Landslide
The sizzle of meat cooking over charcoal filled the air.
"President, we'll take care of that."
A few employees approached, but Kang Taeseong shook his head.
"It's fine."
His tongs moved with practiced ease.
Sizzle.
Thick cuts of meat browned perfectly on the grill. Masterful tong work that kept every drop of juice locked in — the timing of each flip, the final cut into bite-sized pieces. Anyone watching could tell this wasn't his first or second time behind a barbecue.
"Wow."
Lee Juhee, watching from the side, marveled.
"President, you've grilled meat before, haven't you?"
"I used to work part-time."
Kang Taeseong answered calmly.
"...Part-time?"
"At a barbecue restaurant. About six months."
The employees exchanged looks of surprise. It was hard to picture the heir of a chaebol conglomerate flipping meat at a grill house. Of course, Kang Taeseong himself thought nothing of it. In his previous life, it was something he'd done for quite a while during college — which was exactly why he was so confident in his grilling.
Brings back good memories.
Someone who could grill meat well was always welcome at gatherings like this.
"Here, dig in."
Kang Taeseong portioned the meat onto plates.
"I'm grilling because I can't stand watching."
"..."
"So don't worry about it and just enjoy yourselves."
Laughter broke out among the employees at that.
"The president is really something else."
"Thank you, President! We'll dig in!"
Night.
As the lively drinking party wore on, a quiet darkness settled over the resort grounds. Those who were tired returned to their rooms, while those who wanted to keep going stayed at the barbecue area with their drinks.
Kang Taeseong stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. Being in the mountains, the air was different — a sense of ease he never felt inside the company.
"President."
At the voice from behind, Kang Taeseong turned. A beauty with long black hair and fair skin. It was Park Soyeong.
"Ah, Assistant Manager Park."
Park Soyeong offered a slightly awkward smile.
"Would you like to... take a walk together?"
"I'd like that."
Their footsteps fell in rhythm as they walked the well-maintained path around the resort.
"It's been a while since we've walked together like this at night."
"...It has."
At Kang Taeseong's words, Park Soyeong's eyes wavered slightly.
That was right. For a while, they had left work together every day — the days when Kang Taeseong would find her working late and look after her. The two people who stayed latest at the company. But lately, these past two weeks had been different. She still spent most of her days working overtime, but Kang Taeseong no longer stayed late at the office the way he used to.
...I feel a little disappointed.
The moment the thought reached that point, Park Soyeong was startled by herself.
Why am I disappointed?
What reason was there to feel disappointed? Thanks to Kang Taeseong's measures, her commute home was now safe even alone, and she could return without running into thugs. If anything, she should feel more at ease not having to share the walk home with her superior. It was strange.
Unaware of her feelings, Kang Taeseong spoke.
"I'm well aware of your hard work, Assistant Manager Park."
Just encouragement from a president to a subordinate. Words that somehow felt a little insufficient.
"Thank you."
She answered briefly and quietly continued walking.
"You don't seem to work late these days...?"
"I can't always work overtime, after all."
Park Soyeong smiled faintly.
"I need to rest sometimes too."
"What do you do when you rest?"
"I exercise."
"...Exercise again."
At the words that slipped out, Kang Taeseong chuckled.
"Yes. Exercise is the most comfortable for me."
Park Soyeong looked at him.
He's really something.
Company work and self-management. He seemed like someone who never wasted a moment of his day. Then, suddenly, the words she'd heard earlier from the female team leader in her late thirties came to mind.
Men like that are the real deal.
I bet he's incredible at night too.
"...!"
Park Soyeong's face flushed crimson in an instant.
What am I thinking!
She was vigorously shaking her head to clear her mind when—
"Ah, that reminds me."
Kang Taeseong said.
"Choi Yuri seems quite interested in exercise as well."
"...What?"
Park Soyeong's footsteps stopped.
"Whenever we run into each other in the evening, I've been teaching her how to work out."
Unaware of Park Soyeong's reaction, Kang Taeseong continued slowly.
"You exercise... together?"
"Only on the days we run into each other at the gym."
Park Soyeong's expression cooled. The soft look in her eyes from moments before hardened into something cold — a subtle change so carefully veiled that even Kang Taeseong beside her didn't notice.
"Just the two of you?"
"Pardon?"
"So you exercise alone together, just the two of you?"
Feeling an inexplicable chill, Kang Taeseong answered.
"Well... yes? We each do our own thing while I show her techniques, but—"
It was a question that had slipped out unbidden. Only after speaking did Park Soyeong feel flustered herself. Why had she asked something like that? Kang Taeseong wasn't a strange person. Choi Yuri hadn't done anything wrong either.
"...I see."
There was a reason the two had seemed so much closer lately.
So that was it.
Exercise. That was the reason. Why Choi Yuri was spending more time with Kang Taeseong. Why they naturally fell into conversation. All because of that.
"......"
Park Soyeong quietly clenched her fingers. But why did it bother her so much? She asked herself. Choi Yuri was a precious colleague from the same hiring class — a friend she'd leaned on during hard times, someone a little younger whom she'd looked after like a little sister. Bright and kind. A girl loved by everyone. There was no reason for her to dislike Choi Yuri.
It's a good thing. Them getting closer...
She should think of it as a good thing. Because someone had recognized Kang Taeseong as a good person.
"..."
But a corner of her chest felt strangely uncomfortable — as if something she'd been carefully holding onto had been taken from her.
No.
Park Soyeong shook her head inwardly. What am I thinking? Kang Taeseong is the president. Someone who has nothing to do with me. Besides, until recently, wasn't he the person she'd been most wary of? She's just worried, that's all. Choi Yuri is pure and trusts people easily. She's just concerned that Yuri might develop feelings for the president or expect something else and get hurt. That's all it is.
Yes. Nothing more, nothing less.
She repeated it to herself several times. But strangely, when she pictured Kang Taeseong teaching Choi Yuri how to exercise, a corner of her chest ached uncomfortably once more.
The next morning, the resort had a somewhat relaxed atmosphere from the start — a lingering effect of the drinking party the night before.
"Ugh... my head."
"That's why I told you to drink in moderation."
The employees who'd overindulged chose to sleep in or rest in their rooms. Fortunately, the afternoon schedule wasn't too demanding: a trail trek on the walking path built on the mountain behind the resort — a course closer to a light hike than a grueling climb.
"We're not going all the way to the summit — just to the observation deck and back!"
The employees cheered at the MC's explanation.
"Nice!"
"We're at a mountain, so we should at least do this much."
"Let's take photos at the observation deck~!"
People weren't particularly worried. It wasn't a high-altitude mountain, and the weather had been clear through the morning. So the employees gathered in small groups and set off along the trail. Sunlight poured through the green trees, and perhaps because of the recreation the day before, the mood was good.
"President, you exercised a lot yesterday and grilled all that meat — aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine."
"Wow... you really have great stamina."
Kang Taeseong was offering an embarrassed smile at the employees' jokes when—
Plip.
"...?"
Someone who sensed something amiss looked up at the sky.
"Huh?"
Raindrops were falling onto the leaves. At first, no one thought much of it — just a few drops. They figured it was a passing shower.
Whoosh—
But in an instant, the raindrops grew heavier.
"Wait."
"It's raining! It's raining!"
The sky was visibly darkening.
"Why is it raining all of a sudden?"
The sky that had been clear just moments ago had transformed like a lie. Mountain weather was said to be fickle, but this was far too sudden. The MC hurriedly pulled out a radio and contacted someone. A moment later, his expression hardened as he raised his voice.
"The trekking schedule is cancelled!"
The employees murmured.
"Why?"
"It's just a little rain?"
"They say it's going to rain heavily — there's a risk of landslide. Everyone, return to the resort for now!"
At those words, Kang Taeseong's expression grew serious.
Landslide?
It might sound like nothing much. But rain in the mountains is dangerous — especially when a large amount falls in a short time.
"Everyone, move carefully. Don't run."
Kang Taeseong said to the employees. At the president's voice, the atmosphere settled somewhat. The employees one by one turned around.
That was when it happened.
"Huh?"
A small scream came from up ahead.
"Choi Yuri!"
At the edge of the trail, rain-soaked earth was crumbling. Choi Yuri had lost her footing and slipped.
"Kyaa!"
The ground beneath her feet gave way. Her body, having lost its balance, pitched forward. She slid for some distance before barely managing to grab a tree trunk, but the ground where she'd stopped didn't look particularly solid either.
"H-here! Employee Choi Yuri has fallen!"
Kang Taeseong ran without a moment's thought. He threw off the bag that had been hanging awkwardly on him, and with movements surprisingly agile for his large frame, he reached out toward Choi Yuri.
"President!"
Choi Yuri's hand grabbed his. But it was already too late. An area where the ground wasn't solid to begin with — when Kang Taeseong's weight was added to Choi Yuri's, the earth beneath their feet couldn't hold them.
Rumble!
The rain-soaked slope collapsed.
"Get back!"
"What do we do! Someone help them!"
"President, it's dangerous!"
Someone shouted, but Kang Taeseong didn't let go. If he let go, Choi Yuri would fall.
"Ugh!"
"Kyaaa!"
Their bodies shook violently.
It's already too late.
Having made his decision, Kang Taeseong pulled Choi Yuri into his arms. The moment his massive frame completely covered her small body—
"President! No!"
"Choi Yuri!"
The two of them were swept down the slope together. The employees' screams were swallowed by the sound of the rain.