I Didn't Mean to Pick You - Chapter 27

“If you want to catch a live butterfly, go to the Amazon. Don’t make people bleed here.”

Min Woo, who had left the cafe with Seung Ho, sighed deeply at him. It was Min Woo who was tired of their suffocating confrontation.

He seemed to be worried about the image of Seung Ho, who casually talked about butterfly specimens in front of Ha Jun. Certainly, the brutal words from his elegant appearance instantly froze the table.

Judging by their reactions, it was clear that making specimens out of painstakingly raised butterflies was something that ordinary people could not do. But it didn’t matter.

‘Amazon, what…’

Seung Ho moved his steps even slower with a faint smile, as if enjoying the piercing gaze on his back.

The path leading to the house was unusually deserted today. He liked the quiet path.

Thanks to that, he could hear the small footsteps following him. Seung Ho’s smile, which had been listening to the hesitant sound trying to keep as much distance as possible from him, disappeared in an instant. Ji Hyun, who had been following, had stopped walking.

And soon a faint but excited voice reached his ears. It was a voice as sweet as the pink lemonade she had been drinking.

“It’s snowing.”

Instead of looking at the sky, Seung Ho turned his body and looked at Ji Hyun.

Ji Hyun, who was looking at the sky where snow was falling heavily, looked somewhat flushed. The cold and white snow gently sat on her long eyelashes and melted away.

It was a pretty sight like a painting. Seung Ho stared at her blankly. After watching the falling snow for a while, Ji Hyun lowered her head slowly as if she felt his gaze.

Due to the cold air, the breath from her lips scattered white. The transparent eyes, which stood out uniquely due to the white surroundings transformed by the falling snow, met his.

The two looked at each other silently. The snow swallowed the sound and the surroundings became even more quiet. Seung Ho quietly swallowed his breath. It seemed that the white snow that had excited Ji Hyun was quietly falling into his heart as well.

Manager Kim’s face turned from white to blue upon receiving the call. It was a sudden notice that the Madam, who was supposed to be in the US, would arrive at the mansion.

‘Is it a trend these days to come without notice?’

Manager Kim was irritated by the unwelcome announcement, but there was no time. In order not to go against the Madam’s sensitive mood, she had to move quickly.

“Hurry up and move. Hurry!”

The servants, who knew that Manager Kim rarely got excited over trivial matters, murmured at her shout.

Manager Kim was hurriedly urging the servants to line up as if something really big had happened. Hyun Sook, who was well aware of the Madam’s notoriety, quietly hid among the servants.

The Madam was a person who would fire a servant on the spot, even if they had worked for her for several years, if there was anything slightly irritating, without any blood or tears.

‘It’s really fortunate that Ji Hyun is not here.’

When Hyun Sook hid her body among the servants, relieved by Ji Hyun’s absence, a heavy black sedan glided and stopped in front of the mansion.

Even before the car door opened, Manager Kim bowed her body at a right angle towards the heavily tinted car. Soon, following her, the servants lined up behind also bent their bodies deeply.

“Have you arrived, Madam?”

The car door opened and a slender leg in a high-heeled black pump touched the ground.

“It’s been a while, Manager Kim.”

A woman wearing a black dress with a vermilion scarf hanging long and a gray coat got out of the car.

The woman called Madam had a bob cut that suited her very well. Her face, smiling while looking at the mansion, was very beautiful, but the overall cold and sharp impression could not be erased.

“Welcome, Madam.”

Manager Kim led the Madam into the mansion with a genuinely welcoming face. The servants also moved, following the clicking sound of her heels.

“Where is our Seung Ho?”

The servants exchanged glances at the heartlessness of not asking about or looking for the eldest son, Myung Ho.

“He went out for a bit.”

“I’m exhausted to death, maybe because of the long flight or the jet lag. I must be getting old.”

“That can’t be true. You are still young.”

Manager Kim skillfully deflected the Madam’s complaint.

“If you take a warm bath and relax your body, you will feel much better.”

“I should get a massage too. Manager Kim, contact the aesthetic salon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Report to me as soon as Seung Ho comes.”

“Yes.”

Just when it seemed to be wrapping up safely, the Madam turned to Manager Kim.

“Ah, by the way, where is that girl?”

“Pardon? Who are you referring to?”

“That girl, the one who works next to Seung Ho.”

Realizing that the Madam was referring to Ji Hyun, Manager Kim involuntarily glanced at Hyun Sook.

“I believe Ji Hyun is out.”

“Out? You said she’s out right now?”

The Madam’s voice rose along with her eyebrows, her mood unpleasant.

“Ha, this is really…”

The sharp eyes that were looking down at her well-groomed nails turned to the servants.

“It seems like everyone has been living comfortably while I was away.”

Hyun Sook closed her eyes tightly. She had forgotten for a moment.

The fact that the Madam was not an ordinary crazy woman…

Soo Rin Do, the wife of Chairman Shin, who had a noble and innocent image like a lofty lily, and the mother of Seung Ho Shin. She was born into a so-called golden spoon family that had no idea about other people’s circumstances or suffering.

If there was one thing lacking in her, who had a beautiful face and a great family background, it was her personality.

It was no exaggeration to say that she had already done all the tyrannical acts that could make the news, as it was natural for her to reign over others.

For Soo Rin Do, who had lived recklessly like that, maintaining the deep and pure image of the lady of the Shin Group was quite a stressful task. That’s why the mansion was noisy on the days when she returned from external activities.

The Madam’s voice became even lower.

“That girl… she’s not out with our Seung Ho, right?”

Manager Kim hurriedly looked at Hyun Sook. Hyun Sook, whose eyes met hers, shook her head as if it was absolutely not the case.

‘Is she determined to kill someone?’

“That can’t be…”

“Tell that girl to come to my room too.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Just when she thought the crisis had been averted for now, the Madam threatened.

“Bring her before my eyes as soon as possible.”

Ji Hyun looked at Seung Ho, who was standing a few steps ahead, with an awkward face. She had just watched the snow falling endlessly from the sky because it was fascinating, but he was looking at her as if looking at a neighborhood puppy.

“Is it your first time seeing snow?”

Feeling burdened by the constant eye contact with his black eyes, Ji Hyun slightly lowered her gaze.

‘Even so, staring at someone blankly and making them uncomfortable, what is that?’

Perhaps because she was wearing thin sneakers, the freezing cold easily took away the warmth of her feet.

‘I wish he would go ahead first…’

Ji Hyun, tapping her numb feet on the ground, waited for Seung Ho to leave first.

“Are you going to keep standing there?”

Seung Ho, who shattered her expectations, pointed to his side with a nod of his head. It was a signal to come over here. Ji Hyun took a step back, startled.

“Ah, no. You go first.”

It was best not to do burdensome things from the start.

Just imagining walking together with Seung Ho Shin made her stomach churn and feel dizzy. If they entered the mansion together like that, she was convinced that Manager Kim, who already had sharp eyes, would not leave her alone.

“Hmm.”

Seung Ho’s eyes narrowed, displeased with the rejection.

“If you’re not going to come this way, I won’t move either. If you want to freeze to death, just keep standing there.”

The content he spoke in a low and soft tone was close to a threat. Ji Hyun knew well that his words were not a joke. Seung Ho was standing with a relaxed face, looking at her as if he really wouldn’t move.

‘He’s really mean.’

After hesitating for a moment, Ji Hyun let out a deep sigh and took steps towards him.

“Why did you two come together?”

Manager Kim, who had been waiting at the mansion’s main gate, grabbed Ji Hyun’s arm and asked as if interrogating.

Ji Hyun felt wronged by her expression of shock upon seeing them coming together. Seung Ho, who came with her, was treated politely and kindly, but only she was grabbed like catching a mouse by Manager Kim, which felt spiteful.

“We met by chance on the way.”

“Does that make sense?”

She wanted to ignore the nagging and go to the annex, but Manager Kim grabbed Ji Hyun’s arm again.

“Ji Hyun.”

Manager Kim’s expression as she called her name was unusual. It was a different look from when she was scolding her a little while ago.

“…”

“The Madam wants to see you.”

“Pardon? Who?”

Ji Hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘If it’s the Madam, it’s the scary person who threw a water glass at the chauffeur’s head.’

Seeing Ji Hyun’s face turn pale white at the Madam’s notoriety, Manager Kim looked straight into her eyes and said,

“Get yourself together. Even if you enter a tiger’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.”

She’s scarier than a tiger.

Manager Kim’s advice continued as she took Ji Hyun, who was terrified at the thought of meeting the notorious Madam among the servants, to the mansion.

“Remember. Never talk back in front of the Madam. Don’t even make eye contact. And…”

“…”

Manager Kim’s eyes were solemn as she gave her final advice.

“If an object comes flying, dodge it quickly.”

…Yes?