By Zephyria 
Neither of them had any idea the other was their blind date. It was beyond surprising, bordering on absurd, and only awkward laughter passed between them.
“Let’s sit down first.”
Kim Seok-jun said, rubbing the tip of his nose. He was full of bashfulness, making even the onlooker feel awkward.
“I had no idea I’d see you here.”
“Me neither.”
After that brief exchange, silence flowed. Thankfully, the piano melody playing in the lounge prevented the atmosphere from becoming suffocatingly disastrous.
“Ah, should we order first?”
Kim Seok-jun’s ears were flushed red. His hands fumbling with the menu were inexplicably hurried. So much so that his stray hand even bumped the water glass. Was he always this clumsy?
“They say this place is famous for its cappuccino. I heard people come from far away just to drink it.”
“Then I’ll have a cappuccino.”
“Two cappuccinos, please.”
Once the order was successfully placed, Kim Seok-jun finally let out a sigh of relief. He covered his beet-red face with both hands. Peeking through his fingers, he stared quietly at Hui-won before speaking with difficulty.
“I’m telling you this just in case you misunderstand. I didn’t request this meeting spot.”
“Yes.”
“It’s really, truly a coincidence. You can see I’m so flustered I’m sweating, right?”
“I won’t misunderstand. Don’t worry.”
His voice was so earnest in his defense that Hui-won couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Thanks to that, the tense atmosphere loosened considerably.
Soon, their ordered coffee arrived. The cappuccino, covered in cinnamon powder and white milk foam, was so beautifully presented it seemed a shame to drink it. Taking a sip, the bittersweet espresso and warm milk mixed perfectly in his mouth. It was indeed a taste worthy of its reputation.
Kim Seok-jun still hadn’t managed to calm his surprised heart. Even while drinking his coffee, his gaze couldn’t stay still and wandered everywhere. It was quite a contrast to the composed Hui-won.
“By any chance… you weren’t forced to come out, were you?”
“They said you were a handsome Alpha with a good personality. I was also curious about what kind of person you’d be.”
“I’m not that handsome… You must be disappointed.”
Even as he said that, Kim Seok-jun couldn’t hide his pleased expression.
“Then, about how we address each other…, calling you Secretary Kim feels a bit awkward, doesn’t it?”
“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“Kim Hui-won.”
Hui-won raised an eyebrow and smiled. The other’s eyes also curved into crescents.
On the surface, the atmosphere seemed to be flowing quite smoothly, but in reality, this blind date was doomed. He was none other than Kwon Young-je’s friend, so Hui-won couldn’t possibly see him as a romantic prospect. Hui-won had already given up on the idea from the start.
“I actually wanted to meet you, Hui-won. But I just couldn’t find an opportunity.”
“Is that so? I had no idea.”
“Uh… Young-je didn’t tell you?”
At those words, Hui-won’s eyes widened. Why was Kwon Young-je popping up here?
“Pardon?”
“Young-je knows too. That I’m interested in you, Kim Hui-won. I even asked Young-je for a favor a few months ago.”
“What kind of favor….”
Kim Seok-jun lightly scratched his forehead. It seemed he felt awkward saying it himself.
“At our recent gathering. I subtly asked him. If he could call you out for a moment. To help me catch some wind with my friends… Anyway, so Young-je sent a text, but I think you must have been busy at the time. Sadly, it didn’t work out.”
This was the first time Hui-won was hearing this. He searched his memory.
“If by recent gathering, you mean the time at the wine bar in Sinsa-dong?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Executive Director Kwon never called me out… He did contact me, but only to request that I send Driver Jung.”
Suddenly, Kim Seok-jun made a peculiar expression and sank into thought. He was exceptionally smart and had known Kwon Young-je for over a decade. Deducing the truth wasn’t that difficult.
“Wow, Kwon Young-je… hitting someone from behind like this.”
He sighed and let out a dry laugh.
“It seems he meddled in the middle. He didn’t want to connect us.”
“Why… would he do that?”
“Probably because he didn’t want to be taken from, right?”
Hui-won pursed his lips. His heart was racing uncontrollably.
In response, Kim Seok-jun gave a gentle, knowing smile.
“You’re asking even though you know, right?”
At the question that saw right through him, Hui-won’s face instantly flushed. There was no way to handle this.
“…Yes.”
He couldn’t help but be surprised because he had never guessed Kwon Young-je’s feelings. He tried pressing his lips together tightly, but the feeling of astonishment and joy wouldn’t subside in the slightest.
Kim Seok-jun, who had been watching that reaction intently, let out a sigh mixed with a laugh.
“It seems there was no room for me to step in. Honestly, seeing you today, I thought maybe we were fate. But I was wrong. Who would have thought I’d be the magpie connecting you two.”
“…….”
“Do you like Young-je too?”
At those words, Kwon Young-je naturally came to mind. The most radiant person among everyone he knew. A man whose presence felt natural, and who came to mind constantly.
He was a difficult and sensitive boss, but even so, Hui-won liked him. Even now, his way of speaking, his actions, down to his smallest habits, swirled in his head.
It’s serious. Hui-won swallowed a hollow laugh.
Maybe giving up on this one-sided love was impossible from the start.
“Yes, I like him.”
Upon hearing the confession, Seok-jun repeatedly rubbed his reddened face. Feeling dejected, laughter kept bubbling out of him.
“Getting rejected less than ten minutes into a blind date is too humiliating…”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t go spreading this around.”
“I absolutely won’t spread any rumors.”
Hui-won promised several times, feeling embarrassed. Only then did Kim Seok-jun laugh with some ease.
“But still, since we met with difficulty, we can at least have a cup of tea together, right?”
“Let’s have a meal too. It’s on me.”
“Sounds good.”
Even though the blind date was doomed, his heart felt much lighter. Hui-won lifted his coffee cup. The cappuccino seemed to taste even better than before.
***
At that moment, Kwon Young-je was in a very foul mood. His sharpened gaze slowly scanned his surroundings.
The elders from both families were facing each other, chatting in low voices. Inside the serene Korean restaurant, laughter hadn’t left since earlier.
The exchanged conversations and atmosphere were undoubtedly like a formal meeting between families. Kwon Young-je’s gaze evenly surveyed Lee Ha-jin’s parents and his own parents before returning straight ahead. Lee Ha-jin, sitting opposite him, was slumped like a criminal, unable to even make proper eye contact.
He occasionally stole glances, but each time, he was inevitably crushed by Kwon Young-je’s fierce glare and bowed his head. He knew he was the culprit who caused this mess.
An hour ago, Lee Ha-jin had called Kwon Young-je out as if he urgently needed help. Upon arriving, he found the elders from both families gathered together, which naturally led to a meal. His irritation was at its peak, but with the elders present, he couldn’t just get up and leave. He was, however, making his discomfort abundantly clear with his entire being.
On the low dining table, glossy white porcelain bowls were densely laid out, displaying an array of delicious-looking dishes. But Kwon Young-je hadn’t moved a finger.
He just sat there like a decoration, so it was only natural that eyes were drawn to him. The man with a consistently hardened expression was the main culprit disrupting the harmonious atmosphere.
Then, Lee Ha-jin’s father spoke up affably.
“Executive Director Kwon, you must be very busy looking after the company these days, but it’s precisely at times like these you need to take care of your health. Our Ha-jin is quite clumsy about such things. It’s a shame.”
“…….”
“My wife and I will educate him properly from now on, so don’t worry too much. That kid is smart, so he learns quickly once taught. Things like supporting a spouse aren’t that difficult.”
Lee Ha-jin’s mother also nodded in agreement. Both of their eyes toward Kwon Young-je dripped with affection. It seemed they had already decided on him as a son-in-law.
Kwon Young-je stared at the elders with a dry expression. How laughable.
“Supporting a spouse is something you do for the person you marry, isn’t it?”
“…….”
“Has a marriage registration been filed without my knowledge? If so, that would be a matter to discuss with a lawyer.”
At his words, the atmosphere chilled to an irreparable degree. Unable to stand it, Professor Kwon quietly admonished, “Young-je,” but there was no way the soured mood would improve because of that.
Beside him, Madam Im was glaring with dagger-like eyes. Her fiercely widened gaze was filled with all sorts of harsh words.
Kwon Young-je met her gaze directly and picked up his water glass. Even as he swallowed a sip of water, Madam Im’s sharp gaze didn’t soften. The intense pheromones radiating from him and the battle of wills between mother and son were palpable.
“Do you have to make such a fuss over a simple meal?”
“It doesn’t seem like a simple meal to me. If I’m mistaken, I apologize.”
Lee Ha-jin’s parents had already turned their backs on Kwon Young-je. Lee Ha-jin, perhaps thinking he was in the wrong, had been covering his face for a while now. In the end, Kwon Young-je alone had become the villain of the piece.
Completely unfazed, he reached into his jacket pocket. Out of habit, he took out his phone and tried to contact Secretary Kim. For some reason, the signal went through for a while, but no one answered.
Just as he was about to press the call button again, Madam Im frowned as if annoyed.
“Stop bothering Secretary Kim. It’s his day off, why are you calling?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Secretary Kim is a busy person too. Hey, don’t stir up the person he’s meeting on a blind date, you sit down and eat your meal and go.”
The finger hovering over the screen paused. Kwon Young-je only shifted his gaze to glare at Madam Im.
“What did you say?”
“Secretary Kim is on a blind date right now. We introduced him.”
“…….”
“Don’t worry. He’s an excellent person in looks, academic background, and career. Did you think we’d introduce just anyone to Hui-won?”
Kwon Young-je slowly let out a sigh. Now, his gaze toward Madam Im had turned threatening.
“Was this your doing, Mother?”
“You said you weren’t in that kind of relationship. So why are your eyes popping out like that?”