Private Secretary - Chapter 45

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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 45

“No, that was a slip of the tongue. I’m sorry.”

But Tae-san showed no reaction at all. His face was so enigmatic that she couldn’t even guess what he was thinking inside.

So Lee Seol’s heart, which had been soaring high, gradually returned to normal.

Though she hadn’t thrown out those words deliberately to test him, she was secretly disappointed that he showed no reaction at all.

Perhaps that was natural, but maybe she had gotten ahead of herself with too high expectations.

As time passed, Lee Seol’s heart sank heavily like an anchor, as if she had never been excited at all. To a painful degree.

* * *

Knock knock-.

As soon as 6 PM arrived, Yang Secretary knocked on the office to greet Tae-san. Today, Lee Seol stood behind him too.

“Department Head. I’ll be leaving work now.”

“Yes. Oh, Han Lee Seol, come in for a moment.”

Tae-san sent Yang Secretary off without much to say, then gestured for Lee Seol to come closer.

“Yes. Department Head.”

When Lee Seol approached Tae-san, he glanced toward the inside of his desk.

As Lee Seol obediently moved her steps, Tae-san embraced her waist and looked up at her with gentle eyes.

“Until ten o’clock.”

“Yes.”

“The first draft needs to be confirmed by tomorrow, so don’t be late.”

“Yes.”

“…But why don’t I trust this?”

“Why not?”

Tae-san looked at Lee Seol with displeasure while drawing her to him.

“Where’s the meeting place?”

“It’s a pork restaurant in front of Namgang District Office. What was the name again. Was it Hwarotbul? Was it Jangjak-bul? Anyway, something like that.”

“Drink alcohol in moderation.”

“Yes.”

“…”

“…Is there anything else you want to say?”

The business seemed finished, but Lee Seol asked again, puzzled by Tae-san not letting her go.

“But you said you’re just going to meet college friends. Why did you dress up so much?”

“I just put a little more effort into my makeup, but does it look strange?”

Usually she did light makeup, but today she added color cosmetics to bring life to her tired face, which must have looked a bit awkward.

As Lee Seol awkwardly touched her face with her hand, Tae-san stood up from his seat and stood in front of her.

After looking at her silently for a few seconds, Tae-san suddenly pressed their lips together. What started as a light peck gradually developed into a kiss.

“You can’t.”

“Why.”

“I’m wearing dark lipstick today, so it’ll look ugly if it smears.”

“Han Lee Seol.”

“I’ll see you at home later.”

Lee Seol hurriedly escaped from his embrace, afraid of being caught by Tae-san again. Tae-san laughed as if dumbfounded, then quickly hardened his expression.

“I understand, so come back here.”

“I need to go now.”

“I won’t hold you long, so come here.”

“I said no kissing.”

Lee Seol cautiously approached while being wary of Tae-san. Tae-san, sitting on the edge of his desk, easily embraced her and buried his face in her shoulder.

“Department Head?”

“You keep rushing me, so I don’t want to let you go.”

“…I really have to go. I’ll see you later.”

Lee Seol, who barely escaped from his embrace, smiled brightly and greeted him before leaving the office.

It was just yesterday that she resolved not to get ahead of herself with expectations, but facing him again, she was helplessly excited by even trivial actions.

However, today she didn’t want to think deeply about her feelings.

Right now, the appointment with friends she was meeting after a long time was more important.

Lee Seol, with her excited heart leading the way, exchanged conversations with her friends even while heading to the meeting place.

* * *

“So do you know what I said to that junior? I told him not to climb up.”

“Hey. Even so, you just become a narrow-minded senior.”

“I don’t care if I do. How can I stand it when he’s being annoying. And isn’t it stranger to call someone narrow-minded for pointing out what’s wrong?”

The friends she met in college had all become office workers.

When they were in school, they only talked about school or dating, but now it was all company talk.

They poured out like roars the difficult, unfair, and infuriating things from their work life. Lee Seol was the one just listening silently there.

“Anyway, so Han Lee Seol, how are you doing these days? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Me? Well, same as always.”

“Is secretary work manageable? That must be really hard too. Pleasing superiors isn’t easy. Just watching my manager’s mood is killing me.”

Since it wasn’t particularly that difficult, she responded with a smile instead.

As Lee Seol was sparing with words, another friend stepped forward and began venting their frustrations.

They exchanged drinks like that again, and empty bottles accumulated on the table.

“Hey. Did you guys know Tak Woo-jun liked Sim Se-ryeon?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You know how popular Tak Woo-jun was. He rejected all the girls who liked him and confessed to Sim Se-ryeon, but she turned him down.”

“Why?”

“You know Tak Woo-jun’s friend Go Hyeong-jun. Because she liked him.”

“Wow, amazing.”

But what was most interesting were the stories from the past.

Friends who spent their college years together met and after just a few drinks, they quickly returned to those times.

So even though they were all stories that had become the past, even the behind-the-scenes stories of who liked whom and who confessed to whom were interesting.

Lee Seol felt moved as if she had returned to that time.

“Guys. I need to head home. I have to go to work at five in the morning tomorrow, so I need to leave now.”

“What? It’s already past eleven? When did time pass like this? I should go too before the trains stop running.”

When the conversation was at its peak, one friend started packing up.

When one got up, two got up, and then three got up.

An atmosphere of naturally breaking up the gathering formed, and only then did Lee Seol realize that a full hour had passed since her appointment with Tae-san.

“I’m screwed.”

Though she hadn’t drunk enough to get drunk, listening to her friends’ stories made her lose track of time.

When she took out her phone from her bag, there were three missed calls from Tae-san.

Lee Seol hurriedly called him.

“Hello? Department Head.”

[What time is it now.]

“…I’m sorry. I lost track of time. I’ll leave right now.”

[Tell me the store name.]

“Pardon?”

[The store name.]

“Hwarotbul Gui.”

[Wait.]

“Pardon? Department Head?”

She called for Tae-san, but he didn’t answer. The call had already ended.

Did “wait” mean he would come pick her up? All the way here? Why?

Lee Seol, more anxious than surprised, became restless.

“Lee Seol. What are you going to do? We’re going to stay a bit longer, but what about you?”

“…Oh, I think I should go too. I have to go to work early tomorrow.”

“Really? Then there’s nothing we can do. Take care. Let’s meet again next time.”

Including Lee Seol, four people were leaving, and two were staying.

One of those four approached her as she was gathering her things.

“Han Lee Seol, are you leaving too? Where are you going? If we’re going the same direction, I’ll give you a ride. I called a driver.”

“No. I’ll go by myself.”

“Why? Where are you going?”

“No. I just want to go alone.”

“Really? Then take care.”

Since Tae-san was supposed to come to the front of the store, she couldn’t leave right away. When Lee Seol stopped in front of the store, her friend asked with a puzzled look.

“Why aren’t you going? Don’t you know where the subway station is? Just go straight this way and turn right.”

“…No. Actually, someone is coming to pick me up.”

“Who? Do you have a boyfriend?”

The friend who was waiting for the driver suddenly sparkled with interest.

“No, not a boyfriend.”

“Then someone you’re interested in?”

“No, it’s not like that either…”

Right. How could I explain our relationship?

To simply call it a workplace superior and subordinate relationship, we had crossed lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

We definitely weren’t lovers, so how should this kind of relationship be defined?

“Then what exactly is it? Oh, is family coming?”

“Just someone I know.”

In the end, the word Lee Seol chose was ‘someone I know.’ There was no other word that could properly define her relationship with Tae-san.

“What do you mean just someone you know? You’re being weird.”

Lee Seol, feeling burdened by her friend’s persistent questioning, could only hope that the driver would arrive before Tae-san.

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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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