TIME | PARK JIHYO

What are you doing here?

YEAR 2024

Hyejin’s P.o.V.

Flashes of cameras welcomed me as I stepped out of the car and onto the red carpet. I let a small smile play on my lips as I walked down the carpet, nodding at the cameras. The event was buzzing with excitement as everyone welcomed Mr. Hermann, the founder of Hercyna.

As I made my way through the crowd, I spotted several well-known faces from the business industry, all gathered in hopes of sealing a partnership with Hercyna.

I have been tirelessly working to bring Hercyna into my store, determined to secure this partnership no matter what. Spotting Mr. Hermann amidst a throng of people, I made my way towards him, eager to seize any opportunity to advance my goal.

"Hi," Kim Yena, wife of Kim Hyunwoo, approached me with an air of confidence.

"Hi," I responded, though my tone betrayed a hint of wariness.

With a calculated smile, she remarked, "Congratulations. I'm loving your food section's new renovation. I eat at your food court often these days," her words carrying an underlying tone of competitiveness.

Matching her demeanor, I replied, "Right. I heard you came by often," refusing to let her subtle jabs go unnoticed.

Undeterred, she continued, "Anyway, Royal still has a long way to go to be on your level. Our desserts need some tweaking," punctuating her statement with a self-assured laugh that grated on my nerves.

Suppressing a sigh, I maintained my composure and listened as she outlined her plans to bring Hercyna into her store. "Once the fountain plaza is built on the first floor, we're going to bring in Hercyna and we'll work from there." Her confidence was evident, but I refused to let her undermine my own determination.

In response, I offered a smile of my own. "No, we need to work harder. So what if our food section is great? A department store without Hercyna is just a big restaurant," I countered, my words laced with determination.

Her scoff did little to sway me. "We also have a space for Hercyna," I added pointedly, meeting her gaze with unwavering resolve.

"Do you want a tip?" She asked as she moved closer.

I remained composed. "Sure, if you want to give me one," I replied evenly, refusing to let her sense of superiority rattle me.

"I'm sure you know that Mr. Hermann puts company value and mindset before anything else. He believes that those who form good relationships with others are the best business partners. That's his belief." her mention of Mr. Hermann's beliefs struck a chord within me.

I kept my composure and asked, “So?”

"Look around you. Everyone here has brought their spouse, lover, or family members. You're the only one here who came alone." Glancing around, I couldn't deny the accuracy of her observation, though I refused to let her pity affect me. "You impress me. Everyone knows that you have no friends, but how could you think of coming here of all places by yourself?" she remarked, her tone a mix of pity and condescension.

"You're the only lone wolf here. It's just you, Hyejin. Poor you," she concluded, walking away with a smug expression plastered on her face.

蝶

I made my way to the bathroom to let some of my frustrations out. I entered one of the cubicles and took out my phone, my finger hovering over Jihyo's number. I sighed in frustration, then turned off my phone and put it back in my bag.

Leaving the cubicle, I was on my way out when I saw Yena again, retouching her makeup. I ignored her, but she had other plans. "What did he say?" she asked.