“What? G-girlfriend?”

The woman asked with wide, surprised eyes.

“Yes.”

“Huh? I hadn’t heard that Mr. Lee had a girlfriend…”

Just as Ina’s nostrils were about to flare at those words, Juwon smiled and looked down at her.

“She’s right here.”

The surprised woman’s gaze immediately turned to Ina.

As their eyes met, Ina stood up abruptly and greeted her.

“Oh, hello.”

“Ah.”

The woman looked at Ina with startled eyes and then hurriedly greeted her back.

“Oh, yes. Hello.”

The woman looked at Ina with a mix of confusion in her eyes.

“She’s Yoon from our company’s sales support team.”

When Juwon gave a brief introduction, the woman bowed to Ina once again.

Ina bowed back, and she could see the woman scanning her from head to toe.

Just as Ina was starting to feel uncomfortable under that gaze, Juwon picked up her handbag and said,

“Let’s go, honey.”

The woman’s eyes widened at the word ‘honey’ coming from Juwon’s mouth.

It was surprising enough to see him holding such a dainty handbag that didn’t match his tall stature, but to hear ‘honey’…

Is this really the Lee Juwon I knew?

As feelings of envy and jealousy began to stir, Ina picked up her jacket hanging on the chair and stood up.

Suddenly noticing how much taller Ina seemed, Juwon tilted his head and looked down at her shoes.

Seeing the 12cm gold pearl stiletto heels, Juwon chuckled and said goodbye to the woman.

“Well then, we’ll be going now.”

“Oh, yes… Take care on your way home.”

The woman replied in a gloomy voice full of disappointment.

Juwon bowed to the woman and then took Ina’s hand.

The woman watched the two walk away with an envious expression.

As soon as they opened the door of the coffee shop and stepped out, Juwon stopped and looked at Ina.

“Why did you dress up so prettily today?”

“Huh?”

“When I entered the coffee shop, I could only see you.”

At those words, Ina blushed but inwardly cheered, thinking the effect of her 6 AM beauty routine had paid off. Oh yeah! Nice shot!

“Well, you know, it’s our first date… I wanted to look pretty, so I put in some effort.”

As Ina mumbled shyly, Juwon put his hand around her waist and said,

“You’re pretty even without trying.”

“…”

Ina stared blankly at Juwon, who was shamelessly displaying his romantic side, when he looked down at her shoes.

“But aren’t those heels too high? They look a bit dangerous, being so thin too.”

“No, it’s fine. I need to wear this much to get closer to your eye level.”

At those words, one corner of Juwon’s mouth lifted slightly, and he looked down at Ina with deep eyes.

“That’s true. Our Ina has grown a lot taller, hasn’t she? It’s just the right height for kissing, isn’t it?”

At those words, Ina’s eyes widened as if they might pop out, and she quickly darted her gaze around.

This is right in front of Juwon’s company…

Surely he’s not thinking of k-kissing here where there are so many people coming and going?

Juwon burst out laughing at her flustered crab-like appearance.

“As if I’d kiss you here.”

As Juwon spoke, reading Ina’s mind, her busy eyes finally stopped moving.

Juwon leaned his upper body close to Ina’s face and said,

“I want to badly, but I’ll hold back and do it later.”

L-later when? At what hour and minute? Ina swallowed hard at Juwon’s kiss forecast.

Juwon smiled and lightly tapped Ina’s nose bridge.

“And I can adjust to your eye level anytime, so don’t wear such high heels next time. Okay?”

Ina blinked her large eyes and nodded at Juwon’s affectionate voice.

“Now let’s go. Are you hungry?”

Although she felt full from Juwon’s overflowing affection, the real stomach clock was screaming that it was hungry.

When Ina nodded, Juwon took her hand and started walking.

Juwon went to the car parked right next to the coffee shop and opened the passenger door for her.

Immediately going around to the driver’s seat and getting in, Juwon smiled at Ina.

The rose gold pearl eyeshadow accentuated Ina’s large eyes even more, her peach-tinted cheeks were lovely, and her moist pink lips looked tempting.

“You’re really pretty.”

Juwon touched Ina’s cheek and whispered.

“Th-thank you.”

Ina smiled shyly, but then suddenly seemed to remember something and pursed her lips.

“But that Yoon person from earlier was a bit funny.”

“What was?”

“Well, saying she hadn’t heard you had a girlfriend… What, did she go around asking everyone? What’s with that?”

Juwon looked at Ina, who was now openly jealous, with an expression that said she was cute.

Then, with an amused look, he interlaced his fingers with hers.

“Why? Does it bother you?”

“Of course it bothers me. Whether you have a girlfriend or not, what business is it of hers? Wait a minute… Don’t tell me all the women in your company are like that?”

Ina’s eyes narrowed with reasonable suspicion that of course they would be like that with a man like him.

Seeing her expression, Juwon burst out laughing and said,

“What is there to worry about? I’m yours now.”

At the words ‘I’m yours’, Ina’s narrowed eyes widened.

As Juwon gently caressed their interlocked fingers while gazing at her, Ina’s heart felt warm and fuzzy.

That’s right. Lee Juwon is mine now. No matter what anyone says, he’s mine, so what is there to worry about?

As Ina’s mood lifted and she smiled softly, Juwon smiled too.

“Shall we really go eat now?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like tuna sashimi by any chance?”

“Tuna sashimi?”

“Yeah. Remember that Japanese restaurant where we ate sushi before? Their tuna sashimi is pretty good.”

“Ah. That place? I remember. And I do like tuna sashimi.”

“Then shall we go there?”

“Sure.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

Juwon put his hands on the steering wheel.

* * *

“Oh my. Welcome!”

The owner who had greeted them warmly last time opened the door with a bright smile.

“Hello. Have you been well?”

As the owner smiled in response to Juwon’s greeting, his eyes moved to their tightly clasped hands.

And as if he had expected it, he raised an eyebrow.

“My, my. You two look very good together. I thought you were a handsome couple when I saw you last time, but congratulations!”

Juwon smiled in response to the owner’s friendly words.

The two took a seat in the innermost room, and Juwon ordered the tuna sashimi special for two and a bottle of sake.

“Huh? Are you planning to drink?”

When Ina asked curiously, Juwon answered as he took off his jacket.

“It’s Friday and our first date, so we should drink. I can leave the car parked out front and pick it up tomorrow.”

Ina’s heart fluttered at the words ‘first date’.

“I’ll take you home, but don’t drink too much.”

“Okay. Got it.”

A moment later, there was a knock and a staff member served salad, abalone porridge, and side dishes.

Ina picked up her spoon as if enchanted by the irresistible smell of abalone porridge attacking her senses.

Taking a spoonful of the savory abalone porridge, it seemed to melt in her mouth.

“It’s really delicious.”

Ina made a happy expression and tasted each of the side dishes as well.

“Wow. The side dishes here are really delicious too.”

“Eat slowly. We have plenty of time.”

Juwon replied as he poured a glass of sake for Ina and then for himself.

Seeing Juwon bring the glass to his lips, Ina quickly brought hers to her mouth as well.

It was a sweet sake with a fragrant fruit aroma.

“Mmm. This sake is tasty.”

“Yeah. I ordered something a bit sweet thinking you’d like it. But don’t drink it too quickly just because it’s tasty. You’ll get drunk fast.”

“Okay. I got it.”

A moment later, the kitchen chef personally brought out a plate of tuna sashimi flaunting a brilliant scarlet color, explained each part to the two of them, and even taught them how to eat it deliciously before leaving the room.

“Wow. Look at this color. It’s no joke.”

“Go ahead and eat.”

At Juwon’s voice, Ina picked up her chopsticks with an excited face.

Picking up a piece of sashimi, dipping it in soy sauce, and putting it in her mouth, a taste unlike anything in this world spread throughout her mouth.

“Wow, I could eat this even if I had no teeth. It’s so soft.”

Juwon smiled gently as he watched Ina in rapture.

“Is it that delicious?”

“Yes. So, so much.”

“Eat a lot. But slowly.”

“Okay. You eat quickly too.”

The two slowly savored various parts of the tuna sashimi, accompanied by sips of sake.

In between eating the sashimi, side dishes like tempura, fish cake soup, and grilled cutlassfish kept coming out, and soon the table was full.

Ina’s mood improved greatly with the wonderful boyfriend sitting across from her and the excellent food fully satisfying her taste buds.

Feeling happy as if floating on clouds, Ina kept sipping sake, and after two hours, two bottles of sake were completely empty.

She wanted to drink more, but Ina barely exercised self-control, recognizing that she was drunk.

“Shall we get up now?”

Ina nodded at Juwon’s words and quickly picked up the bill.

“I’ll pay for this.”

“Why?”

Juwon asked with a smile, resting his chin on his hand.

“You always buy. I’m definitely paying for this one.”

Ina stood up boldly, her voice slightly drunk.

Worried that Juwon might try to snatch the bill, Ina quickly opened the door of the room, put on her shoes, and walked to the counter.

Juwon chuckled and stood up, holding his jacket.

Just as Juwon came out of the room and walked towards the counter, he heard Ina’s voice saying, “What?”

And he saw Ina shooting him a not-so-angry laser gaze.

As Ina looked at Juwon with her lips pursed, the owner said with a big smile,

“Your boyfriend already paid earlier when he went to the bathroom.”

Ina stared at Juwon with an expression like a dog that had lost its chicken, and Juwon approached her side, chuckling.

“I was going to pay…”

As Ina looked at Juwon with the most wronged expression in the world, Juwon looked at her as if she was cute.

“You can pay next time.”

“You always say I can pay next time, but you end up paying…”

As Ina grumbled, the owner looked at her with a big smile.

“Oh my, how could he let such a pretty girlfriend treat him? Of course the boyfriend should pay.”

‘Mister, my boyfriend is incredibly handsome too, you know?’

Ina barely swallowed the words that almost spilled out in her drunken state.

“We enjoyed the meal.”

Juwon smiled at the owner and greeted him before taking Ina’s hand.

“Yes. Come again next time. I’ll give you lots of service.”

“You gave us a lot today too. Thanks to you, we ate well.”

As Juwon greeted him once more, Ina also bowed her head in greeting.