VSSSP 04

Chapter 4

The meal proceeded in a relatively quiet atmosphere. Soo-ah, Min-seong, and Hyeon sat facing each other, with Hyeon seated beside Min-seong. The few words exchanged were mostly initiated by Soo-ah.

“So, when’s the wedding?”

“I want to get married as soon as possible, but the hotel booking is six months from now. We’re doing it here at Raon Hotel.”

Min-seong answered most of the questions.

From the sound of their conversation, it almost seemed like only Min-seong and Soo-ah were present.

Soo-ah swirled her wine glass absentmindedly.

“Six months… if you wanted it sooner, you should’ve booked a cheaper wedding hall.”

“Even if we’re in a hurry, Professor Seo’s social reputation matters. It’s their first family wedding, so it’d be better at a good venue.”

At Min-seong’s words, Soo-ah continued spinning the wine glass, looking bored. Then she abruptly shifted the topic.

“I heard the suite on the 21st floor—Raon Hotel lets couples who hold their wedding here use it for a proposal event. They even allow couples to spend their first night in that same suite.”

There was something about her words that made Hyeon uncomfortable.

But unlike Hyeon, Min-seong casually nodded while cutting his steak.

“Really?”

Hyeon once again told himself he was being overly sensitive and tried to let it go. If only things could be that simple. Sitting at a meal with Soo-ah made it hard for him to swallow his food.

He kept drinking wine.

Soo-ah set her glass down and rested her chin on her hands.

Then she muttered to herself:

“Six months, huh…”

Hyeon’s eyes darted around.

He was anxious, not knowing what she might say next.

Soo-ah studied his expression and asked,

“So, after you get married, are you going to quit the company?”

Hyeon worked as a garden designer at the interior design company where Soo-ah was the representative.

However, when she called him “Team Leader Seo,” it was always at work. At home or elsewhere, she rarely used his name. Most of the time, she called him “hey” or “you.”

And even then, words were the least of it. She was more likely to slap the back of his head or shove his shoulder.

This time, Min-seong answered for him.

“Quit? No way. He’ll keep working. I’m not the old-fashioned type who thinks women should stay home after marriage.”

“I know. I know just how open-minded you are. Believe me, I really do.”

Soo-ah smiled meaningfully.

“After marriage… are you two planning to have kids?”

Hyeon’s face stiffened at her words.

That wasn’t something you asked a couple about to get married. But then again—who was Soo-ah?

She always did whatever she wanted. If she desired something, she went after it.

She never held back what she wanted to say.

Even though Hyeon looked uncomfortable, she continued.

“These days, I hear premarital pregnancy is trending… what about you two?”

Once again, Min-seong chuckled and answered.

“That kind of dowry wasn’t in our plans. After marriage, we want to take our time before having kids. We’d like to enjoy life as a couple first.”

Maybe Hyeon really was overreacting. Yet the strange conversation kept repeating, and for some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of grievance.

That feeling pushed him to drink more wine.

He refilled his glass. When he lifted it, Min-seong finally turned to look at him.

“Hyeon, aren’t you drinking too much?”

“Let him be. Is he a child? He’ll drink as much as he can handle.”

Soo-ah answered instead of Hyeon.

He didn’t get a chance to speak at all.

“Because I’m worried you’ll get drunk.”

Min-seong’s tone carried a faint hint of irritation.

Soo-ah smirked.

“Are you afraid I’ll get drunk and you’ll have to take me home?”

“How would I take you home? You know I have to get back to the lab. And you said you had plans, right?”

Hyeon hadn’t heard anything about Soo-ah’s plans after dinner. She never told him where she was going or what she was doing. The fact that Min-seong knew her schedule at all hurt him.

No matter how much he tried to ignore it, this time he couldn’t.

He drained his wine glass in one go.

Min-seong frowned.

“Hyeon, are you really okay?”

“I can take a taxi home.”

Hyeon forced out the words, his voice barely steady.

He reached for the wine bottle to refill his glass. Through his drunken haze, his gaze dropped beneath the table.

What… is that?

He narrowed his eyes.

A red high heel and a black men’s dress shoe were tangled together.

Soo-ah’s and Min-seong’s feet.

Startled, Hyeon dropped the wine bottle. The red liquid spilled across the white tablecloth, spreading everywhere.

Soo-ah shot to her feet and shouted:

“Hey! If you’re drunk, at least behave! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Hyeon, I told you to slow down.”

Neither of them asked if he was okay.

His lips trembled.

“Um… I’ll go to the restroom.”

He grabbed his bag and stood, fleeing the table.

Soo-ah’s irritated voice followed him:

“Hey! I’m losing my appetite, so get out of here. Meet me in the lobby.”

Ignoring her yelling, Hyeon left the restaurant. Even then, he feared she might come after him—she always had.

She was the kind of person who cornered others and then enjoyed pushing them further.

He opened the emergency stairwell door instead of going to the restroom.

He climbed the stairs in a panic. His trembling legs only managed to reach the next floor before he collapsed.

“No… I must have seen it wrong.”

He shook his head, covering it with both hands.

It had to be an illusion from the alcohol.

No matter how distant his relationship with Soo-ah was, they were family.

Even if she dislikes me, she would at least have basic decency.

But why was he so uneasy?

Memories of all the times she had tormented him since childhood flashed through his mind.

Yet despite everything, he still wanted to believe in her.

That final thread of trust—he couldn’t let it go.

He forgot about going to the lobby and curled up on the stairs, trembling.