“I watched the drama. It was really interesting, wasn’t it?”
Yeryeong popped a peach sherbet dessert into her mouth.
Busy with preparations for a new exhibition, Yeryeong had an external meeting scheduled that morning and suggested having lunch with Se Kyung.
“I feel a bit embarrassed to say this myself, but I think it’s interesting too.”
“Uh-huh, no, it’s good to be proud of your own work.”
Yeryeong playfully swirled her dessert spoon around in the sherbet.
“What are you doing after lunch? You said you’re free today, right?”
“I’m thinking of buying a gift.”
“A gift? For whom? The young master?”
“Yes.”
“Why all of a sudden? It’s not the young master’s birthday.”
“I received something too. I just want to give something back.”
“What did the young master give you…”
Yeryeong’s gaze fell on Se Kyung’s finger.
“Is it that?”
She pointed to the ring on Se Kyung’s finger.
“Yes.”
“Did the young master propose?”
“Not a proposal, he said he bought it while shopping for his mother’s gift.”
“A gift for his mother? Ah.”
Yeryeong nodded as if she understood where it was purchased.
“So, what are you planning to buy for him?”
“I’m still thinking about it. I considered a watch, but it seems he already has most of them. I thought about shoes, but then the meaning of shoes… Now I’m thinking about a tie or cufflinks since he often wears suits.”
“Gifts for men are slightly tricky, aren’t they? There aren’t many options. Oh, why don’t we go together? I need to buy a gift for my husband too.”
“I’d like that, but are you sure? You said you were busy with the new exhibition.”
“I can make time for gift shopping.”
Winking playfully, Yeryeong stood up, ready to go.
“Do you have any particular place in mind?”
“I haven’t decided on a brand yet. I was planning to start by looking around the luxury shops in the department store.”
“Luxury shops, huh. Then, let’s start with the place I recommend?”
Yeryeong confidently led the way to her husband’s favorite shop, with Se Kyung following behind.
Arriving at Tae Jo’s house, Se Kyung looked down at the shopping bags in her hand. Each bag contained a tie and cufflinks she had purchased with Yeryeong.
“What if he doesn’t like them?”
It was a well-considered choice. Although it was a new release from this year’s collection, Tae Jo probably had a similar color among his dozens of ties.
The cufflinks were chosen for their classic design rather than trendiness, but now she worried whether they might not suit Tae Jo’s taste.
“If he doesn’t like them, I’ll just exchange them.”
Sighing, Se Kyung used the card key Tae Jo had given her. He had told her to use it to enter first if he wasn’t home.
Click.
The door unlocked with a heavy sound. Se Kyung, hiding the shopping bags behind her, entered the house.
The rich aroma of coffee, a suit jacket on the sofa. Tae Jo, who seemed to have just arrived home, was still in his shirt.
“Have you had dinner?”
“Yes. I had it with Woo-hyun at the company. What are you hiding behind your back?”
“Just a little something…”
Approaching Tae Jo, Se Kyung placed the shopping bags on the dining table.
“It’s a gift for you.”
“A gift for me?”
Surprised as if he hadn’t expected it, Tae Jo examined the shopping bags.
“It’s not even my birthday.”
“You gave me something even though it wasn’t my birthday.”
Se Kyung showed him the ring on her finger.
“I didn’t give it to get something in return.”
“I just wanted to give you something.”
Urging him to look, Se Kyung watched as Tae Jo unboxed and examined the tie. As he scrutinized it, she asked anxiously.
“Why? Don’t you like it?”
“No, it’s nice.”
With a smile, Tae Jo handed the tie to Se Kyung. Confused as to why he was giving it to her, Tae Jo undid his current tie and tossed it onto the dining table.
“Do it for me.”
“Do what?”
“This.”
Tae Jo gestured with his chin towards the tie in Se Kyung’s hand.
“You want me to tie it for you?”
“Yes.”
“Now?”
Tae Jo nodded his head.
“No, you could wear it when you go to work tomorrow…”
“If you’re giving a gift, you should also personally put it on. Didn’t I personally put the ring on your finger?”
That’s quite different, though.
“I… I’ve never tied a tie, so I don’t really know how.”
“Never?”
“Yes. When I wore it as a stage costume in the past, I just had to pull it tight.”
Se Kyung fumbled with the tie hesitantly.
“You don’t know how to tie it?”
“I roughly know, but I can’t do it neatly.”
“Just try it. If it’s wrong, I’ll tell you.”
Tae Jo leaned his upper body towards Se Kyung. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out.
Straightening his shirt collar and looping the tie around… her small hands skillfully moved under his neck.
“…”
Tae Jo silently observed Se Kyung’s struggling face up close.
Concentrating hard, recalling memories to figure it out, Se Kyung’s brow furrowed and relaxed repeatedly.
Long ago, on the set while reading the script, she had that same face. She seemed unchanged from then to now.
“Am I doing this right? Doesn’t feel like it. Why aren’t you saying anything… Mmph!”
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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