Corporate Cupid

Chapter 15: Secrets Begin to Unravel

Hari and Wonho's relationship had transitioned from uncertainty to something real. They were officially dating, but with every step forward, came new challenges. Keeping their relationship a secret from their co-workers was proving more difficult than either had imagined.

At the office, Min-woo approached Hari with a heavy heart. "Hari, I wanted to apologize. I overstepped last time, and that wasn't fair to you."

Hari, still feeling the sting of their previous confrontation, softened as she looked at him. "I appreciate that, Min-woo. And I forgive you. But you should know... I'm actually seeing Wonho now."

Min-woo's face fell, but he forced a smile. "I see. Well, I hope you're happy."

Later that day, Min-woo met with Yoo-ra for lunch. She sensed something was off and casually brought up marriage, hoping to gauge where his mind was. Min-woo hesitated, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "I'm just not ready for that, Yoo-ra."

She frowned, disappointed, but let the subject drop for now.

Meanwhile, at Woozi's apartment, things were more complicated than ever. Jo Yu-jeong showed up at his doorstep, clearly drunk and upset. "Woozi, please... I have feelings for you. Why won't you reciprocate?" she slurred, leaning on him for support.

Woozi sighed, knowing this was a mess he hadn't asked for. He helped her inside, but just as he was about to explain the situation to her, his phone buzzed—it was Yuna, wanting to cook him a meal.

Panic surged through him. "Yuna, now's not a good time. Uh, Wonho is here," he lied quickly, trying to buy himself some time. "I'll get rid of him, and then you can come over."

As he hung up, he turned back to Yu-jeong. "You need to leave."

Back at Wonho Motors, Wonho and Hari attempted to go on a date disguised as a company dinner. They sat across from each other, stealing glances when no one was looking. "I hate keeping this a secret," Wonho admitted, his voice low.

Hari sighed. "I do too. But it's for the best, at least for now."

Across town, Yu-jeong had decided to apologize to Woozi for her behavior. She went to Wonho Motors to find him, but things didn't go as planned. As she was explaining herself, Chairman Kang overheard the conversation. His eyes narrowed as he pieced things together. "If Woozi was on the blind date, who is Wonho seeing?" he muttered, suspicion swirling in his mind. However, his train of thought was interrupted by a sharp pain in his stomach, cutting the confrontation short.

At the office, Hari's co-workers Mr. Gye and Ms. Yeo were in the middle of a heated argument. They had recently gone public with their relationship, but tensions arose over the decision. Hari, always one to mediate, followed them into the men's bathroom, hoping to calm them down.

In an unfortunate twist of timing, Wonho arrived with Chairman Kang and led him to the same restroom. Chairman Kang, already frustrated, grew livid at the sight of Hari in yet another inappropriate situation. "Why is it always you, Hari?" he snapped, his patience thin.

Feeling guilty, Hari wrote a letter of apology to Chairman Kang that night. She wanted to clear the air, even if it meant accepting the blame for things she couldn't control.

Later that evening, Wonho took Hari's production development team out for dinner, hoping to foster some camaraderie. The mood was awkward at first, with everyone uncomfortable around their stern boss. However, things quickly loosened up when Wonho surprised everyone by agreeing to have bomb shots with them. The sight of their usually reserved president letting loose with them was enough to break the ice.

Meanwhile, Yuna, feeling sympathetic toward Yu-jeong after their earlier conversation, invited her to dinner with Wonho and his mother. However, things quickly spiraled out of control when Yu-jeong discovered that Yuna was dating Woozi. Furious, Yu-jeong made a scene, accusing Yuna of betrayal. "How could you? He went on that blind date for Wonho!"

Yuna, stunned by the revelation, turned to Woozi. "Is that true? Are you their family's servant?"

Woozi froze, clearly unsettled by Yuna's outburst. The tension between them thickened, and Yuna stormed out, leaving Woozi to wonder how he would fix things.

Back at the team dinner, Hari and Wonho shared a secret moment. Under the table, Wonho reached for Hari's hand, squeezing it gently. Hari smiled softly, but their quiet moment didn't last long. Ms. Kim, who had ducked under the table to retrieve something, caught sight of them holding hands. She shot back up, blurting out, "They're holding hands!"

The rest of the team, already tipsy from the drinks, laughed it off, blaming Ms. Kim's accusation on her drunken state. But Ms. Kim remained adamant, even as Mr. Gye and Ms. Yeo helped carry her home.

As the night wound down, Hari and Wonho found themselves alone outside the restaurant. Wonho leaned in closer, smiling down at her. "That was fun."

Hari giggled. "I don't know how much longer we can keep this up, though."

Just as Wonho was about to respond, a familiar car pulled up to the curb. Chairman Kang stepped out, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the two of them together. His voice was stern, leaving no room for excuses. "What is going on here?"

The episode ended with Hari and Wonho standing frozen, caught in the very act they had been trying so hard to conceal. The weight of Chairman Kang's anger hung in the air, and they both knew there would be consequences.