The Task I Can't Refuse
“Sir, that’s… not quite right.”
The design team leader faltered, his expression troubled. Shin Yu-won knew exactly what he was trying to say.
Even the company’s secretary making a presentation plan for the TF team? It sounded ridiculous.
Naturally, and Yu-won agreed with him wholeheartedly.
“Is there a problem?”
Woo-jin’s gaze turned to the team leader. Yet Yu-won sensed this wasn’t a question meant to hear his reply.
Woo-jin never bothered hiding his intimidation.
“…No.”
The team leader barely managed the words and shook his head. Seo Ju-eun’s face twisted too, but she couldn’t speak.
“Sir.”
Yu-won’s lips parted again. Their eyes met.
“I’m not even on the TF team, and I have no marketing experience. I don’t think I belong in this position.”
The look Woo-jin directed at her today was nothing like this morning. He answered in a voice cold and clipped.
“My business directives and decisions are my responsibility.”
Heavens.
Even that single unspoken word sent Yu-won’s hand curling into a fist.
“What are you thinking so hard that you’re frowning like that?”
“Nothing.”
Yu-won released the tension in her wrinkled brow. She was surprised he noticed without even looking at her. In the elevator, side by side with him, she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.
“But.”
Woo-jin’s head turned toward her.
“Shin Yu-won, your major isn’t English literature, is it?”
“That’s correct.”
At least that wasn’t a lie. She nodded. Woo-jin murmured to himself.
“I didn’t expect that. You don’t seem to care much for cosmetics.”
Only then did she realize what he was asking.
Her heart slammed. Her spine went rigid. Yu-won steadied her cracking voice.
“Back in university… I worked part-time at a cosmetics factory for a long time.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. She had always taken summer and winter shifts at her parents’ factory.
“Ah, I see.”
Woo-jin accepted it without suspicion. Then he looked straight ahead again.
Yu-won watched him cautiously. Since he stopped questioning her, he probably didn’t doubt her. A sigh of relief almost escaped her, but another worry quickly pushed in.
What exactly was he thinking when he assigned this to her?
Her hesitation ended when she spoke.
“Sir, I’m afraid I must decline the presentation plan. It’s outside my capabilities.”
“Shin Yu-won, you have another bad habit.”
Instead of an answer, the words came out of nowhere.
“A bad habit…?”
“Questioning a superior’s judgment.”
Woo-jin turned to her. The downward gaze was commanding, yet oddly gentle.
“Would I give unfair directives to a subordinate who isn’t capable?”
“No, that’s not true.”
She immediately denied it, then realized the implication: she would have to make the plan.
“Try your best, Shin Yu-won.”
He had thrown the bomb and now acted as if it had nothing to do with him. Annoying, but there was nothing left to do but accept.
When the elevator reached the ninth floor—where his office was—Woo-jin stepped out first.
“Organize the afternoon schedule and report it to me.”
“Yes, of course.”
“If you’re not feeling well, you may leave early.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Yu-won shook her head urgently. In truth she felt miserable and exhausted, but she didn’t want him to know.
“All right, then.”
Woo-jin disappeared into his office.
Yu-won set down the espresso she had prepared for him and began organizing the schedule. Her hand paused. The envelope Cha Yeo-gyeong had given her came to mind.
Every woman inside that envelope belonged with him—someone capable of standing beside him proudly, someone who could help him return to headquarters and grow his wings.
She repeated the gesture of raising her hand then lowering it several times before gripping the drawer and pulling out the envelope.
After staring at it for a long moment, she entered the first number into her phone.
“Hello, this is the secretary to Mr. Woo-jin of Moment.”
Yu-won forced calm into her voice.
“I’m calling regarding schedule coordination for the representative.”
“At two o’clock there’s a review of the new product samples, and at four o’clock a logistics center inspection.”
“I see.”
Woo-jin’s eyes flicked to his watch, then returned to the documents.
“Sir.”
At her call he looked up.
“Do you happen to be free this evening?”
Woo-jin nodded at once.
“I am.”
“Then may I reserve a table for dinner?”
“Ah.”
He rested his chin on his hand and studied her. His voice was softer than usual.
“Yes. Where shall we go?”
Yu-won paused. He seemed to interpret her words differently.
Before the conversation took an odd turn, she hurried on.
“Then I’ll book dinner with Director Kang Ji-yoon of Sewon Construction at six-thirty this evening. The location is Le At Blue. If we leave right after the logistics center inspection, the timing should work perfectly.”
“…What?”
Woo-jin’s brows drew together slowly.
“The two o’clock new product sample review and the four o’clock logistics center inspection—
“Not after that.”
Annoyed, he cut her off. The generous expression had vanished.
“Dinner with Director Kang Ji-yoon at six-thirty.”
“Hah.”
The pen in his hand dropped onto the desk.
“What kept you out so late?”
He swept his bangs back with a stiff face. The warm spring-breeze gaze had turned to ice.
“You arranged my blind date?”
“Yes.”
Silence filled the office after her answer.
Woo-jin’s hand, rummaging in his pocket, froze. He seemed about to pull out a cigarette, then thought better and put it away.
He frowned again.
“My mother arranged it?”
“…”
“And that’s why Shin Yu-won is doing this?”
“There’s no good or bad about it. It’s business.”
Yu-won kept her hand steady on the tablet, forcing calm into her voice.
“Business.”
Woo-jin repeated the word, pressing his thumb and forefinger to his temple. The ordinary gesture carried the weight of suppressed emotion.
Was he angry that she had received the blind-date list without permission?
But in that moment Yu-won felt equally wronged. How could she have refused something Cha Yeo-gyeong had extended?
“Shin Yu-won.”
His voice dropped lower, echoing through the office.
“Do you remember what we did yesterday?”
“Yes, I do.”
Yu-won nodded calmly.
“If that worries you about interfering with the blind date, you needn’t be concerned.”
It was meant to ease his worry and steady her own trembling heart.
“…”
The long fingers pressing his temple stopped.
“Yes.”
His voice grew colder.
“I worried for nothing. The new secretary will handle it without me.”
Yu-won’s shoulders twitched at the sarcastic tone. Even though she had to endure it, the pain felt like tearing flesh.
“Then I’ll escort you to the blind date location and leave.”
She tried to flee. Woo-jin slowly rose from his chair.
“You said it’s business.”
“Yes?”
Both hands braced on the desk, he stared straight into her eyes. Coldness, impossible to meet, filled his gaze.
“You must see the blind date through to the end and then leave. Isn’t that so?”
“That’s…
From the tablet slipping in her sweaty palms, Yu-won realized. She swallowed hard and gripped it tighter.
Woo-jin leaned forward. As the distance narrowed, his cologne drifted into her nose.
That alone made her chest ache.
“Why? You can’t do that?”
The corner of his mouth curled. The look in his eyes gave no hint of what he was thinking.
“No, I will do it.”
Yu-won lowered her head and took one step back. Only then could she breathe.
Woo-jin, who had been approaching, slowly pulled back and straightened his posture.
“Good. Go ahead.”
The pen he had dropped earlier was picked up. He sat again and returned his gaze to the documents.
Yu-won hurried out of the office. Her palm, pressed against the tablet’s edge, throbbed from the force she had used.
Her heart beat too painfully. She released the breath she had been holding and rubbed the red mark on her palm.
It’s all right, Shin Yu-won. All you have to do is return to your original position.