“Well, you see, actually, um…”

As Ina hesitated and stalled, Sena narrowed her eyes and asked.

“Could it be… that the ‘piece’ owner is… Assistant Manager Seo?”

At the pointed question, Ina gently bit her lip.

Then she quietly nodded.

A moment of silence fell over the table.

And then the eyes of the three people widened.

“What? Re-really, Assistant Manager Seo is that ‘piece’ owner?”

The word ‘owner’ somehow embarrassed Ina.

It felt like Juwon might appear from somewhere and greet her with a hearty, “Hey there, my lady, honey.”

“Yeah. Well, that… it just sort of happened. Haha.”

Feeling awkward, Ina touched her cheek and answered shyly.

The three people stared at Ina with their mouths open at the surprising news.

Only Lee Daeri, who had already sensed this sad fact, wore a bitter smile.

“Wow… amazing! Assistant Manager Seo, you’re totally capable, aren’t you?”

Suddenly labeled as capable, Ina felt so embarrassed she wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

“No, I’m not capable or anything.”

“You totally are! Making the ‘piece’ your boyfriend! I told you, women need to be pretty! Assistant Manager, congratulations!”

As Sena joked and congratulated her, Eun Jeong clapped and said,

“Wow, Assistant Manager Seo. Really, congratulations!”

“Yeah. Assistant Manager Seo, you really are capable, aren’t you? Congratulations.”

At the three people’s congratulations, Ina didn’t know where to put herself from embarrassment.

“Ah, th-thank you.”

As Ina gave her thanks with an embarrassed face, Lee Daeri reluctantly offered belated congratulations.

“I also congratulate you greatly, Assistant Manager Seo.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

Lee Daeri picked up his beer glass with a bitter smile.

Ah, this filthy world ruled by these handsome bastards!

And he poured the beer down his throat, filled with sorrowful feelings.

Regardless of Lee Daeri’s mood, as Ina was at a loss for what to say to Sena and Eun Jeong, who were curious about the two people’s romance story, the door of the shop opened at that moment.

The mouth of Eun Jeong, who had been absently looking at the door while drinking beer, opened like a clam.

Wow, it’s a sculpture! A real, living sculpture!

“Th-there! I think that person has arrived!”

Eun Jeong, who rarely gets excited, said pointing at the door.

At Eun Jeong’s words, everyone’s faces turned towards the door.

Just then, Juwon, who was looking around the shop, made eye contact with the people here who were collectively looking at him.

And seeing Ina among them, Juwon smiled softly and strode over.

“Oh, oh, wow…”

As the tall sculptural figure in a black suit with neatly styled pomade hair approached closer, the mouths of the three people automatically opened.

Only Lee Daeri swallowed dryly, recalling the cold gaze Juwon had given when they first met.

Soon, Juwon stopped in front of Ina and first scanned her drinking state.

Deepened double eyelids and a face flushed red with intoxication…

Seeing Ina looking at him with a face like a ripe persimmon, he couldn’t help but smile at how cute she was.

And at that smile, the mouths of the three people opened even wider.

Juwon then turned his gaze to the people who had been staring at him intently since earlier.

Except for Lee Daeri, who had seen Juwon before, the three people were staring at Juwon in a daze, as if looking at a rare work of art.

Juwon lightly bowed his head to the three people and greeted them.

“Hello. I’m Lee Juwon.”

Startled, the three people hurriedly bowed their heads together and greeted him back.

“Hello. Pl-please, have a seat for a moment.”

As Han Daeri hastily spoke, Juwon sat down next to Ina.

With the sculpture sitting right in front of her, Sena stared at Juwon intensely with an unbelieving face.

“Wow, you’re really handsome.”

As Sena spoke as if entranced, Eun Jeong also nodded her head in fierce agreement.

“Not at all. You’re too kind.”

As Juwon smiled politely and spoke, the two women wore ecstatic expressions.

“No, you really are a handsome man.”

Thinking that he couldn’t help being called a squid, Han Daeri spoke.

Embarrassed by the continued praise, Ina quickly interjected,

“Oh come on, stop flattering him so much. You’ll make him dizzy.”

“Oh my. Are you taking your boyfriend’s side now?”

At Sena’s playful voice, Juwon looked at Ina with a surprised face.

“You told them? That I’m your boyfriend.”

“Huh? Oh… yeah, it came out that way.”

Ina answered with an embarrassed smile.

“Well, because earlier we kept asking. Assistant Manager Seo said she had an extremely handsome friend, so we asked if he had a girlfriend. But well, Assistant Manager Seo had already stamped her seal on you, right? Hehe.”

At Sena’s laughing words, Ina made an embarrassed expression.

“I was the one who stamped my seal first. So no one else can covet her.”

Juwon’s words were followed by a moment of silence.

For Sena and Eun Jeong, it was a silence of envy that made them want to go crazy.

For Han Daeri and Lee Daeri, it was a silence of loss, wondering if they would sound as cool saying those words.

And amidst the four people lost in their own thoughts, Ina, whose face was flushed with embarrassment, quickly grabbed her handbag.

“Um… we should get going now.”

“Oh, you’re leaving?”

Sena, who hadn’t finished admiring the sculpture, asked with a face full of regret.

“Yeah. I drank a lot and I’m tired, so…”

As Ina reached for the bill with an awkward smile, Juwon picked it up first.

“Huh?”

Surprised, Ina looked at Juwon’s hand, and the eyes of the four people also turned to Juwon’s hand.

“I’ll pay. Honey.”

Juwon said with a gentle smile.

“…”

Ina’s eyes became as big as full moons.

H-h-honey… Did he just call me honey?

As Ina looked at Juwon with surprised eyes at his ‘honey’, the four people were just as surprised.

Is it possible to smile like that with such a handsome face and say ‘honey’, or not?

Ina’s heart was racing and she felt dizzy, but she soon collected herself and said to Juwon.

“Huh? No. H-honey, you didn’t even drink. Give it here. I’ll pay.”

“They’re your company people, so of course I should treat them.”

At Juwon’s voice, sweet as fresh cream, Sena and Eun Jeong clutched their chests in agony as if they’d been shot.

Argh! Assistant Manager Seo! I’m going crazy with envy!

“Then we’ll be going first. Let’s meet again when we have the chance.”

As Juwon politely greeted them, the four people hurriedly stood up and returned the greeting.

“Yes. T-take care on your way home. Assistant Manager Seo, you drank well.”

As Han Daeri gave the representative greeting, Juwon smiled and took Ina’s hand.

The two women looked enviously at Juwon’s large and reliable hand holding Ina’s.

Juwon gave the four people one more eye greeting and then headed to the counter holding Ina’s hand.

After paying, Juwon opened the shop door while still holding Ina’s hand.

As soon as the door opened, a gust of cold night air blew in.

At this, Juwon let go of her hand and affectionately wrapped his arm around Ina’s shoulders.

Then he pulled her towards his body, embracing her warmly, and headed towards the parking lot.

During the walk to the car, Ina’s heart was beating rapidly to a fast rhythm.

Whether knowing or not knowing Ina’s noisy inner state, Juwon opened the passenger door with a leisurely smile, then went around to the other side and got into the driver’s seat.

“Are you feeling alright?”

When Juwon asked after getting in the car, Ina startled before quickly answering.

“Huh? Oh. I’m fine.”

“Your face says otherwise though?”

Juwon said, tapping Ina’s reddened cheeks with his finger.

Embarrassed, Ina quickly covered her cheeks, and Juwon gazed at her intently and asked.

“I wonder how much our Seo Ina drank?”

“Well… we were drinking and played a game, but I kept losing so I had to drink some penalty drinks.”

Even without seeing it, Juwon thought Ina probably wasn’t good at drinking games.

He smiled slightly as he imagined Ina’s clumsy appearance in front of the game.

“Next time, tell them you don’t want to play games like that. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Juwon smiled, then gently took Ina’s hand and started the car.

On the way to Ina’s house, the car was filled with the voice of the radio host chattering away and sweet songs playing intermittently.

Sweet songs and the warm touch of Juwon holding her hand.

Looking at that hand, Ina’s cheeks flushed pink with satisfaction at how happy she was in this moment.

After a while, Juwon’s car pulled up in front of the villa where Ina lived.

After parking the car, Juwon turned off the radio and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Then he unbuckled Ina’s belt and quietly gazed into her eyes.

As Ina looked back at Juwon with trembling eyes, Juwon gently pulled her into his arms.

Held in Juwon’s broad embrace, Ina closed her eyes tightly and felt her own heart pounding.

“Even though it was just one day I didn’t see you, I missed you so much.”

At those words pouring into Ina’s ear like a handful of candy, Ina whispered in response.

“I missed you too.”

At those words, Juwon slowly released Ina from his embrace and looked down at her.

Her clear eyes looking up at him shyly seemed so lovely.

Juwon gazed at Ina with eyes full of affection and caressed her cheek.

Then he slowly leaned towards Ina.

Juwon’s soft lips touched Ina’s with a light smack and then parted.

Surprised by the sudden kiss, Ina’s eyes widened.

Did we just k-kiss?

To Ina asking with her eyes, Juwon smiled faintly and gently touched Ina’s lips.

And then the smile faded from Juwon’s face and his eyes became mesmerizing.

As those mesmerizing eyes drew closer again, Ina’s eyelids fluttered and she closed her eyes.

Juwon gently cradled the back of Ina’s head, pulling her close as he took her moist lips into his.

When he lightly bit Ina’s trembling upper lip, Ina exhaled a short breath and parted her lips slightly.

As if he had been waiting for this, Juwon’s hot breath invaded Ina’s soft mouth.

Ina felt dizzy from Juwon’s breath gently swimming inside her mouth.

As the breath that seemed about to end but didn’t stop continued, a breathless Ina raised her hand and grabbed Juwon’s arm.

At that touch, Juwon parted his lips and looked at Ina.

Looking down at Ina with dreamy eyes that seemed about to melt, Juwon whispered,

“You taste like soju and beer.”

At those words, Ina startled and covered her mouth.

“S-sorry. I drank some soju and beer earlier…”

Then Juwon raised the corners of his mouth and gently removed Ina’s hand covering her mouth.

“I like soju and beer too.”

Juwon whispered into Ina’s ear, then cupped her cheek and leaned in again.