Chapter-04
“Hey, hey, drink up. What’s the big deal? That’s just life, you know.”
Cha-hee, always the wild, testosterone-driven woman, raised her glass with a bold grin.
Seol-ah, who was never good with alcohol, was drinking heavily tonight, pouring out her worries to her friend.
“Ahhh— that hits the spot!”
“Ugh… it’s bitter.”
Seol-ah grimaced at the sharp taste of soju and set her glass down.
Across the table, Cha-hee stuffed three pieces of grilled pork belly into her mouth and spoke through her chewing.
“So let me get this straight. You were kinda seeing your team leader, but that jerk secretly went on a blind date last Saturday, and you just happened to catch him there?”
“……Yeah.”
“And then he pretended not to know you? What a bastard—he deserves to be boiled alive!”
A string of furious curses flew from her mouth.
“Wait, did he go on that date because he wanted to, or did his family force him into it? You know how some parents push their kids into arranged meetings these days.”
Cha-hee pursed her lips, digging for details.
“That team leader of yours, that’s the guy I saw in front of your company last time, right? I could tell at a glance—he’s not from an ordinary family. That watch, that car, those clothes… he just oozes money.”
Yeah… when he’s around regular people, that elegance really stands out…
Cha-hee rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
“Then maybe it was a match set up by his parents for some kind of arranged marriage. What was his expression like? Did he look forced to be there?”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to tell… He never really smiles during work, and he’s always so stoic—cold, even. At the date, too, his face was unreadable, and his tone was as chilly as ever.”
“Ha… Then it must be his parents pushing him into it. Overbearing mom, probably. So, during the week he flirts with you at work, and on weekends he gets dragged into blind dates. Then you show up out of nowhere—he panics, worried his mom might find out, and pretends not to know you.”
As Cha-hee’s imagination spun its own novel, Seol-ah sighed heavily.
“I hate men like that… the kind who can’t stand up to their parents even when they already love someone.”
“Yeah, I get that. I’d hate that too. Ugh, forget it—cheers!”
The two women downed another round of soju.
Seol-ah’s tolerance was low, and she could feel the alcohol slowly taking over.
Well, that’s fine. Tonight, I want to get drunk anyway.
Her head started to droop, and her tongue began to twist.
“I just… wanted to get marrrried early… hiccup. To a man I love… to make that promise for life…”
“Oh, I know, I know. You’ve been saying that since forever.”
“Riiiight, you know me, Cha-hee. But, hiccup, let’s be real—I’m just a plain woman. How could I ever dream of marrying a perfect guy like that? Rich and handsome? Hiccup.”
“If that’s the end of the fling, then fine—but why’s he acting normal at work? Like nothing happened? He’s being nice again, confusing you. Don’t you think?”
“You’re right… hiccup, that’s exactly it.”
“And you kissed, didn’t you?”
“Well… it was too short to call it a kiss, but a little too long to call just a peck…”
Cha-hee thought for a second, then suddenly slammed another shot.
“Tomorrow! You’re gonna ask him straight up about that blind date.”
“Ask him? Hiccup, I already saw it with my own eyes. Wouldn’t it be pathetic to bring it up again?”
“Ask him anyway. You’re the one suffering here while he’s acting all cool. Be direct. And since he kissed you first—this time, you should kiss him!”
“What…?”
“It’s your first real crush, right? If you can’t forget him, if you really like him that much—then pull him in and make him yours! Take what’s yours!”
Excited, Cha-hee grabbed her spoon and banged it on the table. People nearby turned to look at the fiery woman.
“Maybe he was embarrassed you caught him on that date. Maybe it wasn’t even what he wanted! Then what? You kiss him so he forgets all about that other girl! Got it?!”
“You want me… to kiss him first? I can’t do that.”
“He kissed you! Now it’s your turn. Ask him why he went on that date and kiss him. That guy’s ridiculously handsome, right? I bet half your office has a crush on him. So you’ve gotta move first—seize him before someone else does!”
Cha-hee’s passionate speech filled the air.
Take him first… make him forget about that arranged date completely…?
She was drunk. She hadn’t been this drunk since a university trip back in her third year.
Her vision blurred, but she tried to walk straight. Cha-hee, who was already out cold, had been sent home in a taxi.
Seol-ah could still manage to walk, so she decided to wander the neon-lit city to sober up a bit before heading home.
The late spring air was lovely. White fringe-tree blossoms lined both sides of the street like snowflakes. People laughed and chattered around her.
In that lively night, Seol-ah stumbled toward the subway station.
Women like her and Cha-hee—without boyfriends to call for a late-night pickup—were always the loneliest after drinking.
“Tomorrow… hiccup… I’m gonna ask the team leader about that date…”
She was repeating Cha-hee’s advice when it happened.
Through her hazy vision, she saw a tall man in a perfectly tailored suit.
That silhouette—she knew it.
It was him.
The man who had ignited her heart and then snuffed it out: Choi Tae-wook.
Her pace quickened. She didn’t care about the stares.
Like pushing through waves, she stumbled toward him.
When she reached him, she looked up—
It was him.
“Ha…”
What were the odds—meeting him here, by chance, like this?
And then Cha-hee’s words echoed in her head:
“This time, go crazy. Maybe he didn’t want that date. Pull him in—make him yours! Take what’s yours!”
Drunk and reckless, she grabbed his face with both hands.
He flinched in surprise, but Seol-ah didn’t stop. She pulled his cheeks closer and pressed her lips toward his.
To claim him. To show she wasn’t some fragile girl. To make him forget every other woman.
But her plan shattered instantly.
“……!”
He blocked her lips with the back of his hand. Her mouth landed against his palm instead.
Worse, he grabbed her shoulders and held her away.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
His voice was cold—like ice breaking.
He looked at her the way a man would look at a stranger who’d just lost her mind.
Seol-ah’s vision wavered. The alcohol and heartbreak boiled over.
She couldn’t hold it back anymore.
“I just—why are you doing this to me?! Isn’t this too cruel?”
Her words slurred, trembling with emotion.
He muttered under his breath, frowning,
“What? You’re… huh. Great, now you’re completely drunk. Why is this happening to me tonight…”
That was enough to crush her.
“Drunk? A disaster? My kiss is a disaster to you?!”
“What are you even talking about? Do I know you?”
“Wha— unbelievable! Why are you pretending not to know me?! We’re not even at work! There’s no one here to see us! You went on that blind date, didn’t you? Let’s talk about that!”
He narrowed his eyes, glaring.
By now, a small crowd had gathered to watch.
“Yeah, I did go on a date. So what? Why would I need your permission? What does that have to do with you?”
“What did you just say? You bastard!”
In fury, Seol-ah swung her handbag at him.
“What the—what’s wrong with you?”
“You jerk! Then why were you so nice to me at work?! Why act like you cared?! Why did you kiss me?!”
She hit him again and again—on the shoulder, the arm—tiny, drunken punches filled with tears.
And then, suddenly, her body went limp.
She fainted.
Startled, Tae-wook caught her before she hit the ground.
He held her awkwardly, her head resting against his shoulder, and sighed softly.
“…Ah. She must’ve mistaken me for my brother.”
