Mr. Jerk | Jaywon

CHAPTER 1: Day 1

JUNGWON

I sat in my office, absentmindedly turning the business card over in my hand. It was simple, elegant—just like the man who had given it to me. Sunoo Kim. His calm demeanor and the way he handled the tense situation last night still lingered in my mind. But it wasn't Sunoo I was thinking about, it was Jay Park.

Jay Park. Even saying the name in my head carried a weight. I had heard of him long before our paths crossed—a powerhouse in the business world, a man who commanded respect with his mere presence.

But the man I met last night wasn't just a powerful CEO. He was someone fighting a battle with himself, even if he couldn't, or wouldn't, see it.

I couldn't shake the look in his eyes, the anger, and that underlying current of something deeper. It wasn't about the food, it was about control.

Jay Park was the type of person who needed to control every aspect of his life, who believed that complete willpower could keep everything in check. But the body doesn't work like that. I've seen it time and again—people who push themselves to the brink, believing they're invincible until their bodies give out.

After Jay stormed out of the restaurant, Sunoo approached me, looking as though he was torn between loyalty and concern.

"Listen, Jungwon right?" he'd said, his voice serious, "Mr. Park... he's not going to admit it, but he needs help. He's been burning the candle at both ends for too long, and it's starting to show. That collapse wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last if he keeps this up."

His words had given me pause. Could I really help someone like him considering my status in life? Would he even let me?

"You got under his skin today," Sunoo continued. "That doesn't happen often. He might not want to admit it, but he listens to people who stand their ground. If anyone can get through to him about his health, it's someone who's not afraid to push back. Besides," he added with a small, knowing smile

"Our company pays well. Very well." he emphasized the last two words, making my ear strangely satisfied.

He'd handed me the business card then, a silent offer hanging in the air between us. I didn't have a chance to ask more, he quickly excused himself, hurrying after the CEO, leaving me standing alone with nothing but the card and my thoughts.

A day later, I was still turning it over in my mind. Jay's life was clearly fast-paced, high-pressure, and filled with stress—exactly the kind of life that leads to burnout, or worse. No amount of money or power could protect him from that, and I knew it all too well. I'd managed people like him before—people who thought they were invincible until their bodies betrayed them.

I sighed, slipping the card into my pocket. The salary Sunoo offered was hard to ignore, it could solve a lot of my problems and provide some financial stability that I desperately needed. I've never been one to walk away from an opportunity, especially one that pays well, and this might be my chance to secure a better future for myself. Even if Jay was difficult, I knew I could handle it.

I found myself standing in the sleek, modern lobby of MINUTECH CORPORATION, a place that exuded the same level of power and efficiency as its chief executive officer. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of polished wood and expensive cologne.

The space was full of activity, people moving quickly with purpose, the soft click of polished shoes echoing off the floors. Some of them were balancing trays of coffee, the rich aroma mingling with the sharp scent of fresh paper from documents being shuffled between hands.

Above me, the ceiling soared high, lined with minimalist light fixtures that bathed the lobby in a bright, almost sterile glow. The hum of conversation was a constant undercurrent, punctuated by the occasional ring of a phone or the soft chime of an elevator arriving at its floor.