My Eyes Are on You Today
In the company cafeteria of KJ Group, the quiet space was filled with the soft whirring of the coffee machine as it ground the beans.
It was right after the morning meeting ended, a brief moment of relief amid the nonstop stream of tasks.
“Speaking of which…”
Everyone had gathered in the same spot. One employee set down the paper cup he’d received and spoke up.
“Do you think people really have to get married?”
“Suddenly?”
“No, my friend told me he’s getting married next month.”
Marriage talk. When employees of a certain age gathered, this was the inevitable topic.
The employees who had been mulling it over began sharing their thoughts one by one.
“Someone has to be out there.”
“These days everyone waits longer.”
“That’s right. There are plenty of people in their mid-thirties doing it.”
At that moment, someone said:
“Speaking of which, why doesn’t the president get married?”
The conversation naturally turned toward Kang Taeseong.
Unlike before, Kang Taeseong was no longer the intimidating representative that KJ Group employees had to be wary of.
He was now the most famous person in the company, a celebrity who never ceased to spark discussion.
It was all thanks to his actions. He had cleaned up the mess, created a system that rewarded results fairly, and ruthlessly cut out corrupt executives.
And don’t forget the workshop incident. The president himself had tied on an apron, taken on the menial tasks, and thrown himself into a landslide to save one employee, Choi Yuri.
After that day, Kang Taeseong had fully won over the company’s image.
The female employees muttered in wonder whenever his name came up.
“Yeah… why doesn’t he?”
“He could definitely get married.”
“He’s almost thirty-five now. His family wouldn’t be able to hold him back.”
The word family was spoken. Everyone in the room understood at once.
A chaebol. That was right, Kang Taeseong was a chaebol.
He had been so unassuming and friendly with the employees that they had forgotten.
“Why, don’t chaebols get engaged or something?”
One employee shrugged.
“It’s pretty common among the upper class. They look at conditions, family background, whose father he is.”
“Chaebols take it even further. It’s basically about marrying into families.”
Like the old noble alliances formed through marriage between houses.
Even in today’s upper society, such marriages were still common.
Clearly someone had already warned Kang Taeseong about the daughter of that family.
“Even so, he doesn’t…”
The employee gave a small laugh.
“Maybe he wants to do a love marriage. No marriage without love.”
The employee’s exaggerated tone made the others burst out laughing.
“The president is in love?”
“Why, remember the workshop? He seemed way more delicate than expected.”
“That’s right. Totally different from his image.”
“He probably has a secret romantic side.”
A little distance away, the hand that had been holding the coffee cup paused for a second.
“…”
Even though Choi Yuri was pretending to sip from her paper cup, her ears had long since turned toward the employees’ conversation.
Love…
Suddenly a scene flashed through Park Soyeong’s mind.
Late at night, the empty office.
In her imagination, Kang Taeseong smiled with a gentler voice than usual.
“Our Soyeong.”
“…Yes?”
“Will you pay off the debt like this?”
“Yes?”
Park Soyeong was startled as Kang Taeseong smiled.
“Then I’ll have to stay right by your side forever?”
“…Sniff…”
Just thinking about it made her face burn.
The corners of Park Soyeong’s lips lifted without her realizing it.
“……”
Her chest felt tickled.
Choi Yuri wasn’t much different. She had kept her poker face, but a clear scene had already appeared in her mind.
In the middle of the forest.
“Oh, oppa…!”
A pack of raging wild boars surged toward them.
Roar roar roar.
The ground trembled with the sheer force.
Kang Taeseong stepped forward one pace in front of her.
“Stay behind me.”
A deep voice and the massive back blocked the way.
Surrounded by the boars, Kang Taeseong glared once.
Grrrrrr…
The boars panicked and fled.
The leading one twisted its body, and the rest followed.
“……”
Imaginary Choi Yuri stared blankly at the sturdy back.
…This might not be so bad either.
“All right! Now let’s get back to work!”
Clap clap—
Before anyone realized it, the small talk had ended.
“……!”
At the same time, both women snapped out of their daydreams.
…She’s gone crazy, Park Soyeong.
W-what kind of thoughts are those!
Embarrassed for no reason, the two of them sipped their coffee as if nothing had happened.
*
“Fiancé?”
“……Yeah.”
Seo Jia pressed her forehead and answered shortly.
The reluctance was clear on her face.
Just seeing it made it obvious.
The adults’ affairs, I see.
She had seemed like she wanted to say something earlier, but now she was finally saying it.
It wasn’t that strange.
Seo Jia was from a chaebol family.
Specifically, the youngest daughter of Seohan Group, called the pinnacle of nobles.
Thinking about it, the fact that she had no partner until now was strange in itself.
She was probably the spoiled youngest daughter who had been pampered by the president, and her timing had simply been late.
“……Wait a second.”
As she thought that, another fact occurred to her.
“You’re twenty-nine this year, right?”
If she remembered correctly, she was six years older than Kang Taeseong.
Seo Jia’s eyelids twitched at her words.
Age talk? That’s annoying.
She gritted her teeth and spat out each word.
Next year I’ll turn thirty.
Just a little over thirty, an age when a single egg would feel out of place.
She could no longer ignore marriage discussions in the family forever.
More importantly…
Seo Jia stared at her and thought.
She’s only six years younger than Kang Taeseong, but she calls him that?
A Confucian dragon lifted its head somewhere inside him.
But the memory quickly followed.
“Pig!”
“Hey! Kang Taeseong!”
“You!”
…Ugh…
Kang Taeseong and Seo Jia had always called each other that way.
Because the undisciplined Kang Taeseong had influenced her when they were young.
It was a bit awkward to demand respect from an elder now…
Anyway, she decided to let it go.
“…Pig.”
Seo Jia forced the corners of her mouth up.
“I’m going to marry my sister.”
Marriage. A major turning point in life and a landmark moment.
It should definitely be celebrated.
Yet the word “congratulations” wouldn’t come out.
“My sister…”
“Sister, come on!”
Her face was smiling as hard as she could, but the shadow she couldn’t hide showed how unwilling she really was.
Anyone could see she was unhappy.
If she added a little exaggeration, it looked like she was being sold.
That was why she couldn’t sincerely congratulate her.
After a moment, a man stepped forward.
“I’ve heard a lot about Jiah. I’m Cha Minhyeok.”
His skin was fair and flawless, his face handsome.
A kind-looking man who shook hands with a gentle smile.
His closed eyes that seemed to be smiling were somehow sinister.
This guy…
His face didn’t sit right with him.
He didn’t take the handshake and instead stared straight at the man’s face.
“Kang Taeseong-ssi…?”
Cha Minhyeok gave a troubled smile.
Even that expression felt somehow disgusting.
Even with a face like this, you shouldn’t…
He already knew that judging people by their looks was wrong.
But when he remembered the Lee Junho incident earlier, it wasn’t completely unreasonable.
After all, he had already experienced the trash that hid behind a handsome, good-looking face once.
Moreover.
This is the world of the yaga game.
Handsome guys were suspicious in the first place.
It would have been better if he had brought an ugly person… no, ugly people were also dangerous.
Who knew if they were secretly using hypnosis apps behind their backs.
If only he had brought someone who looked reliable and kind…
The conditions were strict, but considering the uniqueness of this world, facial features were still usable data.
“…”
The standoff continued for a while.
It was the moment when Kang Taeseong’s rude attitude made the muscles in Cha Minhyeok’s face twitch.
“Hey, Kang Taeseong!”
Seo Jia thumped his arm.
“Why are you acting like that!”
“…”
He wanted to smash that smiling mask.
Unfortunately, now wasn’t the time.
He clicked his tongue once, then slowly offered his hand.
“Kang Taeseong.”
“Haha, Cha Minhyeok.”
Cha Minhyeok smiled kindly as if happy and reached out again.
Kang Taeseong silently clasped the offered hand.
…Hmmm?
His grip tightened.
It didn’t hurt.
It wasn’t even tight enough to feel painful.
But anyone could tell the intention was impure.
He let out a silent laugh in his heart.
Does this guy think he can squeeze me?
He was certain.
This guy was a villain.
Same type as Lee Junho back when Soyeong was involved.
He didn’t know why, but this guy clearly didn’t like him.
Maybe he had gotten caught by the bad manners earlier.
Is he trying to provoke a fight?
Unfortunately he had picked the wrong opponent.
He had some strength for an ordinary person… but Kang Taeseong was not at that level.
To challenge him with a handshake when you see his build.
Does he have no brain?
Without saying a word, he tightened his grip.
Crack.
“…!”
Cha Minhyeok’s kind smile almost twisted for a moment.
Oh, can he take this?
The corners of his eyes twitched slightly, the closed eyes widened a fraction, then he quickly recovered his original smile.
But Kang Taeseong saw it.
The expression that almost slipped in that split second, the mask peeling away.
He laughed silently in his heart.
I’ll open your eyes for you today.
When people talk to each other,
they have to look each other in the eye.
Is it normal for him to keep smiling and showing just closed eyes?
With his hand still clamped tightly, Kang Taeseong squeezed even harder.