Yet at the same time, Winter couldn't understand why she felt so empty, why a corner of her heart suddenly felt hollow.
***
Tonight, Winter was undoubtedly the star of this glamorous welcome party. The other new lawyers, who had suddenly become mere supporting characters, began to show openly uncomfortable expressions.
One glass for goodwill, another for ill will. As the night deepened, empty glasses piled up in front of Winter.
The new lawyers, blinded by jealousy, had started to pour boilermakers for Winter. It was as if they desperately wanted Winter to commit some fatal blunder.
Stepping on those better than oneself. That too was how Seocho-dong operated.
The new lawyers at Seolbeop were born top predators even in Seocho-dong. They were people accustomed to climbing over others, and also attention-seekers who couldn't stand losing to others.
It was natural, given that they had survived the notoriously competitive law schools and passed Seolbeop's rigorous selection process.
"Attorney Yoo, have a drink!"
"It's amazing that you were hired as the top candidate! Have my glass too."
When the partner attorneys briefly left their seats, subtle mockery about Winter's background as a secretary began to pour out.
"I heard Attorney Yoo was that smart even when she was a secretary? I guess innate ability doesn't go away."
"Oh my, Attorney Yoo was originally a secretary? How unusual."
"Well, even as a secretary, she must have shown such outstanding potential to become a lawyer."
"I heard everyone was amazed back then, saying she did better work than the lawyers? Why did you go through all that trouble? You should have just stayed a secretary."
"Secretaries are known for their mental toughness, after all."
Winter slowly rose from her seat. The people suddenly fell silent.
Winter stared coldly at the faces filled with mockery and spoke.
"All of you right now,"
"Yes?"
"You keep talking about secretaries."
"What?"
"Have you ever seen a law firm run without secretaries?"
The junior lawyers who had been pressing Winter looked at her quizzically. Winter continued, unperturbed.
"Are you all lawyers now? Do you know where to view and copy case records? Do you know how to submit documents to the court and prosecutor's office? Can you handle all the communication with judges and clients alone, without a secretary?"
What's she talking about? Why is she getting so worked up by herself? Yeah, why is she suddenly like this? The people who had been intimidated by Winter's force pretended they hadn't been pressuring her earlier and whispered among themselves.
"Do you know that if secretaries decide to, they can make lawyers' lives miserable a hundred, a thousand times over? Have you heard the saying that people are everything in a law firm? Do you think only lawyers are included in those people?"
People now stared blankly at Winter, forgetting even to sneer. Winter muttered, meeting their eyes one by one with a cold gaze.
"With such dull minds, I don't know what any of you intend to do."
"What's wrong with her? Is she drunk?"
Winter turned her back on the whispering people and immediately left the bar.
The gaze of the man leaning slightly against the entrance door followed Winter's retreating figure.
A faint smile formed in his beautiful light brown eyes.
"Interesting."
***
Winter was, in fact, drunk. However, no one knew that Winter was intoxicated.
Winter's drunken behavior was peculiar. She would laugh and chat as if she hadn't had a single drop of alcohol, then find a safe place and fall asleep. The intoxicated Winter was now on her way back to her office at Sulbeop.
It was a deep, dark night. The deserted streets were unusually quiet. Every time Winter exhaled softly, her white breath spread like mist towards the cold night sky.
Arriving at Sulbeop, Winter pressed the elevator button and waited. The entire building was dark due to the late hour, nearing dawn.
After a moment, the elevator doors opened wide with a ding. The yellow light leaking from the elevator dimly illuminated the pitch-black hallway.
Winter lowered her eyes, dizzied by the sudden light.
A moment later, as she raised her gaze, Winter froze.
A tall man was standing in the elevator.
Loosely rolled-up sleeves of a white shirt, revealing firm arms and large hands carelessly holding a mohair coat underneath.
It was Hugo Kang, that very man.
The irritatingly handsome man was staring at Winter expressionlessly. Despite the sudden encounter, he showed no sign of surprise, just an indifferent face.
Hugo looked at Winter with dry eyes.
For some reason, Winter stood firmly in front of the elevator, not giving way.
Hugo's gaze finally slowly scanned Winter's face. A light peach-colored flush had risen on her clear, bright face.
As if just recognizing Hugo, Winter's eyes narrowed. There was something different about her gaze from before.
Like a butterfly gently alighting on a spring night, Winter's eyes curved seductively.
Is she smiling now? Hugo's gaze became puzzled.
Suddenly, the faint scent of roses mixed with whiskey wafted from somewhere.
As Hugo's gaze once again turned to Winter's clear face, she began to approach him fearlessly.
With each step Winter took forward, Hugo unconsciously retreated a step into the elevator.
He originally had a phobia of contamination. He utterly despised not only physical contact with others but even being close to them.
The mohair coat in Hugo's hand fell to the floor with a thud. A bewildered light flashed across his black eyes, which had been motionless until then.
There was nowhere left to retreat.
Winter, who had driven the man to the far end of the elevator, looked up at him with a cold gaze.