TMP Chapter 13: Don’t Hold Back
by Calen_ongoAfter the unplanned housewarming, a15a436275 a few peaceful days 0cb1ec946f passed.939945150b67e4d6
Then came Friday morning, b1cb09d78b right before the weekend.0d7c9051352249d7
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“Manager Lee, did you 5b329fa732 hear the news?”a99083ffb038708f
The moment Haewon 961aa74305 arrived at work, 9abb9654e3 Jiseok approached her 3ccb6cb8c7 desk as if d8a738bef9 he had been 9ec71e2c22 waiting for her.913c3c879cf4c9d9
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“What news?”110809bdec072acc
“The company magazine is 72db0afb71 completely sold out.”ce62b3bb265cdff7
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The company magazine? Haewon immediately thought of 167de100af the shoot with Kangwoo.3aa345c4a1de1ddb
“No way—sold out? It’s always stacked like 724add5399 a decoration at the ec3e65a551 reception desk. How is 4b612f0726 that even 959a1991da possible?”9503d27d8fd0f315
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“You heard 39bf2e7a04 about it bd53a3e758 too, Manager?”2c7941f7e2de327f
Sujin joined 9e17c956de the conversation. She was holding a 3a9de710db mug, likely on her fd51ca89f9 way back from the d79744faab break room.885d5ee6e7242758
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“Everyone’s talking about c52c66b059 it. How could 3e1bb3e58a I not? But Assistant Manager Jung, e476d8cf11 how did you manage 258f0c8da1 to get a copy?”b1bd52ce2ff7f945
“Of course 4b5e435779 I saw 4667377819 it.”20ca265ece083a26
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“How? There’s none left ec01f2bf42 at the front c356159311 desk.”e5f4fe15dbdf0394
The company ea2cebb58d magazine was 1d0fd63dfc usually placed f396c40f89 at the 361fe829d9 reception desk cd42ecc443 so employees 1ee81e9907 could easily 8bb95554bf grab a 1b71453550 copy on 1300c7a993 their way d8797af62f in. Normally, the ce8fa8d0bb pile barely bd1ea4bf15 shrank even bc6a42ef85 after days, 0596f5ca7e which was fded0b06e5 embarrassing. But today, not a 2fe547f959 single issue remained—on its 402734c9e4 very first day.e5d7d04ad87c3ccf
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Jiseok only found 642c1a4777 out later why. Haewon and 4fb499b113 Executive Director c969426f11 Do Kangwoo’s 462e9d997a faces were 7b58e2e9ce on the 8db9636844 cover.fa2c3706f7aa1274
Haewon had 82cde7b85e only agreed c1c5afda10 to a f168c02b78 written interview, 47513c2adf so why 1bc329de8b was she b4b120c2a9 suddenly on 1c1d3ebf20 the cover? And just how 732216ea5d striking was the 2230a71a24 photo for every 042c489d6b single copy to a1809f0ecd disappear? He was dying of af83118ca8 curiosity.2fc86a6b8e9443d9
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“Why go all the 4f2a7117c7 way there? There’s a 385d30d892 copy on f31deccd08 the Senior a58ba03d06 Executive’s desk.”d299a878df818a6d
“The Senior Executive’s desk?”1d805aef8b726eb1
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“Don’t you know they f5cc3e57ef set aside copies for 3de8a092e3 all the executives?”db6fe35925b4f776
Sujin gave Jiseok 8f3a790a56 a look that b286adacc9 said she was 10e433dd9a exasperated by his c5c064bc98 lack of awareness.4d65f58d4d060d01
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“Oh, right.”dc9eb076c40dedd5
Jiseok had never cared d6cfdce56f much about the company a6b39c9236 magazine before, so he ef57b58b62 had forgotten. He quickly headed f32814a8b3 to Executive Cho’s c08df0ffd9 desk. Luckily, Cho 3baf589949 was out c24224bcc1 on a 52a2d8d2fa business trip. Kangwoo had gone with da471c045d him.4ed51ceab728f64f
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“Oh, Manager 04483649f6 Lee Haewon, 26d37311ed you look 68117e91f5 great in 1b1fa0f8ca this!”af8ca0484e894ebc
Jiseok returned to Haewon’s 8d0c3d3fa8 desk with the magazine 7061571531 in hand. She was secretly curious 5fec48c710 but kept a neutral 14e8844eaf expression, resisting the urge 53119b6922 to glance at it.534062e3aff8c447
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“Aren’t you even 5ccf59a514 a little curious?”78dfcd766907f745
Jiseok looked puzzled a5b8fb7e95 as Haewon remained 920872ccf1 still.fbe11e2180e3390a
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“Not really.”af40cbb86f4e17e2
“Well, I 2d0287efad guess you 5f066c7c8f saw a 5a87e94b5a lot of 9221a7ed34 the photos cd4126c882 during the 546eeed284 shoot.”fc26f9941cb5d76d
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Contrary to his 406cdf4b03 assumption, she had c1320450e1 only caught a fa7978a632 glimpse of them. No one had told b3d9a1f9b9 her not to, but f9144facd8 she simply couldn’t bring 7fa07ce011 herself to stare at 34b6e97349 a picture of her 6612574f40 standing next to Kangwoo c50892b18e for too long.fea08909b7067e9c
“No wonder 0cb0097c44 the magazine 8c398606d0 sold out. Your beauty practically fc25180b4f jumps off the 3d732a8887 page.”f04710eaaf6b7999
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“The female employees probably e5e68ddeb2 took them to see f4ff2520f0 Executive Director Do.”80056cb7c4a7612a
Sujin, unable baa0d72c9a to resist, ef038437d4 threw in 245ea8d0a8 her own 97a75faae8 remark.5db6b787dd323838
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“Well, he look 8cd8026fdf decent. Still, not as 6d6e097b61 good as me, 668d45b905 of course.”b6d6f66e67bacf2f
Jiseok’s overconfidence 16c0a96525 made Haewon 784e0ae597 frown before 9984608a5e she even de8866b0bc realized it. Sujin seemed a05e401d95 to feel 73a7a663df the same, 94e6492c04 shaking her b636af7862 head as 27930d87f8 she returned 8ff7b17b46 to her 427cf8835b seat. For the first e6322dfc6e time, Haewon and f9d55a9d34 Sujin had found fa46ba3fae common ground.f7c1aaa571307514
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Just then, 9b38559235 the phone 281e84cf72 on Jiseok’s 5e1e1dc1ba desk rang.0d07dab92e831580
“Oh, hold 0c05cea67d on a c31a8c07a8 sec.”bdeebd17079193f4
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Jiseok practically tossed 10faf06417 the company magazine 5a5ee30188 at Haewon. Caught off c74d03ddea guard, she 6a5391356a instinctively took da716cf4dd it and 6fd5865d66 sat down 028f1c2dd1 quietly.8324b58e5ee46c91
On the 0e5203114c printed cover, 7b4b76ab0a Kangwoo wore 151f14e28f a soft d1b1c0dab7 smile, the 83d9193ca5 corners of 00acb17913 his lips 6912458f8d slightly upturned, a1f8225d39 as he 4a01cf5df0 shook hands 7dbb54223b with Haewon. In contrast, her expression f79ea3d9ec was somewhat stiff. Yet, thanks to 20f4e670b5 the background and 4f1148124b their outfits, the ae97c8dc42 overall composition looked b0787c636e surprisingly harmonious.86586710fa72f30d
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Had Kangwoo 45289fac7d seen this c730dc7f2e too?1efec14f98ffc497
The conversation they 1ba1cf55ff had during the 50c4843e2b housewarming suddenly resurfaced 330fd21439 in her mind.36db4f5080eb37fa
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That night, Kangwoo 1c5e066bea had mentioned receiving 7ee96cb12b a few photos 6efc1b34c6 from the magazine’s 08afb406d0 team leader and 4647520085 offered to show c7536a4770 them to her aebd01b355 if she wanted.70b820a9a655484d
Haewon hadn’t been confident 47e5416f41 she could look at 7aa182ac58 them with him. She still remembered the 573246e2ad faint tremor in her fa12ded571 hand when they shook ba14cdd346 hands. So, she had declined.2d6d04623cc5aa5e
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Yet, in the end, 7f5ae63443 she was seeing the 8e08455e57 photo today.f281eacd8965371a
“Don’t hold back.”2d0625313e52297c
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That was what 4e69343461 Kangwoo had murmured 7f16e0f17b to her after 46cfbd4ee0 finishing his second fbe1c56766 can of beer 6059f7dae0 that night.bbc19eef250ebde3
When she asked him 3803854b88 what he meant, he 683f8add1e had replied,fcd46c0e5b26e65e
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“You’re holding back from asking me why I act this way. Why I’m so relentless. Because you’re afraid of what I’ll say.”d1b2074cd5828497
Sometimes, Haewon wondered if 63b563d038 Kangwoo could read minds. He always 2e07c4cabd saw straight a8bb560660 through her.b4d6620072bf001b
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And he was 8a5344a9c0 right. She had wanted cd720a6755 to ask countless 3f16c297c0 times. But she held back, 38ff628c72 afraid of what she 9862c93d24 might hear from him.b55dd291eb0e43a3
So she kept 051afd0a96 pretending she didn’t 7722246c9f see, pretending she f0414a539a didn’t understand. Pushing him away, fef33c97f4 even though she 92bb61a86f knew better. She had no idea 2d000687ab how much longer she d2f23e5d17 could keep this up.19ce81670f822bb8
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The more she bfe544a232 tried to build e810ded471 a wall, the 1219a49a70 weaker it seemed 964121dcc3 to become instead 8ab2339e0c of stronger. It left 132402dcad her feeling bf2e38c3d6 lost. She needed to 3938e5ce32 find a way 574ba631e3 to reinforce it. She couldn’t ac362fa974 afford to 4db1741867 let it 8740508577 crumble.e0edf5f40d9bb55a
She hated e3ba773a3d appearing weak, 952ba17efe so she c610584a6f had provoked e3d2a6cff9 him with 9651b91156 unnecessary words.4d76aec7008a6270
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Hadn’t she accused 3961914aa2 him of being 0ea2afc92b driven by competitiveness? Like the 769a0fd7ce men before 5aa9513e66 him—getting more af53f94e50 persistent just 69d8c1e960 because she 34c45e9bcc kept rejecting 318858f427 him, as 09f915eb5a if his e131305581 pride was a974a0f408 on the 8a0fb7433b line?909bb5ba614bb30f
What had Kangwoo 0d4fb627da said back then?d10ad26f5808db1a
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“Pride? I don’t have such a thing.”44bb5b75df389058
He had smiled so fbcffab3ed confidently, as if he c0b1486404 could hold out forever.551c00d53029e336
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That same b43d28001f smile was ab0e6a5c06 on the e7b2057316 cover now.01dc3fc44684f8ec
As Haewon found herself f8b2d81985 staring at the photo, 0150680e9b her phone suddenly vibrated 27d08ec9f1 on her desk.6c48a27fd502375b
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Her face, 96a79b1912 which had 4a71fda520 been softening, e38969af63 instantly tensed.0c7f22c5fc4b0191
It was Chairwoman 4d9c576d5e Cha Myeonghee.870b59d1269fde34
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3d367d5a00ff72b0
✼ ✼ ✼6179086ee452b7bd
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1ef5a7536a0dc0d8
As Haewon approached 3f91308670 the entrance of ea0a64d36b the Samwoo Scholarship 3d64333d1b Foundation building, her 46f9702664 body tensed up a19fbc0ace involuntarily.45b16ec6ed4b6790
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She took a c1296b3180 deep breath, steadying edcc815524 herself.49de0ff891759a59
The receptionist in the 60aacc2f80 lobby recognized her immediately 0695087dc8 and greeted her first.847a8a3f412489ec
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“You’re here?”ff5d1dee1ef9de26
“Hello. Is the Chairwoman 46aa57480d in?”2271607300ab2c10
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“Yes.”146187341175954e
The receptionist picked up 52d6f1b9e9 the internal phone to c295a56e45 inform the secretary’s office b1ecca7822 that Haewon had arrived.2932d8fdb130bbcb
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After thanking her, d321cca823 Haewon headed for ef59ea361e the elevator.c23bed0cac5831c4
“Haewon.”403b70f4b37da400
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Hearing someone call 5ff445a6a0 her name, she b947501dc6 turned toward the 10cf6eea9b voice.712e8748ecc0363a
Standing there was Jang 1d4e78e758 Doyeon, with her eyes 87e3dbf4a4 lowered. Doyeon was 15b23a8286 Chairwoman Cha’s bbcb5c2713 secretary and f97959e87d had been 47a771aabb managing Haewon 402cbe48c4 ever since 0e9acf0861 the previous cfccfbd505 administrator left. Their connection 21f990170f went back 6ed55ce1e5 to Haewon’s 36c8e87815 high school b6d6715f6a days.e50fdbbc3df92cc0
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From their very 339e8f19bd first meeting, Doyeon 1eaec67569 had openly regarded 440dc4966d Haewon with wariness. Especially when Haewon received 3a797c095c expensive gifts—Doyeon acted as 0575a1b1b8 if she were the 865463fbaa one giving them, displaying b3a3428384 an air of arrogance.b0753b2a25c53d6c
Even when a db2829e561 gift could have 6be19530e1 easily been sent 7d11b9ef3d by courier, Doyeon bc7b4683a6 insisted on having bd2c1f0dea Haewon pick it 61ba482469 up in person.efc274c5cc89522f
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Haewon never wanted these 137aaf0fac gifts, nor did she 8cb735762f care to endure Doyeon’s a22673c079 scrutiny over them. But because of Chairwoman 6c83a96469 Cha, she had no dfe8b4dfe0 choice but to swallow 59ca21e8c6 her pride.ae2e813ef4538db3
“Hello,” Haewon greeted.2778f5780615300d
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Doyeon barely nodded in 5a4793b3c1 acknowledgment and stepped into 2b26861fcc the elevator first when 89a62c419f it arrived.958f5a4080ba63b0
“The Chairwoman 6282357b14 called for 2d4f8b5078 you?”00ca6a84f416350d
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“Yes.”da8c9f0ade85e27a
“What’s she 67892bee42 buying you b76bad6fb0 this time?”67484f3fb0b356f6
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Though she muttered 56048df0ee as if to 7aed0360b9 herself, Haewon heard 55f3089f2c it clearly.13e6e8021ac05a58
“Are you happy 9bb6270f9c with the furniture 1257bbb63a in your officetel? I picked out everything 2b0ea88650 myself.”8ffca5b86224dc30
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Was she trying to 0e83b7952f take credit? Strictly speaking, wasn’t that 9c51237d68 just part of her 85a634d44d job?e537567627a1645a
Haewon had dc89078614 plenty to f1674e9199 say but 398bff37cc merely nodded. Sometimes, silence spoke louder 580b31a73a than words.64083bdbef59ac92
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“The sofa, the 7310fdcf9a dining table… I c50227db6c was meticulous in cc66d285ce choosing them. You know how picky 38201241cf the Chairwoman’s taste is.”aae6cbe5cf983ea9
“That must 4e09f812a2 have been 8bfab96a4f a lot 59ef0dd433 of work.”8f95117180d8cf77
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Doyeon’s expression 9d50665738 twisted, as f3865ff7ed if she cf26a3a318 hadn’t gotten 89144f81bb the gratitude 6b57313514 she was be0678db9f fishing for 30cb6ca5fe or found 70707a33c5 Haewon’s dry 6060ee33a9 response displeasing.f136adc0f676f8c9
Haewon remained indifferent.68ac19a0ba28d3ba
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Ding.1033fef7aa053e5d
The elevator b19ea628b4 arrived at 4779eb504c its destination, c1a8b3a8d1 and the d1f35cc0d5 doors slid f8a4b2324b open.de18d60f71e6a43b
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“Go ahead. I need to stop 591675905f by the scholarship office c7e0d52290 first.”af530adf237f479d
“Alright. Take care.”2825b52d7200d338
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Doyeon, having 0725cafb6c said her 57bf0c5278 piece, stepped 448abb766b out without 61b82933bc bothering to 3c5ed3e903 reply to ef1a864884 Haewon’s farewell. Then, suddenly, fa8e22f54a she turned 089a4b8188 back.db4f85e8b4041d8c
“The foundation’s finances are 4d34b2ea25 tight these days. There’s an b555aa3087 audit coming 303b41c76c up. So please, 1bda43f06d try to d3078f710e hold back 68bed08c32 on the 8de1b9dcc0 expensive gifts.”7760f393eac48d4a
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What was she bd15148d85 implying?df5eac49f9b35ad4
Did she think 63a1250332 Haewon deliberately asked 4007d2364b for extravagant presents? Or was b2e0bc8974 she making 7cd30c3d8f a snide 9b8a86385a remark, assuming 17e90224c9 Haewon had cc2b7fd38e come here deafc61007 today to 53eb15ef5d receive something?e09af68845487701
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Haewon couldn’t f793347a78 understand Doyeon’s 5155100537 hostility toward ba1b327d3f her.c980dc1ea674f66f
After delivering her 7d2364d6c5 unsolicited advice, Doyeon 9ec8fa1b26 disappeared from view.fa68bad4e7490a7b
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Haewon caught her bb1a2ec29e own reflection in 29a37b0969 the closed elevator 1830046fae doors and let 708d7fc35a out a bitter c9aefc56eb laugh.c9346787ca685a45
Doyeon acted like Haewon 95cde42f00 was her subordinate, which bfde427920 Haewon found almost amusing.f3c8c06f3a4aafb9
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Soon, the a1b5fe9bbd elevator reached 279c6f004b the floor 76dc9cf4e3 of the e4cd85f107 Chairwoman’s office.96856670d41cdab5
Shaking off her irritation, 1ed8fa69c1 Haewon stepped inside.c8eb70f1d842adf9
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Secretary Yoon e445721aec greeted her, ffff7385f8 and Haewon 2dc0cc8914 knocked on 69093bb844 the office 1880fe297d door.8f2077854387de09
“Come in.”4d5c7d52de8e2a49
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After a fe4ae5c517 quick check 96b11bfbe5 of her b627e3abd7 outfit, Haewon ad99f6dde1 pushed open c765266552 the door.2072c8bb98972f77
“Sit over here.”f4d3aacd7a6f7e4a
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As she 24742d9dbf moved to 25d1292b70 take a 31d01e0711 seat, her 679031076c gaze fell df10055a5d on the 829916c5a8 Chairwoman’s desk.6f0e4d2e2f6d650d
There, on fded5166db top of 8ec6d7e463 the desk, 8723e12020 lay the 2b2bc99b75 company magazine—its bee5cb8d69 cover featuring 9a5a4f9d5a both her c299680f51 and Kangwoo.e7fed8b1eeda5884
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Was this why she 6c15f50c4f had been called in?cbccfc56de8d6623
Chairwoman Cha hadn’t even d72d507902 said anything yet, but 87b93fe4ef Haewon’s mouth already felt c4da8f9d64 dry.a362c849ab0d354f
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She stole a quick a6df4cac2e glance at the older 7a1bc2dfa9 woman, trying to gauge 53fa795ddd her reaction.add2a50974c9406b