1 Chapter 1 : Promise to Keep

It was lunchtime, and the team at the public relations department didn't have much work to do. They decided to order lunch from a nice restaurant and enjoy it together inside their office. As a team, they always ate together at one table, but their boss, Rusa Soe, never joined them as she preferred to focus solely on work.

"Hey, let's go to dinner together after work. There's a nice and quiet, yet cheap, restaurant over there," Anna suggested, grabbing a small piece of veggie burger.

"Really? I haven't eaten out for several weeks. Count me in!" John exclaimed, his excitement evident.

"I'm also in. I'm tired of eating at home. I'll also take some packed dishes for my wife," Raj chimed in, expressing his love for his wife and his habit of bringing her along to team gatherings outside the office, until the other team members requested he refrain from doing so.

"I don't have anything to do at home, so I'm going too," Neesha replied, eager to join the outing.

"What about you, Kim?" Anna asked, suggesting he could also bring packed dishes for his sister.

Kim took a gulp of water from his bottle and answered honestly, as he always did, "I promised Sarae that I would keep her company after work. She wants to go shopping today. I want to join you guys too, but I can't break my promise."

Unbeknownst to them, Rusa overheard their conversation as she walked over to Kim's desk to deliver a file. Silently, she placed the file on his desk and wrote a note. As she made her way back to her office, she noticed her team members engrossed in cheerful conversations, completely unaware of her presence.

Kim Srechen, a simple 23-year-old man, had to start working after his graduation to take care of his younger sister. His parents had tragically died in a serious accident when he was on the verge of graduating. He now lived with his high school sister in an apartment they had inherited from their parents. The savings they had were depleted after Kim graduated, leaving nothing for his sister's school fees. Determined to support his sister, Kim began searching for a job. Chairman Soe, impressed by Kim's abilities and work ethic, appointed him to a modest position in his company. Recognizing Kim's potential, Chairman Soe transferred him to work under his daughter, Rusa, in the public relations department. Kim was truly grateful to Chairman Soe and always gave his best in his work.

After finishing their lunch, everyone returned to their respective desks. Kim noticed a file and a note on his desk. He picked up the note and read it: "This file just came from the president's office. Complete it by researching comments and feedback from other media about the listed product before you leave today, and drop it off in my office. It's important and urgent. You can ask others for help too. - Rusa."

Kim didn't know what to do. He really wanted to go out with Sarae Min, a beautiful receptionist at his company. He secretly had a crush on her. He decided to approach John and ask if he could help. However, as he walked towards John's desk, he noticed that John was already engrossed in another file. The same went for the rest of his colleagues. Kim realized that he was the only one without any files and that he had been assigned supervisory duties in the morning. Dejectedly, he returned to his desk.

He thought to himself, "If I break my promise, Sarae will be disappointed in me, and she might not ask for my help again. I

have to complete my work as fast as possible."

Kim sat in his chair and started working at full speed, without pausing even for a glass of water. The working hours passed, and everyone else completed their tasks, but Kim's work was still unfinished. Undeterred, he continued to focus, even as his colleagues left the office one by one. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, he completed his work. He hurriedly rushed to his boss's office, clutching the files and references. Rusa Soe was still there, diligently writing reports.

As she noticed Kim standing at the door, she remarked, "Oh, you're here. You really worked fast."

"Thanks. I had to," Kim replied, handing her the two files and some references. "Please review and make any necessary corrections. I was in a rush today, so I apologize in advance if there are any mistakes." With that, he hastily returned to his desk, grabbed his bag, and headed towards the reception area.

"Thank God," Kim muttered to himself as he saw Sarae walking towards the main door. He quickly made his way to her.

"Oh, you're still here. I saw all your teammates leaving, so I thought you might have forgotten and already gone home," Sarae said, noticing Kim by her side.

"I promised you. How could I forget?" Kim replied coolly.

Kim retrieved his scooter from the parking lot, and Sarae hopped on the back. Together, they made their way to the large shopping mall near their company. Sarae tried on several dresses while Kim offered his comments.

"You always say I look pretty in every dress. I can't buy them all, you know. Tell me which ones are the best," Sarae complained playfully.

"You're truly beautiful, so all these dresses look pretty on you. Let me choose the absolute best ones," Kim said, pointing out three dresses that Sarae was carrying. "Go ahead and try these."

Sarae gave him a playful look and entered the changing room, while Kim attentively observed the dresses hanging on the wall.

Meanwhile, Rusa Soe finished her report and called her dad.

"I'll be down in fifteen minutes," Chairman Soe responded after picking up her call.

"I'll take my car, dad. I have some shopping to do," Rusa informed him. After Chairman Soe agreed, she ended the call and started driving. At a street with a red traffic light, she came to a halt, lost in her thoughts.