UR | Chapter 16

“What’s going on?”

Hwang Wonjun didn’t keep the worried employees waiting and answered promptly.

“Well, it looks like I’m going to the U.S.”

“What? Are you going on a business trip?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Sigh, it’s a bit sudden for me too. Can I have a glass of water before I explain?”

As Hwang Wonjun tried to stand up, another employee brought him a glass of water. After taking a sip of the cold water and pondering for a moment, Hwang Wonjun suddenly smiled as if he had sorted out his thoughts.

He then shared what had happened in the president’s office.

“You’re all aware of the plan to establish a branch in the U.S., right?”

“Yes.”

“It seems they think I’m the right person for the job. They suggested I go to the U.S. soon and start preparing step by step.”

Everyone reacted as if it was unexpected, but Hwang Wonjun said it wasn’t entirely out of the blue.

“When I interviewed for the job, they did ask if I was interested in working overseas, but I didn’t expect things to move this quickly.”

“Oh, was that the case?”

“Back then, I thought the U.S. branch wouldn’t be established for at least two more years, but with an investor on board, it seems the president has accelerated the timeline.”

“Wow, really? So did you say you’d go?”

“They gave me a couple of days to think about it, but I didn’t see the point in delaying. It’s a great opportunity, even if it’s challenging. I said I’d go right away. I was feeling a bit unsettled, but now I feel more at ease.”

“You didn’t mention anything when we had beers together two weeks ago. If you’d given us a hint then, we wouldn’t be so surprised.”

Establishing an overseas branch in the U.S. had been part of Austin’s plans for the past two years. Yet, as Hwang Wonjun felt, there was an element of surprise.

But it wasn’t incomprehensible. With a significant investment secured, Austin seemed to be gaining momentum.

Even so, it was unexpected for Wonjun, a research lab employee, to be preparing for the establishment of an overseas branch, rather than someone from the sales or export team.

Wonjun explained this part as well.

“I went to elementary school in Australia, so there’s no communication barrier, and since I’m still single, I don’t have to worry about relocating a family. They probably saw me as the right fit. It’s also beneficial to have someone knowledgeable about the technical aspects on-site, and since I haven’t been here long, I don’t have many responsibilities, so there’s no major risk in pulling me from the current project.”

With Wonjun explaining it himself, the employees couldn’t really argue with Jihoon’s decision. Instead, they were curious about the timeline.

“So when are you leaving?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Even if you’re single, there’s a lot to sort out.”

“Once I sort out my apartment, the rest should be fine. They’ve assured me they’ll make sure I’m comfortable in the U.S., so I need to hurry.”

Despite the sudden move to the U.S., Hwang Wonjun was surprisingly calm. The employees teased him about not being upset. They also congratulated him, saying that taking on the U.S. branch responsibilities would be a significant boost to his career in the long run.

As work hours began, Yujin headed to the lab to finish what she couldn’t complete yesterday. Following her, Hwang Wonjun asked her,

“Aren’t you upset that I’m leaving?”

“Of course, I’m upset. Even though I’ve been here longer, I’ve always relied on you for help.”

Yujin answered sincerely, but it wasn’t the response Wonjun was looking for.

“Is that all?”

“What?”

“Is being upset about a colleague leaving all there is?”

Finally understanding the intent behind his question, Yujin put down what she was doing and looked at Wonjun.

In truth, she often felt uncomfortable with Wonjun’s openly expressed affection, which was obvious to everyone. But since he hadn’t directly expressed it verbally, it was awkward to address it, so she had just let it be.

However, now that he was probing her feelings, Yujin wanted to clarify their relationship.

“Section Chief Hwang, do you like me?”

“Why would I act like that if I didn’t?”

Perhaps because he was about to leave for the U.S., Wonjun answered without hesitation. Although his sudden honesty was surprising, Yujin felt relieved.

The reason she hadn’t drawn a line with Wonjun was that he hadn’t confessed. She had subtly expressed her discomfort with his excessive kindness, but each time, Wonjun had made her feel awkward by saying that colleagues should be able to do that for each other.

But perhaps because he was leaving soon, Wonjun didn’t hide his feelings.

“It’s definitely a great opportunity for me, but when the president offered me the U.S. branch job, I hesitated for a moment. Do you know why?”

“……”

“Because I thought of Assistant Manager Kim Yujin.”

Yujin looked up at Wonjun with a bitter smile.

There was no need to be nervous since she already knew what decision he had made. Still, it was complicated.

“I thought it would be great to marry a woman like Assistant Manager Kim Yujin. Calm, smart, and considerate.”

“Do I really have that many good qualities?”

“Everyone, including me, acknowledges it, so it’s hard to believe you didn’t know.”

Yujin wondered what point there was in saying he had misjudged her, so she chose to remain silent. Instead, she decided to keep Wonjun’s words in her heart. Even if she was secretly an indecent woman sharing her body with a man, she thought it might be worth recalling this moment whenever her confidence and self-esteem plummeted.

Seeing Yujin listening seriously, Wonjun continued the conversation with a gentle smile.

“Honestly, I’ve never met a woman who didn’t fall for me.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

“Right. I really am that kind of person, but there was something I didn’t know.”

Wonjun paused, piquing her curiosity. After hesitating several times, he finally spoke.

“Turning the heart of a woman who already likes someone is harder than I thought.”

Yujin should have denied having someone she liked, but she froze instead.

She had been proud of her ability to lie, but being caught off guard left her speechless.

Seeing Yujin’s reaction, Wonjun confirmed his suspicion and reassured her.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think anyone else knows.”

“……”

“There’s probably no one else in this company who’s watched Assistant Manager Kim Yujin as closely as I have.”

Wonjun’s words from some time ago flashed through her mind.

‘Women must like men like that, right?’

She thought she had handled it naturally when he asked while watching Jihoon pass by, but maybe she hadn’t?

“Are you curious how I knew?”

As soon as he asked, Yujin resigned herself.

Hwang Wonjun seemed to see right through her. It might have been harder to hide her feelings for Jihoon from someone like him.

Now she was suddenly afraid that others might have noticed too.

“I thought any woman would naturally like the president. It’s instinctive to like someone who’s impressive and capable. Even female employees with boyfriends widen their eyes when the president appears, so what’s wrong with Assistant Manager Kim Yujin’s heart leaning that way?”

Wonjun’s attempt to wrap her feelings in innocence only fueled her guilt.

Her heart turned entirely gray.

“But I wanted the woman I liked to only look at me. So I sometimes felt resentful towards Assistant Manager Kim Yujin.”

“……”

“In the end, I was lacking. At first, I was confident I could change things, but at some point, I must have hit my limit.”

The problem was her foolish heart that was set on Jihoon, not anything Wonjun had done wrong.

“Section Chief, it’s not because you’re lacking.”

“I know. I’m a decent person too.”

Wonjun interrupted Yujin and smiled brighter than before.

“I’m sorry for making a fuss as if we had some epic love story after just a few months together.”

Receiving an apology from someone who didn’t need to apologize made her face flush and her body feel smaller.

Looking at the test records that caught her eye, Yujin mustered the courage to speak to Wonjun.

“No, Section Chief. You knew me better than I knew myself. Honestly, it was burdensome, but I was always grateful. Please don’t misunderstand that part.”

Wonjun looked at Yujin quietly and then patted her shoulder without any ulterior motives.

But he seemed to have more to say, as he pursed his lips and put on latex gloves to start the experiment. He fiddled with the glove ends unnecessarily.

“If you have more to say, go ahead.”

Having admitted her feelings for Jihoon, Yujin felt she could listen to whatever Wonjun had to say.

Even though Yujin said it was okay, Wonjun hesitated for a while. But he eventually couldn’t hold back and spoke.

“Assistant Manager Kim Yujin, can I say something presumptuous, thinking it’s the last time? I’m cautious because we won’t never see each other again, and it feels like gossip, so it’s a bit unsettling.”

“……”

“The president is a man who will make those around him feel lonely. Even as a man, I can see that. To put it more bluntly, he’ll never understand the feelings of someone like Assistant Manager Kim Yujin. No, he’ll ignore the feelings of all women. Because he can.”

“……”

“Moreover, there are even rumors of marriage. Dragging it out will only make it harder for Assistant Manager Kim Yujin. I hope you don’t dwell on someone like that.”

Sadly, Yujin knew Jihoon’s personality better than anyone, even from a man’s perspective.

The more she tried to get closer, the more distant Jihoon became, and his coldness had made her tear up more than once.

“So even when I’m in the U.S., keep your ears open and let me hear that you’re dating a truly great guy.”

That’s why Wonjun’s sincere words were so painful and poignant.

“Thank you.”

Wonjun, not fully understanding the meaning of the tears welling in Yujin’s eyes, patted her shoulder once more.

Seeing Wonjun, who had become a good colleague, made her envious.

How nice it would be if she could sort out her feelings so easily.

It was a morning that left her mind and heart tangled in many ways.