Yi Soo couldn’t help but be surprised at the dinner table.

The 6-person dining table was filled with delicious-looking dishes, leaving no empty spaces.

All the sources of the food smells that had been wafting through the house since opening the front door were gathered in one place.

‘Who is this dinner for, exactly?’

Yi Soo couldn’t help but admire Soo Min’s dedication in preparing dinner for Ji Ho.

Because Ji Ho was a friend’s son? Or because he was the man Yoo Mi liked?

Whatever the reason, Yi Soo was about to enjoy a feast after a long time.

“Ji Ho, sit here.”

Yi Soo had Ji Ho sit next to her.

Yoo Mi, who had been staring intently at the two, sat across from Ji Ho.

“When did father say he’d be home?”

Yi Soo asked as she sat down.

“He said he’d be a bit late, so we should eat first.”

“I see.”

“Ji Ho, go ahead and eat. I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste.”

Soo Min smiled as she offered food to Ji Ho.

“Yes, I’ll enjoy it.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Ji Ho and Yi Soo greeted Soo Min in turn and picked up their chopsticks.

Only the sound of eating could be heard in the quiet.

Yi Soo ate with her gaze lowered, uncomfortable with Soo Min’s eyes on her.

Though she knew there was no way sound could have been heard outside the room, her face kept flushing like a guilty thief.

Yoo Mi sat next to Soo Min with a stiff expression.

When she told Soo Min that Yi Soo and Ji Ho had gone up to the room, she looked like she was about to cry.

Soo Min’s heart sank when she saw Yi Soo’s firmly closed door.

Though she didn’t know what had happened inside, just seeing Yi Soo’s flushed face made her feel like she knew.

‘This isn’t right…’

The situation was completely different from what Soo Min had expected when preparing for this moment all day.

The fact that Yi Soo brought Ji Ho home meant they were already more than just friends.

After all, she had never brought a friend home before.

‘For Yi Soo, who rarely expresses her emotions, to open up to Ji Ho about her family to this extent…’

It was natural for Soo Min to be surprised in many ways today.

‘If my guess is right, what will happen to our Yoo Mi?’

Soo Min looked pitifully at Yoo Mi sitting next to her.

Though she was holding her chopsticks, nothing was going into her mouth.

Yoo Mi was just chewing on her poor lips.

Clank.

Just then, the sound of the front door opening and closing was heard.

“Oh, father must be home.”

Yi Soo jumped up from her seat and ran to the entrance.

“My daughter! You’re here.”

“Father, quickly wash your hands and come. We’ve just started eating.”

Yi Soo grabbed Won Jin’s arm and walked down the hallway leading to the living room.

When they reached the dining room, the three people were standing up from the table waiting for Won Jin.

Won Jin’s gaze turned towards Ji Ho.

“Who’s this?”

As he looked on with a puzzled expression, Yi Soo quickly moved next to Ji Ho.

“Father, say hello. This is my boyfriend.”

“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Seo Ji Ho.”

Ji Ho bowed slightly, feeling a bit dazed at Yi Soo’s introduction of him as her boyfriend.

Yi Soo loosely linked arms with Ji Ho and smiled brightly.

“What?”

Won Jin wasn’t the only one surprised by Yi Soo’s sudden introduction.

Yoo Mi’s lips trembled as her eyes widened in shock, and Soo Min’s mouth fell open weakly as she watched Yoo Mi.

‘So the girlfriend Ji Ho mentioned was Yi Soo?’

Yoo Mi’s face instantly turned red and pale.

She had been unbearably anxious since they came home together, but Yi Soo’s definitive statement made her feel like all the strength was draining from her body.

Is this what it feels like when the sky comes crashing down?

“…Boyfriend?”

Won Jin asked again.

“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you tell me not to just study but to date too? I’m your good daughter who listens well.”

Yi Soo deliberately smiled brightly, ignoring Won Jin’s surprise.

The atmosphere had suddenly become awkward as everyone was shocked.

“Well…”

Won Jin frowned slightly, at a loss for words.

‘A boyfriend for my daughter, who is more brilliant and admirable than anyone in the world.’

Won Jin narrowed his eyes and carefully looked Ji Ho up and down.

Tall with a good build, and even to Won Jin’s eyes as a plastic surgeon, he was perfectly handsome without a single flaw.

‘Being handsome should count for something.’

More than anything, Won Jin didn’t like that he was too handsome.

“Hmm…”

“Father, let’s eat dinner first. I’m hungry.”

Yi Soo urged Won Jin, who was standing still staring intently at Ji Ho.

While Won Jin went to wash his hands after being pushed, the remaining four sat back down at the table.

Yoo Mi looked like she was about to cry at any moment, and Soo Min couldn’t hide her flustered expression either.

The words she had spoken so boldly to Yi Soo earlier flashed through Soo Min’s mind.

Her face flushed with embarrassment at how foolish she must have looked.

Had Yi Soo been pretending all along while already dating Ji Ho?

Soo Min bit her lower lip hard and glared at Yi Soo.

A heavy, awkward silence settled over the table as they waited for Won Jin.

**

Won Jin returned after changing into comfortable clothes and sat down.

After calming his surprised heart and carefully observing Ji Ho, Won Jin spoke as if suddenly remembering something.

“If it’s Ji Ho, isn’t he the friend’s son you mentioned before?”

Won Jin clearly remembered the conversation from that day.

“You know my friend Yeon Soo, right? Ji Ho is Yeon Soo’s son. I’ve known him since he was young, and he’s such a good son that I thought it would be nice if he married our Yoo Mi someday.”

‘I clearly heard that, but he’s not Yoo Mi’s boyfriend but Yi Soo’s boyfriend?’

“Ah, yes. That’s right. He came today on an errand for Yeon Soo, and Yi Soo came along.”

Soo Min trailed off as she answered.

Won Jin also looked puzzled about what exactly was going on.

A moment of silence passed.

Won Jin, who had been alternately looking at Yoo Mi and Yi Soo, opened his mouth towards Ji Ho.

It was best to ask the person directly.

“You’re our Yi Soo’s boyfriend?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ji Ho, unaware of the situation, answered confidently.

“Then what’s your relationship with Yoo Mi?”

“Ah. Yoo Mi is like a younger sister I’ve known since childhood because of Aunt Soo Min.”

“Hmm… I see. Let’s eat first.”

As if the situation was finally clear, Won Jin nodded and picked up his chopsticks.

After a while of quiet eating, Won Jin spoke up.

“How long have you been dating?”

Yoo Mi and Soo Min’s movements also stopped for a moment.

It seemed they were curious too, not just Won Jin.

“Not long. About two months.”

Nodding at Yi Soo’s answer, Won Jin began to bombard Ji Ho with endless questions.

Ji Ho couldn’t even touch his food as he was busy answering.

“Father. Let’s eat comfortably now. Enough with the questions! Okay?”

Yi Soo, unable to watch anymore, spoke affectionately as if scolding Won Jin.

“It’s not like I brought someone I’m going to marry, it’s too much. If you keep doing this, I won’t introduce you to my boyfriends in the future.”

“That’s something no one can know. It’s not like you have someone else set to marry, and if you date someone you like, you might end up marrying them.”

Won Jin said seriously.

Won Jin’s emotions were complex as he looked at the first boyfriend Yi Soo had introduced.

“How old do you think I am to be talking about marriage already?”

“What does age matter for a grown adult? I was also twenty when…”

Won Jin, who had been rebutting Yi Soo’s reproach, was surprised by his own words that had suddenly popped out and closed his mouth.

Won Jin and Hye Jin had also met as first loves at twenty and ended up getting married.

That story had suddenly come out of Won Jin’s mouth.

“Ahem.”

Won Jin cleared his throat awkwardly.

Soo Min, not knowing about Won Jin’s past, showed no reaction to those words.

“Anyway, the point is you should meet a good person from the start. No one knows when or how human relationships will turn out.”

“Okay, I get it. Now can we please eat?”

The word ‘marriage’ made Yoo Mi’s heart sink.

The thought of Yi Soo and Ji Ho getting married was a horrifying idea.

‘Out of all the women in the world, why Yi Soo? What’s so great about Yi Soo? What does Yi Soo have that I don’t?’

Yoo Mi felt like her world was crumbling as Yi Soo suddenly appeared and took away her most precious treasure.

Yoo Mi felt like she would die from frustration at this situation where she could do nothing even though they were right in front of her.

The rice grains in her mouth felt gritty like sand.

All five people finished dinner with their own complicated feelings.

“Father, we’re going now.”

“Already? At least have some fruit before you go.”

Won Jin was reluctant to let Yi Soo go so soon after meeting her after a long time, but he also had many more questions for Ji Ho.

“I need to go back to school. I left all my books in the library.”

The time Yi Soo had set aside for tonight’s dinner was just over two hours.

Though she had started studying earlier than usual, there was never enough time.

“You’re going back to school?”

Won Jin looked at the clock on the wall.

It was a little past 7 o’clock.

“The final exams are coming up soon.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. The longer I stay here, the more I’ll have to cut back on sleep. You don’t want that either, right?”

Yi Soo gave a reason that Won Jin couldn’t argue with.

She also wanted to show that she wasn’t neglecting her studies just because she was dating.

“Of course. You need to get proper sleep.”

“Ji Ho, let’s go. Get up.”

Ji Ho stood up following Yi Soo.

With Won Jin’s barrage of questions, he couldn’t remember where the food went or what it tasted like during dinner.

Even Ji Ho, who usually doesn’t get nervous easily, found himself tense without realizing it today.

The other three people also stood up at the same time.

“It’s a shame you have to leave so soon, it would be nice if you could stay longer.”

Soo Min forced a smile towards Yi Soo.

Though her heart was full of worry for Yoo Mi, she didn’t show it outwardly.

“Yes. Thank you for the delicious meal.”

Yi Soo smiled brightly too.

Only Yoo Mi stood there looking like she was about to collapse.

“Ji Ho, take care on your way home too.”

“Yes, aunt.”

“Yi Soo.”

Won Jin grabbed Yi Soo’s hand as they walked to the entrance.

“Yes?”

“It’s good that you’re dating, but both of you be careful. You know what I mean. I’m sure you’ll handle things well.”

Yi Soo stared blankly at Won Jin for a moment as he emphasized the word ‘careful’.

‘Careful. Careful. What should I be careful about?’

As she turned the words over in her mind, Yi Soo suddenly became flustered and didn’t know what to do.

“…Father!”

She frowned, at a loss for words at Won Jin’s forwardness.

‘What expression is Ji Ho making standing next to me right now?’

Would he have understood what it meant?

She resented Won Jin for saying such things so casually when they weren’t alone.

“You understand what I mean, right? Don’t make any mistakes…”

Won Jin spoke as if giving advice, not minding Yi Soo’s expression that was red to the tips of her ears.

“Ah, I got it… Stop it!”

Yi Soo shouted, cutting off her father’s words.

Though Won Jin’s gaze was directed at Yi Soo, it was also meant for Ji Ho to hear.

While he trusted the sharp-minded Yi Soo in everything, Won Jin thought he had said what he needed to say.

Ji Ho, who had grasped the meaning of Won Jin’s words, felt cold sweat running down his back.

Should he say something to reassure him not to worry?

Ji Ho just swallowed dryly, unable to speak easily.

“Father, we’re going.”

If they stayed any longer, she didn’t know what else she might hear from Won Jin.

“Take care. We’ll be going now.”

Won Jin silently gripped Ji Ho’s shoulder firmly as he said goodbye, then let go.

Won Jin came out to the front gate to see them off.