EHR 11

Chapter 11

She hoped he hadn’t heard her conversation with Minho. Nervous, Jaekyung pulled her hand free from Minho’s and stepped back.

“I have to go. Oh, right—the engagement ring is at the office. I’ll be sure to return it next time. No, I’ll send it by courier.”

“Return it? What do you mean by that? We’re supposed to have the wedding this year.”

“Secretary Seo! The Chairman is looking for you. The event is starting, so hurry!”

At Chief Secretary Kwon’s urgent wave from afar, Jaekyung waved back.

She had to end her three-month relationship with Minho quickly.

“Minho, our marriage is off. And, let’s break up. You understand, right? We’re broken up. I’m sorry.”

“What? Break up? Jaekyung!”

Jaekyung notified the breakup as if it were nothing.

Watching her apologize and rush off without even looking back, Minho became convinced that something bad had happened to Jaekyung.

It must be difficult for her to escape the conglomerate family’s coercion—so much so that she couldn’t even freely wear the expensive proposal ring he had given her.

For their love, the only person who could help Jaekyung right now was him.

—

“Were you—haa—looking for me?”

Having arrived in front of the main building, Jaekyung heaved her shoulders and let out ragged breaths.

Yoo Gam scanned her short-sleeved athletic wear that revealed her curvy figure and frowned with a dissatisfied look.

“What were you doing, running around alone?”

“I had—haa—things to inspect.”

“Did you have that much to check? Let’s go together and check the booths behind the athletic field.”

The back booths—that was exactly where she had been with Minho just moments ago.

It was as if he were someone who had been surveilling her, pointing out that exact location.

“No, I already checked there. It’s neatly organized with nothing dirty.”

As if he didn’t believe Jaekyung’s words, Yoo Gam’s steps headed toward where Minho was.

If the two of them ran into each other, it would definitely be noisy—and since she had just notified the breakup, she didn’t know what Minho might say, which made her flustered.

“Chairman, you need to move to the platform. The opening ceremony is about to begin.”

Fortunately, Chief Secretary Kwon’s schedule report stopped Yoo Gam’s steps.

“Secretary Seo. Divide the areas and make sure facility management is thorough so no children get hurt.”

“Yes, understood.”

Jaekyung, who had been in a momentary crisis, let out a sigh of relief and, pretending nothing was wrong, relayed Yoo Gam’s instructions to the group chat.

Not just Jaekyung, but all faculty and staff were busy inspecting the large-scale event that even outside guests had been invited to.

It was when Jaekyung, who had been checking the next schedule without even eating lunch, was receiving greetings from the students she had taught for a month.

“Teacher Jaekyung. Please run the relay for our class. Our homeroom teacher can’t run because they’re sick.”

Though she was an assistant teacher, the students of Class 1, who had warmly followed Jaekyung, surrounded her happily when they saw her.

Unable to refuse the children’s request, Jaekyung—having received Chief Secretary Kwon’s permission—did simple stretching with the students beside the track on the athletic field.

The homeroom teacher of the neighboring class approached and spoke.

“Teacher Seo. If you fall, I’ll catch you, so don’t feel too burdened.”

“Just your words alone give me strength, Teacher Choi.”

Jaekyung smiled in embarrassment, and then she saw Yoo Gam’s cold face, having walked down from the VIP seats and stroking his chin.

A sudden sense of déjà vu struck Jaekyung’s memory.

—

*’Touch it.’*

—

It was the husband who, on the bed in the darkness, had taken Jaekyung’s hand and guided it along his jaw.

—

*’It’s prickly.’*

*’My wife should shave me.’*

*’I don’t know how to shave… and it’s dark.’*

*’Just turn on the light.’*

*’If I turn on the light… it’s a breach of contract.’*

—

Seeing Yoo Gam’s habit of lightly stroking his chin brought back a forgotten memory. Jaekyung’s mouth went dry with tension.

As if he had sensed Jaekyung’s trembling inner thoughts, Yoo Gam approached silently.

“Secretary Seo, don’t you know that personal jokes are forbidden during work?”

“I wasn’t joking.”

Jaekyung ignored Yoo Gam’s warning as if she didn’t care and passed by.

She could feel his gaze on her back, stinging, but she went to the starting line and explained the order and precautions to the students.

“What’s that male teacher’s name?”

Chief Secretary Kwon looked at the male teacher upon whom the Chairman’s cold gaze—arms crossed with an uncomfortable expression—had landed.

“Ah… That’s Teacher Choi Woosoo, in charge of first-year high school math.”

Chief Secretary Kwon, who had memorized the teachers’ faces, mentioned the male teacher’s name, address, and even marital status.

“Make sure that teacher can’t go near Secretary Seo. He keeps trying to dig up Chairman’s office secrets.”

“Pardon? Class 2, Teacher Choi is after secrets?”

Chief Secretary Kwon, hearing Yoo Gam’s words, pulled out his work pad and added the math teacher to the watch list.

Yoo Gam couldn’t take his attention off Jaekyung, who was surrounded by students, boldly ignoring his words.

Jaekyung was smiling brightly, showing an unfamiliar, vibrant appearance.

It was a face Yoo Gam was seeing for the first time.

“Teacher, our class has to get first place.”

“I’m really not confident, what do I do?”

“Hey! Don’t pressure the teacher. Then second place?”

The children’s chattering and fresh smiles made Jaekyung laugh freely.

She had to meet the students’ expectations.

Perhaps because she hadn’t slept properly for the past week and hadn’t eaten lunch, she had no energy and her condition wasn’t good.

It was when she was demonstrating running with the students.

Jaekyung’s foot caught on a high pile of sand, and her body tilted forward.

Suddenly her ankle twisted—there was a thud, and the sound of muscles spasming.

“Teacher! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be better after resting a bit.”

Refusing the neighboring class Teacher Choi’s offer to help, she limped off the track.

Jaekyung sat on the bench and wrapped her ankle with her palm. The words she had heard from the teachers on the athletic field bothered her.

—

*’Teacher Seo, what’s the deal with being the Chairman’s secretary?’*

*’She probably got in through the back door. The Chairman keeps her glued to his side.’*

*’He must have seduced her. You can’t tell just by looking at the outside. She looks so prim and proper.’*

—

Only the audit office knew about the relationship between Yoo Gam and Jaekyung. But there was no telling when the rumor that they were legally married would spread.

Minho, her colleagues—she had worried for nothing, and fatigue washed over her. She leaned her head on the bench and closed her heavy eyes.

“Be careful. Does it hurt a lot?”

A dark shadow fell over her head. Jaekyung slowly opened her eyes.

It was Yoo Gam, looking down at her with his usual expressionless face and cold eyes.

“Get up.”

It was a command.

He seemed to think Jaekyung was faking it. Because of her pride—not wanting to show pain in front of Yoo Gam—Jaekyung stood up firmly from her spot.

Her ankle throbbed and she staggered, and after that, it was so fast that even her memory was blurry.

A cool sensation wrapping around her waist, a refreshing scent felt from behind, breath brushing past her ear.

“Lean on my arm.”

The low voice brushed past Jaekyung’s earlobe, and Yoo Gam pulled her into his arms.

“Ah…! Aren’t you letting go?”

“If I let go, you’ll fall.”

At the deep blue eyes looking down from above, Jaekyung’s heart pounded rapidly.

“Let go… quickly, please.”

Yoo Gam’s firm arm suddenly dropped from her waist.

“Ugh.”

Jaekyung, who had plopped down on the grass, wished Yoo Gam would leave out of embarrassment.

“Are you okay?”

Asking someone who had collapsed on the grass if they were okay? His empathy was clearly broken.

“I’m fine, so please go ahead, Chairman. …I’ll follow.”

Jaekyung, head bowed, waved her hand as if begging him to leave. Being with this man was a constant stream of humiliating and embarrassing situations.

“When someone says they’re fine, it usually means they’re not.”

Please, just go.

It was a twisted ankle—something a patch would fix.

“Go to the infirmary. Should I carry you?”

“No. I’ll handle it myself.”

Yoo Gam pulled Jaekyung, who kept refusing, into his arms and supported her.

If she struggled in Yoo Gam’s arms, someone might misunderstand. Jaekyung stopped resisting and quietly followed him to the infirmary.

“Just apply ice for 20 minutes. It’ll go down quickly.”

The school nurse placed a cold compress on Jaekyung’s swollen ankle as she sat on the bed.

“Only 20 minutes?”

Yoo Gam looked at the nurse with dissatisfaction.

“Yes. 20 minutes. It’s just muscle shock, so it only needs the swelling to go down. Doing it too long can damage the skin.”

“It looks like it needs at least an hour. Don’t come out—just rest here.”

“I’m fine. I’ll just sit for a bit and leave. The guests will be looking for you, Chairman, so please go ahead.”

Jaekyung, sitting on the infirmary bed, looked up at Yoo Gam pleadingly.

She planned to participate in the relay after a simple treatment since the children were waiting.

She wished Yoo Gam would quietly leave—why wasn’t Chief Secretary Kwon looking for the Chairman?

Yoo Gam, hands in his suit pockets, was resolute.

“Lie down before I tie you down. I won’t say it twice.”

At the Chairman’s coercive instruction, neither Jaekyung nor the school nurse could say another word.

It was a bizarre abuse of power.

The school nurse shook her head and looked at Jaekyung pitifully.

“Goodness, Teacher Seo, you’re so lucky. He takes such good care of his secretary.”