The next morning, Jang Mi woke up feeling groggy after falling asleep immediately the night before. She hadn't even had the chance to take the bath she had been dreaming of on her way home. Reaching for her phone to check the time, she realized the battery was dead. "Ahh, I forgot to charge my phone yesterday," she thought.
She put her phone on charge and headed to take a shower. Smelling her vanilla shampoo, she thought of Lee Hoo and then remembered yesterday how she had complained about her dating life to him. She felt an immediate wave of embarrassment. "What did I say last night? Let's hope he forgets it all," she thought as she stepped into the shower.
Then she remembered how Lee Hoo had asked, " I am nice,what about me ?" What did he mean by that? Was it a joke? What if it wasn't? No, no, it was definitely a joke.
She prepared herself, taking her time to get dressed. Once she was ready, she grabbed her phone. As soon as it powered on, a wave of notifications and messages flooded the screen.
"What is going on?" she thought. She found about ten messages from Lee Hoo alone. "How could he end up in a police station?" she wondered, her mind racing.
"Why did he have to pick a fight with them?" she thought, frustrated. "I thought everything would clear up if I just left him there." But she forgot that she was the only one who could get away with stuff like this because of her good luck, and Lee Hoo wasn't that lucky. "Oh shit, this will add more embarrassment. How can I ever face him again?" she muttered, feeling a mix of guilt and dread.
"He would be super angry. What should I do to face him again?" Jang Mi wondered, feeling a knot form in her stomach. As she mulled over her options, she noticed another message from Min Hyuk: "Where are you guys?"
"Oh shit, he might think I left him there on purpose," she groaned, realizing it was too late to respond to that message now.
Her notifications also included several messages from Seo-ah, eagerly asking how her magical date was going. Jang Mi sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the mess she had to deal with.
Jang Mi called Seo-ah immediately. "We need to meet," she said, her voice urgent.
"Sure, what's going on?" Seo-ah replied, sensing the distress in her friend's tone.
"I can't handle this alone. I need some expert help," Jang Mi admitted, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety as she awaited Seo-ah's response.
"Okay, let's meet at our usual cafe in thirty minutes," Seo-ah suggested.
"Thanks, see you soon," Jang Mi said, hanging up and quickly getting ready to face the day, hoping Seo-ah could help her untangle the mess she found herself in.
Jang Mi recounted the whole event to Seo-ah, seeking her wisdom in this complicated situation. Seo-ah listened attentively, sipping her iced coffee without interrupting. When Jang Mi finally finished, she looked at Seo-ah expectantly, waiting for her friend's insight.
Seo-ah took a moment, then finally spoke. "Okay, let's break this down. Did your manager actually say, 'What about me?' Is he good-looking?"
Jang Mi blinked in confusion. "Why would that matter?"
"It matters if he's handsome. I'll root for him, of course," Seo-ah said with a teasing smile.
"What do you mean by 'root for him'?" Jang Mi asked, still puzzled.
Seo-ah rolled her eyes. "Are you stupid or just acting stupid? He obviously likes you. Why else would he say that? And from what you told me about the date, he was jealous. It's obvious, don't you think? That might explain why there's bad luck when you two are together. I thought you liked him, but apparently, it's the other way around!"
Jang Mi felt her cheeks heat up as she recalled the moments from the previous day. "You really think he likes me?"
"Definitely," Seo-ah said, nodding emphatically. "You need to figure out your feelings too. But first, deal with the immediate mess. Apologize to Lee Hoo and clear things up with Min Hyuk."
"What do you mean by 'clear things up with Min Hyuk'?" Jang Mi asked.
Seo-ah continued, "As for Min Hyuk, he probably feels abandoned. Send him a message explaining the situation. Be honest about the mix-up and assure him it wasn't intentional. mean, he needs a sincere apology from you, even if you two end up apart."
Jang Mi nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "You're right. I need to make sure he knows it wasn't on purpose."
"Exactly," Seo-ah said. "An honest apology can go a long way. It might not fix everything, but it's the right thing to do."
"Thanks, Seo-ah. I'll text him right away."
On her way to work, Jang Mi sent a text message to Min Hyuk, apologizing for the inconvenient situation and explaining her side of the story. As she did, she kept thinking about how she could fix the situation with Lee Hoo. She knew she needed to ask for forgiveness, but confronting him directly might trigger their bad luck. She bought a cup of juice that she thought was tasty and wrote a note on a post-it: "I am really sorry for yesterday!!", Arriving early, she placed it on his desk, hoping the gesture would help smooth things over.
When Lee Hoo walked into the workspace, Jang Mi kept a close eye on him. He greeted everyone without making eye contact with her, confirming her suspicion that he was still upset.
As Lee Hoo entered his office, Jeremy followed him closely to his office . "Mr. Lee Hoo, we need to discuss our steak situation, I mean, our wish system situation. We can't keep up with Jang Mi. I suggest we limit it to two wishes for two employees per week. It's only fair for us," Jeremy said, munching on a biscuit. Jeremy was clearly passionate about food and was trying to convince Lee Hoo to make changes to the wish system.
Lee Hoo, however, had other plans. "If the wish system is causing problems between colleagues, maybe we should just cancel it," he said firmly.
Jeremy was taken aback. "No, no..." he started, shocked by the decision, which made him start choking on his biscuit. Lee Hoo quickly stepped in to help, applying first aid. After a few tense moments, Jeremy finally managed to breathe again and started crying from the relief and shock.
Lee Hoo, surprised, tried to comfort him and looked around for water. He noticed the cup of juice on his desk and handed it to Name1, who gratefully drank it. In the rush, the post-it note that Jang Mi had written fell unnoticed under the desk.
While Jang Mi was focused on Lee Hoo's desk, she saw Name1 step out holding the cup of juice she had left. "Damn, it didn't work. He must be so angry. Of course, what I did is unforgivable. He won't let it go with just a cup of juice. What should I do?" she thought anxiously.
"Maybe I should just apologize to him? No, no, I need to give him something to prove that I'm sincere," Jang Mi thought. Her musings were interrupted by Amy, who woke her from her thoughts. "Hey, we need to go to the meeting."
"Ah, sure, I forgot about that," Jang Mi replied.
Amy and Jang Mi entered the meeting room. Lee Hoo wasn't there yet, so Jang Mi looked at his usual place and thought, "Maybe I should sit next to him and talk to him at the end of the meeting." She chose the closest chair next to his and sat down.
Amy, with a smile, said, "Ohhhh, it looks like our unlucky intern is not afraid of our manager anymore," referring to what Jang Mi had done last time.
Lee Hoo entered and noticed where Jang Mi was sitting. He chose the farthest chair from her, as she had done in their first meeting. Amy couldn't help but start laughing, saying, "Payback time!"
Lee Hoo smoothly changed the subject and started the meeting.
At the end of the meeting, Lee Hoo said, "There is another point that we need to discuss. The system of awarding a wish to the top-performing employee is not working, so I've decided to cancel it and think about a new way to encourage you all."
Amy chimed in, "It's fine. The only affected person here is our unlucky intern, as she has worked hard lately."
Name1, concerned, asked, "There is no steak now?"
Lee Hoo replied, "I will invite the whole team to a meal . It seems unfair to reward just one person while all of you work hard."
Name1 smiled like a baby with a new toy, while Jang Mi, on the other hand, kept thinking about what Amy said. She thought, "He must be so angry that he's afraid I'll ask him to spend time with me again."
As everyone was heading out, she called out, "Excuse me..." but Lee Hoo looked at her and said, "I won't change my decision. You will be invited too." He then left the room, leaving Jang Mi speechless.
"What should I do? What did I get myself into, God!" Jang Mi said to herself.
At lunch time, Lee Hoo said to the team, "How about I buy lunch for you guys today?"
Name1 responded, "What a good idea! I am hungry. What are we going to eat? Something expensive?"
Lee Hoo suggested they eat at a nice barbecue place, and Name1 couldn't agree more. The whole team headed to the restaurant. Every time Jang Mi tried to approach Lee Hoo, he avoided her.
"Does he know about the bad luck now? Is that why he's avoiding me? Or does he just hate me more now? I need to find a way to solve this," Jang Mi thought to herself.
At the restaurant, Lee Hoo chose the farthest seat from Jang Mi again, leaving her disappointed. But then she thought, "Maybe that's for the best. If we sit next to each other, the restaurant might kick us out again thanks to bad luck."
Amy handed Jang Mi a big piece of meat. "Here, eat this. You look sad and out of energy today."
Lee Hoo noticed Amy's comment and looked at Jang Mi's face, which indeed looked off.
Lee Hoo's phone buzzed at that moment. Jang Mi noticed and exclaimed, "I know this song! It's an XX group song. "
She remembered that she had bought tickets for their concert recently. The tickets weren't easy to get; you needed a lot of luck to buy them. But for Jang Mi, it was always easy thanks to her luck. Without thinking, she shouted, "You like XX group?" leaving everyone looking at her, puzzled and confused by the sudden question that came out of nowhere.
Amy asked, "Are you a stan or something? Why are you so excited?"
Jang Mi replied, "Yes, I am a fan. Do you like this group?" She directed her question to Lee Hoo, who was taken aback by the unexpected inquiry.
"Yes, I like them," he replied, and she smiled, leaving Lee Hoo in a state of confusion.
"I found it. All I have to do is give him the ticket. It's hard to get those tickets. He will definitely forgive me after that. I just need to find the perfect time to give them to him," she thought.
All afternoon, Jang Mi kept an eye on Lee Hoo, waiting for the perfect moment. She saw him head to the kitchen and thought, "He must want coffee." Trying not to be suspicious, she followed him, saying aloud, "Oh, I need more coffee," not realizing she was actually making herself more conspicuous.
As Jang Mi entered the kitchen, Lee Hoo saw her and tried to leave, but she quickly stepped in his way. "I need to talk to you," she said, surprising him. This sudden interruption caused him to spill his coffee all over the place. They both hurried to clean the mess, and in their haste, they bumped their heads together.
"Ouch," Jang Mi winced, rubbing her forehead.
"Are you okay?" Lee Hoo asked, his irritation momentarily replaced with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jang Mi replied. "I'm really sorry about yesterday and everything that's happened. I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand. And I'm sorry I left you alone."
Lee Hoo sighed, looking at her. "That's what you were trying to say? It's okay."
Jang Mi thought to herself, "I'm not convinced he accepts it. I need to show him I'm sincere."
"Do you like music?" she asked. "I have two tickets to the XX group concert. I'll give them to you if you forgive me."
Lee Hoo looked surprised. "You don't have to give me anything."
"No, I insist. Just take them, and we can be cool," Jang Mi said, handing him the tickets. "I was planning to go with a friend, but you can take them and go with someone you're interested in."
Lee Hoo took the tickets, looked at them for a moment, and then handed one back to her. "Then go with me," he said.
Jang Mi blushed immediately, trying to process what he was saying. Should she take the ticket? Just then, a coworker entered the kitchen, and she quickly grabbed the ticket from his hand, trying to hide it. She rushed back to her desk, hoping her coworker didn't notice. Lee Hoo smiled at the scene, unsure if he was happy she took the ticket or because she looked cute.
Suddenly, the words that Seo-ah said in the morning, "He likes you," hit Jang Mi. Maybe Seo-ah was right after all. She blushed, giggling in her office like a child.
"The unlucky intern finally lost her mind," Amy commented.
"What do you mean? I just remembered a funny joke," Jang Mi replied.
Amy smirked. "Oh, a joke? Tell me the joke too."
Jang Mi scrambled to think of a joke. "What do you call a cow in an earthquake?"
Amy raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"A milkshake," Jang Mi said, then started fake laughing hard.
Amy rolled her eyes. "You laughed at that lame joke? Who laughs at jokes like that?"
A strong laugh erupted from behind them. It was Lee Hoo, who had seen the whole scene.
Amy turned to him. "Did that joke really make you laugh? What a weird taste!"
Lee Hoo chuckled, shaking his head. "What? It is funny."
Jang Mi blushed even more, her heart racing. She started looking at him deliberately, noticing his flawless skin, his cute smile, his good-looking hair, and his... lips. He was actually really handsome. She had never noticed his lean yet muscular build that exuded both strength and elegance before, and his captivating smile further added to his charm.
She found herself lost in thought, appreciating his features in a way she hadn't before. Suddenly, Lee Hoo glanced back at her, catching her gaze. Jang Mi quickly looked away, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red.
Lee Hoo smiled and headed to his office, leaving Jang Mi to her thoughts.
Throughout the day, Jang Mi kept trying to find the right moment to apologize properly, but Lee Hoo made sure to give her space. He believed she didn't feel safe with him yet, given her reaction yesterday, and thought that giving her more space would help. He didn't realize that Jang Mi was actually trying to approach him.
Jang Mi kept wondering what Lee Hoo meant by handing her the ticket. She rushed to text Seo Ah, explaining what was happening. Seo Ah confirmed that the concert would be a date but advised her to make sure that they were both on the same page.
Jang Mi kept wondering what Lee Hoo meant by handing her the ticket. She rushed to text Seo Ah, explaining what had happened. Seo Ah confirmed that the concert would be a date—why else would he give it to her instead of going with someone else? However, she advised Jang Mi to talk to him and make sure they were both on the same page.
She waited for him to take the same elevator so she could talk to him. When she saw him stepping out, she rushed to the elevator first. Lee Hoo noticed her and changed his path to take the stairs instead. "What is that? Is he avoiding me? I should be the one avoiding him! What the heck, I gave him really expensive tickets, and he keeps avoiding me," Jang Mi said in frustration, following him to the stairs.
He was about ten steps ahead of her when she shouted, "Hey, you! Why are you avoiding me?" Realizing she had spoken informally, she quickly added, "sir." She continued, "I gave you those expensive tickets to forgive me, but you keep avoiding me. Why? I thought we were okay now."
Lee Hoo, stunned, replied, "I avoid you because you asked me to, not because I wanted to. You said to just keep away from you yesterday, don't you remember?"
Understanding the situation, Jang Mi said, "That was yesterday. Yesterday is yesterday."
"So, should I stop avoiding you?" Lee Hoo asked, a wide smile on his face.
"Do as you want," Jang Mi replied with a cute smile.
At that moment, Lee Hoo came closer to her. "Is it okay to come this close?" he asked. He was happy, thinking Jang Mi was no longer afraid of him, not knowing she wasn't afraid in the first place.
She blushed as he came three steps closer. "Is this close okay to you?" he asked. Seo Ah's words kept floating in her head: "He likes me?" She couldn't hide her smile.
"It's okay," she replied. He added more steps toward her, leaving just two steps between them. "And now?" he asked with a smile.
She smiled back and handed him the ticket. "Why did you give me this? I told you to go with someone you're interested in."
"And that's what I did," he replied. She blushed even more.
"What should we do now? I don't think this distance between us is okay for me," he added.
Jang Mi didn't understand. "Why? You don't want to be near me?"
"I don't think I'm near enough," he said, as he came even closer, closing the gap between them.