Kyle’s brow furrowed as he checked his wristwatch.

He had never waited even a minute or a second for anyone before.

To have twenty minutes of his time stolen like this.

Was the emotion beyond anger a state of enlightenment?

It felt like he had reached a transcendent state where he could only laugh bitterly at how absurd this was.

Because it was Lee Se Hee, of all people.

He thought he would wait only ten minutes at most, even if he did wait.

Kyle had been sitting quietly in his seat until now, while she failed to appear at the meeting place.

But he soon reached his limit.

“Where is she right now.”

As if Kyle’s words muttered to himself were a command, Dave moved.

After a while, Dave returned and informed him that Se Hee was currently watching a circus performance at the Grand Theater.

“A circus?”

She must like circus performances?

Even so, to be late on the very first day they agreed to meet every evening.

He had clearly told her the dinner time was when Francois Restaurant opened.

How quickly he had rushed through so much work for this appointed time.

Kyle let out a snicker.

She probably couldn’t even imagine such a thing.

He was surprised at his own current behavior.

He checked his wristwatch again.

The performance should have ended by now.

Why on earth wasn’t she showing up?

Could something have happened to her?

Now he was starting to worry.

“Dave.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Is there any additional information?”

Dave’s expression changed meaningfully at Kyle’s question.

“Shall I check immediately?”

Dave spoke in a voice that clearly conveyed his dissatisfaction.

“If you would just order me to resume the secret surveillance that you had Captain Marcus immediately cease…”

Kyle’s gaze sharply turned to Dave.

‘He’s saying that on purpose.’

Faced with Kyle’s obvious look of displeasure, Dave delivered another pointed remark.

“I think it would be best if you stopped here, sir…”

“Dave.”

However, Kyle’s face held an intimidating warning not to cross the line.

Once again, Dave had no choice but to quietly exit.

* * *

The magician created various mystical scenes, starting with a dazzling fireworks show for children and ending with a romantic magic performance for couples.

He truly lived up to being the world’s greatest magician.

Thanks to the colorful changing lights and special effects, the performance proceeded even more excitingly.

Se Hee couldn’t take her eyes off each act.

She was especially captivated by the bubble show.

She clapped more enthusiastically than the children at the magic show where smoke was blown into transparent soap bubbles like fog.

Seong Jae, seated beside her, watched Se Hee with a happy smile.

Finally, all the magic shows ended, and it was time for the finale.

“Now, lastly, I’d like to give you all chocolate gifts. Would those who want one please raise your hands high?”

As soon as the magician finished speaking, not only the child audience members but also the adults raised their hands high.

Of course, Se Hee shot one hand up as well.

“Seong Jae, aren’t you raising your hand?”

She then asked Seong Jae, who was sitting still.

“Ah… I’m not really into chocolate.”

Seong Jae just shrugged his shoulders.

“Still, raise your hand. If you get one, give it to me. Okay?”

Se Hee’s eyes sparkled like a greedy child.

“If that’s the case. I’ll raise them enthusiastically.”

Seong Jae raised both hands high.

However, neither of them received a gift from the magician.

The magician distributed all the chocolate gifts he had brought out to the child audience members.

“It would have been nice if he just gave one to everyone.”

Se Hee was clearly disappointed.

“Hahaha. You seem very disappointed. I’ll buy you one on our way out.”

Seong Jae looked at Se Hee as if she was cute and laughed.

“No, just buying one and receiving a gift directly from the magician have different meanings.”

“Ah… I see. Then I shall capture the magician and bring him before you immediately, Your Majesty.”

Se Hee burst out laughing at Seong Jae’s playful words.

“It’s already dinner time. I made a reservation at quite a nice restaurant. Let’s go eat together. I’ll order chocolate fondue for dessert.”

As they left the theater, Seong Jae naturally tried to guide Se Hee, having made thorough preparations.

“Ah… What should I do, I feel bad? I have a prior dinner engagement.”

However, Se Hee declined with a regretful expression.

“A prior engagement?”

Cracks began to form on Seong Jae’s face, which had been dreaming sweet dreams.

The subject of Se Hee’s prior engagement was probably the person he expected.

Seong Jae didn’t want to let Se Hee go to him.

“What time is it now?”

Se Hee froze as she looked at her watch.

She was doomed.

She had calculated up to the time the performance ended, but what about that chocolate?

Just for trying to get one chocolate…

She was truly doomed.

It would have been less frustrating if she had at least received one chocolate.

Kyle, with that personality of his… Ugh. Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.

“I’m in big trouble. I think I’m late for my appointment now. I really enjoyed today. I have to go now because I’m busy. See you next time.”

Se Hee ran off in a panic, her eyes wide.

“Se, Se Hee.”

Seong Jae stood there blankly, watching Se Hee’s quickly disappearing back.

He had reached out his hand thinking he would catch her soon, but it seems that was just his own delusion.

Is it that he can’t possibly overcome the wall that is Kyle?

Seong Jae clenched his fists tightly, letting out a heavy sigh.

* * *

Se Hee arrived at Francois in a fluster, but she was just pacing back and forth in front of it.

It was because she was in an inappropriate state of dress.

As they say, when it rains, it pours.

She hadn’t thought she would be this late, so she had expected to have enough time to change.

All she could do was sigh deeply.

The head manager, who spotted Se Hee looking distressed and fidgeting in front of the restaurant, quickly approached her.

“He is waiting for you.”

“Yes, but my attire right now is…”

“There are no dress code restrictions for private room customers.”

After kindly explaining, the head manager immediately guided Se Hee.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Se Hee thought she was saved and hurriedly followed the head manager.

In front of the room where Kyle was waiting stood his secretary, whom she had seen once before.

When their eyes met, he gave a light bow and then quickly stepped aside.

Se Hee also greeted him and entered.

At that moment, she thought she had entered a freezer.

The beads of sweat that had formed from rushing here instantly cooled in the chilling air that enveloped her entire body.

“Ah, hello. I’m very late. I’m sorry.”

Se Hee apologized first, bravely facing the cold air Kyle was emitting intensely.

Se Hee sat down uncomfortably across from Kyle and glanced at him once to gauge his mood.

“I really didn’t know it had gotten this late. I sincerely apologize, Mr. Graham.”

She bowed her head politely.

When Se Hee raised her head, her eyes met directly with Kyle’s, who was looking down at her with a very displeased expression.

His dark pupils were emitting an achingly blue light.

“Was the performance so entertaining that you forgot about your appointment with me?”

Kyle asked in a low voice reminiscent of Hades, the god of the underworld.

“…I have no excuse even with ten mouths. I’m truly sorry.”

Because she was sincerely sorry, Se Hee bowed her head again to apologize.

It wasn’t just any appointment, but one received as a penalty.

Moreover, today was the first day of that appointment.

“Or was it because of the person you watched it with?”

It was a voice tinged with an even chillier air than before.

The moment Dave informed him that she was watching not only the first part but also the second part of the performance with that guy who had boldly challenged him at the swimming pool.

The emotions he thought he had been controlling well stormed like a tempest.

He wanted nothing more than to get up right then and go to the theater.

However, Kyle waited calmly, suppressing his raging emotions with cold reason as much as possible.

She will surely come to him.

No, she must come, he thought.

But the waiting time was like hell.

And although she was late, Se Hee kept her appointment with Kyle.

In fact, the moment Se Hee entered the private room, his wildly surging emotions melted away as if it were a lie.

However, he couldn’t just let the fact that she had been with that guy slide.

“…Are you talking about Seong Jae? How did you know? We didn’t go together, I really met him there by chance. No, I don’t think I ever said I was going to the theater?”

Se Hee looked at Kyle with a surprised expression.

For a moment, Kyle’s eyebrows twitched.

How?

What should he answer?

Kyle’s mind went blank.

Damn it.

In his excitement,

To make such an uncharacteristic mistake.

It seems he just can’t prevent his mind from going haywire in front of Lee Se Hee.

Kyle struggled to maintain his composure.

“Did you just happen to see me passing by again? Just admit that you know. You could have told me not to be late for the appointment. Your personality is really… You know it’s not great, right?”

Se Hee rolled her eyes as if he was being mean.

Fortunately, Se Hee’s words became a small lifeline for Kyle.

Kyle carefully grasped the lifeline, making sure Se Hee didn’t notice.

“…Was there really a need to say anything? The appointment was already set.”

Luckily, he managed to overcome the critical moment thanks to Se Hee.

“Why do I keep missing you? And what do you take me for, I didn’t forget about the appointment. If it wasn’t for that chocolate, really. Sigh.”

Se Hee spoke as if complaining.

“In any case, you were late for the appointment.”

Kyle’s arrogant gaze was fully directed at Se Hee.

“Did you not care at all about an appointment that arose from a penalty? Or was it really because of the person you were with?”

Kyle asked again, as if interrogating.

“I’m truly sorry for being late. I really met Seong Jae by chance. If you think I double-booked appointments, it’s really a misunderstanding.”

“You met by chance?”

“Yes, because I went to the theater alone at first. I didn’t make an appointment to meet him there, really!”

“Is that so?”

Kyle raised an eyebrow as if he didn’t believe her.

“It’s true.”

Wait.

As she was defending herself, the current situation started to not make sense.

No, what is this?

It shouldn’t matter who Director Nam watches a performance with or not.

That’s not the focus right now, is it?

Suddenly, Se Hee frowned.

“Excuse me.”

Se Hee’s counterattack began, belatedly coming to her senses after being swayed.

“Now that I think about it, it seems the focus has shifted incorrectly from me being late for our appointment to me watching the performance with Seong Jae.”

Se Hee glared at Kyle with a sharp expression.

“I’ll apologize for being late to our appointment, but why! For what reason! How! Should I be interrogated about watching the performance with Seong Jae?”

Se Hee met Kyle’s gaze head-on, as if demanding he give a reason right now.

“Answer me. Is there a reason I shouldn’t have watched the performance with Seong Jae?”

Se Hee questioned the reason precisely once again.

Meanwhile, Kyle was flustered as the attack hit its mark.

How did the question leak out like this again?

In fact, there was no particular justification.

That is, as Se Hee said, there was absolutely no official reason why she couldn’t.

“Are we dating? Are we lovers? We’re not, right? Then why! Why are you reprimanding me as if I’m your lover who met another man?”

Se Hee questioned point by point like a prosecutor in court.

Kyle, who suddenly became the defendant, had to exercise his right to remain silent.

“Now that I think about it, you were wrong, weren’t you?”

Se Hee asked again, as if telling him to admit his guilt.

But Kyle just looked at Se Hee with an uncomfortable gaze.

“In my opinion… Our relationship is…”

Se Hee’s gaze turned to the sky as if in deep thought, then back to Kyle.

Kyle was completely focused on Se Hee.

What kind of relationship would she say it was?

He was so tense without even realizing it.

“Our relationship is no relationship at all. We’re just tied together by a penalty, right?”

Se Hee confirmed with her eyes wide open.

At that moment, Kyle’s brow completely furrowed.

Those words of Se Hee’s felt like something sharp piercing his chest.

What on earth had he been expecting?

“No relationship at all?”

Kyle’s voice was dry as he quietly murmured.

“Yes.”

Se Hee’s voice grew smaller as she sensed something was not quite right about the atmosphere.

Is he upset?

Why? I just stated the facts?

Se Hee carefully observed Kyle’s expression.

“Is that so? So that’s how it is.”

Kyle’s expression turned cold.

His gaze, as blue as it was chilling, turned towards Se Hee.

“Shall we do this properly then?”