Ga Eul knew that things in this world don’t always go as planned. Even so. From the moment she decided to confess to the president, the world seemed to be tackling her.

Things got tangled up in an unbelievable way. It started with an unwelcome phone call.

After washing off the mud from the tidal flat in the shower, Ga Eul was about to go for breakfast when she received a call from Seo Woo Jin’s mother.

– Did you hear that Woo Jin came back?

No, she hadn’t heard. Her situation was too urgent to be keeping up with such things. Lady, have you ever been kidnapped?

– Well, Woo Jin says he’s going to Taean to meet you today. He won’t listen no matter how much I try to stop him. You…

“I think I need to meet Woo Jin once. I’ll meet him face to face and tell him. To get out of my life. But why does Woo Jin want to come here? Can’t he wait until I get back to Seoul?”

We’ve lived without meeting until now, so why can’t he wait just one or two more days instead of coming to someone else’s vacation spot? Why? Seo Woo Jin, have you forgotten what common sense is?

– That’s what I’m saying. He heard somewhere that you went on a trip with your president. He’s making a fuss about it and says he’s coming down today to settle things with you. When you meet Woo Jin, end things clearly between you two.

“Yes, I will.”

That’s what I want. To end it clearly.

Even after hanging up, Ga Eul couldn’t shake off her unpleasant mood. He heard I went on a trip with the president. What a malicious thing to say. It was true, but not true.

Did Woo Jin’s mother really not know that she came on a trip with her whole family, and that it was to find Yoo Sung Mok? That couldn’t be.

Woo Jin’s mother deliberately used that expression. As if to say, how dare you, don’t even think about coming back to my son. Even without going that far, she had no intention of going back to Woo Jin.

Ga Eul moved her facial muscles a few times before leaving the room. Then she opened the door and shouted loudly.

“Grandmother, let’s go eat breakfast! Gyeo Ul!”

* * *

Ga Eul entered the breakfast buffet restaurant with a heavy heart. The thought of facing Woo Jin made her feel like she couldn’t swallow her food.

Moreover, hadn’t she decided to confess her feelings to the president before going back to Seoul? After making such a scene in the tidal flat.

Her appetite plummeted.

Still, Ga Eul diligently piled food onto her plate. Considering the cost of the accommodation, she shouldn’t eat too little.

“Grandmother, how can you eat so little? Gyeo Ul, you too, put more on your plate. Let’s have a light lunch.”

Ga Eul nagged endlessly at her grandmother and Gyeo Ul.

“Sister! We can always come back for more after eating.”

Finally, Gyeo Ul whispered something while looking at Ga Eul’s plate, then took grandmother far away.

Am I embarrassing you? Try paying for the accommodation yourself and see. As Ga Eul was grumbling, she heard a familiar voice.

“Have you been starving for days?”

The president was standing a bit behind her, looking at her plate. As Ga Eul was about to greet him happily, she noticed the people lined up behind him.

After nodding to Jung Se Hyun and Jung Mi O standing behind the president, she saw the beautiful woman who had returned from the golf course with the president.

There were a few more people, but from the moment she saw the beautiful woman who had golfed with the president among the group, she couldn’t see anyone else.

She felt irritated for no reason. Do they have to move in packs from the morning? How am I supposed to confess when they’re all together like this?

“I have to get my money’s worth. Someone made us rent two penthouses.”

Ga Eul replied discontentedly and went over to her grandmother and Gyeo Ul.

Grandmother and Gyeo Ul didn’t particularly welcome Ga Eul either. They were embarrassed by Ga Eul’s plate piled high like a mountain. Throughout the meal, grandmother and Gyeo Ul avoided making eye contact with Ga Eul.

Woo Jin says he’s coming down, the one I want to confess to is hanging out with another woman, I need to eat a lot to have strength, but my family is embarrassed by it.

Ga Eul began stabbing her food angrily with her fork. After eating for a while, Ga Eul suddenly spoke to her grandmother and Gyeo Ul.

“Let’s eat sashimi for dinner. We came to the seaside, so we should eat sashimi.”

The reply came from behind.

“Sashimi sounds good. Ga Eul, let’s all go eat sashimi together for dinner. I’ll make a reservation.”

Se Hyun sat down right next to Ga Eul on her right. Ga Eul was somewhat surprised. Se Hyun usually kept a proper distance from her.

“Do we have to go in the evening? Let’s eat at lunchtime.”

Dae Un sat down on Ga Eul’s left and pulled his chair closer to her.

Wondering what was going on with these two men sticking to her sides, Ga Eul looked around.

Dae Un and Se Hyun’s group had taken seats around them. The beautiful woman from the golf course was sitting across from her, and next to her were the people she had seen at the massage shop.

Other people Ga Eul didn’t know also came with their plates and sat close to Dae Un and Se Hyun. Jung Mi O was pushed far away, making a face like she had eaten something bad.

Grandmother and Gyeo Ul, who had been eating, looked up at Ga Eul and the two men. They must be wondering what’s going on with these two men sticking so close to Ga Eul.

Ga Eul suddenly remembered something.

“Jang Yu Jung?”

Ga Eul whispered to Se Hyun. She asked quietly so only Se Hyun could hear, in case Jang Yu Jung was among the group. Are you doing this to get rid of Jang Yu Jung?

“Not yet, she’ll be here soon. But the romance starts now.”

Se Hyun also whispered back. In a manner that would look quite affectionate to strangers.

Hearing that Jang Yu Jung wasn’t here, Ga Eul relaxed her shoulders. It seemed there was no need to enter combat mode just yet.

At that moment, Dae Un pushed the cup of juice he had brought in front of Ga Eul.

“Wet your throat first. Let me know if you need anything.”

He was trying to draw Ga Eul’s attention to himself. Ga Eul didn’t seem to care that he was sitting so close to her.

After rescuing Ga Eul from the tidal flat in the morning and carrying her back, he had thought. That he shouldn’t let Ga Eul go. The experience of almost losing Ga Eul hastened his decision.

So he wanted to do something to catch Ga Eul’s heart, which had grown distant during his time in India, while they were at the resort… but Ga Eul was already whispering with that Se Hyun guy.

He knew that Ga Eul and Se Hyun didn’t have special feelings for each other. Still, he couldn’t help but frown.

The gazes of the people sitting at the table were focused on Ga Eul. Ga Eul whispered to Dae Un as well.

“What are you doing? There’s such a thing as professional courtesy. Right now is the timing for romance with Attorney Jung.”

Dae Un wanted to ask Ga Eul. What exactly does this ‘romance’ you use so casually mean?

You said the same to me, that you liked me and wanted to date.

Dae Un knew that Ga Eul’s ‘I like you’ and his own ‘I like you’ were different. That’s why whenever Ga Eul said she liked him, he felt more sorrow than joy.

As Dae Un lifted his head that he had tilted to hear Ga Eul’s words, he saw Ga Eul’s grandmother. Ga Eul’s grandmother was looking at her plate with a hardened expression.

Dae Un nudged Ga Eul. But Ga Eul ignored Dae Un’s signal to look at her grandmother. At that moment, the woman sitting across from her spoke up.

“You’re Han Ga Eul, right? I heard you’re an employee at Dae Un’s company. I’m Ko Ye Rim.”

Ko Ye Rim reached her hand across the table. Ga Eul also reached out and grasped that hand.

Jung Mi O could be seen mouthing ‘Heungsan’. The daughter of the Heungsan Savings Bank representative, whom Jung Mi O’s father wanted to match with Ki Dae Un, was right in front of Ga Eul’s eyes.

“I’m Dae Un’s golf buddy. We often went golfing together when we were in America. Ga Eul, you should join us for a round sometime.”

Ga Eul doesn’t play golf. She’s never even held a golf club. She felt annoyed that Ko Ye Rim and Ki Dae Un had often done together something she had never even tried.

Feeling piqued, Ga Eul deducted one point from Ko Ye Rim’s score.

“You and I often went golfing together? Am I suffering from amnesia? Or does Ko Ye Rim have pseudologia fantastica?”

But Ga Eul’s heart softened at Dae Un’s sharp rebuttal that immediately followed.

“Th-that, don’t you remember? Near New York…”

As Ko Ye Rim stammered with a red face, someone cut in from the side. It seemed they were trying to change the subject to help Ko Ye Rim.

“The company must be like family. The president and subordinate employees even go on vacation together.”

It was the woman she had seen at the massage shop. She didn’t even introduce herself.

Ga Eul was about to deduct one point from her score for making such an unpleasant insinuation, but instead added one point to Ko Ye Rim. She felt sorry for Ko Ye Rim who had been reprimanded by the president.

Dae Un saw Ga Eul’s grandmother tightening her lips. Gyeo Ul was also looking at the woman who had just spoken with an unpleasant expression.

“You mean she’s not just a simple subordinate employee.”

Dae Un quickly intervened. He couldn’t stand by and watch Ga Eul’s dignity being lowered any further. It was also inconvenient for the Ga Eul he was trying to approach to be perceived as another man’s woman.

He had firmly decided to win Ga Eul’s heart. After that, he wanted to prevent in advance any situation where Ga Eul might be criticized as a two-timing woman.

Moreover, Ga Eul’s grandmother’s expression was concerning. Grandmother seemed very displeased with this situation.

“She’s not just a simple subordinate employee. If I’m introducing her to a friend. Ga Eul, you came on this trip with me, not Dae Un.”

Jung Se Hyun didn’t back down either. Jung Se Hyun clarified his relationship with Ga Eul much more explicitly than Ki Dae Un. Jung Se Hyun wins. As Ga Eul was inwardly gloating, Dae Un gritted his teeth.

That Se Hyun bastard, has he traded his tact for candy, or is he so blinded by his desire to get rid of Jang Yu Jung that he can’t see anything else? He should think about Ga Eul’s position a bit. He should also pay attention to the expressions of Ga Eul’s grandmother and Gyeo Ul.

Grandmother was now glaring fiercely at Ga Eul.

Dae Un nudged Ga Eul’s side again to signal her. Only then did Ga Eul see her grandmother glaring at her.

Ga Eul came to her senses only after receiving her grandmother’s glare. Looking at Gyeo Ul, his expression wasn’t good either. Grandmother and Gyeo Ul seemed to think she was engaging in some cheap game. That’s why they were making such disapproving faces.

Ga Eul knew she had to salvage the situation. So she smiled and said to the people looking at her, Dae Un, and Se Hyun.

“These two gentlemen are just joking to tease you all. I have a boyfriend named Seo Woo Jin. He’s on his way to meet me right now.”

Se Hyun immediately protested. He whispered to Ga Eul.

“Ga Eul, this won’t do. This is different from what we agreed, isn’t it?”

“Seo Woo Jin is coming?”

While listening to Se Hyun’s whisper, she also heard Dae Un speaking loudly. There was a hint of disdain in his voice, but Ga Eul couldn’t pay attention to that much.

“I’m sorry. You see my grandmother looking at us disapprovingly, right? I’ll handle Jang Yu Jung another way.”

Ga Eul first replied to Se Hyun while watching her stern-faced grandmother. Then to the president.

“Woo Jin said he left this morning. So let’s eat sashimi for dinner. We need to wait for Woo Jin.”

Still, her grandmother’s hardened expression didn’t soften. She’s a grandmother who can’t stand seeing insincere and frivolous behavior. It seems she has disappointed her grandmother.

Having lost her appetite, Ga Eul shoveled food into her mouth diligently. She felt she needed to finish eating quickly and go apologize to her grandmother.

Because of this, Ga Eul missed seeing Ko Ye Rim deep in thought with food in front of her.