After dinner that night, the two decided to talk about the day's events at the mansion's atrium. It has always been the family's favorite place when they need to space out, so Ji-Eun suggested they go there.
After changing into more comfortable clothes, Ji-Eun chose a spot that was near the staircases to wait for Jaehyun. He kept busy for a few more minutes, helping Old Chen and some of the helpers around the kitchen and the dining room. She had offered to help too, but he pointed out that she already did before dinner and told her to just relax while she wait for him.
She had been fiddling away on her phone for a while when she heard the atrium doors open. She glanced over and saw Jaehyun walking in with a goofy smile on his face.
"Hey," he said as he handed her a cold can of coffee. "Sorry that took a while."
She nodded and accepted his gesture of apology as he took a seat across from her, lounging on the couch. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and sighed.
"I missed this place," he said wistfully.
"I think it's been a month or so," Ji-Eun glanced at his face carefully. "When you last stayed here."
"Hmm," he said, eyes still closed.
Ji-Eun noticed him thumbing through his pocket and she smirked.
"What's gotten you into such a mood that you're itching to smoke?" Ji-Eun said and his eyes snapped open in surprise.
"What?"
"You keep doing that," she pointed to his right hand. "When you want to smoke badly."
She grinned at him as he sighed.
"Well, can I?" He asked pointedly.
"Go ahead," she said easily. "I don't mind."
She sat and drank her coffee comfortably as he took out his cigarettes and started to smoke. Two long drags and he seemed to actually calm down a little.
"Are you okay now?" Ji-Eun asked, watching him.
"I guess," he said.
"You and Father caught up with each other?" Ji-Eun asked. "You looked uneasy just before dinner."
Jaehyun smiled at her through the smoke. "Yeah, we did."
"May I ask what you two talked about?" She asked.
Jaehyun leaned back on the couch. "He asked me how you were doing and if you're doing alright with all the wedding preparations. He wanted to know if you're getting along with your fiancé's family."
"I see," she said. "Is that all?"
"He also asked if you're causing trouble," he said seriously.
"Trouble?" Ji-Eun exclaimed. "You know I'm not... At least, I think I'm not."
"Well..." he took another long drag. "I don't know about that."
"Jaehyun-"
"Don't worry too much whether you're causing trouble or not," Jaehyun laughed lightheartedly, cutting her off. "After all, what else would I be doing if not cleaning up after you?"
A split second, that was all it took, before he saw a projectile throw pillow coming towards his face.
"Hey!" It was all he could say before he ducked to avoid being hit.
Seeing that he was laughing, Ji-Eun could only shake her head. 'Well, maybe I am... I don't know.' she sighed. "Well, I guess you're right," she said. "Maybe I am causing trouble."
Jaehyun could only shake his head, putting his cigarette out. He decided right then and there that smoking while joking around with her might not be such a good idea with all the pillows she could throw at him.
There was a moment of silence between them as they both got lost in their own thoughts. Jaehyun thought about whether he should tell her about the President's offer to transfer him to another department. But he knew she would react to it rather negatively, so he decided not to tell her... for now, at least.
"Jaehyun," she broke the silence and he found her staring at him pensively. "I nearly forgot what we came here for. I got distracted. We were supposed to talk about what happened this morning."
He tilted his head in response and waited for her to continue.
"What happened between you and Bae Yuri?" She asked.
Jaehyun ran a hand through his hair, his annoyance coming back just a fraction.
"We bumped into each other back at The Little City earlier," he said. "She seemed to be very unhappy with her current situation."
Ji-Eun's eyebrow ever so slightly moved, but she kept her gaze even.
"Go on," she said.
"She seemed to think I don't have any idea about your relationship with Song Hyun-Shik, so she said something about it," he explained. "Went as far as calling Song Hyun-Shik her boyfriend in a lobby full of passing people."
"As expected of her," Ji-Eun sighed. "Self-control is not her strongest point."
"Not only that," he continued. "She thought you were using her to blackmail her 'boyfriend' into agreeing with whatever you want. She found out that we knew about the rules of their company and thought that it was something you're using to hold onto Song Hyun-Shik. Also, she seemed to be entertaining the idea that you were using her and Song Hyun-Shik to get to Song Corp."
Ji-Eun almost laughed out loud. Almost. If not for the annoyed expression on her friend's face, she would have done it. Instead, she waited for Jaehyun to finish speaking.
"I set her straight," Jaehyun said. "But it very clearly left a sour taste in my mouth."
"I see," Ji-Eun shook her head in sheer disappointment. "Well, she's right about one thing though. I am kind of using her 'boyfriend' to get into Song Corp. But as for taking over the company, that's not my plan."
She rubbed her temples gingerly.
"I can see why she would act like that though," Ji-Eun continued. "Her point of view is very black and white that even though we haven't really spoken to each other, I feel like I already know her."
"Maybe you should talk to Song Hyun-Shik about her?" Jaehyun asked.
"And tell him what?" Ji-Eun laughed. "That Bae Yuri threw a tantrum and you shut her down?"
Jaehyun frowned as she struggled to rein in her laughter. "Well, you did tell them that you'll gracefully back off if they change their minds," he said.
"Did she say she's changed her mind?" She asked, mirth still in her eyes.
"No. Not that she got a chance to," Jaehyun looked at Ji-Eun squarely. "Be that as it may," he said. "You have to be careful of her. Remember, hell has no fury like a woman scorned."
"I'll keep that in mind," she said, smiling at him. "I'm sorry you had to put up with something like that. Fighting petty battles on my behalf wasn't really part of your job description, but you did it anyway."
Oh Jaehyun smirked as he stood up from his perch to stretch. "You owe me just for that," he said.
"I know," she said. "I know."