ALRE 08

Chapter : 8

The alcohol cleared from her system in an instant.

Who on earth was that man calling right now?

After pushing her friends into the room, I-young threw herself toward Jaewon.

Swish—Thud!

Just one meter short, she slid across the floor and ended up sprawled out with her hand stretched toward the air.

Trying to snatch the man’s phone, she had tripped on her oversized slippers and fallen.

The landlord looked down at her with a detached gaze and calmly continued his call.

“…Yes, sir. I’ll call back. …Yes, I met your daughter. …Yes, I’ll contact you again.”

After ending the call, he slipped the phone into the inner pocket of his jacket and walked over to stand right in front of I-young.

Then he bent down on one knee and met her eyes as she lay on the floor.

A silence as cold as his gaze settled over them.

“Unit 1004.”

A long moment passed before a chilling voice dropped from above her head.

Ah. So this man had known all along that she lived in this officetel.

He hadn’t had trouble recognizing her. His cognition wasn’t off, nor was his eyesight bad.

“Y-Yes.”

The corners of I-young’s eyes trembled.

She was hurting from the fall, but stopping this man was her first priority.

“You snuck out, didn’t you?”

“N-No, I didn’t.”

“Then why are you lying on the floor like this? Didn’t you fall trying to grab my phone?”

I-young hurriedly got up.

“How much did you drink to end up like that?”

“What are you talking about? I—I’m completely fine.”

With no way out, she chose the cute-act route, smiling with her eyes curved sweetly.

She fluttered her long lashes on purpose.

She just needed to survive this.

“You won’t tell my dad, right?”

“Who were the people with you?”

“Oh, them? Don’t worry about them.”

I-young waved her hands and laughed awkwardly.

“Who were they.”

Scary.

This was the first time she’d met a man scarier than her dad.

Defeated, she answered obediently.

“Friends.”

“Explain. Longer.”

…Longer? He wants a detailed explanation?

This guy is unbelievable.

“Not going to talk?”

“Isn’t it ridiculous to treat a grown adult like this? And even if you are my blind-date partner, the blind date is over! We said goodbye. It’s done. Why call my dad like some tattletale?”

“You’re not very smart.”

“…What did you say?”

“I told you before we left the café. Don’t sell me out. Go home quietly. Don’t cause trouble.”

“T-That was—”

“Why do you keep showing up everywhere I look?”

“I just need to stay out of sight from now on, right? So stop caring.”

“Keep it. The promise.”

As if he no longer wanted to waste energy on her, Jaewon glanced up and down her figure once more, then turned toward the elevator.

Her friends cracked the door open and peeked out.

“What are you doing out there? Aren’t you coming?”

“I—I’m coming.”

Jaewon pretended not to hear, hands in his pockets, staring at the elevator panel.

If you were my little sister, you’d be dead.

A short while later, after signing a preliminary renovation contract with Palace Hotel, Jaewon left the office with Jisu.

The detailed conditions would be finalized by the legal team and the department head before the main contract was signed.

Since the president—Jaewon himself—had checked everything in person, the final contract would go smoothly unless something unexpected happened.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

Jaewon couldn’t shake off the faint sense of disorder stirring inside him.

Since it was a seasonal tourist location, the hotel lobby was packed even at night.

Most people were couples or families visiting to ski.

Seeing the groups gathered together reminded him of Kang I-young, who’d come with her friends.

Well… when else would you have fun but when you’re young?

He and Jisu, here for work, probably looked out of place.

“Lucky them. Some people get to enjoy themselves like crazy…”

Jisu spoke softly, as if she had the same thought.

Jaewon glanced at her. Thinking a light drink might not hurt, he scanned the area.

“Want a drink?”

“I’d love one.”

Jisu answered with sparkling eyes.

“There’s a bar in the basement. Let’s drink there.”

“Yes.”

They headed down to the basement bar.

Sitting in the dimly lit bar, Jisu stole glances at Jaewon as he drank.

She stared at his face, almost entranced, when he suddenly spoke.

“Did you get all the videos and photos?”

Ah—the suite room.

Jisu answered a beat late.

“Oh—yes. When I go up later, I’ll double-check to make sure nothing’s missing.”

“If you didn’t finish, do it tomorrow.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Take this.”

Jaewon slid a keycard across the table.

It wasn’t the suite key the manager had given earlier.

“Why… this one?”

“What, you want to sleep with me?”

His sharp eyes pierced her. Jisu bit her lip and took the card.

The suite had four rooms.

Meaning they could each use a room and still have extras—no need to book a separate room.

“Lee Jisu, I don’t like unnecessary misunderstandings. You’re not a woman to me.”

His eyes held no emotion—only cold neutrality.

“What if… I liked you, senior?”

He was a man with walls of steel. But Jisu couldn’t contain her confusion and asked cautiously.

Jaewon’s unwavering gaze remained unchanged.

“Then resign.”

“Ha. I knew you’d say that.”

“Good. Then fix how you address me.”

His expression was firm, leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, President.”

Jisu took a drink, feeling foolish for blurring the line between work and personal emotions.

“Young people these days hang out in big mixed groups like that?”

He swirled the ice in his whiskey and asked.

“Oh, I’ve never hung out like that, so I don’t really know.”

Not knowing what he was thinking, she dodged the question.

Was he thinking about the blind-date girl?

His thoughts remained unreadable, and he fell silent again.

To break the awkward quiet, Jisu brought up his favorite topic—interior design.

“This place feels like a mountain lodge.”

He’d been thinking about getting up, but her comment made him look around.

“Where? Like an Alpine lodge?”

The wood-themed interior did resemble a lodge, like she said.

A faint scent of wood lingered in the air.

But it seemed the hotel owner, though wealthy, had no sense of execution—there was no harmony in the hotel’s overall design, everything clashed.

“Yes, exactly. An Alpine lodge.”

Jisu agreed.

“A lodge belongs aboveground. Down here, it’s wasted.”

“True. You’re supposed to see snowy scenery outside the windows. Instead, it’s all walls—feels suffocating.”

Jisu tipped back another full glass.

They had said they’d only drink lightly… This wasn’t a good sign.

Jaewon’s expression hardened.

“Let’s go.”

“Can’t we stay a little longer?”

“Did you forget why we came?”

“Sigh… fine. We should go.”

Dragging her words, Jisu rose slowly.

Watching her silently, Jaewon turned away, his gaze as icy as the quiet between them.

They exited the bar and went to the elevator.

When it arrived, Jaewon pressed the button for upstairs and looked at her.

“Go first.”

“What about you?”

“Go.”

Staring at his indifferent face, Jisu stepped inside weakly.

Only then did Jaewon remove his hand from the button and slip his hands into his pockets, waiting for the doors to close.

He watched her lowered head and downcast eyes expressionlessly.

Only after she disappeared from sight did he turn toward the just-arrived elevator beside hers and step inside.