#Ch2 Too Different

By Hyunwoo’s third day working at JS Group, he realized something important.

Nobody breathed normally around Kang Jisung.

Not managers.

Not directors.

Not even executives twice his age.

The entire company moved according to the CEO’s mood like their lives depended on it.

Which honestly?

Maybe they did.

“CEO Kang rejected the marketing proposal.”

The office instantly became tense.

“Again?”

“He said the font looked unserious.”

“…It was Arial.”

Meanwhile, at the center of the chaos—

Hyunwoo sat at his desk eating strawberry yogurt while answering emails.

Minji stared at him in disbelief.

“How are you still alive?”

Hyunwoo looked up innocently. “Hm?”

“It’s been three days.”

“Okay?”

“Nobody survives three days without crying.”

“I almost cried yesterday.”

Minji gasped. “Really?”

“The printer jammed.”

“…Oh.”

He smiled.

She looked exhausted already.

Honestly, Hyunwoo didn’t think Kang Jisung was as horrible as everyone made him sound.

Yes, he was terrifying.

Yes, he stared at people like he was calculating whether they were worth keeping employed.

And yes, his personality genuinely needed sunlight.

But—

He wasn’t unfair.

That was the strange part.

Cold?

Absolutely.

Demanding?

Painfully.

But every correction had logic behind it.

Every expectation made sense.

Even his strictness felt precise instead of cruel.

Still scary though.

Very scary.

As if summoned by fear itself, the CEO’s office door suddenly opened.

The entire floor straightened immediately.

Kang Jisung stepped out wearing a black suit sharp enough to kill someone psychologically.

“Meeting room. Five minutes.”

That was all he said.

Then his eyes landed on Hyunwoo.

Briefly.

One second at most.

Yet somehow the atmosphere changed instantly.

“You’re chewing loudly.”

Hyunwoo froze mid-bite.

“…Sorry.”

“Finish eating before entering meetings.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jisung walked away.

Silence covered the office for exactly three seconds before everyone turned toward Hyunwoo in shock.

“You just apologized to him normally,” Jaeho whispered.

“…Should I not?”

“Usually people panic first.”

Hyunwoo blinked slowly.

“…You all work in fear.”

“We work in survival.”

—

The executive meeting room felt painfully tense.

Directors organized papers nervously while waiting for Kang Jisung to arrive.

Hyunwoo sat near the end of the table, quietly preparing schedules and documents.

He noticed something quickly.

Nobody spoke casually around the CEO.

Not even small talk.

The room stayed silent until the door opened.

Kang Jisung entered exactly on time.

Not one second early.

Not one second late.

The meeting started immediately.

And honestly?

Watching him work was kind of insane.

He noticed everything.

Every mistake.

Every inconsistency.

Every weak explanation.

“Your projected numbers don’t match last quarter’s reports.”

The director visibly paled.

“I—”

“Page seven,” Jisung said coldly. “Third graph.”

Everyone scrambled through papers.

He was right.

Of course he was right.

“You prepared this presentation for three weeks,” Jisung continued calmly. “Yet my secretary noticed the error in under four minutes.”

The room went silent.

Every head slowly turned toward Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo nearly dropped his pen.

“…Me?”

Jisung looked at him briefly. “You circled the numbers earlier.”

“Oh.”

Right.

He did do that.

He thought it was just a typo.

The director looked seconds away from fainting.

Hyunwoo suddenly felt bad.

“…It was probably just stress,” he offered carefully.

Jisung’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You’re defending him?”

Hyunwoo blinked. “Should I not?”

The director looked emotional enough to cry.

Meanwhile, several employees silently prayed for Hyunwoo’s safety.

Nobody interrupted Kang Jisung during meetings.

Nobody softened his criticism.

Yet somehow this secretary kept doing exactly that without fear.

Strangely—

Jisung didn’t tell him to stop.

—

After the meeting ended, employees escaped the room like survivors leaving a disaster zone.

Hyunwoo stayed behind organizing documents.

“You shouldn’t defend mistakes.”

Hyunwoo looked up.

Jisung stood beside the table reviewing files.

Still calm.

Still cold.

Still unfairly attractive for someone with the emotional warmth of winter.

“He looked nervous,” Hyunwoo replied honestly.

“Nervous employees make careless employees.”

“People usually make more mistakes when they’re scared.”

Silence.

Jisung slowly looked at him.

Most employees agreed with him immediately.

Not because they believed him.

Because they feared him.

But Hyunwoo spoke naturally.

Honestly.

Like he forgot who he was talking to half the time.

“That mindset decreases efficiency,” Jisung said.

“Maybe.”

“You disagree?”

“A little.”

The room suddenly felt quieter.

More dangerous somehow.

Hyunwoo realized too late that disagreeing with the CEO of a billion-dollar company was maybe not the smartest career decision.

“…Respectfully,” he added quickly.

Jisung stared at him for a long moment.

Then unexpectedly—

“Interesting.”

That was it.

No anger.

No warning.

Just one word before he walked out.

Hyunwoo stood there blinking in confusion.

What did that mean?

—

Later that afternoon, Hyunwoo made another discovery.

Kang Jisung absolutely hated physical contact.

Not disliked.

Hated.

It happened accidentally.

The executive floor became crowded after lunch, employees rushing between offices carrying files and laptops.

Hyunwoo turned a corner too quickly—

—and bumped directly into Jisung.

Not hard.

Barely a shoulder touch.

But the reaction was immediate.

Jisung stepped back sharply.

Expression darkening instantly.

The surrounding employees froze in horror.

One assistant literally covered her mouth.

Hyunwoo realized what happened a second too late.

“Oh— sorry.”

Jisung’s jaw tightened.

His posture looked rigid now.

Tense.

Like even brief contact genuinely bothered him.

Hyunwoo immediately stepped back further. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Watch where you’re going.”

Cold voice.

Sharper than usual.

The atmosphere turned uncomfortable instantly.

Everyone nearby lowered their heads.

Nobody moved.

Hyunwoo felt guilty immediately.

“Sorry, sir.”

Jisung didn’t answer.

He simply walked away.

The second he disappeared around the hallway corner, the employees collectively exhaled.

“…You touched him,” Minji whispered like Hyunwoo had survived a near-death experience.

“I know.”

“Nobody touches him.”

“It was an accident.”

Jaeho leaned closer dramatically. “Last year a manager grabbed his arm during an argument.”

“…And?”

“He got transferred to another country.”

Hyunwoo stared.

“…That sounds illegal.”

“No, that sounds like CEO Kang.”

Still…

Something about the earlier moment bothered him.

Not because Jisung got angry.

That part made sense.

But for half a second—

Right after the accidental touch—

Jisung looked almost panicked.

Not angry.

Panicked.

Like physical contact genuinely unsettled him.

Which felt strangely sad.

—

That evening, most employees had already left the office.

Except Kang Jisung.

Of course.

The lights in his office still glowed against the dark city skyline outside.

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo sat at his desk finishing tomorrow’s schedules while quietly eating convenience store ramen.

Executive floor dinner.

Very glamorous.

He was halfway through eating when the CEO’s office door opened suddenly.

Hyunwoo looked up quickly.

Jisung stepped out.

His gaze immediately landed on the ramen cup.

Then on Hyunwoo.

“…That’s your dinner?”

Hyunwoo looked down at the noodles. “Uh. Yeah?”

“You’re still working.”

“So are you.”

Silence.

Nobody usually answered him like that.

Not rudely.

Just naturally.

Like equals having a conversation.

It should’ve irritated him.

Instead—

“…That food has no nutritional value.”

Hyunwoo blinked.

Was that concern?

No.

Impossible.

“You told me to eat before work,” Hyunwoo pointed out carefully. “You didn’t say anything about after.”

Jisung stared at him.

Then, unexpectedly—

Very quietly—

“…Idiot.”

And for some reason—

It didn’t sound mean at all.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***