Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Persistent Suitor
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“Aaaah!”
*Thump.*
Hyun Ye-won clamped her own mouth shut over her scream. If she didn’t, it felt like she wouldn’t be able to stop.
Jo Yi-ruk, who had been carrying the bouquet, looked at her with utter bewilderment.
“What are you doing?”
“S-Sorry!”
Hyun Ye-won immediately bowed deeply in apology.
“I saw a name I never imagined... and lost it...”
“Huh?”
“N-No, nothing!”
Jo Yi-ruk tilted his head, then waved off the other employees watching from nearby.
“It’s nothing.”
Curious eyes that had been fixed on them began turning away one by one.
“Get back to work, everyone. I’ll throw this out.”
“No! Let me do it!”
Hyun Ye-won blocked Jo Yi-ruk’s path.
“Let me throw it away. Please, I want to do it. I beg you!”
“...Alright. If you insist that badly.”
Jo Yi-ruk handed the bouquet over with a troubled expression. Hyun Ye-won beamed and bowed politely.
“Thank you! I’ll take care of it nice and clean!”
Hyun Ye-won bolted out of the office. She could hear Jo Yi-ruk calling after her, but she pretended not to notice and quickened her steps.
“Haa. Haa.”
Hyun Ye-won stopped on the stairway to the rooftop and stared down at the bouquet clutched tightly in her arms.
Ninety-nine glaringly red roses, heavy with implication. And atop them, the finishing touch: a note.
“...My eyes didn’t deceive me after all.”
Hyun Ye-won murmured softly as she picked up the note.
“If it’s too easy, it wouldn’t be fun, right?
–Hyun Tae-seong–”
Hyun Ye-won traced the words “Hyun Tae-seong” with her fingertip.
It could just be a coincidence, but what were the odds of sharing both that rare Hyun surname and the exact name?
Besides, this tacky flair screamed one person: her one and only half-brother, Hyun Tae-seong.
‘You lunatic. Daring to extend your filthy claws to our boss?! You think I don’t know about your womanizing ways?’
He might pretend otherwise in public, but everyone knew the dirty games he played behind the scenes.
No one dared touch him only because Hyun Jeong-hoo turned a blind eye.
Hyun Ye-won didn’t know the exact details of what went on at the secret social clubs he frequented, but the rumors that trickled out were far from innocent.
And yet, he had the gall to blatantly hit on Song Woo-yeon?
‘Isn’t this basically a warning shot at me? Since I won’t play along, he’s going after the people around me?’
*Crunch.*
Hyun Ye-won gritted her teeth. Her fist clenched involuntarily, crumpling Hyun Tae-seong’s name beyond recognition.
‘You think I’ll just sit back?’
She knew Song Woo-yeon wouldn’t fall for such an obvious ploy.
Hadn’t he ignored this very bouquet and told them to toss it without a second glance?
Regardless of that trust, she couldn’t overlook Hyun Tae-seong’s sleazy schemes. Hyun Ye-won took a moment to steady her breath, then pulled out her phone.
Hyun Tae-seong.
She considered calling him directly at first.
‘He’d just play dumb and deny it. Or spout nonsense about being serious.’
The mere thought stressed her out. He wouldn’t stop even if she confronted him—it’d just be a waste of time.
Instead, Hyun Ye-won dialed someone else.
*Riiiing.*
The boring ringback tone dragged on.
‘Oh? Not picking up?’
She called two more times in a row. On the third try, it finally connected.
-...What the hell are you doing.
“Why aren’t you answering?!”
-I was in class.
“Class? What class are you taking...? Oh.”
Hyun Ye-won let out a short exclamation.
Right. This guy was a college freshman now?
“The great Baek Jae-ha, a wide-eyed newbie college kid. Hard to believe.”
Hyun Ye-won teased playfully, their banter proving just how close they’d become.
-Weren’t we agreed: no contact unless it’s about Noona?
Baek Jae-ha shot back irritably.
True. Baek Jae-ha and Hyun Ye-won—this unlikely pair had bonded over one thing alone.
Song Woo-yeon.
Their one and only idol, the unbreakable link between them.
“Oh, about that. Next time, space it out a bit. Coming right on time every day made the boss suspicious.”
-What can I do? I can’t leave Noona standing on the street. Especially with that dangerous creep Kim Jun-seo lurking around.
“Fair enough.”
Hyun Ye-won nodded readily.
“That’s why the boss should just let you or Team Leader Jo escort her. The last attack was in the parking lot, remember? It’s impossible to relax even for a second, but she’s the only one acting chill.”
She grumbled as if she’d been waiting to vent. In her mind, Song Woo-yeon had a severe case of safety blindness.
Everyone worried about her like this, yet she insisted on going home alone every time, brushing it off.
-If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be chatting all buddy-buddy with you. What a pain.
“Who’re you telling?”
That very issue had forged their secret alliance.
The so-called Song Woo-yeon Safe Escort Project.
-If you called just to yap, I’m hanging up. Noona said she’d grant a wish if I top the class.
“Lucky bastard!”
-Hmph. You’re the one who gets to see Noona’s face every day at work—what’re you complaining about?
Fair point. Hyun Ye-won grinned in smug satisfaction, but her eyes fell on the bouquet, hardening her expression in an instant.
“You think I called because I missed your voice? Things have changed. There’s a new threat besides that punk Kim Jun-seo.”
-A new one?
“Yeah. Some scum named Hyun Tae-seong. Looks like he’s head over heels for our boss.”
A highly condensed summary, but Baek Jae-ha accepted it immediately.
-Makes sense.
Any onlooker would’ve called it hopeless obsession.
“He sent flowers today and caused a huge fuss. We need to heighten security for a while.”
-Got it. After class, I’ll text Noona about grabbing dinner together.
“What? Take me too!”
*Click.*
“Hello? Hello?!”
She yelled into the dead phone, but no response came. Hyun Ye-won smacked her lips, still gripping it.
“What’s the harm in bringing me along?”
She glared at the innocent bouquet, then let out a deep sigh.
“I hope she’ll be okay. That Hyun Tae-seong guy’s gonna be relentlessly persistent...”
“Great work, everyone. I’m heading out first.”
Everyone perked up as I smiled and spoke.
“Huh? Boss, leaving early for once?”
Park Sang-won poked his head out curiously.
“Yeah, usually you’re the last one here.”
Yang Ji-ah chimed in from beside him.
“Oh, I’ve got dinner plans tonight.”
That Baek Jae-ha kid seemed busy enjoying college life lately. But when I invited him out after ages, he couldn’t refuse.
He was getting dragged around everywhere as a freshman, yet somehow our timings synced up for the commute home often.
‘He said his school commute passes near the company?’
I didn’t know the details. Still, it was a relief to catch glimpses of him amid his packed schedule.
Dinner together was rare, though, so I wanted to clock out early today. I’d wrapped up the urgent stuff already.
Their eyes sparkled the moment I finished.
“No way~ Is it the guy who sent the flowers today?”
“Nope. Dinner with Jae-ha.”
I told them straight, but they all smirked knowingly and nodded without a word. Clearly skeptical.
They’d have fresh teasing material for a while now.
I shook my head with a wry smile and approached Jo Yi-ruk, who was quietly working.
“Team Leader Jo, tomorrow’s my alleyway secrets filming day, so no office for me. Grab any docs you need from my computer. You know the password?”
“Yes, got it.”
“Then I’m really off~.”
I bowed lightly and stepped out the office door.
‘Will Jae-ha bring his car? Better to go in one than separately?’
I figured I’d wait for him on the first floor.
The instant my foot hit the lobby, a loud horn blared nearby.
*Beeeep!*
“?!”
I jumped and whipped my head up. A flashy sports car idled right in front of me.
Never seen it around here before.
No way I’d miss a car this conspicuous. At least, none of the building’s tenants seemed to own it.
‘But why’d it honk the second it saw me? It’s like... it was waiting for me...?’
My bewilderment peaked right then.
‘Could it be? No way...’ turned to certainty.
*Whirr.*
The window slid down, revealing a familiar face.
“Glad you’re not late, Woo-yeon.”
Hyun Tae-seong draped one arm out the window in a practiced cool pose.
“Ride with me? I’d love to treat you to a fancy dinner.”
A sleazy smile spread across his face, brimming with odd confidence.
Yeah, the kind that screamed, ‘She’ll totally fall for this car.’
It pissed me off to no end.
“...”
People could be so ridiculous you’re left speechless.
As that realization dawned, another horn blared from behind.
*Beeeep!*
I turned to see a familiar plate: Baek Jae-ha’s car, parked right after Hyun Tae-seong’s sports car.
*Whirr.*
Baek Jae-ha rolled down his window, face flushed with anger.
“Noona. Know this guy?”