Sun Kyung quietly passed on the news. A few months ago, Eun Soo had accidentally seen the accounting books with his salary, which had been cut down to the minimum. She said that although he doesn’t say anything, it seems he’s very worried.

Could it be because of that…?

If Eun Soo suddenly changed his mind because of , that would be even more unacceptable. He couldn’t let her shoulder that burden.

So after much deliberation, he contacted the person in charge at without Eun Soo’s knowledge. He tried to renegotiate somehow with different terms other than the broadcast appearance, but the person in charge at said,

“Actually, the head office was more inclined towards , but I strongly appealed that we should do it with . The moment I saw you two together at , I had a gut feeling that this is it. I think the broadcast station that cast you two probably felt the same conviction. Personally, I’m really looking forward to that program.”

I don’t know what they saw or felt, but one thing was clear. The decisive and only opportunity that changed the mind of the person in charge was none other than appearing on that program.

At this point, Joo Han had no choice but to give up and admit it.

That in this matter, God was not on his side, but on the side of that broadcast station guy.

“Haa…”

Joo Han, sighing deeply enough to sink the ground, rubbed his face with his dry hands.

That evening, Joo Han and Eun Soo sat facing each other at a restaurant a little distance from the company. It was a place chosen entirely according to Eun Soo’s opinion.

As it was a meeting to meticulously coordinate their stories in advance for the broadcast, he thought they would at least go to a quiet place. However, Eun Soo walked in confidently and sat down at a packed spicy stir-fried chicken restaurant.

Joo Han said,

“Why do you want to have that kind of conversation at a spicy chicken place?”

“Because I want to eat spicy chicken.”

“Yeah, it’s not like it’s some grand talk.”

“Do you want some too?”

“No thanks.”

When Eun Soo held out a green apron, Joo Han firmly turned away. Wearing the apron that said “First Time Together” nonchalantly around her neck, Eun Soo raised her hand to call the staff.

“One set for 2 people here, with extra assorted toppings please. Oh, and cheese toppings too.”

Having quickly finished ordering, Eun Soo turned to Joo Han and added,

“I only ordered a little because we have to fry rice later.”

“A little… right.”

While the side dishes came out and the pan was heating up, Eun Soo brought up the topic.

“You saw what Sol Hee sent too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s fill it out one by one. First, the anniversary. How about we say we started dating again on May 1st of last year?”

“Why?”

“Just because. It’s the reopening date of our , so it’s easy to remember.”

Splitting the rolled egg omelet she brought to her plate with chopsticks, Eun Soo added,

“We drank a ton together for the 1st anniversary… and had an accident after that?”

Joo Han furrowed his eyebrows sharply. Then he looked Eun Soo up and down like a beast.

“Is that something to say for broadcast?”

“If you think it sounds like gossip material right away, they won’t ask further.”

Is that so? It does seem like it could be.

Joo Han, who almost got fooled, came to his senses and shook his head.

“No, that won’t do. Let’s say we did it while sober.”

“If we do it while sober, isn’t that not an accident?”

“Who said we did that first? I meant confessing, confessing!”

“2-person set is here.”

The staff interrupted at an absurd timing.

Joo Han and Eun Soo closed their mouths for a moment and stared at the appetizing sight in front of them. The staff’s skilled hands, bordering on dazzling, poured the spicy chicken into the well-heated pan and began stir-frying.

“You added cheese toppings, right? Just wait a moment.”

The staff left for a bit. In the meantime, Joo Han quickly continued,

“Let’s say we confessed properly with words while sober. No accidents, and the date is May 11th.”

Eun Soo stiffened. Meeting Eun Soo’s silent gaze, Joo Han added,

“I think that would be easier to remember.”

Eun Soo’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘Of course it would be easy to remember. It’s the day we actually started dating.’

There were memories that came to mind just with a few numbers. That season, the weather that day, the faint acacia scent in the wind, even the clothes they were wearing then.

Joo Han couldn’t possibly not know that. Regardless of forgetting or not forgetting the past, it’s like a reflexive response. He must have deliberately recited those numbers out of some spite.

Eun Soo was about to say something when the staff appeared. Then, as if performing the miracle of Moses, he split the well-cooked spicy chicken in half. After piling cheese toppings in the middle, he even put on a fire show with a torch.

“Wow, jackpot!”

It seemed like she was about to get angry a moment ago.

Seeing Eun Soo’s expression soften in an instant following the sizzling melted cheese, Joo Han swallowed a hollow laugh.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

Eun Soo, who greeted brightly, reached out with a spatula. Joo Han tapped the back of her hand, not hard enough to hurt.

“Ah, why?”

“Let’s finish the talk first.”

The cheese tastes best before it hardens. Grumbling, Eun Soo reluctantly straightened her back and stared at Joo Han.

After meeting eyes for a while, Joo Han said in a low voice,

“Do you not regret breaking up with me?”

For a moment, Eun Soo was at a loss for words and just looked at Joo Han. Joo Han’s words, thrown out indifferently, fell like a heavy stone somewhere inside her chest.

“I do. Every single day, but now I want to stop.”

What is he talking about?

With such a sincere expression at that…

“Can’t we get back together?”

Those… words…

At that moment, Eun Soo felt like reciting exactly what Joo Han had said earlier.

Why are you having this conversation at a spicy chicken place…?

Joo Han, who had been looking at the frozen Eun Soo, lowered his eyes. Then, picking up the spatula Eun Soo was trying to grab earlier, he said,

“Let’s say I confessed to this extent after work over a meal.”

“Y-yeah. Not bad.”

Joo Han, who first served food onto Eun Soo’s plate, filled his own plate as well. Eun Soo, who was thinking about something, took out her work tablet from the bag next to her.

“Wait, but around that time…”

After rummaging through something, she said,

“You were in Finland on May 11th of last year, right?”

“Then let’s say I did it over the phone.”

“Ah, okay.”

Eun Soo pulled out the pen stuck in the tablet and immediately started writing memos. May 11th, phone call, calculate time difference.

“Are you writing all that down?”

“Yes, Mr. CEO. It’s important, so I’ll organize it neatly later and send it to you.”

Eun Soo, who had responded in a business tone, suddenly raised her head.

“No. It’s top secret, so let’s write it on paper and burn it right after reading.”

“Why, are you going to eat it up?”

“I don’t eat paper. It’s tasteless and I can’t waste my digestion on that. First, I need to eat this.”

Eun Soo put down the tablet and picked up her chopsticks.

After that, the two didn’t even have much conversation and only focused on devouring the food in front of them.

The two, who ate until they were not just full but about to burst, left the restaurant and headed home in Joo Han’s car. The remaining conversation continued sporadically in the car.

“What else do we need to talk about?”

Eun Soo checked the questions on behalf of Joo Han, who was driving.

“Where we had our first date.”

As revenge for Joo Han bringing up their actual dating anniversary earlier, Eun Soo also mentioned their real first date.

“Should we say the exhibition in Insadong?”

Joo Han answered with a completely unfazed face.

“The exhibition then and the one a year ago would be different. In case they ask what exhibition it was, it could be tricky, so let’s just say we took a walk by the Han River.”

“Yeah, well. Then what about our first trip?”

“For the trip… it’s better to go with a place we’re somewhat familiar with, in case we make a slip of the tongue talking about a place we haven’t been to at all.”

“Right. Then let’s say we took the train to Taean. There’s that place where your department and my club had an MT on the same day.”

“Ah, there. There’s an arboretum nearby.”

“Yeah yeah.”

The story came together more easily than expected.

When they were almost there, Joo Han said,

“Oh right, so did we decide on next Wednesday or Thursday for the company dinner? We’ll talk about it then, right?”

“…”

When there was no answer, Joo Han looked to the side. He thought maybe she didn’t hear because she was lost in thought, but Eun Soo had already closed her eyes at some point. Her words had been slowing down for a while, so it seemed she had fallen asleep.

The car stopped in front of Eun Soo’s house.

After looking at Eun Soo, who was soundly sleeping without the slightest movement, Joo Han turned off the engine. He waited a little longer and carefully reached out to unbuckle her seat belt. Still, Eun Soo did not wake up.

The inside of the car was too quiet and warm. At the same time as understanding why Eun Soo fell asleep, Joo Han’s mind became clearer instead.

Maybe there’s no chance that this is an opportunity…

Don’t get your hopes up for nothing and get your mind straight. Don’t ruin everything.

Joo Han, who had difficulty taking his eyes off Eun Soo’s profile, recalled the coffee table he had repaired this morning.

There were many marks and small scratches on the soft wood top caused by putting hot things on it. Those flaws could be sanded away as if they never existed, but doing so could also erase the unique grain of the wood. “Moderately” sanding was always a challenge.

It can be made to look as new as possible, but it can’t be truly returned to being new.

Scars can be covered up to be as unnoticeable as possible, but the fact that it was scarred cannot be erased.

So, what I can do is…

There was a rustling sound from the side. Eun Soo, who had woken up from sleep, blinked blankly, realized she was in Joo Han’s car, and straightened her back with a start.

“When did I fall asleep?”

“Why are you asking me that? I was waiting to ask you too.”

Eun Soo, glancing at Joo Han, yawned greatly and mumbled,

“I was so full and my back was warm, so without knowing it I just…”

Joo Han clicked his tongue.

“From now on, if you want to get a ride in my car, pay a lodging fee.”

“Deduct it from my salary then.”

Eun Soo, who gave a half-hearted answer devoid of any sincerity, gathered her bag in a hurry.

“Anyway, sorry and thanks. I’ll get going.”

“Go on in. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Eun Soo, who got out of the car and went into the house, stretched. For dozing off in someone else’s car, her body felt refreshed.

‘Come to think of it, the seats in that car probably cost more than my bed mattress.’

Eun Soo, who came to an extremely capitalistic conclusion, took out her tablet after taking a shower. She was about to reorganize the story she had coordinated with Joo Han, when she was gripped by a strange feeling.

‘Do you not regret breaking up with me?’

Joo Han’s face as he asked that suddenly came to mind.

‘I do. Every single day, but now I want to stop.’

His tone and gaze in that moment were so sincere that it startled her. It felt as if the goosebumps that had risen earlier were coming up again.

To some extent, Eun Soo’s prediction had been correct. It seemed likely that old stories would be brought up by the atmosphere, but if they had that conversation in a place with dim lighting and soft music, it could lead to big trouble. Same goes for a place where they could be alone in a separate space.

So she intentionally went to a bustling spicy chicken place, but he said those things there of all places.

‘He refuses and insists he can’t do it when it’s nothing, but he’s good at acting when it counts. We don’t have to worry about the broadcast.’

Eun Soo, clearing her throat, made a light remark to herself with effort.

“I just need to do well. Just me.”

On Wednesday evening, there was a company dinner.

“Just a moment. Before we head out, there’s an announcement I have to make.”

The employees who had finished getting ready to leave gathered again at Eun Soo’s words. Conscious of Joo Han’s presence quietly coming to stand behind her, Eun Soo continued,

“Next month, will be filming a broadcast program.”