I had no idea what kind of incredible question was coming.

Ye Rin waited for I Hyun’s question with a tense face.

“A secretary asked me before. What my favorite food was.”

Right, that stupid question she had blurted out to stall for time.

“I’m curious too.”

“Do you mean you’re curious about what food I like?”

“That’s right.”

“Ah…”

Ye Rin was quite taken aback.

She had served many superiors before, but no one had ever asked about her preferences.

No, that was natural.

A secretary caters to the boss’s tastes, not the other way around.

“I wonder why you’re curious about that…”

“It should be fair.”

Fair?

“I told a secretary about my favorite food. Shouldn’t the secretary tell me too, to be fair?”

It was a strange logic, but hearing it, it did seem to make some sense.

Even if she argued against it, I Hyun would have found a way to persuade Ye Rin anyway.

“I like spicy food.”

“For example?”

“Things like spicy tteokbokki or spicy chicken feet.”

“I see.”

While they were talking, the food they ordered arrived.

I Hyun very naturally pulled the steak in front of himself and started cutting it.

“You’ve met both my parents, but I’ve only met your father.”

“Pardon?”

All Ye Rin could do in this situation was to stupidly say “Pardon?” and ask for the real meaning of those words.

“Well, I was just thinking this seems a bit unfair too.”

Right, it seemed he would bring up fairness and unfairness again.

Though she had no idea why they were talking about meeting each other’s parents in a work relationship.

If someone just overheard their conversation, it wouldn’t be strange at all to misunderstand them as a couple, no, even as an engaged couple about to get married.

“Director, is there a particular reason you need to meet my parents?”

“I was just curious.”

“Ah, I see…”

“I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

Meanwhile, I Hyun placed a well-cut piece of steak on the plate in front of Ye Rin.

“Let’s talk while we eat.”

“I’ll cut it for you.”

“Ye Rin, you keep misunderstanding.”

I Hyun didn’t stop cutting as he held out another piece of steak to Ye Rin.

“We’re off work now.”

“Yes.”

That was a fact Ye Rin was aware of too.

“We’re not sitting here as boss and secretary, are we?”

“Then…”

“I came here as Cha I Hyun, the boyfriend, to persuade Ye Rin.”

“Director, if you say boyfriend, someone might misunderstand…”

“Who?”

I Hyun swept his head around the wide, empty restaurant.

“There’s no one here to hear and misunderstand?”

“Yes, unfortunately so.”

“So just comfortably accept when I do things for you.”

“It’s not comfortable at all.”

“Ah.”

I Hyun put down his knife and fork, as if he hadn’t thought of that.

“Then what should I do?”

“What do you mean?”

“That seems to be the biggest problem. That you always feel uncomfortable around me.”

“I like this.”

“Didn’t you say it was uncomfortable?”

“Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but I prefer this.”

She didn’t know what she was saying, but somehow this felt good.

“You don’t want to get closer to me, is that it?”

That was true, but…

It felt too harsh to say that so bluntly to someone’s face.

So Ye Rin thought for a moment before starting to make excuses.

“I heard somewhere…”

“Go on, Ye Rin.”

“Between men and women, it’s better to be uncomfortable than…”

She had no idea why she was saying such things.

When Ye Rin closed her lips tightly, I Hyun urged her on, curious about the rest.

“Why did you stop mid-sentence, Ye Rin?”

“They say it’s better to be uncomfortable…”

After pondering for a while, I Hyun nodded once, as if Ye Rin’s words made some sense.

“You’re right. Uncomfortable is better than comfortable.”

I Hyun smiled brightly, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Alright then. Shall we go back to what we were talking about earlier?”

“What were we talking about?”

The topics were changing so rapidly, and she couldn’t keep up with I Hyun’s eloquent speech, leaving her completely bewildered.

“What kind of person is your mother?”

“Even if I wanted to meet her… I can’t.”

A hint of bewilderment flashed in I Hyun’s eyes at those words.

“If I made a mistake…”

“Ah, no!”

He seemed to think Ye Rin’s mother was no longer in this world when she said they couldn’t meet.

Ye Rin quickly added:

“My mother is very ill.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes, she’s in the hospital.”

Unlike Pyeong Hun who could move around freely, she meant it was difficult to meet her mother.

I Hyun listened silently to Ye Rin’s words.

This was the first time she had opened up about her family to anyone other than Na Ri and Seo Yun.

At first, she wondered why she had to talk about such trivial matters, but before she knew it, she was voluntarily sharing her story.

“We were a happy, ordinary family. Before my father’s business failed.”

“I see.”

“When my father’s work wasn’t going well, my mother was under a lot of stress. That’s when she started getting sick and began treatment.”

As she talked, she missed her mother Chan Sook.

But she couldn’t see her just because she missed her.

Pyeong Hun hadn’t told Ye Rin which hospital Chan Sook was admitted to.

He only allowed a phone call once a month when she sent the hospital fees.

Thinking about this suddenly made Ye Rin emotional, and her eyes turned red.

“I’m sorry.”

She hurriedly wiped her eyes with a napkin, but tears had already rolled down her cheeks.

“Ah, why am I like this.”

This was already the second time she had suddenly cried in front of I Hyun.

Maybe it was because she had spoken aloud the story she had kept bottled up inside all this time.

Or perhaps it was because there was someone listening to her story.

The tightly locked door of her heart seemed to have opened without her realizing it.

I Hyun rose from his seat and approached Ye Rin, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“Oh dear. I’ve made you cry again.”

Then, without warning, I Hyun spread his arms and embraced Ye Rin.

The pleasant scent emanating from I Hyun instantly filled Ye Rin’s nostrils.

“Director?”

Surprised, Ye Rin squirmed in I Hyun’s arms.

I Hyun didn’t let her go and continued speaking while holding her.

“I’m comforting you.”

“Ah…”

Strangely, being in I Hyun’s embrace gradually stopped her tears.

And her heart started racing again without warning.

It was only natural. Who wouldn’t be affected when such an outstanding man suddenly embraced them?

I Hyun’s large hand rhythmically stroked Ye Rin’s back.

Surprisingly, it was comforting.

After being in I Hyun’s arms for a while, Ye Rin spoke in a small voice.

“Director, I’m really okay now.”

At those words, I Hyun slowly loosened his arms.

He gently wiped Ye Rin’s swollen, red eyes with his thumb and whispered softly.

“I made you cry again.”

“No. It’s not because of you.”

“It’s all my fault for asking about your family unnecessarily.”

Ye Rin shook her head, saying it wasn’t.

And she smiled gently, telling I Hyun he didn’t need to feel sorry anymore.

I Hyun returned to his original seat.

“I’m not the type to cry in front of just anyone.”

She couldn’t understand why she became so emotional in front of I Hyun.

I Hyun smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth as if something pleased him greatly.

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Strangely, I become like this when I’m with you.”

“That’s good. It sounds like I’m a special person to you.”

“…”

It did seem that way.

But Ye Rin just smiled gently instead of answering, worried that I Hyun might misunderstand if she agreed.

“Actually, it’s been a while since I’ve seen my mother.”

“Why?”

She knew well that telling this story might make I Hyun think strangely of her.

But it seemed she needed someone to open up to and have a heart-to-heart conversation with.

Ye Rin bit her lip and spoke with difficulty.

“Because I don’t know which hospital she’s in.”

I Hyun listened to Ye Rin’s words silently.

Then, as if to confirm his understanding, he asked:

“So, your mother is hospitalized and receiving treatment somewhere.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve never visited your mother in the hospital, is that right?”

It was accurate.

I Hyun stroked his smooth chin with one hand and asked curiously:

“Then who in the family is taking care of her?”

“My father visits occasionally, but…”

I Hyun nodded once.

Being quick-witted, he seemed to have grasped the situation at once.

After pondering for a moment, I Hyun carefully spoke up.

“I’d like to help you.”

“Why?”

“Because I want your help with something too? Is that too mercenary?”

“No, not really.”

She was curious about how he planned to help her.

In fact, Ye Rin had tried to find the hospital where her mother was admitted.

But Pyeong Hun refused to tell her until the end, and when she called all the hospitals in Seoul, she only received responses that they couldn’t disclose patient information.

How could I Hyun, an outsider, not even family, help?

He seemed to have read Ye Rin’s curious thoughts.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to transfer your mother to Jiseok Hospital for treatment.”

“Why would you go that far?”

“You know why.”

“Surely not because of our fake relationship?”

“Correct.”

Ye Rin’s lips slowly parted.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. I’m very serious right now.”

It seemed that way.

I Hyun took out his cellphone from his jacket and placed it on the table. Then he tapped the phone lightly with his index finger.

“One phone call can solve everything.”

“How…”

“That’s a trade secret, so I can’t tell you even if you’re Ye Rin.”