She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes like I was the annoying one.
"Tell him I, Yuna, am standing in front of his office," she said, emphasizing every word like she was the queen of this place.
"Is it business-related?" I asked calmly.
"Can you just inform him?" she snapped, completely ignoring my question.
"Sorry, Miss. I can't. He's busy," I replied, keeping my voice steady even though I was boiling inside.
What is this girl's problem? Can't she take a hint and let it go?
Just then, the office door opened. Joonseo walked out, holding his coat over his left arm. Behind him was Jiho, carrying a few files.
"Joonseo!" Yuna squealed and ran to him like a long-lost lover in a drama.
Nakyung leaned closer to me and whispered, "This is better than Netflix. I didn't even pay for this show."
"Yuna," he said, reaching out his hand.
Perfect, sir, I thought, biting my tongue.
"Miss Yuna," Jiho greeted with a professional bow, but she didn't even glance at him. Her eyes were locked on her target: the CEO.
"What are you doing here, Yuna?" Joonseo asked. They were still standing just outside his office door.
"I have something to talk to you about," she said sweetly.
"Go ahead, I'm listening," he replied.
"Not in public," she said, shooting a disgusted glance at me like I was the stain on her dress.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms tighter. I stayed seated, but every nerve in my body was tense. Nakyung remained beside me, clearly enjoying the drama unfold.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said instantly.
"I'm heading out for lunch. We can talk there," he said.
"Cool," she replied like they were best friends again.
Then they started to walk off together, side by side.
"Have a great day, Mr. Joonseo!" Nakyung called out cheerfully.
"Have a bad day, idiot," I muttered under my breath.
"What did you just say?" Nakyung said, wide-eyed and curious.
I stood up fast. "I said Have a nice day!" I repeated, louder this time, even though they were already out of sight.
The passing employees stared at me like I had lost it.
"Sorry! Sorry," I said awkwardly, waving them off, then sat back down.
Nakyung leaned over with a sly grin. "Did you see that, Minji?"
"See what?" I asked, pretending not to care.
"The whole scene. The drama. I saw one thing and one thing only," she said dramatically.
I don't know what got into me.
But the moment I saw them leave the building together, something inside me said, "Follow them, Minji. Be the spy your broken heart needs."
So here I am, sitting at a table two spots away from them, wearing sunglasses I borrowed from Nakyung and holding a menu upside down like it's a shield. Don't ask me how I even got here this fast—just know I ran like my life depended on it.
The restaurant was classy. Too classy. My fake heels were wobbling on this shiny floor like Bambi on ice. But I made it.
There they were.
Joonseo and Yuna. Sitting like they owned the sky, the view, and the moment. She was flipping her hair like she was in a shampoo commercial, and he was sitting across from her, calm, unreadable… which made me more nervous.
"Are you ready to order, miss?" the waiter asked, smiling politely at me.
"Shhhh!" I whispered, waving him away like a fly.
He blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I mean—not yet. I'm... um… deciding whether I want food or revenge," I mumbled, still holding the menu upside down.
He blinked again and walked away. Fast.
I peeked over the menu again.
"I miss you," Yuna said to Joonseo, her voice soft like she was reading a love poem.
My eyes widened.
Miss him? Oh girl, you're about to miss your teeth if you keep talking like that.
He didn't say anything at first. Just sat there, serious, probably trying to figure out how to respond without revealing he's married.
"You remember how we used to talk for hours?" Yuna kept going, leaning closer. "We had plans, dreams. I felt like you really saw me."
What are you? A memory from a K-drama flashback? I nearly snorted.
"I haven't changed, Joonseo," she said. "But you have. And it's because of her, isn't it?"
I ducked my head fast.
"Minji has nothing to do with this," he said, still calm.
Oh! He's defending me? I smiled behind the menu like a little fool. Then I stopped smiling because Yuna was still talking.
"She's just your assistant, right?" Yuna asked.
Assistant. Just. My eyes twitched.
Joonseo opened his mouth like he was going to say something, and my heart nearly dropped into my stomach. Don't say it. Don't tell her about the marriage. I don't want Yuna to know yet. Not like this.
"Excuse me, miss?" said the waiter again, now holding a notepad and looking scared of me.
"Do you have anything for broken hearts?" I whispered.
"Um... we have lemon cake."
"Perfect. Bring me that. And something bitter. Like espresso. No sugar."
He left again, fast.
I looked back. They were still talking. Then—oh wow—she slid an envelope across the table. Joonseo just stared at it.
"It's an opportunity," she said. "A big project in Shanghai. I told them you'd be interested."
Shanghai? Is that where she plans to drag my husband now?
He didn't touch the envelope.
"I'll think about it," he said.
"Think fast," Yuna whispered, then sipped her drink like she just poisoned it.
My lemon cake came. I didn't even eat it. I just stabbed it with the fork like it was her face.
They were standing up now, ready to leave.
I quickly flipped the menu back up and hid my face.
"Have a nice day, Mr. Joonseo," she said sweetly.
I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly passed out.
Then I paid and left too, walking a few steps behind them until I turned a different corner. I wasn't ready to face him. Not yet.
But one thing was clear:
Yuna doesn't know he's married.
And maybe... that's the problem.