Chapter Two — My Worst Boss
1436 Words
Seo-ah spent the entire night regretting one decision.
Applying to Aureon Group.
Not because she didn’t want the job.
She wanted it desperately.
The problem was the man who came with it.
Kang Ji-hyun.
Her new boss.
Her coffee victim.
And, unfortunately, the CEO of the company she had just joined.
Seo-ah stared at the ceiling of her bedroom.
“Why me?”
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table.
She reached for it.
Yoon Ha-rin: Did you get the job???
Seo-ah typed back.
Seo-ah: Yes.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Ha-rin: OMG!!! I knew it!!! 🎉🎉🎉
Seo-ah smiled despite herself.
Then another message arrived.
Ha-rin: So what’s your boss like?
Seo-ah stared at the screen.
She thought about Ji-hyun’s cold expression.
His expensive suit.
His voice.
The way he’d looked at her when she called him arrogant.
She typed.
Seo-ah: Terrible.
Ha-rin replied instantly.
Ha-rin: Terrible how?
Seo-ah: He’s arrogant.
Ha-rin: Is he handsome?
Seo-ah frowned.
Seo-ah: That’s irrelevant.
Ha-rin: So he’s handsome.
Seo-ah rolled her eyes.
Seo-ah: Goodnight, Ha-rin.
She turned off her phone.
But sleep didn’t come easily.
Because somewhere in the back of her mind, she kept remembering the way Ji-hyun had looked at her before she ran away.
Not angry.
Not exactly.
Something else.
Something she couldn’t quite understand.
⸻
The next morning
Seo-ah arrived at Aureon Group at 8:20 a.m.
Twenty-five minutes early.
She wasn’t taking any chances.
Never again.
She stepped into the lobby wearing a simple cream blouse, black trousers and a fitted blazer.
Her hair was neatly tied back.
Her résumé was tucked safely inside her bag.
And, most importantly—
No coffee.
She approached the reception desk.
“Good morning.”
The receptionist smiled.
“Good morning, Miss Han.”
Seo-ah blinked.
They already knew her name.
“Your employee ID is ready.”
“Thank you.”
She accepted the card.
Then the receptionist added,
“Your office is on the thirty-second floor.”
Seo-ah’s smile disappeared.
Thirty-second floor.
CEO’s division.
She pressed the elevator button.
The doors opened.
She stepped inside.
Two employees followed her.
They immediately became silent.
Seo-ah glanced at them.
Then at the elevator mirror.
Was there something on her face?
One of the women finally whispered,
“Is she the new employee?”
The other nodded.
“I heard she worked directly under the CEO.”
Seo-ah pretended not to hear them.
The elevator doors opened.
Thirty-second floor.
She stepped out.
A woman in her early thirties approached her.
“Han Seo-ah?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Park Mi-rae, the CEO’s executive secretary.”
She smiled politely.
“Welcome to Aureon Group.”
“Thank you.”
Mi-rae handed her a folder.
“These are your duties, company policies and your schedule.”
Seo-ah accepted it.
“Thank you.”
“And one more thing.”
“Yes?”
Mi-rae lowered her voice.
“Don’t be nervous around him.”
Seo-ah blinked.
“CEO Kang?”
Mi-rae nodded.
“He looks terrifying, but if you do your work properly, he’ll leave you alone.”
Seo-ah smiled.
“That sounds reassuring.”
Mi-rae hesitated.
Then added,
“Also…”
“Yes?”
“He doesn’t like people arguing with him.”
Seo-ah’s smile froze.
“I see.”
“And you already argued with him.”
Seo-ah sighed.
“Yes.”
Mi-rae laughed softly.
“I heard.”
Of course she had.
News traveled quickly in this building.
Seo-ah followed her to her desk.
She placed her bag down and looked around.
Everything was sleek and modern.
Large windows overlooked Seoul.
Computers sat neatly on every desk.
Employees moved quickly and quietly.
It felt less like an office and more like a place where everyone was afraid of making a mistake.
Seo-ah sat down.
She opened the folder.
Her eyes widened.
There were pages and pages of documents.
“I’m going to be here forever.”
“Probably.”
Seo-ah nearly jumped.
She looked up.
Ji-hyun stood behind her.
Her heart stopped.
He was wearing a dark navy suit today.
No coffee stains.
His expression was as cold as ever.
Seo-ah immediately stood.
“Good morning, sir.”
“Sit.”
She sat.
Ji-hyun placed a file on her desk.
“Review this.”
Seo-ah looked at the file.
“When?”
“Before lunch.”
She stared at him.
It was already 9:05.
“This is fifty-seven pages.”
“I know.”
“And you want it before lunch?”
“Yes.”
Seo-ah looked at him.
He looked back.
She smiled politely.
“Okay.”
He turned to leave.
“Sir?”
He stopped.
She held up the file.
“Is there anything specific you want me to focus on?”
“Everything.”
He walked away.
Seo-ah stared after him.
“What a charming man.”
From the desk beside hers, someone quietly laughed.
Seo-ah turned.
A young man was trying desperately to hide his smile.
“Sorry.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You agree with me?”
He looked around.
“No.”
“You do.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“But you laughed.”
He smiled.
“I’m Min-jun.”
Seo-ah looked at him.
“Kang Min-jun?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened.
“Are you related to the CEO?”
“Unfortunately.”
Seo-ah laughed.
Min-jun grinned.
“I like you already.”
Before Seo-ah could respond, a cold voice came from across the room.
“Min-jun.”
Both of them froze.
Ji-hyun stood near his office door.
Min-jun’s smile disappeared.
“Yes, cousin?”
“Don’t you have work?”
“I do.”
“Then do it.”
Min-jun nodded.
“Yes, boss.”
Ji-hyun’s eyes moved toward Seo-ah.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Then he walked into his office.
Min-jun leaned toward Seo-ah.
“He likes you.”
Seo-ah nearly choked.
“What?”
“Trust me.”
“He clearly doesn’t.”
Min-jun smiled.
“That’s what makes it interesting.”
Seo-ah shook her head.
“You’re strange.”
“So I’ve been told.”
He returned to his desk.
Seo-ah opened the file.
She had no idea that behind the glass walls of his office, Ji-hyun was watching them.
His gaze remained on Seo-ah for several seconds.
Then he looked away.
Why did she seem so comfortable around Min-jun?
He didn’t like it.
Not that it mattered.
He had more important things to worry about.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
⸻
By 11:47 a.m., Seo-ah finished the report.
She stood and walked toward Ji-hyun’s office.
She knocked.
“Come in.”
She entered.
Ji-hyun was sitting behind his desk, reading something on his tablet.
She placed the file in front of him.
“Finished.”
He looked at the clock.
Then at her.
“You finished already?”
“Yes.”
He opened the file.
He read the first page.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Seo-ah stood quietly.
After several minutes, he looked up.
“You missed a figure on page twenty-three.”
Seo-ah’s eyes widened.
“What?”
He turned the file toward her.
“There.”
She leaned closer.
He pointed to the figure.
Seo-ah stared.
He was right.
She had missed it.
“I’ll correct it.”
“Why did you miss it?”
She frowned.
“I made a mistake.”
“You shouldn’t.”
Seo-ah looked at him.
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
His eyes met hers.
“Not everyone can afford to.”
There was something behind his words.
Something colder than criticism.
Seo-ah studied him.
Then quietly said,
“Maybe that’s why people are afraid of you.”
Ji-hyun’s expression hardened.
“What?”
Seo-ah realized what she’d said.
Too late.
She straightened.
“I’ll correct the report.”
She turned toward the door.
“Han Seo-ah.”
She stopped.
“Don’t assume you understand me.”
His voice was quiet.
Seo-ah turned around.
“I don’t.”
Their eyes met.
“I’m still trying to figure you out.”
For the first time, Ji-hyun looked genuinely surprised.
Seo-ah gave him a small smile.
Then walked out.
The door closed behind her.
Ji-hyun remained still.
He didn’t know why those words bothered him.
Or why, for the first time in years, someone had made him curious about what they saw when they looked at him.
Outside, Seo-ah returned to her desk.
She sat down and opened the report again.
Then she whispered,
“Definitely the worst boss ever.”
Inside his office, Ji-hyun looked toward the glass wall.
And despite himself…
He smiled.
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