Chapter 14
The sound of meat sizzling over charcoal filled the air.
"Mr. CEO, let us do that."
A few employees approached, but Kang Tae-seong shook his head.
"It's fine."
His hand moved deftly as he held the tongs.
Sizzle.
Thick cuts of meat browned on the grill.
He handled the tongs with just the right touch to keep the juices in.
From flipping the meat at the perfect moment to cutting it into bite-sized pieces at the end,
it was obvious he wasn't a novice.
"Wow."
Lee Ju-hee, watching from beside him, marveled.
"Mr. CEO, you've grilled a lot of meat, haven't you?"
"I used to work part-time."
Kang Tae-seong answered calmly.
...Part-time?
"At a barbecue restaurant. For about six months."
The employees looked surprised.
It was hard to imagine the son of a chaebol group working part-time at a barbecue restaurant.
Of course, Kang Tae-seong himself didn't think much of it.
He'd actually done it for quite a while during college in his previous life.
He was confident in his grilling skills.
'This brings back old memories. It's nice.'
Anyone who could grill meat well was always welcome at a gathering like this.
"Here, have some."
Kang Tae-seong divided the meat among the plates.
"I'm grilling because I can't stand waiting."
...
"So don't worry about it. Just relax and enjoy the food."
The employees burst into laughter at his words.
"Mr. CEO, you're really something."
"Thank you, Mr. CEO! We'll enjoy it!"
*
Night.
By the time the lively drinking session had been going on for a while,
quiet darkness had settled around the resort.
Those who were tired went back to their rooms, while those who wanted to keep having fun stayed at the barbecue area to drink.
Kang Tae-seong stepped outside for a moment to get some fresh air.
Maybe because they were in the mountains, the air felt different.
It was a kind of ease he couldn't find at the office.
"Mr. CEO."
At the voice behind him, Kang Tae-seong turned around.
A beautiful woman with pale skin and straight black hair.
It was Park So-young.
"Oh, Assistant Manager Park."
Park So-young gave him a slightly awkward smile.
"Would you... like to take a walk together?"
"Sounds good."
Step, step.
The two of them walked in step along the well-maintained trail around the resort.
"It's been a while since the two of us walked together at night."
...It has.
At Kang Tae-seong's words, Park So-young's eyes wavered slightly.
He was right.
For a while, they'd gone home together every day.
Those days when Kang Tae-seong had noticed her working late and looked after her.
The two of them had been the last people to leave the office.
But things had been different lately, over the past two weeks.
She still worked late most days.
But Kang Tae-seong no longer stayed at the office until late like he used to.
'...I kind of miss it.'
The moment that thought crossed her mind,
Park So-young was startled by herself.
'Why do I miss it?'
What reason did she have to miss it?
Thanks to Kang Tae-seong's arrangements, she could now get home safely on her own without running into thugs.
If anything, she should feel more at ease now that she no longer had to walk home with her boss, Kang Tae-seong.
It was strange.
Unaware of what was going through her mind, Kang Tae-seong said,
"I know how hard you've been working, Assistant Manager Park."
It was simply encouragement from a boss to an employee.
Somehow, the words felt a little... lacking.
"Thank you."
She replied briefly and quietly resumed walking.
"You don't seem to be working late these days...?"
"I can't work late all the time."
Park So-young smiled faintly.
"I need to rest sometimes, too."
"What do you do when you rest?"
"I work out."
...Working out again.
At her offhand remark, Kang Tae-seong chuckled.
"Yes. It's what I find most relaxing."
Park So-young looked at him.
'He's really amazing.'
Work and taking care of himself.
He seemed like someone who never wasted a moment of his day.
Then she suddenly remembered what the team leader in her late thirties had said earlier.
-Men like him are the real deal.
-He seems like he'd be incredible at night, too.
...!
Park So-young's face turned red in an instant.
'What am I thinking!'
She shook her head hard, trying to clear her mind, when
"Oh, that reminds me."
Kang Tae-seong said,
"Choi Yu-ri seems interested in working out, too."
...Pardon?
Park So-young stopped walking.
"Whenever I see her in the evening, I teach her how to work out."
Unaware of Park So-young's reaction, Kang Tae-seong continued speaking.
"You work out... together?"
"Only on the days we run into each other at the gym."
Park So-young's expression turned cold.
The eyes that had been soft just moments ago hardened into a chill.
The change was so subtle that even Kang Tae-seong beside her didn't notice it.
"Just the two of you?"
"Pardon?"
"So it's just the two of you working out together?"
Feeling an inexplicable chill, Kang Tae-seong answered,
"I guess... yeah? I show her how while we each do our own thing, though—"
The question had slipped out without her thinking.
Only after the words left her mouth did Park So-young feel flustered.
Why had she asked him that?
There was nothing strange about Kang Tae-seong.
And Choi Yu-ri hadn't done anything wrong.
...I see.
So that explained why the two of them had seemed so much closer lately.
'So that's why.'
Working out.
That was the reason.
That was why Choi Yu-ri had been spending more time with Kang Tae-seong.
And why they naturally talked to each other so much.
......
Park So-young quietly clenched her fingers.
But why did it bother her so much?
Park So-young asked herself.
Choi Yu-ri was a dear friend who'd joined the company at the same time as her.
They'd relied on each other when things were hard.
Since Yu-ri was a little younger, she'd always looked after her like a younger sister.
She was bright and kind.
Someone everyone loved.
There was no reason for Park So-young to dislike someone like Choi Yu-ri.
'It's a good thing. They've gotten close...'
If anything, she should be happy for them.
A good person like Kang Tae-seong had found someone who recognized what a good person he was.
...
And yet, a corner of her heart felt strangely uneasy.
It was as if something she'd cherished had been taken from her.
'No.'
Park So-young shook her head inwardly.
What was she thinking?
Kang Tae-seong was the CEO.
He was no one to her.
Besides, hadn't he been the person she'd been most wary of until recently?
She was just worried.
Choi Yu-ri was innocent and trusted people easily.
She was worried Yu-ri might develop feelings for the CEO or expect something more, only to get hurt.
That was all.
'That's right. Nothing more and nothing less.'
She repeated it to herself over and over.
But strangely enough,
when she pictured Kang Tae-seong teaching Choi Yu-ri how to work out,
a dull ache rose in her heart once more.
*
The next morning, the resort had a more relaxed atmosphere from the start.
It was because of the drinking session the night before.
"Ugh... My head."
"That's why I told you to drink in moderation."
Employees who'd had too much chose to sleep in or rest in their rooms.
Fortunately, the afternoon's schedule wasn't too demanding.
A hike along the trail on the mountain behind the resort.
It was closer to a light hike than a strenuous climb.
"We're not going all the way to the summit. We'll just go to the observation deck and come back!"
The employees cheered at the host's explanation.
"Sounds good!"
"You come to the mountains, you have to do at least this much."
“Let's take pictures at the observation deck~!”
No one was particularly worried.
The mountain wasn't very high, and the weather had been clear through the morning.
The employees set off along the trail in groups of three or four.
Sunlight streamed through the green trees.
Maybe because of the recreational activities the day before, the mood was good, too.
"Mr. CEO, you worked out a lot and grilled meat yesterday. Aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine."
"Wow... You've got incredible stamina."
Kang Tae-seong was giving an awkward smile at the employees' teasing when
Pitter-patter.
...?
Someone sensed something was wrong and looked up at the sky.
Huh?
Raindrops were falling on the leaves.
At first, no one thought much of it.
Only a few drops had fallen, so they assumed it was just a passing shower.
Whoosh—
But the raindrops grew heavier in an instant.
Wait.
I-It's raining!
The sky was growing noticeably darker.
Why is it raining all of a sudden?
The sky, clear just moments ago, had changed as if by magic.
They said mountain weather was unpredictable,
but this was far too sudden.
The host hurriedly took out a walkie-talkie and contacted someone.
A moment later, his expression darkened, and he raised his voice.
We're canceling the hike!
The employees began murmuring.
Why?
It's just a little rain, isn't it?
“They say it's going to rain hard and there's a risk of a landslide. We'll all head back to the resort for now!"
Kang Tae-seong's expression turned serious at those words.
'A landslide?'
It might sound like nothing to worry about,
but rain in the mountains was dangerous.
Especially when a lot of it fell in a short time.
"Everyone, move slowly. Don't run."
Kang Tae-seong spoke to the employees.
The CEO's voice calmed the mood a little.
One by one, the employees turned around.
Just then,
Huh?
A small scream came from up ahead.
"Ms. Choi Yu-ri!"
The soil at the edge of the trail was giving way in the rain.
Choi Yu-ri had slipped and lost her footing.
Aah!
The ground beneath her feet gave way.
She lost her balance and pitched forward.
After sliding for a while, she managed to grab a tree trunk, but even the ground she was on didn't look very sturdy.
M-Ms. Choi Yu-ri fell!
Kang Tae-seong ran without a moment's hesitation.
He threw off the bag he'd been carrying awkwardly.
Moving with surprising agility for a man his size, he reached out toward Choi Yu-ri.
Mr. CEO!
Choi Yu-ri grabbed his hand.
But it was already too late.
The ground there was unstable to begin with.
With Choi Yu-ri's weight added to Kang Tae-seong's, the soil beneath their feet couldn't hold them.
Rumble!
The slope, soaked by the downpour, collapsed.
Get out of the way!
What do we do? Somebody help!
Mr. CEO, it's dangerous!
Someone shouted, but Kang Tae-seong didn't let go.
If he did, Choi Yu-ri would fall.
Ugh!
Aaaah!
Their bodies lurched violently.
'It's too late.'
Having made his decision, Kang Tae-seong pulled Choi Yu-ri against his chest.
The moment his large frame completely covered her small body,
Mr. CEO! No!
Ms. Choi Yu-ri!
The two of them were swept down the slope together.
The employees' screams vanished beneath the sound of the rain.