Chapter 185—A Drink With The Team Leader
[MC POV]
It had been about three days since I joined the company, and I was gradually learning the basics of my job.
"These are the companies we have contracts with… and this is…"
Since my direct supervisor was on leave, the team leader personally took charge of training me. I wasn't doing the same work as the other team members. Most of my tasks involved organization and support. Still, I felt I was doing a decent job.
I felt like I had gotten close to the team leader rather quickly. But getting close to the other team members was proving difficult.
We all worked together, so I thought it would be good to get along. However, the others seemed to avoid me for some reason, so I had to keep things strictly professional with them.
I figured it was because I was a parachute hire, and they probably didn't like that. So I just accepted the situation and focused on doing my job. The team leader often gave me attention and guidance, so I was actually having an easier time than most.
"The team leader is really looking out for you…"
"Yeah…"
I occasionally overheard the other team members whispering. But I didn't let it bother me. I was getting used to the simpler tasks, and just as I started to settle in, I finally got a chance to do something meaningful.
"We have a meeting with a client this afternoon, so Joohyun, you'll come with us."
"Yes, I understand!"
The team leader was taking me to a client meeting. It was the first time since joining the company that I would be doing something that felt like real sales work.
Even though I was just tagging along to observe and learn, it felt important. Being part of the meeting as a team member made me feel proud.
For the first time in a while, I was genuinely excited as I headed to the meeting with the team leader that afternoon.
..............
..............
[POV Change]
"Client meetings can sometimes run long, so I'll make sure you can leave as soon as it's over."
"Yes, I understand."
As Miyoung left for the meeting with Joohyun, she glanced at his eager expression. He definitely gave off the energy of a new recruit.
For someone who had married into a powerful family with ties to the chairman, he seemed surprisingly down-to-earth.
She didn't come from a wealthy background herself, so she wasn't familiar with the inner workings of such families. But she knew that marriages in those circles were often treated like business arrangements. It was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to marry into them. Yet looking at Joohyun, it seemed like there were exceptions.
She had no idea that Joohyun actually belonged to the family that owned the Choi Han Group. She only knew he came from a fairly wealthy background.
She also found herself curious about Yeonhee.
Over the past few days, Miyoung had been working closely with Joohyun. They had grown somewhat closer. She had managed to gather a few pieces of his personal story, but her interest in Yeonhee remained strong.
"Today, you can just observe and see how things are done."
"Okay… But where are we going today?"
"Oh! I forgot to mention. We're meeting with another company to sign a contract for fabric for our fashion brand."
"Is the Choi Han Group a major player in the fashion industry?"
"Well… you could say that. But it's hard to compete with Lily, so it's been difficult."
Lily was a globally renowned fashion brand. Unfortunately, the Choi Han Group's own brands hadn't been able to rise to that level.
Currently, they were shifting their strategy. Instead of pushing their own branded products, they were focusing on selling materials like fabric to other companies. Their goal was to gain influence in the fashion industry through material supply.
However, their biggest competitor, Lily, wasn't buying any materials from them. That was slowing down their plans.
The domestic fashion industry was so tied to Lily that it was hard to move forward without being connected to them. It was a frustrating situation.
If they weren't direct competitors, it wouldn't have been an issue. But because they were rivals, there was a lot of tension and competition between them, making both sides hesitant to do business together.
"Anyway, today's client isn't Lily. It's just a small to medium-sized brand, so you don't need to think too much about it."
"Okay!"
The company they were meeting with was on the smaller side, but the contract itself was quite significant. That's why Miyoung, as the team leader, was personally handling it.
Joohyun didn't really need to attend the meeting. But she believed it would be much more meaningful to involve him in real work rather than leaving him behind to do routine tasks at the office.
She had a plan in mind.
'I'll stretch the work a bit and invite him for a drink in the evening… perfect!'
There was no better way to get closer to someone than sharing drinks, so she saw this as the perfect opportunity to connect with him on a more personal level.
If she got close to Joohyun, she might gain access to the chairman. And if her abilities were recognized, she could even rise to the position of company president.
If she could win over the chairman, then getting close to Joohyun would be a small price to pay—both in time and effort. So Miyoung took him to the meeting. As expected, the work wrapped up around dinner time.
"The meeting took longer than I thought. Since it's late now, why don't we grab dinner and have a drink together?"
"Yes, that sounds good. I'll just make a quick call."
"Okay, I'll go ahead and get us a table."
Miyoung was thrilled that Joohyun didn't turn her down. She walked into the restaurant, excited at the thought of getting closer to him over drinks.
..............
..............
[MC POV]
"So, I'm going to have dinner with the team leader and then head home."
– Okay… I understand.
Yeonji sounded a bit disappointed that I'd be late again, but she said she understood. I ended the call.
Come to think of it, it had been a while since I had a drink.
I wasn't a fan of alcohol, and Yeonji could barely drink, so we rarely drank at all. The last time might have been when I went to a bar with my mother-in-law and Aunt Ahjeong.
I decided to drink moderately tonight.
I didn't have much experience with alcohol, and I had never gotten drunk before, so I had no idea what my drinking habits were like. Without giving it much thought, I followed the team leader into the bar.
..............
..............
[MC POV]
"Here, try this."
"Ah! I'll grill the rest."
"No need. I'm not the kind of boss who makes subordinates grill meat and pour drinks."
We were having dinner and drinks together. Miyoung was grilling the meat herself and making sure I had enough to eat.
They didn't usually have company dinners, but when they did, the subordinates typically grilled the meat while she relaxed. Today was different.
She was making an effort to leave a good impression on me.
We were drinking somaek, a mix of soju and beer, which could get you drunk quickly. As we ate and drank, we both began to feel a little tipsy.
"Is anything difficult about working here?"
"No, nothing really… but watching you work today made me realize how capable you are, team leader."
"Hehehe, thank you."
Miyoung clenched her fist under the table, pleased by the unfocused look in my eyes. She could tell my opinion of her had improved.
"I think we've had enough. We're both getting a bit tipsy—should we call it a night?"
"Ah… should we?"
I didn't seem to handle alcohol very well. Even though I had only a few beers, I already looked drunk. Miyoung decided it was best to end the evening before I forgot everything that happened.
She made a mental note to bring up Yeonhee tomorrow.
Getting close to Yeonhee could also help her climb the company ladder. Miyoung started mapping out her next steps.
Wobble…
"Uh oh?"
"Are you okay?!"
Miyoung was startled as I stumbled while trying to stand up.
She decided it would be safer to let me rest at a nearby motel instead of sending me home in that condition. She helped me walk there and checked us in.
This was more exhausting than she expected. But what concerned her more was whether I would remember anything from the evening.
She had gone out of her way to show her competence and kindness. She had worked hard to win my trust. If I forgot everything because of the alcohol, it would all be for nothing.
Hoping that wouldn't be the case, she laid me on the bed in the motel room.
"Umm… umm…"
As I lay there, still dazed from the alcohol, Miyoung quietly wiped the sweat from my forehead.
'Hoo… he's so big, this is exhausting.'
I was taller and broader than most men. Even though Miyoung was quite tall herself at 173 cm, moving him was no easy task.
'Should I take a quick shower while I'm here…?'
Her shirt clung to her skin from sweat, and she felt uncomfortable. She considered showering but quickly decided against it. Taking a shower in a motel while I was there didn't seem like a wise idea. She chose to head home right away.
"Umm… who?"
"Joohyun, are you awake? We're at a motel. Just rest here and go home once you feel better."
"Mo…tel… umm…"
I sat up on the bed, looking at her with a dazed expression. Then something unexpected happened.
"Motel…"
Thud…
"W-wait, Joohyun… Ump!?"
Catching her off guard, I stepped closer, placed a hand on the back of her head, and kissed her.
'W-what is this!?'
Squeeze…
"Hng!?"
My hand moved up naturally and grabbed her tits.
'W-what's going on?!'
Miyoung was stunned by the sudden turn of events. I had taken her first kiss and touched her without warning.