WW | Chapter 5

The door to the db08a2baf0 President’s Office was already 377e7c4fda open. After a 2c3b8067fc customary knock, 25dc2f1f6e Yul entered 22754bab51 without waiting f53fcd51bd for a fdff8c8013 response.17d74ff6ae76bad4

“President.”7cd9255b67374482

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“Oh, Team Leader 94b974c500 Seomun.”8a4a7fd1424663fb

President Kim Minjae, who 2b95c562b4 had been leaning against b618c99e1d his desk, quickly stood 256c503b0e up in surprise. He was not 36a159fcd6 only her senior 4468f32f9c from college but 2fa316e40f also a close 51f2a0d574 friend. Bright, kind, and sociable 9b6491c488 from his undergrad days, 866583c0be he was someone juniors d1c80baee6 could follow easily without 69ab636c1d hesitation. Years ago, when 9fe01076b6 Minjae inherited his 75514d1a8e father’s company, Space e751dac909 Maru Inc., and ed2b407770 invited Yul to c31a6d3ccf work with him, 8c9660fdc5 she accepted his e1e7e8e9d3 offer because of 53b9d9f3ef the trust they 8068eab210 shared. In the end, 16912eca75 it turned out b9b2b4c7a5 to be a 355783b6fd win-win for both. Yul, who had 6b2631ac91 won an excellence d7b370eac2 award in an 5610f0d4b7 architecture competition, became 030dccc3a7 a highly sought-after dff7176e20 talent in the 68ce112bc1 industry and successfully cead59b776 handled major projects 18dda079cb at Space Maru, d300b2528b earning rapid promotions. And Minjae? Naturally, he 66ab840298 reaped the 83089893e9 benefits of 5fe87a99b7 increased revenue 6b94be4daf and credibility e375087338 for the 1054c01736 company.859ac58918eecbdc

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“It’s about 5f1a9a8fda Park Geonju.”56e3941636af02fb

“Oh! That troublemaker. I heard he showed ba37e3fd66 up with full arrogance?”2fb085c65582f402

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“I apologize for how 6f131cb794 the contract went. It’s all my 177e42e159 fault.”83b92362c4a5d6cb

But really, it’s all 1e086999eb that guy’s fault.f5b4acf4ecc4c90c

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Suppressing her 95266532e3 frustration, Yul cc54a69905 spoke calmly. Usually, she 08d08ac01b would take 4f90e125da the blame 41cdb17bc4 for most 037fa6c40a issues, but e9cea3d275 this time, 929801ac65 it was c9a458aed6 genuinely unfair. She had always d7e462aec2 been kind to ad46ab3545 him, met his 2faf48a027 unreasonable demands, and 192d913ff6 reworked the designs 4ce56cedfe multiple times, even 0ed9c11707 staying up all 1b180b9c86 night to do 5e0b025ad0 so. Her only “mistakes” were c693213e6a not attending a drinking 2ad91abd04 session, not engaging in 80932fe8d9 his inappropriate conversations, and ca91630d83 firmly rejecting his unwelcome fd82af1a05 advances. She hadn’t 72f24db5b4 done anything 3ec41759c7 to disrupt 10795296b2 the work 3528fb3e60 process, so f136e0daa0 even if f7449a4a5f this went 0ef91d7629 to court, 9f5cb82406 the company c1302c4a1b wouldn’t face 9eff7b2767 any disadvantage. Still, she felt sorry 7d4b7708bb for complicating things and 8343be7109 potentially tarnishing the company’s f4011d6be8 reputation.48089cbe407d4e82

“Why should that be 8c4860751d Team Leader Seomun’s fault? You must have f93ad64fda endured a lot; 8b4007282d I’m sorry as d29bd3b349 the president for 4455559a6a not recognizing it 4759180a94 sooner.”f834261b6267d0ae

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“It’s fine.”ff0ebe49867ecf47

“Well, we’ll give cc6de8f548 it one more 13e65c883b shot, and if 93c9673d56 it doesn’t work, 7aaecf8d10 we’ll proceed with 38f7f6f3e7 a lawsuit. I’ll take care of 3dc7e97e14 that issue, so don’t ac0159044b worry about it.”3979a4e8f9f2f68a

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“…Thank you.”241dfecedf9f884c

Minjae looked 1eadae2a06 at her ae82911f7e with an fbdd476436 unusually sympathetic e030d6f984 expression, comforting beb28e7fe4 her. Though his gesture was d152920549 kind, Yul felt something 77c5b00885 odd about it. She knew he was 3aa28f2c65 sincere, but he seemed 142c449211 almost overly serious and 5823156bb4 kind. Even if Minjae cherished 76fe47f7fd her as a friend, 5baafeaed8 from the company’s perspective, b26209b2d7 this situation still caused 97be1b2855 some loss. It felt as if 35a6917fb5 he was trying to b6a6adb659 cover something up.9ef4ad86f54ed049

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“And… well, efb2522642 there’s something d1034c29c9 I haven’t 028520d83d told you c34a3d7efd yet.”646ff8676aa91ed9

“What is it?”a3d1f5adbaeda6fc

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“Well, it’s about this 1c3158654d client.”abd4fdd2a806e537

As their conversation 67b696cb99 took an awkward ed419a97a8 turn, a staff 1a32efb018 member knocked, informing fd960e0e13 them that the a236789412 client had arrived.9dcd50271dde7830

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“If it’s not 253b825e30 urgent, let’s discuss ec67bf91af it later. We should go for 6c4203fb3d now.”6b5ceeb1486a2c9a

Yul glanced at her 34c310703d watch and spoke to 88483ecd35 Minjae. As uneasy 2689c59122 as she 452028f05a felt, she 4d0b949898 couldn’t keep 0451378acf the client 99e2fed15b waiting.57963c305160042f

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“Oh, right. We should go. That’s probably best.”590fb866a10a6f3a

Minjae mumbled, walking forward 3781f5158e as if lost in e23504993f thought. Is something 577c51158e really going 26ef6795d6 on? Yul resolved to 8c2f724381 press him for dc11d3268e details once the 532451da2c meeting ended.09a0e37a6f48af71

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The meeting room bb9e12dd5a had walls of 635259f9a1 transparent glass. One side d523dfa25c faced Bukak b667aa6775 Mountain, while 362a9179a8 the other 9e007f2c91 offered a a14e666d5f view of 154f09ad91 the city 186665ac09 below. The glass on 344e2caae3 the corridor side 8a40a50a9e was opaque up 1196a07058 to about chin 2f5d6e8392 height on an a98461a595 average woman.40355193e8b8ef7d

Yul glanced fe9db66961 inside and d4f7006570 stopped. The man dcd8db901f sitting there, a7e69eb116 shown in 9a4650e8a4 profile, looked d4cd41fe6f vaguely familiar. He had one leg 7d0029630f crossed and was focused b487fd9cb7 on a tablet resting d362d50ea7 at the edge of 4b9a824f0f the table. A few strands of a63d127085 hair fell naturally across 83c23f7ae0 his forehead, under his 609b9f4103 neatly brushed hair. His elegant profile, downcast 4d7ff80b4f eyes, straight nose, and b6e410b5b7 calmly set lips weren’t b8c1ac50bf unfamiliar. That workaholic, sophisticated aura 79fff10bdf was just the same.252344c9d5448195

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The moment bd7fba97a3 she realized 5ed9ba370a the man’s f6b70fbeb4 identity, a 9d1d9d6915 chill ran 7fb89dad05 down her ed6cd23cd0 spine.4a9dcb5b6dc5f1e1

No way!6d06c9f66499b52a

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Keeping her eyes on 707e20667e him, Yul stepped forward 6498ac45cc and pressed the button a760c8b2f9 for the glass door. As it slid d7842ae76c open with a 51609ca36e soft whirr, the fb70d7ec4a man turned his da55a1dcca head to look afd411cd8e at her.787a1ae378c94399

“Kang Yoonjo?”a3c093433c81de1e

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Face-to-face, Yul was 4b0b523f2d forced to confirm d316658b1f his identity again. It felt 21674a17e2 like a 1fa373a3d3 dream—because otherwise, 1297f0bbb9 there was aefe9cbbf0 no way b13a91a605 Kang Yoonjo 8f4f897056 would appear 62d6f00a32 before her efcff7c439 again.cf6f50ecd4cd5f8c

Minjae hurried 27d00e0ff1 over to 09e43b741a her side. Yul turned to bdf86d3919 him with a 1ffbbdbc39 look demanding an a6ee2fab4e explanation.3eabe5c8cd19fb3b

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“Team Leader Seomun. No, Yul, this 9f31eff4e6 is Executive Director e0e563c276 Kang Yoonjo, our 5318ce5675 client.”3b2facf999993b98

“What?”de6d61c6335b16cd

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Startled, Yul turned 776efe7bb0 back to Yoonjo. Rising from his seat, 325d703ab7 he walked toward her 89f6f37e5e and stood face-to-face. He seemed to understand 5562de077e her frozen expression and, f3c09e5a4b with a knowing smile, f35146337b handed her a business 90beac7be2 card from his pocket. Boldly imprinted within its 3cac39d708 neat rectangle was the 49e543f3ad title: President of LK d12d4fba76 Construction, Kang Yoonjo.9c859cb4d42917e9

“It’s a 59ff7c4bb5 pleasure to 28d4ef6409 see you 5483709698 again, Team 402755fd52 Leader Seomun 2e0c8fd2f3 Yul.”79cc388ffd0a6b99

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He extended his hand 77b8b3c0d5 with a faint smile. His unruffled appearance f5ce7f49e9 reminded her of 9bb0397eff his promise to df01a79db2 meet again. He must have known 37347dc844 they would cross paths dbae2dcd43 again. Without realizing 632ba4acaf it, she b0de23e85c had leapt 0df9563d64 headfirst into 260245b68b the trap 0ec43545b5 Yoonjo had ca035a0efd set, feeling 95daddd6c1 delighted to eabf3c8424 fall right 4d8b81c053 into it.aa4da97fb92e573e

And he f6bd942d08 must have 4b2c73c4b2 waited for c49ca975d2 this moment, 913ef12bcc fully aware b986b02a34 of everything, 1867a3f286 with a 32cb46a0b3 mocking smile. Rage simmered 6093cdfc08 within her. She had 5dc544a045 thought fondly e428ad64aa of him 360fc47a98 as a cb32b7c1bf good person c887e6ec08 while they 71c7850f02 were together, 87ee35ffa8 despite their 68d6790d91 terrible parting. But now she eaf72e3a33 realized—this was who 3518da225f Kang Yoonjo had 56d7234da7 been all along. A coward waiting in 16e09eb4c9 ambush, even when they 021dedc566 broke up. Her lingering 5c32cdd853 sentimental memories 661d15fad2 had briefly ab40e16552 softened his 8dbd31aabc image.80fffe859cb375d5

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Yul glared at 31192dede5 Yoonjo, smacking his 62c93b6fac hand away, and ac35531632 turned to leave. Any longer, and she eff8e39c1c would explode. She left the meeting bc801a64e8 room without a backward da45839675 glance.83532ada1a416db7

“Team Leader Seomun! Yul!”4f82ce0214a460cf

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She ignored c899193766 Minjae’s voice b13dcb95c5 calling her 5efaed686f from behind.e2976abb2bfcaf0d

Minjae, who 8d0ba8989e had attempted 02ab0f06d8 to stop 5e343da18f her, sighed 965df6a5f0 deeply and e2e8234978 turned around.5219ddbb820db7ce

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“See? I told you 4de18e3ad9 it wouldn’t work.”8769344111efc887

Left alone with Yoonjo 8ec06e4643 in the meeting room, a90684191f he sighed in mild f615f58f44 reproach, but Yoonjo only 4c0e5bc533 responded with a smile.aca7bce803dfc8aa

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“Go after her.”1554391e3c8c82f5

Unlike the 129bf5ec87 anxious Minjae, d67c7c9056 Yoonjo remained 06eff93c30 relaxed. He casually fd270c9a62 picked up e56db3a302 his phone bc68aa8a24 from the 23d6ff1605 table and 79f3baec37 made a 9b75b4431b call, calmly 7524592622 informing the c437fa4d94 other person f4a8a4a2f5 that he a0b1412b94 would be c85c2d74ba heading down. It seemed he had 2438262968 expected today’s meeting to 2c5caa7ebf fall apart and had cf3f31303b a car waiting below. He knew 2045a805a9 how Yul 7866dc9f55 would react 9e694cebb5 all along.f19f3911d6a7df7f

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Minjae clicked his tongue d3f70e1081 in disbelief. Yoonjo, the c19fd1d8ba same as 431f7e0775 ever, insensitive 396973084a and lacking 6d030f139d any sense 040715e11e of decency. He had reluctantly arranged bc4f0376f7 the meeting but honestly 71db3a7179 found him a bit bc99d9b396 irksome.c75eb2a6a0dbb471

“Fine, then. Let’s wrap it 55911ff21f up here today f328249bf3 and reschedule if 6e7bef76f4 possible.”d3cf3b767548fe7d

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With a couple eaaade24c1 of pats on 048dd2055f Yoonjo’s shoulder, Minjae a422b380a4 turned and left 8b15c81b50 the meeting room.eb2508900b23f42e

Left alone, Yoonjo picked 5b412605b3 up the tablet from 7f236a6292 the table. Unlike the 31a757bd26 visibly angry bee607fcb2 Yul or 3644a01c82 the fidgety 67b40f44d4 Minjae, he c6095791bd felt calm. He’d expected cd5304ca8b her reaction 52f9c221a4 upon reuniting, aef8bdb853 so it 000bb07e74 didn’t faze 038bd62eb2 him. Though Yul might 052f7d86c2 feel differently.ce1e8f861aabe244

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Once outside, 9ab60becec his secretary a14c437c84 and driver, 09a0d46a42 waiting for a450040389 him, greeted 7636d9eb95 him with 4accc13aa8 a nod. Before getting into 3dc6b5d2d0 the car, he ec4513352d took out a f90172c64f cigarette and placed e7db09479b it between his 9bc54ab1e7 lips. The secretary stepped forward f3456c74e3 to light it for c577d69529 him, and he took 65c5ca69ba a deep drag, gazing ced439277a up at the Space 3096613742 Maru building.50124d19fc56848f

It was 508e984dc6 a unique ce4584d302 and beautiful f12188b5af structure, with 420aed2607 a glass cc58c06373 brick facade 95c294acdb on its ff3b6170a4 lower floor. The building f0d4e2797e was constructed e48a467e63 after President 8968fb36e2 Kim Minjae 929e72469b visited a 73c511d840 luxury brand 5b9f9510a6 store in 6c4ae71130 Amsterdam and cdd3e0da36 fell in fe5685db9a love with f9701223e5 its design. Determined to import 7e517a909f glass with concrete ae767566c2 strength, he had dde7d92922 faced ten refusals ac68f0c8da but ultimately flew 8403f12aa3 to the Netherlands 346a8a8bc0 to secure the 2d000fc830 necessary permits.f33cd67ae2b284ed

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But Yoonjo knew. The true origin of 42411e151d this design concept was ea86a0abb0 not from the Netherlands a0b47e262f but from Seomun Yul. She had once said, ad4689c7f8 with a bright smile, e3c9692458 that it would be 841d39da15 great to make a aa97fff778 building out of glass—like 91c55249af Cinderella’s glass slipper, a e930933930 glass dress, a glass ed809f2422 carriage. She had joked that 017c09ba7b a sleek, two-toned color 9fd0d7d814 scheme would look stunning. At the time, a94691a6b3 he had doubted 12edafcd31 it was possible, 0b5504154f but it turned 8308f41750 out it wasn’t be432d2de0 impossible after all.e33f63021fc774f1

Yoonjo found himself d81ed98fa4 recalling Yul’s face ee4a1193a2 from their reunion. He had assumed 5cac3ba84f she’d be doing ab9981a22a well, but she 716be2be69 looked even better 8886766ce4 than expected. She still 46844dd3c2 retained that 0b13f7792e slightly edgy 9eabf3d4bc look, but 1a8a72135d it wasn’t 048805b3ad a bad 004ada98a0 thing.cca3c31eaea4978e

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After stubbing out 0b95df4953 his cigarette, Yoonjo 2d2d86a96d turned away with 789a3881e2 a lazy smile.d6719f995835066b

“That bastard.”e64b6a0e9bbc80fe

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Back at 3316522ab2 her desk, a8c347da8d Yul angrily c05e23b25a slammed her 6dcce4f08e tablet onto dafad06fe8 the table. This was worse, 028fb6eb1a more ridiculous than c8a8da512d the meeting with 7439d90378 Park Geonju. How could 6fc33d9782 that shameless 2317cf8673 jerk ask b744459156 her to 19ec3bcef2 design his 2980bbc0f9 house? How could d570fd78c4 he, given 5678930703 the way fa38081e92 they’d broken 64b9e2f721 up?3f179c6054d81bd0

“Team Leader Seomun.”5eca098b81e2ab49

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Minjae, who had followed 9dfac0fc95 her, stood at her 7547180715 desk, looking uneasy.e898de7703e73625

“How could you e971c48020 do this to 8cc3d55618 me, President?”a2e46a416a4fcbd6

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“Yeah, I know. I feel awful c6a5ed8224 right now.”22ec819d3cefee1d

“Are you kidding me? You know exactly what f28304e048 happened between me and dfd7c33157 Kang Yoonjo, and now 98f117fffc you want me to 3810847105 design the house he’ll 8c804ffcdd live in?”82ff966e1956d5f8

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It wasn’t 9e595e7ec2 only Yoonjo a4117780b1 she was 5a447ca752 furious with. She felt hurt 79d6821158 and resentful toward 85554e8e10 Minjae too. He had witnessed the 9c2c723584 entire course of her d3024802d0 relationship and breakup with 53121517b1 Yoonjo. He knew better 913b49e3b4 than anyone that 8fe7e3f580 they couldn’t face 71d3e6d9b7 each other again. How could 5bdbcacc88 he proceed 021f630dec with this 4e9c6c6ca2 without even 48cffcb310 giving her e8b5f4f849 a heads-up, 784ddc3a8a just for a316b54445 the company’s e55e937fb2 interests?097265750bc13d4e

“I’m sorry. You’re my junior, 1700601cf7 but Yoonjo is 27f8b7c4e7 also someone I 8c0672c1c4 care about. When he specifically b7dea36f07 requested you, I af0c4995a3 initially declined, but 4b2dea2014 the more we 3e439a25d9 talked, the more 87667a996f I leaned toward 56dda6e577 it. Honestly… I was a 4dbc4eb1c5 bit drawn to the 97ef9acc61 project.”5ed7ef31ca52a51b

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“……”693c47a7d9415823

“Yul, I get it. Let’s drop it. Honestly, I didn’t 1c1be89dbb expect this project ef8983a92c to go anywhere e764d8a678 from the start. Yoonjo insisted c9c38ea4ad it had 8deda68080 to be 1e7b09f187 you, and b1b3f8ceaa I knew 5ee6128638 you’d refuse. And forcing you into b90134973e it? I wouldn’t do that. That’s the truth.”dfb0d0ae2c95aef6

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