“We have something to discuss with the writer, so could you please give up your seat?”

Although it was a polite tone, it sounded like a clear order in Summer’s ears. Her heart pounded.

‘How, how did he come so soon…?’

“Well, okay. There are plenty of seats.”

The directors moved to another place without much fuss.

Tae-seok, wearing a black blazer, sat across from Summer with an expressionless face. While Summer took a sip of cold water, she half-turned her gaze.

Tae-seok also poured water into his cup and drank it all at once. The sound of the cup being placed on the table was sharp, and Summer turned to look at him.

For a few seconds, her gaze stopped. With his neatly combed hair, he looked breathtakingly sexy.

His urban and clean style accentuated his masculinity. The color black seemed to exist for Tae-seok, harmonizing perfectly with his sharp features.

“Like a cat burglar, you ran away.”

Tae-seok slowly opened his mouth.

“I tried to do something in the morning. I failed, so I’m in a pretty frustrated state.”

Summer was shocked and frozen, forgetting to close her mouth. Then, belatedly regaining her composure, she looked around.
“Ah, no. Why say such things? What if someone overhears?”

Her face turned red.

“It’s better to refrain from private conversations.”

Seo Tae-seok seems really crazy…….

Just as the staff arrived, starting to place food on the table, the gaze of Tae-seok was fixed straight on Summer.

As the staff retreated, Tae-seok spoke.

“Why restrain yourself? Is there a condition of secrecy in this contract relationship?”

Seriously. Why is he doing this?

“I was just about to sit somewhere else…”

“Sit.”

Though it seemed like she was only half-lifting her butt, his firm tone grabbed hold of Summer. Summer gave up on escaping and sat back down.

Tae-seok, holding the tongs, naturally grilled the meat, saying,

“About that contract relationship. Choi Bunny. Do we really have to do that? Why bother breaking up and starting over?”

“Mr. Tae-seok, this is a filming location.”

“Here? This is a barbecue restaurant.”

Tae-seok put a well-cooked skirt steak on Summer’s plate.

“Eat.”

As Summer just stared without taking the meat, he smiled and added,

“Shall I feed you?”

Summer hastily put the meat in her mouth. Without savoring it, she simply chewed and swallowed. After waiting so long for Hanwoo (Korean beef) dinner… Tae-seok took away all of Summer’s leisure.

Tae-seok looked at Summer like that, satisfied, and downed a shot of soju with a content smile. His forehead momentarily wrinkled at the bitter scent of the soju.

“…To see you going crazy like this is quite cute.”

“!”

“I can’t even get mad.”

In a tone mixing affection and jest, he continued.

“Anyway, about that contract relationship. I’ve thought about it, and even if it’s just for a short time, breaking up is impossible.”

Looking at Summer’s dumbfounded face, Tae-seok kept laughing. His hand, offering another piece of meat, overflowed with consideration and manners.

“Seeing you last night… It wasn’t possible to enjoy it in my arms. Can you really break up even for a day?”

While Summer’s face turned completely crimson, whether to deny or accept, Tae-seok casually grilled the meat. Meanwhile, the tables were gradually filled.

“Are you having fun teasing me?”

“Quite. It’s fun. Your face turns red easily.”

“!”

“Yesterday’s catch that ran away. Choi Summer.”

“Why did you come so early? What about filming and such?”

“Catching a runaway cat comes first.”

At that moment, the assistant director approached and spoke to Tae-seok.

“Mr. Seo Tae-seok, we’ve set up the actors’ seats in the center.”

“It’s okay.”

Tae-seok politely declined.

“I’ll eat here.”
With the refusal, Ji-hyuk revealed himself. The assistant director, after a moment of thought, rushed over, perhaps concerned about seating Ji-hyuk in the center, and suggested changing seats.

Ji-hyuk, half-dismissing the assistant director’s proposal, looked around. He was probably looking for Summer. Tae-seok was slightly annoyed. Indeed, when he discovered the table where Summer and Tae-seok were sitting, his expression stiffened a bit.

“I’ll also go and sit there.”

Without hesitation, Ji-hyuk walked over and plopped down next to Summer. There was no resistance. He deliberately acted more affectionate, as if to show Tae-seok.

“Noona, you’ve become even more beautiful since I last saw you.”

At the moment, Summer’s complexion was almost like mud. Although it was a complexion that was hard to describe as pretty, Ji-hyuk’s compliment was straightforward. It was clear that he intended to observe Tae-seok’s reaction.

Tae-seok didn’t react.

Now, Ji-hyuk wasn’t a particularly important presence. Misunderstandings about Ji-hyuk had already been resolved through ample conversation with Summer. There was nothing special between them. That day was the first time Summer had called Ji-hyuk.

He had only put the strong umbrella to shake Tae-seok in his anxious state.

“Ji-hyuk likes you as a woman, Summer. I can’t just watch that happen. I’ll warn him to make sure he understands.”

Tae-seok immediately tried to contact Ji-hyuk to expose his relationship with Summer, but Summer stopped him. She said it was her own business, and she would create an opportunity to sort it out.

Whatever it was, now Tae-seok couldn’t refute Summer’s opinion and had to respect it, even though he didn’t feel like it. He looked at Ji-hyuk without changing his stern expression.

Ji-hyuk ignored that gaze.

“Jjongi has really grown a lot. I’ll show you a picture, Noona.”

That night, looking at Ji-hyuk, who casually begged for forgiveness as if he had completely erased the memory of being coldly rejected in front of Summer’s house, Summer gave a slightly awkward smile. But Ji-hyuk pretended not to notice even that.

As the dog pictures came and went before their eyes, Summer reluctantly played along.

“The puppy is cute.”

“Right? Oh, Cotton. I completely shaved him, and now he’s a real furball.”

While Tae-seok surveyed Summer like that, he put a piece of meat on her plate.

“It’s cooked. Eat, Summer.”

Ji-hyuk jumped up.

“Hyung, what did you just say? What does ‘Summer’ mean to the writer?”

He established a large distance at once with the familiar nickname. Tae-seok replied coolly.

“Is it okay for you to call her ‘Noona’?”

The much-anticipated dinner with Tae-seok turned into a thorny situation. Summer’s gaze sped up as she watched the skirt steak sizzling on the charcoal fire.