“You’ll know if you try. Whether you see me as a man or not.”
With a graceful movement, he wiped his lips with a napkin and put it down. Then he spoke.
“Sleep with me here tonight, and go home in the morning.”
Si Hyun was momentarily at a loss for words.
‘Sure, let’s sleep. Just make sure you book the best room. Deal?’
She was about to deflect the situation with her usual joking manner, but Si Hyun quickly closed her mouth. She felt like Tae Ha might grab her wrist and take her to checkin if she made a wrong joke. It would be just like Tae Ha to do such a thing.

Instead of making a joke, Si Hyun hardened her expression.
“I think you forgot, but I haven’t broken up with Woo Jin yet.”
Tae Ha laughed and spoke.
“I suppose you wouldn’t have just eaten here and went home quietly, would you?”
She felt a heavy feeling in her chest. She hadn’t fully believed Woo Jin’s words that all he did with that woman was eat a few meals, but could they have really taken it that far.

Considering that he bought such an expensive necklace, she thought that might be possible.
“So sleep with me. If I turn out to be disappointing, your feelings of betrayal will be less. Then, wouldn’t it be easier to go back to him?”
It seemed like he was suggesting to cheat back.
“So what about you?”
Si Hyun sighed and asked.
“What will you do if I sleep with you and find you disappointing and go back to Woo Jin? You said you were sincere about me, won’t you be hurt?”
She was being serious, but Tae Ha didn’t bat an eye.
“There’s no way I’d be disappointing.”
“…!”
“So, give it a try. I’m confident.”
Si Hyun naturally envisioned Tae Ha on the bed. Before she could fully imagine the situation, her face flushed hot. At the same time, she came to her senses.

To think she was considering sleeping with Tae Ha, of all people, in a hotel!

I must be out of my mind. Cooling her heated face with her hand, Si Hyun rose from her seat.
“I must have had too much champagne. Let’s go home.”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to agree anyway, thankfully, Tae Ha did not say anything more and obediently stood up with her.

As they took the restaurant’s elevator down to the lobby, someone called out in surprise.
“Oh, isn’t that Si Hyun?”
Turning around, she saw a friend from her university days in the distance.
“Oh, Joo Eun!”
Glad to see her, Si Hyun hurried over to shake hands. Joo Eun was one of her close classmates who she hung out with every day during college.
“It’s been a while. What brings you here?”
“I came here to hang out with my boyfriend. What about you, Si Hyun?”

Pointing to Tae Ha standing afar, Jueun made a curious face.
“Is that the guy you’re getting married to? Introduce me too.”
“Huh?”
Si Hyun was momentarily flustered. In her excitement, she had momentarily forgotten that she was with Tae Ha.
“…Just a moment.”
Jueun’s eyes, which had been looking at Tae Ha from a distance, suddenly widened.
“Isn’t that the kid you raised? The middle schooler from our university days!”
Si Hyun felt her world going dark. Tae Ha was so strikingly handsome and halfblooded that even after several years, she could easily recognize him.

Around the time he was in third year of middle school, Tae Ha already had the height and looks of a grown man. Some friends would tease Si Hyun, who took great care of Tae Ha.
“[Are you planning to raise him to eat him?]”
Each time, Si Hyun would get angry.
“[Crazy, can you say that? He’s in middle school!]”
“Right, it’s him!”
Before she could even respond, Jueun clapped her hands.
“What, are you two dating? Amazing!”
Jueun slapped Si Hyun’s back, laughing.
“Wow, really, Kang Si Hyun. Back then, you’d jump even at the mere mention!”
“It’s not like that!”
“What do you mean it’s not? Then what, did you two come to the hotel to do something sesese?”
“We just came to eat.”
“Still, it’s a date.”
Looking at Tae Ha, Jueun nodded as if newly admiring him.
“But as expected, good stocks are worth investing in early. Raising him to eat him, that was a great strategy, Kang Si Hyun.”
Si Hyun felt a wave of intense embarrassment.
“He was handsome even when he was young, but now he’s no joke. No wonder you worked day and night parttime and raised him with utmost sincerity…… Our Si Hyun had a plan, didn’t she?”
“I said it’s not like that!”
Without realizing it, she yelled out, Si Hyun turned around. Without looking back at Tae Ha, she rushed out of the hotel.
“Si Hyun? Hey, Kang Si Hyun!”
Jueun called out in surprise from behind, but she didn’t look back.

((()))

Back in college, Si Hyun was chased by parttime jobs every single day.

Her stepmother didn’t give Si Hyun a penny other than tuition. It wasn’t necessary to do so much for pocket money, living with her stepfather’s family, but to take care of Tae Ha, she certainly needed money.

Tae Ha’s grandmother passed away the year Tae Ha entered middle school. Even though she hadn’t been of much help while alive, now the only person left to care for Tae Ha was Si Hyun.