Episode 5 – Peace Has Officially Left.
1486 Words
It's another ordinary morning at Park Group.
Employees rush around as usual.
Miss Lee is organizing Jijae's schedule.
Jijae calmly signs documents while listening to a project briefing.
Everything is... peaceful.
Too peaceful.
The executive elevator suddenly dings.
A loud voice echoes across the floor.
"PARK GROUP!! YOUR FAVORITE DIRECTOR IS BACK!!"
Everyone freezes.
Several employees peek over their cubicles.
One whispers,
"...Director Kim."
Another sighs.
"...The loud one has returned."
Kim Soul steps out wearing sunglasses, dragging a suitcase with one hand and carrying bags of souvenirs in the other.
Without stopping...
He starts handing out chocolates.
"You get chocolate."
"You get chocolate."
"You look stressed."
"You definitely need chocolate."
The employees burst into laughter.
The gloomy office instantly becomes lively.
Yn smiles.
"Welcome back, Director Kim."
Soul gasps dramatically.
"Miss Lee!"
He puts a hand over his heart.
"I've missed civilized people."
Yn laughs.
"How was the trip?"
"Fantastic."
"My meetings were terrible."
"My hotel coffee was a crime."
"My wife called me thirty-two times."
He leans closer and whispers,
"...I answered every single call."
Yn chuckles.
"As you should."
"Exactly."
A junior employee asks,
"Sir... aren't you scared?"
Soul looks horrified.
"Scared?"
"I'm married."
"It's the same thing."
The office erupts in laughter.
Soul suddenly looks around.
"Where's our frozen CEO?"
Yn points toward the office.
"Working."
Soul sighs dramatically.
"He missed me."
Yn smiles knowingly.
"I'm sure he enjoyed the silence."
Soul clutches his chest.
"That hurts."
Without knocking...
Soul swings open the CEO's office door.
"Jijaeeeeee!"
Jijae doesn't even lift his head.
"...The peace has officially ended."
Soul drops his suitcase.
"I knew you'd miss me."
"No."
"You thought about me."
"No."
"You cried."
"I approved three mergers while you were gone."
Soul grins.
"So that's a yes."
Jijae finally looks up.
"How was the trip?"
"It would've been perfect..."
"...if work didn't exist."
"You were there for work."
"Exactly."
Soul drops onto the sofa like he owns the place.
Jijae simply continues reading.
Soul watches him for a moment.
"You worked the whole two weeks, didn't you?"
"I always work."
"You slept?"
"Enough."
Soul narrows his eyes.
"You didn't answer my question."
"I answered sufficiently."
Soul sighs.
"You never change."
A knock.
Yn enters carrying coffee.
"Your Americano, sir."
"And Director Kim's latte."
Soul's eyes light up.
"Miss Lee!"
"You're an angel!"
Jijae calmly speaks.
"Don't exaggerate."
Soul points at him.
"See?"
"This is why people like her more than you."
Jijae signs another paper.
"I've accepted that."
Yn almost rolls her eyes...
...but catches herself.
Soul notices.
"Did she almost roll her eyes at you?"
Jijae answers without hesitation.
"She does."
Yn blinks.
"...Sir."
"Hm?"
"You weren't supposed to expose me."
Soul bursts into laughter.
"I knew it!"
"I knew someone bullied the CEO."
"I don't bully him."
"You absolutely do."
"I simply... express myself."
Soul laughs even harder.
Jijae quietly sips his coffee.
"This is becoming unproductive."
Just then...
Soul notices the stack of untouched lunch menus.
"...You've been skipping meals again."
Jijae doesn't respond.
Soul slowly turns toward Yn.
"...Miss Lee."
She sighs.
"I've been trying."
Soul nods.
"I see."
The two exchange a look.
Jijae notices.
"...Why are the two of you communicating without words?"
Soul smiles innocently.
"We're discussing your survival."
"I wasn't invited."
"Exactly."
Soul suddenly stands.
"That's it."
"We're having lunch together."
"I have meetings."
"I checked."
"You have forty-five minutes."
Jijae looks toward Yn.
She checks her tablet.
"...Director Kim is correct, sir."
Soul proudly points at her.
"See?"
"Your own PA betrayed you."
Yn smiles sweetly.
"I'm supporting your health."
Jijae looks from Soul...
...to Yn.
Two against one.
He quietly closes the file.
"...Forty minutes."
Soul throws both hands into the air.
"VICTORY!"
The employees outside hear him celebrating and immediately know one thing...
Director Kim Soul is officially back.
The executive floor had been unusually lively ever since Director Kim Soul returned.
Employees smiled more.
The pantry emptied faster.
Even the interns seemed less nervous.
It was as though one person had somehow brought life back into the building.
.............
At exactly twelve-thirty...
Soul stood outside the CEO's office with his hands on his hips.
"Time."
No response.
He opened the door.
Jijae was still reading a report.
Soul sighed dramatically.
"I knew it."
Without another word, he walked over and gently closed the file.
Jijae looked up.
"...Director Kim."
"It's lunch."
"I know."
"Then why are you still working?"
"I'm finishing this."
"You've been finishing it for twenty minutes."
Jijae leaned back.
"You've been back for three hours."
"And you've already started managing me."
Soul grinned proudly.
"Someone has to."
A soft knock interrupted them.
Yn entered with her tablet.
"Sir, the car is ready."
Soul clapped once.
"Perfect."
Jijae looked between the two of them.
"...This was planned."
Yn answered without hesitation.
"I wouldn't call it a plan."
Soul nodded.
"It was teamwork."
Jijae gave them both the same unreadable look.
"I see."
..............
The three walked through the executive floor together.
Employees immediately greeted them.
"Good afternoon, sir."
"Good afternoon, Director Kim."
"Miss Lee."
Soul greeted everyone back enthusiastically.
One employee whispered to another,
"Our CEO looks like he's being escorted."
The other nodded.
"Against his will."
......................
The restaurant they visited overlooked the Han River. It was one of Jijae's usual business lunch locations.
The hostess bowed respectfully.
"Welcome, CEO Park."
She led them to a private dining room.
The moment they sat down...
Soul reached for the menu.
"I'm ordering everything."
Jijae looked at him.
"You won't finish everything."
"I have confidence."
"You also had confidence when you bought that bright orange suit."
Yn lowered her head, trying not to laugh.
Soul gasped.
"You still remember that?"
"You wore it to a shareholders' dinner."
"It was fashionable!"
"It was orange."
"It was confidence."
"It was a traffic cone."
Yn couldn't hold it anymore.
A quiet laugh escaped her lips.
Soul pointed dramatically.
"Miss Lee!"
"Don't encourage him."
She quickly covered her mouth.
"I'm sorry."
"You laughed."
"I did."
"You've chosen sides."
"I don't think I had much choice."
Even Jijae's lips curved into the faintest smile.
Barely noticeable.
But it was there.
......................
After the food arrived...
Soul immediately filled Jijae's plate.
"Eat."
"I can serve myself."
"I know." "But you won't."
Jijae quietly accepted defeat.
Yn watched the exchange with amusement.
Soul suddenly looked at her.
"So..."
"How has our CEO been while I was gone?"
Jijae calmly took a sip of water.
"...Director Kim."
"I'm asking Miss Lee."
Yn looked between them.
"I don't think I should answer."
"You absolutely should."
Jijae folded his arms.
"This feels like an interrogation."
Soul ignored him.
"Has he been sleeping?"
Yn hesitated. "...Not enough."
"Eating?"
"I've been reminding him."
"Which means no."
Jijae sighed quietly.
"I am sitting right here."
Soul nodded thoughtfully.
"I expected this."
He looked at Yn.
"Any headaches?"
She blinked. "Twice."
Soul frowned. "Coffee?"
"Too much."
Jijae finally spoke.
"Have the two of you formed a committee?"
Soul smiled. "It's called concern."
"It's becoming inconvenient."
"No." "It's becoming necessary."
For a brief moment...
Silence settled over the table.
Then Soul smiled softly.
"You know..."
"I've known this stubborn man for almost ten years."
He looked toward Yn.
"You're the first person besides me who's managed to make him listen."
Yn looked surprised.
"I don't make him listen."
Soul chuckled.
"You think he drinks that iced Americano because he suddenly likes following instructions?"
She glanced at Jijae.
He calmly continued eating.
Not denying it. Not confirming it.
Soul laughed.
"I rest my case."
..................
Lunch ended with coffee.
As they prepared to leave...
Soul's phone suddenly rang.
His entire expression changed.
He immediately stood up straighter.
"My wife."
He answered instantly.
"Hello, honey!"
Jijae quietly sipped his coffee.
Yn smiled into her cup.
Soul's confident voice disappeared.
"What?"
"No, no."
"I didn't forget."
"I promise."
"Yes..."
"I ate vegetables."
Jijae slowly looked at Yn.
"...Vegetables?"
Yn nodded with a straight face.
"He doesn't like them."
Soul continued on the call.
"I'll buy them on my way home."
"No!"
"I wasn't complaining!"
"I love shopping."
Jijae quietly stood.
"We'll wait outside."
Soul covered the phone.
"Please."
"Save me."
Jijae replied without missing a beat.
"You deserve it."
Yn bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
........................
Back at Park Group...
The afternoon meetings resumed.
Everything returned to normal.
Almost.
As Yn arranged the files on Jijae's desk...
He spoke without looking up.
"Director Kim."
"Hm?"
"...Welcome back."
Soul paused.
A genuine smile spread across his face.
"It's good to be back."
Neither man said anything more.
They didn't need to.
After years of friendship...
Those three words were enough.
From the doorway...
Yn quietly watched the exchange before returning to her desk.
A small smile lingered on her face.
For the first time in two weeks...
The office didn't feel quite so quiet anymore.
______________________
See u in Next episode ❤️
- Writer
