A timeless mind

Episode 10: A Dog's Life

Contrary to my fervent wish, my business trip to Jeju Island ended, and I returned to my temporary home. This place I truly didn't want, this suffocating house. I just wanted to abandon everything and run away.

But I can't do that. My ankles are already shackled by my father.

"Sir, aren't you going to eat lunch?"

한여주

"I'm fine. Enjoy your meal."

"I'll buy you some coffee when I get here. Mr. Han, what kind of coffee would you like?"

한여주

"Then I'll have a cool iced coffee please."

"all right"

I don't like bitter iced coffee. It's just a drink that helps me feel better.

But I'm not lonely anymore, because I have a friend.

After everyone left for lunch, I was left alone in the department to take care of work.

[Thump thump-]

Swish-]

As I was busy working, a box of colorful macarons appeared on my desk.

I looked up and saw the person who had placed the macaron on top. It was Taehyung.

김태형

"I bought it for my mother, but I thought of you and bought another one."

김태형

“You don’t hate macarons, do you?”

한여주

"Oh... I know. I like macarons."

한여주

"Thank you, Taehyung."

김태형

"Then I'll be going now."

I unconsciously grabbed the hem of Taehyung's shirt as he turned to leave. I don't know why, but I felt compelled to grab him.

한여주

"Well... if you have time tomorrow, would you like to have dinner?"

김태형

"Yes, I have a lot of free time."

한여주

"Then I'll wait for you in the lobby at 8 o'clock tomorrow."

After Taehyung left, my head was filled with all sorts of thoughts.

This was the first time I made an appointment with someone else, without my father's permission.

I had to think of something to say to my father. Otherwise, he'd definitely send another bodyguard after me.

This time, I wanted to do things my way. Not my father's, but my own. I didn't want to be his puppet any longer.

한여주

"What should I do with my father..."

한여주

"Han Yeo-ju, remember. You're not so incompetent that you can't even think of something like this."

After thinking about it, I realized my father didn't hire security when the department had company dinners. The idea suddenly occurred to me that I could treat the department employees to a company dinner and then meet Taehyung.

한여주

"Yeah, that's it. Company dinner."

The next day, before leaving for work, I stopped by my father's study to tell him I was having a long-awaited dinner with my department colleagues that evening.

한태부

"Yeah. What's going on?"

한여주

"I recently successfully completed an important project, so I'm having a dinner with my department colleagues today."

한태부

"Okay, let's do that."

한여주

"Thank you, Father."

As I was about to leave after saying goodbye, my father called me over.

한태부

"Hey lady"

한여주

"Yes, Father."

한태부

"Make sure you get along with the boss. He'll be a great help to you."

I wondered why he hadn't mentioned the boss. This time, I let my guard down.

한여주

"All right"

한태부

"Then go ahead and go."

Coming out of my father's study, I let out a short sigh.

The president my father is talking about is Jo Jun-woo, the only son of the chairman of Shinwha Group, where I work. He wants to arrange a political marriage between me and the president, who is not much older than me.

I want to meet someone I like and think about getting married, but my father has no such intentions.

My happiness was not important to my father, who valued his company more than his children.

한여주

[Thud-]

한여주

"Life is such a bitch."