TMP Chapter 5: A Look That Draws the Line

That was an exaggeration. A few refusals hardly counted as putting up walls.

But if Kangwoo pushed any further, even Haewon couldn’t guarantee how she’d react. At that point, she might have to build more than just a wall—maybe a fortress made of steel.

Well, that was a problem for future Haewon. Right now, she just needed to find a way to turn him down. Her mind quickly searched for an excuse.

“You’re thinking about how to refuse me, aren’t you?”

Too sharp for his own good.

There was no point trying to maintain a poker face with him. It wouldn’t work anyway, and it would only exhaust her.

“Is this another work order, by any chance?”

“If it were, would you follow me?”

“I’m off the clock. See you tomorrow, then.”

“Ha.”

Kangwoo let out a short laugh as he watched Haewon turn away without hesitation.

She didn’t care. Determined to put more distance between them, she quickened her pace.

It was pointless. Kangwoo easily caught up.

She sped up again. But with his long strides, there was no escaping his range.

Frustrated, Haewon finally gave up and slowed down.

Before she realized it, they were walking side by side.

“This isn’t so bad.”

At his unexpected remark, Haewon shot him a glance.

“Have you ever imagined it?”

“Imagined what?”

“You and me. Walking like this, side by side.”

Haewon stopped in her tracks.

Kangwoo stopped too, turning to face her.

“I have. A few times. No—more than a few.”

Correcting himself, he let out a self-conscious chuckle, glancing away.

The summer breeze tousled his hair, making it shift lightly above his neatly shaped forehead.

For some reason, Haewon couldn’t look away from him.

And slowly, her heartbeat began to pick up speed.

His features were already striking, but his profile was even sharper—his high, straight nose, his defined jawline. Every line was precise, as if drawn with a ruler.

Walking beside Kangwoo felt surreal. The more Haewon looked at him, the more she realized how distant he was from her world. She had never imagined this before. She shouldn’t have. It would be a betrayal of Chairman Cha’s kindness.

“I haven’t.”

“Not even once?”

“No.”

“Then start now. There are plenty of places to walk.”

With that, Kangwoo casually took the lead. Watching his retreating figure, Haewon let out a quiet sigh.

Why is he doing this?

She felt uneasy. Kangwoo had a way of cornering her, and she didn’t like it.

“Why aren’t you coming?”

He turned back, urging her forward. She couldn’t just stand there all night. Resigning herself, Haewon followed. Kangwoo waited for her to reach his side before matching her pace again.

Neither of them spoke as they walked.

By the time they reached the officetel, Haewon finally stopped.

“Well, take care.”

“I’m not leaving.”

What is with him today? Was he planning to follow her inside?

It seemed the moment to put up a real wall had come sooner than expected.

Kangwoo walked past her at a leisurely pace, completely unbothered.

“Executive Director!”

Panicked, Haewon rushed ahead and blocked his path.

“You can’t.”

“What exactly can’t I do?”

Was he really making her spell it out?

Haewon sighed and frowned.

“You can’t go into my apartment. I won’t allow it. Go home.”

At her firm words, Kangwoo’s expression turned unreadable. He seemed both amused and mildly exasperated.

“You really let my words go in one ear and out the other, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… Oh.”

Her lips pressed shut as realization dawned.

He had told her before—back at the hotel. That she had moved in right beneath him. He had said it with a grin, in that lighthearted tone, but she had completely forgotten.

“I’m sorry.”

Haewon immediately apologized for the oversight.

“Forget the apology. Instead, congratulations—you’re finally free from noise complaints.”

Does he really think this is the time for jokes?

Even as he stood face-to-face with her incredulous expression, Kangwoo remained nonchalant.

“How about we drink that beer at my place?”

“I don’t think the beer is the issue here.”

“Then what is? It’s not like me living upstairs is the problem, right?”

Is he doing this on purpose?

His relaxed demeanor left her at a loss for words.

How can he act like this is nothing?

Was it because of their different positions?

Would he still be this composed if their roles were reversed?

Haewon was certain she wouldn’t be. Unlike him, her mind was starting to spiral.

There was no way Chairman Cha didn’t know that Kangwoo lived here. Then why had she given her the key, fully aware of this?

Is this a gift or a test?

Kangwoo’s words from earlier resurfaced in her mind.

“Think of it as a congratulatory present.”

That’s what Chairman Cha had said.

She didn’t want to overthink it. Assigning too much meaning to it would only complicate things.

Stay sharp.

This could very well be a test.

And if it was, she had to pass it.

She couldn’t afford to disappoint Chairman Cha.

“You said you wanted beer, right? You can have mine. I’m tired, so I’m turning in early.”

Haewon handed him the bag with the beer can.

Kangwoo let out a short laugh, then looked at her intently before exhaling lightly.

“Haewon, that expression again.”

“What about my expression?”

“You’re drawing a line. A very clear one.”

As expected, he was quick to pick up on things.

At the very least, Haewon was relieved that she didn’t have to explain herself in detail—Kangwoo seemed to understand her intentions just fine.

“I don’t know about that…”

“If you don’t know, go look in a mirror.”

Kangwoo cut her off with a displeased expression, his tone laced with sarcasm.

“For reference, I have a huge mirror at my place. How about you check while drinking a beer?”

Hadn’t he given up already?

Haewon frowned as Kangwoo persisted. Of all things, why was he being so stubborn about this?

“If coming to my place feels like too much pressure, just think of it as a housewarming party.”

“…What?”

“I never invited you over after moving in. Let’s do it today. Come.”

“When exactly did you move in?”

“A year ago.”

Haewon was so dumbfounded she didn’t even have the energy to argue.

As she stood there in disbelief, Kangwoo added nonchalantly,

“If you don’t like my place, let’s do it at yours. You can invite me instead.”

“I’ll do it in a year, then.”

“…What?”

Kangwoo blinked, momentarily stunned. He had no comeback.

A perfect defeat.

✼ ✼ ✼

Somewhere, an alarm was ringing.

It was time to get up.

Haewon opened her eyes with a deep frown.

“Haa…”

Her head throbbed, likely from a restless night. Pressing her temples, she sat up. The pain only sharpened, making her realize she probably needed some medicine.

She quickly left the officetel, skipping breakfast—food could wait, but pain relief couldn’t.

As expected, she was the first to arrive at the office. On her way in, she had picked up some medicine from the convenience store. Now, she headed to the break room to take it.

Filling a paper cup with water, she popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed it down in one go.

Her stomach churned slightly—taking medicine on an empty stomach wasn’t ideal. Maybe some warm tea would help.

She looked around for the tea container, only to find it empty. As a newcomer, she had no idea where supplies were kept, so she glanced around and spotted a cabinet tucked away in the corner.

Maybe it’s in there.

The space was cramped, barely big enough for one person. Turning sideways, she squeezed in and pulled open the drawer. Sure enough, various teas were neatly arranged inside.

As she debated which one to pick, the sound of footsteps reached her ears.

Then, voices.

“Lee, what do you want? Iced Americano or hot?”

“Iced, obviously. Who drinks hot coffee in this heat?”

“This summer’s brutal.”

Whirr.

The coffee machine hummed to life.

Haewon had no intention of eavesdropping, but just as she was about to make her presence known, she froze.

“Oh, by the way, Sujin, what do you think of Manager Lee Haewon now that you’ve met her?”

The mention of her name made her body tense.

She had missed her chance to step out.

“I met her for the first time yesterday, and honestly? She’s the worst.”

If they were talking about “Sujin,” it had to be Jung Sujin from her team.

Clueless to Haewon’s presence, the two continued their conversation.

“You met her for a single day—how can you say that?”

“Well, the first thing she did when she saw me was demand a building tour. Like, who does she think she is? The chairman?”

Sujin conveniently left out the part where she had failed to do her job, making Haewon sound insufferable instead.

There was no point in listening to more of this nonsense.

It wasn’t her style to sit back and take it, and she had no intention of doing so now.

Just as she was about to step out and confront them, Sujin said something unexpected.

“Not that it matters. She’s got someone else to rely on. Seo Jiseok is going to be her mentor.”

“What? Seriously? The most popular guy in the company? Wow, I’m jealous. But wait, wasn’t he sent on an assignment outside the city?”

“He came back last week.”

“Ah, I see. Oh, Lee, the coffee’s ready! Extra ice for me.”

“Got it, got it.”

With that, the two left, still chatting and laughing.

Only then did Haewon finally step out.

Seo Jiseok? He’s my mentor?

Well… time sure flies.

She let out a short sigh before shrugging.

But someone else was far more interested in the news than she was.

“…Who did you just say?”