Chapter Text
Hong Hae-in wanted to kick herself for not paying more attention to gossip and rumors in her office. Having just landed from a business trip to London yesterday, she was unaware that the new legal director would be reporting today. If she paid closer attention to her employees, especially the female ones, she would’ve noticed the excited chattering over how this new legal director genuinely looks like a model. Handsome and cute. And tall. With a great body frame. But no, as she didn’t pay attention, she naturally assumed that the new legal director would be old and short, like the previous one.
If she had paid attention, she could’ve prepared herself for the sight of Baek Hyun-woo.
Because she wasn’t prepared at all.
Who would’ve thought the new legal director would turn up in her office looking like that? Like the most handsome man she has ever seen in her entire life.
She could barely stop herself from gasping in awe when he smiled at her.
How annoying!
Hae-in hated the fact that she wasn’t in control over the sudden surge of attraction and desire bubbling up her spine, making her feel dizzy. Hong Hae-in has always prided herself on her immaculate self-control. She had been trained to be a ruthless, strict businesswoman ever since she was a child. She knew how her life was going to turn out, and she worked hard to make each step in her way easy and perfect. She had no time for romance, love, and men in general.
But this… this is something else.
It’s like all her repressed desire burst at the sight of him standing there… and looking like that…
“CEO Hong?” Secretary Na’s voice broke her out of her trance. Hae-in could see her eyes sparkling mischievously, and another rise of irrational anger spread within her. She turned to look at Baek Hyun-woo straight in his eyes, and she could see his beautiful eyes dancing in curiosity and amusement as he stared back at her. “Director Baek, welcome to Queens’ Department Store. I believe you are aware of your role here.”
“Yes, CEO Hong. I am definitely aware of the role I have to fulfill here, and I will try my best to fulfill it perfectly.” He answered smoothly and systematically. “If there is nothing else, I would leave you to your work. Have a nice day, CEO Hong.” He smiled again, and the air left her lungs forcefully at the sight of it.
Once he was out of the door, Hae-in immediately took a deep breath before slumping onto her desk, as she heard Secretary Na’s cackles ring across her office. “Shut up.”
“He really knocked you over, huh? I’ve never seen you like that before. But I have to admit, he does look very gorgeous.”
Hae-in snapped up and glared at Secretary Na for her words. She already felt weirdly possessive over Baek Hyun-woo, and couldn’t help but feel irritated when someone else pointed out how gorgeous he is. “Stop speaking nonsense.”
“He isn’t gorgeous to you alone, CEO Hong. I’m pretty sure he will get swarmed by the female employees here soon.”
“Whatever. Let’s stop talking about him now or I’ll lose my mind.” Hae-in could hardly care about letting such a sentence slip out her mouth. Fine! He is attractive! So damn attractive that she wasn’t sure she could go on with her day without having flashes of his smile in her mind every two minutes.
Secretary Na could only smile at Hae-in’s words. It’s nice to see her boss finally reacting accordingly when a handsome man appears in front of her. She couldn’t help but secretly root over their non-existent love story already.
Maybe she should be a part-time detective and find out everything she can about Baek Hyun-woo. To gauge whether he’ll be able to handle Hae-in at all. To find out if he could be Hae-in’s perfect match.
Nice! Her job suddenly becomes 10 times more fun!
“Oh, wait! Don’t forget about your meeting with Jane Kim this evening!”
“Now that we’ve come to an agreement, I think we can formalize the contract straight away. Our legal director has drafted up the contract.” Hae-in then turned to Secretary Na. “Please get Baek Hyun-woo for me.”
Once Secretary Na left, Jane Kim, the owner of the famous local brand started smiling with intention towards Hae-in. There’s something about her smile that ticks Hae-in off, but she couldn’t pinpoint why. “So, you are the one who managed to snatch Baek Hyun-woo.”
“Excuse me?” It amazed Hae-in how her instinct was spot on. She absolutely disliked the way Jane spoke about Hyun-woo already.
“Baek Hyun-woo. He worked on a case with my company before. Probably the best lawyer I’ve ever worked with. I tried to poach him to work with my company several times, but he refused. I didn’t think he would choose to work here instead.” Hae-in was about to smile in victory at her sentence when she continued. “But I personally have to admit, him being an excellent lawyer was the second reason why I wanted him to work at my company. The first, of course, is the fact that he’s such an eye candy, isn’t he?”
Hae-in narrowed her eyes dangerously at Jane’s statement, and she was about to speak in retaliation when the door to her office opened, and Baek Hyun-woo stepped in. “CEO Hong, Miss Jane.” He bowed towards the two powerful ladies in the room, before gracefully taking his seat in the chair next to Hae-in. “Here is the contract that I’ve drafted. Please take a look at it and let me know if there’s anything I need to change.” Hyun-woo handed the contract to Jane, but Jane didn’t even spare a glance towards the poor file, her eyes firm on Hyun-woo the entire time. Instead, Jane signaled for her secretary to take over and read the contract for her instead.
“So, Director Baek, fancy meeting you here. I thought you were set on not leaving your previous law firm?”
Hae-in turned towards Hyun-woo to see his response, and she could clearly see that Hyun-woo was slightly uncomfortable with how Jane was speaking towards him. He turned fidgety as he fumbled with the button on his jacket sleeve. Still, he smiled in response. “I was, but when Queens offered me the job, it was an easy decision for me to accept.”
Hae-in smiled at his words. Hyun-woo worded that very well, subtly rejecting Jane and her advances on him. Handsome AND smart? What a man. Unfortunately, Jane did not have such an IQ to catch on the real meaning of his words. “Oh, what a shame. I thought we had excellent chemistry working together.”
“It’s my first day here, but I believe that CEO Hong and I will have better chemistry working together from now on.”
Oh my God, I’m going to melt. Hae-in could feel an uncontrollable blush creeping up her neck, and she clenched her left fist as hard as she could to tamper it down. How is it legal for someone to be as effortlessly charming as Baek Hyun-woo?
Jane outright scowled at his words, but Hae-in was too giddy to care. She kept staring at Hyun-woo by her side with sparkles in her eyes, and for a few seconds, Hyun-woo turned towards her to return the smile. In fact, he lightly chuckled as he witnessed her obvious joy. Jane was about to interrupt the moment when her secretary came up and said that the contract was perfectly drafted.
Hyun-woo smiled gratefully as he took a quick look at the contract. “Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Jane. I believe you and your team can proceed with the expansion of your store whenever you’re ready.”
Jane Kim dropped all pretense, as she couldn’t be bothered with any sort of goodbyes, and just left the office while huffing with anger. Hyun-woo unexpectedly laughed at the occasion, and Hae-in couldn’t help but smile too. I’ve been smiling more this day than I’ve smiled for the past 2 years.
“CEO Hong, I’m sorry if I’ve used your name carelessly. I wanted to fend her off and I had to come up with something quick.”
“It’s okay,” Hae-in answered immediately. “I like it whenever my employees are quick to think on their feet.” You can use my name anytime you want.
Oh, for goodness sake! I have officially lost my mind.
Unaware of her internal struggle, Baek Hyun-woo continued to smile like the most handsome prince charming to ever exist. “Alright, CEO Hong. If there is nothing else, I would take my leave first.” Seeing his figure leaving though… Haein hated that. And she hated the fact that she was feeling like a lovesick high school teenager right now. Why can’t she approach him like a confident, modern woman instead? Isn’t that what she is, anyway? “Baek Hyun-woo.”
Hyun-woo turned around when she called his name. “Yes, CEO Hong?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
Baek Hyun-woo widened his eyes at her question. “Huh?” Hae-in was proud that the prim and proper lawyer had finally been rendered speechless. Right, this is who Hong Hae-in really is. “I asked whether you have a girlfriend or not.”
“I don’t have one,” Hyun-woo answered firmly, his gaze filled with amusement. “Why?”
Hae-in wanted to jump in happiness at his answer, yet she kept her cool. “Nothing. I was just curious about my new legal director. If we want to have better chemistry as you said just now, then I need to know about you more, shouldn’t I?” Hae-in said shamelessly, silently proud of herself for becoming more direct with her approach to him.
“Well, you can get to know me more anytime and in any way you want.” Hae-in didn’t miss the way he gave her a quick once-over, and how he slightly smirked at the end. She could feel a slight chill in her spine when he was so obviously checking her out. This is ridiculous. Plenty of powerful, rich men had been checking her out like she was an object of desire in the past, but Hae-in had never batted an eyelash towards them. But Baek Hyun-woo…
Baek Hyun-woo is something else.
She’d be more than glad for him to check her out all the time. And she wouldn’t even mind the slightly lustful gaze dancing in his darkening eyes.
“I’ll leave you to your work, CEO Hong. Have a nice day.” He smiled charmingly before exiting the room. Hae-in immediately let out her breath that she didn’t know she had been holding in, and slumped herself on the chair. Hae-in knew she’d been acting like a lovesick teenager the entire day after meeting him for the first time, and found herself cringing internally as she recalled their interactions.
She had decided on one thing though.
She is going to pursue him, and she is going to do it in her own way.
Baek Hyun-woo wouldn’t know what was about to hit him.