Sun Woo and Jang Hee were indeed siblings.

Perhaps their appearance had some differences that made it hard to tell they were siblings.

Rather, Sun Woo had overall delicate features like a woman. In contrast, Jang Hee had a somewhat rougher feel for a woman.

Of course, Jang Hee was also beautiful to anyone who saw her. However, her beauty was more suited to the standards of beauty that women appreciate rather than men. She exuded a noble and haughty charm that was difficult for men to approach easily.

Tall stature, sturdy build, and a voice that sounded androgynous at first listen.

So Young Hwa had to restrain the urge to instinctively say “Yes!” to that absurd proposal.

“Elder sister, I’m not thinking of marriage with Sun Woo.”

Jang Hee clearly couldn’t hide her disappointment and bewilderment.

“Of course, I understand. It must seem frivolous. But I guarantee you. Even though he looks like that, that guy isn’t such a bad person. And if you want, I’m confident I can fix him up quite a bit.”

Young Hwa felt envious of Sun Woo, seeing Jang Hee’s affection and familial love for her brother.

“No. It’s not that. I know Sun Woo is a good person. It’s just that, I’m not in a position to desire Sun Woo.”

Young Hwa had no choice but to speak with the consideration that they would become in-laws connected through her sibling’s marriage.

That was necessary to reach the final destination of the festival.

But at that moment, Young Hwa found it rather ridiculous that her own goals could be shaken by the sincerity of someone like this.

Somehow, Young Hwa felt like she was seeing her own elder sister Sang Hwa in Jang Hee.

Jang Hee taking care of Sun Woo felt like Sang Hwa taking care of herself.

“What do you mean, not in a position?”

“You don’t seem to know much about me. I…”

“Because you’re not President Ji Kang Seok’s biological daughter?”

Jang Hee’s voice was truly nonchalant.

“You knew?”

“Or is it because your studies are a bit lacking?”

“Ah.”

Thanks to that, Young Hwa could do nothing but let out a low groan.

“I didn’t raise my younger brother to be so dull as to judge people by such things.”

Jang Hee’s words made Young Hwa feel ashamed.

“Ha. Really. Someone might think you’re my parent, not my elder sister.”

Meanwhile, the only dissatisfied person was Sun Woo.

Tears came thoughtlessly.

She couldn’t have imagined that the tears she had been holding back would crumble over such words, but that was the reality.

In the end, tears were not sadness or pain, but something insignificant that melted when it met the freezing point of comfort.

Young Hwa hid her crumbled face by lowering her head and closing her eyes.

“You can’t persuade me with reasons like that. I liked Young Hwa, and my younger brother has committed a grave sin that he must take responsibility for. So I must make you part of my family.”

Her shoulders seemed to tremble slightly.

“Ah, elder sister. Why are you deciding my marriage on your own…”

Whack!

Sun Woo’s hat fell backwards as the back of his head was struck.

“Your eyes are just for decoration! How are you going to manage with such dead fish eyes. Don’t even touch the HR department. I can’t trust your eyes.”

A smile breaking through her lips. The sight of the two bickering was clearly very different from her relationship with Sang Hwa, but it also resembled it a lot, making her heart ache.

“No. I don’t have feelings for Sun Woo. That’s why.”

Young Hwa answered, finally composing her emotions. She felt it was a petty and cowardly excuse.

“It would have been good if you said that from the beginning.”

So Jang Hee did not hide her puzzlement.

“Let’s try.”

“Pardon?”

“Sun Woo will try to persuade you, I’ll try to convince Young Hwa, and you try to change your mind a bit more.”

Their authoritarian personalities were exactly alike.

“That’s all. Let’s enjoy our conversation over the meal.”

What a straightforward person.

Her easy and light tone never felt careless, and there was respect and consideration in dealing with others.

***

After finishing the meal, Young Hwa headed home in Sun Woo’s car, just as they had come.

“Your face…”

Sun Woo, who had taken off his hat, was really in a mess. The area around his eyes was swollen red and turning bluish-black.

To the point where it would be difficult to go to work tomorrow.

“What about my face?”

“Did your elder sister hit you? It’s severe.”

“Thanks to whom. She hit me just enough that I should be grateful I didn’t die.”

Her personality was even fierier than her appearance. To do this to her younger brother.

“You’re lucky. To have such an elder sister.”

“Are you saying I deserved to be hit? Women seem to understand each other.”

Young Hwa had spoken with full envy, but Sun Woo seemed to have taken it differently.

“Did it sound like that? That’s not what I meant.”

“You heard from my elder sister, right?”

She guessed it was probably about the marriage talk. And she could somewhat guess what Sun Woo was going to say next.

“My elder sister. She’s not someone who will ever back down from something she’s set her mind to. And this time, although it’s not like her, I think she really likes you a lot.”

Why me?

In times like these, shouldn’t someone like her be grateful that he’s not coming out with “Take responsibility!” using the mistake as an excuse?

“It seems so. I really don’t understand why though.”

“I understand.”

Sun Woo smiled, narrowing his swollen eyes. Wetting his burst lips was probably because the skin was stretched and painful.

It must hurt.

“Why?”

“Because she’s my elder sister. Just like you caught my eye, you must have caught hers too.”

Straight ahead without looking back.

Should I be grateful for this, or should I feel burdened?

The path towards the goal is getting harder and harder.

Not because things are going wrong, but because the comforting hand is warm and gentle, making one want to settle in.

“Close your eyes. Then you won’t see.”

“Haa. What should I do about this. If I couldn’t even speak, I’d at least scold you.”

Although Sun Woo was badly beaten, there was no resentment at all.

Yet the fact that he didn’t stop courting, and even the greeting saying it was nice to meet like this, made for a sweet weekend.

***

The submission period for the product design contest had ended.

It was decided that the final selected works would be exhibited together at the evaluation meeting to determine the ultimate winner.

Sun Woo’s desk was filled with entries from the product design contest.

Jae Seok picked up one of them and tossed it onto the conference table.

“Most of these are useless anyway. This isn’t a product design contest, it’s a test of how far designers’ fantasies can go, what is this.”

“But Team Leader Ji’s work was quite usable.”

Jae Seok nodded as if agreeing with Sun Woo’s opinion.

“That’s right, everyone seems to have some complaints about how the design department is run, but they all acknowledge their skills. It seems most of the best products come from Team Leader Ji’s hands.”

“That’s why she’s in the team leader position, I guess.”

Sun Woo stood up holding the final selected materials.

Due to more entries than expected, the selection period for preliminary passing works had been extended.

Sun Woo intended to personally deliver the selected works to Team Leader Ji and inquire if samples could be made for the evaluation meeting.

But Team Leader Ji wasn’t in the design department.

“Looks like Team Leader Ji stepped out.”

“Team Leader, she’s in the conference room now. She’s in the middle of a sample fitting for evaluation.”

Sun Woo conveyed his thanks with his eyes and headed towards the conference room again with the documents.

He stopped in front of the conference room after passing through the narrow corridors that were like a maze.

Most of the spaces were thoroughly soundproofed.

He could feel that a lot of attention was paid to other aspects, as it wasn’t a typical office.

Click.

He turned the doorknob and opened it.

Inside, he could see Young Hwa and In Ha standing in front of a wall made entirely of mirrors, wearing clothes that had become finished products.

“I was going to be moderately polite, but it became troublesome because of you.”

In Ha scrutinized Young Hwa’s appearance as she stood straight wearing the clothes.

“I’m sorry about that. I just drew it lightly. I didn’t expect it to pass the preliminaries.”

Sun Woo stopped his steps as he was about to enter. The conversation between the two was unusual.

What does this mean? If the words “passing the preliminaries” came up, they were definitely talking about the contest.

But does that mean it was Young Hwa who drew the picture, not In Ha?

“Right, so don’t go around running your mouth carelessly.”

In Ha’s attitude seemed like she was threatening Young Hwa.

“You’ll return the photo now, right?”

“Ah, right. The ultrasound photo!”

In Ha clapped her hands with a loud sound.

Ultrasound photo?

Deep wrinkles formed between Sun Woo’s brows.

“I’m so sorry about this. I left that photo behind.”

Despite the brief conversation, the quick-witted Sun Woo could guess more than enough.

First, the most certain thing was that In Ha had blackmailed Young Hwa with something, and in return, she had done the contest work for her?

“Haa. What is this all about. What are you really, Ji Young Hwa.”

Sun Woo’s head was already very complicated these days.

The feeling that he had entered into some well-crafted game. But he felt like he was wandering because he alone didn’t know the rules of the game.