DFY Ch 3

“Good evening, Team Leader.”

To Sodam, Junwoo was just the HR team leader, but to others, he was the youngest son of Vice Chairman Yoon Taepyeong.

At Junwoo’s favorite restaurant, he was treated with the utmost respect, like a VIP.

“I’ll show you to a private room.”

The manager escorted them to a private dining room. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she found herself alone with him in the bustling restaurant during the dinner rush.

As soon as they were seated, Junwoo began ordering various dishes. It seemed like a bit too much food for just the two of them.

Although Sodam loved expensive Japanese food, the complexity of her broken engagement had dulled her appetite.

As she was thinking about the food that would likely go to waste, the manager, having taken their order, disappeared, leaving Sodam and Junwoo alone in the private room.

“What have you decided about your vacation time?”

Junwoo brought up work before the food even arrived. It was natural for him to talk about work since they were there to discuss it, but she found it a bit annoying that he brought it up after work hours.

“I won’t be using my vacation time.”

“Alright. Then you can help with the workshop preparations, Ms. Wang.”

“Yes.”

“You do realize that your absence has increased the workload for others, Ms. Wang? So please make up for it.”

Sodam gritted her teeth. She wasn’t expecting sympathy, but did he have to point out that her colleagues were inconvenienced because of her? It felt a bit harsh, especially given her situation.

A brief silence followed, and then the food began to arrive.

The manager brought a bottle of whiskey, unordered, and began to flatter Junwoo.

“We have a new selection of fine whiskeys. This is a 30-year-old Macallan, your favorite, Team Leader.”

Although the manager’s sales tactic was obvious, Junwoo simply nodded. The manager opened the whiskey, poured it into on-the-rocks glasses with ice for both of them, and then left.

“Let’s eat.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Sodam put a piece of tuna sashimi in her mouth. The melt-in-your-mouth kamado nearly made her eyes pop open.

Forgetting her lack of appetite, she rinsed her mouth with whiskey without even realizing it.

Why was the alcohol so sweet? The 30-year-old Macallan, older than both Sodam and Junwoo, was incredibly smooth.

“Take it slow.”

“Yes.”

Junwoo rolled up his sleeves and poured more whiskey into his glass. Sodam’s eyes were drawn to the veins in his toned arms. She couldn’t take her eyes off the prominent veins, perfect for an IV.

I’m crazy.

This crazy bitch!

What are you thinking?

After mercilessly dumping the man you’ve loved for 5 years for being impotent, this is what you think about after just a week?

Sodam shook her head and clinked glasses with Junwoo.

The ice in the golden whiskey melted, its sharp edges quickly rounding.

Sodam focused on the tuna sashimi. There were many other delicious dishes on the table, but she planned to finish off the kamado, something she couldn’t afford on her own.

“May I ask you something?”

Junwoo spoke as Sodam was diligently working her way through the tuna and whiskey.

She cautiously looked up, worried that if he brought up work again, the delicious tuna would get stuck in her throat. Before she could answer, Junwoo rested his chin on his hand and asked,

“Why did you break off the engagement?”

“Huh?”

Sodam stopped using her chopsticks and blinked her wide eyes. Despite the incredibly rude question, Junwoo’s gaze was so deep it felt like she was being drawn into his soul.

“Didn’t you say you were in love with him for five years?”

“How did you know that?”

“I heard rumors.”

Sodam’s love story, which she had only shared with close colleagues while treating them to meals when handing out invitations, had somehow reached Team Leader Yoon Junwoo’s ears. As expected, there were no secrets in the company.

“It’s just… a personal matter.”

As Sodam reached for the bottle, Junwoo grabbed it first, placed three ice cubes in her glass, poured a shot of whiskey, and then topped it off in her glass.

“Drink.”

His mouth is rude, but his hands are gentle.

Sodam gulped down the whiskey without any food. Junwoo then placed two pieces of kamado on her plate.

“Eat something too.”

“Okay.”

“So, what is this ‘personal matter’?”

Sodam glared at him as she put the tuna in her mouth, then realized a moment too late that she had just glared at her superior. She quickly lowered her gaze and bit her lip.

It’s not like we’re close enough to discuss something like this, Team Leader…

…The words lingered on the tip of her tongue, but even the alcohol couldn’t completely overcome her sense of propriety.

“It’s just his personality…”

“Did he cheat on you?”

Sodam thought carefully. Although she had lost all affection for Kim Junghyuk after his nonsense and impotence, she also bore some responsibility for the broken engagement. She had abruptly declared it over without giving him a reason. Everyone would probably think she was a bad person.

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then… pre-wedding jitters?”

“Huh?”

“I heard women get depressed before marriage. Is that it?”

“…”

Sodam pressed her lips together.

She wasn’t depressed.

She was sexually frustrated.

“You’re not answering. Makes me even more curious.”

“It’s a personal matter. I’d prefer you not ask.”

Sodam finally spoke politely, holding back her frustration. Junwoo tilted his head and smirked.

“Then did you cheat on him?”

“No, I didn’t!”

Sodam poured whiskey into her glass. Junwoo reached out to stop her, but she was faster, filling her glass to the brim, this time without ice.

Ugh!

She downed the expensive whiskey in one shot without savoring it. Earlier, it had been so smooth that she hadn’t realized how much she was drinking. Now, the alcohol hit her hard.

“I’m really curious now.”

Junwoo stared intently at Sodam.

Perhaps, having always gotten his way, he didn’t realize that prying into his subordinate’s personal life was considered inappropriate.

“I’ll be back. I need to use the restroom.”

Sodam stood up, trying to escape the rising intoxication. She stumbled slightly as she slid open the door and headed for the restroom. Now that her tension had eased, the alcohol hit her like a wave.

She remembered going to the restroom, but everything after that was hazy.

✦ ✦ ✦

Wang Sodam, who had said she was going to the restroom, hadn’t returned for almost 20 minutes. Junwoo was starting to get worried.

Was she angry? Did he ask something he shouldn’t have? Is that why she wasn’t coming back?

But he couldn’t help but ask.

Maybe… maybe this was his chance!

Junwoo wasn’t happy about being parachuted into the HR department. Not a glamorous department like his brothers had, but HR, notorious for its heavy workload. It was his father’s way of telling him to work hard and get his act together.

Since it wasn’t the company he was going to inherit anyway, he figured he’d just coast through his time in HR.

But from his first day, there was a woman who caught his eye.

Wang Sodam.

Her large, expressive eyes and her air of general indifference were quite endearing. He was drawn to her ability to diligently complete her tasks despite her apathetic “yes, yes” responses.

Her petite stature was charming. He thought she would look like a doll standing next to him.

This thought eventually led to the desire to hold her just once. Junwoo even considered asking her out despite the burden of an office romance involving the chairman’s grandson.

But before Junwoo could ask her out, Wang Sodam handed him a wedding invitation.

The woman he had secretly admired for the past year had been in love with another man for five years. While Junwoo wasn’t one to give up easily, he didn’t think he could compete with five years of deep love.

If she loved someone that much, it was best to give up, so he tried to forget about her.

But just as he had made up his mind, he heard that Wang Sodam had broken off her engagement.

It was only natural that he couldn’t control his expression when he heard the news. Did he smile? He didn’t think he smiled that much, but Wang Sodam’s expression had certainly soured.

But what could he do about the sudden surge of joy he felt?

So, impulsively, for the first time, he asked her to have dinner with him.

Wang Sodam’s farewell drink was Yoon Junwoo’s celebratory toast.