The Famous Millionaire Chapter 105

Chapter 105
About fifteen days after Ani & Funny was founded, it began to establish its place in the field . Above all, the financial support of the city of Ansan was crucial . The city government paid half the salary of the talent donation teachers but also purchased the used computers and programs from the bankruptcy sale of Imagingpia with subsidies . Even those working for Hyunwoo's animation company were also actively involved . In particular, Jungah offered more help than Hyunwoo expected . When he came down to Ansan from Seoul over the weekend, she stopped by the House of Happiness to exchange views with the kids about their animation work . Thanks to her help, they were already creating the theme of their stories as well as the characters . Hyunwoo was just happy to see that . He just felt happy without any particular reason whenever he thought of Ani & Funny, and he focused on his start-up company as soon as he left the office . The Anifan kids were largely dependent on Hyunwoo . Whenever they came upon good ideas, they sent him text messages on and off to ask for his opinion . He just smiled before he knew it after confirming their messages, which his colleagues at Aurum could never know . "What are you so happy about, Assistant Manager Jang?" asked one of his colleagues . "You bet . Do you have a new girlfriend?" asked another . Embarrassed a bit, Hyunwoo spoke vaguely, just scratching his head, "Oh, nothing particular . " Then, he sent a text message to Hyunsuk, the senior of the cooking club of the House of Happiness, I think I can stop by around 8 pm, so get some food for me, okay? She replied, Yes, yes, yes! After confirming her cute reply, Hyunwoo raised his head with a smile again . At that moment Suji Min who sat across from his desk was looking at him . When her eyes met his, she avoided his eyes awkwardly as if she was caught sneaking a peek . Hyunwoo tilted his head at her behavior . Her attitude toward him was awkward these days . She seemed to keep a watch on him secretly and her glassy stare seemed to show she was upset about him . Why is she acting like that? Did I do something wrong to her? He tried to find out why and when she changed her attitude toward him . In hindsight, it coincided with the time when her mother joined the senior group he took on mountain outings . Since then she began to give him the cold shoulder, and all the more so recently . Despite all of that, he didn't do anything discourteous or annoying to her . As he took her mother to outings and the alternative school, he did something good, not bad, for her and her mother . Then, suddenly one thing came to his mind . Is it because of her mother's teaching at the alternative school? Hyunwoo's parents spent only one day at the school for teaching . But Suji's mother, Mrs . Kong was very energetic . Even though she could not move freely, she was teaching the kids twice a week . She sometimes took a taxi, but usually, she took a bus . She might have other reasons, of course, he thought . It was possible she found a new boyfriend suddenly or had a quarrel with her boyfriend . Still, Hyunwoo couldn't figure out why she was acting cold because she didn't say anything to him . While Hyunwoo was wondering why, his colleagues left the office one by one . Before leaving the office, Sangho Oh initiated a conversation with her in an affectionate and kind tone, "Suji, shall we have dinner together? I've found a famous pasta restaurant . You'll be surprised if you taste the food there . " It looked like Sangho and Suji got pretty close these days . In particular, Sangho treated her affectionately as if she was his girlfriend or sister . Every time she left the office for the day, he tried to treat her to dinner or give her a ride to her house . Suji didn't refuse his efforts coldly . Sometimes, she left the office with him and smiled brightly even when she had to refuse his request . Today, she refused his request . "Sorry, I think I have to work a bit longer this evening and eat at home today . Thanks anyway . " "Do you have lots of work to do? Can I help you?" "No thanks . I can finish it in two or three hours . " "Okay, then . Let me give you a call later . " When Sangho left, only Hyunwoo and Suji were left alone in the whole office . Hyunwoo looked at her to ask why she changed her attitude toward him, but she was busy with work, her head down and paid no attention to him at all . The atmosphere between them was cold . Hyunwoo stood up and went to the water purifier . He made jasmine tea, her favorite, and came to her desk with it . "Drink this . " Only then did Suji cast a glance at him, "Thank you . " But that's it . She focused again on work as if she put a post-it memo on her forehead that read 'Don't speak to me as I'm busy!' . Hyunwoo could not bring up what he wanted to speak to her about in such an atmosphere . For almost two hours they just focused on work like that without saying even one word to each other . Finally, Hyunwoo sorted out the files after he was done, and broke the silence by saying, "Are you still not finished? Can I help you?" "No thanks . I'm done, too . " Suddenly she asked, "Do you have an appointment this evening?" Hyunwoo opened his eyes wide . It looked like he found a chance to ask her about her icy attitude toward him . "Not really . I don't have any particular appointment," said Hyunwoo quickly . "Seriously? Are you sure?" demanded Suji . Hyunwoo felt something suspicious . It was as if she was asking him, knowing already she knew his appointment . Hyunwoo had no appointment, and if any, it was his dinner at the House of Happiness . Narrowing her eyes, she asked all of a sudden, "Can you buy me dinner then?" At the moment, Hyunwoo was startled . By now Hyunsuk, the senior of the cooking class at the House of Happiness would have prepared dinner for him, and that with her all sincerity . And the Anifan kids would be waiting for him . Though they must be hungry, they would be waiting for him to dine together . If he canceled the appointment suddenly, how disappointed they would be . When Hyunwoo was hesitant to reply, Suji stared at him coldly . Sangho was right . Suji was half in doubt about what Sangho had said about Hyunwoo's close relationship with Minhye Park, the president's daughter . It was true that Minhye was getting pretty affectionate to Hyunwoo during the recent picnic, but he didn't show any interest in her . Sometimes Hyunwoo was caught exchanging text messages with someone, and he looked happy on such occasions, with a satisfactory look on his face . Suji thought she knew about men, so she felt Hyunwoo was in love with some woman . She was confident that the woman was Minhye . While looking for a chance to ask him, only now did she ask Hyunoo about it . Suji stood up, with a sulky look on her face, "I'm disappointed . I didn't know you're such a guy . " "What are you talking about?" "Do you think I'll blame you if I know you've been dating Minhye? I can understand you're dating her for some reason, but why are you hiding it from me like this? You're even lying to me on this . " Hyunwoo's eyes opened wide, "What the heck are you talking about? Am I dating who? Lying?" "You have an appointment this evening after work, right? Isn't it Minhye you exchanged text messages in the office a while ago? You can't lie it to me, can you?" Hyunwoo scratched his head and quickly took out his cell phone to show her the text message . Though he couldn't figure out why she had such a misunderstanding of him, he wanted to clear it up as soon as possible . "Actually I requested someone at the House of Happiness to make dinner for me . If you can't trust me, take a look at this message . Confirm it if I'm lying to you . " She narrowed her eyes again and took a quick look at the message . She couldn't see any message on his request, except for a short reply "Yes, yes, yes" from someone by the name of Hyunsuk . Suji showed a sneering smile, "I think you must have saved Minhye's name as Hyunsuk on your cell phone, right? How cunning you are!" "Okay, then . Why don't we have dinner together at the House of Happiness? Hyunsuk must have prepared it already . " Still, Suji could not believe it, not completely persuaded . "Sure . Let's go together then . " She got in Hyunwoo's van and they headed to the House of Happiness . She wondered if Hyunwoo could really go there while in the van, but Hyunwoo drove to the House of Happiness . Finally, they arrived there, and Hyunwoo turned off the engine . "Let's get out . Hyunsuk must have been waiting for me very long . " "Are you sure there is a woman called Hyunsuk here?" "Do you think Minye has come here to prepare dinner for me then? I'm hungry . Just follow me . " Hyunwoo walked ahead, with Suji following him with a perplexed look on her face . As Hyunwoo said, the dinner was prepared for him in the dining hall . Seeing Suji along with him, Hyunsuk opened her wide, "Oh, two of you, not you alone, brother Hyunwoo!" "Sorry, she joined me suddenly . If you don't have enough boiled rice, just boil ramen noodles . " "No, we have some more boiled rice . Please have a seat . " Suji took a seat hesitantly, "Sorry, Hyunsuk . I think I bother you too often like this . " "No, no, not at all . Let me bring brother Jihun and other kids . They are so hungry at the moment," said Hyunsuk and then left to bring the kids . Left alone with Hyunwoo, Suji asked furtively, "Do you have dinner here often?" "Several times per week . By the way, you look weird these days . Did I do something disappointing to you?" "Oh, no, not at all . " "Then, why are you acting like that to me?" "Acting like what?" said she, as if she couldn't figure out . Of course, she knew but didn't want to bring it up to him . Hyunwoo didn't want to question closely . All he wanted was for her to stop acting coldly towards him . Scratching his head, Hyunwoo replied, "I'm glad to hear that, Suji . " A little later the kids came into the dining hall, all feeling hungry . "Wow, how beautiful she is! How do you do, sister?" The kids were so happy to see Suji, and she smiled a bright smile at them . "How is your learning these days? Try to learn as much as possible from the talent donation teachers while they're available . " They just smiled, "Well, they're not donating talent, to be honest with you . They're getting paid for their teaching, right? Then, this is a private lesson for us . " It was true . Looking at them, Hyunwoo grinned, "There is something you don't know . This is not a private lesson but a talent donation . So, try to learn from them in gratitude all the time, okay?"

Chapter end