By Zephyria Has time already passed this much? Seo-woon put down the comic book he was holding. His back was already aching from lying down all day anyway.
It had been nearly two weeks since he’d refrained from going outside, using the near-disaster-level heat wave as an excuse, and even the homebody lifestyle he’d considered his calling was starting to get boring. Sometimes he wanted to wear something other than his “refrigerator pants,” and he also wanted to spend a new day different from usual.
Ideally, it would be a moderately formal occasion. An outing where he’d need to pay some attention to his appearance and have appropriate anticipation and excitement.
For times like this, nothing beats a date. Seo-woon took a longer shower than usual. A humming tune naturally came out while he washed himself. For Seo-woon, a freelancer, preparing for such a properly dressed-up outing wasn’t something he could do just anytime.
Eating at popular restaurants without waiting during weekday afternoons, leisurely watching movies alone in empty theaters. Single, freelancer, living alone. Seo-woon’s daily life with all three conditions was freedom and peace itself.
Of course, it hadn’t been like this from the beginning. Getting regular clients and stabilizing his income were all recent developments—for the first few years, he had worked himself to death. As they say, bad things come all at once, and back then everything in Seo-woon’s life was a mess, so he didn’t even have the mental leisure to go out and watch a movie.
When his life became comfortable, the peace of mind that had left home also returned. Indeed, money is the best. There’s nothing money can’t do. Having regained peace of mind along with stable income, Seo-woon rushed out of the house as if he’d been waiting for this moment. He literally did everything he could and had fun. He would impulsively go on trips alone and earnestly went clubbing. He enjoyed life by eating alone and drinking alone as naturally as breathing. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he did everything except what he couldn’t do alone.
A prime example of that was dating. While he could do everything else alone, dating was impossible. At the age of 31, he had done enough blind dates through acquaintances. He had gone to enough formal meetings arranged by adults. It was a natural progression for Seo-woon to visit a marriage consulting company on his own.
Entering information was only done once at the beginning. After that, the couple manager and matching manager would find suitable partners based on his traits and conditions. Becoming a member of the marriage consulting company was the best thing Seo-woon had done this year. Not because he had already found a compatible partner, but because for Seo-woon, a male omega, just being able to meet alphas with verified identities was worth the money.
Today was already his eighth formal meeting. Blind date outfits were predetermined by season, and the conversations to be exchanged were also somewhat predictable. The eighth person he hadn’t met yet would be the same. The person who best matched Seo-woon’s conditions would appear, so premature expectations or disappointment were forbidden. At first, he felt self-loathing wondering if this was all he amounted to, but humans are creatures of adaptation. Now Seo-woon was confident he could lead the atmosphere in a moderately harmonious way no matter who appeared.
But then again, life is unpredictable even one step ahead. As soon as Seo-woon arrived at the meeting place, he was scolded by some man.
“You’re late.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
The man was sitting by the window where he could see the cafe entrance directly. Naturally, this was someone Seo-woon had never seen before, but the man seemed to already know who Seo-woon was. It was somewhat puzzling, but the question didn’t last long. This was a blind date, after all. He must have seen photos beforehand. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have immediately started scolding Seo-woon before he could even look around the cafe after entering. No, it would be more accurate to say he didn’t even give him a chance to do so. Even Google image search wouldn’t be this fast.
Not looking at the other person’s photo after the third blind date was entirely Seo-woon’s choice, but somehow he felt like he’d lost out. If he’d known this would happen, he should have been more careful about his appearance, he regretted inwardly.
Did this market produce such goods too? The moment Seo-woon saw the man’s face, he forgot everything he’d been told.
“You’re exactly 18 minutes late.”
That’s strange. He was sure he’d arrived on time. Even while thinking this, Seo-woon was overwhelmed by the man’s firmness and apologized reflexively.
“I’m sorry. Did you wait long?”
“Yes. I waited 18 minutes.”
What is this, déjà vu? At the sight of the man mechanically repeating the same words, his heart stopped pounding as if by magic. “Ha, haha, I see…” Seo-woon laughed awkwardly as he pulled out his chair.
The man who said he’d arrived 18 minutes early had maintained exactly the same posture since Seo-woon first saw him. Whether Seo-woon sat down or not, he just quietly stared at Seo-woon. Is he 160cm tall? Why doesn’t he stand up even once? Seo-woon quickly scanned the man with a smiling face.
Up close, he looked even more unrealistically handsome. Since all blind date venues were more or less the same anyway, the cafe they stopped by before meals was nothing special either, yet being here with this man was paradise itself, a utopia. Even from a distance, the man’s features were excessively distinct. Looking at such a man up close, he couldn’t tell if he was looking at a screen or a real person. Did a human face really need to be that three-dimensional? That’s what he thought.
Given these circumstances, it was only natural that Seo-woon’s gaze gradually moved downward. Seo-woon was curious. He was desperately curious about the man’s lower body hidden by the table. If he could, he’d want to use X-ray vision. Surely he’s not really 160cm. Such a thought occurred to him, but Seo-woon concluded it didn’t matter anyway. With that face and those shoulders, even 170cm would be something to be grateful for. Since it would be nice if the numbers worked out neatly, 167cm—exactly 10cm shorter than Seo-woon—would also be fine.
“…Uh…”
“……”
“…I…”
“Yes, please speak.”
“…Is there something on my face?”
His private indulgence in wishful thinking was brief, as Seo-woon’s scan—which had achieved maximum efficiency in minimum time—ended with shameless audacity. Seo-woon had scanned too, and quite enthusiastically at that, but he hadn’t been as blatant as the man. At least he’d tried to hide it. He hadn’t stared at someone so openly like the man was doing.
The man was looking at Seo-woon in exactly the same posture as when they first met. His posture was so proper that Seo-woon unconsciously straightened his own. By now, he should have naturally averted his gaze, but even after Seo-woon’s question, the man’s gaze wouldn’t drop. If anything, he seemed to be staring even more than before. Is there really something on my face that’s making him act like this? Then he should just say so instead of staring at someone like that.
In the end, it was Seo-woon who looked away first. It was just someone staring at him, but why did it make him feel so embarrassed? Though it was his own question, Seo-woon could answer it faster than anyone. It was all because of those eyes. The man had overall bold features with lines close to straight, but his eyes were different. The line from his brow to his nose bridge was excessively high and straight, yet the two eyes positioned beside it were infinitely deep and clear.
A man with a face that couldn’t look young even as a polite lie, yet had infinitely childlike eyes—his moist pupils, contrasting with his thick eyebrows, gazed at Seo-woon without wavering. If Seo-woon were paper, he would have been pierced through long ago. At this level, it wouldn’t be strange if the man in front of him had fallen for Seo-woon at first sight.
“No.”
Of course, no such thing happened. As if reading Seo-woon’s thoughts, the man spoke in a firm tone.
“Nothing is on your face.”
“…Pardon?”
“That’s how it looks to me. If you’d like, would you prefer to check for yourself? I don’t have a mirror on hand, but I can show you using my phone camera.”
Look at that—with those words, a familiar face appeared in front of Seo-woon. Someone he’d seen many times was looking at him with the world’s most stupid expression.
“How is it?”
“……”
“Have you confirmed?”
It was Seo-woon himself. The man was kindly showing Seo-woon his own face through his phone camera. He doesn’t seem like a bad person… but he seems a little strange. This is all because of the heat. He should ask for the ninth blind date to be scheduled when it’s cooler. Seo-woon blamed the innocent weather.
“…Nothing’s on my face.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“…You can turn off the camera now.”
“Understood.”
Fortunately, he listens well. The man obediently turned off his phone camera. …Wait, what’s fortunate about this again? At this rate, I feel like I’m going to get swept away by this man without even knowing what’s happening.
Seo-woon tried to pull himself together, but once again made eye contact with the man who was staring at him. There’s nothing on my face, so why does he keep staring at me? When Seo-woon smiled awkwardly with an uncomfortable feeling, the man suddenly asked a question.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Excuse me?”
“You just smiled.”
Ah… A long sigh finally escaped from Seo-woon’s lips. I should have just stayed home. What kind of wealth and glory was I expecting to gain in this heat… Seo-woon despaired and blurted out anything.
“I’m happy because you didn’t ask me anything.”
“I see. So you like that sort of thing.”
“I guess so…”
“Would you like to see it one more time?”
“…Once is enough. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m glad I could be of help.”
Ah… Mom… Seo-woon called for his non-existent mother and quietly closed his eyes. He was beginning to understand, just a little, just a tiny bit, why the man in front of him hadn’t been able to get married despite having such an appearance.
Seo-woon slowly opened his eyes. He could see the man drinking water right in front of him. Even though it was clearly the same cup as the one placed in front of Seo-woon, the man was grasping the entire cup with just one hand. Only his face was small, his hands were large and his neck was thick. Judging by how his shirt collar fit perfectly with his thick neck, it didn’t look like simple ready-made clothing. And that jacket that wrapped around his broad shoulders without strain while fitting his body perfectly, and those protruding veins visible below his wristwatch looked like accessories.
The man silently drinking water had the appearance of a perfect adult male. His features, which formed graceful curves while being incredibly harmonious, reminded one of a sculpture.
Right. Let’s not jump to conclusions. I shouldn’t judge a person carelessly based on such a brief encounter. When he closed his mouth, the man returned to looking like a flawless sculpture, and Seo-woon’s feelings softened a little.
“I apologize in advance.”
“Excuse me?”
The man suddenly apologized in a serious voice. He didn’t know why he was apologizing, but his low voice sounded quite sincere. Seo-woon felt the urge to forgive him for anything.
“I’ve been too busy to properly review the documents.”
“What do you mean…”
“Instead, would you allow me to confirm things directly face-to-face here?”
The sculpture speaks. His face alone is convincing enough, but with that serious voice that sounds like he’s never told a lie in his life, he’s asking for Seo-woon’s permission more politely than anyone. This isn’t a marriage proposal scene, and it probably won’t be, but if he asked Seo-woon to marry him right now, he might find himself nodding without realizing it.
Indeed, Seo-woon almost nodded without knowing what he was agreeing to, but barely managed to regain his senses. It seemed like the man had mistaken him for someone else. That kind of talk was more suited for a business meeting.
“I’m sorry, but I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“That’s impossible.”
“No, I think you have the wrong person.”
“Didn’t you come here for a blind date?”
Seo-woon thought he wanted to ask the same question back. When Seo-woon reluctantly nodded, the man drove the point home.
“I also came here for a blind date.”
“…Ah, yes.”
“This is my first time with a male omega. Nice to meet you. I’m Ahn Yi-jin.”
The fact that a dominant alpha had only insisted on female omegas until that age suggested a high possibility of old-fashioned thinking and authoritarian tendencies. It seemed like he had only now turned his attention to male omegas because he was getting desperate, but either way, it was equally shitty. Seo-woon introduced himself somewhat half-heartedly.
“I’m Jung Seo-woon.”
“Mr. Jung Seo-woon, then I’ll ask you a few questions from now on.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’d appreciate it if you could answer honestly.”
Why don’t you also mention the Miranda rights while you’re at it. While Seo-woon was being sarcastic, he was inwardly waiting for the man’s questions. He was somewhat curious about what he was going to say this time.
“What are your plans regarding children?”
Ah, shit. Seo-woon choked. Cough, cough, several dry coughs burst out. The man who was watching ordered water from the waiter. Seo-woon quickly called the waiter again.
“Ice water, please.”
Cold water wasn’t enough. Seo-woon drank the ice water refreshingly. Ah, now I can live. When Seo-woon put down the water glass, the man’s gaze followed along. The water glass was more than half empty. The man said:
“You must take good care of your teeth.”
“…What?”
“So, what are your plans regarding children?”
Alright, let’s give this a try. Seo-woon quickly accepted this situation. Before properly dealing with the man, he leaned back comfortably against his chair. When the body is comfortable, the mind is comfortable too. Seo-woon answered honestly.
“I haven’t thought about it.”
“You mean you don’t want children?”
“No. Rather than that… I just haven’t felt that way until now.”
“Do you need to have some kind of feeling to have plans for children?”
“Uh, of course?”
When Seo-woon asked back, the man’s eyebrows twitched. What’s that about? Seo-woon didn’t mind and finished what he wanted to say.
“I want to have a child who resembles this person and me.”
“……”
“I haven’t met anyone who makes me feel that way yet.”
There was someone whose childhood I was curious about, but that was it. I thought that person must have been cute as a child too, but my feelings stopped there. I never thought about wanting to have children. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that person never even gave me the opportunity, but Seo-woon didn’t bother to correct himself.
“But I’m not against having children. I don’t particularly want to have many though.”
“I see.”
“Of course, it’s not something I can decide alone, but it’s still too far in the future…”
“That’s sufficient. Then I’ll ask the next question.”
What’s sufficient? No, wait, am I the only one talking and that’s it? Before Seo-woon could gather his bewildered thoughts, the next question immediately followed.
“What do you mainly do in your personal time?”
“Personal, what?”
“Hobbies are fine, daily routine is okay too. Just tell me how you, Seo-woon, spend your time alone.”
The man was serious, and Seo-woon was bewildered. This was more like a job interview than a blind date. Since joining the marriage consulting company, he had met many dominant alphas, but there had never been an alpha who so blatantly evaluated a person like this.
So there are people like this too. He thought he’d experienced the world to some degree, but maybe he’d been overconfident in himself. Thinking that way actually calmed him down. Fine, you go ahead and score me. I’ll consider this bad luck cleansed and go to my ninth blind date. Seo-woon answered peacefully.
“I just spend my days normally. When there’s work, I work, and when there’s no work, I rest. As for hobbies, should I just tell you everything?”
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“This is both a hobby and a skill—playing games without spending money on in-app purchases. Since I’m a freelancer, I have quite a bit of time. I like games, and I also like watching things. Movies, American TV shows, comics, documentaries—I watch everything without discrimination. I exercise occasionally to survive, and oh, I also like cooking. When I’m busy I eat carelessly, so once work is over, I get cooking urges I didn’t have before. What I like most is just lying around without any plans? I think I’m happiest when I’m just lying there and if I want to do something, I can do it right away.”
Even he thought it was way TMI, but he didn’t feel the need to stop. Whatever the man was thinking internally, he was listening to Seo-woon’s words attentively. At least it seemed that way on the surface, so his manners weren’t completely lacking.
“Should I say more?”
“No. That’s sufficient.”
The man nodded with satisfaction. Seo-woon saw in him the image of a past professor who liked densely packed, lengthy answer sheets.
“It seems Seo-woon wouldn’t be bored even when alone.”
“Sometimes I do get bored, but it can’t be helped. I’ve been living alone for so long now that I’m used to it.”
“Perfect.”
“Pardon? Me?”
“I’ll start the next question now.”
“Wait, let me order something first. What would you like?”
“Please order first.”
“I’ll have an iced latte. And Mr. Jung…”
“It’s Ahn Yi-jin. I’ll have the same. Two iced lattes, please.”
He’d been so distracted by the questions that he’d forgotten the name. Seo-woon smiled awkwardly and fidgeted with his water glass. Then suddenly, he remembered. The name Seo-woon had heard wasn’t ‘Yi-jin.’ He hadn’t looked at photos, but he had heard some information through the manager. This time too, the other person was a dominant alpha, 39 years old, and his name was…
“Yi-jin.”
“Yes.”
“By any chance, was your original name…?”
“I changed my name.”
“Ah, I see.”
“It seems Seo-woon did quite a bit of research.”
Should this be called research? He hesitated briefly, but since it didn’t seem wrong, Seo-woon roughly nodded. Yi-jin’s face became even more serious.
“I should have done sufficient research before coming out too… This is my oversight. I apologize.”
Ah, sure. Do that. Regardless, Seo-woon took out some half-melted ice and ate it. Actually, he’d wanted to eat ice from the beginning, but given the setting, he’d waited until it melted. That alpha didn’t seem to be restraining himself at all, but anyway.
“Then I’ll start the questions now.”
“Yes. I’m ready.”
This is a quest. Quests exist to be completed. Seo-woon responded to the interview with determination. A few more ridiculous questions were exchanged and their ordered drinks arrived. The two people’s conversation briefly stopped.
Seo-woon immediately put the straw in his mouth. Indeed, coffee tastes best when drunk outside. It’s on a different level from when brewed at home. Seo-woon drank his coffee deliciously. That was until he felt Yi-jin’s gaze.
Yi-jin’s coffee was unchanged from the beginning. It seemed he hadn’t even touched it yet. Seo-woon awkwardly put down his straw. This was supposed to be a blind date, but Yi-jin’s overflowing personality kept making Seo-woon relax.
Well, maybe it doesn’t matter. After briefly contemplating, Seo-woon put the straw back in his mouth. This blind date was already ruined—at least he should enjoy eating something delicious.
“I’ll ask the final question.”
“Oh, yes.”
“What conditions do you think are important in a spouse?”
“Uh… this is kind of difficult. Let me think for a moment.”
“I’ll give you 5 minutes. I can’t give you much more.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll answer within 4 minutes.”
“Up to 5 minutes is fine. Think comfortably.”
There’s no one more magnanimous in this area. While being sarcastic, Seo-woon quickly racked his brain to complete the quest within the given time.
“First, absolutely no cheating, gambling, or violence—nothing antisocial like that.”
“I think the same way.”
“Other than that… just someone who can adapt to each other would be good.”
“Is that all?”
“As for conditional things, well, we both know each other’s situation to some degree.”
There’s a reason marriage consulting companies are sprouting up everywhere. Honestly, it’s convenient. No need to package yourself while pretending and explaining various things, and no need to tremble over uncertain information. No awkwardness with matchmakers either.
Even so, I probably won’t meet someone this handsome again in the future. Seo-woon spoke honestly to the man who looked incredibly serious.
“You look young for your age.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Thank you.”
“Really? You absolutely don’t look your age. You look like you’re in your early thirties.”
At those words, Yi-jin’s expression subtly changed.
“Are you perhaps insulting me?”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
What is this again? As their gazes crossed, Seo-woon was the first to speak.
“You’re 39 years old…”
“You look young for your age. You look younger than me.”
“I mean you, Yi-jin.”
“Me?”
“…Right?”
Yi-jin blinked his eyebrows. Seo-woon also tilted his head. A brief silence ensued. It was then that Seo-woon’s phone rang. From the continuous vibrations, it seemed like a call was coming in.
“It seems you may have gotten your research wrong.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I must have been mistaken.”
It should have stopped by now, but the vibrations wouldn’t cease. Wondering if it might be a client, Seo-woon checked his phone and saw it was a call from the matching manager.
A call when they obviously know I’m on a blind date right now? He had an ominous feeling. Seo-woon briefly contemplated whether to answer the call or not.
“Seo-woon.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s get married.”
“Yes. Let me just take this call for a moment…”
…Huh? Seo-woon, who had half-risen from his seat, froze in place.
“Mar-what?”
“Marriage. Mar-riage.”
“No, I mean, marriage—are you proposing to me? To me? We just met today?”
“Does that matter?”
“Then it doesn’t matter?”
Jung Seo-woon, 32 years old. Dominant omega. Gets proposed to by a dominant alpha he just met. Even in the midst of this, his phone kept vibrating incessantly. Seo-woon used the phone call as an excuse to escape from the situation.
- Seo-woon! Where are you right now?
“Where else? I came out for a blind date.”
But a crazy person showed up. Hearing his manager’s familiar voice, Seo-woon tried to maintain his composure.
- What? You two met?
“Yes. We’re talking together right now…” - I just got a call from the alpha saying that you haven’t shown up?
“Me?” - He says he’s still waiting…
Then who was the person I’ve been with this whole time? The manager’s voice on the other end of the phone seemed to fade in and out, becoming distant then close again.
“Jung Seo-woon?”
Someone turned Seo-woon around by the shoulder from behind. Where his gaze naturally followed, there stood a man he’d never seen before in his life, just like before. About the same height as Seo-woon, wearing an ill-fitting suit that looked a bit too big. He’d dressed up nicely but there was an unmistakable awkwardness about him. This was the typical appearance of the ordinary alphas Seo-woon had been meeting.
“I kept waiting but you didn’t come…”
“Could I ask your name…?”
“It’s Ahn Hyung-joon.”
Ah, now I remember. It was Ahn Hyung-joon. Not Ahn Yi-jin, but Ahn Hyung-joon. 39 years old, dominant alpha, section chief at some company for two years. Once one thing came to mind, the rest fell into place quickly. This was Seo-woon’s reality.
Of course. There’s no way such a handsome alpha would be Seo-woon’s match. Seo-woon quickly regained his sense of reality.
After ending the call with his manager, the first thing he did was explain the whole situation to Hyung-joon. What could he do if he didn’t accept it? Fortunately, Hyung-joon readily accepted the situation. He said he understood and eagerly pulled Seo-woon along, saying they should hurry and talk. When did they even meet for him to suddenly grab his arm like that? Alphas always tend to put their hands first. It was unpleasant but not disappointing. That’s just how all alphas are. Seo-woon naturally brushed off Hyung-joon’s touch.
The mystery was solved, and the misunderstanding was cleared up. Now all that was left was to inform Yi-jin of this news too. It was today’s highest priority quest.
When Seo-woon entered the cafe again, Yi-jin’s gaze stuck to him intensely. That alone already predicted a difficult course ahead. Yi-jin was waiting for Seo-woon in the same position as before.
“Seo-woon, are you free next month?”
“Before that, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“I don’t have time, so make it quick.”
Seo-woon revealed the truth to Yi-jin like a subordinate reporting to his superior. We’re not each other’s match, it was a misunderstanding. Saying this, Seo-woon pointed to Hyung-joon who was waiting for him. Yi-jin’s gaze followed Seo-woon to Hyung-joon, then returned to Seo-woon as if nothing had happened.
“So it seems there was a mistake, so you should contact your companion separately too, Yi-jin.”
“……”
“He’s probably looking for you right about now…”
“Then what happens to our marriage?”
“…Excuse me?”
…Could he have been serious… Before Seo-woon could even finish his words, Yi-jin spoke with a serious expression.
“I don’t joke around. You also answered that you would, didn’t you, Seo-woon?”
“What? Me?”
“You clearly answered ‘yes’ earlier.”
He didn’t record it, did he? Seo-woon unconsciously checked around Yi-jin’s hands.
“Yi-jin, I think there’s been a misunderstanding…”
“Seo-woon, what’s going on?”
As the conversation dragged on, Hyung-joon, who had been watching, approached. Blocked by Yi-jin in front and Hyung-joon behind, Seo-woon felt like he’d become the protagonist of a love triangle drama. It was a historic moment when Seo-woon, usually just a passing extra, finally claimed the protagonist’s spot, but surprisingly he felt no emotion at all. No, what did I even do to deserve this? Being the center of attention between two alphas he’d just met today brought on a deep reality check.
“Seo-woon has agreed to marry me.”
“What! What are you talking about, Seo-woon? Marriage?”
My blind date partner is suddenly getting married before we’ve even had our date? Hyung-joon must have been surprised, but Seo-woon was more surprised. Seo-woon had just learned about his own marriage news.
“…Right. Apparently I’m getting married…”
“Exactly as I said. Seo-woon, I have to catch a flight, so I’ll be going now.”
Yi-jin, who had picked up his briefcase, stood up from his seat. Seo-woon’s gaze naturally turned to Yi-jin.
“I’ll return to Korea in two weeks. Let’s start preparing for the marriage when I get back.”
Having neatly finished what he had to say, Yi-jin took out his phone from inside his suit. The phone was soon held out in front of Seo-woon.
“I’ll contact you separately soon.”
I thought it would take 160 days since it never happened once… Seo-woon’s gaze climbed endlessly upward. Up and up toward Yi-jin’s face. Looking straight up at Yi-jin who had completely stood up made his neck ache.
Seo-woon squeezed his eyes shut at the unbelievable reality. The world couldn’t be like this. The world is fucking unfair after all.
“Seo-woon?”
Jung Seo-woon, get it together. Are you going to live by devouring alpha faces? His last remaining rationality held Seo-woon back.
“Seo-woon.”
“……”
“Please give me your contact information. I’ll contact you again.”
“Yes. Here. Here it is.”
Huh. I’ll devour and live off it. Fuck, I can just work! I can work until I die! Seo-woon politely handed over his number with both hands. Seo-woon’s eighth blind date ended like that. It was a complete disaster.
That was just two weeks ago. Surprisingly, Seo-woon had returned to his peaceful daily life. Of course, the manager was in an uproar, and Yi-jin hadn’t contacted him once, but everything was still okay.
Seo-woon doesn’t regret it. I mean, come on. When would I ever get to talk with an alpha like that again? When Seo-woon confessed his true feelings to the manager, the manager sighed several times.
“Seo-woon, you clearly told me you weren’t interested in looks.”
“I did… say that.”
“Even so, to openly give out your number in front of the other alpha…”
“…Right. I did do that.”
“That person was so pleased when he saw your photo.”
“Oh…”
His reaction was lukewarm. It was someone else’s business anyway, someone else’s alpha. He couldn’t even remember what Hyung-jun’s face looked like. To say it was just because he’d only seen him once, Yi-jin’s face was still vivid before his eyes. Honestly, with that face and that height, wasn’t that saying everything? No matter how many times he reconsidered, Seo-woon’s conclusion was the same.
Right. Good job, Jung Seo-woon. You did well. In the end, neither this guy nor that guy got anything, but you made the best choice!
His secret anticipation for two weeks later was brief, as Seo-woon steadily lived his daily life. Waiting for contact was only for a day or two—Seo-woon quickly adapted to this situation. Just like his quiet phone with no calls, Seo-woon’s heart became calmer day by day. Rather than waiting for contact from someone whose outcome was uncertain, he looked into extending his membership while waiting for his ninth blind date.
The good thing about not dating is that daily life is peaceful. No need to worry about anything or waste time. A life where only I matter—even my phone is quiet, perhaps resembling its owner. It was peace achieved entirely through Seo-woon’s own efforts.
A new project would start in a week. Due to the nature of freelance work, it was difficult to distinguish between work and personal life, so once he started working, his personal life would disappear. Seo-woon was diligently enjoying the present in preparation for that time.
His day and night had been reversed for a long time. Waking up late in the afternoon, Seo-woon spent a day no different from usual. After lounging around a bit, he looked at the clock and saw the afternoon was already nearly over. Conventionally, it was almost dinner time. I should order delivery. What should I eat today? Seo-woon picked up his phone instead of his laptop.
[1 missed call]
[This is Ahn Yi-jin. Please contact me when you’re available for a call.]
He’d only neglected his phone for a brief moment, but in that time a missed call and new message had been left. Seo-woon read Yi-jin’s message several times. The stiff tone conveyed through text, and several aspects that seemed rigid. Seo-woon fell into contemplation between his comfortable life and the personality-filled Yi-jin.
Would I be unnecessarily breaking this peace with my own hands? He briefly worried, but life is a challenge every moment anyway. Seo-woon immediately called Yi-jin.
- Yes. This is Ahn Yi-jin.
The call connected in one ring. When you think about it, timing is everything. His dead romance cells began fluttering excitedly.
“Hello. This is Jung Seo-woon. I’m calling because you contacted me.”
- Yes, hello. Are you available to talk now?
“Yes.”
What would Yi-jin say? Seo-woon was secretly excited.
- Perfect. I’d like to start preparing for marriage from today.
“…What?”
- First, shall we decide on the wedding date? When would be good next month? The sooner the better for me.
“Wait, wait. Were you serious about getting married?”
- Who in the world would joke about marriage?
You! You, you bastard! Seo-woon said calmly.
“I think the same way, so that’s good. This doesn’t seem like something to discuss over the phone, so let’s meet and talk.”
Seo-woon asked Yi-jin on a date.
- It’s difficult for me to make time separately this month.
And he was rejected. What the hell? Seo-woon clenched his molars tightly.
“At this rate, we’ll see each other on the wedding day.”
- Ah, would that be okay too?
“That’s not even… No. It doesn’t matter. It’s fine.”
- What? I don’t quite understand what you mean.
“It doesn’t matter. Because we’re not getting married.”
- …You clearly said you would marry…
“People who are too busy to even meet once shouldn’t get married or date. That’s illegal.”
This wasn’t a conversation to have with someone he’d only met once and only knew by name. But he did it anyway. He’d done it. Marriage aside, this part seemed like something that needed to be clearly addressed. He’d dated enough and broken up enough. He didn’t want to waste time unnecessarily with someone who wasn’t right from the beginning.
- Illegal… I see. I didn’t know. Then roughly how many hours should I think of?
“What are you talking about now?”
- If you tell me approximately how much time to clear, I’ll refer to that when making my schedule.
“……”
- Would 2 hours and 30 minutes be sufficient?
“……”
- If you’re busy, like last time, less than an hour…
“Yi-jin. What are you doing this evening?”
Unable to listen anymore, Seo-woon cut off Yi-jin’s nonsense.
“If it’s okay, let’s meet briefly. Not long, just under 2 hours.”
- I’m still working overtime…
“I’ll figure out the timing, so just tell me if it works or not. Does it work or not?”
Everything is about timing. Seo-woon thought it couldn’t be helped if his connection with Yi-jin ended here. Perhaps that’s why he was secretly surprised when Yi-jin readily agreed to the appointment.
Anyway, they had made plans. Three hours until the two would meet again—they would see each other at least once more.