Due to Hye Soo’s sudden appearance, the smile on Autumn’s face faded.

Hye Soo maintained her lovely and confident demeanor, as if she hadn’t done anything wrong.

The joy Autumn felt from Ki Tae’s invitation, which had prompted her to visit the gallery, quickly dissipated.

With her mind in turmoil, Autumn unconsciously bit her lower lip.

‘I was supposed to have dinner with the director… What should I do?’

The chairman had specifically asked her to avoid being in the same place as Hye Soo.

Though it was a request she didn’t want to comply with, if Hye Soo were to say something to the chairman, the relationship she had just begun to mend with Ki Tae could be damaged again.

She didn’t want to return to the indifference that had existed between them just a few months ago.

Hye Soo’s gaze passed over Ki Tae and landed directly on Autumn, without even a greeting, scrutinizing her intently.

Though he might not understand, Autumn was fully aware of what that look demanded.

She was hurt. She had been so happy that he had asked her to dinner…

Autumn silently sighed and blurted out a nonsensical excuse.

“Sir, I just remembered I have a prior engagement.”

She didn’t know if he would believe her, but since she had already made plans with him, her options for excuses were limited.

“……I’m sorry. I should go.”

She wasn’t sure about her own expression. Not wanting to show any strange expressions, Autumn turned around without waiting for his response. Behind her, Hye Soo’s coquettish voice reached her ears.

“Oh my, meeting here is such a pleasant surprise. I was just about to go find Ki Tae.”

Hye Soo whispered a little more privately, and Autumn could hear it.

“Since your plans are canceled, how about having dinner with me?”

Stunned by the audacity of the suggestion, Autumn let out a hollow laugh but moved to leave.

However, just as she started to walk away, Ki Tae grabbed her wrist.

Startled, Autumn stopped and turned back to see Ki Tae looking at her sharply, his expression furrowed.

“Where are you going, Yoon Autumn?”

“……What?”

Autumn asked, bewildered, and Ki Tae, his voice dripping with irritation, pressed on.

“We agreed to have dinner. Where are you going?”

“I just told you. I forgot about a prior engagement I had made…”

He sighed. Regardless of Hye Soo’s presence, Ki Tae didn’t bother to hide his annoyance and pressed Autumn.

“If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Why are you acting like this?”

His persistent gaze seemed to demand an explanation, and Autumn pressed her lips tightly together.

Was her lie too obvious?

She had been nervous herself… but he had seen through it right away.

Trying to hide her trembling lips, Autumn forced herself to stop smiling and said seriously,

“It’s true.”

There was nothing else she could do but insist.

Autumn’s eyes fleetingly met Hye Soo’s, standing beside Ki Tae.

Though it pained her to respond this way to him, she expected that Hye Soo would leave without a fuss now.

Upon Autumn’s response, Ki Tae opened his mouth but then closed it.

Autumn glanced at him, wondering if he might say something else, but he just turned and walked away.

Because Autumn left, claiming she had a prior engagement, Ki Tae and Hye Soo ended up having dinner together.

Somehow, Ki Tae found himself in the same restaurant he had intended to visit with Autumn, even sitting in the same spot.

“Ki Tae, you don’t seem to have an appetite.”

“……It’s not that.”
The sweet or sticky atmosphere Hye Soo might have expected was absent, as Ki Tae was just looking out the window. Her gaze also shifted outside, following his.

‘What’s out there? Just the usual unremarkable view.’

Looking outside, she saw nothing but the usual Han River, with occasional vehicles speeding by.

Yet, Ki Tae kept his eyes fixed on that ordinary scene.

As Hye Soo chewed her steak, she bit her lower lip. She had hoped that being alone with him would be different, but he was even more silent than usual. Hye Soo grew increasingly anxious.

‘Does this make sense? I dressed up and came to see him, and he’s just looking outside?’

Her face contorted with frustration.

She thought she hadn’t shown her charm well enough at the recent exhibition, having to dress formally due to the nature of the event.

She had chosen expensive attire to exude elegance.

But today was different.

Her outfit was modest yet subtly revealing, allowing for a hint of allure with just a slight lean.

But all that was useless if his attention was elsewhere.

The man before her hadn’t touched his food. He was always polite in public settings, but today, he seemed distracted, leaving Hye Soo feeling awkward as if she were dining alone.

Eventually, Hye Soo had no choice but to speak up, despite not meaning it.

“Ki Tae, you seem to be in a bad mood today. Let’s just stop here and meet another time?”

She had wanted to go upstairs with him.

“Alright.”

The man who had been silent all evening responded unusually quickly to this suggestion.