Eventually, Tae-seok intervened, and the little sea in the wine glass was already restless. Tae-seok took the glass from her and placed it on the table.
“Seo Tae-seok is my discovered gem.”
“Really drunk, huh? Stop it with that repertoire.”
Tae-seok gently shook Ji-hyeon-jeong’s shoulder, trying to snap her out of it.
‘Why is noona so drunk? I was the one who wanted to drink.’
As Ji-hyeon-jeong leaned to one side, her cardigan slipped, revealing her slip. Tae-seok pulled it back up.
“I did drink a lot. I’ll go to the bathroom.”
Tae-seok looked outside. The street view reflected in the large window. Flashy lights blinked, bustling around.
Numerous cars and buildings. Almost everyone living in them knows him. Men admire Seo Tae-seok, and women like him. Almost all of them.
He sipped the wine slowly.
In these glittering streets, the only woman who said she disliked him and left was there.
He wondered if the woman at the bus stop managed to catch her bus. If there was a direct bus to her destination. If she had to transfer to another bus or subway. Where she was heading.
Now, he didn’t even know where she lived.
Ji-hyeon-jeong, who quickly returned, didn’t notice Tae-seok deep in thought.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Not much.”
He thought about the pretty prey he had caught, now probably burdened by her name fluctuating on the portal sites. He wanted to ask if she was okay but couldn’t.
“Noona. It’s time for you to sleep. I should leave.”
“Yeah. But hug me once before you go.”
“You always do this when drunk. Frustrated? Find a boyfriend.”
Tae-seok spoke displeasedly, yet he lightly hugged Ji-hyeon-jeong’s shoulders before letting go. She chuckled softly and leaned back on the sofa.
Ultimately, Tae-seok ended up tidying everything. He cleared the dishes, glasses, and wine bottle, and wiped down the table. By the time he finished, Ji-hyeon-jeong had fallen asleep.
He sighed briefly before carrying her to the bedroom.
His gaze was pure and devoid of any personal desires as he laid her down.
The man’s expression, while settling the disheveled woman onto the bed, was unexpectedly dry. He kindly covered her with a blanket, adjusted the lights, connected her phone to the charger, and then left the room.
Ever since his divorce a few years ago and living alone, his loneliness had deepened. Ji-hyeon-jeong, too, often sought Tae-seok’s company for drinks after her divorce and frequently got drunk.
She was like a sister to him, so he tried to accommodate her as much as possible, but he thought she should find stability in her life.
‘Reuniting with Min-cheol hyeong seems like the best plan.’
Shin Min-cheol was the co-CEO of HJ Planning but, after the divorce, the company split, and now he heads Pu Entertainment.
Their leading celebrity was Cheon Ji-hyeok. And, coincidentally, he is the lead in the upcoming drama “Hold My Hand.” Tae-seok thought about the many intertwining connections as he headed home.
[Star Icon]“Tae-seok hyeong is so annoying.”
For the third day in a row, Ji-hyeok repeated the same sentiment. Shin Min-cheol grimaced, understanding the hit to Ji-hyeok’s pride when Seo Tae-seok crashed the press conference.
“When the director said he’s adding another lead, I should’ve asked who it was. If I knew it was Seo Tae-seok, I’d never have agreed.”
With the world buzzing about Seo Tae-seok, it’s understandable that Ji-hyeok would be upset. Shin Min-cheol consoled him earnestly.
“I know it’s tough. But what’s decided can’t be helped.”
“Is that something a CEO should say?”
Shin Min-cheol offered an awkward smile, thinking he’d comforted Ji-hyeok adequately.
“Why did it have to be Tae-seok hyeong? I really dislike him.”
“When we were at HJ Planning, I remember you admiring Tae-seok.”
Shin Min-cheol, after the divorce, brought only Cheon Ji-hyeok with him, who practically begged to join. Shin thought Ji-hyeok would grow better in a larger company, but Ji-hyeok had other ideas.
“You cast me, so you better take responsibility to the end!”
Since then, the two had been close like friends. While Ji-hyeon-jeong and Seo Tae-seok’s friendship is well-known in the industry, Shin Min-cheol and Cheon Ji-hyeok’s bond was equally strong, though less publicized.
“I liked him when I was young. But after seeing Tae-seok hyeong easily dating so many women, I started to dislike him.”
“There was a brief time when Tae-seok was like that. It was just a phase. He’s not like that now.”
Ji-hyeok’s expression hardened.
“Hyung, I think people don’t change. He, going around breaking hearts, will eventually fall.”
“If that happens, get ready to lay out a mat.”
“And he treated Yeoreum noona so casually. You should’ve seen her eyes when she was dragged to the waiting room. That’s no way to treat a writer.”
Ji-hyeok’s tone was filled with anger. Shin Min-cheol watched him with intrigue. It seemed that Ji-hyeok’s real irritation stemmed from Seo Tae-seok’s mistreatment of writer Choi Yeoreum.
“Hey, do you like writer Choi Yeoreum?”
“…”
“Come on! Oh, young people’s romance. Fill me in.”
“Stop joking. Aren’t you supposed to discourage actors from dating?”
Shin Min-cheol laughed.
“No, I like it. Go ahead and date. Let me live vicariously through you.”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
