too?”

Jeong Mi-jung couldn’t help but smile as Shin Tae-oh hugged her tightly and rubbed his cheek against hers.

“How far is this place that you don’t come often.”

“Should I come often, then?”

“No.”

Shin Tae-oh raised his upper body and showed a sad expression.

“Didn’t I tell you I’ll come visit often?”

“Just saying hello. Sit down.”

Jeong Mi-jung pushed her son’s shoulders and made him sit on the sofa. Shin Tae-oh sat back as if there was nothing he could do.

“My mother is different from others.”

“She’s different from others, so she could give birth to you. Do you know how big you were when you were born?”

Jeong Mi-jung approached the coffee machine placed on one side. She pressed the button to brew coffee and brought snacks to go with it. Putting it in front of her son, Jeong Mi-jung picked up her own coffee cup.

“Thank you for giving birth to me.”

“Yeah. You really need to be filial. It was tough giving birth to you, growing so well in my womb.”

“How long are you going to do that?”

“Until you get married.”

Shin Tae-oh stopped drinking his coffee at Jeong Mi-jung’s calm words.

“You’re not calling me to tell me to get married, are you? That’s so old-fashioned.”

“I still seem to dislike being called old-fashioned. No.”

Shin Tae-oh put down his coffee cup, not expecting this.

“Then why did you call me?”

“You’re free to marry, so I’ll just sit back and watch, but I wanted to interfere a bit in your dating.”

“Isn’t dating and marriage similar?”

“I’m not finished talking yet. Listen without making any conclusions in advance.”

Jeong Mi-jung shook her head.

“Someone saw you at the hotel.”

“I went once, and it quickly became known. Is my presence that noticeable?”

“They noticed because they are interested in you.”

“Who was it?”

“The person who wants to date and marry you. The second daughter of Jinmyeong Group.”

Jeong Mi-jung explained it as if it would not be difficult.

“Who was that?”

Shin Tae-oh raised his coffee cup again.

“Is my head not working properly because of caffeine? I don’t know who it is.”

“You wouldn’t know even without caffeine. Are you interested in someone else?”

“But it’s strange. Shouldn’t she lose interest if she sees that I’m in the hotel? I went with someone really handsome at that time.”

If they had heard the conversation up close, they might not have known, but seeing them side by side from a distance, they would have looked really good together.

“I’m not sure. I suppose she’s relieved she hasn’t seen you meet anyone till now.”

“What you just said…”

When Shin Tae-oh was about to ask how to interpret it, Jeong Mi-jung smoothly changed the subject.

“Anyway, that daughter seems to like you.”

“Then do you want me to date the second daughter?”

“Now that I think about it, you’re a little old-fashioned. It’s a prejudice to think that talking about someone means you’ll get along with them. Jinmyeong Group is contacting me. They want to meet. It seems like they want to continue beyond just a marriage, possibly to extend it to business.”

Jeong Mi-jung turned her attention to her ringing cell phone and continued speaking.

“I don’t like that. Marrying because you like someone is one thing, but an arranged marriage? I don’t like it. If problems arise later, it’ll be a headache, but I have no justification for refusing it.”

Jeong Mi-jung showed her phone to Shin Tae-oh.

“So I’m saying, start dating.”

As Shin Tae-oh was looking at the name of Jinmyeong Group on the screen, Jeong Mi-jung spoke again.

“Right Now.”

She put the cell phone to her ear and greeted with a business-like laugh.

“Long time no see. Chairman Jin. Yes, of course. How have you been? Oh, by the way, I just had a conversation with Tae-oh. What should we do? It seems he’s really dating someone.”

Shin Tae-oh stood up without hesitation when Jeong Mi-jung motioned for him to leave. If this was the purpose, he had to do something.

Shin Tae-oh, who left leisurely just as he came in, couldn’t take his eyes off the moment he saw Se-hyun standing outside. It seemed like he had some thoughts just a moment ago, but now nothing came to his mind.

No, there is something coming to his mind.

“I’m on my way back after meeting my mother.”

Shin Tae-oh’s gaze flicked down to Se-hyun’s neck as he got up.

“My mother says to date.”

The coffee aroma emanating from him was shaking people’s hearts like pheromones.

“Right now.”

Even though he had a lot of conversations with his mother just now, unfortunately, the only thing that comes to his mind now is this.

Se-hyun’s gaze became serious. It wasn’t that he was surprised by what Shin Tae-oh said; it seemed like he was examining something. Yes, it’s hard to follow Secretary Ahn with such composure.

“I understand. I will contact Yoo Jin-ha-ssi.”

“Ah…”

Right. Yoo Jin-ha. There was Jin-ha. But he immediately thought of Se-hyun.

“Before that…”

Shin Tae-oh grabbed the back of Se-hyun’s hand, which was holding the phone.

“We decided to check out a place together for a date with Jinha, right? Let’s go and take a look.”

Then he pulled the hand he was holding.

“I think there was already a good meat restaurant around here… The chair is a little uncomfortable, but the taste of slightly burnt meat couldn’t be better. How about we go there?”

Although it couldn’t be called the first date, at least they could be together. He started asking questions, but the hand he was holding slipped away. As Shin Tae-oh repeated squeezing and spreading his empty, several times, Se-hyun spoke

“I have to go to work now, but should I come back in time for lunch? I’ll prepare clothes separately because the smell might be too strong.”

“I see. It’s still morning.”

Shin Tae-oh turned away with a helpless murmur.

“I was too impatient.”

Shin Tae-oh’s first date request was rejected.

Shin Tae-oh, who was walking away as he couldn’t hide his disappointment, softened his expression when he heard Se-hyun walk behind him. He wondered how having Se-hyun follow him around made him feel better.

“The cafe where I had coffee earlier was pretty good. Would you like to stop by for a moment?”

A smile appeared on Shin Tae-oh’s lips as he walked ahead.