PS-01

“You look good. Neat and tidy.”

 

As soon as he stepped through the door, his gaze swept over Ji-eun from head to toe before he walked toward a black chair.

 

On the desk, a nameplate engraved with “Vice Chairman Kang Min-jun” gleamed with an air of luxury.

 

Ji-eun knew they were the only two in the room, but instinctively, she glanced around before parting her lips in disbelief.

 

“Hey, Kang Min-jun. Did you really have to go as far as dressing me up…?”

 

“Vice President.”

 

“……?”

 

“Not ‘hey.’ Vice President. You should be more mindful of titles now, shouldn’t you?”

 

Seated in his chair, he crossed one leg over the other and adjusted the tie around his neck.

 

Ji-eun, staring at his imposing presence, unconsciously lifted her slightly teary eyes to the ceiling.

 

She regretted it.

 

Many regrets flashed through her mind, but one stood out the most.

 

Why… didn’t I bring my gun?

 

Who knows when or how I’ll be obstructed in my duties… So why didn’t I?

 

But Ji-eun quickly shook her head vigorously, snapping herself out of her daze.

 

Get a grip. I’ll make sure to bring it next time.

 

She then forced a smile and spoke with the best effort she could muster.

 

“Yes, Vice President. I’m grateful and honored. I was actually quite worried about what to wear.”

 

Of course, I was.

 

“…I couldn’t exactly show up to work in my police uniform, now could I?”

 

Her smiling lips were pressed together so tightly that it felt like her molars might crack.

 

A taser? Would that be enough?

 

This guy is tall—better prepare a high-voltage one.

 

“Oh, come on. No need to call it an honor.”

 

But Min-jun didn’t even flinch.

 

Instead, he let out a small chuckle and added an extra layer of mischief to his voice.

 

“A gift for your new job? Well, let’s call it that. Either way, Yoo Ji-eun….”

 

For the time being, you’re stuck.

 

“…is my secretary, aren’t you?”

 

“Ha.”

 

This is insane.

 

Ji-eun let out a sigh in response to his words, unable to resist.

 

She had just managed to pull herself together, and yet, her head spun again.

 

No way… This bastard planned everything, didn’t he?

 

So much for “cooperating with the investigation.”

 

From the very beginning, his only intention was to make me work for him.

 

Otherwise, why would he be smiling so much from the start…? Ridiculous.

 

“Hey, Vice President.”

 

Ji-eun, who had been pacing near the sofa, suddenly strode toward him with purpose.

 

Without hesitation, she planted both hands firmly on the desk and leaned in close.

 

“You. This is why you chose me, isn’t it?”

 

Look at that smirk. I knew it.

 

“Are you still bitter? After being first place all your life, losing to me a few times… Was that really so humiliating?”

 

“That would be you, not me.”

 

Min-jun shot back at Ji-eun’s bold words without missing a beat.

 

And then,

 

“Yoo Ji-eun. Do you really think…”

 

He suddenly leaned forward from his chair, closing the distance between them.

 

“…that I’m doing this just because of some old rivalry over rankings?”

 

Gasp…!

 

Now, it was Ji-eun’s turn to be startled by how close he had gotten.

 

She had leaned in first, but she hadn’t expected him to close the gap even further.

 

A mere handspan now separated them.

 

He reached out, adjusting Ji-eun’s jacket collar as she gasped in surprise, his voice carrying a deeper tone.

 

“Think carefully.”

 

“……”

 

“With that smart head of yours, think well.”

 

And then, suddenly—

 

Realizing something, Ji-eun quickly slapped his hand away.

 

Ah… seriously.

 

“Hey, don’t block the recorder.”

 

She was so flustered that, for a moment, she forgot she had attached the recorder to a spare button on her jacket.

 

No wonder he had been subtly touching the fabric like that.

 

It seemed that his sharp eyes had already spotted the recorder.

 

Maybe she shouldn’t have shared the equipment list.

 

“That’s why you shouldn’t have brought it. The company must have told you it wasn’t allowed.”

 

Min-jun straightened his back again, looking visibly uncomfortable.

 

Ji-eun also stood up, brushing off her jacket as she responded.

 

“Looks like the secretary didn’t properly report it to you. I already mentioned that I’d be wearing it on the first day?”

 

Ah, he already turned it off.

 

“…And anyway, we’ll be relying on police assistance during work, so what’s the big deal?”

 

“No.”

 

“What?”

 

“When it’s just the two of us, no recording.”

 

He reaffirmed it with a clear, unwavering voice.

 

“Yoo Ji-eun. You agreed that if I requested, the recording would stop at any time.”

 

“That was for company security—”

 

“No matter the situation.”

 

His tone left no room for argument.

 

She couldn’t say anything more.

 

Just as he said—whether it was a professional or personal situation—if he didn’t want it, recording and communication had to stop immediately.

 

Of course, deleting the records was a given.

 

But she couldn’t understand.

 

“Kang Min-jun. Why don’t you want it now?”

 

“Because it’s just the two of us.”

 

“What…?”

 

“Anytime we’re alone. Turn it off.”

 

After saying that, Min-jun leaned back against his chair again.

 

Ji-eun fell into thought for a moment, then furrowed her brows.

 

Wow. Seriously. This guy is really planning to work me to the bone.

 

I’m your secretary, and you’re telling me to turn off the recorder every time we’re alone?

 

Then when am I supposed to turn it on?

 

During meals? What is this, ASMR?

 

“Fine… it’s not that hard.”

 

Ji-eun eventually muttered in a defeated tone, pressing and holding the button to turn off the recorder.

 

Screw it. Investigation or whatever, I’ll just think of this as filming a vlog.

 

Knock, knock.

 

Right then, someone knocked on the door from outside.

 

“Excuse me, Vice President. Everyone is gathered.”

 

It seemed the people outside had all arrived.

 

It was time to introduce her.

 

Ji-eun suddenly snapped back to reality, her heart pounding wildly.

 

This is really… the beginning.

 

Could she really fool all these people—someone like her, who had never done secretarial work in her life, who could barely take care of herself?

 

“What’s with the serious expression?”

 

Min-jun, adjusting his suit as he stood, looked at her in disbelief.

 

Instead of answering, Ji-eun scoffed.

 

Whatever. Kang Min-jun, what do you know?

 

Ji-eun turned around first, walking with firm steps before stopping in front of the door.

 

Finally, the moment had come to take the first step in the investigation.

 

Her first mission.

 

Before handling external tasks, she had to completely deceive the company’s internal staff and appear to be a perfect secretary.

 

Circumstances made it easy for her to seem like an outsider who had parachuted into the company.

 

Moreover, she had to be reliable enough for Vice President Kang Min-jun—who was known for his independent ways—to bring her along as his executive secretary.

 

However, unlike her fabricated, impressive resume, this was her first time working as a secretary.

 

Ah, I’m nervous.

 

Kang Min-jun, you have no idea what’s going on in my mind.

 

“Yoo Ji-eun.”

 

“What?”

 

“Just open the door.”

 

…Huh?

 

“I said, open it. The door.”

 

Only after seeing Min-jun standing right in front of her with his hands casually tucked into his pockets did Ji-eun snap back to reality.

 

Ah, I need to… open it for it to open.

 

The Vice President has perfectly functioning hands, but sure. This is just how it is.

 

“Hoo…”

 

It really wasn’t going to be easy.

 

Min-jun, seeing Ji-eun’s shoulders drop in defeat, looked down at her with a slight smile in his eyes before suddenly reaching out his hand.

 

“Well then, I’ll be counting on you from now on.”

 

More than ten years ago.

 

In their youthful past, something beautiful had been left unfinished.

 

“Secretary… Yoo.”

 

…The war had begun again.

 

* * *

 

“I understand that this is overwhelming for you, Chief Yoo. This is a first for me as well.”

 

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

 

Special Major Crimes Investigation Unit – Interrogation Room.

 

Ji-eun, who had been preparing to leave work, was bewildered as she was suddenly dragged into the Special Team.

 

She should have realized it the moment they shoved her into the interrogation room, talking about classified information and whatnot.

 

“So, you’re saying… I should do what exactly?”

 

Ji-eun couldn’t believe what the team leader was saying.

 

Maybe that’s why there was some misunderstanding at first.

 

With a solemn expression, the team leader spoke about the Commissioner of Police… and then told her to become a secretary.

 

Naturally. Of course, Ji-eun thought, obviously—

 

…That she was getting a promotion.

 

A secretary… to the Commissioner?

 

Was she being assigned to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s office, a position considered a golden ticket?

 

Sure, she had graduated from the Police Academy with top marks.

 

But she had no special connections. Already?

 

Her heart pounded.

 

Thump, thump.

 

“I understand that this is overwhelming for you, Chief Yoo. This is a first for me as well.”

 

But then… it turned out they actually meant a real secretary job.

 

And not just for anyone—but for someone who was already living comfortably in the Industrial Technology Security Team?

 

Alright, fine. She could understand the cooperation with investigations.

 

But undercover? Disguise?

 

“Chief Yoo, don’t take it the wrong way. This is a huge opportunity! Everyone in our unit wanted this assignment.”

 

The one chiming in was Lieutenant Jung Ha-na from the Economic Crimes Division Team 1.

 

She had recently joined the Special Team and had known Ji-eun since their Police Academy days.

 

“Detective Jung Ha-na. Are you seriously taking their side?”

 

“A-Ah, no! What I mean is, this is a direct order from the Commissioner, and since you’re going to do it anyway, might as well… I mean…”

 

No matter how she tried to rephrase it, it was the same thing—if she didn’t want to get fired, she had no choice.

 

Her name had already been specifically chosen from above.

 

It was a rather coercive order, but as Detective Jung had pointed out, it wasn’t exactly a bad situation.

 

The investigation itself didn’t involve any physical danger or extreme risks.

 

In fact, the conditions included up to a month and a half of paid leave and a special bonus for cooperation.

 

There was even a possibility of being considered for promotion based on performance.

 

It was undeniably an enticing offer.

 

But the problem was—

 

“But the Shin-Young Group’s son… wow, he looks even more handsome in person.”

 

“That’s what I’m saying! What kind of chaebol heir is that tall with such broad shoulders? I thought I was looking at an actor.”

 

“Right, Team Leader? Life is so unfair sometimes.”

 

Exactly…That’s what I’m saying.

 

Why did it have to be him—the one person in the world who was unfairly good-looking?

 

Of all the sons of the Shin-Young Group, why him?

 

Ji-eun could only feel despair at the assigned target.

 

If it was a chaebol son known for his looks, there was only one possibility.

 

And if it was Shin-Young Group, there was no need to even ask further.

 

Thud.

 

Ji-eun abruptly stood up.

 

“Sorry, but I refuse.”

 

No matter how much she thought about it, this was not happening.

 

Forget the Commissioner’s orders—her basic human rights came first.

 

No way. Not him.

 

She could not—absolutely could not—become his secretary.

 

“And just so you know, if this mess gets me demoted in any way, I’ll take every legal measure to fight it.”

 

Though, by then, she probably wouldn’t even be a police officer anymore…

 

She didn’t care anymore.

 

Before anyone could stop her, Ji-eun rushed to the door of the interrogation room and pulled it open.

 

Bang—

 

And then.

 

“…….”

 

Right before her eyes, standing there as if waiting, was a man in an impeccably tailored suit.

 

He looked even taller than she remembered—by at least a few inches.

 

“It’s been a while, Yoo Ji-eun.”

 

He was looking down at her.

 

The son of the Shin-Young Group, a conglomerate that practically ran Korea’s economy.

 

A chaebol heir who was about to collaborate with the police in this special crime investigation.

 

And the one person she had fiercely competed against for the top rank throughout school.

 

The one she despised more than anyone else—

 

“Didn’t you miss me?”

 

…was also her first love.

 

* * *

 

TL/N: HI, GUYS. THIS’S MY FIRST TIME TRANSLATING A MODERN ROMANCE NOVEL, WHEN I FIRST READ ITS SYNOPSIS, I FELL IN LOVE W IT LOL, HOPE IT’D SUIT Y’ALL’S TASTE TOO XD!

 

* * * *

 

If you want to support the Translator, Translator’s Ko-Fi: