“I’m relieved. That I could see you before I leave.”

Tae Joon whispered, holding Seo Rin tightly in his arms. Although So Dam and Director Park were around, he seemed to pay no attention to their gaze.

“I felt I’d be more at ease if I could see your face before leaving. But the traffic delayed me. Of all days, it had to be today.”

“Haha. Yes, of all days.”

He echoed her words with a happy smile.

She thought she wouldn’t see him before he left, but she came again like this. At Seo Rin’s casual expressions, Tae Joon felt as if his heart was melting.

“The business trip was arranged suddenly. It’s Japan, not a faroff country, so I’ll call you every day.”

“Okay.”

“Eat well and stay healthy.”

“Alright. Don’t worry about me.”

As if he wasn’t satisfied even while holding Seo Rin in his arms, Tae Joon swept her hair back, met her gaze again, and swept her hair back once more.

Seeing this, So Dam and Director Park held back their smiles.

Even though they were living separately, why did their gazes look so affectionate?

“That looks like a threeday stint.”

“What do you mean?”

“I bet our CEO won’t last more than three days in Japan before flying back to Korea.”

Director Park nodded in agreement with her words, but his gaze was consistently focused on Seo Rin.

It was strange. Had Seo Rin ever looked at someone with such a gaze?

No, until just a few days ago, Seo Rin had simply seen Tae Joon as something of a life partner. They had married out of necessity, but their relationship was neither more nor less than that.

But today was different.

Seo Rin looked as affectionate as Tae Joon.

How could their gaze change so much in just a few days? How was she supposed to understand this?

“CEO, you’ll be late for your flight.”

It was only when So Dam reminded them of the time that the two reluctantly separated. If there had been no watching eyes, they might have even shared a passionate kiss.

“I’ll be back.”

“Mmhmm.”

With a nod from Seo Rin, Tae Joon got into the car.

As she watched the car he was in, with So Dam, getting further away, she felt increasingly strange.

The sole reason she had run here frantically when she heard he was going on a business trip was for her peace of mind. She felt it was her duty to at least show her face to her husband.

But she was not at ease at all.

What was this empty wind blowing in her chest?

It felt like one side of her chest had been hollowed out.

Two days later.

Director Park was waiting in the car at the company’s main entrance for Seo Rin’s departure from work. He was holding the steering wheel with music on when his phone rang.

“Yes.”

[It’s me. How is Vice President doing?]

It was So Dam.

Director Park sighed softly before answering.

“Our Vice President’s condition has been at its best these days. She seems to have been sleeping well, and she even had the most meals today. She only had exactly two cups of coffee.”

His words were true. The sensitive Boss Seo Rin, who seemed like she would explode with the slightest touch, had inexplicably regained her former charisma, becoming an iron lady once more.

Seeing Seo Rin finding stability too quickly, just two days after Tae Joon left for his business trip, Director Park felt very anxious.

He had stepped into this absurd plan of So Dam’s in a moment of surprise, but he was worried about what would happen if it backfired and Seo Rin’s heart permanently turned away from Tae Joon.

And now, that worry was accelerating.

“She even made dinner plans with her friends today! These friends are different from the others, they are people our Vice President adores. People she meets with no ulterior motives. That means she’s ready to fully enjoy herself.”

[Ah… Then we’re in trouble.]

“That’s what I’ve been saying. It’s a very dangerous notion to categorize our Vice President as an ‘ordinary woman’.”

[Still, you saw it. Our President rushing to her before he boarded the plane.]

“That was just a matter of courtesy… Ah…”

Director Park sighed in the middle of his sentence.

Yes, why was he arguing with this woman? It was his fault for participating in this foolish plan from the beginning.

“How is President Kang doing?”

[Ah, don’t even mention it. It’s a disaster over here! It’s harder to deal with than a teenager! This morning, he said his coffee smelled rancid! How can coffee smell rancid? Does that make sense?]

“At least there seems to be some effect on your side.”

[I told you, didn’t I? This side will be worn out. But it’s a problem if only one side is like this. You need to clap both hands to make a sound.]

“Exactly.”

Director Park felt burned out. It was great that Seo Rin had regained her normal condition, but if the little bit of affection she had cooled down due to this unnecessary separation, it wouldn’t be a divorce but a divorce.

If it really came to that, Director Park would have to take on guilt as if he were committing a heinous crime.

[Director Park, you have to do something.]

“What more can I possibly do?”

[That’s why… try to steer her thoughts towards our President.]