*Pretending to be friends.*
If that was all that was permitted, then I could pretend all I wanted.
Ji-Heon was the type of person who felt absolutely no resistance toward fake relationships. He had always lived that way.
Since he couldn’t be the one to push too hard, suffocating the line between superior and subordinate, he was more than happy to welcome a dynamic that she had proposed herself.
To him, the pretext of being friends was merely a means to an end.
Ji-Heon looked at Jin-Seo with an affectionate gaze.
Jin-Seo, hiding the back of her hand—where Ji-Heon had just pressed his lips—behind her back, glared at him. Even that was a source of amusement for Ji-Heon.
“But is our age gap really so wide that you feel younger just by being friends with me?”
“Of course. It’s not one year, not two; it’s a three-year gap.”
“So you *do* know my age.”
As Ji-Heon pointed it out sharply, her eyes—which had been meeting his—drifted away stealthily before snapping back.
“Yes. The Team Manager told me.”
“Now that I think about it, your team manager seems very interested in me.”
“Yes. Everyone on our team is very interested in you, Director.”
“But if we’re going to be friends, are you going to keep calling me ‘Director’?”
“Then what should I do?”
“You could just call me by my name.”
“…”
“Or, calling me ‘Oppa’ is fine, too.”
At the words he let slip, as if subtly hoping for it, Jin-Seo curled her lips inward, swallowing her laughter. She remembered the man who used to smile every time she called him ‘Oppa’ seven years ago.
*Ah, don’t get lost in nostalgia, Jin-Seo Lee. Don’t forget your mission!*
Instead of answering, Jin-Seo gave a quick bow. She couldn’t stand there with him in her neighborhood for too long.
“Well then, I should get going. Thank you for the ride.”
She bowed briskly and trotted away without a backward glance.
Ji-Heon didn’t chase after her; he simply watched. A moment later, she turned the corner and disappeared into an alleyway. Once she was out of sight, a hot sigh escaped Ji-Heon’s lips.
It felt like he had taken his first steps in learning to walk. Although he had told Seung-Gyu that it wasn’t romantic, a similar ticklish feeling had begun to bloom. While his appetite-like sexual desire still plagued him, he didn’t mind this time spent getting to know her.
While he was smiling quietly to himself, his phone vibrated. It was his friend, Seung-Gyu.
“Hello.”
[Hey friend, where are you?]
Seung-Gyu’s voice sounded unusually low, with a hint of caution.
“I finished work and I’m on my way home.”
[Oh, really? Should I buy you dinner?]
“It’s the weekend; shouldn’t you be spending time with your family?”
[No, I have something to tell you, too.]
“What is it?”
[…You’re still coming to my house on Monday, right?]
*Ah.*
Recalling the promise from a while ago, Ji-Heon chuckled. Seung-Gyu had visited a few days ago to ask for that favor, and it seemed he had been worried because Ji-Heon hadn’t given him a firm answer.
“I’ll be there, so don’t worry.”
Ji-Heon accepted readily.
[Oh, really? Really?]
“Yes.”
[Huh. How about that? Thank you so, so much! I’ll treat you well from now on! Friend, I really like you.]
Touched, Seung-Gyu even went over the top with a confession of love to express his gratitude. Ji-Heon thought Seung-Gyu was a very good father. And, of course, a good friend as well.
***
Jin-Seo ran toward her house, her heart pounding.
*’It went well. It went well.’*
The fact that he kissed the back of her hand bothered her a little, but still. At any rate, he had readily accepted her proposal to be friends. He hadn’t seemed to have a shred of suspicion.
She would get closer to him, little by little. While being careful not to provoke Eun-Bi Chae.
As she neared her house, Jin-Seo’s pace slowed. Convinced that Ji-Heon hadn’t followed her, she slowly steadied her breathing.
“Looks like you’re coming back from somewhere.”
“Eek!”
Suddenly, someone spoke from behind her. Startled, Jin-Seo nearly tumbled backward, but Officer Bae-Il Gwon caught her with agility.
“Officer.”
“Hello.”
With Bae-Il’s help, Jin-Seo steadied herself, feeling embarrassed for no reason.
“I wasn’t startled because I was doing anything wrong, or anything like that.”
“Yes, I know. I’m the one who startled you.”
“It’s alright. I’m just coming back from work. Where are you coming from, Officer?”
“Oh, I was… playing soccer.”
“Ah, soccer.”
“We have a soccer club at the station.”
“You run around catching criminals every day; how do you even have the energy for soccer on the weekend?”
“Well, you can’t exactly kick criminals.”
*Ah.*
The image of him making that fierce expression on his gentle face to catch criminals made Jin-Seo chuckle.
Watching Jin-Seo laugh, Bae-Il offered a kind smile in return. However, just below that smile, Jin-Seo caught a sight that made her unable to laugh anymore.
“Oh! Officer! A mosquito! A mosquito!”
A mosquito was sitting right on Bae-Il’s exposed forearm!
*Thwack!*
Bae-Il, who had been smiling blankly, hit his own arm, but the mosquito had already darted away.
“Ah, it bit me,” Bae-Il said slowly, looking down at his arm.
The skin was visibly swollen; Jin-Seo could see it clearly. So he can catch criminals, but he can’t catch a mosquito? She had thought his impression was too naive for a police officer, and it seemed he really did have a bit of a dim-witted side.
It looked like it would be itchy…
“Officer, wait a second.”
Jin-Seo pulled a roll of transparent tape out of her bag. Since it was a habit of hers to tape A4 papers to the wall when preparing for competitive PTs, she always carried tape with her. She cut a small piece and stuck it onto Bae-Il’s forearm.
“If you do this, it won’t itch as much.”
“Oh. That’s a life hack. Thank you.”
Bae-Il nodded, as if it were a brilliant tip.
***
Sunday lunch. As promised, Eun-Bi went out to meet Mrs. Youngmi Jang.
The whole way there, Eun-Bi felt anxious and nervous. She was terrified that Ji-Heon might have already revealed everything to Mrs. Jang. She sat at the table in the high-end restaurant, waiting for Mrs. Jang with a trembling heart.
Mrs. Jang arrived ten minutes past the scheduled time.
“Mother!”
Eun-Bi pushed down her nerves and stood up with a bright smile.
“Yes, Eun-Bi. I’m late. The traffic was terrible.”
“It’s okay, Mother.”
Seeing Mrs. Jang’s face, which showed no signs of anything amiss, Eun-Bi felt a weight lift off her chest.
“Do you like French food, Eun-Bi? I made a reservation on my own; I hope it suits your taste.”
“Mother, I eat everything well. And I eat even better when you’re the one treating me.”
“Yes. That’s why you’re so lovely.”
Mrs. Jang’s compliment made Eun-Bi feel good. Soon, the course meal began to arrive. Eun-Bi felt her heart ache, as if receiving the kind of treatment she had never once received from Ji-Heon.
“Is work going okay? Anything difficult?” Mrs. Jang asked in the middle of the meal. Eun-Bi let out a shallow sigh.
“Work is fine, but there’s a problem with a person.”
“A person problem?”
“There’s a friend I have some friction with.”
“Even you have friction with people, Eun-Bi?” Mrs. Jang laughed as if she found that cute.
“Actually, a high school classmate of mine transferred and joined as a copywriter. But she dislikes me a lot.”
“Oh, why? Our pretty Eun-Bi.”
“Maybe because that friend is an assistant manager while I’m a manager? I’m not sure.” Eun-Bi wore a deflated expression. “Back in high school, that friend’s family situation wasn’t good. I felt sorry for her, so I tried to take care of her a lot, and I think those memories of inferiority might still be lingering.”
“My goodness. The gratitude of that time must have turned into inferiority! Then again, you’re a manager and she’s an assistant manager, so how jealous she must be of you.”
“And actually, that friend is from a single-parent family. Even if you try to hide it, it’s bound to show. There’s really no helping it. It seems like when problems arise, there wasn’t a proper adult around to teach her that it was wrong.”
“Yes. I’ve told my Ji-Heon since he was young to be careful around people from single-parent families. Oh my, I really do get along so well with you, Eun-Bi!”
As Mrs. Jang chimed in, Eun-Bi felt a sense of pride. In truth, she knew well from her brother, Eun-Yeop, that Mrs. Jang despised single-parent households.
Eun-Bi stoked her resolve inwardly. She would not break up with Ji-Heon Jeong. And she would certainly not allow Jeong-o Lee to steal her place.
*
The next day.
After spending the entire time in meetings, it was suddenly evening. Jeong-o peeled all the papers off the wall.
Eun-Bi Chae, who hadn’t been seen all weekend, had taken a personal day today. It felt bitter to think she was shirking her responsibilities, but he didn’t feel too bad about it, as the preparation for the competitive PT seemed to be moving along smoothly in her absence.
Today, they were going to finalize the production direction.
“Let’s start the meeting at 7 o’clock. Someone go tell the Director that we’re starting at 7.”
Who would dare to bell the cat? At Mi-Ran’s instruction, everyone lowered their heads.
“I’ll go,” Jeong-o said, having no other choice.
*
It had been a busy Monday for Ji-Heon. After attending the executive meeting at Max Communications and going to two external meetings, he finally finished clearing through a pile of approval documents.
Ji-Heon cleared his desk and stood up, putting on his suit jacket. He was supposed to meet Seung-Gyu at the parking lot in 10 minutes. It was the first time in his life he was making time for ‘children’—not for work, but personally.
Just as he was about to leave his office, there was a knock at the door, and it opened. It was Jeong-o Lee. Even while moving according to his busy schedule, his eyes brightened.
Her voice was strictly professional.
“Director, the meeting is ready. Is 7 o’clock okay for you?”
*And this, just after saying she would be his friend the other day.*
Regardless, he didn’t forget his duties. “What meeting?”
“You said we were going to decide on the competitive PT production direction today.”
*Ah…*
“Are you perhaps leaving for the day, Director?”
Ji-Heon closed his eyes slowly and let out a quiet sigh. He had belatedly remembered what he had told the production team last week. Part of it was his hasty assumption that the meeting would naturally be postponed since the Planning Team Manager reported in the morning that the research materials wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow.
“Let’s push it to tomorrow morning.”
Ji-Heon’s decision left Jeong-o looking troubled.
“I heard you didn’t have a schedule today, so I set it for today.”
“Something came up unexpectedly. Let’s do it tomorrow morning. I heard the planning side hasn’t finished the research materials either, so I’ll check that along with this tomorrow.”
At Ji-Heon’s response, Jeong-o’s gaze turned sharp.
*Aha, I’ve got you now.*
Jeong-o, who had once been forced to work late on Ye-Na’s birthday, couldn’t let this opportunity slip by. She raised her chin and challenged him.
“If the decision is delayed, it might cause setbacks in other schedules, Director.”
*You have work to do too, so where are you trying to run off to? You get a taste of this, too.*
“What kind of business is it, Director?”
“Personal business.”
“What kind of personal business?”
“…….”
“I’d like you to go after we finish work. This is something the Director absolutely needs to be there for.”
Jeong-o retorted, her lips pursed plumply in a pout. Ji-Heon’s eyes narrowed as he sensed her intention.
“Are you taking revenge?”
“No. I’m asking you to look at it from the other person’s perspective.”
“I told you I was sorry back then.”
“Honestly, that was just empty words.”
When Jeong-o pointed it out, Ji-Heon couldn’t move a muscle. He was a person who struggled to empathize. Both the exit and the entrance to his emotions were tightly blocked. He was forced to admit this fact.
“My empathy is lacking. I know.”
“…….”
“That’s due to the accident seven years ago, but since I’ve never even tried to understand anyone, it must be my fault.”
Her stubbornness—which felt like her throwing a tantrum to force him into the meeting—was cute, but he couldn’t grant her request. He wanted to keep that small promise from three weeks ago. The little child who asked him to please meet her again on the next, and next, and next Monday. He didn’t want to make that child cry.
*If that child didn’t resemble you so much, I wouldn’t be this bothered. So, please understand.*
He took a half-step closer and said politely.
“I’m sorry. I was truly sorry back then.”
Half a step more.
“I’m sorry.”
Another half-step.
“I’m sorry.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry.”
Jeong-o hunched her shoulders. Her heart trembled uncontrollably.
“Sorry.”
The apology grew shorter the closer he got. His affectionate tone, as if he were truly speaking to a friend, tickled her eyelashes right in front of her face. She looked at him with eyes that couldn’t help but tremble. It was a look that made it impossible to tell if he was apologizing or seducing her.
He tilted his head and smiled softly.
“Is that enough?”
*Why, this man!*
She was momentarily dazed, but when she snapped back to reality and widened her eyes in embarrassment, he—convinced he had received permission—stepped back and bowed.
“See you tomorrow.”
The door opened, and he left first.
*Ji-Heon Jeong, you jerk!*
It felt as if she had been toyed with by her superior’s charm. Jeong-o felt incredibly frustrated that she couldn’t tell a soul about this.