Chapter 11
Dating. What’s so special about it…
“Yes! That’s what I plan to do. Assistant Manager Han, you said that because of me. So now, I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“…”
Ah. Is it also possible for him to say this?
Shi Won felt his decisiveness through his words and eyes that stared at her intensely.
Indeed, how would it feel to actually date this man?
I don’t know anything about him and he doesn’t know anything about me.
She only knew his basic information, such as his name, age and his office personality which is really cold and glum and that he’s really good at his work. That’s all.
That’s why Shi Won started to become more curious about him.
“What are you thinking about now?”
He raised his eye brow slightly and frowned.
“Nothing. Just whatever.”
Shi Won avoided his gaze and scratched the back of her head.
“I’ll ask you one last time.”
When he said ‘one last time’ Shi Won brought down her hand and made eye contact with Manager Moon.
“Do you regret it? If so, we can pretend nothing happened.”
“What… what?”
“What do you mean what? This is what we’ve been talking about the entire time. Your confession. If you regret it, we can pretend that it never happened.”
Based on his voice Shi Won felt that he was annoyed by something.
“Why are you annoyed? You’re acting so scary, I’m afraid to talk…”
Shi Won’s voice was really timid and so Manager Moon also brought down his tone a notch.
“When was I ever annoyed…”
“Although, I confessed that I wanted to date you for no reason…”
Manager Moon stared at Shi Won.
Shi Won’s face was filled with apology and hesitation so Manager Moon gave out a deprecating laugh and sighed.
“What’s the problem? Am I not good enough for you now?”
“No! No! It’s not that at all.”
Normally, when she sees him in the office, she never had thoughts about dating him but that wasn’t the only problem.
Shi Won has been in several relationships that resulted in her being dumped, therefore, she was really afraid beginning a new relationship and breaking up again.
“I’m really sorry Manager Moon. You must think that I’m a really strange woman. I don’t know why I suddenly asked you out to date me. I must have been out of my mind then… I have nothing to say other than I’m really sorry.”
Shi Won apologized with all her heart for her actions and words because all of this happened because of her not him.
“I also told you this earlier, I am really grateful for what you did today. If you didn’t show up today, I wouldn’t have been able to talk back to them and would have been greatly hurt by what they said to me. I would have gone through a tough time.”
“Was it that hard?”
Shi Won was talking to him while her head was lowered and Manager Moon began speaking in a softer tone.
“If I said it wasn’t a hard time I would be lying… I’m only human… I’m scared of starting a new relationship with a new man because I could get hurt again because I might get dumped again…”
“I won’t dump you.”
Shi Won who was staring at the table the whole time looked up at him.
“What?”
Shi Won looked embarrassed when she saw his dark pupils gazing at her but she didn’t look away and looked straight back at him.
“I won’t let you get hurt.”
“What are you…”
Shi Won’s eyes slowly began trembling and her heart rate began to go up.
“Dating. It’s not a big deal… Do it with me. This time I’ll confess to you.”
“…”
Now Shi Won is no longer wondering ‘Why did I confess to him?’ but instead she is thinking ‘Why is he treating me like this?’.
“Umm.. I… Manager Moon…”
“Yes?”
“If you feel this is unfair please reconsider. We don’t know each other that well… no you don’t know me that well.”
“What kind of couple knows each other well from the beginning?”
Shi Won stopped speaking when she saw his soft smile serious eyes.
“Although I feel that it’s a little unfair…”
She saw him laughing quietly, Shi Won frowned.
“Stop playing around!”
“I’m not playing.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Then am I supposed to cry?”
“Ah! Really… You’re no fun…”
“Now you’re laughing?”
Manager Moon looked at Shi Won who smiled because of his joke.
“Then it’s decided that we’re dating. Miss Han Shi Won.”
“…”
“If you don’t reply. Then I’ll take it as a yes. So, don’t talk about this from now on. Please take care of me well.”
“What?”
Manager Moon smiled and raised a wine glass in front of him and seeing that it was empty put it back down.
‘What…’
Shi Won was beginning to become afraid of his smiles because she couldn’t adapt to it.
‘I feel like I’m being tricked into something…’
Shi Won and Manager Moon’s eyes met at the same time.
“You don’t like it?”
“Yes? I didn’t say that I don’t like it…”
“Then, that’s it.”
Manager Moon looked at ease on the contrary Shi Won’s looked at him really awkwardly. At the moment, Shi Won thought that she needs to get out of this awkward situation and think normally.
“Let’s.. go. It’s late.”
Hearing her words Manager Moon stared at the glittering watch on his wrist.
“It’s only 9 o’clock.”
“I’m really tired. There were a lot of things that happened to me today. I want to rest.”
In fact it was a really difficult day for her today. First it was that son of a bitch, then Manager Moon showing up and his sudden confession.
The couple got out of their seat and walked out.
“President!”
As they were about to leave the café the staff member who they met at the door ran up to meet him.
Shi Won looked at the two of them.
The staff member gave him a paper bag that had wine inside.
“The president apologized for not being able to come and see you today. So it’s a small present for you.”
“Ah. He didn’t have to do this. Tell him I’ll call him later.”
Shi Won looked at the two of them with curious eyes and the staff member seeing her greeted her and she replied back in kind and soon they both left the café.
The taxi driver arrived and Shi Won sat with Manager Moon in the back seat and the situation once again became really awkward that it felt like she was being suffocated.
Shi Won felt as if someone was looking at her and she turned her head. She was really nervous because she was in really close proximity with Manager Moon, so if she moved it would become more awkward so she just stayed still.
“Close your eyes and take a rest. I’ll let you know when we arrive.”
Seeing Manager Moon’s relaxed face and voice, compared to her, she relaxed also.
She leaned her head on the seat and closed her eyes.
Even though she closed her eyes she couldn’t help but stay alert because of the existence beside her. She could hear acutely the driver turning the blinker on to turn and the engine of the car.
*Ssa ssa ssak
She opened her eyes upon hearing the sound of their clothing touching each other.
Manager Moon took off his jacket and he covered her legs with it.
Shi Won’s skirt kept on going up so she was alert of it.
Manager Moon thought her eyes were closed but when he raised his head after putting his jacket over her legs, their eyes met…
“You looked really uncomfortable.”
“Thank you…”
Manager Moon turned his head and looked out the window.
Shi Won looked at his side and closed her eyes once again.
-Timeskip-
*Ring
The elevator rang and they got onto the elevator.
Shi Won stood still and said nothing and just watched the elevator go up.
“Hmm…”
Shi Won looked at Manager Moon because of the awkward sound that he made because he wanted to break the silence.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
‘What’s he doing? Does he want to meet tomorrow?’
Hmm… this man is more proactive than I thought. Now that we’re dating for real he wants to meet every day?
Shi Won’ expression was ‘what is this guy doing?’
“I have an appointment tomorrow.”
She lied about the appointment. If I said I didn’t have an appointment, he would think she was an easy woman.
“Oh really?’
“Yes.”
She looked at Manager Moon and she thought he was giving an expression as if it was too bad.
“..!..”
He closed his mouth and slightly closed his eyes and looked at her. And seeing his face, she thought he was suspicious of her and she had a bad feeling in her stomach.
“Wha.. wha… what? Can’t I have any previous appointments?”
“That’s not the problem right now.”
It came out. Manager Moon’s specialty cold voice that he speaks normally at the office came out. She forgot about it for a little bit but now that it came up, Shi Won was remembered of the original Manager Moon.
This scary voice made her scared and stutter.
“The-Then what’s the problem?’
*Smirk
Upon seeing him smirk, Shi Won’s hair were raised on end.
“Tomorrow night 12 o’clock. Please send it by email. Otherwise, if you don’t, you need to work overnight all of next week.”
*Ring
They arrived at the 12th floor and the elevator door opened.
“Then. Take care.”
Manager Moon pushed Shi Won’s shoulder and Shi Won’s face gave an expression of unfairness and he raised his hand and pushed the closed button.
*Kwang!
Shi Won entered her apartment after she heard the elevator closing on the 13th floor.
When she got into her apartment the light turned on automatically.
‘I’m Han Shi Won’s lover.’
‘Screw off!’
‘I said you’re pretty.’
‘Give me two glasses of chateau leaulong’
‘I won’t let you get hurt.’
Those words that came out of his mouth resounded in her mind.
The hands that held her softly and those warm lips that touched her forehead. And his polite manners that made her feel wonderful.
‘Tomorrow at 12 AM. Send the project to me by email.’
She stood in front of the dark entryway of her home and tightly bit her teeth.
‘I was tricked by his strange behavior today. That’s right. Manager Moon would never change that easily.’
She thought he was the type to differentiate between personal and work related subjects.
Shi Won turned and looked at her figure in the mirror.
This didn’t look like the face of a woman who went on a first date.
She took off those heels that made her feet hurt and threw her luxury bag on the floor and crashed down onto her living room sofa.
She took off her pink dress and looked at it.
‘Why in the world did I dress up like this?…’
That ex-boyfriend is trash… I should have just ignored him.
She felt like the time she spent in the morning dressing up was wasted.
She lied on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.
“Now it’s really over. Han Shi Won.”
It wasn’t that long but that feeling that was always looming over her heart was finally gone and she felt refreshed.
It’s been a long time since she felt like she would get a good night’s rest.
Chapter 11
Dating. What’s so special about it…
“Yes! That’s what I plan to do. Assistant Manager Han, you said that because of me. So now, I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“…”
Ah. Is it also possible for him to say this?
Shi Won felt his decisiveness through his words and eyes that stared at her intensely.
Indeed, how would it feel to actually date this man?
I don’t know anything about him and he doesn’t know anything about me.
She only knew his basic information, such as his name, age and his office personality which is really cold and glum and that he’s really good at his work. That’s all.
That’s why Shi Won started to become more curious about him.
“What are you thinking about now?”
He raised his eye brow slightly and frowned.
“Nothing. Just whatever.”
Shi Won avoided his gaze and scratched the back of her head.
“I’ll ask you one last time.”
When he said ‘one last time’ Shi Won brought down her hand and made eye contact with Manager Moon.
“Do you regret it? If so, we can pretend nothing happened.”
“What… what?”
“What do you mean what? This is what we’ve been talking about the entire time. Your confession. If you regret it, we can pretend that it never happened.”
Based on his voice Shi Won felt that he was annoyed by something.
“Why are you annoyed? You’re acting so scary, I’m afraid to talk…”
Shi Won’s voice was really timid and so Manager Moon also brought down his tone a notch.
“When was I ever annoyed…”
“Although, I confessed that I wanted to date you for no reason…”
Manager Moon stared at Shi Won.
Shi Won’s face was filled with apology and hesitation so Manager Moon gave out a deprecating laugh and sighed.
“What’s the problem? Am I not good enough for you now?”
“No! No! It’s not that at all.”
Normally, when she sees him in the office, she never had thoughts about dating him but that wasn’t the only problem.
Shi Won has been in several relationships that resulted in her being dumped, therefore, she was really afraid beginning a new relationship and breaking up again.
“I’m really sorry Manager Moon. You must think that I’m a really strange woman. I don’t know why I suddenly asked you out to date me. I must have been out of my mind then… I have nothing to say other than I’m really sorry.”
Shi Won apologized with all her heart for her actions and words because all of this happened because of her not him.
“I also told you this earlier, I am really grateful for what you did today. If you didn’t show up today, I wouldn’t have been able to talk back to them and would have been greatly hurt by what they said to me. I would have gone through a tough time.”
“Was it that hard?”
Shi Won was talking to him while her head was lowered and Manager Moon began speaking in a softer tone.
“If I said it wasn’t a hard time I would be lying… I’m only human… I’m scared of starting a new relationship with a new man because I could get hurt again because I might get dumped again…”
“I won’t dump you.”
Shi Won who was staring at the table the whole time looked up at him.
“What?”
Shi Won looked embarrassed when she saw his dark pupils gazing at her but she didn’t look away and looked straight back at him.
“I won’t let you get hurt.”
“What are you…”
Shi Won’s eyes slowly began trembling and her heart rate began to go up.
“Dating. It’s not a big deal… Do it with me. This time I’ll confess to you.”
“…”
Now Shi Won is no longer wondering ‘Why did I confess to him?’ but instead she is thinking ‘Why is he treating me like this?’.
“Umm.. I… Manager Moon…”
“Yes?”
“If you feel this is unfair please reconsider. We don’t know each other that well… no you don’t know me that well.”
“What kind of couple knows each other well from the beginning?”
Shi Won stopped speaking when she saw his soft smile serious eyes.
“Although I feel that it’s a little unfair…”
She saw him laughing quietly, Shi Won frowned.
“Stop playing around!”
“I’m not playing.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Then am I supposed to cry?”
“Ah! Really… You’re no fun…”
“Now you’re laughing?”
Manager Moon looked at Shi Won who smiled because of his joke.
“Then it’s decided that we’re dating. Miss Han Shi Won.”
“…”
“If you don’t reply. Then I’ll take it as a yes. So, don’t talk about this from now on. Please take care of me well.”
“What?”
Manager Moon smiled and raised a wine glass in front of him and seeing that it was empty put it back down.
‘What…’
Shi Won was beginning to become afraid of his smiles because she couldn’t adapt to it.
‘I feel like I’m being tricked into something…’
Shi Won and Manager Moon’s eyes met at the same time.
“You don’t like it?”
“Yes? I didn’t say that I don’t like it…”
“Then, that’s it.”
Manager Moon looked at ease on the contrary Shi Won’s looked at him really awkwardly. At the moment, Shi Won thought that she needs to get out of this awkward situation and think normally.
“Let’s.. go. It’s late.”
Hearing her words Manager Moon stared at the glittering watch on his wrist.
“It’s only 9 o’clock.”
“I’m really tired. There were a lot of things that happened to me today. I want to rest.”
In fact it was a really difficult day for her today. First it was that son of a bitch, then Manager Moon showing up and his sudden confession.
The couple got out of their seat and walked out.
“President!”
As they were about to leave the café the staff member who they met at the door ran up to meet him.
Shi Won looked at the two of them.
The staff member gave him a paper bag that had wine inside.
“The president apologized for not being able to come and see you today. So it’s a small present for you.”
“Ah. He didn’t have to do this. Tell him I’ll call him later.”
Shi Won looked at the two of them with curious eyes and the staff member seeing her greeted her and she replied back in kind and soon they both left the café.
The taxi driver arrived and Shi Won sat with Manager Moon in the back seat and the situation once again became really awkward that it felt like she was being suffocated.
Shi Won felt as if someone was looking at her and she turned her head. She was really nervous because she was in really close proximity with Manager Moon, so if she moved it would become more awkward so she just stayed still.
“Close your eyes and take a rest. I’ll let you know when we arrive.”
Seeing Manager Moon’s relaxed face and voice, compared to her, she relaxed also.
She leaned her head on the seat and closed her eyes.
Even though she closed her eyes she couldn’t help but stay alert because of the existence beside her. She could hear acutely the driver turning the blinker on to turn and the engine of the car.
*Ssa ssa ssak
She opened her eyes upon hearing the sound of their clothing touching each other.
Manager Moon took off his jacket and he covered her legs with it.
Shi Won’s skirt kept on going up so she was alert of it.
Manager Moon thought her eyes were closed but when he raised his head after putting his jacket over her legs, their eyes met…
“You looked really uncomfortable.”
“Thank you…”
Manager Moon turned his head and looked out the window.
Shi Won looked at his side and closed her eyes once again.
-Timeskip-
*Ring
The elevator rang and they got onto the elevator.
Shi Won stood still and said nothing and just watched the elevator go up.
“Hmm…”
Shi Won looked at Manager Moon because of the awkward sound that he made because he wanted to break the silence.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
‘What’s he doing? Does he want to meet tomorrow?’
Hmm… this man is more proactive than I thought. Now that we’re dating for real he wants to meet every day?
Shi Won’ expression was ‘what is this guy doing?’
“I have an appointment tomorrow.”
She lied about the appointment. If I said I didn’t have an appointment, he would think she was an easy woman.
“Oh really?’
“Yes.”
She looked at Manager Moon and she thought he was giving an expression as if it was too bad.
“..!..”
He closed his mouth and slightly closed his eyes and looked at her. And seeing his face, she thought he was suspicious of her and she had a bad feeling in her stomach.
“Wha.. wha… what? Can’t I have any previous appointments?”
“That’s not the problem right now.”
It came out. Manager Moon’s specialty cold voice that he speaks normally at the office came out. She forgot about it for a little bit but now that it came up, Shi Won was remembered of the original Manager Moon.
This scary voice made her scared and stutter.
“The-Then what’s the problem?’
*Smirk
Upon seeing him smirk, Shi Won’s hair were raised on end.
“Tomorrow night 12 o’clock. Please send it by email. Otherwise, if you don’t, you need to work overnight all of next week.”
*Ring
They arrived at the 12th floor and the elevator door opened.
“Then. Take care.”
Manager Moon pushed Shi Won’s shoulder and Shi Won’s face gave an expression of unfairness and he raised his hand and pushed the closed button.
*Kwang!
Shi Won entered her apartment after she heard the elevator closing on the 13th floor.
When she got into her apartment the light turned on automatically.
‘I’m Han Shi Won’s lover.’
‘Screw off!’
‘I said you’re pretty.’
‘Give me two glasses of chateau leaulong’
‘I won’t let you get hurt.’
Those words that came out of his mouth resounded in her mind.
The hands that held her softly and those warm lips that touched her forehead. And his polite manners that made her feel wonderful.
‘Tomorrow at 12 AM. Send the project to me by email.’
She stood in front of the dark entryway of her home and tightly bit her teeth.
‘I was tricked by his strange behavior today. That’s right. Manager Moon would never change that easily.’
She thought he was the type to differentiate between personal and work related subjects.
Shi Won turned and looked at her figure in the mirror.
This didn’t look like the face of a woman who went on a first date.
She took off those heels that made her feet hurt and threw her luxury bag on the floor and crashed down onto her living room sofa.
She took off her pink dress and looked at it.
‘Why in the world did I dress up like this?…’
That ex-boyfriend is trash… I should have just ignored him.
She felt like the time she spent in the morning dressing up was wasted.
She lied on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.
“Now it’s really over. Han Shi Won.”
It wasn’t that long but that feeling that was always looming over her heart was finally gone and she felt refreshed.
It’s been a long time since she felt like she would get a good night’s rest.
