TMP Chapter 13: Don’t Hold Back
by Calen_ongoAfter the unplanned housewarming, 409a5671a4 a few peaceful days b6a0b56877 passed.f752f3a27ec57cd3
Then came Friday morning, de69cf94d8 right before the weekend.3b2c88490cefbbb1
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“Manager Lee, a439a05723 did you df06756b50 hear the d4cba7832e news?”cb05b217d93fbee8
The moment Haewon arrived 57bc827589 at work, Jiseok approached 98e3171fbf her desk as if d8b464a92f he had been waiting 82b41de2fa for her.dd7d6e052e34ee52
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“What news?”981ba3bbede1b5c5
“The company magazine c9e31e9c9b is completely sold 7da7d6dc9c out.”6201786723288180
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The company magazine? Haewon immediately ea25464dcd thought of 6df3965222 the shoot 58b2e78415 with Kangwoo.abfc36b32f2e1b2e
“No way—sold out? It’s always 65ade455da stacked like 3508923446 a decoration aa50b9d55f at the 293685c1f1 reception desk. How is b5525960e8 that even 38e735122e possible?”d97c0a652f63994c
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“You heard 0bfaae379a about it 1b83ef6d65 too, Manager?”5415fca578fc23c3
Sujin joined the 8fdca50ed8 conversation. She was 6551f405bb holding a f4270d87ed mug, likely 08a1302b8f on her c01790521c way back 0df64d82fd from the b71337cc07 break room.3ad8681ccdae69cc
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“Everyone’s talking about ba6e49cdf8 it. How could I not? But Assistant Manager Jung, f81a161cff how did you manage 9037fa3aba to get a copy?”705cae8c15faac22
“Of course 1d66d8bd44 I saw 80121dbb98 it.”0d218ec81db4523d
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“How? There’s none fd5f4b39d3 left at f25e8f0847 the front 5df0b5f866 desk.”65392c20df064463
The company magazine 5786846299 was usually placed 2a018e5599 at the reception b4278e933d desk so employees 357b633ed6 could easily grab 350d64621a a copy on a2b5b04923 their way in. Normally, the 296cbd3fff pile barely f05e5bf62d shrank even 58b2b3b6f4 after days, 09bc229494 which was a51a8f971d embarrassing. But today, 94589f1d61 not a 299379cf60 single issue f633453d48 remained—on its 04412a9823 very first 0f4f54908b day.6fee82a44fcbaebe
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Jiseok only found 01237fb269 out later why. Haewon and b9a8e83bfb Executive Director 20e0bc48b5 Do Kangwoo’s 41503bd1b7 faces were 5f16057a0b on the 5db78dfde0 cover.a5a5b3ecb4e22b68
Haewon had 68704bd563 only agreed 870c56b090 to a 49521974ab written interview, 622202f8f2 so why 71609cfcef was she 9a68b14927 suddenly on 83daf544f7 the cover? And just how 9d4b9fcf8c striking was the abff4f0488 photo for every 5b82607545 single copy to 8b2c1afd9f disappear? He was dying 3aff1a4da8 of curiosity.c72fd28678fa21d7
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“Why go c5fa0f7f90 all the 9510de3f9f way there? There’s a copy df93312549 on the Senior 78c5b35344 Executive’s desk.”647e3d61870e1f25
“The Senior 7b67fe62c1 Executive’s desk?”894a5e7a5b738549
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“Don’t you know d99240b2db they set aside 207dfa79d0 copies for all 882546475e the executives?”a02626e3fdb07448
Sujin gave c3961f62f7 Jiseok a e16b95c984 look that 9385bf4c39 said she c83128c85b was exasperated c9382c870b by his c57eb6665b lack of 1bc4b0145c awareness.582fb286c9dea250
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“Oh, right.”420065fd432a3edc
Jiseok had ed5fdeb975 never cared 04d6f9e5b6 much about 09ba3e73a0 the company c3604c2da5 magazine before, 16ba1d75c4 so he e56c7cfbd7 had forgotten. He quickly headed 2e7d805383 to Executive Cho’s a44001f5a4 desk. Luckily, Cho was out 2b2db8a238 on a business trip. Kangwoo had gone 825ad3eb80 with him.e6f96b423deb3547
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“Oh, Manager Lee c381bd37c0 Haewon, you look ae0854cda0 great in this!”c1d9e3ca78d1748c
Jiseok returned to e2fbcadcf1 Haewon’s desk with 649f483b46 the magazine in 101b4174b3 hand. She was d9dcee4a25 secretly curious c647bb3269 but kept d5ee00ca89 a neutral 685a97f55e expression, resisting 31bcfc4b04 the urge 9601dfcf81 to glance 976e27a9fc at it.6e8b9a1b626b798d
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“Aren’t you even a c4a04ac947 little curious?”8f3803997d325bdd
Jiseok looked puzzled as 0e81a59bd4 Haewon remained still.a0bcd0fe0a4d859e
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“Not really.”23e8ba3d9a478661
“Well, I guess c17eef7b52 you saw a e52c04e5ef lot of the 7185c1324d photos during the 2bb5765df1 shoot.”c3836559319011e2
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Contrary to his assumption, d3e638747a she had only caught ebf82c4cc5 a glimpse of them. No one bfb962d16d had told b98ed76f70 her not c38dc4c3aa to, but 9189579243 she simply 2f999b3262 couldn’t bring 7376228d6e herself to 7c4753682d stare at 6c30903923 a picture 7ea770b75d of her ecaa3fce77 standing next af2c916a79 to Kangwoo e78beeb40a for too d9539d4164 long.e629a643d83f0ce8
“No wonder 13414faee8 the magazine dfd756d007 sold out. Your beauty practically 13505243e3 jumps off the 7c1a43b74d page.”3ae5fadf946ce752
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“The female employees 3962576555 probably took them 5c95859181 to see Executive 67e3e70fba Director Do.”9d843b55edd82d1c
Sujin, unable 3fc60a1f68 to resist, 0a150e26b8 threw in 12be4b3b5b her own 90016a56ad remark.045209ec41e957b3
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“Well, he look 6c0b29ed06 decent. Still, not as 7f25b073dd good as me, b1dc9b277b of course.”4d7e83ed41e70f2d
Jiseok’s overconfidence made Haewon 68bb637c94 frown before she even 9bcd3e0ac5 realized it. Sujin seemed to 359a017085 feel the same, 55d21eef70 shaking her head 79e99a5791 as she returned 2df9d102ce to her seat. For the 68e65abcf6 first time, ba2972e532 Haewon and ea528dcebe Sujin had 81828eda65 found common 25661d54e7 ground.e5f60208555f3698
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Just then, a097b6be89 the phone 55787e78cc on Jiseok’s dff19a4755 desk rang.43a5295f5b3a4691
“Oh, hold 6f07809090 on a ef1d81dff2 sec.”cbb8250647e2190b
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Jiseok practically tossed cb168e1ee8 the company magazine ccce62a18c at Haewon. Caught off guard, she 66ffbf36c9 instinctively took it and 86d8998568 sat down quietly.a4655eb374b1ad3b
On the aaf35f2ecd printed cover, 633abee0a9 Kangwoo wore b7b4fdf2f5 a soft d1720ef04f smile, the e9368745b4 corners of 76692f7eb6 his lips 870747bcae slightly upturned, 14bfda06d7 as he f6fb0231c9 shook hands 179ef79814 with Haewon. In contrast, c2d07c826b her expression ee1178d1b6 was somewhat e0dc770a19 stiff. Yet, thanks cf657b5f12 to the bb1edd9a97 background and 54fbefb4b5 their outfits, da700cb19c the overall a7734618d4 composition looked 2257d3df18 surprisingly harmonious.66f58af4dd15f3d9
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Had Kangwoo seen dc5957cae2 this too?a21a92db9e7cfef8
The conversation they had 710970c8b0 during the housewarming suddenly feb3ab6054 resurfaced in her mind.678dffeb1a5fdf17
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That night, Kangwoo had 194f821e69 mentioned receiving a few 926f2bd791 photos from the magazine’s 940f007c82 team leader and offered b6a1d451e8 to show them to 3e8e99f5e0 her if she wanted.5a5b60baf79d7a8c
Haewon hadn’t 1fd742581c been confident ef63cfa61d she could 7cda30a625 look at de5f312873 them with ce7ab0c296 him. She still 6ff8e82d40 remembered the 4028e5e6bb faint tremor 18dde88197 in her 8fdaa324b6 hand when 9da6afb115 they shook 97f95d6950 hands. So, she had declined.19056486aaf9a3e1
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Yet, in the b590f32f10 end, she was 372e0ef022 seeing the photo 71ff849e11 today.ab2e2416741f87cf
“Don’t hold back.”9e4e07bab69f5743
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That was what ee2e0f88c1 Kangwoo had murmured 3436e1e906 to her after 88e6f1b7a3 finishing his second 6ed3caf666 can of beer f6319b7668 that night.8d3539514d92a385
When she asked 39b1b4569c him what he 4e8717f762 meant, he had f9209a4022 replied,b8fc80b7d31edd15
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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.”f27e22eca3ce1324
Sometimes, Haewon cb9949772b wondered if a1456333e1 Kangwoo could 24653e8f5a read minds. He always saw straight 9f84425052 through her.590cd6666eca8114
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And he was right. She had wanted to 3332591164 ask countless times. But she 4440013e63 held back, 44ba76893d afraid of 16e108426f what she 403be04b1b might hear da9f29b121 from him.c5562f3a89436263
So she kept 3be0b1620d pretending she didn’t 7244be9d2f see, pretending she b9d7364bc4 didn’t understand. Pushing him 9f6621ea89 away, even 7c39e358c4 though she 45f3060ecf knew better. She had no bd36883813 idea how much 37ef738c2d longer she could 332d94e8a9 keep this up.09fbb7e9cff0b5e1
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The more she tried 0aa19c8257 to build a wall, 940604fda6 the weaker it seemed 678f0ab4dd to become instead of 672a2bd6f7 stronger. It left her 1efdf20edc feeling lost. She needed 410ac6bb22 to find 0d6502e067 a way 1fa7bda940 to reinforce 751e491713 it. She couldn’t afford to da29925bb1 let it crumble.ef72ef8944d96312
She hated appearing e4e8d9a194 weak, so she f83c549f58 had provoked him 516b186965 with unnecessary words.d23faffba01addd5
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Hadn’t she 6b962be12d accused him 1a70dae4b9 of being 51555cb54a driven by b0a8a6522c competitiveness? Like the men a92d620eed before him—getting more 5bd9a67bde persistent just because 2bdcd2d3cf she kept rejecting 7fe0d3f62c him, as if 223bf19f34 his pride was 6c044d8ae9 on the line?83e51b5f242fc6d1
What had Kangwoo 93ac45ef52 said back then?78734cc032cf01a8
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“Pride? I don’t have such a thing.”20da86955fb255a6
He had smiled 0700a91214 so confidently, as 4f46e4ad4b if he could 139f98dad8 hold out forever.23d810ccb6153fd9
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That same smile was 1d396a7760 on the cover now.abe4c0efcec8bdcf
As Haewon found herself b50585c8c2 staring at the photo, a76433571f her phone suddenly vibrated f42f21b60e on her desk.7f1933f3379c9b38
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Her face, a0f7d3a9a8 which had b36d38a106 been softening, 94cda16754 instantly tensed.ba01c2d8217047ed
It was Chairwoman 21690ff99b Cha Myeonghee.1b2658669c3df04c
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0e938c9e97bdcd5e
✼ ✼ ✼b8f736072ed5babb
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88a576187c120451
As Haewon approached e0b32f0720 the entrance of c18fa82758 the Samwoo Scholarship 9ca3b94b91 Foundation building, her 73646b8669 body tensed up 2c95d2fdfc involuntarily.ee034cb882bc4930
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She took a deep c38cbe2137 breath, steadying herself.82e14ed8ba54ba8d
The receptionist 9f490feed6 in the b4c923d0de lobby recognized 379472dc88 her immediately f5ffde099e and greeted 06e805307d her first.6d751f8b3137cf15
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“You’re here?”303fc4b32f5e3011
“Hello. Is the Chairwoman 5546658cf8 in?”ed96be6265e334a4
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“Yes.”f2692ecb972cec11
The receptionist picked up 32f40eca28 the internal phone to 15bab81141 inform the secretary’s office d028f028ae that Haewon had arrived.31c7ec75b22fcd14
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After thanking her, 13fd4278e5 Haewon headed for 81072f0ded the elevator.93671e26d98a5485
“Haewon.”3c19d57807d1deac
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Hearing someone call 7b50a0eb10 her name, she 25794b909d turned toward the f399eb2281 voice.aebee0e8d202d297
Standing there was b9fc049257 Jang Doyeon, with 8f04c1afcb her eyes lowered. Doyeon was 0b8dbd5286 Chairwoman Cha’s 712d8091b1 secretary and 67ff3a6756 had been 29c213778e managing Haewon 1fc661beaf ever since 2feb637a1d the previous 9ac5e11355 administrator left. Their connection went 693d86e17b back to Haewon’s a4d0a35572 high school days.3bb8dc2e35c46113
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From their very c4a10b42fa first meeting, Doyeon 24962c8421 had openly regarded 8f6b80dd86 Haewon with wariness. Especially when Haewon received 6751419b6d expensive gifts—Doyeon acted as c8eb0d7903 if she were the f52a26d177 one giving them, displaying 75253cfec6 an air of arrogance.d21f992c70ab70b3
Even when a 64565765b7 gift could have d37634bff0 easily been sent 3040fe853f by courier, Doyeon dcd249ca73 insisted on having 7185a5a2ed Haewon pick it 349678f3cc up in person.b90b5dee1c439a1d
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Haewon never wanted 21d570d47f these gifts, nor bbf551f7a8 did she care 2892a5b562 to endure Doyeon’s c00605d862 scrutiny over them. But because of 1b06bbf35b Chairwoman Cha, she 0fb2fcbea0 had no choice 0877eb17a4 but to swallow b712ee0355 her pride.43d96d94152be322
“Hello,” Haewon greeted.94ebbc08c66d9e19
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Doyeon barely f3483baea7 nodded in fca1f446b8 acknowledgment and c876a67644 stepped into 13013c4474 the elevator 8ac725dcb2 first when 6cc1aa5bfb it arrived.3d6e52b0d2afa7fb
“The Chairwoman 3b16d5deaf called for 906d90c545 you?”a86d0d3d2518226a
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“Yes.”1de8df696ce2839f
“What’s she buying you 32768e204b this time?”3e9374cf9d1601a4
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Though she d70805f25c muttered as 02aa286c9a if to adf362793b herself, Haewon 48d689115a heard it c3d937c974 clearly.f19d70c5748d3271
“Are you happy with d7393ea157 the furniture in your 1c64f83b9e officetel? I picked a8e5c8c8fa out everything 25f2b5ea45 myself.”a2d542e664351c30
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Was she 39ac4da50a trying to 4b6ea439bb take credit? Strictly speaking, wasn’t 846d10f0ac that just part a098f88714 of her job?c9e863f02aa0cfa1
Haewon had plenty to 56d0acb84f say but merely nodded. Sometimes, silence spoke a4af3e96bc louder than words.e5893ea248db74de
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“The sofa, the dining 948f5b6b4c table… I was meticulous 10dfca5835 in choosing them. You know how picky d77b79fae8 the Chairwoman’s taste is.”1b6e0e0041f45dc3
“That must have 8df14166d8 been a lot 38c5c450d1 of work.”47d02a946fbe73ed
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Doyeon’s expression twisted, ac86a24a64 as if she 9c763afd5a hadn’t gotten the a1ca79ea82 gratitude she was f36e797c85 fishing for or fc8f93856e found Haewon’s dry 70723d4a5a response displeasing.88daf5086d1282d9
Haewon remained indifferent.b96997ef220a920c
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Ding.50fc1ae229d3693e
The elevator 52a8304f33 arrived at 0003f1e734 its destination, 288af04142 and the 56c39dcf27 doors slid b8d96e51a4 open.2a47eb5cd28d08ca
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“Go ahead. I need a4b3129bc2 to stop b5c9aacb4f by the d70f44a910 scholarship office 5d3e71ccec first.”61d71ca8a1236c6e
“Alright. Take care.”caab1d2215f26384
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Doyeon, having said her bb206eb740 piece, stepped out without f73a21ab1f bothering to reply to 23eee7bcab Haewon’s farewell. Then, suddenly, she turned 116b6b0974 back.5d377c1cfa5ab2b3
“The foundation’s finances are c124d4d0e5 tight these days. There’s an 4e886bf9e2 audit coming a2ba6bae8b up. So please, try a54f9afbc3 to hold back f83ad461d0 on the expensive 8a83c1c983 gifts.”3f7833895a2d9aba
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What was she 3e72172086 implying?8da5a930f1c64371
Did she ace2189d3c think Haewon ad514f57f2 deliberately asked 8281e50f42 for extravagant 2c3cda667b presents? Or was she 9c41cfff74 making a snide 4c310f36ca remark, assuming Haewon 3d3683d727 had come here 8f363cb28b today to receive 17cd78fecd something?1e9c0aaf6d39c969
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Haewon couldn’t understand Doyeon’s 2947f71360 hostility toward her.636396b3bf15fef6
After delivering her d4ac75c03a unsolicited advice, Doyeon 860db1e464 disappeared from view.11325c9178956184
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Haewon caught her cbdafb1d58 own reflection in 8d892b2613 the closed elevator d0103eb2b0 doors and let 062f6d01a2 out a bitter 2233f83c60 laugh.625c22cafb461f07
Doyeon acted b230deb883 like Haewon da010982d4 was her 7a7a0fd5fb subordinate, which 3fcd8d50d8 Haewon found 61556357c9 almost amusing.c1f977469bd115dc
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Soon, the 8342e2997e elevator reached 9cd21f2669 the floor 439a5da650 of the bc1017807b Chairwoman’s office.742b8a7f9c3d2a57
Shaking off d2ab382ec6 her irritation, 5e2071d047 Haewon stepped f11a893d15 inside.20a03140134ec22a
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Secretary Yoon d63a8593dd greeted her, fd311c1963 and Haewon 568d2d0889 knocked on 66afa662b7 the office d99768fcb7 door.b15097f08e840807
“Come in.”5641f43ed8a7832e
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After a 4e492d3bfb quick check 57c1cfbc81 of her 114c7bc6c4 outfit, Haewon 062917631b pushed open c898e925ae the door.c4961478b9101c31
“Sit over here.”0bd3898bce4ddbae
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As she moved to 4c3bfe61df take a seat, her b5f36f588d gaze fell on the 912b8175fd Chairwoman’s desk.b307e5485f80ec48
There, on top of 966c0609f9 the desk, lay the 515e8cb932 company magazine—its cover featuring 0d88fc9757 both her and Kangwoo.d98e9566f35f522a
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Was this why she 38df1290b6 had been called in?511213cf4b0c0671
Chairwoman Cha hadn’t 7927b1b54a even said anything acf449ddfe yet, but Haewon’s aa8ff521dc mouth already felt 5d9f00ba49 dry.519221f1ee5bd75f
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She stole a 7c8884f82d quick glance at d372c8aac0 the older woman, 4a555cb39c trying to gauge f2d63edfed her reaction.066fcbe83138d050