Chapter 08
“Meeting again? Has it been about a month?”
The man recognized her as well and smiled.
“…What are you doing here?”
She never expected to run into him again in a place like this. Was he here to ruin someone else’s blind date?
No… They had said this was an event for VIP clients. Then that meant this man was also…
As her guard went up, he spoke.
“Let’s see… Skipping work?”
Rubbing his chin, he curled his lips into a grin.
Sua discreetly looked him over.
Unlike everyone else who was dressed formally, he wore nothing but slacks and a dress shirt. Even then, several buttons were undone, and his sleeves were carelessly rolled up.
“Do you… work here?”
“If I had to explain it… think of me as event staff.”
So he worked for the matchmaking company. Her wariness eased a little.
“But is it okay for you to skip work?”
“If it were okay, it wouldn’t be called skipping work, would it? What about you?”
“Well… I guess you could say I’m skipping too.”
The conversation stayed pleasantly vague. Neither of them needed to know the other’s details.
Oddly enough, she found herself a little happy to see him.
“What happened to that guy from before?”
He brought up their first meeting.
“It worked out. Thanks to you.”
“Glad to hear it. Then this time, you’ll have to help me.”
“Huh? Help you with wha—”
Before she could finish asking, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him.
Her defenseless body toppled against his chest.
“Wh-What are you doing—!”
Just as she tried to push him away—
Bang!
The door swung open.
“Huh? What the…”
A woman’s sharp voice struck the back of her head.
“Let’s help each other out. I happened to be in a bit of a bind.”
Looking into Sua’s startled eyes, the man whispered softly.
The man hiding in the corner of the room.
The way he’d immediately shouted at her to leave.
The woman who seemed to have been chasing him.
‘…Ah.’
He’d been running away from a woman back then too.
She could roughly guess what was happening.
Was he asking her to pretend to be his girlfriend?
As she was making her guess, his large hand settled gently against the small of her back, pressing her closer until there wasn’t the slightest gap between them.
She could clearly feel the firm muscles of his lean abdomen and broad chest.
It was the first time she’d ever experienced such intimate physical contact.
Sua’s face flushed bright red.
“Let go…”
“Shh. Stay still.”
Whispering beside her ear, he wrapped an arm around the back of her neck as gently as though embracing a lover.
Before she knew it, her face was buried against his shoulder, and she stopped breathing.
He smelled like a fresh forest in the early morning—clean and invigorating.
It was completely at odds with his striking appearance, which looked like the type to wear overpowering cologne.
“Would you mind leaving us alone?”
His voice turned cool and distant.
She finally regained her senses.
“Oh, come on. Too late, huh?”
The woman grumbled before the door shut again.
Only then did the force holding Sua captive disappear.
“If you’re done, let me go now.”
Sua lowered her voice in warning.
But with her face still buried against his shoulder, it came out as little more than a muffled murmur.
A moment later, she felt the warmth of his breath brush against the nape of her neck.
A shiver ran through her.
Goosebumps spread across her entire body.
The unfamiliar tingling sensation made her whole body tremble.
“What are you—!”
As Sua struggled, the strength left his arms.
She quickly pushed herself upright and rubbed the back of her neck.
“What perfume do you use?”
Still holding onto her wrist as she tried to move away, he asked lazily.
Her face grew even redder.
The question made her feel as though he’d caught her noticing his scent.
“I don’t wear any!”
Embarrassed, she ended up raising her voice.
“Then body lotion? Hmm… Soap?”
“Excuse me!”
“It’s an honest question. I was just curious.”
Unlike the flustered Sua, he remained completely composed.
“I use soap. Happy now? Let go.”
The moment she twisted her wrist to free herself, he suddenly released it.
“!”
Still pulling backward, her body lost its balance and tipped over.
Ah—I’m falling—
Just as she thought she was about to tumble off the sofa, he caught her around the waist.
“…”
From below, she found herself staring directly into his face.
With the light shining from behind him, his features looked almost sculpted from marble.
So this was what people meant by someone looking like they had a halo.
Sua could only blink.
It felt as though she was being hypnotized by his face.
“…Put me back.”
Coming back to her senses, she spoke in a stiff, warning tone.
“My apologies.”
Chuckling, he pulled her upright and seated her properly on the sofa.
“Thanks to you, I avoided a troublesome situation.”
“Ha…”
Sua let out a long sigh.
Just as she’d thought.
He’d simply used her to get rid of another woman.
There had to have been other ways.
“Does this happen to you often?”
“As you can see, I’m blessed with an exceptionally handsome face.”
He sighed dramatically, looking exhausted.
“They keep throwing themselves at me. It’s very troublesome.”
Sua pressed her lips together tightly.
Is he really some kind of player?
A womanizer?
He was way too natural with all that physical contact…
“Even so, isn’t it wrong to do that to a stranger?”
She scolded him firmly.
Someone had to point out how rude he’d been.
“What exactly?”
“You know… grabbing someone and hugging them like—”
Sua trailed off.
The tips of her ears turned scarlet.
“Not a stranger.”
“Huh?”
“We’ve already met before.”
He simply tilted his head as though stating the obvious.
“Anyway, sorry. That woman was pretty persistent.”
“You didn’t need to let her see your face either.”
She couldn’t really argue with that.
“…Can an employee treat a customer like this?”
“I never said I worked here.”
“Then what are you—”
No.
There was no point asking.
She already knew he was a strange man.
Why was she even wasting time arguing with him?
Realizing she’d gotten worked up over nothing, Sua stood.
“Leaving already?”
“Yes.”
“Stay a little longer. She might come back.”
“…”
Without saying anything, Sua simply stared at him.
Taejo met her gaze without looking away.
He could tell exactly how she saw him.
She looked down on him.
No…
It was closer to contempt.
No one had ever looked at him that way before.
He had a pretty good idea of what misunderstanding she had about him.
“Please.”
Taejo smiled pleasantly and pressed his advantage.
Watching the expressions on her pale face change from moment to moment as she deliberated was surprisingly entertaining.
If only she knew…
That this reunion was something I’d deliberately arranged…
How would she react then?
“You’ve already helped once.”
“So why not provide some after-sales service too?”
Looking at the man refusing to let her go, Sua briefly imagined what was happening outside.
Should she stay here with this strange man…
Or go back out and endure being scrutinized by men evaluating her as a potential wife?
It felt like choosing between two different evils.
“…Only if you promise not to touch me again.”
“Seriously. What kind of person do you take me for?”
Frowning as though insulted, he gestured toward the seat across from him.
Just as Sua cautiously sat down without lowering her guard—
Her phone vibrated inside her purse.
It was Mihyang.
“Go ahead. Answer it.”
She glanced at the man.
He simply nodded.
“Hello, Mom.”
Still hesitant, Sua answered while turning the volume down.
“My goodness, Sua. Don’t tell me you ran away?”
Mihyang’s loud voice echoed through the quiet private room anyway.
“…No. I’m still here.”
Pressing a hand against her forehead, Sua answered.
She could already picture her mother anxiously pacing around the house.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Have you found anyone you like? Anyone decent?”
Her mother’s voice immediately brightened.
“Mom… I only just got here.”
“Time isn’t what matters.”
Aware of the man sitting across from her, Sua cleared her throat.
“Mom, okay. We’ll talk later. I’ll tell you after it’s over.”
“Fine, fine. But you’ll stay until the event ends, right? You won’t make me worry?”
“…I said I would.”
Only after repeating herself several times did Mihyang finally hang up.
“Looks like someone’s in a hurry to get you married.”
So he heard everything.
“Well… everyone has their own circumstances, don’t they?”
Watching her answer with quiet dignity, Taejo suppressed a smile.
He had already seen exactly how she’d been treated at the matchmaking event.
Even so, she stubbornly tried to preserve her pride.
It was almost heartbreaking.
Is she a rose?
Or maybe a hedgehog.
No… more like a frightened kitten baring its tiny claws.
Given her background, it was understandable.
His curiosity about the woman sitting before him only continued to grow.
Taejo’s gaze drifted toward the closed door.
A small private room.
Dim lighting.
Ordinarily, it was exactly the sort of place he would have left immediately.
Yet somehow…
He didn’t mind it.
Her voice was clear, but naturally low enough that it never grated on his ears.
Even when he’d intentionally pulled her close, the faint scent lingering on her hadn’t bothered him in the slightest.
Yes.
I’m certain now.
She’s the woman from my memories.
“You want to leave, don’t you?”
“Shall I help you again?”
“…”
Sua slowly lifted her head.
Out of nowhere?
Wasn’t he the one insisting I stay?
“There’s only one exit.”
She remembered the middle-aged woman standing guard at the entrance like a gatekeeper.
He chuckled.
As if she’d said something ridiculously obvious.
“What’s the purpose of this event?”
“If we just walk out looking like we’ve hit it off, that’ll be enough.”
Rising to his feet, he strode over and stopped in front of her.
“How about it?”
“I’ll help you.”
Keeping one hand tucked into his pocket, he extended the other toward her.
