Chapter 89
Haemin's POV
"This is so stressful."
I stood in front of the building, but my chest felt heavy.
I really did not want to go inside right now. Things were definitely going to be awkward between us.
I pressed my lips together.
If I skipped work, would I get sued for breaching the contract? This is so frustrating. Forget one month. I'm not even sure if I can survive a single day in here starting from today.
Is Yuna in a good mood today? Will she hold a grudge against me? Now I'm starting to regret not negotiating the terms yesterday.
Forget it. It's already in the past. Okay… one more month. Haemin, you can do this.
A quiet sigh slipped from me as I finally stepped into the building.
.
The elevator doors opened at the private floor.
As soon as I walked out, every staff member on that floor turned their eyes toward me. I could hear quiet murmurs spreading across the room. The attention made my shoulders tense.
I lowered my head slightly and walked past them as quickly as I could, going straight to my desk.
Just when I sat down—
"Haemin."
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I turned so fast my chair bumped against the desk with a loud thud.
"Daejin sunbaenim, you startled me."
He burst out laughing, holding his stomach dramatically.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He gave me a light pat on the shoulder. "I'm just glad you came in today."
Before I could answer—
"Haemin!"
I flinched again.
Jiyoo noona was speed-walking toward me with a bright smile on her face.
"You're alive!" she said dramatically. "We seriously thought you quit!"
"Quit?"
"Yes!" she said, placing a hand on her chest. "After that collaboration meeting, you suddenly took leave. Everyone thought you ran away because you couldn't handle the mediator role."
I gave a dry laugh. "I'm not that irresponsible, you know?"
Daejin sunbae clicked his tongue. "Seriously, what was Ms. Hwang thinking, asking you to be the mediator? Everyone was shocked when we heard about it. That's way too much pressure to put on you. How could she do that?"
Jiyoo noona nodded quickly. "Exactly. That role is too heavy for you."
I felt genuinely touched by their concern.
"It's okay. Since the Chairwoman agreed to it, that means she believes I'm capable of handling it."
Both of them stared at me.
"…You're way too calm about this, aren't you?" Daejin said.
Jiyoo noona squinted at me. "Are you sure you're not secretly panicking inside?"
I laughed softly. "Of course I was nervous. But if they trust me, I should at least try to live up to it, right?"
Daejin sunbae shook his head in disbelief. "You're really something else."
Jiyoo noona crossed her arms. "Or maybe you're just too brave for your own good."
"Anyway," she continued, nudging my arm lightly, "we're glad you're still here. I would've been really sad if I lost a cute junior like you."
Daejin snorted. "He's not your junior."
Jiyoo frowned. "Excuse me?"
"He's Harin's junior, not yours. Get it right."
Jiyoo crossed her arms. "He works on this floor. That makes him my junior too."
"By that logic, you're my junior as well since I started working here before you. Now call me Sunbae too."
"Yah! You only started two days earlier than me!"
I stood there laughing awkwardly while they bickered like children.
Then Jiyoo noona turned back to me, her expression softening.
"But seriously, why did you suddenly take leave after that meeting? Did something happen?"
I forced a small laugh.
"It was nothing serious," I said casually. "I just wasn't feeling well. I had a heavy fever after that meeting, so I decided to rest for a few days."
It was a lie, of course.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"A fever?" She stepped closer and pressed her palm against my forehead without warning. "Haemin, why didn't you say so earlier?"
"N-Noona… I'm okay now," I mumbled, slightly embarrassed.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, then moved her hand to my neck like she was a doctor. "You sure? You still look a bit pale."
"I'm fine," I said quickly. "Really."
Daejin crossed his arms. "Then why did you come here two days ago to meet the Chairwoman? Shouldn't you have just rested at home?"
I froze for a split second.
"W—Well about that…" I swallowed. "I… I came because I needed to send her a report."
"She told you to work even when you were sick?" His tone turned sympathetic. "You really had a hard time, huh?"
"It's not like that," I said quickly.
Jiyoo noona clicked her tongue. "What was Harin doing though? Letting you do the work alone when you had a fever? I really need to talk some sense into her."
"N—No, no. No need for that," I said immediately, waving my hands. "I'm okay with it. I really don't mind. I already expected something like this when I accepted this job."
She looked at me for a long moment. Then her expression softened.
"You're really too nice," she muttered. "I'm proud of you. Not everyone can handle the pressure of working in this company. So stay strong, okay?"
Daejin sunbae nodded. "If things get overwhelming, don't hesitate to talk to us, okay?"
"Yeah."
I barely finished my sentence when the atmosphere on the floor shifted again. The low chatter that had slowly returned suddenly faded into silence.
"Good morning, Assistant Yoo."
"Good morning, Ms. Yoo."
It looked like Harin had arrived.
From the far end of the floor, everyone straightened their backs and bowed politely as she walked past them.
Daejin and Jiyoo immediately stood up. I followed a second later.
"Good morning, Ms. Yoo."
"Good morning, Harin-ssi."
She gave a small nod, then her eyes landed on me. Her expression was serious, and a faint sense of unease crept over me.
"Haemin, follow me to my office for a moment."
"Understood."
She turned without another word and walked down the hallway toward her office.
Daejin and Jiyoo both looked at me with matching sympathetic expressions.
"Good luck," they muttered.
I forced a weak smile.
Then I followed Harin down the hallway.
After we reached her office, Harin gestured for me to sat down.
Once I did, she closed the door behind her and took the seat across from me. She didn't say anything. She just looked at me. Her face was calm.
The silence stretched.
"Is… everything okay?" I asked carefully.
She leaned back slightly.
"Can I ask you something, Haemin?"
"…Yes."
"Who was the lawyer who represented you yesterday?"
I went speechless, instinctively looking away to avoid her gaze.
"Was it Ms. Hwang? Was she the one who sent him?"
"No. She didn't."
Harin shook her head lightly, her eyes softening just a little, as if she found my attempt to lie more pitiful than convincing.
"The Chairwoman asked me to investigate the lawyer. I looked into him, but there's no connection between him and Ms. Hwang at all."
I blinked in confusion. Just yesterday, Sera had told me that Attorney Park worked with her overseas. Yet Harin couldn't find anything.
"Or perhaps," she continued slowly," Ms. Hwang simply knows how to cover her tracks."
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least there's no proof.
"Do you want to tell me anything about the lawyer?"
I shook my head.
She studied me for a few seconds longer. Then she sighed quietly. Clearly disappointed.
"I can't force you to tell me anything. But I will need to report everything back to the Chairwoman. She already has doubts of Ms. Hwang involvement but she just doesn't have proof."
Her eyes met mine directly.
"And when she sees my report… do you think the Chairwoman will just believe it?"
I could only smile after hearing that, already tired of all this. "Does it really matter whether Sera was involved or not? She's not the one who tried to kill me a few days ago."
Then I looked up at her. "Harin… I don't know why you seem so upset with me. Did I perhaps say or do something that might have put you in a difficult spot? Please let me know if there is."
The words felt awkward coming out of my mouth, but I needed to ask.
Harin did not answer immediately.
For a brief second, her eyes shifted away from me, just slightly, before returning to their usual calm composure.
Then she glanced at the clock on the wall.
"The Chairwoman will be arriving soon," she said, standing up from her seat. "Let's go."
And just like that, she avoided the question.
We stepped out of her office together.
Since Yuna was about to arrived, the atmosphere on the floor had already changed.
Even though we had signed the agreement yesterday, it did not feel like anything had ended. If anything, it felt like something more complicated had begun.
After we reached the main entrance, Harin and I stood a few steps behind the security line, waiting as the black sedan slowly pulled up to the front lobby. Staff members near the entrance straightened immediately.
The driver stepped out first and opened the rear door.
Yuna walked out of the car with her usual calm composure.
"Chairwoman!"
Harin and I bowed politely along with the others.
Yuna gave a small nod.
Her eyes brushed past us briefly, then returned to Harin.
"Harin."
"Yes, Chairwoman."
"Go to the Incheon site immediately. I want you to personally oversee the contract review with Mirae Construction. There are revisions I'm not satisfied with. You don't have to return to the office today. Just email me the report tonight."
[Huh?]
Harin blinked slightly, clearly caught off guard.
Why would Yuna suddenly give her this task? Yuna once told me that she rarely sent Harin out of the main office unless it was absolutely necessary. Most external matters were handled by other senior executives. Harin usually stayed close to her.
"Right now, Chairwoman?"
"Yes."
Her tone was calm, but there was no room for negotiation.
Harin hesitated for a brief second. I saw her glance at me from the corner of her eye. There was clear concern in her look.
My heartbeat thudded hard in my ears.
A quiet sense of dread settled heavily over me, and no matter how hard I tried to steady myself, I could not shake it off.
[Harin… please give her an excuse.]
"I understand," Harin finally said, bowing again.
[No.]
Without another word, she turned and quickly made arrangements with the driver to prepare another vehicle. Before leaving, she looked at me, her eyes showing a hint of hesitation, then she stepped into the car and drove away.
I just stood there, unable to say anything.
Was Harin really not going to be here today?
Which meant—
Yuna's gaze slowly shifted to me.
"Why the sad face?" she coldly asked.
I quickly composed myself, forcing a soft smile for Yuna, hiding the knot of anxiety twisting in my chest.
She studied me for a moment. Her eyes unreadable.
"I thought after being brave enough to do what you did to me yesterday, you would at least stand a little more confidently in front of me."
Her voice remained composed, but the way her hand tightened around the strap of her handbag told me otherwise. Her knuckles had already turned pale, the leather twisting slightly under her grip. I knew she was holding herself back.
It was clear she still hadn't let go of everything that had happened yesterday. I just stayed silent. It was better not to say anything and risk making things worse.
Yuna looked at me for another second before turning toward the entrance.
"Follow me."
I exhaled quietly and stepped behind her as we walked into the lobby together.
From the look of it, I already knew that today… it was going to be a long day for me.