Chapter 25

Sera’s POV

The quiet scratch of a pen against paper filled the office as I reviewed the latest proposal documents. A faint smile tugged at my lips when yesterday’s encounter with Haemin drifted into my thoughts.

For a moment, I let the memory linger — but it faded the instant the door opened. My expression returned to its usual calm.

“Vice President,” my assistant, Mina, greeted as she stepped in, a neatly organized folder in hand.

She began without delay. “First, the market response to our latest logistics proposal is positive. The Incheon regional branch has already confirmed the trial run for next month. As for your main schedule—”

She glanced briefly at her notes. “Nara Group will give their answer this Friday. Two more days from now.”

“I see.” I leaned back slightly, having already predicted the timing. In truth, I had already expected the kind of answer I’d receive.

Mina continued, listing the day’s agenda: a short call with the Busan port director, two internal budget reviews, and a virtual meeting with the Tokyo branch in the afternoon.

“And one last thing,” she said, glancing up from her tablet. “Mr Kang Minseok. He heard you’ve just returned to Seoul and wants to have dinner with you tonight.”

Uncle Minseok? I tilted my head slightly at the name. It wasn’t that I minded seeing him—he’d known me since I was a child—but I knew what would happen if I refused. Father would hear about it, and I’d end up with a lecture on family ties and respect for elders. After all, he and Uncle Minseok had been friends for decades, our families intertwined for just as long despite not sharing any blood.

So really, there was no reason to refuse.

“Tell him I’ll meet him at eight,” I said.

She nodded, entered the note into her tablet, and left the office.

The rest of the morning unfolded in its usual rhythm — signing shipping schedules, approving vendor contracts, and answering high-priority emails.

By the time my final meeting ended, the sky outside had already begun its slow shift toward evening.

⸻

I drove straight to the restaurant, still dressed in my office attire. A short while later, I pulled up to the entrance. One of the staff bowed politely as I stepped out of the car. I handed him my keys before heading inside.

Inside, I spotted my uncle, Kang Minseok, seated at a table near the window. Beside him sat a young man whose sharp features I vaguely recognized.

“Uncle,” I greeted warmly as I approached.

Uncle stood up, his face brightening the instant he saw me. “Sera! I’m glad you came, even with your busy schedule. Wow… you’ve grown even more beautiful since the last time we met. You look… more mature now.”

I smiled politely. “How are you, Uncle? Is Aunt in good health?”

“She’s doing well,” he replied. Then he gestured to the man next to him. “And this—ah, you probably don’t recognize him. This is Dahyun.”

The young man stood slightly. “Sera noona.”

My eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. “So you’re Dahyun… The last time we met, you were still a little boy.”

After the greeting, we took our seats. A waiter approached to take our orders, giving us a brief pause before the conversation picked up again.

“How’s your father?” he asked once the waiter left.

“He’s still in Busan, meeting with the government,” I replied.

Uncle nodded proudly. “Your father… a true workhorse. Always chasing the next goal, never slowing down.”

He leaned forward slightly. “How’s the succession process going?”

“It will happen soon,” I replied. “I just need to handle a few more things before Father passes the position to me.”

“He must be proud,” Uncle said warmly.

I gave a small smile, offering no further comment.

He reached for his glass, taking a slow sip before setting it down again. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, as though studying my face.

“You’ve really grown into your role, Sera,” he said, his voice filled with a kind of affectionate approval only family could give. “Focused, confident… you remind me of your father in his younger days.”

“But you know… with how busy you’ve been, I wonder if you’ve had time for anything outside of work. Friends? Someone special, maybe?”

I let out a soft, almost amused breath before answering. “I’ve never believed in rushing into things like that. Relationships can wait—there’s no deadline for them.”

Uncle chuckled. “Ah… you’re like your father. He once said, ‘Love can wait, profit can’t.’”

We all laughed lightly at that.

When I glanced at Dahyun, I noticed he had been looking at me since earlier. I tilted my head slightly. “And you, Dahyun? How are you doing these days?”

He seemed a little flustered. “I’m doing well. Helping Father with work while studying economics at university.”

“Oh that’s good. Which university do you go to?” I asked.

“XXX University,” he replied.

Haemin University? What a small world, I thought, lifting my glass of water to hide the faint curl of my lips. “That’s a good university. I’ve heard their economics faculty is quite competitive.”

Dahyun’s ears turned a little red at my praise. “Yes, Noona. I’m majoring in economics. It’s tough sometimes, but I like it.”

I almost asked if he knew Haemin, but decided not to.

Uncle chuckled and reached over to pat his son’s back. “He’s been working hard. Between helping me at the office and studying, he barely has time to meet friends.”

“I can imagine,” I replied with a light tone.

The food arrived soon after, filling the table with the restaurant’s signature dishes. We talked about the upcoming business climate, overseas market risks, and some of the government’s new trade policies. My uncle, as always, had plenty of opinions about where the economy was heading.

After an hour, uncle leaned back with a satisfied sigh. “It’s good to finally have you back in Seoul, Sera. Your father may be in Busan, but you should drop by our place more often. Your aunt misses you.”

I nodded politely. “I’ll visit when I can. Things are quite full at the office.”

“I’m sure,” he said with a knowing smile.

“By the way” Uncle continue, leaning forward slightly. “I heard Daehan Group might be working with Nara Group on a project,” he said, his tone light but his eyes sharp. “Is that true?”

I raised a brow. “How do you know about that?”

He gave a small laugh. “Your father told me.”

That explained it. Father didn’t usually talk business with many people, but Uncle Jihoon had always been one of his trusted friends.

“It’s still too early to say anything,” I replied. “Nothing is confirmed yet. We only had our first meeting last Monday.”

Before I could say more, Dahyun leaned forward in surprise. “Wait—last Monday? My university group went to Nara Headquarters that day.”

That caught my attention. “Really?”

He nodded quickly. “Yes. But… I didn’t see you that night at the event. Didn’t they invite you?”

“They did,” I admitted with a small smile. “But I decided not to go. If Yuna and I show up in the same room, people will start whispering and gossiping.”

Uncle Minseok chuckled. “I can see why. Everyone in the business world knows you and Seo Yuna have been rivals since your university days. Equal in academics, skills, and even reputation. You’re probably the only person who can give her a hard time.”

Dahyun’s eyes widened. “Is that true?”

I only smiled at him without answering. Some things didn’t need to be confirmed aloud.

Changing the subject, I asked, “So, how was your visit to Nara Group?”

“It was great,” Dahyun said, his voice full of excitement. “Chairwoman Seo sent her secretary, Harin, to guide us around.”

I blinked. “Harin?”

“Yes,” Dahyun said. “She personally took us through all the main areas. She was friendly and professional.”

That made me sit back for a moment. I knew Yuna well. She wasn’t the type to go out of her way for something like a simple university tour. She didn’t do unnecessary gestures unless there was a reason.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Strange… Was this your doing, Uncle?” I asked, glancing at Uncle Minseok.

He shook his head immediately, holding up both hands. “Not me. I didn’t arrange anything.”

I studied him for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh and deciding not to think about it.

The conversation shifted for a moment, but then Uncle Minseok gave me a faint smirk, swirling the drink in his hand.

“Speaking of Yuna…”

Uncle leaned forward slightly, his gaze flicking left and right as if checking who might be listening. Then he gave a small hand gesture, a quiet signal for me and Dahyun to lean closer.

I didn’t move right away, simply meeting his eyes with a steady expression. He must have noticed I wasn’t the type to play along with theatrics, because he leaned in himself.

“There’s a rumour… about Chairwoman Seo,” Uncle said in a lowered voice.

My curiosity was piqued, though I kept my tone even. “What kind of rumour?”

“They say she’s…” His voice trailed for a moment, as if weighing whether to continue.

I tilted my head slightly, prompting him to continue.

“They say she’s… seeing someone right now.”