Impossible Romance - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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28.

“The meat is really delicious.”
Jun-hee’s cheeks were flushed with warmth, and she flashed a bright smile at Park Hyun-sik. It was clearly not the face she usually showed me.
‘I’m the one who paid for the meat.’
Kwon Seok-ha slowly unclenched his fist.
“Shall we all make a toast together?”
Hwang Manager, standing right beside him, ignored the ice-cold Kwon Seok-ha and began to ride the mood.
“Sounds great!”
Lee Soo-chul chimed in as well. Now that I thought about it, Jun-hee was the only woman in the Secretary’s Office. At this moment, that fact unnecessarily pricked at my nerves.
“The Executive Director even sent the Driver on vacation today. Truly, our Executive Director has the best character! All employees at our company should know this.”
Kim Seok-ho, at least, summoned Kwon Seok-ha—who had been forgotten by everyone—back to the gathering.
Kwon Seok-ha offered Kim Seok-ho a smile. He made a mental note to reflect this in the next performance review.
“Agreed. Let’s toast.”
Kwon Seok-ha raised the corners of his mouth as if in good spirits and lifted his glass of soda.
With the clink of beer glasses, exclamations of refreshment rang out from all around.
“Korean beef and draft beer! Today’s gathering is wonderful! Don’t you think?”
Park Hyun-sik, oblivious as ever, spoke and looked after Jun-hee beside him once more.
“Yes. Thank you for treating me so well. I’ll work hard.”
Jun-hee expressed her ambitions and bowed not just to Park Hyun-sik but to all her senior colleagues. After all, this gathering also served as a welcome party for a new employee, so it seemed appropriate.
All the gathered employees responded with applause, keeping the pleasant atmosphere alive.
“Jun-hee, what do you think about office romance?”
Park Hyun-sik asked, seizing a moment when everyone seemed unsettled. However, at the mention of office romance, everyone’s eyes turned to the two of them. The word “romance” had a way of pricking the hearts of those who heard it in multiple ways.
“Pardon?”
Jun-hee’s eyes reflexively met Kwon Seok-ha’s before she quickly looked away.
Surely Park Hyun-sik hadn’t seen something this morning. More than that, there was no way being together with Kwon Seok-ha could be seen as a romantic relationship. I felt oddly flustered, so I just offered an awkward smile.
“What I mean is, what’s your stance on office romance—are you for it or against it?”
Park Hyun-sik, flushed from alcohol, asked again.
“Ah, there are quite a few office romance couples at our company. It’s not forbidden. But if you get caught?” Kim Seok-ho chimed in from the side, laughing loudly.
Kim Seok-ho also started the conversation and laughed heartily.
“Come on, Park Hyun-sik, you’re being mischievous. Why are you asking that?”
Hwang Manager, listening in, scolded Park Hyun-sik.
“Is that so? Aren’t we being too nice with our new employee’s initiation? Usually with initiations, you start by asking about romance.”
Park Hyun-sik grumbled playfully.
“That’s only because everyone before Jun-hee was male. Like I said, we should treat her with care.”
Lee Soo-chul laughed and patted Park Hyun-sik on the back.
Everyone seemed to be in that kind of mood—just trying to find something fun to latch onto.
Only one person couldn’t ride this mood: Kwon Seok-ha felt heat rising within him. Though I attributed it to the alcohol, there was a need to establish some discipline.
“Park Hyun-sik.”
“Yes, Executive Director.”
Park Hyun-sik straightened at the heavy weight in Kwon Seok-ha’s voice. While their internal rapport was solid, the tone made it clear he was angry. I couldn’t fathom why.
“It’s good that you’re helping Ahn Joon-hee since she’s new, but don’t overstep, will you? Grilling meat and pouring drinks isn’t what a senior should be doing.”
“Yes, you’re right. I apologize.”
Park Hyun-sik felt the alcohol he’d been drinking moments ago evaporate completely. I didn’t think my actions toward Jun-hee had been excessive, and it felt unfair, but I couldn’t talk back to my superior.
Besides, I’d witnessed Kwon Seok-ha draw boundaries with women like some kind of obsessive-compulsive tendency. Working close to him, I’d seen countless women approach him subtly or aggressively. Each time, he’d given them no opening whatsoever.
So I understood his concern. While I hadn’t harbored any romantic feelings toward Jun-hee, the instinctive thought to be more careful arose naturally.
“I apologize. I thought of it lightly since it was a company dinner.”
Jun-hee also hunched her shoulders in apology. The alcohol had certainly worn off.
“Let’s keep it appropriate. Just as seniors and juniors. Understood?”
Kwon Seok-ha spoke with a smile plastered across his face.
“Yes! I understand.”
At his smile, the tense employees relaxed again and continued the dinner. However, no one else offered Jun-hee meat or poured her drinks with special care. It wasn’t ostracism, though. They included her in conversations, calling her name and chatting together.
Watching the scene with satisfaction, Kwon Seok-ha placed several well-cooked pieces of meat on Jun-hee’s plate.
“You don’t have to. I can eat myself.”
Jun-hee’s eyes widened as she looked up at him. Moments ago, he’d said grilling meat and pouring drinks wasn’t what a senior should do, and now he was breaking his own rule.
“It’s fine for me. I’m the boss. The Executive Director, after all.”
He shrugged with an illogical argument.
“Thank you.”
At home, I would have argued with him somehow, but I wasn’t tactless enough to do so at a company dinner. I answered quietly and chewed the meat he’d given me.
Since tomorrow was the weekend and a rare day without overtime, the employees drank more than usual. Everyone came outside in good spirits, pleasantly intoxicated.
Having visited the karaoke room, everyone seemed light and unburdened, as if they’d shed accumulated stress.
My worries began now. Of all things, everyone was heading home together. My biggest concern was how to get to Kwon Seok-ha’s house without catching anyone’s attention.
“Ahn Joon-hee, where do you live? I’ll give you a ride.”
Lee Soo-chul approached me with a gentle, smiling expression.
“No, I can go alone.”
“Alone? That won’t do. It’s so late. Either Lee Soo-chul or I will take you. Which neighborhood?”
Park Hyun-sik and Kim Seok-ho joined in belatedly. Everyone in the Secretary’s Office cherished the youngest member.
I didn’t know how to answer. Especially if I mentioned the neighborhood I currently lived in, everyone would immediately think of Kwon Seok-ha. But I couldn’t name a random neighborhood at this hour either.
That’s when it happened.
“Don’t worry, everyone go ahead. I’ll take care of Ahn Joon-hee.”
Kwon Seok-ha strode over and stood right beside me. His tone was sharp and dry, leaving no gap whatsoever.
For a moment, silence fell, but everyone nodded in agreement and bowed. They all thought the Executive Director cared for Jun-hee, the only woman in the Secretary’s Office, even if he didn’t say so outright.
“Yes! Please get home safely.”
As the employees greeted Kwon Seok-ha, the restaurant staff pulled his car around to the front.
“Th…thank you.”
Getting into the car in front of all the employees was mortifying. But I had to greet them, so I bowed toward Kwon Seok-ha.
“It’s fine. Taking care of employees is part of a superior’s job.”
Kwon Seok-ha spouted pleasantries with a shameless face.

***

“Got it.”
Kwon Seok-ha opened the car door for me from the front. Truth be told, this was precisely why I had abstained from drinking earlier. And now that I was achieving that goal, there was an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
“Thank you.”
Jun-hee was on edge, having displayed signs of intoxication two days in a row.
As Kwon Seok-ha started the engine, the expansive dashboard panel illuminated, displaying the navigation system and various information. In the meantime, Jun-hee immediately located the seatbelt in the passenger seat and fastened it securely. The moment I settled into the adjacent seat, memories of what had happened this morning flooded back.
Kwon Seok-ha’s figure drawing close to fasten my seatbelt, and the rich scent of his cologne.
Merely imagining it made my entire body feel flushed with heat. Attributing it to the alcohol I had consumed moments before, I tapped my cheeks lightly with the back of my hand.
Observing this, Kwon Seok-ha slowly pressed the accelerator and turned the steering wheel. Employees waving goodbye flashed past the window.
“Are you worried I might touch you? That’s pure self-consciousness.”
“No, sir. I was simply checking that the seatbelt was fastened properly.”
Jun-hee gently stroked the seatbelt with her hand for no particular reason.
“Park Hyun-sik is nice, isn’t he?”
“I’m sorry? What do you mean?”
I was momentarily confused whether he meant I liked him as a person, or if there was some other implication.
“You two seemed close. It looks like you’ve gotten quite friendly recently.”
Kwon Seok-ha spoke in a detached manner, his gaze fixed on the window outside.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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