Another Life With You

New Blood

Seri grimaced when she stepped out of her car and was greeted with ear-splitting screams. There was a hoard of girls gathered in front of the Seri's Choice headquarters, holding various objects like signs and gifts and stuffed toys.

"What's going on?" she asked Jeong-hyeok, who flanked her. He shook his head in equal bewilderment.

It had been two days since the tornado incident. Two days since she had last seen him, while the other bodyguards on the roster were on duty. Seri didn't know why but she had been keeping count. When she stepped out of her apartment this morning, Jeong-hyeok had been waiting outside, dressed as neatly as usual in a black top, trousers, and black trench coat. His face was as handsomely impassive as always. Back to business it was, then.

At the sight of the frenzied girls now, Jeong-hyeok's mouth thinned into a grim, determined line. He stepped closer to Seri and began to usher her towards the entrance, shielding her from the crowd with his sizeable heft.

"Is he here for a commercial contract?"

"Is that who he's dating?"

"She looks tinier in person."

"She's not even that pretty."

Seri caught snippets of the catty comments as she was whisked briskly past them. Catching sight of the signs which read 'Cha Sang-u!!!' decorated with various hearts and photographs, Seri could hazard a guess of what was waiting for her in the building.

And indeed, Cha Sang-u – much beloved veteran actor who had enjoyed a recent resurgence with the medical drama that was currently topping the ratings on TV – was standing in the lobby, chatting with Managers Hong and Kwon. Well, he wasn't known as one of the nice guys within the entertainment industry for nothing.

"This is a surprise," Seri said as she walked up to them, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor.

Sang-u smiled; a smile beatific enough to deserve a lingering close-up shot. "Yoon Seri," he said in greeting. "I hope you don't mind me visiting your office."

Purchasing Manager Kwon fluttered his hands anxiously behind the actor. "Daepyonim, we didn't think we should allow Cha Sang-u ssi to go up to your office alone. We decided to just wait with him in the lobby."

"That's fine, thank you for taking the time," Seri said. They couldn't have predicted the mass of fangirls congregating at the building entrance. "What brings you here, oppa? Would you like to talk in my office?" She smiled sweetly and nodded at Sang-u to follow her through the security gate.

"Actually," Sang-u caught Seri's hand before she could walk off. "I have to go to guitar practice soon. I only came to give you this." He held up a still-steaming cup of coffee.

"Guitar? You're a man of many talents," Seri grinned, accepting the cup of coffee with genuine gratitude.

"Is that so? Maybe I need to switch careers and become a musician if that's what impresses you," Sang-u teased, threading his fingers through hers.

Jeong-hyeok suddenly stepped up and gestured to the corner of the lobby, where they would be out of sight of any probing fans or paparazzi. Sang-u let go of her hand and shot a covert glance at the bodyguard. The actor already stood a head taller than Seri, but Jeong-hyeok easily had a height advantage over him.

Seri and Sang-u allowed themselves to be shepherded to the side, ignoring the curious stare from Seri's Choice staff as they bustled past. Once they were suitably tucked in the corner, Sang-u leaned one shoulder against the wall, looking photoshoot ready with his languid pose, coiffed hair and stylish outfit. The image was ruined when he peeked covertly at Jeong-hyeok standing at a distance.

"What's this about anyway?" he whispered to Seri.

What would be a tactful way to bring up Sang-u's aggressive fans? This was always a touchy subject with those in the entertainment industry, from Seri's personal experience. Before she had thought up a good response, Jeong-hyeok spoke up as if the question had been addressed to him. "I've been hired to guard Yoon Seri daepyonim from your overeager fanbase."

Seri shot the man a glare. Jeong-hyeok challenged her glare by raising his eyebrows the barest millimetre.

"Ah..." Sang-u had the decency to look abashed. He rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Ah... yes. Thank you for taking care of Yoon Seri, then. They are quite passionate. Anyway, I came by because I heard you were out paragliding during that strange tornado the other day. Why didn't you tell me about it? I called you a few times."

Seri paused. "My phone fell in the water and I had to get a new one." A lie. "I'm sorry." Not a lie.

So far, Sang-u was the most ideal dating prospect anyone could hope for. Outgoing and pleasant; responsible; respectable; obviously desirable based on the number of women screaming for him outside her building today. But Seri liked to display her trophies where others could see them – an arm's length away and not necessarily for her own private viewing. But instead of feeling sorry that she wasn't treating Sang-u better, Seri found herself feeling hyperaware of Jeong-hyeok's presence behind them. Was he judging her for lying? Perhaps he really didn't care about things beyond his job scope.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're okay," Sang-u said. He checked his wristwatch. "I have to get going, but let me know when you're free to do dinner this week, alright?" He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek and a suave little wave before walking off.

Taking that as their cue, Managers Hong and Kwon scurried over. "Even his goodbye looks like a scene from a movie," Manager Kwon commented, watching Sang-u's departing figure with admiration.

Manager Hong frowned and elbowed him to shut up. "We will call extra security to take care of the crowd at the door, daepyonim."

Seri sighed and took a long sip of her coffee, watching as the girls outside were stirred to a frenzy by Sang-u's departure. "Don't worry about that, Manager Hong. I have bigger fish to fry today."

---

"Abeoji!"

"Take more time to think about it!"

Seri relished the sweet sound of her brothers' objections. The three of them sat before her father's desk at his office. The shareholders' meeting would be held tomorrow, and their father had gathered them at the Queen's Group headquarters to finalise his decision.

"Look at this, abeoji," Se-hyung stood and walked over to their father's desk with his phone in hand. Even though Seri was curious, she forced herself to maintain her dignified cross-legged pose. Se-jun wasn't as successful – he was sitting straight up like a meerkat, as if that would allow him to see what was on Se-hyung's phone screen. "Another gossip piece about Seri from earlier today! Something about the actor Cha Sang-u being seen at Seri's Choice. Will she get any respect as Chairwoman of Queen's Group with news like this?"

They fell silent as their father squinted and scrolled through the phone. Meanwhile, Seri began an internal debate on whether it was worth dating Sang-u if that would compromise her position at Queen's Group.

"Seri," her father said. She looked up immediately. "Se-hyung has a point. I know about your work ethic and your focus, but if you are to take over my position tomorrow, promise me that you will keep your personal life discreet. Our shareholders are much more traditional."

"Abeoji!" "Abeoji!"

Seri smiled. "Of course I will."

"Now, I consider that matter settled," their father said, giving his sons a stern look that was enough to quell their protests. "Tell me what plans you have for Queen's Group."

"My first step would be to restructure management," Seri said evenly, knowing that the next part would raise her brothers' hackles. "I'd like to change up our current CEOs." Their glares could have burned holes in her skin, but Seri maintained her composure. "We need new blood."

"Is there someone you have in mind?"

"I do, in fact. Someone my dear brothers might know. A businessman who goes by the name of Gu Seung-jung."