Chapter 1
The office was unusually loud that morning.
Not the normal kind of busy loud, but the kind filled with panic disguised as productivity. Phones rang endlessly from different departments, keyboards clicked at impossible speeds, and the sound of hurried footsteps echoed across the polished floors of the building. Someone nearly dropped an entire stack of documents near the printing room while another employee cursed under his breath after realizing he had printed the wrong presentation slides for the third time.
“Fix that before he comes.”
“I’m trying!”
“No, because if Director Kang sees that, we’re dead.”
Near the pantry area, a small group of employees gathered around the coffee machine, whispering nervously despite the early hour. The atmosphere felt lighter there compared to the rest of the office, though everyone still looked seconds away from collapsing from stress.
“I heard he personally requested today’s inspection.”
“Well obviously. After what happened last week?”
“Still… firing Secretary Kim after three years? That was brutal.”
Someone sighed dramatically while stirring iced coffee. “The deal was worth billions. If anything, I’m surprised he didn’t fire the entire department.”
The group collectively shivered at the thought.
Another employee suddenly leaned closer. “Did you hear they already hired a replacement?”
“A replacement already?”
The woman nodded quickly. “Vice President Lee picked him personally.”
“Oh, poor guy.”
“I heard he’s a fresh graduate too.”
That immediately earned a mixture of pity and disbelief from everyone around the table.
“A fresh graduate under Kang Jiwon? He won’t survive a week.”
The group burst into quiet laughter.
Everyone inside the company knew Kang Jiwon.
Or at least, they knew the version of him seen inside the office.
Cold. Strict. Unapproachable.
He rarely smiled. Rarely socialized. Rarely spoke unless necessary.
And somehow, that made him even more terrifying.
Most people assumed someone as successful as Kang Jiwon had to be arrogant, but strangely enough, he wasn’t. He simply carried himself with the kind of control that made people nervous around him. He noticed everything. Small mistakes. Delayed reports. Nervous body language. Nothing escaped his attention.
When he first became CEO, rumors spread throughout the industry that he had only inherited the position because he was the successor of the Kang family. Those rumors disappeared within a year.
Kang Jiwon had expanded the company faster than anyone expected.
People stopped questioning his capabilities after that.
Now they just feared them.
“He’s only thirty-three too,” someone whispered.
“That’s honestly the scariest part.”
“I heard he’s secretly engaged.”
“To who?”
“Some woman he dated since high school or something.”
Another employee frowned. “Does he even look like someone capable of dating?”
That immediately caused another round of laughter.
Then suddenly, silence.
The elevator doors had opened.
The atmosphere shifted so quickly it almost felt unreal.
Steady footsteps echoed through the office lobby as Kang Jiwon walked across the floor in a perfectly pressed black suit. His posture was straight, expression unreadable, and his presence alone was enough to make the entire office feel colder.
Employees immediately stood.
“Good morning, Mr. Kang.”
The greetings came out almost perfectly in unison.
Jiwon acknowledged them with a small nod before continuing toward the conference room without slowing down. He didn’t look angry. If anything, he looked calm.
That was exactly what terrified people the most.
Minutes later, the entire department gathered for the inspection meeting. Nobody dared speak while waiting for him to begin. The room felt painfully tense, filled only with the sound of papers shifting against the table.
Jiwon flipped through several documents quietly before finally looking up.
“The fact that this issue reached the client before anyone inside this department noticed it is already embarrassing enough,” he said calmly.
No shouting.
No raised voice.
Just disappointment sharpened into words.
“The fact that nobody attempted to correct it before it escalated is worse.”
The employees lowered their heads immediately.
Jiwon placed the file onto the table with controlled force.
“You work for one of the largest companies in Seoul,” he continued. “Act like it.”
Nobody responded.
Nobody even breathed too loudly.
For nearly an hour, he criticized every overlooked issue connected to the failed deal. His voice remained calm the entire time, which somehow made the pressure even heavier.
By the end of the meeting, everyone looked emotionally exhausted.
Surprisingly, nobody else got fired.
The second Kang Jiwon walked out of the conference room, the entire department collectively exhaled in relief.
“Oh my god.”
“I thought I was going to faint.”
“He didn’t even yell once.”
“That’s how you know it’s bad.”
Meanwhile, downstairs in the lobby, Yoo Taehyun stared at his reflection through the elevator doors while adjusting the folder in his arms.
Then he sighed softly.
“Okay,” he muttered to himself. “You can do this.”
His first official day.
At one of the biggest companies in Seoul.
Working directly under one of the most terrifying CEOs imaginable.
No pressure at all.
Taehyun stepped inside the elevator while mentally reviewing everything Vice President Lee Joon had told him during the hiring process.
Be professional.
Be organized.
And most importantly, don’t take Kang Jiwon’s personality personally.
The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor a few moments later.
The atmosphere there immediately felt different.
Quieter.
Sharper.
Employees walked carefully between offices while carrying documents against their chests like they were afraid of making too much noise. Even conversations were quieter there.
One secretary noticed Taehyun standing awkwardly near the entrance.
“You’re the new secretary?”
Taehyun nodded politely. “Yes, ma’am.”
Her expression immediately shifted into pity.
“…Good luck.”
Taehyun blinked before laughing softly.
That somehow made her feel even worse for him.
A few minutes later, Taehyun stood outside the CEO’s office trying not to overthink everything. He adjusted his tie once, took a small breath, then knocked carefully against the door.
Inside, Kang Jiwon sat across from Vice President Lee Joon looking visibly irritated.
“You hired another secretary already?” Jiwon asked coldly.
“He starts today.”
“That was fast.”
“You needed one.”
“What I needed,” Jiwon replied flatly, “was a competent replacement. Not a rushed decision.”
Joon rolled his eyes dramatically. “You act like I picked someone useless.”
“He’s a fresh graduate.”
“He’s capable.”
“You trust people too easily.”
“And you trust absolutely nobody.”
Before Jiwon could respond, the knock interrupted them.
Joon grinned immediately. “Oh. That’s him.”
Jiwon sighed tiredly. “Come in.”
The door slowly opened.
Yoo Taehyun stepped inside calmly, holding a folder neatly against his chest. Despite the intimidating atmosphere surrounding the office, his expression remained surprisingly composed.
That immediately caught Jiwon’s attention.
Most people looked terrified meeting him for the first time.
This man didn’t.
Taehyun bowed politely. “Good afternoon, sir. My name is Yoo Taehyun. Starting today, I’ll be working as your secretary.”
Joon pointed proudly from the couch. “See? Doesn’t he already look reliable?”
Taehyun laughed awkwardly. “Thank you, sir.”
Jiwon remained silent for a moment while observing him carefully.
Young.
Bright-looking.
Too calm.
He already found it irritating.
After Joon finally left the office, silence settled between them.
Jiwon immediately began explaining the responsibilities of the position, fully expecting hesitation somewhere along the way. Instead, Taehyun listened attentively and answered every question smoothly without sounding nervous once.
No stuttering.
No panic.
No visible fear.
Just steady attention.
And for some reason, that annoyed Jiwon more than incompetence would have.
He looks like a puppy, Jiwon thought irritably.
Why is he so composed?
The rest of the afternoon passed quicker than expected. To Jiwon’s mild surprise, Taehyun adapted almost immediately. He reorganized schedules efficiently, corrected overlapping meetings, answered calls professionally, and handled paperwork without complaint despite the overwhelming workload.
It was irritatingly competent.
By lunchtime, however, Taehyun noticed something strange.
Kang Jiwon had not left his desk once.
Not for food.
Not even for coffee.
Hours passed.
Meetings continued.
And still, Jiwon kept working like basic human needs simply did not exist.
After another meeting ended late in the afternoon, Taehyun quietly stepped out of the office before returning several minutes later carrying coffee and a neatly packed meal.
Without interrupting, he carefully placed both onto Jiwon’s desk.
Beside it sat a small note.
> Sir, you have another meeting at 6 PM.
Please eat properly.
Jiwon stared at the note silently.
Then at the coffee.
Steam still rose gently from the cup.
Something about the quiet concern unsettled him more than it should have.
Without expression, he pushed the food aside and threw it into the trash.
He had no appetite.
And for some reason, the thought of Yoo Taehyun noticing him at all felt strangely irritating.
