A few days after the meeting, Mina walks the city one evening. She is wrapped in a cardigan that's clearly not warm enough, shoulders slightly hunched, clutching her file holder against her chest as wind brushes past. She's walking toward the subway after buying cheap kimbap for dinner.
Just as she's about to scan her subway card, "Mina-ssi?" A voice calls out.
She turns, startled. Standing there near the convenience store is Mr. San, the client, in a polished suit, relaxed posture, holding a takeaway coffee. He looks pleasantly surprised, like this is a coincidence.
Mina blinks, surprised as well, "Ah, Mr. San! Hello! You're…here?"
He walks towards her, "Just finishing some errands. But this is unexpected. Heading home?" Mina nods, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to look composed, she's supposed to be professional now. The man continued, "You did great at the meeting that day. Honestly, I was impressed. It's rare to see new employees speak so confidently."
Mina laughs awkwardly, flattered and oblivious. "Ah no, it was nothing. Team Leader Isaac and the seniors coached me a lot beforehand." She brushes her hand on her head, giving an innocent grin. Her hair is somewhat messy, her breath forming small puffs of smoke due to the weather.
He looks at the way her lips curl, how she waves her small hands, now pink from the cold. His voice is low, "Still, talent shows even with guidance. You're very....intriguing."
A short silence. Mina does not know what to do. He then speaks casually, as if it's a harmless offer, "Have you eaten dinner? I was just about to get something. If you don't mind, let me treat you. Consider it a thank you for your hard work during the project."
Mina hesitates. This isn't exactly professional protocol….right? "A-ah…dinner? Now?" She clutches her files tighter. "I don't know sir, I am a bit busy tonight, y'know how difficult it is being the top employee haha....." she tries lightening the mood, refusing politely.
San walks forward again, closing the distance between them. His polished shoes step onto the yellow tactile strip near the gate as he leans closer, not close enough to invade her space fully, but enough that Mina instinctively leans back a little. The sliding sound of subway doors opening somewhere down the platform echoes faintly. He is smiling, but his eyes do not seem to curl. "It won't take long, just something quick nearby. You shouldn't eat convenience store kimbap alone after working so hard."
Mina's eyes widen, she didn't think he'd notice the little plastic wrapped roll in her hand. She laughs, clearly flustered, lifting it awkwardly, "Ah this? No, no, I LOVE kimbap, rice veggies protein, perfect meal, perfect meal, affordable and tasty...." She tries to fill the awkward air anyway she could.
"Affordable." He repeats, like he's testing the word on his tongue, "Well that makes sense. Beginner salary doesn't stretch far, does it?" He says casually, and Mina's ear turns red, unsure if she's supposed to laugh.
"All the more reason for me to treat you." He pauses a bit, and makes a kind expression, almost too kind, "I'm sure I have some important things I can discuss with you about."
He seems to insist, and Mina can't help but notice. She straightens her back, determined to refuse him clearly, "I'm sorry sir, I just worry it'd be inappropriate for us to chat over dinner outside working hours?"
San's expression darkens, as if he's offended. His smile freezes, still polite, but no longer warm. The shift is subtle, but chilling. His eyes lower slightly, like he's reassessing her.
"Inappropriate?" he repeats quietly, almost amused. "Ahhhhh, I see." He taps the lid of his coffee with one finger, a soft tok, tok. "So that's how you see it."
Mina blinks, flustered. "N...no! I didn't mean it like that, I just...."
"No, no. I understand." He waves a hand mildly, but she can tell his tone has sharpened. "You're implying it would be unprofessional to spend additional time discussing a project beyond office hours. Even if a client personally makes time out of his schedule to help your team progress. I suppose that's the… boundary you've chosen."
He says boundary like it's a curious word he hasn't encountered before.
Mina's heart jumps. "Sir! That's not, I didn't mean-"
He lets out a light sigh, looking almost disappointed. "It's fine. I suppose I shouldn't expect too much enthusiasm. I did hear your team's proposal is still under internal review. A shame. I thought you were someone who understood how relationship building affects project continuity."
He says project continuity very clearly, each syllable deliberate.
Her fingers clutch her files so tightly the plastic creaks. "Mr. San, I, I do understand relationships with clients are important, I just-"
He hums thoughtfully, cutting her off, no regard whatsoever, glancing in the direction of the restaurant street. "I only suggested dinner to discuss how I could possibly support your team further. But if even a casual meal makes you uncomfortable…" He gives a short, dismissive nod. "Let's forget it. I wouldn't want to pressure you. I'll just… let the formal channels decide the pace of progress."
Formal channels.Pace of progress.
Words that sound normal, yet feel like a veiled reminder, he can slow things. He can pull back support. Mina knows that. She freezes.
Her chest tightens. If the client steps back, it reflects poorly on Isaac, on the whole team. On her. She can almost imagine Isaac's expression if a client complained about her being dismissive.
San turns slightly, as if to leave. "Have a safe trip home then, Mina-ssi."
Her throat goes dry. "….Wait." Her voice is small.
He pauses.
She swallows, forcing a professional smile despite the cold creeping into her fingers. "….If it's truly about discussing ways to support the project….then….I can spare some time."
San turns back slowly, and this time his smile returns, smooth, practiced, pleased, like he always knew this was what would happen.
"I knew you were a reasonable person." He gestures invitingly. "Shall we?"
They end up at a quiet, upscale restaurant, a place Mina would never enter on her own. The lights are dim, the atmosphere strangely intimate for a "client dinner." Mina keeps her file on her lap, sitting very straight, spoon untouched, body tense. San notices that, and smirks slightly. "I prefer quiet places. No crowds, easier to talk."
Mina nods, still trying to be polite, despite feeling immensely out of place. He orders for her without asking. She blinks but doesn't protest, thinking maybe it's just something older professionals do.
The food arrives. Mina tries to eat neatly, conscious of her chopsticks clacking too loudly.
"One of the reasons you caught my eye, is that you're…very different from the typical interns I meet. They're usually more….calculating."
Mina laughs awkwardly. "Ah…I just try to do my job well."
"No. That innocence is rare."
The word innocence lands strangely. Mina pauses, chopsticks mid air. She forces a smile, "Haha, I don't know about that."
He watches her hands, the way she tucks her hair, the way she thanks the server. His gaze lingers a little too long. Mina begins to feel heat creep up her neck, not the flustered kind. The uneasy kind.
Midway through the meal, he pours wine into her glass. Mina starts waving her hands, "Ah no, I don't drink! I get red fast and..." He ignores her protests, and pushes the glass towards her, "It's just a sip. To celebrate. Don't be tense, Mina-ssi."
He says her name too smoothly. She forces a small sip just to avoid awkwardness. He watches the way her lips touch the glass. "You're very… delicate. Makes people want to protect you."
Mina freezes, her smile thins away, "…Ah…thank you?"
San leans back in his chair, swirling the wine in his own glass. The liquid catches the low light, reflecting in his eyes like something quietly predatory.
"You know," he begins casually, "most people in your position… they work hard, but they also know when to work smart." He sets the glass down with a soft click. "A lot of promising juniors…they burn out early. No one guides them properly. They make one wrong impression, and then, no matter how capable they are, that's the end of their upward path."
Mina sits very still, fingers tightening around her file on her lap. He smiles gently, as if he's worried for her well being. "But you, you still have untapped potential. With the right…mentorship," he says the word slowly, "someone like you could go very far. Faster than others. You strike me as someone who's… passionate about growth."
Mina tries to respond carefully, but words seem to dissolve in her throat.
He continues, "I don't offer this often. There are… ways to build a closer rapport between a client and a promising junior member. Direct communication , bypassing the noise of senior mediation. I could pull some strings, you know? Recommend you personally for future collaboration. Get your name noticed. A girl....like you," He scans her head to toe, not even hiding it now, "....deserves it." He places his hand on her palms on the table, gently cupping them.
A chill sends down Mina's spine. She made a mistake coming here, and she knows it.