Chapter 29

One side of Ho Rang’s office was made of floor-to-ceiling glass, offering a clear view of the secretaries working outside. It was also immediately obvious that instead of working, those secretaries were staring right back at him.

"This is the definition of sitting on pins and needles."

Bo Bae didn't have anything specific to do, but she couldn't just sit there looking idle, nor could she interrupt Ho Rang, who was clearly swamped. As soon as they had entered the office, he had been buried in the mountain of approval documents piled on his desk.

She eventually decided to tidy up the office, but even pretending to work wasn't easy. When she accidentally dropped an object while clearing a table, Ho Rang looked up with a frown.

"Why don't you just sit down? You're distracting me."

"I thought it would look even weirder for a secretary to just sit blankly in front of the president."

"Who’s watching?"

"Everyone is watching us."

When Bo Bae pointed towards the glass wall, Ho Rang turned his head towards the window. As if on cue, the secretaries outside immediately began pretending to be busy. Only then did Ho Rang realize why Bo Bae was so restless. He pressed a button on the remote sitting on his desk, and the blinds rolled down, concealing the office from view.

"Better?"

"But won't this just cause a different kind of suspicion?"

"What suspicion?"

Ho Rang, who was turning his attention back to his papers, looked up at Bo Bae again.

"Even this morning, people were whispering about our relationship. Now imagine us being in a room together with the blinds down. It’s perfect for people to misunderstand."

"Spoken like a true writer."

"I think it’s better to keep the blinds up."

As Bo Bae reached for the remote to raise them again, Ho Rang grabbed her wrist. The sudden physical contact startled her, but Ho Rang remained composed.

"Leave it."

"Why... why?"

He had been grabbing her hand quite often since yesterday.

Bo Bae didn't dislike it, but for someone who had virtually no experience with men, it felt incredibly foreign. It felt as if every nerve in her body had migrated to her wrist. She could feel the texture of Ho Rang’s skin and his body heat, a heavy, warm sensation. Every time he moved his hand slightly, the sensation further stimulated her nerves. All from a simple grip on her wrist.

"If we keep the blinds down, people might get the wrong idea..."

"What wrong idea?"

When Ho Rang asked with an indifferent expression, Bo Bae bit her lower lip slightly.

In fact, on her way to work, she had overheard employees whispering. They were gossiping about her identity, speculating that if she wasn't family or a friend, she must be 'Baek Ho Rang’s woman.'

If she had just chuckled it off then, she felt that closing the blinds while they were alone in the office would only validate their suspicions.

"Um. The misunderstanding that we’re... in a relationship?"

As Ho Rang’s brow furrowed slightly, Bo Bae quickly added.

"Of course, I know you'd hate hearing stuff like that, but I'm just saying the employees could easily jump to that conclusion."

"Why is that a misunderstanding?"

"Huh?"

Bo Bae was caught off guard by his nonchalant question.

This wasn't the reaction she had expected. She had anticipated something like: 'How dare they put me on the same level as you? They think we're together? Do we have employees with such poor judgment in this company? Fire them!'

But 'Why is that a misunderstanding?'

"You and I are in a relationship, aren't we?"

His words, asked with renewed emphasis, left Bo Bae speechless.

It was true that they were in a relationship, but she couldn't tell if what Ho Rang was thinking was the same as what she was thinking.

Bo Bae had proposed they date for real, and Ho Rang had accepted. However, Bo Bae didn't think he was being sincere. She assumed he had agreed as a gesture of gratitude since she had belatedly suggested the contract relationship and cohabitation.

But right now, the look in Ho Rang’s eyes seemed genuine. He was speaking as if they truly were something.

It made her heart race...

"Am I wrong? We're dating. You're my girlfriend, and I'm your boyfriend."

"But that's a contract relationship..."

"Did you forget what you wrote in the contract?"

In that moment, Bo Bae recalled the clause she had written.

[As long as the contract remains in effect, Na Bo Bae and Baek Ho Rang shall be sincere towards one another.]

It was an abstract statement. It could be interpreted differently depending on the person, and she had expected him to dodge it by saying, 'My sincerity doesn't mean I actually like you.'

So why was he reacting like this? It was confusing.

It really made her feel like she was his girlfriend.

"Don't worry so much about what others think."

"It's not that I'm that worried, but..."

"From tomorrow, bring your laptop and work on your manuscript. It’s ridiculous for me to give you tasks, but you can’t just play around all day either."

She had already been thinking the same thing. She was only pretending to be a secretary to deceive Do Yoon. She hadn't actually joined the Tae Seong Group's secretarial pool.

"Get ready."

"For what?"

"We're going to tour the shopping center. Shouldn't we make sure the rumor that you're my secretary spreads thoroughly before Choi Do Yoon shows his face?"

"Ah!"

"Get ready and come out."

As Ho Rang walked out first, Bo Bae narrowed her eyes at his back and muttered to herself.

"Why is he so cold? He seemed fine a moment ago."

She had worried that he might still be angry from yesterday, but his mood this morning seemed quite good. Though they had a small bicker about driving, they had joked and laughed the whole way there. She thought his mood had improved, yet here he was being blunt again. And besides...

'Am I wrong? We're dating. You're my girlfriend, and I'm your boyfriend.'

"Why does he say things like that? Making my heart flutter..."

The moment she heard those words, she felt like her heart might explode. Even though she knew he didn't mean it, even though she knew he was just saying it, she found herself wishing he really was her boyfriend.

Bo Bae looked down at the wrist Ho Rang had held. She could still feel the lingering touch of his hand that had gripped her so firmly.

"And why does he keep grabbing my hand? Making me want to do more..."

After holding his hand, she wanted to hug him. Just like back in the rooftop room, she wanted to wrap herself in his arms and feel the beat of his heart. She wanted to hear his breath against her ear and embrace the trembling of his body with her own.

Once you hold hands, you want to hug, once you hug, you’ll want to kiss. Humans are, after all, creatures that crave greater stimulation.

"Get it together, Na Bo Bae! Even if the sky splits in two, Baek Ho Rang will never see me as a woman. So don't get your hopes up! Never!"

Steeling her heart with those thoughts, Bo Bae stepped out of the office.

~~~~

"You’ve arrived, Sir."

An employee in charge of the shopping center’s grand opening preparations ran over to Ho Rang and bowed.

"Has the filming crew arrived?"

"Yes. They’ve been filming since dawn."

"Where are they?"

"In the west lobby."

"I'm just here to see the crew, so go back to your work and don't mind me."

"Yes, Sir. Understood."

While bowing to Ho Rang, the employee didn't miss the chance to steal a glance at Bo Bae. Since the secretary who usually accompanied him had changed, it was a natural reaction.

Bo Bae decided to follow Ho Rang’s advice and ignore people’s stares. After all, they weren't curious about 'Na Bo Bae,' but about the woman standing next to Ho Rang.

"Is there a shoot today?"

"You know him, right? Producer Jang."

At the mention of Producer Jang, Bo Bae recalled the time she saw Ho Rang and the producer meeting at a café.

"I know him. But why Producer Jang?"

"They're filming a drama he's directing here at our shopping center."

"Ah, right. I forgot. Pfft."

When Bo Bae chuckled, Ho Rang looked at her as if asking what was so funny.

"Do you remember? You told me I was a writer who threw myself at people just to get a sponsorship."

Ho Rang’s expression darkened at her words.

"Why bring that up now?"

"Why? It’s funny. What was it you said? A 'poverty-stricken writer' who offers her body because her writing isn't good enough? Anyway, I was so shocked that day I spent the whole night cursing you. Didn't your ears itch?"

Bo Bae giggled at the memory, but for Ho Rang, it wasn't exactly a pleasant one.

Their first meeting, where she had demanded a kiss, had been so shocking that he had lashed out, but thinking back now, he realized he had said some heartless things far too easily.

Ho Rang stopped his long strides and looked at her.

"I didn't actually hurt your feelings, did I?"

"Of course you did. You said my writing was bad, my body was 'impoverished,' and told me to stay 10m away. How could I 'not' be hurt?"

It was a long time ago, and she had already let it go, understanding that she might have reacted the same way if she were in his shoes. After all, how absurd must it have been for her to ask for a kiss the moment they met?

As she laughed while thinking back, a soft voice reached her ears.

"I’m sorry about then."

Startled by the unexpected apology, Bo Bae looked up at him.

"I didn't mean it, so I hope you weren't too hurt."

His voice sounded genuinely sincere. Why was he using the word 'sincere' so much today? Was it because of the contract?

"It's okay. I've forgotten all about it. Besides, I was in the wrong too, throwing myself at a stranger for a kiss."

"Right. Don't do that anymore."

Bo Bae, who had been joking around with a smile, stiffened at Ho Rang’s cold tone. She replied with a pout.

"Don't worry. I won't throw myself at you again. Who said I would?"

As she grumbled with protruding lips, Ho Rang stopped walking and leaned down towards her. Their faces became close enough to touch.

Though the distance was intimate enough to warrant pulling away, Bo Bae instead held her head high and stared back. Their dark pupils clashed in the air.

Ho Rang took one more step towards her and whispered in her ear.

"Not me."

"..."

"I'm telling you not to throw yourself at 'other' strangers."