Chapter 13: Just a Blind Date!

Jiheum quickly clamped her mouth shut at the sharp, piercing glare directed her way.

It seemed mentioning Jiyoon had been a mistake.

Jiyoon, now thirty-six, had married four years ago.

It had been a scandalous office romance.

Compared to Jiyoon, a daughter of the family that owned LK Construction, the man had come from an incomparably ordinary background.

Jang Seonju had tried to stop Jiyoon from bringing home a man who would essentially be a live-in son-in-law, but her warnings fell on deaf ears.

Thinking that poor judgment in men might be hereditary, Seonju had reluctantly granted her blessing for the marriage.

However, their married life didn’t last long.

Their love, once like a wildfire, flared up in an instant and burned out until not even ash remained.

Even though Seonju had pushed for his promotion to solidify his position within the company, he had spent his time engrossed in an affair rather than his work, all behind Jiyoon’s back.

The moment Jiyoon caught her husband playing around with a staff member younger and prettier than herself, she declared she refused to live like her mother and returned home after divorcing him just two years into the marriage.

Of course, Jiheum didn’t know the specific reason for Jiyoon’s divorce.

No one had bothered to tell her.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t have any thoughts of getting married yet either.’

She was only twenty-nine.

It was far too early to put on the shackles of marriage.

‘Did I… ask for your opinion?’

The book in Seonju’s hand trembled slightly.

Jiheum could feel Seonju suppressing the harsh words that threatened to burst through her facade of cultivation and dignity.

However, from the undisguised contempt in her gaze, it wasn’t hard to deduce the unspoken words: Who do you think you’re comparing yourself to?

‘I don’t care if you ruin the date. However, as the number of dates increases, who do you think is the one losing out?’

The corners of Seonju’s lips curved up slightly.

It was a smile that was anything but kind.

‘You’re smart, so you should be able to do the math quickly.’

Without even needing to think long, she knew she was the one at a loss.

The more dates were arranged, the more the household would select partners based solely on advantageous conditions for the family.

What were the chances that those advantageous conditions would actually be good for her?

“Ha—”

Unable to stop a sigh from escaping, Jiheum stared blankly ahead.

The snow she had hoped would keep falling had already stopped.

Her wish to use the weather as an excuse to arrive late at the destination vanished like melting snow.

Although the cars were still moving slowly through the slush, for some reason, the destination felt like it was approaching too quickly, so she slowed down even more.

The ringtone echoed through the car, breaking the heavy, sinking silence.

Soon, the navigation screen changed to display ‘♡Seungji, Seungji♡’.

– Jiheum. Where are you?

A voice blurted out the second she pressed the call button.

“Driving.”

– Really? Are you on your way home? If you have time, do you want to grab chicken and beer today? I, I, I need to vent.

“I’m sorry, I have a prior engagement.”

– A prior engagement? Ah—why does it have to be today?

Jiheum chuckled at Seungji’s wailing complaints.

It felt good to know there was someone who purely wanted her company.

“Tell me about it.”

– Is it an important appointment? Is there absolutely no chance of it being canceled?

Seungji asked again, still lingering on the hope.

“I wish I could cancel it too.”

– What kind of appointment is it?

“A blind date.”

– Huh? A formal blind date? Suddenly? Out of the blue? Not just a casual setup, but a marriage-minded date?

A bewildered Seungji bombarded her with questions.

Jiheum simply gave a short ‘Yeah’ and moved on.

To anyone else, it was a bolt-from-the-blue arrangement, but it was even more sorrowful that she had no right to refuse.

The car came to a slow stop at a red light.

I wish every single light would turn red.

Jiheum rested her elbow on the window frame and leaned her temple against her hand.

– Wow, that’s crazy. To think we’re already at the age to go on formal blind dates. I’m in shock.

“Right. I’d hate even a casual setup, but a formal date…”

– Who is the guy? What’s he like? Is he handsome? How old?

Questions filled with curiosity flooded the car.

It seemed this was perfect fodder for Seungji, who had said she was starving for gossip.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen a photo. Honestly, I didn’t even ask his age.”

Since it was a meeting with no hope of succeeding, she didn’t care to know.

If there actually ended up being a chance of it going well, it wouldn’t be too late to ask Seonju then.

– Then how are you going to meet? Ah, I guess he might know who you are. He might have seen your photo.

“Well, the reservation is in my name, so he’ll find me on his own.”

– No, but really, why a formal date already? At our age, shouldn’t it be a casual blind date?

“I suppose so.”

Even a casual blind date felt like something too far removed from her life to resonate.

– If it doesn’t go well today, do you want me to set you up?

“No, absolutely not.”

– I mean, come on. It’s not like you’re unable to find a man and have to resort to formal dates. I just feel bad for you.

Ever since a brief relationship in college, Seungji had always felt sorry for Jiheum, who remained single.

“I’ll take the thought as a gift.”

– Fine, fine, I get it. I’ll just go home then. Good luck with the date. Wait, am I supposed to wish you luck?

A laugh escaped Jiheum, sounding like air escaping a balloon.

She was grateful to Seungji for giving her a reason to smile, even for a brief moment.

When she followed the server to her seat, her date was already there.

After exchanging greetings and ordering food, they had nothing to say.

Jiheum responded to the man’s routine questions with short, one-word answers.

“Ms. Jiheum, are you perhaps at a public hearing?”

The man asked with a smile.

Jiheum’s eyes asked what he meant.

“Since a moment ago, you’ve only answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ I thought you were attending a hearing.”

“Ah, did I do that? I’m sorry.”

As she offered an apologetic smile, she felt a gaze fixed on her from somewhere.

Jiheum’s eyes instinctively shifted direction.

She locked eyes with Ki Joyoon, who was sitting two tables behind her, diagonally.

Hiding her startled reaction, Jiheum turned her gaze back and looked at her date with feigned composure.

Of all the people to run into, and of all the places.

She had been relieved not to see him at the office; it seemed letting her guard down was out of the question.

Jiheum caught her breath and sliced her meat, pretending to be unbothered.

She told herself she was fine, but her grip on the cutlery kept tightening.

Why did his seat have to be exactly two tables behind her on a diagonal?

At least they weren’t close enough to hear each other’s conversation.

Though, that wasn’t much of a consolation.

Every time she felt his gaze and turned her head, she inevitably met Ki Joyoon’s eyes.

Each time, Jiheum withdrew her gaze as if she were looking at something beyond him.

Aware of him but pretending not to be—she felt ridiculous for playing such a game.

Furthermore, she had already run into Ki Joyoon in the elevator on her way up to the restaurant.

‘I didn’t expect to meet you here as well.’

Somehow, the word here sounded particularly emphasized.

Indeed. Why did the date have to be at the restaurant in the very hotel where she had her one-night stand?

‘Yes. I’m quite surprised myself. Since this isn’t the office.’

Jiheum replied, looking straight ahead as if she knew nothing.

Ki Joyoon also looked straight ahead, thrusting his hands into his pockets.

‘A meeting?’

‘Yes.’

‘What kind of meeting?’

At his smiling question, irritation flashed in Jiheum’s eyes.

‘Do I really have to tell you that? I’ve already clocked out.’

Jiheum tilted her body slightly and looked at Ki Joyoon.

Even though he was her boss, she had only seen his face once at the office.

Perhaps because they had met as one-night stand partners before meeting as boss and subordinate, he felt less like a superior and more like a man who knew about the secret rebellion she wanted to hide.

Ki Joyoon shrugged and smoothly curved his lips.

As his lips went up, Jiheum’s pulse rose along with them.

His smile was so beautiful that for a moment she nearly forgot to breathe.

She had felt it from the first time she saw him—this man knew exactly what weapons he possessed and how to wield them effectively.

Feeling foolish for repeatedly being hooked by his charms, she tightened her grip on her hands.

‘I was just asking out of curiosity, but you have quite a cold side, Ms. Yoon Jiheum.’

‘I’ll decline any further questions.’

‘Then don’t make that face. It makes a person curious.’

‘What’s wrong with my face?’

‘Your face right now, Ms. Yoon Jiheum—it’s a look of pure misery.’

His soft, airy laugh tickled her ear.

‘I’m here for a blind date myself.’

When Jiheum remained silent as if to ask who wanted to know, Ki Joyoon chuckled and added more.

‘Well, see you later then.’

Smiling at Jiheum with an expression like a child who had just thought of a fun prank, Ki Joyoon stepped out of the elevator first.

“Ms. Jiheum, is the food not to your taste?”

Jiheum lifted her gaze.

The man across from her, who was handsome enough that no one would ever call his looks lacking, was smiling kindly at her.

What had his name been? The second son of an investment firm?

Unable to remember the name she had heard just minutes ago, she stared blankly at her date.

“You’ve been slicing the meat for a while, but you haven’t eaten any.”

The man gestured lightly with his chin toward Jiheum’s plate.

Looking down, she saw several hacked pieces of meat scattered across her plate.