“Kang Tae Hyun?”

They’re going to put Kang Tae Hyun in that position!?

“You’re crazy.”

Cha Si Heon leaned back against the chair and spat out a few more curses.

I was the one who pulled off the acquisition of Danbi Media to get a foothold in the OTT sector, but Kang Tae Hyun gets the credit for it!?

Si Heon took a deep breath to calm himself and asked calmly.

“When is the board meeting?”

“First, the notice for the board meeting will go out next Tuesday, and the meeting itself will be on the third Tuesday of December.”

Si Heon turned his head to check the calendar.

“This is not the time to be leisurely dating.”

At Heo Jang Woo’s nagging words, Si Heon squeezed his eyes shut. Of all people, Kang Tae Hyun? This was clearly Kang Yu Kyung’s doing.

This Saturday, at uncle’s birthday banquet, it’s already dizzying to imagine how smug he’ll be.

Normally, he wouldn’t even give him the time of day, but this time was different. To put him, who had been desperate to get into Cha Han Media’s management line for a long time, in the position of managing director.

He was already fuming.

“You’re right. This is not the time for me to be leisurely dating.”

Si Heon swallowed a bitter laugh.

Once again, his mind raced.

“Jang Woo.”

“Yes, elder brother.”

“This Saturday, there’s a birthday banquet for my uncle at the Sovereign Hall of Cha Han Hotel.”

“Yes, I know.”

Wondering why he was suddenly bringing up the HS Capital chairman’s birthday, Jang Woo tilted his head.

“Tell them to add Jin So Yi to the guest list. I’m bringing her.”

“What?”

“You heard me well, why are you asking again?”

“I’m not asking because I didn’t hear, but because I thought I might have heard wrong.”

“You heard right.”

Si Heon closed So Yi’s profile picture that was open on the monitor.

“If I’m going to marry her, I should introduce her to the family first.”

This was no time to be distracted by leisurely dating.

[This is the timeline separator]

A few busy days passed.

He had to resist the urge to keep looking at So Yi whenever they happened to cross paths at the company.

With Kang Tae Hyun about to snatch my position, how could I afford to waste time letting my mind wander?

For several days, Si Heon casually dated So Yi while leaking information to the person Yu Kyung had planted.

“Let’s go to the department store after dinner.”

On Friday evening, Si Heon said nonchalantly while having dinner with So Yi.

“What? At this hour?”

So Yi picked up her phone to check the time. It was already almost 8 o’clock.

“I want to buy some clothes for Jin So Yi to wear tomorrow.”

Going to buy clothes to wear on the weekend? So Yi blinked her eyes for a moment and put down her fork and knife.

“Why did you stop eating?”

Seeing So Yi stop eating when the main course hadn’t even arrived yet, Si Heon asked with a puzzled expression.

“You said we’re going to buy clothes. I shouldn’t be full, right?”

She had been drinking wine just fine earlier, but now she took a sip of water to wet her mouth. What difference does it make if you eat more here?

Si Heon burst out laughing.

“You should buy clothes that fit when you’re full.”

“No. Then I won’t be able to wear pretty fitted clothes. I should look pretty for an important occasion with you, sir.”

“How much can your stomach stick out after eating? It’s barely a handful anyway.”

Si Heon shook his head as if he couldn’t understand. Suddenly, So Yi’s cheeks flushed quickly. The memory of that night when his large hands gripped her waist came rushing back.

“Ah, um. I’m full. I’ll stop eating.”

She fanned her face repeatedly to cool it down, but it was useless.

“What kind of imagination made you blush like that?”

“It’s, it’s because of the wine!”

So Yi’s eyes trembled endlessly in embarrassment. Her round eyes, wide open like a startled rabbit, suddenly seemed cute.

“Don’t mind me and keep eating.”

“No, if you don’t eat, we’re not going.”

Si Heon smiled mischievously.

“We’ll only go after you finish eating. I’ve allowed plenty of time anyway, so if we go now, they might not be ready yet.”

“Sir…”

“It’s all the same whether you eat more here or not. Just eat. I brought you here to see you eating prettily.”

Eating prettily? So Yi’s face flushed to the point of bursting. Why would he say such things when it’s just the two of them in this room?

So Yi hurriedly turned her head. Her cheeks and ears reflected in the window were flushed red.

[This is the timeline separator]

In the end, she ate it all. She finished the ribeye steak that followed, along with the paired wine and dessert.

‘Mmm, the steak is really tender. It’s so delicious.’

Despite saying she wouldn’t eat, So Yi finished her meal with high praise. Her appearance was so pretty that it made him laugh once again.

“But can we go in even though the business hours are over?”

“That’s why they’re waiting out there like that, right?”

As So Yi turned her head at Si Heon’s words, she saw a valet staff already waiting in front of the department store’s main entrance, presumably having been contacted in advance.

As they got out of the car, another staff member standing nearby guided the two to the VIP exclusive entrance.

“Shall we act close?”

Si Heon whispered in her ear and pulled So Yi’s arm. He hooked her arm around his own and walked casually.

So Yi’s fingers, which had flinched for a moment in surprise, soon adjusted their grip on Si Heon’s firm arm.

A moment later, when they got off at the floor with the VIP lounge, a staff member waiting in front of the door bowed and greeted them.

“We’ve prepared in advance according to the size and style you mentioned.”

She saw something like the round platform that prospective brides stand on when trying on wedding dresses.

“This way, please.”

The staff member who took So Yi’s coat and bag guided her to the platform.

Si Heon sat on the sofa prepared in front of the platform, waiting for So Yi to change and come out.

Every time So Yi came out after changing clothes, Si Heon said nothing, as if the clothes prepared by the staff didn’t appeal to him at all.

The staff, noticing this, quickly recommended the next outfit. Even when she came out in the next outfit, Si Heon’s expression just kept hardening without a word.

By the time she had changed into about six outfits, he was even furrowing his brow slightly.

Does he dislike them that much? Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten the steak after all?

As she was biting her lip and watching his reaction, Si Heon stood up.

Another staff member standing behind Si Heon quickly approached. Thinking that there might not be a single outfit he liked, cold sweat formed on the staff member’s fingertips.

Si Heon put his hand in his jacket’s inner pocket. Taking out a card from his wallet, Si Heon said to the staff in an indifferent voice.

“Just give me all of them.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Why did you buy six outfits?”

On the way home, So Yi asked.

“They all looked the same to me. Just wear any of them and come out.”

“Then I’ll bring back the rest of the clothes tomorrow.”

She meant to wear one of the six outfits tomorrow and return the rest.

She thought it was natural to take back and refund the unworn clothes, as all the outfits she tried on today were luxury brand items that anyone could recognize at a glance.

“What do you mean, bring them back?”

Si Heon asked as if he couldn’t understand.

“Because I won’t wear them.”

“Wear them.”

“Pardon?”

“Wear them when you go on dates with me from now on.”

At the word ‘date’, So Yi’s heart pounded. She quickly turned her head, afraid he might notice her blushing face.

She pressed her lips tightly, afraid of revealing the wildly trembling emotions. Her heart was beating furiously, oblivious to her efforts.

In fact, today really felt like a date. The nice restaurant and the pleasant voice.

Even when she was walking arm in arm with Si Heon, she felt it.

She was excited by the firm arm she felt at her fingertips, and she liked the faint scent of cologne that brushed against her as they walked.

The straight eyebrows and deep, clear eyes. The sculpted nose bridge and firm lips, smooth jawline.

It had been a long time since any resolve to keep her mind straight had lost all meaning.

So Yi sighed quietly, trying not to show it. Longing for an unreachable tree is harder than one might think. No matter how much she tries to suppress and push it away, her heart runs wild at his voice, his expressions.

Even knowing she shouldn’t expect anything, she keeps dreaming. She doesn’t know how many times she’s had to suppress the thought of wanting to become his lover like this.

Sadder than burning with unrequited feelings for someone who won’t look back at me is the reality that I can’t even turn away on my own.

‘I don’t like unrequited love…’

To think that she’s experiencing unrequited love for the first time now, when she never did during her school days or college years. The thought of having to suffer for quite a while longer already made her head spin.

Si Heon’s car, which had been driving quietly, climbed onto the bridge crossing the Han River. Why is the night view so beautiful when it’s so inconsiderate?

Her heart rippled at the starlight scattered abundantly over the river. Her moist eyes were filled with the sparkling Han River.

After dropping off So Yi, Si Heon planned to have a drink with Choi Ji Wook. While drinking at the Cha Han lounge bar, Ji Wook glanced around.

“How’s the fake dating going?”

After confirming that no one was around, Ji Wook asked in a low voice.

“What’s there to go well or not?”

“She seemed quite beautiful when I saw her last time.”

“I have high standards.”

“That’s right. Even fake dating, Cha Si Heon doesn’t do it half-heartedly?”

Ji Wook smiled softly as he filled his on-the-rocks glass with ice.

“But is it really fake?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you were fake dating her to provoke your mother. That you had to act like you were going to marry Jin So Yi to make her surrender.”

Si Heon nodded silently.

He should answer that it was true, but the words wouldn’t come out.

In fact, he had been preoccupied with thoughts of Jin So Yi for days. He doesn’t know how hard he’s tried to shake off the thoughts of Jin So Yi that kept popping up on their own.

He couldn’t even sleep properly because So Yi’s brightly smiling face kept flickering before his eyes.