17. Rai Heon Project ‘Dating and Getting Married’ – Mission #1. Dating
“Brother!”
Ion kicked open the door to the president’s office and barged in.
Ihun, who had been working, frowned when he saw Ion.
“What are you doing here during work hours? Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“Is work the problem right now?”
“Then what is?”
“No, I mean, you’re getting married…… Brother, your style has changed a lot, hasn’t it? That dress shirt looks nice. Where’s it from?”
Ihun, who had switched to a semi-formal style at some point, looked down at himself.
“Ah, this…….”
“Ah, right. That’s not what’s important! Brother, what do you mean you’re not getting married?”
Why did Ion know about this instead of Yeonsook?
Ihun narrowed his eyes and subtly shifted his gaze behind Ion.
Dohyun, who had been standing there awkwardly, hurriedly closed the door to the president’s office and fled.
Ihun raised one eyebrow.
“Looks like Secretary Kang reported to the wrong person.”
“Brother, just tell me. Why on earth aren’t you getting married? Did something happen to the company? Did some scandal break out at Dongyeon Group? I heard it wasn’t because of a woman, so then what is it?”
It is because of a woman.
“Secretary Kang said that? That it wasn’t because of a woman?”
“Yeah. He was very adamant that it wasn’t.”
Even after watching me from right beside me.
He still couldn’t even imagine that this broken engagement was because of Lee Dana.
“It is because of a woman.”
“……Huh? What did you say?”
“You asked me, didn’t you? Whether there was a woman I liked.”
Of course, it wasn’t that there was a ‘woman I liked,’ but rather that there was a ‘woman who liked me.’
There would be no need to make that distinction from now on.
Now that we had decided to date, you are me, and I am you.
Because the fact that you like me would now become the fact that I like you.
“I’m going to marry that woman.”
“What? Y-you’re getting married?”
“Yes, married.”
“So that’s why you called off the engagement……. How could you…….”
“No matter what you say, I won’t reverse the broken engag—”
“Awesome! Brother! You’re going to marry the woman you like! I’m going to have a sister-in-law!”
Ion looked at Ihun with moved eyes.
Sister-in-law.
The word doesn’t sound bad.
Ihun smiled with satisfaction.
But Ion’s expression was even brighter.
“What kind of woman is she? No, what kind of person is she? Is she from Bear Group? Mirae Construction? Engi Electronics? Is she from Navy? Navy Pay, Navy Webtoon, Navy Labs…….”
“SaJa Group.”
“……Huh?”
“Ms. Lee Dana from the Public Relations Department of SaJa Group.”
Who is that?
Ion blinked rapidly.
“She’s just an ordinary employee at our company.”
“Oh, she’s just an ordinary employee at our company.”
So he was canceling a marriage worth trillions of won because of just an ordinary employee at their company?
Their brother, who had lived only for the company, was canceling this huge deal because of just an ordinary employee?
Ion looked at Ihun with an expression of disbelief.
At that moment, a chat message arrived on Ihun’s phone.
Lee Dana♥
Hello, Boss. This is Lee Dana from the Public Relations Department.
Have you eaten?
You must be busy, so I’ll get straight to the point. If you happen to have time this weekend,
Ihun hurriedly opened the chat room.
If I have time, what? What?
Even though he was anxious, the next message did not come.
Ihun swallowed nervously and waited without even blinking, and finally, the messenger rang.
Lee Dana♥
Would you like to go on a date with me?
Thump. Thump-thump.
Ihun’s heart beat out of rhythm.
“Why? What happened? Did something bad happen? Why are you looking so serious…….”
Ihun looked at Ion with a shy expression.
“……She said she wants to go on a date.”
“Who? Sister-in-law?”
Ihun nodded his head, his cheeks flushed.
“Wow. A weekend date. Congratulations, Brother.”
Ion shook Ihun’s hand and then applauded enthusiastically.
Receiving his younger brother’s wholehearted blessing, Ihun gazed at the message she had sent him as though he intended to memorize every word.
Then he carefully typed out a reply.
Watching him, Ion suddenly felt emotional.
Our brother really likes his sister-in-law.
Love had finally come to our brother, who had never given his heart to anyone and had done nothing but work.
What a legendary lover, willing to throw away trillions of won.
Okay. I completely understand why he called off the engagement.
From now on, I’ll protect my brother.
“So where are you going for the date?”
“……Huh?”
“Huh?”
Wait, this is our brother’s first date, isn’t it?
Then should I step in?
(Warning: He himself has no particular experience either.)
“Your sister-in-law is an ordinary employee at our company, right?”
Nod, nod.
“Then let’s go with the Cinderella course.”
“The Cinderella course?”
Ion quickly moved beside Ihun.
Then he diligently shared information, opened a presentation screen, and began typing.
Ihun listened intently to Ion’s story with a gaze more immersed than anyone else in the world.
Rai Ion, is he after the president’s position after all?
They say he does absolutely no work in his own position and spends all his time fooling around!
Yet in the SaJa Group president’s office, he works this hard.
The two of them rolled up their sleeves, even settling for sandwiches for their meal, as they seriously reviewed and discussed the materials.
Dohyun, who secretly watched the two of them, couldn’t tell whether telling Ion about the broken engagement had been the right thing to do or not.
May it be a road that leads to Seoul, no matter which way we go.
I just hope I can resign safely.
Dohyun clasped both hands tightly and prayed earnestly.
***
President Rai Heon (SaJa Group)
Good.
The preparations are complete.
Dana stood at the prearranged date location with a determined expression.
Am I too early?
She was.
Everyone was still out on their morning runs.
The morning air seemed chilly, so she clasped her hands together and blew warm breath into them.
Still, I can’t arrive later than the Boss.
Employee Lee Dana of SaJa Group’s Crisis Management Team.
She was the kind of office worker who would rather arrive early and wait because it made her feel more at ease.
I said I wasn’t going to do this.
In fact, Dana had come fully prepared mentally.
On the day she confirmed the Boss’s chat message accepting her invitation to a date.
Dana had devoured every piece of dating-related theory she could find, from dating communities and programs to stories about dating she had heard from her friends.
She had never dated in the first place, and on top of that, her partner was the Boss, so she was worried that she would inevitably slip into secretary mode.
Today’s goal for the date was not to treat the Boss like the Boss.
She needed to get closer to him in order to date him properly, and only then would breaking up later be easier.
Dana’s deadline was two months.
She needed to break up quickly within two months and safely put everything back where it belonged.
While anxiously going over the plans she had made for today, a Por*che parked in front of her.
Damn it, there are so many empty spaces, so why park here and make a fuss?
She subtly moved to the side and glanced at the car.
Come to think of it, did this neighborhood even have a car like that?
The tinting was incredibly dark, and it sparkled brilliantly even under the morning sunlight.
Whoever owns it, lucky bastard.
At that moment, the door suddenly swung open, and that bastard got out of the car.
But wait.
The Boss?
“Gasp. Good morning, Boss. It’s a beautiful morning!”
Ah, this isn’t it.
I was so surprised that I immediately switched into secretary mode for serving the Boss.
“Hello, Ms. Lee Dana.”
Ihun greeted her lightly and approached her.
Wow. Seriously, what is this?
He looked as though he were dressed in luxury brands from head to toe, but wasn’t the most expensive luxury item of all his face?
Even while simply standing there, he exuded overwhelming elegance.
Wow. Is this really our company’s president?
The Boss’s face illuminated by the morning sunlight was nothing but radiant.
“I thought I had arrived early, but I’m late.”
Ihun looked down at his wristwatch with a surprised expression.
It was understandable that he was surprised.
We were meeting two hours before the appointed time.
“I arrived early.”
When she avoided his gaze, worried that he might ask just how early she had arrived, Ihun opened the car door for her.
“Shall we go?”
She wanted to ask where…… but thought it might be presumptuous, so she simply got into his car.
Come to think of it, how many cars does the Boss have?
She desperately wanted to ask, so she lightly pinched her thigh.
“You’re cold, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine.”
Ihun looked at her.
What, did I make a mistake?
While she was extremely tense, he spoke in a gentle voice.
“I’m not particularly attentive. If you’re cold, tell me you’re cold, and if you’re hot, tell me you’re hot.”
Hing. He’s incredibly considerate.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“So?”
“Yes?”
“Are you cold or hot?”
“I-I’m cold. A little.”
But I think my heart just warmed up.
Watching him turn on the seat heating, she smiled.
It felt as though Lee Dana’s project was off to a successful start.
