His day usually starts in the same way.
The alarm goes off at six o'clock. After stretching in bed, he puts on his sweatpants and begins his morning workout, that consists of fifty push-ups, fifty squats, the same number of pull-ups and some ab exercises. To finish up, he runs ten kilometres at a steady pace on the treadmill. All in all, this takes thirty to forty-five minutes.
After his workout, he prepares a hearty breakfast for himself: scrambled eggs with bacon, a salad of fresh vegetables and a glass of orange juice. Only then does he enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee before leaving the house.
After a refreshing shower, he puts on a clean, ironed suit that has been hanging in the wardrobe since the night before. He carefully ties his tie, perfecting the knot just as his father once taught him. He slips on his polished shoes. After spraying on some perfume with notes of iris, amber and wood and a light, creamy sweetness, he grabs his slightly worn briefcase and leaves the house.
The interior of his car smells of fine leather and the same perfume. Soft music plays in the background, setting the mood for a productive day. His phone is already vibrating non-stop with messages, even though the working day hasn't started yet.
Traffic jams are forming in the city, but he almost always makes it to the office on time. He arrives quickly, almost like the wind, barely managing to glance at his subordinates' faces. He simply has no time for long conversations — his day is scheduled at least a week in advance.
"Good morning, everyone," he says, greeting them as he unbutton his jacket and walks.
The office is filled with the familiar, slightly bitter aroma of coffee, which his colleagues are already enjoying.
"Good morning, Director Pak," they all say in unison, bowing to greet him.
The phone in his office is already ringing off the hook. He puts his bag on the desk, takes out his laptop with one hand and picks up the receiver with the other.
Only a few minutes have passed and the working day is already in full swing. There are papers to sort through, documents to read, meetings to schedule, future projects to plan and contracts to sign. His day goes by completely immersed in work.
While everyone else in the office is busy with their own tasks, he quietly leaves, leaving his corporate card on Jun Ho's desk. He hurries to a meeting with the head of SeoRin Group.
The chairman's office is located on the top floor of the building. As soon as you cross the threshold, the sharp scent of leather furniture and wood hits your nose.
Park Seong Cheol sits in a spacious leather armchair behind a large wooden desk facing the panoramic window. He is on the phone, but when he hears the door open, he quickly ends the call.
"Jae Won, you're here," he says with a hint of joy, noticing him in the doorway.
He rises from his chair and gestures for Jae Won to sit on the sofa. He sits down opposite him.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Park," Jae Won greets him. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes. How is the deal with the Moretti Group coming along?"
"I have a meeting scheduled with a company representative next week. I think it will work out in our favour and that we'll be able to partner with them and promote their brand in Asia, particularly in Korea. My team is already preparing a report. As soon as the contract is signed, we'll report back to you immediately."
"Excellent. I'm glad to hear that. You're doing a great job, son," says Park Seong Cheol, nodding approvingly. "Working with Mr. Moretti is no easy task. He's a family man and family values come first for him. I entrusted this task to you because I know you can handle it."
"Thank you for your trust, father. I'll do everything I can. We'll seal the deal."
"You're my only son. It's time for you to be promoted. Once this deal is finalised, I'll appoint you as my successor. You'll be the one to lead the SeoRin Group after me."
"Isn't it too soon, father? You've spent years building this company and forging connections."
"I'm not getting any younger. The world is moving forward and the company needs young leaders. I believe you'll take it even further than I did," he replies calmly. Then, squinting slightly, he adds, "By the way, do your subordinates realise who they're working with?"
"No, father. We hardly ever interact outside of work. I'm completely focused on business and don't get distracted by trivialities. Our interaction is strictly professional — that's all that's needed."
"I see," the man exhaled quietly. "I've raised you well. You're ready to take the reins. But don't forget to rest sometimes. Think about starting a family. You should find a worthy wife — one who will support you and provide you with an heir."
"I'll think about what you said, father," Jae Won replies, barely smiling. "If you don't need me anymore, I'll get back to work. I still have a lot to do."
"Yes, son. Go on, get to work. I won't keep you."
"Thank you."
Jae Won stands up from the sofa, bows to his father and leaves the office. As the door closes behind him, Chairman Park lets out a quiet sigh and is left alone with his thoughts.
After the lunch break, which the director had not taken, he returned to his office and got back to work. He sat down in his chair, opened his laptop and only then noticed a sandwich wrapped in paper and a cup of coffee on the desk. Stuck to the coffee lid was a note that read: 'Don't work on an empty stomach :)'.
Jae Won smiled involuntarily. He unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite of the bread. Once again, someone had brought him a snack to stop him going hungry, but he still had no idea who it was. He couldn't even guess. But it was almost always the same thing: bacon and vegetables, and a cold latte. Sometimes there was a sandwich with scrambled eggs, but rarely.
His zamioculcas was looking better, too. Apparently, whoever brings the coffee and snacks waters his plant and trims off the yellowing leaves, because Jae Won had seen the cuttings in the pot that morning, and now the plant was looking cheerfully green on the windowsill.
It seems he has a guardian angel in the office who worries that the director might go hungry. That angel always leaves a note with a smiley face. Jae Won just doesn't have time to figure out the mysteries — who, what and why. But it's nice to know there's someone who cares about his well-being.
At around four in the afternoon, assistant Kang Ji Woo burst into the office like a whirlwind.
"Director, we have an emergency!" he exclaimed, catching his breath.
"What happened, assistant Kang?"
"The meeting with Mr. Moretti has been cancelled."
"What? How? Why?" Director Park jumped out of his chair.
"His secretary just called to cancel all his meetings for the next month."
"Did something happen to him?"
"The secretary didn't explain the reason, but it seems to be related to a trip to Thailand." He handed the director a tablet displaying an online news article about Moretti's trip abroad.
"We can't put off the deal for another week or two. We need it immediately."
Jae Won stared silently at the tablet for a few seconds. It was clear that he wasn't happy about it.
"What will you do, Mr. Director?" asked assistant Kang. Director Park exhaled slowly.
"We'll have to take the bull by the horns. I'll go to Thailand and meet with him in person," he replied, having weighed up all the possible options.
"Isn't that a risky move?"
"It's risky, but there's no other way. Notify our translator about the business trip."
"Director, all our translators are currently busy with other projects, and most of them are abroad."
"All right…" Jae Won exhaled, then headed for the door without saying another word to seek a solution to the situation outside his office.
"We have an emergency. I need your help," he told the team.
"What happened, Director Park?" Mrs. Mi Yeon was the first to speak up.
"As you know, we're preparing a contract with the Moretti Group, specifically their jewellery brand, Atelier Moretti, to enter the Asian market," he said, pausing by the table. "But my assistant just informed me that Mr. Moretti has cancelled the meeting scheduled for next week. Without explanation."
The office fell silent.
"More than just profits depend on this contract. Without their investment, we'll have to close some of our shopping centres and hotels. These are people. Jobs." He paused briefly. "Mr. Moretti is currently in Thailand with his family. I plan to meet with him there in person."
The director's gaze swept over the team.
"Our chief translator is away on business, so I need someone who speaks English and, ideally, Italian."
For a few seconds, there was only the rustling of papers.
"Director, I'm good at English, but unfortunately I never got the hang of Italian," Jun Ho said, smiling awkwardly.
"Mrs. Kang?" the director asked calmly.
"No, director. I only speak Korean," she replied, offering no further explanation.
"No one?" the director asked again.
Min Jae shook his head quietly. "No."
"Director Park," said Su Min, raising her hand. "Hae In knows languages. She studied them at university. She's fluent in English, She also knows Thai and Chinese, and all its dialects. And I think you mentioned that you started learning Italian?"
The director turned his gaze to her. "Mrs. Hae In, is that true?"
"Yes, but I've only just started. It's more for personal interest than work," she replied cautiously.
"Your level doesn't have to be perfect," he said calmly. "I need someone who can hold a conversation and not get flustered." There was a pause. "Would you be able to go with me to Thailand for a week?" Jae Won asked, hoping for a positive answer.
"Director Park, I'm not sure I can handle it. Negotiations at this level are a huge responsibility, Especially with foreign partners."
He nodded in response.
"I understand. It really is a difficult task. Well... "— a brief pause — "Think it over. If you change your mind, please let me know personally. I need to make a decision as soon as possible." He held his gaze on her for a second longer than necessary. "Thank you all." He turned around and left the office with his assistant.
Jae Won's evening unfolded in its usual rhythm: He enjoyed a delicious home-cooked dinner, ironed clothes for the next day and polished his shoes. Finally, he was able to devote himself to work again. That's how it had always been. Even at weekends, he would sit at his laptop, only occasionally going to his father's for dinner. Not to mention his personal life. He practically had none. There were plenty of women vying for the status of Je Won's wife, though. His father's friends had tried to set him up on dates more than once, but to no avail.
His father constantly hinted at marriage, but Jae Won didn't pay much attention. He explained that he was currently more focused on his career and the company's status than on his personal life. Nevertheless, he believed that the one and only woman for him would appear in his life sooner or later. Alternatively, she might literally fall from the sky and turn everything upside down, as often happens in K-dramas. Then he would be ready for marriage and a family. For now, he was waiting for that moment.
As the issue with the translator had not yet been resolved, the director asked assistant Kang, to send him the CVs of all employees who knew foreign languages. Among the hundreds of names on the list was Mrs. Hae In.
The man carefully read every item on the document:
Name: Seo Hae In;
Date of birth: 12 July 1991;
Place of residence: Seocho District.
Previous employer: Arin Consulting;
Marital status: married. Husband is Kim Min Hyuk, a sales manager at Daesung Trading Group.
Foreign languages: English, Thai, Chinese (Mandarin), Cantonese, Cebuano, Chavacano, Spanish and Italian (currently learning).
Professional skills:
Strong organisational and time management skills; able to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
Preparing presentations, reports and analytical materials for management.
Conducting initial negotiations with clients and partners.
Meticulous document handling and attention to detail.
Coordinating teamwork and monitoring deadlines.
Personal qualities:
Responsible and reliable; always completes tasks on time.
Resilient under stress and able to quickly find solutions in crisis situations.
Maintains the confidentiality of company information.
Proactive and ready to take the initiative.
Polite and sociable — easily gets along with colleagues.
Her CV was truly impressive. She had so many professional skills and strengths. Jae Won was surprised that he hadn't noticed this before. An employee with such experience could hold a much higher position. She should be leading a team as a director, not remaining someone's subordinate.
The director also took the time to check her social media. However, he didn't find anything particularly interesting — just a few wedding photos and pictures of food she had cooked. Her husband's page, on the other hand, was literally crammed with posts. One moment he's showing off a new, expensive car, most likely bought for him by his parents. The next, he's posing against a picturesque seaside backdrop during yet another business trip. There were plenty more like that. Photos with Hae In, however, were very rare. They seemed more like acquaintances who saw each other occasionally than a married couple.
Whenever a notification popped up on his phone, Jae Won checked it hopefully, wondering if someone from the team had agreed to the trip. But he never received the message he was hoping for.
After a hard day's work, Jae Won finally settled down to sleep, putting his laptop aside. This was the only time he truly rested.
Asleep within seconds, he didn't see the message that arrived on his phone long after midnight. The city outside the window had fallen silent, plunging into a deep, quiet night.