The following days, Yeong Ye-Jun didn't pay any attention to her. She was assigned few tasks, through intermediaries. 

Noelle felt that she achieved her goal: he was avoiding her. 

She couldn't hide the triumphant smile on her face whenever she thought about it. 

Her writing now went smoothly. That day, she was focused on a difficult part of her essay, chapter '4.3. Horizontal Diversification: The Actor-Ye-Jun: The strategic move into acting.’ 

She had analyzed all information provided but still felt something missing. Noelle wanted  additional data. 

Chloe wasn't on the phone, or any online meeting. Rare opportunity! 

"Mrs Pyo? Do you have a moment?" Noelle asked, peeking through the open door of her office. 

"Sure. Please come in," she invited her warmly. 

"It's about my thesis. I want to analyze how the horizontal diversification into acting has affected the brand's revenues. I don't have detailed information about his income per project, only per year. Do you think I can access this information?" 

"I thought you would never ask! Of course you should write about this." 

Is she testing me? 

"I suggest including this analysis in Chapter 4 'The ascent', not Chapter 5 'The orbit'. I have to warn you; you'll have to do a lot of data mining for these details," Chloe warned her. 

"No problem at all!" 

"Ok, then I'll call the IT right away to give you access to the platform.” 

She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Yes, hello. I want to give access to a member of my team to RCP platform," she said and paused. "Noelle Auclair... Yes, I’ll also send an email. What else do you need?" she continued pausing for a second. 

At the same moment Sang-Jun exited the meeting room and passed by her office door. Chloe put her hand on the phone microphone.  

“Sang-Jun!” Chloe called, but he walked past the door. She repeated louder: “Ho Sang-Jun!” He pointed the bud on his ear, nodded, and kept walking. 

Chloe returned to the phone. "What did you say? Yes? Hello? Oh no, he hung up. I better send the details with an email," she said to herself and started typing the email.  

"I don't want to take any more of your time. Thank you very much!" Noelle said and went back to her seat, while Sang-Jun was entering Chloe's office, ready to close the door, saying: "It is happening tomorrow..." 

Soon enough, she received an email from the IT department with details on how to connect with the platform. She went through the basic guide and she began collecting data. She loved data. They would definitely spice up her work. 

After lunch break, Mi-Suk had to attend a meeting with Sang-Jun. So, Noelle walked back alone to the office. 

She was eager to get back to work, but the moment she stepped past the glass wall, the blood drained from her body. 

Yeong Ye-Jun was inside the office. Alone. And not just anywhere - he was standing right above her desk, staring at the locked screen of her laptop.  

What should I do? Should I rush in, demanding an explanation or keep spying? 

She decided that a few more moments of trying to figure out what he was up to wouldn't harm. Noelle thus saw him pressing a few random keys on the laptop, as if testing it or trying to wake the screen. 

He isn't trying to unlock my laptop, is he? 

That dreadful thought crossed her mind, but her time for thinking was over. 

Yeong Ye-Jun had just snapped his head around and had just noticed her. His eyes sparked with fury, he began walking towards her direction. 

Does he have the nerve to be angry at me? 

Noelle also started striding towards him. She opened the door and they came face to face. 

Yeong Ye-Jun towered over her, his eyes burning with the raw, irrational rage of a wild, trapped stallion.  

Yet he could never frighten her. She met his eyes steadily, like a viper ready to sink its venomous fangs into him. 

This fight would go down to the wire. 

They spoke simultaneously. 

“Why were you spying on me?” 

“What were you doing on my desk?” 

Noelle wasn't willing to let him take the lead. “Are you serious? I just caught you red-handed trying to access my laptop!” 

“What business do I have with your laptop? You were the one surveilling me!” 

“I was walking down the hall and saw what you were up to. I should have imitated your example and taken some photos!” 

“That's right! You need to keep records of me, for your assignment - whatever that is!” 

“Apologize now! You were up to no good, and you keep accusing me of the most insane claims.” 

“I never apologize!” he declared. 

“I didn't expect you to have manners.” 

“You don't know me!” 

“And you don't know me either! And still you think you have everything figured out!” 

“I told from the beginning. There is no place for you here!” 

“I don't want a place here! I don't want to be anywhere close to you!” 

Noelle's voice cracked. Oh, shit! No! 

She couldn't believe herself. Just for a second she let her emotions take her over. She quickly pivoted, so he couldn't notice her chest pounding or her eyes… 

“Nobody is keeping you here!” he said. 

“Yeah, right. The moment I type my last period on that damn paper I'll be gone. But not a second before that.” 

He took a step closer, just enough to glimpse at her hidden face. 

“When will I see what you are really writing about me?” 

“Never!” she declared, turning to look at him again. 

“I want to know.” 

“That was what you were trying to do? Read it?” That was ridiculous. 

“If I had access to it, I would delete it.” 

Noelle stared right into his eyes. She took a breath in. In front of her a young man was standing, apparently fighting for something. He looked sad. His eyes were furious, but the truth is they were... scared. It seemed he was trying to hide things he wasn't comfortable with. 

She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, her gaze was also sad - and calm. She lifted her hand and placed it lightly on his arm. “What is wrong?” 

His eyes dropped to her hand, confusion flickering across his face. His lips parted, ready to challenge her sudden change in behavior. Maybe she had just imagined it, but she could swear he trembled ever so slightly. 

He didn’t react instantly, but when he finally did, she wasn’t surprised. 

He jerked his hand back and glared at her again, with eyes sharp as a razor. 

“Don’t touch me again. Whatever you’re trying with me… it won’t work.” 

He stormed out of the office. 

If only she could get inside his mind for just a moment. Just long enough to understand what he was so terrified she would find.