【Book Chapter 1】
Gaeul noticed Lee Gajun's strange behaviour a few days ago.
Lately, Gajun often seemed to start saying something, only to sigh deeply instead. He carried his phone around like it was a lifeline, and although he used to love lounging on the living room sofa, he now showed no signs of leaving his room. Occasionally, when Gaeul passed by his room on the way to the bathroom, she would hear him quietly talking to someone on the phone.
After finishing a date, Gaeul got into Dohyun's car. Dohyun, who had taken the driver's seat, leaned his upper body over to the passenger seat and fastened the seatbelt for her.
Click.
As the seatbelt locked into place, their gazes met closely.
"You know, Seo Dohyun."
"What?"
"Lee Gajun's been acting weird lately. A few days ago, he said he had something serious to discuss, but then he brushed it off like it was nothing... And today, he said he had something important to talk about and told me to come home early."
"Really?"
Peck.
Dohyun pressed his lips to hers and then smiled. He then returned to his seat with a calm expression.
Gaeul blushed and pouted her lips.
"I'm being serious right now."
"I'm always serious about your matters."
"Then what was that just now?"
"A serious expression of affection."
The two had been together for over a year. During that time, they had celebrated two New Year's together, and Gaeul had grown accustomed to Seo Dohyun's uncharacteristic displays of affection. Unlike his outward image, he was quite open with his affection, but it was often hard to notice until the moment it happened, as he usually maintained a composed expression.
As Dohyun started driving, Gaeul continued.
"Anyway, what's even stranger is that, after emphasising all that, I’m two hours late, and he still hasn’t contacted me. When I called earlier, he was on the phone, and since there's still no response, it seems he hasn't hung up yet. He's not the type to talk on the phone with a friend for this long…”
Dohyun smiled as if he found the situation intriguing.
"It seems like good news is on the way."
"What good news?"
"You said your lease is about to end, right?"
"Oh, that's right. Now that I think about it, time really has flown by. When I first met you, I was a student, and now I’m already in my second year at work."
"Indeed. Gaeul has grown up. And speaking of which, I hope Assistant Manager Lee will let the adult Gaeul live independently this time."
A lot had happened since then.
Gaeul successfully found a job before her graduation ceremony. The people around her reacted as though it was a natural outcome. It made sense, considering she had always maintained good grades, kept up with various certifications, and had an impressive list of extracurricular activities. If she hadn’t gotten a job, that would have been the surprising part.
"So, where is it? Seoil? You probably avoided that because it’s your boyfriend’s company. Enji is good too. Or somewhere else?"
"'Tomorrow's House.'"
"'Tomorrow's House.' I know it. It's really popular these days. Everyone our age knows about it... Wait, you got into 'Tomorrow's House'? Why? That's a startup. You, who always sang the praises of big corporations, wouldn't join a startup."
"I don’t know. I just went for it."
"What, what?! You just went for it? You, the meticulous planner? Are you feeling okay? No, you're not Gaeul. The Gaeul I know would never take such a reckless leap."
“I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do either, but I’m kind of excited. Don’t you think this company looks really interesting?"
"What? You're really acting strange..."
・・・・・
After much deliberation, Gaeul decided to join a startup founded by a senior from her university. This decision, a stark departure from her previous obsession with securing a position at a big corporation, surprised everyone — except Seo Dohyun.
If she hadn’t met Dohyun, she would never have had the courage to take on such a challenge. Gaeul realised how meaningless it was to compare herself to Gajun and others. She allowed herself to pause and deeply reflect on what she truly wanted to pursue.
Although starting her career at a big corporation seemed like the obvious choice at first, she couldn’t help but notice that even those who had landed such jobs — including Gajun and other seniors — did not appear to enjoy their lives as corporate employees. Gaeul, who had once lived by her club senior's saying, "All jobs are equally dreadful, so the best choice is one that pays well and offers good benefits," found herself changing.
As graduation loomed closer, she began to wonder if it would be better to start at a place where she could gain diverse experiences — even if it meant earning less and enduring more hardships in the beginning.
As her contemplation deepened, she naturally ended up confiding her thoughts to Dohyun.
"They say the starting salary is very important, so choosing a startup as my first job might be too reckless, right?"
"Stepping outside the box once in a while isn’t such a bad idea. If you try it and feel like it didn’t work out, you can always prepare again. The world isn’t going to change drastically just because you’re a little late."
"Hearing that kind of advice from a chaebol really makes it lose all its credibility."
Dohyun let out a small chuckle as he replied.
"Maybe I should have kept it a secret."
Not long after they started dating, she found out that Seo Dohyun was the grandson of the chairman of Seoil Group. While she had expected him to come from a well-off family, she hadn’t imagined it would be to that extent. Even now, whenever the thought crossed her mind, it made her feel slightly awkward. Thankfully, Dohyun wasn’t the type to flaunt his wealth, and apart from the moments where the differences between their lifestyles naturally surfaced, the disparity didn’t feel overwhelming.
"I would’ve found out anyway. My brother, Gajun, has a loose tongue when it comes to me."
Gaeul let out a sigh.
"Anyway, what if I try various things and they all go wrong? If I waste a few years and end up with nothing, it’ll only get harder to land a job at a big corporation. And for the record, I have absolutely no intention of relying on your help to get into Seoil. I'd rather start my own business instead."
"You’re more than capable of getting into Seoil on your own, without my help. Plus, your boyfriend has enough wealth to cover for you even if you were to fail your business three times over. So there’s nothing for you to worry about."
"Would you really be willing to invest that much money in your girlfriend so easily?"
"Why wouldn’t I?"
Dohyun smiled lightly.
Seeing his relaxed demeanour, Gaeul suddenly felt that the worries she'd been carrying heavily on her shoulders weren't such a big deal after all.
In the end, after much contemplation, she decided to join the startup ‘Tomorrow's House,’ driven by the bold ambition to explore various roles and take on new challenges.
Although there had been many difficult moments, Gaeul ultimately felt grateful for having joined the company. When she was preparing for a job, everyone seemed to claim that the ‘correct’ path in life was to work at a large corporation, a public enterprise, or a prestigious foreign firm.
But once she actually became part of the working world, she realised that all companies had their ups and downs and that startups, contrary to popular belief, weren't necessarily the worst option. In fact, watching the company grow in real-time since she joined brought her both excitement and a sense of pride. To top it off, her salary had increased faster than she'd anticipated.
And that was how things had turned out.
"Do you think Gajun will just let me go that easily? He'd probably say, 'The world is so dangerous these days, so how can a woman even think of living alone? And just so you know, living together before marriage is absolutely out of the question until you walk down the aisle!' and throw a complete fit."
When Gaeul mimicked Gajun's tone and mannerisms, Dohyun let out a quiet laugh. It was no surprise, given they were siblings; Gaeul had an uncanny knack for imitating Gajun perfectly.
Then, as if something had just come to mind, she continued speaking.
"But seriously, Gajun has been acting really strange lately. That homebody hasn’t been staying home at all — weekday or weekend. Remember the time he stayed out recently? He claimed he drank too much and crashed at a friend’s place, but doesn’t that sound way too suspicious? I wonder if everything's okay with him at work. Seo Dohyun, do you happen to know anything?"
Given how often he worked late, it wasn’t particularly unusual for him to be out during the week. But for him to not even be home on the weekends — that was definitely suspicious.
“Other than looking a little happy at work, he seems normal.”
"That makes it even weirder. My brother’s been ridiculously busy these days. How could he possibly be in a good mood at work?"
"Busy?"
Dohyun continued speaking with a puzzled expression.
"Assistant Manager Lee has been quite relaxed lately."
"What? Is it because you've been too busy to notice since your promotion? My brother’s been swamped with overtime, not to mention working on weekends. For a moment, I thought maybe he got a girlfriend, but his work keeps him so busy that it doesn't seem possible. It's strange..."
Dohyun had initially planned to leave the electronics department after six months, but he ultimately stayed due to his grandfather's persistent urging. He was then promoted to Head of the Department, with the rank of an executive director. It was essentially confirmed that the electronics department would eventually be passed down to Seo Dohyun.
"That can't be. Assistant Manager Lee..."
Dohyun started to say something about Gajun's work life but abruptly stopped. Instead, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"What about my brother?"
"Ah, I must have been mistaken. Someone else left early, and Assistant Manager Lee stayed behind. He even came in over the weekend. Lately, Assistant Manager Lee has been quite busy."
The black sedan smoothly stopped in front of the villa. Due to the redevelopment situation, Gaeul and Gajun moved from their parents' apartment in Seoul to a villa village near their company. In the middle of it all, Dohyun offered his help with a vacant house, extending a helping hand driven by self-interest. However, because both Gajun and Gaeul firmly rejected it, Gaeul was still living with Gajun, having to deal with curfews on their dates.
"Right? I was wondering what was going on. Now that I think about it, what time is it now?"
"Eleven o'clock."
"Oh my, I’m two hours late, and he still hasn’t called? Gajun has really changed. He must be waiting to have that serious talk today. I should go inside. See you on the weekend!"
As Gaeul hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door, Dohyun spoke.
"Wait, aren't you forgetting something?"
"Thank you for the ride. Get home safe and have a good night’s sleep. I'll call you in the morning!"
Click.
As the passenger side door closed and the figure grew distant, Dohyun murmured in a low voice.
"I'm ten years older, so it would be embarrassing to show that I'm hurt by the lack of affection."
Come to think of it, as Gaeul said, they had been together for over a year. Initially, his grandfather had pushed for marriage, but when he saw Dohyun seriously dating for the first time, he became cautious, afraid that pushing too hard might cause them to break up.
Ironically, it was Dohyun himself who had begun to feel anxious about their relationship.
‘Is she getting tired of me?’
Dohyun watched Gaeul’s figure as she entered the building with a stern expression. When they first started dating, he thought that if Gaeul grew tired of him because of their age difference, she would break up with him, and that would be the end of it. But as time passed, he found himself becoming more attached.
"It's about time Assistant Manager Lee makes a move."
As Gaeul disappeared from view, Dohyun drove the car out of the alley.
・・・・・
Gaeul thought, ‘The moment has finally come.’
"Ahem, Lee Gaeul, let's talk for a moment."
As soon as Gaeul arrived home, Gajun hurriedly ended a phone call with someone, cleared his throat, and approached her. Recently, not only had she been gradually breaking curfew, but today she was two hours late, so Lee Gajun was sure to unleash a tremendous amount of nagging.
But Gaeul also had something to say too. She had already graduated from university and had been working for a year now. It was time to stop being treated like a child. She was a grown woman capable of taking care of herself. Besides, having a curfew at this age didn't make sense. Gaeul clenched her fist, filled with determination. She was going to win this battle and finally gain her freedom from this overbearing older brother.
Gajun sat down first, and Gaeul sat across from him with a resolute expression.
"Oppa, listen. I have something to say too..."
"Lee Gaeul. It's time for you to become independent.”
"Huh?"
Gaeul looked at Gajun with a bewildered expression. He avoided her gaze and scratched the back of his head. His actions made it seem as if he were hiding something, but that wasn’t what mattered right now.
“Are you telling me to become independent?”
“Yes. Anyway, this lease is about to end soon.”
About a year ago, after their parents' apartment was confirmed for redevelopment, Gaeul and Gajun urgently started looking for a new place to rent. Unfortunately, in the few years since, rent prices had soared sky-high, making it hard to find a decent place.
At that time, Dohyun, offering one of his properties, made a suggestion tinged with personal interest. The place was none other than a three-room officetel near their company, and Seo Dohyun dangled a tempting offer in front of them, claiming he would rent it out at an absurdly low price, almost like he was giving it away.
It was a tempting suggestion, but Gajun declined because he was worried that Gaeul might end up being in a situation where she had to worry about her boyfriend's feelings because of their home, and Gaeul declined because she was worried that Gajun might end up in a situation where he had to worry about his boss's feelings because of his job.
It was a stroke of luck that they were able to find a house. A senior from Gaeul’s university club had suddenly decided to leave Korea for a job at a foreign company in Canada, so they hurriedly put their house up for lease. The price was reasonable, and the landlord was a cousin of her senior and a trustworthy person, so they signed a contract right away. This was how the siblings were able to take over a cheap lease, with a year left on the contract, located roughly halfway between their workplaces.
And, the lease was now approaching its expiration.
"Why? Is it because living alone as a woman feels a bit concerning? The world is quite dangerous these days... Of course, that doesn't mean you should live with Director Seo or anything like that. Just, don't carelessly bring your boyfriend over to your place."
‘My boyfriend has already been invited into the house several times by you. I’ve never let Seo Dohyun into our house on my own accord, not even once before or after moving in.’
Gaeul bit her tongue to hold back the words that were about to burst out.
Of course, she understood what potential dangers Gajun was concerned about, but both Lee Gaeul and Seo Dohyun were adults with verified identities, and after spending a year together, they knew each other well enough to trust that they were good people. Therefore, if she lived alone, it would be fine to occasionally invite him over.
Aside from that, Gaeul naturally also wanted to be independent and had no intention of living with Seo Dohyun right away. If they were to live together, it would mean moving into his house. Moreover, after learning that he was wealthy, she began to feel uncomfortable about relying on him financially. With a ten-year age gap between them, depending on him for money made her feel like she would be nothing more than a child dating an older man for his wealth.
Anyway, right now, the priority was to reassure Lee Gajun.
“Don’t worry too much, Oppa. These days, there are so many safe places for women to live alone. And what kind of world would it be if I brought a boyfriend into a house where I live alone? Of course, I wouldn’t do that. I hope you can live comfortably now, and I’m an adult who’s entering my second year at work, you know? You’re not going to live with me forever, so shouldn’t I try to gain my independence? I’m in favour of that.”
"Ahem, I see. You think so too."
Independence
That word made her heart race. How long had she dreamed of living on her own? The days of feeling frustrated about having to follow a curfew at her age were finally over.
Not long ago, when she was grumbling about the curfew, Dohyun tried to console her by saying, "Still, isn’t it endearing and heartwarming?"
She had even complained, "It seems like Seo Dohyun doesn’t feel disappointed at all."
Dohyun replied with a nonchalant expression, "Whenever I’m bored, I imagine decorating the interior of our future newlywed home and that’ll be enough to get by."
He responded with an outrageous statement, but thinking back, she remembered that he had once said something similar: "Whenever I’m bored, I imagine us going to look for a newlywed home together, and that’ll be enough."
Seeing that something she thought was a joke had progressed without her realising it, she started to seriously doubt whether it was really just a joke anymore.
“Yes, you should try living alone before you get married.”
"Marriage?"
“Yes, marriage. I heard that female peers usually start getting married in their mid to late 20s.”
“Uh… but there’s no one around me who's married yet.”
"Anyway."
Marriage. It felt like a distant concept to Gaeul right now. While dating Seo Dohyun, she had once imagined spending her life with him. However, he came from a completely different background, was handsome, had a good voice, and was capable. Could a marriage between someone like him and Gaeul really happen?
He had never pressured her, but unlike her, Dohyun was at the right age for marriage. Come to think of it, she had been so busy with job hunting and adjusting to the new job that she had never seriously thought about their future together.
“Oh, right. Oppa's correct. I should try living on my own before getting married. Besides, rent has gone up a lot recently. It’d be difficult for you to find a place for both of us with your own savings, but I can take out a youth housing loan for small and medium businesses, so don’t worry too much.”
“Okay. Then I'll help you look for a place.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve helped Juhee look for places several times, and last year, we toured a bunch of places together. I was there when we signed the contract, so I know what to do now. If there’s something I don’t know, I can always look it up online, and if I’m still stuck, I’ll ask you. I can manage on my own. So, should I start looking for a place tomorrow?”
“Sounds good. Ask me anything you're unsure about. I’ll help with the move.”
"Okay!"
How would Seo Dohyun react if he found out about this? He’d probably be happy too, right?
Now that something good had happened, he naturally came to mind first. She had been busy with work lately and preoccupied with the idea of persuading Lee Gajun to lift the curfew. Even when she was with Dohyun, it was hard to focus because of the random, distracting thoughts. But now, she felt a sense of relief. For now, though, she needed to focus on the good fortune right in front of her.
Gaeul spoke with a brighter expression on her face.
"Come to think of it, Oppa, you were on the phone for quite a while today, weren't you?"
"Huh? Uh."
Gajun looked visibly startled, breaking into a cold sweat as he avoided Gaeul's gaze. However, in a good mood, Gaeul continued speaking with an innocent expression.
"I thought something was off since you didn’t get back to me. Plus, you don’t like talking on the phone for long with your friends. Who was it? Your girlfriend?"
"Ah, no, you know Kyungsik, right? He's been worried about work lately."
"Kyungsik? Isn't he the one you were talking to on the phone recently, stressing about becoming unemployed?"
The colour drained from Gajun’s face.
"Oh, he got a job just this week."
"Really? That's a relief. It's tough to find a job these days, so I'm glad for him."
"Yeah. That's what I was saying to him. By the way, why were you so late today? What time is it now...?"
Gaeul was startled when she saw Gajun about to check the time and quickly spoke up.
"Oppa, that's not the important thing right now. Tomorrow is going to be hectic with house hunting, so I'm going to wash up and get ready for bed. You also need to look for a new place if you're moving. We don't have time to waste. Let’s go to sleep quickly."
"Well, okay."
The siblings got up from their seats with awkward expressions and headed to their respective rooms.
・・・・・
Gajun entered his room, checked his phone messages, and curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.
“If Lee Gaeul finds out who I'm dating, it'll cause a huge uproar…”
Regardless, Lee Gajun was happy because he could now date freely.
・・・・・
It had been a series of fortunate events.
Recently, her boss's expression had been unusually bright, the project she worked on with Seoil had been successfully completed, and she had finally become independent.
That's right. Gaeul had finally escaped Lee Gajun's clutches!
Gaeul's face, which had been beaming since the morning, gradually hardened as the day went on. After the busy project wrapped up, she had some free time to casually browse for apartments on an app. However, apartment prices in Seoul were absurdly high. She had thought she knew the market, having helped her friend Juhee find places before, but even within Seoul, the price differences were staggering depending on the location and condition of the property.
Naturally, the apartments near her workplace and the subway station were expensive. On the other hand, moving to a neighbourhood known for student housing would mean longer commuting times, but for similar conditions, the prices were significantly lower. Even after factoring in transportation costs, it would still be much more affordable.
“Even if the commute would be a bit tough, maybe I should move closer to Juhee’s place…”
Gaeul was lost in thought when a message from Dohyun popped up.
「Boyfriend: Shall we look for a place together?」
「Gaeul: It's okay. I should try doing this on my own, too.」
「Boyfriend: Just come live with me.」
「Gaeul: Should I?」
She laughed while sending the reply as a joke, but the response was delayed.
Was he seriously considering it?
Just as she was about to add that it was a joke because his reply was so late, a long message with a photo arrived.
「Boyfriend: I recently reorganised the bookshelf in the study, so there's now an empty one. You can fill it with the books you want to read. The bedroom has great natural light, so I'll get it set up there for you. As for the bed, you can choose between the two I have, or if you'd prefer, feel free to bring your own. The guest room next to your bedroom is also available, so you can use it as a dressing room. I'll send you a few dressing room layout ideas, and you can pick the one you like best.」
Her jaw dropped as she read the message.
Seo Dohyun replied smoothly as if he had already planned everything. Flustered, Gaeul quickly typed a response.
「Gaeul: Wait, I was just joking! I'll start with a studio apartment that fits my situation. Moreover, if I move in with you, do you think Lee Gajun will just let it slide?」
「Boyfriend: Once it's done, Assistant Manager Lee won't be able to do anything about it.」
「Gaeul: It’s fine. I’ll handle everything, so you just support me from the sidelines. Oh, by the way, I’ll be busy house-hunting for a while, so I think we should take a break from going on dates until I find a place.」
「Boyfriend: What does house-hunting have to do with going on dates? We can look together.」
Gaeul hesitated before typing a response.
She would have to visit tiny studio apartments that Seo Dohyun, who had been wealthy since birth, had probably never even seen. Although he had said it was a joke, his earlier comment about her previous place being small still lingered in her mind. Gaeul, who had visited Dohyun’s apartment, knew just how spacious it was. If he thought her apartment was small, a studio would likely feel like a prison cell or a chicken coop to him. With that in mind, she thought it would be better to look for a place on her own.
「Gaeul: Anyway, I've decided to do everything on my own, so I'll proceed with it. Once I've moved in and gotten the place somewhat organised, I'll invite you over.」
Gaeul put down her phone and let out a soft sigh.
In any case, her luck had been good lately, so she figured it would work out somehow.
She smiled again and began her next task.
・・・・・
Seo Dohyun, who was ten years older than Gaeul, was also the youngest in some places.
To be exact, his remarkable abilities and unique background earned him a quick promotion at Seoil Electronics, the top company in the country. As a result, directors at similar levels were naturally older than him.
“Haha, Director Seo, you must be in the prime of spring. It seems like the Chairman is subtly waiting for you to get married. I’d like to tell him to let the married folks enjoy their time a bit longer.”
It was a joke commonly made by married people, but Seo Dohyun didn’t particularly enjoy this type of humour. He let the words go in one ear and out the other as he responded.
“By the way, isn’t Director Kim’s daughter going to graduate school this year?”
"Yes, she's incredibly beautiful, just like her mother. Would you like to see a picture? She's truly charming."
Director Kim casually tried to take out a photo of his daughter, but Dohyun firmly stopped him from browsing through his phone's photo album.
“You don’t need to show me the picture. But it seems you have a good relationship with your daughter. Have you heard how young people her age are dating these days?”
This was actually the reason Dohyun had started a conversation with Director Kim, someone he didn’t usually speak to. Since Director Kim’s daughter was the same age as Lee Gaeul, he figured he might know about the dating culture of that age group.
"Pardon? Oh, our daughter's age. Hmm, it's quite different from our generation. Do you know what 'jamanchu' is?"
“I’ve heard of it. It means ‘seeking natural encounters,’ right?”
"Well, these days, kids call it ‘seeking encounters after spending the night together.’ My daughter, on the other hand, is a refined young lady who won’t associate with such people. It’s really shocking how many kids are like that these days; it feels like the world is coming to an end."
Director Kim was doing his best to promote his daughter, but Seo Dohyun's mind was still preoccupied with Lee Gaeul.
“Seeking encounters after spending the night together..."
Come to think of it, Gaeul and Dohyun also met that way.
So that was the culture of young people these days. He thought it had happened unintentionally, but it might be a common thing for someone in Gaeul’s generation.
"And there are some kids who date like they're stir-frying beans at lightning speed, jumping from one boyfriend to the next every month. How do they switch partners so easily? In the past, people like that were rare, but I guess that's just the way dating is these days. Of course, our daughter is nothing like that."
"I see."
Indeed, it was a world where love had become cheaper than before. Dohyun had seen a few people who dated casually and broke up easily. These days, people struggled to watch a drama from start to finish, let alone read a long text, so perhaps they approached dating the same way.
Suddenly, the 10 years between him and Gaeul felt incredibly distant. People said that 10 years could change everything, but when they were together, the age gap didn’t feel that significant, and they got along just fine. Lately, though, he had been thinking a lot about that.
"But even with how things are these days, aren’t there still people who date their first love for a long time and get married?"
Dohyun subtly brought up his wish.
"It seems that it often happens with peers who go to school together."
Peers.
That word pierced his heart like a dagger once again. It was certainly an unattractive thought for him, ten years older, to be clinging to a young woman and asking her to marry him after only a year of dating. Gaeul seemed to think it was a joke, but in reality, Dohyun was already furnishing a house, aside from the one he currently lived in, as a potential newlywed home for the two of them. Of course, if they actually went through with the marriage, he intended to adjust everything to Gaeul's tastes, but for now, he felt he had to do something to ease his growing anxiety.
Even to himself, he seemed too gloomy. Not only was he getting older, but he was also becoming so dreary. Where had his once-confident self gone? He couldn’t help but sigh at how pathetic he had become.
Seeing that Dohyun’s reaction was lukewarm, Director Kim switched topics to lighten the mood.
"By the way, I heard that 'Tomorrow’s House' has seen a significant increase in sales. As expected from the Department Head, truly impressive."
"Yes, Assistant Manager Lee Gajun is achieving excellent results."
"He’s doing a great job, as expected from someone you personally selected."
"He has a knack for handling work, so he’ll do even better in the future."
‘Tomorrow’s House’ was one of the startups that Seo Dohyun had been keeping an eye on. When Gaeul joined that company, he immediately proceeded with a collaboration. The person in charge from Seoil's side was Gajun, and Dohyun had only visited the other company officially once. There was no need for him to go that far, but he was curious about Gaeul’s work environment, so he visited to check it out.
"Let's keep our relationship a secret. I don't want people gossiping about my love life."
"You're right. Just make sure you don't get caught chatting on the messenger while working."
"Of course!"
Gaeul's confident assertion was both endearing and, at the same time, somewhat regretful.
While having a secret office romance at the same company could be thrilling, their situation was different. With a significant rank difference and working for separate companies, they rarely had a chance to meet naturally. Instead, there were only more things to be cautious about.
If word got out at that small company that the Head of a partner firm was dating a new hire, Gaeul would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention. The fact that this Head had recently been spotlighted in the media as the future heir to Seoil — and was ten years older than Gaeul — made it glaringly obvious how much talk it would stir.
Gaeul, not wanting to create any complications, had only confided to her direct supervisor that the person in charge of the partner company was her older brother. Since Dohyun was ten years her senior, he was mindful not to hold back his younger girlfriend and felt the need to tread carefully.
"More importantly, Director Seo, I heard you recently quit smoking all of a sudden. My wife keeps nagging me so much that I think it's time for me to quit too. Could you share some tips?"
"There's nothing special about it. I just quit because my girlfriend didn't like it."
"Haha, is that so? Wow, you're quite the romantic. I really have a lot to learn from you."
‘How unsightly would it be for an older guy like me to reek of cigarette smoke?’
Seo Dohyun swallowed those words that came to mind and gave a faint smile.
He wanted to put an end to the dull company dinner and see Lee Gaeul as soon as possible, even if only for a moment.
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