The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 20

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

20.
For days now, Gyeong Jun had been plagued by a nameless dread ever since that man came to pick up Do A at the last meeting.
Gyeong Jun was known for having sharp eyes even from a distance. As a child, he’d always won at hide-and-seek.
From where he stood, the man in the car on the day of the meeting was unmistakably Yoon Cha Gyeong. His vision of 20/20 in both eyes guaranteed it.
But a conglomerate heir, someone even employees rarely saw, coming to drive Do A home on a night when taxis were off the road?
The odds were lower than flowers blooming in a desert.
―I figured out who that guy actually is.
At those words, Gyeong Jun started visibly.
‘Surely it doesn’t mean that man really was Yoon Cha Gyeong?’
But to Gyeong Jun’s mounting tension, Na Hee revealed an identity he’d never imagined.
―He was a fake boyfriend hired by a dating-service company.
“What! Do A’s boyfriend was fake?”
Gyeong Jun’s voice rose.
* * *
Cha Gyeong had just returned to the office after concluding entry negotiations with a French luxury brand company that had arrived yesterday.
As he stepped out of the car and walked while mentally reviewing the meeting, a sharp, nearly shouting voice spilled out from a smoking room behind the parking lot.
“Seriously, thinking about the stress I got from Do A. Just wait—I’m going to show her what real client tyranny looks like.”
At those words, Cha Gyeong’s footsteps froze as if by magic.
―I couldn’t believe it either. How did you even link Do A with our company executive? A young, unmarried executive like that would have daughters from wealthy families lining up for him.
“I’m sure I saw Yoon Cha Gyeong. Maybe I really do need to see an eye doctor.”
―Yeah, go see one for sure. Your vision must be worse than you think.
“Honestly, the more I think about it, the more furious I get. That idiot spent seven years thinking I saved him from rolling down a cliff when I just pushed him, but when did he get so shrewd?”
Seven years ago, on a hiking trip from a university club, Gyeong Jun had pushed Do A, who was following behind him, down a steep slope.
It was an accident, though he’d had no intention of catching her. The slope was so steep and dangerous-looking.
But because the teaching assistant and his classmates were coming up right behind him, he reluctantly extended his hand out of fear of being interrogated.
And only when it was safe enough, waiting until his classmates arrived.
Do A, misinterpreting this as a life-saving rescue, treated Gyeong Jun like a hero, and he began dating her with the intention of exploiting her devotion.
Truth be told, Gyeong Jun had originally planned to marry Do A.
‘But marriage should be with someone you love, after all.’
For some reason, Na Hee came to him, and Gyeong Jun, who had lingering feelings, abandoned Do A without hesitation for true love.
“Anyway, thanks, Na Hee. I feel better now. I’m going to pulverize Do A at the next meeting, just you wait.”
With that, Gyeong Jun hung up and emerged from the smoking room in high spirits.
But the moment he looked up, his heart sank.
Yoon Cha Gyeong was standing right beside the smoking room.
“Oh, w-w—! Sir!”
Gyeong Jun bent his waist at a ninety-degree angle without thinking.
Though he said nothing, standing in silence, there was a cold, aloof presence that made people feel small.
“G-good morning, sir!”
Gyeong Jun’s voice rang out.
But Cha Gyeong did not answer.
He stood directly in front of Gyeong Jun, observing him as if studying prey.
‘Why… why won’t he leave? Why does he keep staring?’
Time seemed to stop.
Cha Gyeong stared silently, with a gaze as cold as ice, as though boring through the top of Gyeong Jun’s head.
Gyeong Jun kept his head down, cold sweat dripping as he watched only the expensive tips of Cha Gyeong’s shoes.
Beads of sweat ran down the back of his neck. A nameless dread and terror coiled around his heart like a viper.
After studying Gyeong Jun in silence for a long moment, Cha Gyeong passed by him without the slightest movement, as if he were invisible, and disappeared toward the back of the building.
Only the sound of his shoes echoed coldly down the corridor.
Left alone, Gyeong Jun’s legs trembled.
“Huh, what, what is this? He’s just an executive—why would he just stare without saying hello and then leave?”
Gyeong Jun ground his teeth, blaming his unease on Do A.
The sound of his hissing reached Cha Gyeong’s ears not far away.
“Even worse than I expected.”
Cha Gyeong muttered this quietly and then left.
His eyes held a cold, burning anger.
* * *
From morning, Hyun Shin Department Store was like a war zone. It was a day for online content shooting.
Do A had to move quickly as well.
“Na Hee, we need to finish everything from short-form videos to still cuts on location today, so let’s hurry.”
Do A urged Na Hee, who was leisurely fixing her bangs while looking in a hand mirror.
Originally, one more person was supposed to come in addition to Do A and Na Hee, but they were suddenly pulled for other duties, leaving only the two of them on set.
“I’ll take care of it as needed.”
Na Hee replied listlessly, though she hadn’t even confirmed the shooting schedule yet.
What audacity. Do A sighed softly without meaning to, but then something even more shocking happened moments later.
“I’ll be overseeing the entire shoot today. This season’s video composition is something our department store considers very important, so I ask for everyone’s full effort.”
It was Gyeong Jun who had taken charge of the field team.
The moment Gyeong Jun spotted Do A, a smug smile crossed his face.
“I’ll assign the tasks. Do A, you go through every floor from the luxury goods section to the beauty section and collect source footage. Morning, afternoon, evening—the mood is completely different for each time, so you need to shoot by time slot.”
Do A moved her fingers quickly, checking off the assignments.
“Na Hee, you’ll be in charge of the VIP lounge promotion planning exclusively. It’s the most important task.”
VIP promotion was just copying text without any shooting—did she even need to visit the lounge?
There was already too much work to do.
“So when will Na Hee join me after visiting the lounge?”
At that, Gyeong Jun smiled viciously and answered.
“I just told you. Na Hee will be handling VIP promotion work exclusively.”
“Pardon? The source footage alone is too much for me to handle alone?”
“Do A, is this some kind of school? When you have a lot of work, you think this is a place where they reduce it just because you complain?”
Damn.
No wonder she had a bad feeling about him from the start. He was planning to stash Na Hee in a comfortable back office while making her run in circles.
Do A protested a few more times, but Gyeong Jun wouldn’t hear it.
Na Hee glanced at Do A and then headed to the waiting room next to the lounge.
“See how she just leaves like that.”
Though wronged and angry, handling the work took priority over her feelings.
Do A wandered through the entire department store from the food section to the tenth-floor Sky Garden, searching for structures and color palettes worthy of short-form video.
Even the frigid air conditioning had already beaded sweat on her forehead.
“Let me see what you’ve got.”
A few hours later, Gyeong Jun approached as she reviewed the footage in the office.
He scanned through the proposals she’d brought, then suddenly dropped the papers onto the desk as if hurling them.
“Jeez, Do A. Is that really all the skill you have? With these chaotic shots, who would want to visit our department store? The colors are so garish and overdone—they don’t match today’s trends at all!”
“But sir, this morning you definitely said to shoot with vivid, eye-catching colors and dynamic framing because it’s online content.”
“I never said that. Do A, is your hearing broken? Or is your memory the problem?”
You petty, unprofessional trash, Gyeong Jun.
Just so you can torment me alone, you’re going to sabotage your own work?
Because of Gyeong Jun’s capricious nature, Do A had to go back and reshoot the entire department store.
It was also Do A’s job to appease the crew that had suffered alongside her.
Dragging her depleted stamina and swollen legs through the food section corridor, Do A heard an ominous sound beneath her feet.
Crack.
“Ah…!”
The heel of her right shoe had snapped clean off.

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