THE COFFEE SHOP OF LOVING MY BOSS
1263 Words
writed by Omahcbeauty
Chapter 2!!
The Coffee Shop Confession - "I wasn't pretending about you", state case gets worse, and the kiss
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LOVING MY BOSS
Chapter 2: I Wasn't Pretending About You
Rule #1 of confronting a lying CEO:
Don’t go.
Rule #2: Don’t believe him.
Rule #3: Don’t kiss him in public.
I failed all 3 before 10 AM.
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8:30 AM - Tuesday, Coffee Shop, Gangnam
I almost didn’t come.
40 million won debt said “go”.
My pride said “run”.
I was 10 minutes early.
He was already there.
Not in a suit.
Jeans. Black hoodie. Cap low.
Looking like he wanted to disappear.
He stood when he saw me.
“Soo-jin.”
“Mr. Kang.”
“Jae-hyun. Please.”
We sat.
Silence.
He ordered 2 americanos. Black.
Remembered from Sunday.
“Are you okay?” he asked first.
“Are you?”
He laughed. No humor.
“Not really.”
He pushed an envelope across the table.
“What’s this?”
“Your contract. 8 million a month. Plus bonus. For the lie.”
I didn’t touch it.
“I don’t want blood money.”
“It’s not blood money. It’s hazard pay.”
I finally looked at him.
“You used me. Your mom used me. The state used me.”
“I know.”
“Then why ask me to meet?”
“Because I’m not good at lying. And I was lying every second I was with you.”
My chest hurt.
9:00 AM - The Truth
“The board found out I was taking time off,” he said.
“3 months ago my mom had a stroke. Minor. But I panicked. I have 2 kids. No wife. I wanted to be there. For them. For her.”
“So you ghosted your company?”
“I delegated. But the board... they called it abandonment. Filed a case. State involvement.”
“And the nanny?”
“Mom’s idea. Hire someone new. Someone I wouldn’t know. So when the state investigated, they’d see I was ‘just a dad’. Not a CEO running things from home.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“It was stupid. It was desperate. I’m sorry.”
I sipped my coffee. Burned my tongue.
“Did you... did any of it feel real? The pancakes? The nights with Min-ah’s fever?”
He looked up. Eyes red.
“That was the only real thing, Soo-jin. The only thing that wasn’t a plan.”
My heart. Stupid heart.
10:00 AM - The State Call
His phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes... what? No.”
His face went white.
“What is it?” I asked.
He hung up.
“They’re freezing my assets. And they’re filing for temporary custody of the kids. Claiming I’m ‘unstable’ and ‘absent’.”
I stood.
“What? No. They love you.”
“The board says a man who abandons his company will abandon his kids.”
He looked broken.
“I can’t lose them, Soo-jin.”
11:00 AM - Back at the Mansion
Lawyers everywhere.
Mrs. Kang was crying. First time I saw it.
Mr. Kang was yelling on the phone.
The kids were upstairs. Confused.
Min-woo: “Why were men here yesterday?”
Min-ah: “Is Daddy in trouble?”
I held them both.
“No, baby. Daddy’s just... fixing something.”
Jae-hyun came in.
Straight to them.
Got on his knees.
“Hey. I need to go away for a little bit. But Auntie Soo-jin will stay with you. Okay?”
“Are you coming back?” Min-ah asked.
“Always. I promise.”
He hugged them. Long.
Then stood. Looked at me.
“Can I talk to you? Alone?”
11:30 AM - His Office
The locked room.
Now open.
Wall of awards. Wall of news clippings.
YOUNGEST CEO IN KOREA
KW CONSTRUCTION: 10 BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT
He closed the door.
“I’m not asking you to stay,” he said. “Not after this.”
“Then what?”
“I’m asking if you’ll help me fight it. Testify. That I’m a good father. That I was here. That I chose them over the company.”
He stepped closer.
“And I’m asking... if you can forgive me. A little.”
I should’ve said no.
I should’ve walked out.
But then he did something stupid.
He cupped my face.
His hands were cold. Shaking.
“Soo-jin. I’m sorry. For lying. For dragging you in. For—”
I kissed him.
To shut him up.
To shut me up.
It lasted 3 seconds.
Then I pulled back. Gasping.
“What are we doing?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered. “But I’ve wanted to do that since you made pancakes in my kitchen.”
12:00 PM - Decision
I didn’t quit.
I stayed.
For the kids.
For the bonus.
And because I was an i***t who believed him.
That afternoon, state officials came again.
Interviewed me.
“Is Mr. Kang a present father?”
“Yes.”
“Does he work from home?”
“No. He plays with his kids. He reads to them. He was up all night when Min-ah was sick.”
They wrote it down.
After they left, Jae-hyun found me in the kitchen.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We might lose.”
He leaned against the counter.
“If we lose, I’ll lose everything. The company. Maybe the kids.”
“You won’t lose me,” I said before I could stop myself.
He stared.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing. Forget it.”
But he didn’t.
He smiled.
Small. Real.
“Okay. I’ll remember it.”
6:00 PM - The Board Email
Leaked to press.
KW CEO UNFIT. PRIORITIZES FAMILY OVER SHAREHOLDERS.
Stock dropped 8%.
Comments:
Deadbeat dad
Fire him
Jae-hyun read it in his office.
Didn’t react.
Just closed his laptop.
Came to the living room.
Sat on the floor with the kids.
Built blocks.
Like nothing was happening.
Like he wasn’t about to lose everything.
10:00 PM - Kids Asleep
I was in the kitchen. Cleaning.
He came in.
“Go home, Soo-jin. You’re off.”
“I live here now. Remember? Live-in.”
“Right.”
Silence.
“Why did you kiss me?” he asked.
“Because you looked like you were going to break.”
“Did it help?”
“No. Now I’m the one breaking.”
He moved.
Stood behind me.
Didn’t touch me.
Just... there.
“I wasn’t pretending, Soo-jin. About any of it. Not the kids. Not you.”
“I know.”
“So what do we do now?”
“We fight,” I said. “Together.”
He turned me around.
And kissed me again.
Slower this time.
Like he was asking permission.
Like he was saying thank you.
When we pulled apart, we were both breathing hard.
“The board will fire me,” he said.
“Then we’ll build something new.”
“You’re crazy.”
“You hired me.”
He laughed.
First real laugh I’d heard.
Midnight - Text
From unknown number:
State hearing in 48 hours. They want to take the kids. Be there. - J
I replied:
I’ll be there.
[End of Chapter 2]
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Writed by Omahcbeauty
"I WASN'T PRETENDING ABOUT YOU"
We kissed TWICE. State wants the kids. 48 hours till court.
Ready for Chapter 3: The Custody Hearing?
Where Jae-hyun loses the company but wins something bigger
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