Three days later, he had almost forgotten that he was engaged.
Kim Joo Won went about his business running one of the biggest malls in Seoul. Im Jong-soo came into his office with a proposal for one of the vacant stalls they were renting out. "They are matching what we ask for and it's in line with the brands on that floor."
Kim Joo Won looked at the proposed display and inventory list of items that the shop would sell. "The merchandise look like they are made well but why is the color palette like this. The brightest color they have is red and that's it. BORING. They're not going to attract clients. Reject this."
"Are you sure?" Im Jong-soo asked.
Kim Joo Won made a face. He didn't like to be questioned even by his friend so he reiterated, "Yes. I'm sure."
Im Jong-soo typed in his mobile email the rejection. As he was sending the email, he asked, "Did you even look at the company profile?"
"I don't like the aesthetic," Kim Joo Won said, reading through the financials for the past week.
"Okay, well, you'll have a lot of explaining to do," Im Jong-soo warned.
"What? Why?"
"Because that proposal was from your fiancée's company," Im Jong-soo told him with a mischievous smile on his face.
"WHAT?! OH YOU PIECE OF --"
Whatever Kim Joo Won was going to say was cut off by a voice outside his office that demanded, "I want to speak to that shining, shimmering, not so splendid boss of yours that I call my fiancé!"
It was Yoon Se-Ri.
She was radiating with fury when she stepped into his office that Im Jong-soo had to take a huge step back to put some distance between him and the seething woman.
"KIM JOO WON! How could --" Whatever she was going to say first changed course when she saw something in the shelves behind him. "MY SHOE!"
Im Jong-soo's eyes widened. Turning to Kim Joo Won, he mouthed, "That's hers?!"
Kim Joo Won motioned that he should leave. When he was alone with Yoon Se-Ri, he blocked her approach. "You and your baby bib can't approach!" he warned.
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"That's mine," she pointed out.
"You gave it to me. It's mine," Joo Won said.
Se-Ri crossed her arms. "I did not GIVE it to you. I THREW it AT you."
"Doesn't matter. It's mine now," Kim Joo Won said. "I spent a lot of time cleaning that to make it smell nice."
Yoon Se-Ri frowned at him. "My feet do not stink!"
"We'll see when we get married," Kim Joo Won shrugged.
The comment ruffled Yoon Se-Ri for a little bit but then she recalled the reason why she came storming into Kim Joo Won's office. "We're getting married and you didn't even give me some consideration in renting that space?!"
"So that's how this is going to work? Just because we're getting married we get special privileges?" Kim Joo Won asked.
Yoon Se-Ri stomped and pouted. "I had your horrid gold track suit and navy blue sequinned formal coat shipped included in our next shipment that's arriving soon!"
Kim Joo Won was so shocked it took him a few moments to process what she said. Lips jutting out, he sputtered, "Y-you... you had my clothes shipped? Did you break out in hives when you made that call?"
Se-Ri frowned. "I'm going to call now to dump your clothes into the sea!"
As she took her mobile phone from her bag, he held her hand to stop her mid-movement. At the contact of their skin, they both drew in a sharp breath.
Se-Ri watch his thumb caress the back of her hand, and tried to deny the tingling feeling that it brought.
"Thank you," Kim Joo Won whispered. It had been days since they had been this close, after that night at the auction, and he was reminded of how fetching Se-Ri was when she was only inches away.
The thank you was a surprise to her. Stuttering a reply, she said, "Can you at least give us feedback on why our request was denied? We really need that space."
He crossed his arms but didn't let her hand go, so her hand ended up pressed to his chest that she could feel his heartbeat. "Your color palette was all neutrals. The stores around you have bright greens and pinks... you're just going to lose money if you pay for that rent and not make sales."
"We have other items in our catalogue that we can include," Yoon Se-Ri shared, looking into his eyes. "Can we submit another proposal?"
"Sure," Kim Joo Won agreed. "I'l hold it for you until tomorrow."
"Okay, I just have to make a quick call," Se-Ri said.
"Okay."
Se-Ri shyly smiled. "Can I have my hand back?"
"Oh, sorry," he apologised, letting her go.
"I'll go. I'll have the office re-submit our proposal tomorrow," Se-Ri told him. Before leaving, she asked again, "Can I have my shoe back?"
He shook his head but was smiling, "No. I think I want to keep it." Before he could say more, a call from his Father came through. "Abeoji, you're on speaker."
"Hello, Son. I heard that Yoon Se-Ri is there with you?"
"Yes, I am, Chairman Kim," Yoon Se-Ri replied.
"Good, good," Kim Joo Won's father said. "I just left a meeting with your father. We were thinking, we need to celebrate this engagement. How does a party on Saturday sound?"
"Is that necessary, Abeoji?"
"Of course! This is big news in the business world! The merger of the two biggest conglomerates? The office will send you two the details of the party," his father said and then quickly bid him goodbye.
"Should we coordinate our outfits?" Yoon Se-Ri asked.
"Would you mind it if I wear on of my suits with sequins or will that trigger your allergies?" he asked, lightly.
Se-Ri rolled her eyes but smiled. "Could you send me a photo? I'll see if I can find anything that will match."
Joo Won nodded. "Sure. Let me know if you're going to wear one of your bibs so I can see if I can find one."
Yoon Se-Ri narrowed her eyes at him. "Next time you spill your food at dinner, don't borrow my bib!"
Kim Joo Won doubled over laughing. "So you admit it's a bib?"
Se-Ri crossed her arms. "For the dinner, I'm going to wear so much sequins that I'm going to upstage you."
"Hey! No fair! Sequins are MY thing!" Kim Joo Won protested, following her out. "Hey! You better stay away from sequins! Hey!!!!"
