Ye Rin looked at I Hyun with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

I Hyun leaned his upper body forward and spoke.

“I am a businessman.”

Although he hadn’t been serving I Hyun for long, he was known as an indispensable figure in the Jiseok Group.

Every project he touched turned profitable, and he was famous for reviving businesses on the brink of failure.

“I always make the best choices by considering what’s mutually beneficial. I’m good at that.”

Ye Rin silently waited for him to continue.

“I’ve been quite curious about what a secretary like you might need.”

It seemed he had pondered a lot on his own about what they could exchange.

“Even if I offered a building, you’d refuse, and if I offered money, you’d say no. It’s been quite difficult to figure out what to give a secretary.”

It appeared he had finally figured out what Ye Rin truly needed today.

“I will take responsibility for taking care of Secretary Han’s mother. Ah, at our Jiseok Hospital.”

It was an incredibly tempting offer. One that couldn’t help but pique her curiosity.

“Only your father knows this information.”

I Hyun wore a confident expression, as if it didn’t matter.

“It’s not right for family members to live without seeing each other, is it?”

That’s right. Pyeong Hun had been essentially holding Ye Rin’s mother, Chan Sook, hostage and always taking allowance money.

She could give him money anytime, but not being able to visit Chan Sook when she wanted was really difficult.

Seeing Ye Rin’s dark brown eyes waver, I Hyun smiled slyly.

“So, Secretary Han, let’s do it. Date me.”

“……”

“I absolutely won’t do anything improper.”

I Hyun emphasized that he really just wanted dating lessons and had no other ulterior motives.

“I promise I won’t do anything without Secretary Han’s permission.”

This was the first time Ye Rin had considered doing something resembling dating without any emotions, so she couldn’t easily make a decision.

“Secretary Han, I’m not saying I’m going to do anything to you. It’s just a practice run.”

I Hyun seemed to want to persuade Ye Rin in earnest, as he unbuttoned and rolled up his shirt sleeves.

As a result, his firm arms with prominent dark red veins were fully exposed.

“Secretary Han, do you have a boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Is there a man you like?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Then what’s your ideal type?”

Ye Rin pondered for a moment at I Hyun’s question.

Ideal type. It was a question she had never deeply considered before.

“I don’t really have one.”

“Oh my.”

I Hyun clicked his tongue as if pitying her.

“Let’s find Secretary Han’s ideal type while we’re at it.”

“What?”

“By dating me.”

Whatever the case, the conclusion was always to date.

“I’ll do whatever Secretary Han wants.”

In truth, this was an offer where Ye Rin had nothing to lose.

It was just a bit burdensome that the other party was her superior whom she served.

And he said he would allow her to see her mother Chan Sook, whom she had been desperately searching for, frequently.

If it’s not real dating but just pretending to date, maybe she could try it.

Ye Rin’s resolute heart was slowly starting to waver.

“Then, if I could think about it a little more…”

“No.”

I Hyun was extremely firm. He seemed very urgent.

“You know, since you’ve talked with Madam Yun.”

“Know what?”

“Madam Yun is probably investigating that woman I’m supposedly in unrequited love with, subtly or not, by now.”

“What?”

Ye Rin raised her voice in genuine surprise. This couldn’t be left alone.

“If she finds out that the woman I’m in unrequited love with has disappeared.”

“……”

“She’s the type to search the entire globe to find her.”

Ye Rin’s fingers under the table began to tremble.

“So I think it would be better to divert Madam Yun’s attention elsewhere before that happens.”

“How?”

“By saying I’ve started dating.”

“……”

It wasn’t easy for Ye Rin to judge which option was better.

If Madam Yun got involved, I Hyun would also find out that Ye Rin was the very woman who had disappeared.

Even if she tried to prevent that by fake dating I Hyun.

This too would be no different from walking on thin ice.

Either way, there were risks involved.

“If you say you’ve started dating, wouldn’t Madam be even more curious?”

“No.”

I Hyun asserted with a resolute face.

“She’ll lose interest then.”

“Why? Wouldn’t she be more curious about who you’re dating?”

“She would be curious.”

“That’s why it won’t work.”

I Hyun continued his explanation slowly, as if telling her to think carefully.

“If I say I’m dating, she’s the type to be careful not to cause any harm to her son.”

“Really?”

“She might occasionally call Secretary Han to ask out of curiosity.”

And that was the problem.

I Hyun reassured Ye Rin as if telling her not to worry.

“Secretary Han just needs to recite a few dates we went on.”

“What?”

“Just relay the information, omitting the fact that my dating partner is Secretary Han. Isn’t that easier?”

Would it be easier? Just thinking about it made her fingertips tremble.

I Hyun wore a confident expression as if telling her not to worry.

“Just play along a few times like that.”

“It seems Madam would be more curious about the woman dating you, sir.”

“I’ll firmly tell her not to take interest before I introduce you myself.”

Ye Rin had an uncertain look on her face.

“Secretary Han can meet her mother comfortably, I can pacify my mother. And we can practice dating too.”

I Hyun smiled broadly, saying it was a good contract in many ways.

I Hyun took out the tablet PC he had been carrying and placed it on the desk.

He scribbled something with the tablet pen and then smiled brightly.

“It’s a contract, so read it carefully.”

“A contract?”

Looking at the tablet PC after hearing I Hyun’s words, a document titled ‘Dating Contract’ caught her eye.

When did he prepare this in his busy schedule?

The clause related to Chan Sook that I Hyun had just promised during their conversation was also added.

There was one strange thing.

“It says you’re the party B, sir.”

The dating contract I Hyun presented had Ye Rin as party A and I Hyun as party B.

Ye Rin thought it was a typo.

“Yes, I wrote it that way.”

“Why…”

“Well, because I’m the one pursuing Secretary Han.”

It was so unfamiliar to see a man who always stood in the position of party A volunteering to be party B.

Ye Rin read through the contract as if entranced.

“Party B can engage in skinship if party A permits? What’s this?”

“It means exactly what it says.”

“Are we going to hold hands? No, right?”

“You only intend to hold hands?”

Ye Rin’s dark brown pupils trembled.

I Hyun seemed equally perplexed.

“Sir, you clearly said we were just practicing dating.”

“Yes, practice.”

I Hyun looked as if he didn’t see what the problem was.

It seemed that I Hyun’s range of practice included skinship as well.

“Secretary Han, we’re not elementary school students. Did you really think we’d just sit and chat?”

Unfortunately, she did.

I Hyun slightly furrowed his brow.

“Secretary Han, have you forgotten why I decided to do this contract dating with you?”

“You said it was to naturally engage in dating when that woman you lost appears…”

“If you know so well.”

Ye Rin didn’t understand well.

I Hyun smiled slightly and continued his explanation carefully.

“Secretary Han, what if I meet that woman and kiss her?”

“Yes.”

“If I act awkwardly because my heart feels like it’s going to burst.”

“You, sir?”

That’s impossible. The person who had pushed her like a wild beast that night, despite saying it was his first time.

How could he say he couldn’t speak just from holding hands?

“Yes. Except for that impulsive one night, I’ve never had skinship with a woman.”

Ye Rin just slowly ran her tongue over her lower lip, as if embarrassed.

She couldn’t even ask why he was pretending it didn’t happen.

I Hyun tapped the contract with his index finger as if he really had no other ulterior motives.

“That’s why I specified. Skinship only with mutual agreement, after getting permission.”

“What if I don’t agree?”

“Well then.”

I Hyun seemed to ponder for a moment.

“I’ll make you agree.”

“What?”

“Or create a situation where you can’t help but agree.”

“……”

“I’m joking.”

I Hyun smoothly escaped after throwing out words that sounded serious.

“Of course I won’t do anything if you don’t agree.”

She couldn’t believe him at all.

I Hyun pointed at the contract with his chin, shoulders squared confidently.

“You haven’t read the clause below that yet, have you?”

She had asked questions without properly reading it because the word skinship appeared.

Ye Rin’s gaze returned to the tablet PC.

“Party A can demand immediate termination of the contract if party B violates the contract terms?”

“Yes.”

In other words, if I Hyun were to engage in skinship without Ye Rin’s consent, it would be a violation of the contract.

It meant she could end their contract dating immediately.

It was a perfect contract with safety measures in place as well.

“You’ll continue to support all of my mother’s hospital and treatment costs even after the contract period ends?”

“Yes.”

“This seems too excessive.”

“I don’t think so at all.”

The dating period I Hyun proposed was 6 months.

Just receiving Chan Sook’s hospital and treatment costs during that period was already a huge amount.

And he would continue to support her even after that.

“Secretary Han, you won’t be able to date other men while dating me.”

“Yes. I understand that well.”

“If by chance a man you’d hate to miss appears during that time.”

“What?”

“You’d naturally want compensation for missing out on that person.”

The probability of that was extremely low.

“I want you to accept it without refusing, as compensation for giving me your time. I think even this is not enough.”

Mother and son were truly alike in this aspect.

Madam Yun was also desperate to give more. I Hyun was also trying hard to give something more.

Thinking that if she refused this, he might forcibly give her a building in her name, Ye Rin nodded.

“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”

“Good, you’ve thought well.”

I Hyun placed the tablet PC pen next to the hesitating Ye Rin.

“Do you have any more requests?”

“No.”

“Then sign it.”