By the time lunch break arrived, Haneul felt like she had run a marathon in heels.
Keeping up with Ra Hyeon's pace was no joke—the man walked like he was in a constant race against time.
Yet, despite the physical exhaustion, she had handled everything effortlessly.
📌 She rescheduled his meeting without a hitch.📌 She briefed him on every ongoing project.📌 She even explained the board meeting's topic in detail—all while maintaining her cool.
And how did Ra Hyeon respond to her flawless work?
A simple nod.
No compliment, no sign of approval—just a silent acknowledgment.
Typical.
Haneul exhaled, pushing back the slight annoyance as she asked, "CEO, what would you like for lunch?"
Without looking up from his documents, Ra Hyeon answered in his usual calm, authoritative tone, "Risotto. Seven-star hotel."
Haneul's eye twitched.
Seven-star hotel? For lunch?
She should've known. The man had a luxury standard even for his meals.
Still, she had already anticipated this and made sure his lunch reservation was set. With that done, she finally got to escape to the cafeteria for her own meal.
đź“Ś The Cafeteria & The "Team"
The moment Haneul stepped into the cafeteria, all eyes turned to her.
It wasn't surprising—she was the only woman in her department, after all.
"Haneul! Over here!"
She spotted her team—all men, waving her over.
They had been a little skeptical when she first joined, but over time, she had earned their respect. She was just as competitive, just as sharp, and worked twice as hard.
Sliding into her seat, she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Someone remind me why CEOs walk like they have jets attached to their feet?"
Laughter erupted around the table.
"Keeping up with the boss, huh?" one of them teased.
Another teammate chuckled, "Is he as strict as the rumors say?"
Haneul stabbed her fork into her salad, "Strict? He's like a walking efficiency machine."
The table erupted in amused murmurs.
One of them, Jinhyuk, leaned forward with a sly grin. "So, how does it feel being the CEO's secretary? The guy is basically a legend—cold, rich, and ridiculously good-looking. Any sparks flying yet?"
Haneul nearly choked on her drink. "Excuse me?"
The others laughed, and another teammate added, "Come on, Haneul. Even the female staff from other departments are losing their minds over him. You, being his secretary, must be getting VIP visuals daily."
Haneul rolled her eyes, "You guys are worse than my best friend."
But deep down, a voice whispered—they weren't entirely wrong.
Because whether she liked it or not, Ra Hyeon's presence was impossible to ignore.
But that didn't mean she had to acknowledge it.
Not now.Not ever.
At least, that's what she kept telling herself.