PSS Ch 6

My body wasn’t getting any better. It felt as if that whirlwind of a relationship was still ongoing. Even the slightest movement of my legs brought a surge of pain. Just standing still, I felt a constant throbbing inside.

I had breakfast in bed, not in the dining room. Perhaps my awkward gait towards the dining room yesterday had looked pitiful, as a house staff member brought my meal directly to my room. As soon as I finished eating, I lay back down in bed. I didn’t open my eyes again until well into the afternoon.

Seeing me looking for some water in the kitchen, the house staff member spoke to me.

“Should I get you something to eat now?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“I didn’t wake you up because you seemed to be sleeping. I thought you’d be better off resting more.”

“Thank you.”

I poured myself a glass of lukewarm water from the water bottle on the table and gulped it down. The house staff member, for some reason, didn’t leave but looked at me with an unreadable expression. I stared at her, wondering if she had something more to say.

“The Executive Director won’t be coming home for a few days. He’s on a business trip, they say.”

“Is that so?”

“Secretary Yeo told me. He said to take care of you.”

I kept my words to a minimum. I should be happy that I wouldn’t have to face Executive Director Jang Taejin for a few days, but I was so exhausted that even that didn’t elicit any emotion.

“Is there anything you want to eat? I know you probably don’t have much of an appetite, but you should eat something tasty.”

“I’ll eat anything. Don’t worry about me.”

The house staff member looked at me with a concerned expression. Her demeanor was somewhat different from when she had kept her distance from me before. The way she spoke to me and the look in her eyes reminded me of the housekeeper at my old house, the only one who had taken care of me. It might have been a delusion stemming from my weakened state of mind.

“I’ll bring your dinner to your room.”

“No, I’ll come out here and eat it.”

She stared intently at me.

“Suit yourself, then.”

The house staff member muttered indifferently and turned away. I watched her walk towards the kitchen connected to the dining room, then I, too, left.

Not wanting to go back to sleep, I started towards the study, but the memory of what Executive Director Jang Taejin had done to me there surfaced, so I just went back to my room. In the short walk to my room, the house staff members I encountered greeted me with surprise. I could tell they were wary of me. They must have let their imaginations run wild about me, disappearing without a trace and then suddenly reappearing. Most of their assumptions would be correct, and that was what made them wary of me. It didn’t matter what they thought of me. It wasn’t wrong anyway.

I sat down at my desk to avoid falling asleep. Thankfully, I took out the laptop my father had packed in my suitcase and turned it on. I didn’t expect Executive Director Jang Taejin to break his promise, but I needed to check for myself about the fulfillment of the contract, as no one had told me anything. After connecting to the internet via tethering on my phone, I first searched for the name of my father’s company on a portal site.

Fortunately, there was no mention of bankruptcy or sale. If Executive Director Jang Taejin hadn’t paid off the debt, there would have been articles about it by now. Since there was no news, it seemed he had thankfully taken action.

Having achieved my first objective, I entered the next search term: JN Corporation. I had researched the company extensively while preparing for my meeting with Executive Director Jang Taejin, but I was curious if there were any new developments.

Just as I was about to click on the news section, I suddenly noticed a familiar word in the related search terms.

“Jaewon… Industries?”

Jaewon Industries. Jaewon Industries…

Jaewon Industries was part of the Jaewon Group. I was told that the man who had harassed and even assaulted me when I worked at Epicure was the only son of Chairman Kim Sangjin of the Jaewon Group. I couldn’t understand why the name of this company appeared as a related search term for JN Corporation.

I hurriedly clicked on the word displayed as a blue link. Numerous articles appeared in the search results.

“JN Corporation. Merger and Acquisition of Jaewon Industries?”

This was the first I’d heard of it. There was no such news when I was researching in preparation for the meeting with Executive Director Jang Taejin. Usually, acquisitions take a long time, don’t they? If things had proceeded normally, there would have been some signs of it back then…

I calmly read through the articles. Numerous articles, each with a sensational headline, offered their own analyses of the merger between the two giant corporations. Most of them were negative. They claimed that if JN acquired Jaewon Industries, they would dismantle and dissolve it.

The Jaewon Industries labor union even held a press conference opposing the merger and acquisition. They, the ones who would be the first to bear the brunt of the damage if the company dissolved due to the merger, were desperately pleading for their survival. Not just them, but many others couldn’t understand this merger. It looked as if JN was slaughtering a perfectly healthy Jaewon.

“….”

Was it a coincidence? That this had happened not long after Executive Director Jang Taejin saw me with Chairman Kim Sangjin’s son at Epicure?

My overly active imagination conjured up an absurd assumption. That all this had happened because of me. Perhaps Executive Director Jang Taejin had seen Chairman Kim Sangjin’s son assault me, and that’s why he had orchestrated this?

No. That’s ridiculous. There’s no way this happened because of me. I wasn’t even in any kind of relationship with Executive Director Jang Taejin, so there’s no way he would do something like this for me. Was a merger child’s play? No matter how much capital JN possessed, they wouldn’t do something like this for an Omega like me.

Yet, my mind kept leaning towards that thought. There wasn’t a single reason why he, who looked down on me, would go to such lengths…

Nam Gichul’s words suddenly came to mind. He had said that the Alpha who had harassed me would come to apologize soon. But he hadn’t shown up at the store since that day. Could it be that he didn’t have the time to visit the store? Because of this merger?

“Ridiculous thoughts.”

I mercilessly cut off my increasingly rambling thoughts. I figured that these absurd thoughts were a result of my exhaustion. I dragged my aching body out of the room again. I walked through the garden, letting the cold wind clear my head.

Buzz.

My phone, which had been so quiet, unused, suddenly buzzed to life. I woke up to the persistent ringing of my phone. It was the third day since I had returned to Executive Director Jang Taejin’s house.

“Ah…”

Hoping it was my father calling, I sighed when I saw the three letters “Nam Gichul” displayed on the screen. My father hadn’t contacted me once since I told him not to. Still, I was waiting for his call.

“Hello.”

—Are you awake?

“Yeah.”

—I didn’t wake you, did I?

“No.”

I fibbed a little because I knew he would go on and on if I told him the truth. Fortunately, he believed me without a doubt.

—Why haven’t you contacted me at all? You just ignored all my calls after that.

“I told you there were circumstances.”

—Yeah, well. Circumstances you won’t tell me about. I’m a little hurt. Were we really that distant?

I wasn’t particularly close to him. At least, that’s what I thought. But from Nam Gichul’s perspective, we seemed to be much closer, almost intimate.

“I’m sorry.”

—Forget it. It’s not like I called to hear an apology.

A brief silence flowed through the phone. I could almost picture him sighing. I felt a bit guilty.

—Oh, right. You’re coming to graduation, right?

“Graduation…?”

—You haven’t been to school since the CSAT. I was wondering if you weren’t going to come to graduation either.

“….”

—What? Really? You weren’t planning on coming?

My own survival was at stake. I had to save myself and my family from crisis. So, graduation was the furthest thing from my mind.

“I didn’t know. That graduation was so soon.”

—What are you talking about? It’s tomorrow.

I vaguely tried to recall what day it was. I had only been thinking about the date our house was going to be auctioned off; I hadn’t realized my graduation day was approaching.

“That’s how it’s been. A lot of other things to worry about.”

—Right. I heard your family’s situation got resolved? Your father called my dad. He called once before too, when your family’s problems started. He had no idea you were working at our store. Dad was so flustered, he ended up telling him everything…

“…Is that so?”

—Huh? What is?

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

I was wondering how he knew I was working at Epicure, but as I suspected, my father had contacted Nam Gichul’s father.

—Anyway, it seems he called again today. Said the company issue was resolved.

“Yeah. Right. That happened…”

—What? Why are you talking like it’s someone else’s business? And why didn’t you tell your father you were working at our store?

I couldn’t explain the details to him. That my father had sold me to Executive Director Jang Taejin of JN. That I had refused, which had messed things up for our family, and that my father had abandoned me and run away. None of it was something I could talk about.

—Hello? Are you listening?

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

—Hey, Lim Jaegyeong. Seriously, this is too much. You were going to say, ‘There were circumstances,’ again, weren’t you? Right?

“Sorry.”

—Dude, stop saying sorry. It’s driving me crazy. Ah, whatever. So, are you coming to graduation or not?

“I’ll think about it.”

—“I’ll think about it…” Seriously? Just come. It’ll be hard to see each other once we go to college, so let’s at least see each other then. Okay?

I couldn’t give him a definite answer to his repeated questions. Because it wasn’t something I could decide on my own.

“I’ll try my best.”

—Oh, man. Lim Jaegyeong, really…

His grumbling continued. I let his words go in one ear and out the other. As if he was tired of talking, his long rant eventually stopped. As the call seemed to be coming to an end, I spoke again.

“Anyway, thanks for your concern.”

—If you’re grateful, make sure to come to graduation. I’m hanging up.

“Okay.”

The call that had completely drained me ended. I tossed my hot phone onto the bed. The time was well past breakfast, approaching noon. It seemed the house staff hadn’t woken me up because Executive Director Jang Taejin was away.

I suddenly felt hungry. I hadn’t eaten much for dinner last night and had skipped breakfast, so I was starving. I got out of bed without hesitation. Even though it wasn’t lunchtime yet, I went to the dining room to fill my hungry stomach.

“Hello.”

The house staff member in charge of the kitchen looked at me with a slightly flustered expression. Her eyes seemed to ask why I was already there when she wasn’t ready. I gave her a small smile and glanced around the kitchen.

“Can I trim these?”

I asked, pointing to the spinach spread out on the counter. She twitched her eyebrows as if bewildered, then answered with a blank expression.

“Do you know how?”

“Yes. I’ve done it a lot.”

“Then please do.”

She didn’t object this time, unlike before when I had asked if there was anything I could help with. Gladly accepting this small change, I stood in front of the counter. Actually, saying I’d done it a lot was a lie. I’d only seen the housekeeper at my old house trim spinach a few times over her shoulder. It couldn’t be that difficult. Just cut off the roots and trim the ends of the leaves.

“I thought you were raised with a silver spoon, but you know how to do all sorts of things.”

She glanced at me trimming the spinach and spoke. I couldn’t help but laugh at her casual, blunt tone. I remembered how she had defended me behind my back. Perhaps that was why her indifferent tone felt affectionate.

“Here. Taste this.”

The house staff member, who was making soup in front of the induction cooktop, scooped a spoonful from the pot and held it out to me. I took the soup from her while still holding the spinach in my hand. The salty yet mild flavor stimulated my lost appetite.

“How is it?”

“Delicious. What is this?”

“I made some soup with cod roe and egg. Plain and white, since your stomach might be upset.”

“Ah…”

“I’m glad you like it.”

She stirred the pot a few more times and then turned off the induction cooktop. I watched her take out a bowl and fill it with white rice, then I put down the spinach I was holding.

“Let me do it.”

“It’s okay.”

Still, she subtly handed me the rice paddle and the bowl. I was grateful to her for sharing the work with me. It was a moment when I felt a touch of warmth in this house that had seemed devoid of any human touch.

“Take a lot. I’ll give you plenty of soup too.”

I beamed at her words.

Yeo Kyungmin visited in the afternoon. He had actually come yesterday as well, but it seemed he had left when he found me asleep. He had only relayed the message to the house staff member working in the kitchen to take good care of me and that Executive Director Jang Taejin would be away for a long time on a business trip.

“Is your body feeling any better?”

I sat facing him in the same drawing-room where we had our first meeting. He took a stack of papers out of his black briefcase while asking after my well-being.

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“If you’re feeling unwell anywhere, please tell me. I’ll call the doctor.”

“I’m fine. It’s not that serious.”

That can’t be true… Yeo Kyungmin’s expression, as he looked at me, seemed to say so. He seemed well aware of his boss’s intense bedroom habits.

“This is the revised contract.”

As expected, he had come to see me about the contract.

“As you already know, President Lim Junsu’s debt has been completely settled.”

“…Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. It was Executive Director Jang Taejin who took care of it.”

He didn’t continue. He didn’t say things like how difficult it was to settle all of my father’s debt, how unreasonable my request was, and how amazing Executive Director Jang Taejin was for handling it. That was a relief.

“Here, please read this and sign it.”

I received the document he handed me and slowly read through it. The contract, now devoid of any mention of collaboration, was no longer between JN Corporation and HJ Industries, but a private agreement between Executive Director Jang Taejin and me.

“There are almost no changes from the previous contract, except for the parts about President Lim Junsu’s debt and the contract period.”

“So it seems.”

The contract period, which was originally vaguely stated as “for the duration of the collaborative project,” was now clearly defined as one year. Considering the debt Executive Director Jang Taejin had paid off on my behalf, one year was a relatively short period. Well, he would probably get tired of it within a year. He must have set the contract period with that in mind.

I signed my name in the “Party B” signature line without hesitation. My name was written several times on the document that was previously filled with only printed text.

“Welcome back.”

Yeo Kyungmin said so, receiving the signed documents. I didn’t say anything.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about? Regarding the contract, or your stay here?”

I remembered the phone call from that morning. I had been meaning to ask him about it.

“What about going out?”

Yeo Kyungmin’s puzzled gaze turned to me. It was as if he was asking, “What are you talking about?”

“I was wondering how I should go about it if I want to go out while staying here.”

“Do you have somewhere you need to go?”

“Tomorrow is my school’s graduation ceremony. I was wondering if I could go.”

Yeo Kyungmin let out a small “Ah” and nodded. I didn’t really need to attend the graduation ceremony, but I had brought it up to clarify the matter of going out.

“Regarding going out… you’re free to do so as long as it doesn’t inconvenience Executive Director Jang Taejin.”

Those were welcome words. At least it meant I wasn’t imprisoned here.

“However, you must be within reach so that you can respond immediately when the Executive Director calls for you.”

“I heard the Executive Director is on a business trip. So, does that mean I can go a little further tomorrow?”

“That’s correct. However, just in case, please inform me in advance if you have any plans to go out. Even for trivial reasons, please be sure to tell me.”

“Yes, I will.”

At least I could move around freely during the daytime on weekdays. There was no way Executive Director Jang Taejin would be home during the day on a weekday. Although he said I had to be nearby, he hadn’t specified a precise range. What did they care where I was?

“Anything else you’d like to ask…”

“No.”

“Alright. You can contact me later if anything comes up.”

Yeo Kyungmin gathered the documents I had signed and put them in his black bag. The contract would be returned to me within a few days with Executive Director Jang Taejin’s signature.

“Then, I’ll see you again next time. Please contact me if you have anything to say before then.”

“Have a safe trip back.”

After seeing him off to the entrance hall, I returned to my room.

I closed the door and checked my suitcase first. Since I hadn’t unpacked yet, the suitcase was tucked away in a corner, still firmly closed. I had only opened it briefly to take out my laptop and left it as it was.

“Ha.”

I hadn’t expected it, but my school uniform was inside the suitcase, mixed in with my clothes. My father had packed it even though he knew it was school vacation. He probably hadn’t sent it with the graduation ceremony in mind. He must have just bundled some of my clothes from the dressing room, and the uniform happened to be included.

I unfolded the wrinkled uniform. Lim Jaegyeong. My name was written on the name tag attached to the jacket. I didn’t have many fond memories of school. Nevertheless, seeing the uniform with the name tag brought on a nostalgic feeling.

I hesitated for a long time, holding the uniform in my hand. Wondering if it was right for me to attend the graduation ceremony tomorrow.

The innocent Lim Jaegyeong, who wore this uniform and sat at a desk studying textbooks, was gone. I didn’t have the courage to put on those clothes from that time and return to that place. I had told Yeo Kyungmin I would go out tomorrow… I had said it was for the school graduation ceremony…

Even if I went to school, no one would welcome me except for Nam Gichul, who kept calling incessantly. My father wouldn’t come either, so I would be alone at the graduation ceremony. I wasn’t afraid of being alone. But… it felt like it would be another reminder of my situation. And so, the graduation ceremony, with no one there for me, seemed like it would only make me feel more desolate.

I closed my eyes tightly. I threw the uniform I was holding into the suitcase and stood up. I hated myself for agonizing over something as trivial as whether or not to go to a graduation ceremony. As if disgusted with myself, I shuddered.

⋆.˚🦋₊ ⊹

The morning of graduation. As if all my worries from yesterday were meaningless, the first thing I did after showering was grab my uniform. When I asked the housekeeper where the iron was, she took my clothes instead of telling me the location and returned them neatly pressed. Somehow, the uniform had a fluffy feel and even a pleasant scent. I put on the clean uniform and went to the dining room for breakfast.

“Where are you going?”

The housekeeper working in the kitchen’s eyes widened.

“To school. It’s my graduation ceremony.”

“Oh my. You look so handsome dressed up like that. The Executive Director would have loved to see you like this.”

“Is that so?”

I didn’t say anything like, “I don’t want to look good for him.” She didn’t know the details of my situation yet. There was no need to explain it to her in such detail. Perhaps it would be wiser to let her continue to misunderstand.

“Sit down. I’ll get you breakfast.”

“Thank you.”

I placed my coat on the chair next to me and sat down. The housekeeper prepared a warm breakfast, and I emptied the bowl, feeling more at ease than before. So as not to be late for the graduation ceremony, I stood up as soon as I finished the last bite. The housekeeper followed me to the front door to see me off.

“Have a good time.”

“Yes.”

I walked down the long, sloping driveway without a care. I walked to the main road, took the subway, and headed to the area where my school was located. From the subway station, I had to take a local bus to get to the school. The school, which had been within walking distance from my old house, felt incredibly far from Executive Director Jang Taejin’s house.

“Oh, oh?! Lim Jaegyeong!”

As expected, the first person to greet me was Nam Gichul. It wasn’t like we hadn’t seen each other in ages, but Nam Gichul made a big fuss over me. He ran into me at the school gate and slung his arm around my shoulders, acting all chummy. Thanks to his good looks, we were quite a sight for the passing students.

“What? You acted like you weren’t coming.”

“I said I’d try.”

“Then you should have just said okay. You were scared I wouldn’t see you.”

He kept his arm around my shoulders until we entered the classroom. I couldn’t push his arm away until we reached my seat.

“Lim Jaegyeong, long time no see.”

A few of my classmates greeted me. After exchanging a few pleasantries with them, the front door opened, and our homeroom teacher entered. She seemed quite surprised to see me. She treated me with particular affection, knowing I hadn’t gone on to university.

“Jaegyeong’s here.”

“Yes. Hello.”

“Good. I’m glad. I get to see your face one last time.”

I felt a bit sorry for her.

“Alright, everyone take your seats. The graduation ceremony will begin shortly.”

The noisy classroom quickly quieted down. An announcement about the imminent start of the graduation ceremony came over the speakers. I sat quietly in my seat, remaining silent.

As expected, after the graduation ceremony, the school was crowded with families who had come to celebrate their children’s graduation. There, I saw a familiar face after a long time. It was Nam Gichul’s father.

“Hello.”

“Jaegyeong, how are you? Is your father doing well?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve grown so much. You were pretty as a child, and you’re even more beautiful now.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Not only Nam Gichul’s father but also his mother greeted me warmly.

“You said you’d come visit, why haven’t you?”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been quite busy.”

“I understand. It must have been tough. But I’m glad things worked out well.”

“I apologize for causing you concern.”

“Apologize? Don’t be silly. You must come visit next time. Okay?”

“Yes, I will.”

At a graduation ceremony where my own family wasn’t present, my friend’s parents offered warm words. The irony of this situation, where I had to feel a sense of family warmth from someone else’s family, wasn’t lost on me.

“Isn’t President Lim coming today? I don’t see him.”

The warm atmosphere crumbled when Nam Gichul’s father asked about my father’s absence.

“No. He’s busy.”

“Well, I suppose that can happen. He must be very busy these days. Still, he should come to his child’s graduation ceremony.”

His tsk-tsk sound made my shoulders slump. Nam Gichul’s mother, who was standing next to him, took his arm and stopped him. Perhaps she noticed my darkened expression.

“Hey, Jaegyeong. Let’s have lunch. Come with us. We’ve made a reservation at a nice restaurant.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Don’t be shy.”

“It’s really okay. I have something to do.”

I didn’t want to intrude on another family’s happy atmosphere any longer. I didn’t want my gloom to taint their joy.

“Come on, don’t be like that. You keep refusing. Let’s just go. Okay?”

“I’m sorry. I really do have something to do.”

I pulled my hand away from Nam Gichul, who was tugging at it, and said goodbye to his parents, who had shown me genuine kindness. I heard Nam Gichul calling after me, but I ignored him and headed towards the school gate. I knew they had invited me to lunch out of pure goodwill, but I didn’t have the emotional capacity to accept their kindness. The growing guilt towards others weighed heavily on my steps.

“Ha…”

I left the school gate quickly. I didn’t want to go back to Executive Director Jang Taejin’s house, not at all. But I also didn’t want to stay at the bustling school any longer. I didn’t want to mingle with those who looked so excited and happy. I couldn’t smile like them, so I didn’t want to be there.

As expected, my father’s absence was more bitter than I had anticipated. If my mother were alive, I would have had a happy graduation ceremony like the others. I would have received a bouquet and gone to a restaurant with my parents. I would have dined with them, smiling brightly.

I walked past the huge iron gates that I once felt like prison bars, towards the main street. My gloomy mood didn’t improve at all as I walked. It was noon, and the sun was high in the sky, but the wind was still cold. I buttoned my coat to ward off the chill and continued walking, when…

Honk.

Suddenly, I heard a car horn. I didn’t think it could possibly be for me, so I ignored it and kept walking.

Honk.

But when the horn sounded a second time, I stopped and stood still. A familiar scent drifted on the cold wind. As if mesmerized, my gaze turned.

I saw Executive Director Jang Taejin beyond the half-opened car window. If it weren’t for the scent he emitted, I would have thought it couldn’t possibly be him. I had clearly heard he was on a business trip, so I had no idea why he was here. It was strange to run into him near my high school, and it was equally strange to think he had come looking for me.

“Are you going to keep me waiting?”

Executive Director Jang Taejin spoke without even looking at me. Only then did I realize I had been staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. I lowered my head to hide my burning face and approached his car.

Click.

I opened the back door and got in next to him. As soon as I was settled, the car started moving. The car glided smoothly down the road, heading towards its destination without any specific instructions from Executive Director Jang Taejin. It didn’t seem like we were going home… I stared blankly at the unfamiliar scenery passing by outside the window.

“I heard you were on a business trip.”

“What’s the problem?”

“No, I just thought you wouldn’t be around for a few days.”

He chuckled briefly.

“That sounds like you’re disappointed.”

I was about to say that wasn’t the case, but then I decided it was pointless.

The car drove for quite a while and arrived at a hotel in the city. I frowned. I wondered if he was planning to do that in broad daylight, but unexpectedly, he took me to the hotel’s Chinese restaurant.

“Welcome, Executive Director.”

Although it was a high-end restaurant, he was able to enter without any reservation confirmation. I followed him blankly to a private room in the restaurant. Inside the room, with its stylish interior, we sat facing each other at a round table.

“I’ll have it prepared as you reserved. Please let me know if you need anything else.”

The server placed menus in front of him and me. Executive Director Jang Taejin simply sipped the tea the server poured for him, without saying a word. Like the tea in his cup, I trembled silently in the silence.

“I heard it was your graduation ceremony.”

He spoke as soon as the server left the room.

“I heard he went golfing overseas. Even though it was his child’s graduation day.”

At first, I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but I soon realized he was talking about my father.

“So, I came. Someone had to congratulate you on your graduation.”

I wasn’t happy to be congratulated by him. No one would be. It wasn’t exactly pleasant to meet someone you were merely contractually bound to at your graduation ceremony.

“How did you know about my father? Do you contact him separately?”

“That’s absurd.”

“Then…”

Executive Director Jang Taejin just twisted one corner of his lips, offering no answer. I wondered if he was monitoring me, my family. But then I dismissed it as ridiculous.

“Excuse me.”

The server knocked on the door again, ending our short conversation. I naturally assumed a course meal would be served. There was no way they would only take orders for à la carte dishes at such an expensive restaurant in a high-end hotel during peak hours. But on the tray the server brought in were only two bowls of jjajangmyeon.

I was rather puzzled as I watched the server place the jjajangmyeon on the table. Of course, being a high-end restaurant, it would be much more expensive than the jjajangmyeon sold at regular Chinese restaurants, but I still couldn’t understand why Executive Director Jang Taejin had brought me all the way here just for jjajangmyeon.

“Eat.”

Executive Director Jang Taejin picked up his chopsticks first. I didn’t really want to eat, but I slowly moved my hand, pretending to eat.

“Do you dislike jjajangmyeon?”

Executive Director Jang Taejin spoke to me as I picked at my food halfheartedly. It was strange how he knew, when he hadn’t even glanced my way.

“No, I don’t dislike it.”

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

“I don’t really feel like it.”

I indirectly told him I didn’t feel like eating with him. Whether he understood my implication or not, Executive Director Jang Taejin didn’t seem to care. He continued eating calmly and elegantly. Having lost my appetite completely, I eventually put down my chopsticks.

“I heard,”

He said, bringing his teacup to his lips.

“That people eat jjajangmyeon on graduation day.”

I looked at him with a slightly bewildered expression.

“Huh?”

“Secretary Yeo told me. I asked him what people do on graduation day.”

I shouldn’t have, but… After hearing Executive Director Jang Taejin’s words, I muttered to myself without realizing it.

“These days, everyone eats malatang…”

He raised an eyebrow slightly.

Silence quickly passed between us as neither of us touched our chopsticks.

“Is that so?”

Executive Director Jang Taejin said after a short but long silence. He didn’t seem to mind my muttering, which might have embarrassed him.

“Do you like malatang?”

Executive Director Jang Taejin asked, putting down his teacup.

“Yes, I do.”

“What else do you like?”

“I like malatang, tanghulu… I eat almost anything.”

Executive Director Jang Taejin didn’t say anything more. He just fiddled with his phone on the table with his usual languid expression.

“Shall we go?”

He said, getting up from his seat, as if bored. Neither of us had touched our jjajangmyeon much. The chef would have been horrified.

We waited for the car in front of the hotel’s main entrance. The weather was quite chilly, as winter was nearing its end. A sudden gust of wind swept past us a little forcefully. The hem of Executive Director Jang Taejin’s long coat fluttered. As if he had something urgent to attend to, he couldn’t let go of his phone. He continued to contact someone while we waited for the car.

I stared at him as I killed time. He looked very much in place in front of the fancy hotel, an air of nobility about him. He looked dignified even without dressing up, and exuded elegance without trying. If only he hadn’t tried to force himself on me that day. If only he hadn’t treated me like a cheap Omega and toyed with me. If only that hadn’t happened, I might have thought of him differently. As someone with a bestial pheromone, yet elegant beyond compare; as someone tall, with a weighty presence; as someone refined…

“I have something to do today, so I’ll have to go separately.”

Lost in thought, I flinched in surprise at his sudden words.

“The driver will take you home.”

Just then, the car arrived. The driver, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, hurried out and opened the back door for me.

Being waited on like this felt awkward. I got into the same car I had ridden with Executive Director Jang Taejin, alone. The driver closed the door for me. I hesitated for a moment, then lowered the window and said goodbye to Executive Director Jang Taejin.

“I’ll be going then.”

“Have a safe trip.”

I was about to close the window after our exchange when he added in a low voice, just loud enough for me to hear,

“The uniform suits you.”

…Yes? Before I could answer, the car started moving. I stared at his receding figure through the window I hadn’t raised, then finally turned away.

Feeling slightly dizzy, I closed my eyes. I slowly inhaled. His scent faintly lingered in the car. The scent that reached my lungs wasn’t unfamiliar. Like the touch of his hands on my body, it skillfully caressed me.

“We’ve arrived.”

I was startled by the driver’s words, having been lost in Executive Director Jang Taejin’s scent. To think I lost track of time, mesmerized by a mere Alpha’s pheromones… I belatedly chided myself and came to my senses. The car stopped in front of Executive Director Jang Taejin’s house. Again, the driver quickly opened the door for me.

“Please take these.”

As soon as I got out of the car, the driver handed me a bouquet and a shopping bag as if he had been waiting. I took them and looked at the driver. He answered my unspoken question of what these were.

“The Executive Director asked me to give these to you. He said, ‘Congratulations on your graduation.’”

I stared reluctantly at what was in my hand. His manner of sending a graduation gift through an employee reeked of taking care of a prostitute he kept by his side, leaving me with a bad feeling.

“Then, please go in.”

Managing Director Jang Taejin’s driver bowed to me and got back in the car. I watched the black car drive away, then turned and went inside the house. I passed a few employees who greeted me with awkward smiles and entered my room. As I was about to put down what I was holding on the desk to change into my loungewear, my eyes suddenly landed on the shopping bag.

After a moment of hesitation, I opened it. A well-packaged wristwatch caught my eye. It was a luxury watch from a brand so famous that its name alone was recognizable. I shoved the gift, as unfamiliar to me as its price tag, back into the shopping bag.

I was uncomfortable. The excessively expensive wristwatch, Managing Director Jang Taejin’s attitude in sending such a thing as a gift, everything.

The wristwatch, too extravagant for me, ended up shoved into a corner of my desk drawer.

A whole week had passed since Managing Director Jang Taejin went on his business trip. I heard from Yeo Kyungmin that he had taken time out of his trip to attend my graduation ceremony. Even so, I wasn’t grateful at all. Just like the jjajangmyeon I barely touched, I had brushed off his gesture that day.

“Dinner’s ready.”

As evening approached, the kitchen lady, whom I had become somewhat close to, came looking for me. It hadn’t been long since I started living in this house, yet my way of addressing her had already become “Auntie.”

“Deodeok today.”

Grilled deodeok, brushed with gochujang, was placed on the dining table. It was a perfect dish for my preference for sweet and sour flavors.

“There was a lot at the market.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

I sat down at the table and picked up my spoon. I smiled faintly as I watched the kitchen lady casually place a glass of water on the table. I liked her nonchalance. Her understated, subtly displayed kindness felt comfortable to me.

“Aren’t you eating, Auntie?”

“I’ll eat later.”

“Don’t do that, let’s eat together. It’s lonely eating alone.”

“No. It’ll cause talk among the staff.”

I hadn’t thought of that. I had no choice but to give up on the idea of eating together. Despite her blunt refusal, the kitchen lady, perhaps feeling sorry for leaving me alone, lingered by my side for a while.

“Go out to the garden later. I think it’s snowing today. The scenery here is really beautiful when it snows. It’s like a painting.”

“I will.”

I ate all the food the kitchen lady had prepared, savoring every bite. Living in this house as a prostitute, I always felt uncomfortable and heavy-hearted. However, in this dining room, where there was someone to talk to, someone who felt sorry for me eating alone and stayed by my side, I felt relatively at ease during meals.

After eating, I went out to the garden as the kitchen lady had suggested. The snowflakes that had been fluttering in the morning had accumulated considerably, forming a thick layer. Just as she had said, the snow-covered garden was truly beautiful. The pure white snow piled high on the bare branches resembled an ink painting.

When was the last time I looked at snow and thought it was beautiful? I’d always been so emotionally drained, carrying a heavy burden in my heart, that I had no room to appreciate the small things. It was the same now. My gloomy situation hadn’t changed one bit, yet the snow I encountered in the garden today was incredibly beautiful.

After enjoying the view of the snow-covered garden, I returned to my room and started studying. I planned to go to university after my contract ended. These days, with the system being well-established, I heard that tuition fees could be covered by student loans. If I didn’t get a scholarship, I intended to take out a loan. No one would say anything if I studied and took the CSAT while I was here.

Studying, eating the meals the kitchen lady prepared, and occasionally taking walks in the garden, time flew by, and soon it was night. Even though it had been a week since he left for his business trip, he didn’t seem to be returning today either. The nights when Managing Director Jang Taejin was away were comparatively peaceful. Being a light sleeper, I drew two thick curtains before lying down on the bed.

“Excuse me, Ms. Jaegyeong. Ms. Jaegyeong.”

While I was fast asleep, someone suddenly shook me awake. I rubbed my sleepy eyes and sat up. In the darkness, I could see the kitchen lady looking down at me. I asked her in a groggy voice,

“What’s wrong?”

“The Managing Director is looking for you.”

“Huh?”

“He just came back. He told you to come to his room.”

So, he had returned.

“Okay. I’ll go.”