Chapter 92: Unexpected Faces and Unwelcome Invites

A Young tapped the screen firmly with her index finger.

Even those who hadn’t been looking crowded over with drawn-out “Ooooh~” sounds.

I glanced too this time, but too many heads blocked the view.

Ji An flustered.

“No, it wasn’t like that. He was just chatty.”

The louder “Ooo~”s followed as everyone leaned in, hooked.

Office workers love gossiping about romance by default.

A hunting story from an overseas trip? Pure gold.

Another female teammate piped up.

“That level’s not bad. Tell him to meet again once he’s in Korea.”

“Oh, no. He lives in France anyway.”

The crowd let out a collective “Aww~” and lost interest fast.

What were they, a studio audience?

Then someone teased the quiet one twirling spaghetti with a fork—me.

“Seung Hyun sunbae’s too cool for this stuff, right? Since you’re the hottest one here?”

The arrow hit me suddenly.

Flustered, I reached over and snatched Ji An’s phone.

“What… I’ve been waiting this whole time. Couldn’t see because of you all.”

But the second I glanced at the screen mid-overacting, my eyes nearly popped.

A familiar face stared back.

“Hwang Yeon-seok…?”

Truthfully, I had zero interest in the guy who joined their table.

Reasons:

First, Ji An’s pretty—of course guys hit on her. Happened in the original too.

Second, no matter how amazing the guy, nothing happens with Ji An.

She’s this world’s heroine.

Her only pair is Do Yoon.

Yet here was Hwang Yeon-seok?

I froze in shock.

Ji An noticed my odd reaction and asked.

“Do you know him?”

“No, no… Just looks exactly like someone I know. Thought it was him, but guess not.”

I handed the phone back and lied smoothly.

My mouth spat the lie before my brain caught up—first time.

Palms sweated cold instantly, heart pounding like I’d done something wrong.

Come to think of it, Do Yoon had said Hwang Yeon-seok was in France…

How did the connections line up like this?

The heroine finds her own romance helper even on a business trip.

That level of proactivity deserved a general’s star.

A Young laughed hard.

“Would’ve been fun if it was someone Seung Hyun knew.”

I forced an awkward smile and asked Ji An.

“So… did you exchange contacts or anything?”

“No, we didn’t.”

A sigh of relief slipped out before I could stop it.

After that, lunch was half-eaten, half-ignored—I couldn’t focus on conversation.

Back at the office, I fidgeted with my phone several times.

Who could I even ask what?

Contacting Hwang Yeon-seok out of nowhere with old numbers to ask how he’s doing felt wrong.

Asking Do Yoon nagged at me too.

The indecision dragged on.

I did nothing.

Then near quitting time, Do Yoon texted.

[Meeting won’t end ㅠ Eat dinner first today and we’ll definitely eat together tomorrow ㅠㅠ Miss you, hyung.]

Way past quitting already.

I was pulling overtime too and hadn’t eaten on purpose.

But seeing his text, eating together seemed off the table.

I smirked.

‘Playing dumb.’

I’d only suggested eating together for the ten days Ji An was gone.

Today made eleven, yet Do Yoon acted like no deadline existed—shamelessly.

But I didn’t feel like pointing it out.

I let him do as he pleased.

I stared hard at his message, took a deep breath, and replied.

[Okay. But do you still talk to Hwang Yeon-seok? Is he staying in France?]

Read instantly.

No reply.

Probably busy with the meeting.

I sighed, shut down the computer, grabbed my things, and left.

As I exited the lobby on the first floor, Do Yoon called suddenly.

“Meeting over already?”

<No, just a break. Why Hwang Yeon-seok?>

“Nothing… Just wondering if he’s doing well. He was good at… band stuff when we were kids. I’m handling a band movie now and had questions.”

I tacked on a nonsense excuse without thinking.

No such movie existed in my projects.

I couldn’t even remember if Hwang Yeon-seok played bass or guitar.

Do Yoon paused briefly before answering.

<Not sure, haven’t talked in a while. He wasn’t that good at band anyway. Just a college hobby—he probably can’t play at all now.>

“Yeah…”

Didn’t matter.

I pushed the real question as naturally as possible.

“But is he planning to come to Korea? Or… already here?”

<…No, he’ll stay in France forever. Hyung, I have to get back to the meeting. I’ll call later.>

Do Yoon’s voice sounded a bit cold.

Things must be piling up late into the night—he was sensitive.

I hung up and sighed in relief.

‘At least no plans to come to Korea for now.’

But after running into Ji An, that probably wouldn’t last.

In the original, Hwang Yeon-seok became Do Yoon’s secretary to drop timely romance advice.

But if it’s just advice, no need to be a secretary.

I got annoyed at myself for overthinking.

‘He comes, he comes—what’s with the fuss.’

I strode out briskly on purpose.

May night breeze felt warm.

I’d changed a lot since possessing.

Ryu Hyeong-joo isn’t a loan shark.

Choi Seung Hee sees me as a decent brother.

Hwang Yeon-seok isn’t Do Yoon’s secretary.

And most importantly, I, Choi Seung Hyun, am no spoiled brat.

I won’t kidnap Ji An.

I won’t harm Do Yoon out of jealousy.

…But we’re all still side characters.

No matter what, the grand romance plot of hero and heroine ending up together can’t be altered.

I trudged the darkening night path feebly.

I felt pathetic for not being happy.

‘Snap out of it. Everyone’s getting happy. It’s going your way. Your Gangwon Land ending ran far away.’

It should feel good.

But it didn’t.

Mind tangled, I naturally headed to the park near home.

A little past nine, the sparsely lit walking path was quite dark.

On my third lap around the same spot, my phone rang.

I saw the caller and sighed.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

<Seung Hyun, clear your schedule this Saturday.>

“What for?”

Another company transfer push? Blind date?

Whatever it was, I’d refuse firmly.

I wasn’t in a good mood.

But Grandfather brought up something else entirely.

<The second son of Y Group is getting married—they sent an invitation. Go as our representative.>

“…Who? I don’t know anyone there.”

I stopped walking mid-stride, handed a weird mission.

Never even heard of them.

<Their eldest studied with you in the US, remember?>

US connections.

I brushed it off vaguely.

“Ah… We weren’t close. …Is Father not going?”

No reason for me to go.

Grandfather couldn’t move easily now.

Mother was in Italy.

Seung Hee on a business trip.

Only Father left.

<Haven’t asked yet, but will. Good if you two go together.>

“No, no. I’ll go alone.”

Grandfather laughed like he expected that.

<Just greet appropriately, hand over the condolence money, and leave. It’s a courtesy.>

“…Got it.”

Annoying task added.

I’d literally hand the money and bolt.

But the second I hung up on Grandfather, Do Yoon called again.

“Hey, what’s up?”

<Meeting just ended so I called right away. You were on the phone—what happened?>

“Nothing big. Just got roped into something annoying Saturday.”

<Business trip?>

“No… Someone’s wedding.”

<Whose?>

“Y Group second son—do you know him?”

<Ah… No. Second son’s Sung Ji Woo, right? Didn’t you go to school with the eldest? Sung Ji Hoon or something.>

I startled inwardly.

He even knew who I went to school with?

Helpful to learn the classmate’s name fast, but still impressive.

“Anyway, Grandfather wants me to deliver condolence money at least. Don’t wanna go.”

<…Wanna go together?>

“Huh?”

<I was gonna ask you on a date Saturday anyway. We’ll greet, then slip out somewhere else.>

The word “date” made my heart race stupidly even knowing it wasn’t that.

Kids these days say the weirdest things.