“From what I see from the brand of the clothes you’re wearing and the watch you have, you don’t seem like someone who is stingy with money.”
At Jae In’s candid words, Tae Seo burst out laughing. It was a loud and hearty laugh that surprised the passersby who were huddled against the cold. At his reaction, Jae In followed with a smile and continued her words.
“Because you suggested we go Dutch.”
“Did that upset you?”
“I’m used to seeing men who are frustrated because they couldn’t buy something. I don’t mean it in a bad way. I’m not saying going Dutch upset me either. On the contrary, it was nice. It was refreshing, you know?”
“Refreshing, huh… Isn’t that a word you use for fish?”
Being treated like a fish didn’t feel so bad. Unconsciously, Tae Seo looked into his own heart that had been hidden away. He confirmed his willingness to willingly enter Jae In’s domain.
“Since you mentioned attending university in America, I guess you’re not very familiar with Korean. It meant it was new.”
“You, on the other hand, said you’re from Chicago, yet you speak Korean well. Did you live in Korea for a long time?”
“I lived for seven years. But my proficiency in Korean has nothing to do with how long I lived in Korea. My mother, who passed away last year, was not proficient in English. So we always used Korean at home.”
Tae Seo remained silent for a moment. According to the report, Jae In’s mother, actress Yoon Se Na, had died from a chronic illness last autumn.
The death of an actress who once dominated the era, the local media remained quiet. It meant that someone was deliberately blocking the news. It was obvious, even without confirmation, that the someone was Jo Dae Hoon.
“It must have been tough living in America with a mother who was not proficient in English.”
He didn’t offer any consolation to Jae In, who mentioned her mother’s death. He knew better than anyone that excessive reactions can feel forced to those who don’t express their sorrow.
“Not at all. I was truly happy. Living with my mom, I never felt like we lacked anything.”
“But why did you leave a happy life in America to come to Korea? After your mother passed away…did you feel lonely, perhaps?”
Jae In paused to choose her words, then gave a faint smile. For some reason, Tae Seo felt as though that smile was forced.
“A close friend persuaded me. Did you happen to see her? She was with me in the hospital room. We run a yoga studio together.”
“I don’t remember your friend. But where are we going now?”
“We? Ah…”
Having left the restaurant, they had been walking aimlessly for quite some time. Realizing belatedly that her officetel wasn’t far from here, Jae In stared at the man before her.
Saying her home was nearby might be taken as a request for him to walk her home.
Should she suggest grabbing a cup of tea because she was reluctant to part? Considering the behavior of the men she had met before, it could easily be taken as a signal of flirtation.
She had only intended to get to know him better today, but if all went according to plan, he was a man she would eventually have to coax. So even if it was their first meeting, it wouldn’t be too much.
But was that the right thing to do? Was that the answer?
“If you want to keep walking, that’s fine with me. I’m just worried you might be cold.”
He was surprisingly considerate and affectionate. It made her forget the fear she had felt watching him deal with Jo Yu Ri.
It was surprisingly more comfortable than she had thought. His behavior of drawing a line was considerate, and their shared conversation was pleasant.
His somewhat arrogant gaze and attitude did not bother her at all. The arrogance that stemmed from his confident selfesteem was rather attractive.
There was none of the haughtiness or sense of privilege you might expect from a second or third generation chaebol, which she had grown weary of seeing. Known as the sole heir of the Kang Sun Group, Kang Tae Seo was surprisingly modest.
As Jae In stared off at the distant officetel building, lost in thought, Tae Seo spoke again.
“It’s snowing.”
“Ah.”
Jae In raised her head to meet the lavender sky. A delicate snowflake landed on her cheek, which appeared pale to Tae Seo. It quickly melted, beading like a dewdrop.
“Really, it’s snowing… I grew tired of it in Chicago, but it’s nice to see it in Korea. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while. Korean snow feels a little different. It’s strange.”
Jae In’s gaze never left the sky as she murmured softly as if speaking to herself. Trying to see the sky from various angles, Jae In, who was carefully moving her steps, found herself standing before Tae Seo before she knew it.
Tae Seo, who had been gazing at Jae In looking up at the sky, suddenly raised his hand. He had been wanting to caress her cheek for a while.
“Wow, it seems like it will snow quite a lot. The roads will be a mess tomorrow.”
“…I guess so.”
“Seeing as that’s my first thought, I must be getting old. Ah, that means it’s a white Christmas, right?”
His gaze slowly shifted from her cheeks, flushed pink from the cold, to her chattering lips.
The red lipstick she had put on had disappeared while eating cold noodles and dumplings. Her bare lip color was unbearably cute and pure. So much so, he wanted them to be seen by him alone.
He clenched and unclenched his gloved hand several times, then chuckled and gently pushed his hand back into his pocket. Then he took a step back.
“Since we met by chance, let’s part ways here.”
“……Huh?”
Only then did Jae In’s gaze turn to Tae Seo. The man who suddenly announced their parting had a slightly furrowed brow, as if uncomfortable. Yet, his lifted lips and refreshingly bright smile were oddly attractive.
“I think we’ve had enough for today.”
Jae In’s head tilted slowly at the man’s unpredictable words.
“If we meet again, then I’ll buy you a meal. I won’t suggest going Dutch like today.”
There was something mischievous about the man’s expression. Without realizing it, Jae In found herself smiling back.
“I’m okay with going Dutch. I actually find it more comfortable.”
“Um. No. Next time, I’ll pay. And the suggestion to go Dutch earlier was intentional.”
“Why?”
“I only spend money on my person.”
Jae In’s breath halted midinhale, her body freezing. She realized the implications of the string of words Tae Seo had said.
“So if we meet again, I’ll treat you. Be it a meal or anything else. Whatever it might be.”
At Tae Seo’s words, carefully clarifying in case she hadn’t caught on, Jae In subtly bit her lip. The man’s sudden advance felt dizzyingly hot.
“So if you’re considering being my person, you can step into my sight again. If not, make sure to hide well and avoid eye contact with me.”
“……”
“Once I get my hands on something, I don’t let it go. I can be very persistent.”
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
