Executive Director, shall I book a room ?? - Chapter 6

At the same time, Soojin lunged forward and grabbed Soohyuk’s arm.

“What! What! What do you want? Huh? Just say it simply, okay?”

“Aigoo, our Soojin is so quick-witted and everything she does is just adorable.”

“Ugh! What is it, just say it already! If you say something weird, I swear I’ll kill you!”

Soohyuk nodded with a smirk and pressed the call button. Then, casually pulling his phone away, he whispered:

“I’m out of side dishes. You know what that means, right?”

Ah, I’ve summoned a demon!

“Yeah, hey, Junseong. What’s up? Me? I just came to work.”

As Soohyuk smoothly started the call, Soojin glared at the back of his head, her eyes narrowing further.

How on earth had this self-willed guy ended up glued to her side like some kind of leech, calling himself her friend? How had she gotten tangled up with someone as unrealistically perfect as Song Junseong? The moment she began reflecting on her life so far, it all felt surreal.

—

Ten years ago, early autumn.

The topic of the day was rather unexpected.

“Anyone you’re interested in?”

No—the moment she was asked, Soojin definitely pictured someone’s face.

“Uh, well…”

“There is! There is! Who is it? Who?”

What did her brief hesitation give away? At her friend Yeonhee’s eager reaction, Soojin flusteredly waved her hands.

Just then, a breeze blew in through the open window, brushing against her slightly flushed cheeks.

It had already been over half a year since she started university. The chilly wind made her pull her collar tighter as she climbed the hill path, and before she knew it, the stifling summer had passed, replaced by crisp autumn air.

“What ‘interested’? No, there’s no one.”

“No way. There’s someone. Your face is all red!”

“What? Seriously? No, it’s not that, there’s no one. Really!”

“Look at this, look. You’re smiling—that’s even more suspicious. Huh? You’re totally blushing.”

“I said no! What about you? Why bring this up all of a sudden?”

“Just curious.”

Yeonhee, who had been teasing her relentlessly, suddenly rested her chin on her hands, feigning innocence. Her curious gaze swept over Soojin. The lecture hall, still noisy before class, thankfully drowned out their voices.

“It’s obvious. Someone like you—pretty face, great body, nothing lacking—why waste such good material?”

“Waste? What are you talking about?”

“Maybe your standards are too high?”

“That’s not it. More importantly, class is about to start…”

“Actually, I’ve got someone I like.”

“…Huh? Really?”

“Curious? Right? I was honest, wasn’t I? So, you should be honest too. Who knows? Maybe we can help each other out.”

So why is the conclusion going this way?

“Huh? Hey. You seriously don’t like anyone? Really?”

Whether she sensed something or just found Soojin’s reaction amusing, Yeonhee was unusually persistent that day. Normally, Soojin would’ve laughed it off, but she couldn’t bring herself to ignore her friend, who was practically sparkling with excitement. Truthfully, Soojin had always been weak to Yeonhee’s playful charm.

Fidgeting with her book, Soojin awkwardly laughed before cautiously speaking up.

“Well, I guess… there is someone who fits my type.”

Even now, the memory was vivid.

Specifically, the moment she first saw him at the entrance ceremony.

‘Hey, look over there. That tall guy. See him?’
‘Oh, wow. What the… He’s unreal. Who is he? Do you know him?’
‘You don’t know? That’s Song .’
‘Ah! That’s the Song Junseong?’

Even without the whispers, she recognized him instantly. That tall, striking guy was the same Song Junseong everyone had been talking about since freshman orientation.

It was her first time seeing him in person, but she immediately understood the hype.

The first thing that caught her eye was his well-defined features—sharp nose, perfectly shaped brows, long eyes, and lips that were just the right amount of full. Everything about him was so flawlessly balanced, he looked like a meticulously painted portrait.

His angular jaw, stylish hair covering half his forehead, and the impeccably tailored suit he wore exuded a strangely disciplined yet mature aura, unusual for someone his age. Among the boyish-looking male students, his composed demeanor stood out starkly.

His unusually clear, dark eyes made him seem kind, but combined with everything else, he gave off a stubborn, unyielding vibe.

Unlike her, tense in the unfamiliar environment, he radiated confidence and ease—though to her, it bordered on arrogance.

But her impression of him ended there.

Soojin had built her life on sheer effort. She had never missed being top of her class in school, and entering a prestigious university as the valedictorian with a full scholarship was a point of pride.

Her life had gone as planned so far, but she couldn’t guarantee the future. Her goal was to maintain her grades until graduation, land a great job, and achieve independence. In the cutthroat competition of the job market, she believed emotions like love would only be distractions.

So she deliberately paid him no attention. Maybe it was the slight prejudice that someone so universally admired must be full of himself, but her first impression of him wasn’t even that favorable.

But emotions have a way of sneaking up when least expected.

‘Huh? Hey, w-wait! That’s the one I was about to take!’

It happened as abruptly as the large hand that suddenly appeared in front of her.

Early in the semester, she had gone to the library to find reference materials. Just as she was struggling to pull out a tightly wedged book from the top shelf, someone cut in front of her.

The frustration from wrestling with the darn book for minutes boiled over instantly.

‘How can someone just take it when they clearly see me struggling?!’

She whipped her head around to glare at the offender—and froze.

The moment she saw the man’s face—slightly startled by her sharp look but smiling as he offered her the book—her heart dropped.

‘Ah, I already bought this.’

Why is Song Junseong here?

Her pupils shook. Should she apologize for yelling? Thank him for helping? She didn’t know what to say, her lips parting soundlessly. Song Junseon, handing her the book, looked down at her and gave an awkward smile before turning away.

By the time she remembered to thank him, he was already walking off, bickering with a male friend.

‘Ah… I messed up.’

She hadn’t planned on getting close to him, but she hadn’t meant to come off so sharp either.

Feeling oddly unsettled, she finished her tasks for the day. Later, near a bookstore off campus, she spotted him again by chance. Among the books he bought was the same one he’d handed her at the library. She immediately understood what it meant, but for some reason, she avoided him, slipping away before they could meet.

It might’ve been nothing—just a passing moment.

But that insignificant incident became the reason she started really looking at him.

Maybe he wasn’t just the untouchable idol everyone made him out to be.

Maybe his dazzling looks had overshadowed the real him all along.

Time passed. They became friends. And by the time she realized Song Junseong wasn’t just attractive as a man but as a person, it was already too late.

A long, unrequited love she could never confess.

” Song Junseong.”

“…Huh? What?”

“The person I’m interested in. It’s Song Junseong.”

Soojin stared blankly at Yeonhee.

Her friend, grinning brightly, had just uttered that name.

“You? Wait—do you like Song Junseong too?”

“No!”

She denied it reflexively. This is the worst. Her mind was already chaos.

“I-I’m not into flashy types like that. My taste is more… low-key.”

“Really? Like who? Just say it straight. Who is it?”

“Uh, well, you know…”

Panicking, she couldn’t recall a single name from the many classmates she’d known for over half a year. Right now, anyone but Song Junseong would do.

So, someone always by Junseong’s side…

“Ah! Soohyuk! Cha Soohyuk!”

“Soohyuk? How is he low-key? Your standards are insane. Soohyuk would stand out even in the middle of Gangnam!”

“Huh? R-really?”

“Besides, aren’t you close with Junseong? Soohyuk’s not bad, but honestly, Junseong seems way more your type.”

She now understood what it meant to feel one’s blood run cold.

“What’s wrong with Soohyuk? He’s handsome, his personality… is a bit rough, but he’s secretly sweet. And honestly, Junseong’s a friend, but he’s not exactly easy to get close to. It’s like… you never know what he’s really thinking…”

As she rambled, the back of her neck prickled, and her voice trailed off.

Something’s there.*Behind her. Something that shouldn’t be.

Stiffly, she turned around.

“Oh, hey, Soojin. I’m honored you think of me that way?”

The first thing she saw was Soohyuk’s face, barely holding back laughter. And beside him—Junseong, staring down at her with an unreadable expression.

Her vision swam.

“N-no! I mean, if I had to say, I just see you both as friends!”

“Sure, sure. So I’m more your type than mysterious Juseong, huh?”

“That’s not—! I mean, what I’m saying is…”

“It’s fine. I’m glad you’re such a good friend. And that I’m your type, right?”

“Stop. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

Junseong, cutting in just before she collapsed, casually set down the books he was carrying beside her. Soojin, growing more frantic, searched his expression desperately.

I want to say it’s not true. At least to him!

But when their eyes met, Junseong just smiled faintly and said:

“It’s okay. Its just a matter of taste”

No, it’s not like that!