Chapter 97: Pushing Her Buttons
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When they finally entered the forest, everyone scattered around, trying to get an advantage over the other pairs.
Ten minutes later, Su-Jin and Ji-Won ended up alone, trudging along a narrow path. They had managed to collect five white ribbons, two green and a red one. They hadn't spoken a word since the beginning of the competition, though. Every attempt at conversation had been thwarted by Ji-Won's serious look.
Just as Su-Jin was beginning to wonder how to best broach the subject of the ring, she heard Ji-Won's voice coming from her left.
"Did you reach your room alright last night?" he asked in a low, deep voice.
Ji-Won wasn't looking at her. His head was turned the other way, seemingly glancing around in order to spot the hidden ribbons.
Surprised by his unexpected question, Su-Jin remained silent. She stared at the side of his face, carefully watching the only part of his expression that was visible to her.
'This isn't how I wanted to open up the subject, but I will take what I can.' She told herself, grasping on the small thread Ji-Won had thrown her.
"Yes. I got to my room alright. Talking about that I…"
She was just about to ask about her necklace and ring, when a different idea suddenly popped into her mind. Thus, her train of thought was immediately diverted towards this new idea.
Before she could stop herself, Su-Jin's mouth already opened and she could hear herself asking the question.
"Director Kang, how do you know Ji-Su?"
While she made the inquiry, her eyes were watching him carefully. Regardless of how he reacted, she wanted to see it.
At her question, Ji-Won's eyes narrowed dangerously. She couldn't see his expression very well, but the irritated twitch at the corner of his lips was unmistakable.
When he finally spoke, Ji-Won's voice sounded cold and laced with irritation.
For some odd reason, Su-Jin got the feeling that his temper had just turned rather volatile, as if on the brink of exploding at any given second.
"The question is how do you know him?"
"Uhm…" Su-Jin began but paused quickly. .
Ji-Won's reaction made her feel apprehensive, which in turn caused her to be unsure whether to tell him the truth or not.
After pondering for a short moment, Su-Jin eventually decided that being honest was the best way to continue the conversation. Besides, it's not like she had anything to hide.
"At the company… We met on the rooftop garden a couple of times." she replied simply.
"Do you even know who he is?" Ji-Won bit out spitefully.
At this, Su-Jin widened her eyes in surprise. The way it was asked made it seem as though Ji-Su was some kind of terrible criminal who should be shunned by people wherever he went.
But despite finding the question perplexing, she still replied, using the same even tone as before.
"Since I met him inside the company building three times already, I can safely guess that Ji-Su is also an employee at Kangji Tourism. Though, it's true that I never asked him what department he works in."
Su-Jin added that last part in an undertone.
She was suddenly struck by the realization that she knew very little about Ji-Su. In fact, other than his given name and the fact that he worked in the same company as her, she knew absolutely nothing.
But what of it? In the end, weren't they just colleagues who only met recently? What need did she have to know every single little thing about him?
Thinking about it further, Su-Jin felt more and more that Ji-Won's harsh questions were slightly out of line. Still, remembering that he was her boss, Su-Jin kept her tone from sounding too miffed.
"Director Kang, based on your previous question, it seems that you know more about Ji-Su than I do. Then, since you're so bothered by it, perhaps you could tell me who he is."
The corner of Ji-Won's mouth twitched slightly. He decided to ignore her words and instead continued with his cold interrogation.
"And how come you are on a first name basis with him?"
In turn, Su-Jin just shrugged. She wasn't particularly bothered by his reaction. It's not like she told him that hoping for an answer.
"Well, there's nothing really special about that." she said slowly. "We happened to decide on it the second time we met on the rooftop. After all, we seem to be the same age, so it's not like we have to call each other sir and madam, right?"
"Miss Park, tell me. Do you exchange names and speak so casually with whatever stranger you happen to meet?" Ji-Won asked in what could easily pass as a snarl.
In the meantime, he had stopped walking and was now openly glaring at her.
Both Ji-Won's unexpected words and his rude demeanor made Su-Jin's hot temperament boil. Up until then, she had tried to maintain a rather polite attitude. However, Ji-Won's continuous impertinence made Su-Jin forget all about her previous nerves, indecision or even their work relationship. All that was left now was resentment towards the man standing in front of her.
If it weren't for a thin shred of self-awareness left inside her mind, she would have really blown her top at him right then and there. And she would have done it in a manner befitting her spitfire nature.
Even so, she couldn't possibly let this matter slide.
With both arms crossed in front of her chest, Su-Jin decided to stand her ground and return his glaring twofold.
"Excuse me, Director Kang, but I think I am allowed to exchange names with whomever I please. I don't see how it is any of your business who I talk to. To be sure, even if you are my boss, what I do during my breaks or in private time doesn't concern you."
After viciously snapping at him like that, Su-Jin fell silent. Her chest was moving up and down rapidly.
The more she thought of it, the more indignant she felt.
'I swear, this man succeeds in pushing a person's buttons without even trying.. It's like some kind of hidden skill he's cultivated throughout the years, bringing it to the rank of art. Humph! Really now… Does he think that being my boss entitles him to control what I do or whom I talk to? Even going as far as acting like an ill-bred person… Heck, not even my own brother dares to be like this with me!'
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When they finally entered the forest, everyone scattered around, trying to get an advantage over the other pairs.
Ten minutes later, Su-Jin and Ji-Won ended up alone, trudging along a narrow path. They had managed to collect five white ribbons, two green and a red one. They hadn't spoken a word since the beginning of the competition, though. Every attempt at conversation had been thwarted by Ji-Won's serious look.
Just as Su-Jin was beginning to wonder how to best broach the subject of the ring, she heard Ji-Won's voice coming from her left.
"Did you reach your room alright last night?" he asked in a low, deep voice.
Ji-Won wasn't looking at her. His head was turned the other way, seemingly glancing around in order to spot the hidden ribbons.
Surprised by his unexpected question, Su-Jin remained silent. She stared at the side of his face, carefully watching the only part of his expression that was visible to her.
'This isn't how I wanted to open up the subject, but I will take what I can.' She told herself, grasping on the small thread Ji-Won had thrown her.
"Yes. I got to my room alright. Talking about that I…"
She was just about to ask about her necklace and ring, when a different idea suddenly popped into her mind. Thus, her train of thought was immediately diverted towards this new idea.
Before she could stop herself, Su-Jin's mouth already opened and she could hear herself asking the question.
"Director Kang, how do you know Ji-Su?"
While she made the inquiry, her eyes were watching him carefully. Regardless of how he reacted, she wanted to see it.
At her question, Ji-Won's eyes narrowed dangerously. She couldn't see his expression very well, but the irritated twitch at the corner of his lips was unmistakable.
When he finally spoke, Ji-Won's voice sounded cold and laced with irritation.
For some odd reason, Su-Jin got the feeling that his temper had just turned rather volatile, as if on the brink of exploding at any given second.
"The question is how do you know him?"
"Uhm…" Su-Jin began but paused quickly. .
Ji-Won's reaction made her feel apprehensive, which in turn caused her to be unsure whether to tell him the truth or not.
After pondering for a short moment, Su-Jin eventually decided that being honest was the best way to continue the conversation. Besides, it's not like she had anything to hide.
"At the company… We met on the rooftop garden a couple of times." she replied simply.
"Do you even know who he is?" Ji-Won bit out spitefully.
At this, Su-Jin widened her eyes in surprise. The way it was asked made it seem as though Ji-Su was some kind of terrible criminal who should be shunned by people wherever he went.
But despite finding the question perplexing, she still replied, using the same even tone as before.
"Since I met him inside the company building three times already, I can safely guess that Ji-Su is also an employee at Kangji Tourism. Though, it's true that I never asked him what department he works in."
Su-Jin added that last part in an undertone.
She was suddenly struck by the realization that she knew very little about Ji-Su. In fact, other than his given name and the fact that he worked in the same company as her, she knew absolutely nothing.
But what of it? In the end, weren't they just colleagues who only met recently? What need did she have to know every single little thing about him?
Thinking about it further, Su-Jin felt more and more that Ji-Won's harsh questions were slightly out of line. Still, remembering that he was her boss, Su-Jin kept her tone from sounding too miffed.
"Director Kang, based on your previous question, it seems that you know more about Ji-Su than I do. Then, since you're so bothered by it, perhaps you could tell me who he is."
The corner of Ji-Won's mouth twitched slightly. He decided to ignore her words and instead continued with his cold interrogation.
"And how come you are on a first name basis with him?"
In turn, Su-Jin just shrugged. She wasn't particularly bothered by his reaction. It's not like she told him that hoping for an answer.
"Well, there's nothing really special about that." she said slowly. "We happened to decide on it the second time we met on the rooftop. After all, we seem to be the same age, so it's not like we have to call each other sir and madam, right?"
"Miss Park, tell me. Do you exchange names and speak so casually with whatever stranger you happen to meet?" Ji-Won asked in what could easily pass as a snarl.
In the meantime, he had stopped walking and was now openly glaring at her.
Both Ji-Won's unexpected words and his rude demeanor made Su-Jin's hot temperament boil. Up until then, she had tried to maintain a rather polite attitude. However, Ji-Won's continuous impertinence made Su-Jin forget all about her previous nerves, indecision or even their work relationship. All that was left now was resentment towards the man standing in front of her.
If it weren't for a thin shred of self-awareness left inside her mind, she would have really blown her top at him right then and there. And she would have done it in a manner befitting her spitfire nature.
Even so, she couldn't possibly let this matter slide.
With both arms crossed in front of her chest, Su-Jin decided to stand her ground and return his glaring twofold.
"Excuse me, Director Kang, but I think I am allowed to exchange names with whomever I please. I don't see how it is any of your business who I talk to. To be sure, even if you are my boss, what I do during my breaks or in private time doesn't concern you."
After viciously snapping at him like that, Su-Jin fell silent. Her chest was moving up and down rapidly.
The more she thought of it, the more indignant she felt.
'I swear, this man succeeds in pushing a person's buttons without even trying.. It's like some kind of hidden skill he's cultivated throughout the years, bringing it to the rank of art. Humph! Really now… Does he think that being my boss entitles him to control what I do or whom I talk to? Even going as far as acting like an ill-bred person… Heck, not even my own brother dares to be like this with me!'
When they finally entered the forest, everyone scattered around, trying to get an advantage over the other pairs. Ten minutes later, Su-Jin and Ji-Won ended up alone, trudging along a narrow path. They had managed to collect five white ribbons, two green and a red one. They hadn't spoken a word since the beginning of the competition, though. Every attempt at conversation had been thwarted by Ji-Won's serious look. Just as Su-Jin was beginning to wonder how to best broach the subject of the ring, she heard Ji-Won's voice coming from her left."Did you reach your room alright last night?" he asked in a low, deep voice.Ji-Won wasn't looking at her. His head was turned the other way, seemingly glancing around in order to spot the hidden ribbons.Surprised by his unexpected question, Su-Jin remained silent. She stared at the side of his face, carefully watching the only part of his expression that was visible to her.'This isn't how I wanted to open up the subject, but I will take what I can.' She told herself, grasping on the small thread Ji-Won had thrown her."Yes. I got to my room alright. Talking about that I"She was just about to ask about her necklace and ring, when a different idea suddenly popped into her mind. Thus, her train of thought was immediately diverted towards this new idea. Before she could stop herself, Su-Jin's mouth already opened and she could hear herself asking the question. "Director Kang, how do you know Ji-Su?" While she made the inquiry, her eyes were watching him carefully. Regardless of how he reacted, she wanted to see it.At her question, Ji-Won's eyes narrowed dangerously. She couldn't see his expression very well, but the irritated twitch at the corner of his lips was unmistakable. When he finally spoke, Ji-Won's voice sounded cold and laced with irritation. For some odd reason, Su-Jin got the feeling that his temper had just turned rather volatile, as if on the brink of exploding at any given second."The question is how do you know him?""Uhm" Su-Jin began but paused quickly. .Ji-Won's reaction made her feel apprehensive, which in turn caused her to be unsure whether to tell him the truth or not. After pondering for a short moment, Su-Jin eventually decided that being honest was the best way to continue the conversation. Besides, it's not like she had anything to hide."At the company We met on the rooftop garden a couple of times." she replied simply."Do you even know who he is?" Ji-Won bit out spitefully. At this, Su-Jin widened her eyes in surprise. The way it was asked made it seem as though Ji-Su was some kind of terrible criminal who should be shunned by people wherever he went.But despite finding the question perplexing, she still replied, using the same even tone as before."Since I met him inside the company building three times already, I can safely guess that Ji-Su is also an employee at Kangji Tourism. Though, it's true that I never asked him what department he works in." Su-Jin added that last part in an undertone.She was suddenly struck by the realization that she knew very little about Ji-Su. In fact, other than his given name and the fact that he worked in the same company as her, she knew absolutely nothing.But what of it? In the end, weren't they just colleagues who only met recently? What need did she have to know every single little thing about him?Thinking about it further, Su-Jin felt more and more that Ji-Won's harsh questions were slightly out of line. Still, remembering that he was her boss, Su-Jin kept her tone from sounding too miffed."Director Kang, based on your previous question, it seems that you know more about Ji-Su than I do. Then, since you're so bothered by it, perhaps you could tell me who he is." The corner of Ji-Won's mouth twitched slightly. He decided to ignore her words and instead continued with his cold interrogation."And how come you are on a first name basis with him?" In turn, Su-Jin just shrugged. She wasn't particularly bothered by his reaction. It's not like she told him that hoping for an answer. "Well, there's nothing really special about that." she said slowly. "We happened to decide on it the second time we met on the rooftop. After all, we seem to be the same age, so it's not like we have to call each other sir and madam, right?" "Miss Park, tell me. Do you exchange names and speak so casually with whatever stranger you happen to meet?" Ji-Won asked in what could easily pass as a snarl. In the meantime, he had stopped walking and was now openly glaring at her. Both Ji-Won's unexpected words and his rude demeanor made Su-Jin's hot temperament boil. Up until then, she had tried to maintain a rather polite attitude. However, Ji-Won's continuous impertinence made Su-Jin forget all about her previous nerves, indecision or even their work relationship. All that was left now was resentment towards the man standing in front of her.If it weren't for a thin shred of self-awareness left inside her mind, she would have really blown her top at him right then and there. And she would have done it in a manner befitting her spitfire nature. Even so, she couldn't possibly let this matter slide.With both arms crossed in front of her chest, Su-Jin decided to stand her ground and return his glaring twofold."Excuse me, Director Kang, but I think I am allowed to exchange names with whomever I please. I don't see how it is any of your business who I talk to. To be sure, even if you are my boss, what I do during my breaks or in private time doesn't concern you." After viciously snapping at him like that, Su-Jin fell silent. Her chest was moving up and down rapidly. The more she thought of it, the more indignant she felt.'I swear, this man succeeds in pushing a person's buttons without even trying.. It's like some kind of hidden skill he's cultivated throughout the years, bringing it to the rank of art. Humph! Really now Does he think that being my boss entitles him to control what I do or whom I talk to? Even going as far as acting like an ill-bred person Heck, not even my own brother dares to be like this with me!'
