Private Secretary - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Private Secretary Episode 14

“So are you going straight home? Hwa-pyeong also has to go to work, so this precious Saturday afternoon suddenly opened up. Want to hang out with me before you go?”

Tae-san, who seemed lost in thought for a moment, looked at Kim Se-na, then turned his head to look at Lee Seol behind him.

“No. I already made plans to watch a movie with Han Lee Seol before going home. Like you said, it’s precious time.”

“…You watch movies with your secretary too? That’s unexpected? You usually don’t keep just anyone by your side.”

“My secretary isn’t just anyone. And I’ve changed a lot too.”

“Secretary Han seems to be quite to your liking?”

“Yeah. She works well. Has good sense. Well, sometimes she pisses me off too.”

You’re the one who pissed me off, when did I ever piss you off.

The moment Lee Seol got annoyed and raised her head to glare at Tae-san, she happened to make eye contact with Kim Se-na.

Lee Seol lowered her head halfway again to maintain her proper role as a secretary.

“Then I’ll see you at the wedding hall next time.”

“You’re not going to see me before the wedding? There’s still a long time until the ceremony.”

“We’re both busy. Especially you’ll be busier preparing for the wedding.”

While inwardly furious at Kim Se-na for choosing another man, Tae-san outwardly acted nonchalant and composed.

Thinking that was fortunate enough, Lee Seol pressed the elevator down button.

The door opened immediately and Tae-san got on first. Lee Seol politely greeted the two people and followed after him.

“We’re going down first, so you two take a different one.”

Tae-san spoke firmly to Kim Se-na as if trying to clearly draw a line, and closed the elevator door.

“You did well rejecting her suggestion to hang out with another excuse.”

“I didn’t do it to get praise from you, so don’t be presumptuous.”

“By the way, Kim Se-na seems to be showing some reaction. Even though she acts nonchalant on the surface, she seems to keep caring about Department Head’s blind date.”

“…Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“I’ve been secretly observing Kim Se-na’s table since earlier. Even while continuing her meal, she kept glancing at Department Head.”

“She was probably just surprised to see me on a blind date.”

“No. It didn’t feel like that. It seemed like her eyes were turning there without her knowing. Plus, don’t you remember how she deliberately linked arms with Ryu Hwa-pyeong when greeting Department Head earlier?”

“So what.”

“From what I saw, it seemed like she was trying to provoke Department Head. How should I put it, an action to induce jealousy?”

“But isn’t that all your subjective thoughts and interpretation?”

“Hmm, but wouldn’t my eyes as a fellow woman be more accurate than Department Head’s? Kim Se-na definitely showed a reaction. It’s a game worth playing.”

To Lee Seol, who usually had sharp instincts and good intuition, Kim Se-na’s behavior had somehow unsmooth corners.

So Lee Seol spoke confidently, saying it was worth taking on the challenge.

“Sometimes you’re just like a manga character, it’s strange.”

“Me? In what way?”

“Look. Even now you’re speaking with sparks flying from your eyes. You usually seem calm, but sometimes you become excessively cheerful.”

When Tae-san pointed out her excited appearance, Lee Seol’s face turned red.

She lowered her head halfway and cast her eyes down to return to being a calm secretary.

“No. I wasn’t criticizing you, so you don’t need to get so dejected. I just meant it’s interesting.”

“No, I’ll restrain myself from now on. As a subordinate, I need to maintain dignity to save Department Head’s face too.”

“Sorry, but this behavior doesn’t look particularly normal either.”

Looking at Lee Seol with her somewhat tragic tone, Tae-san smiled as if finding it absurd.

At that moment, Lee Seol somehow felt like the distance between them had grown closer.

He wasn’t difficult or awkward like during their first meeting.

Most of all, the fact that her prickly boss was smiling at her more and more often made her heart feel proud.

It seemed like his trust in her was growing deeper and deeper.

Just then, the elevator door opened as they arrived at a lower floor. Tae-san checked the floor they’d arrived at and pressed 3.

Thinking he’d confused it with basement 3 where the car was parked, Lee Seol canceled the button Tae-san pressed and pressed basement 3.

But Tae-san immediately canceled basement 3.

“The car is on basement 3.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I said we’d watch a movie before going home.”

“Wasn’t that just something you said?”

“It’s Saturday afternoon when everyone else is having fun, so it would feel unfair to just go home and work. When you think about it, I was working until just now too. Work that father ordered.”

“Ah.”

Lee Seol, who hadn’t thought that far, quietly took out her phone and searched for the movie theater in this shopping mall.

As she was checking the list of current screenings, the elevator door opened.

Getting off on the 3rd floor, Tae-san walked ahead as if he knew the geography of this place well.

Before long, they reached the bustling shopping mall, and Lee Seol rattled off the current screenings while walking beside him.

“If you don’t like waiting, I recommend the action movie that starts in 20 minutes.”

“We can just go and see what’s available, why search for it?”

“I’m in the habit of researching and understanding things in advance.”

“As expected of a secretary.”

This time too, Tae-san chuckled. Lee Seol liked seeing him smile.

Whether it was from bewilderment or absurdity, the fact that he laughed while looking at her meant he wasn’t in a bad mood.

Isn’t the most important thing for a secretary to keep the boss in good condition?

So it would be natural for her heart to flutter along whenever Tae-san smiled.

…Probably.

While walking and calming her strangely murmuring heart, they arrived in front of the movie theater.

If Tae-san had been wearing a suit, it would have been somewhat embarrassing as there were many casually dressed people in the movie theater.

“If that movie is fine with you, I’ll go get the tickets.”

“Use the card I gave you earlier to get two tickets.”

“…I’m watching too?”

“Are you going to slip away?”

She naturally thought Tae-san would watch the movie alone and go home. So she was planning to just watch him enter the movie theater and go straight home.

“…No. I understand.”

“And from now on, carry that card with you and use it.”

“Yes.”

While Lee Seol went to get the movie tickets, Tae-san was waiting with popcorn and drinks.

Seeing him like that made it feel exactly like a couple on a date, which felt strange.

“Lead the way.”

“Yes. Oh, shall I carry the popcorn?”

Tae-san moved his chin as if telling her to guide him to the theater. Lee Seol went to the theater and found their assigned seats.

“You can sit here.”

It must be a popular movie these days as there were quite a lot of audience members. Tae-san, who sat down, placed the popcorn and drinks in Lee Seol’s arms.

“I don’t eat much of this. Department Head, you have it.”

“I bought it for you to eat. I don’t usually eat this stuff.”

“…Then why did you buy it?”

“Don’t people usually eat popcorn when watching movies.”

“But you said you don’t eat it, Department Head.”

“I don’t eat it, but I thought you would. Just eat it.”

Lee Seol narrowed her eyes.

He bought popcorn that he doesn’t even eat just to feed one secretary?

The great Kang Tae-san? What’s gotten into him?

Lee Seol ate a handful thinking of his thoughtfulness, while also stealing glances at his profile with curiosity.

Only advertisements were still playing on the screen, but Tae-san was watching seriously as if watching a movie.

“Do you have a favorite advertisement?”

“…What?”

She didn’t particularly like popcorn, but since it had been a while, she kept reaching for it.

Lee Seol, who had been mindlessly eating snacks, was flustered by the sudden question.

Tae-san’s gaze, which had been looking only at the screen, finally reached Lee Seol.

In the dark theater, Tae-san’s face touched by the screen’s light looked much softer and more relaxed than usual.

Lee Seol felt her heart drop with shock at this completely different atmosphere from the cold, calculating demeanor she had seen at the company.

When she couldn’t readily answer, Tae-san continued speaking.

“Most people hate advertisements. They’d even pay money to get rid of them if they could.”

“….”

“But I still have to promote the company and products through advertising. Even if it means forcing my way through the cracks of public dislike.”

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