Even without turning her head to check the other person’s face, she could tell.

That the man next to her was I Hyun.

When I Hyun sat down silently next to Ye Rin, the man who had already been at the table frowned deeply.

I Hyun interlocked fingers with Ye Rin’s hand as if to show off, and asked gently,

“This man isn’t the friend you said you were drinking with, is he?”

“Huh? No, of course not.”

Having confirmed in case he might be Ye Rin’s friend, I Hyun sent a chilling gaze upon hearing it wasn’t.

“What, why, why are you looking at me like that?”

The man stammered, seemingly overwhelmed by I Hyun’s gaze.

“You seem to be quite lacking in perception.”

I Hyun gestured with his chin towards his and Ye Rin’s clasped hands.

After checking that scene once more, the man who had come to hit on Ye Rin quickly stood up from his seat.

“No, I just saw this lady drinking alone without any acquaintances, so…”

“I just arrived. Her boyfriend.”

I Hyun stared coldly at the man, his eyes conveying the message to get lost immediately.

The man grumbled quietly to himself before leaving Ye Rin’s table.

If I Hyun hadn’t appeared at the right moment, there might have been quite an unnecessary argument.

Thinking she no longer needed to hold hands with I Hyun now that the man had left, Ye Rin tried to pull her hand away, but it didn’t budge.

“I Hyun, please let go of my hand.”

“I don’t want to.”

Then I Hyun stood up from his seat, and pulled Ye Rin up too with their joined hands.

“Shall we go for a walk outside?”

“Alright…”

While holding hands?

She couldn’t ask that because I Hyun smoothly pulled on their joined hands as if it were only natural.

[This is the timeline separator]

Seo Yun’s mood was completely ruined because I Hyun had left her pitifully abandoned at the cafe.

As she entered the club she frequented, friends who had already reserved a room greeted her enthusiastically.

Among them, Soo Ji, who was most interested in Seo Yun, asked first.

“Did your solo concert go well today?”

“Hey, her solo concert was just an excuse. Didn’t she hold it to invite that man she’s been eyeing recently?”

“Really? So did that man come?”

Seo Yun sat down, downed a whiskey in one gulp, and set the glass down with a clank.

Though she felt frustrated inside, she didn’t want to show weakness in front of her friends.

“Of course. That man’s whole family came.”

“Oh my, then that gathering must have felt like a preliminary meeting with the in-laws.”

“More importantly, who is it this time?”

At that question, Seo Yun straightened her shoulders and declared,

“Cha I Hyun, Executive Director of Ji Seok Electronics.”

“What?”

“Really?”

It would be hard to find anyone in this field who didn’t know of I Hyun’s existence.

Everyone gaped in surprise at the fact that Seo Yun had set her sights on such an I Hyun this time.

Seo Yun brushed back her fallen hair and smiled shyly.

“It seems our fathers have already discussed marriage.”

“Wow!”

“Does that mean you might become the lady of the Ji Seok Group?”

“It’s possible, isn’t it?”

Seeing Seo Yun smirk, her friends all exchanged glances.

Even now, with Councilman Kwak being mentioned as a potential presidential candidate, there was an unspoken rule among friends that they shouldn’t fall out of Seo Yun’s favor.

And if on top of that, she were to become the lady of Ji Seok Group, the country’s number one conglomerate.

Thinking that far, her friends all thought they should try to get on Seo Yun’s good side, when Soo Ji made a suggestion first.

“Seo Yun, want to go golfing together this weekend?”

As Seo Yun seemed to show interest in Soo Ji’s suggestion, the other friends chimed in one after another.

“After golfing, come to our hotel. I’ll prepare the spa.”

“Then after the spa, shall we have dinner at our restaurant?”

Seo Yun liked this kind of attention.

The feeling of reigning supreme with everyone beneath her feet.

‘If I really become the lady of the Ji Seok Group, I can enjoy this every day, can’t I?’

And with the splendid I Hyun as her husband by her side.

Just thinking about it was thrilling.

“Shall we?”

As soon as Seo Yun’s words fell, her friends started contacting others to set up the plans.

‘Yes, I must have Cha I Hyun.’

At first, it was because he was Ye Rin’s man.

But now, beyond that, she desperately needed I Hyun as a means to fulfill her greed.

Bzzzz-

Seo Yun’s phone, carelessly tossed on the table, had been ringing annoyingly for several minutes.

“Seo Yun, isn’t that a call you should answer?”

Her friend handed her the phone.

Checking the caller ID, a crack appeared in Seo Yun’s beautiful face.

“Ah, why does this brother keep calling so persistently?”

It was a call from Hee Jun, who was once Ye Rin’s boyfriend but had now fallen to being her own entertainment partner.

Seo Yun put on a very annoyed face as she pressed the reject button and switched to silent mode.

At first, she had been satisfied with Hee Jun.

With the fact that his father owned a hospital so large that people would recognize the name.

But now Hee Jun could only seem trivial.

‘When there’s a man like Cha I Hyun right in front of me. How could I be satisfied with a guy like that?’

As she drank, the only thought in Seo Yun’s mind was how to detach Hee Jun from herself.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ye Rin headed towards the park near her home, with one hand given to I Hyun.

Though she knew where I Hyun had been from Na Ri, she didn’t want to show it, so she asked casually.

“Did the family gathering go well?”

“Father said we should all go appreciate a gayageum solo concert together, so the whole family went, but.”

Thinking about this evening, he could only laugh as it was still so ridiculous.

“It turned out to be a blind date in disguise. It was your friend Kwak Seo Yun’s solo concert.”

“Oh, really?”

“Her playing skills were so terrible. I think even an elementary school student playing the recorder would do better.”

At I Hyun’s characteristically honest assessment, laughter flowed from Ye Rin’s mouth as well.

Still, as his secretary, she felt she should say this, so Ye Rin carefully broached the subject.

“Seo Yun was actually ranked first on the blind date list your mother gave me.”

“Was she.”

Ye Rin nodded slowly.

“How did you find her after meeting and talking today?”

Ye Rin regretted the question as soon as she asked it.

It was a question meant to see if there had been any change in I Hyun’s feelings after meeting Seo Yun.

Worried that her own emotions might have shown through, she added one more thing.

“In case any engagement talk came up with Seo Yun, I’d need to prepare to help…”

“Han Ye Rin, is that question sincere?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you sure you asked for such an official reason?”

Ye Rin took a moment to compose herself before speaking.

“Yes.”

“Can you be certain there’s not even a hint of personal feelings?”

“Of course.”

Of course not.

She was curious what kind of conversation the two had privately, if there were any changes in feelings, how close they had become.

It was absurd that she harbored such emotions while being the person who wanted to push I Hyun away more than anyone, but still.

“That sounds like you’re saying you don’t care whether I get engaged or married to Kwak Seo Yun.”

“…”

“That I could do anything with that woman?”

Hearing those words, the photo she saw earlier came to mind.

The photo that made them look like they had become quite close.

Of course she didn’t like Seo Yun and I Hyun getting close.

However, feeling she shouldn’t show such feelings, Ye Rin hid her heart.

“That’s your personal domain, Executive Director.”

“That’s too much.”

I Hyun stopped walking and turned towards Ye Rin.

His face was full of hurt feelings.

“I get jealous even if Han Ye Rin just talks to another man.”

“…”

“When I arrived a bit late and saw that useless guy sitting in front of you earlier.”

I Hyun took a step closer, narrowing the distance.

“Even though it was just a conversation, I felt jealous.”

Meeting his earnest, serious gaze, Ye Rin bit her lip slightly.

“Han Ye Rin, I’d like you to immerse yourself properly. Even if it’s a fake relationship.”

“Yes.”

“During the time we’re dating.”

Ye Rin nodded slowly.

“I’m on my way back after firmly rejecting any engagement intentions with Kwak Seo Yun.”

“Is that so?”

Selfishly enough, she felt glad to hear those words.

She was confused by her own feelings of relief.

“Even in that brief moment I was with that woman, I was thinking of Han Ye Rin.”

I Hyun squeezed her hand gently as he murmured softly.

“Han Ye Rin keeps trying to run away from me whenever we seem to get closer.”

That was truly for I Hyun’s sake.

But she couldn’t voice those words.

Because the moment she said that, she worried I Hyun might really distance himself.

‘Since I’ve decided to do my best during this contract relationship anyway.’

Wouldn’t it be okay to enjoy it a little during this time?

Wouldn’t it be okay to be a little honest?

Of course, she knew better than anyone that just because she thought that way, she wouldn’t be able to put it into practice right away.

Still, what was truly fortunate today was that she directly confirmed there was no change in I Hyun’s heart.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I was really tired before seeing Han Ye Rin, but.”

I Hyun stared intently at Ye Rin’s face as he continued speaking.

“Hearing your voice and holding your hand like this, I feel like I’m being recharged.”

“I’m glad. That I can be of help.”

As the two walked slowly like that, they had already arrived in front of Ye Rin’s house.

It was so strange.

All they had done today was take a walk after meeting I Hyun.

Why did it make her heart feel so at ease?

It was the first time she felt that even without doing anything special, time could be fulfilling depending on who you’re with.

[This is the timeline separator]

As Chairman Cha arrived at Jin Hun Jae and headed straight for the study, Lady Yun stopped him.

“Darling, let’s talk.”

Usually Chairman Cha couldn’t move an inch at Lady Yun’s words, but today it was even more so.

Because he had done something wrong.

Chairman Cha cleared his throat and sat on the living room sofa like a guilty person.

Lady Yun’s sharp gaze fixed directly on Chairman Cha.

“If today’s concert was that kind of occasion, you should have told me in advance.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to naturally arrange a meeting between I Hyun and Councilman Kwak’s daughter.”

“Darling, you heard that I Hyun has a woman he likes, and yet.”

Lady Yun, who had been most sincere about I Hyun’s blind dates, changed after learning there was a woman I Hyun had in his heart.

“Even if we can’t push for a love marriage. Why are you pressuring I Hyun?”

Now she was a strong supporter cheering on I Hyun’s one-sided love more than anyone.