A little past midnight.

Vroom…… screech!

A blue sports car swiftly passed through the main gate of the ski resort and came to a stop with an impatient roar.

Seo Jun and So Yeon were still on the phone.

“I’ve arrived.”

−You’re here already? How on earth did you drive!

“If you’re going to scold me, do it in person.”

−I’ll come down to the lobby in 10 minutes.

“If you dawdle like that, I might just go into the room. I’ll give you 5 minutes, hurry up and come out.”

−No, I’ve been on the phone this whole time so I haven’t had a chance to make excuses. If I leave here without saying anything, everyone will be suspicious, don’t you think I need to be careful?

Anyone affiliated with CN would know about the pink atmosphere between Tae Seo Jun and Eom So Yeon. But it was like covering up for one’s own. An order of silence had been issued to the entire company not to disclose their relationship to outsiders before an official announcement.

Only So Yeon was unaware of this fact.

“30 seconds have already passed. That means you have 4 minutes and 30 seconds left.”

−Aish, I said wait a bit!

There was a clattering sound, and then the call ended.

Seo Jun could imagine her frantically packing her bag without even seeing her. He got out of the car and leisurely looked around the quiet surroundings.

But what’s this? Won Hoo, who had just arrived at the resort parking lot, rushed over to Seo Jun as soon as he got out of his car.

Won Hoo stopped in front of Seo Jun and asked, looking around the empty surroundings.

“What are you doing here?”

“What about you?”

Since the reason was obvious for both, Seo Jun and Won Hoo could only chuckle awkwardly.

“Are you happy?”

“Of course. What about you?”

“I’ve got a problem. Do Soon is upset.”

“What did your aunt say this time?”

“She’s not the type to be bothered by such things.”

He had forgotten about a ring he had put in the CEO’s office drawer long ago, and it seemed Do Soon had seen that ring and the initials of So Yeon engraved on it.

When Won Hoo briefly explained the situation, Seo Jun frowned deeply with a serious expression. He was worried that the good friendship might crack over a man issue.

“Tell her I left it with you.”

“Do you think I’m an idiot? If that would have worked, I’d have done it already. Do Soon already knows everything, so I can’t even make excuses.”

“Since when did she know?”

“A little over a month ago.”

“Ah, really?”

Seo Jun was relieved by Won Hoo’s answer. So Yeon and Do Soon, who had been together throughout the movie filming, seemed as close as ever.

“By the way, I’m upset with you.”

“Why are you upset with me?”

Yesterday, Chairman Chae visited the CN Entertainment CEO’s office. He came to express his intention to invest an even larger amount in the company, following the previous investment. During that conversation, Chairman Chae showed great interest in the Hong Kong matter.

The plan to establish a CN branch in Hong Kong was still a secret known only to Tae Seo Jun and himself. But when Chairman Chae casually mentioned it, it was something that could be easily guessed even without a businessman’s intuition.

Won Hoo realized it then.

Who had intended to invest that enormous amount of capital in CN. By whom the CEO of KeyHazel, who controls the flow of capital at will – the heart of businessmen – had been moved.

He had often seen Seo Jun absorbed in something at his desk when he occasionally dropped by, feeling sorry for him being cooped up at home. Moreover, Tae Seo Jun wasn’t the type to work under someone else. He was even less likely to plead or ask favors from anyone.

Considering all of this, the answer converged to one conclusion.

“KeyHazel was yours?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t give me any hint, but you’re not denying it either?”

“So what? Did you lose anything because of my business?”

“You cruel bastard. There’s probably no one as sneaky as you. How have you kept such an enormous company a secret all this time?”

“It’s not really a secret, but there was no reason to announce it either.”

Tae Seo Jun, who quietly stays one step ahead and reaches out a hand when needed. Always like that, it’s annoying enough to want to hit him, but gratitude comes first, and only a wry smile escaped Won Hoo’s lips.

Anyway, that conversation had to wait for later.

“There’s So Yeon coming out. I should go in to meet Do Soon now.”

Won Hoo, for whom appeasing Yeo Do Soon’s anger was the most urgent matter, just gave So Yeon an eye greeting as she came out with her travel bag and quickly disappeared into the resort building.

Seo Jun loaded So Yeon’s bag into the car and opened the passenger door.

“Get in.”

“……”

So Yeon’s eyes shook subtly as she looked at Seo Jun and got into the car.

As soon as he sat in the driver’s seat, Seo Jun asked.

“Did you want to scold me for coming so quickly?”

“No, that’s not it……”

It was a moment. So Yeon suddenly hugged Seo Jun’s neck. Seo Jun, who had been barely holding back from doing the same, unhesitatingly pulled So Yeon’s waist close.

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

“It’s not sudden. I’ve always said I can’t bear even a single day without you, elder brother.”

“If you say such pretty things as soon as we meet……”

Seo Jun couldn’t say more.

Because of So Yeon’s lips that fearlessly pounced on him.

Seo Jun, unable to hold back when So Yeon not only said pretty things but also did pretty things, pressed his body against hers without the slightest gap. Like him, who was focused only on her as if he didn’t care who saw, So Yeon was the same.

Seo Jun said with their lips still pressed together.

“What a naughty woman you are.”

“……Whose fault is that?”

“Whose fault is it that I’m like this?”

The two gazes rubbing against each other suggestively, like their warmly heated body temperatures, were unusual.

Feeling like passion would ignite uncontrollably if they stayed like this, So Yeon let go of his neck and asked.

“What should we do now?”

“There’s a lot we could do.”

We could catch stars, watch the sunrise.

But you first.

Seo Jun, with a leisurely smile befitting a top predator on his handsome lips, smoothly started the car. And he reached out one hand towards So Yeon’s fidgeting hand.

“Hold it.”

“Hold what……”

“This.”

When Seo Jun briefly lowered his gaze to his throbbing lower region, So Yeon tilted her head with a bright red face.

“If it’s this……”

“What are you doing? Hurry up and hold my hand.”

“……!”

Seo Jun, who pulled So Yeon’s hesitating hand to his leg, said as he interlaced their fingers.

“Hold tight. So I don’t speed.”

She didn’t even touch the alcohol she likes so much.

Do Soon only drank sparkling water while laughing and chatting with her colleagues.

But there was something she couldn’t give up. The moment she received a text from Won Hoo saying he was waiting for her in the hallway right in front of this room, Do Soon said she was going to bed and left So Yeon’s empty room. With an unopened chicken box firmly grasped in one hand.

So Yeon had left this place earlier, hinting that Tae Seo Jun had come to pick her up. So she was secretly envious, but the moment she saw Gu Won Hoo standing in front of her room door, her lips curled up to her ears. She was so glad to see him appear at the resort without even contacting her.

However, pretending not to be glad, Do Soon took out the key card from her pocket and opened the door.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“Who said I wasn’t going in?”

He had been leaning against the wall without saying a word, but as soon as Do Soon spoke, he slipped into the room.

Do Soon put the chicken she had brought from the next room on the table, took out beer and sparkling water from the mini-fridge, and sat on the sofa. And she remained silent for a while with the TV on.

She watched TV with her eyes, drank sparkling water instead of beer with her mouth, and ate chicken. And very deliciously at that.

Won Hoo also drank beer, sitting right next to Do Soon on the two-seater sofa. Without saying anything. Then he spoke first.

“Didn’t you have dinner?”

“……”

She had eaten earlier, but she was eating again because she wanted to. Omitting that answer, Do Soon devoured three pieces of chicken and bit into the fourth.

That’s when it happened.

Won Hoo, who had been waiting for the right moment, gently slipped something onto Do Soon’s hand. More precisely, it was the left ring finger that was idle unlike the other fingers gripping the chicken.

“……”

But even seeing the ring on her finger. No, even seeing the dazzling sparkle of the quite large diamond, Do Soon’s eyes were indifferent as if uninterested in such jewelry. Her calm expression was also just nonchalant.

So Won Hoo, whose throat was parched, took another sip of beer and spoke again. Using his killer move of a handsome smile to slowly melt the thoroughly sulking Do Soon.

“Don’t you like it? Come on, give me a chance……”

“Well, it’s pretty, but not really…… I’m going to wash my hands.”

Whether saying it was pretty was a reluctant admission, Do Soon put down the chicken she was eating with an expressionless face and went into the bathroom.

“Wow…… Yeo Do Soon, you’re really difficult!”

As soon as Do Soon closed the bathroom door, Won Hoo tugged at his tie in frustration and let out a big sigh while grumbling.

Had Gu Won Hoo ever fretted over a woman since growing hair? If anything, it was the opposite. In his entire life, Yeo Do Soon was the first woman to make him so anxious. Moreover, he had sweet-talked her and even offered jewelry, so couldn’t she be a little shaken?

Won Hoo sighed repeatedly as if the ground would cave in, waiting for Do Soon to come out of the bathroom.

On the contrary, Do Soon was covering her mouth with one hand to stifle the giggles escaping her lips as she gazed brightly at her left hand. Turning the brilliantly sparkling ring this way and that.

It was the first ring she had ever received from a man. So how could she not be excited? However, Do Soon had to sort out her complicated feelings before making a bombshell announcement.

In fact, she wasn’t sulking or angry.

Before leaving for the ski resort, Do Soon had entered the CEO’s office intending to see Gu Won Hoo before departing. While waiting for him during a meeting, she unintentionally discovered a mint-colored box in the slightly open drawer.

The small size alone clearly indicated it was a ring case, so she unconsciously reached out and even confirmed its contents.

Her heart had pounded so much thinking he had prepared it for her. But it wasn’t hers. The initials engraved on that ring belonged to someone else.

The moment she realized that the abbreviation of that name was Eom So Yeon, Won Hoo entered the CEO’s office. Do Soon was startled and her hair stood on end. No matter how much they were lovers, it was clearly no different from rummaging through someone else’s desk, so she couldn’t help but be flustered as if she had committed a crime.

She didn’t answer Gu Won Hoo’s calls after that because she felt he would make some lame excuses about it. But this man seemed to have gotten the wrong idea completely.

Still, the ring is pretty, so I’ll accept it for now!

“Yeah, what’s life anyway? Let’s do it, let’s!”

Do Soon calmed her excited heart and came out of the bathroom to sit next to Won Hoo again. She picked up the sparkling water can on the table, gulped it down, and then resolutely spoke her decision.

“I’m not going to date the CEO anymore!”

“!”

What kind of bolt from the blue was this? Won Hoo looked at Do Soon intensely.

“The situation has changed.”

“Then……”

Are you saying we should break up?

Won Hoo, who finished the sentence with an anxious look, remained motionless like a wooden statue. He felt that if he moved even a little, Do Soon would really say those words. That’s how scared he was.

“Why are you so surprised? Don’t worry. I’m not saying we should break up.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I want to marry Gu Won Hoo.”

“M-marriage, you say?”

“Why, don’t you want to marry me?”

“No, it’s not that, but the proposal should be made by the man……”

“Tch, there’s no such thing. If you’re that uncomfortable, let’s say you proposed with this ring.”

“Hah……”

There’s probably no other woman in this world besides Yeo Do Soon who would propose marriage as casually as cooking beans with lightning. Anyway, Won Hoo, somewhat relieved, slowly rubbed his startled chest with his palm, wearing a slightly dumbfounded expression.

But that was only for a moment.

Do Soon, lightly tapping the sparkling water can with her fingertip, said with a slight smile.

“Why do you think I didn’t drink the beer I love so much? I have a reason to hold onto Gu Won Hoo tightly now, but what kind of businessman are you to be so oblivious?”

“!”

Won Hoo’s heart, which had just calmed down, started pounding again.

He had immediately understood the meaning of Do Soon’s words.