Chapter 2
Following the paintings that lined the walls, Yeoreul walked down the hallway with measured footsteps toward the café filled with the gentle aroma of tea.
She had only worn the new heels a few times, but they were already beginning to feel comfortable.
Peeking inside the café, she realized her blind date hadn’t arrived yet.
Well, there was still plenty of time before they were supposed to meet.
The quiet murmur of conversations blended with the soothing melody of Debussy drifting through the room.
Taking a seat by the window, Yeoreul quietly observed the people around her.
Every table was occupied by people immersed in busy conversations.
Some sat alone, deeply absorbed in books that demanded complete concentration. Others carried themselves with the composed refinement of mature adults.
Without realizing it, Yeoreul let out a long sigh and turned her gaze toward the clouds outside, searching for something calming.
The pale blue sky was bright, but not overly so.
Her eyes drifted to the floor-to-ceiling window, where her reflection appeared faintly.
As she absentmindedly smoothed the cuffs of her blouse with both hands, a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Wait…
What if he doesn’t recognize me?
Should I be standing when he arrives? What do people normally do on blind dates?
I’ll recognize him… but I don’t even have his phone number.
“…Was there a phone number?”
She rummaged through her handbag and unfolded the sheet of paper she’d been given.
Her brows slowly knitted together.
“Why didn’t they include his number?”
The document contained meticulous details about her prospective partner—even trivial things.
Yet, for some reason, his contact information alone was missing.
Afraid they might somehow miss each other, Yeoreul couldn’t stop staring toward the entrance.
Just then—
Someone walked into the café.
That man…?
No…
This time…
A woman…
Watching people come and go, Yeoreul found herself nodding as though making guesses to herself.
Then again… it’s been almost ten years.
He’s probably changed a lot.
Could it be… I won’t recognize him either?
She was still lost in thought.
Like it had become a habit, she glanced toward the entrance once more.
And then—
A tall, slender man stepped into the café.
The moment she saw him, her heart resonated with a deep, unmistakable thud.
All the doubts she’d been entertaining vanished in an instant.
She recognized him immediately.
Her blind date.
Woo Ahan.
For the first time since their school days, their eyes met.
A chill ran through Yeoreul’s entire body.
Before she knew it, she had risen to her feet, staring at him.
Ahan had done exactly the same.
Maintaining his perfectly straight posture, he crossed the polished floor with steady steps.
He had been far away only moments ago.
Now he stood before her.
His lowered gaze was calm.
Against his pale, almost bloodless complexion, the long black eyelashes surrounding his greenish-brown eyes appeared even darker.
He was still…
The excessively elegant boy.
No—
The excessively elegant young man.
“Hi.”
Without hesitation, Ahan spoke casually, dropping all honorifics.
His languid, husky voice carried an effortless sensuality.
His lips were beautifully red, like drops of blood fallen onto white roses.
Yeoreul’s heart began pounding painfully fast.
She had leapt to her feet as though greeting a superior at work, and now she could only wear an awkward smile before his greeting.
“Hello. My name is Lee Yeoreul.”
Lowering her head, she recited the greeting she’d practiced countless times the night before.
Since he said nothing…
He obviously didn’t remember her.
After a brief silence, Ahan gave a short nod.
“I’m Woo Ahan. It’s nice to meet you.”
His voice was appropriately polite—low and gentle.
“Y-Yes… n-nice to meet you too.”
She tried not to be intimidated by the overwhelming presence he carried, but her small voice trembled helplessly.
Flustered, she accidentally knocked her phone off the table.
Clack.
Ahan bent down and picked it up.
A subtle scent of white musk drifted through the air.
Like spring blending into summer.
It was a fragrance that carried nostalgia.
The same gentle, warm, yet reassuring scent Yeoreul remembered.
His prominent Adam’s apple moved slowly along his long, elegant neck.
The strong throat of a healthy young man was something entirely different from the boy she’d known.
Compared to the past, there was now a lazy, seductive maturity about him.
The memory of him taking something from her long ago surfaced instinctively.
Yeoreul flinched.
“Here.”
Fortunately, unlike back then, Ahan returned her phone.
As though introductions were already over, he slipped back into speaking informally.
“You didn’t have to stand.”
Ah…
Only then did Yeoreul realize she’d been standing stiffly the entire time, practically announcing to everyone that she was the one here for the blind date.
“…Yes.”
She wanted to disappear from embarrassment.
“I came pretty early too.”
His eyes were gentle, yet remarkably clear.
“But you still got here before me.”
“Y-Yes… I usually arrive earlier than scheduled…”
She answered almost apologetically, shrinking into herself.
Some time later…
The two sat across from one another with tea between them.
“U-Um… what do you do for work?”
It was one of the questions Yeoreul had carefully prepared the day before.
Ahan simply looked at her.
His unwavering gaze rested on her.
The heavy silence made it difficult to breathe.
“I work at J Corporation.”
Yeoreul nodded immediately, as though hearing something she already knew.
It matched exactly what her father’s secretary had told her.
She already knew the answer.
But if she didn’t ask questions like these…
She had nothing else to say to him.
“You know the company?”
How could she not?
It was the number one company everyone in her department dreamed of joining.
“O-Of course…”
She drank more water than tea.
Before she realized it, the water glass in front of her was completely empty.
Noticing it, Ahan quietly raised his hand to call over a server.
The employee glanced toward him, then visibly froze.
It wasn’t surprising.
His mixed-race features naturally drew attention wherever he went.
The server approached cautiously.
After hearing his request for water, she returned moments later carrying a fresh glass along with several napkins.
She placed them before him with a friendly smile.
The way Ahan spoke to service staff was just as polite.
“Excuse me.”
“Please.”
“Thank you.”
He never forgot basic courtesies.
He treated people with genuine respect.
There wasn’t a trace of rudeness.
Ahan slid the glass of water toward Yeoreul.
“Thank you.”
“Mm.”
Only with her…
His attitude carried an oddly familiar informality.
We’re meeting as equals.
So why does he keep speaking casually to me?
She wanted to ask.
But she couldn’t bring herself to.
Partly because it wasn’t in her nature…
And partly because she suddenly felt they weren’t equals at all.
“Do you… have any hobbies? Or special talents?”
Yeoreul tried to sound composed.
More than anyone, she didn’t want Ahan to realize how inadequate she felt beside him.
“I just like looking at beautiful things.”
It was an odd answer to a perfectly ordinary question.
Apparently, he didn’t think so.
“And remembering them.”
That second answer was easier to understand.
He was a member of Mensa.
People said his IQ couldn’t even be accurately measured.
Her own IQ was around 120—something she’d once thought impressive.
Compared to him…
It wasn’t even worth mentioning.
They continued talking about things she already knew.
With every passing minute, Yeoreul’s expressions and posture became increasingly awkward.
She had exhausted every prepared question.
Ahan truly wasn’t talkative.
He almost seemed like someone who had simply come to drink tea.
He answered questions.
But he never asked any.
Yeoreul wasn’t someone who naturally started conversations.
She had always been the one others approached first.
She’d never experienced a blind date where a man and woman sat face to face, eating together and carrying on a long conversation.
She agonized over how to keep the discussion going.
It was a moment that made her keenly aware of how important conversation was between people.
“Isn’t there… anything you’re curious about?”
This time, she genuinely wanted to know.
Nothing.
She feared that would be his answer.
Just as anxiety settled into her chest—
“Who gave you your name?”
His indifferent question caught her completely off guard.
It wasn’t something she’d expected.
“My grandmother.”
“Your grandmother?”
“Yes. My father was busy and couldn’t be there the day I was born, so my grandmother stayed with my mother instead. She looked at the calendar and said, ‘Let’s see… today’s May tenth.’ Then she decided on ‘Yeoreul.’ Summer was just around the corner, and she thought the sound suited the season.”
After listening to her sincere explanation, Ahan wore an unreadable expression.
“…Am I supposed to laugh?”
“You can if you want.”
He slowly shook his head.
“I don’t want to.”
Keeping his word, he didn’t smile.
Instead, he asked,
“When would you like to get married?”
“…The season, I mean.”
Compared to how uninterested he’d seemed whenever the conversation turned personal…
He suddenly became surprisingly decisive.
That alone made Yeoreul realize something.
He wasn’t interested in her.
Just as I thought…
Bitterness quietly settled inside her.
She thought for a moment.
What season would I want to get married in?
“…Near the end of summer.”
After finishing the first semester of her third year…
Before autumn arrived.
That seemed best.
“Late August?”
His question was calm and concise.
Yeoreul shyly avoided his eyes before finally nodding.
“…Yes.”
“Summer.”
He gave a small nod.
“I like that.”
From then on, the conversation unfolded as though their marriage had already been decided.
Because…
This wasn’t truly a blind date.
It was merely a formal meeting before an arranged marriage.
In other words…
It was her own marriage.
But she had no real choice.
When they finished talking, they left the café together.
Only then, as they were about to part ways, did the hunger she’d forgotten come rushing back.
“Where are you going?”
Standing beneath the dazzling luxury art installation in the lobby, Yeoreul hesitated just before saying goodbye.
Ahan spoke first.
“…Pardon?”
“I mean, where are you going now?”
“Oh… home.”
“And when you get home?”
“I’m going to eat.”
“…I see.”
His voice grew quieter.
“Are you very hungry?”
She really was.
So Yeoreul honestly nodded.
She looked at the silent Ahan, puzzled.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke.
“Then… shall we eat together?”
Truthfully, all she wanted was to go home and eat alone.
But if she was destined to spend the rest of her life with him…
It didn’t feel like she had much of a choice.
“…Okay.”
She was wondering what they should eat.
“Or…”
Ahan spoke without hesitation.
“Want to go upstairs?”
Upstairs…?
Was he talking about room service?
Yeoreul stared at him with complete seriousness.
Go upstairs?
This is a hotel.
Even someone with absolutely no dating experience knew what that usually implied.
Surely we wouldn’t just eat in his room…
We only met today…
“The restaurant here is pretty good.”
His face remained perfectly expressionless.
It was obvious he hadn’t intended for his words to be misunderstood.
“…Ah…”
What was I even thinking?
It’s broad daylight…
And it’s not like I’ve ever done anything like that before.
“…Then… here is fine too.”
Ahan quietly started walking.
Yeoreul followed behind.
Before long, they stepped into an elevator together.
The doors slid shut.
Everything felt unfamiliar.
The heels.
The place.
Even her own expression.
Yeoreul cautiously glanced up at him.
Standing beside him made him seem even taller.
He’s really tall.
His hair is much shorter than it was in high school.
Back then… he wore it much longer.
Sensing her unconscious stare, Ahan looked down at her.
His silent gaze alone seemed enough to steal all the strength from her body.
Yeoreul fidgeted with her damp hands.
“Y-You’re… really tall.”
She barely managed to say a single sentence.
“Mm.”
He didn’t deny it.
“I’ve eaten well.”
“And lived well.”
There was an unhurried pause between each phrase.
His deep voice somehow carried a trace of sadness.
His eyes lowered this time to the unfamiliar high heels she was wearing.
He seemed to have noticed how uncomfortable she was.
“I don’t usually wear them…”
Thinking he might ask, Yeoreul hurriedly explained first.
“Then why wear them?”
“I thought… I should look neat for a blind date.”
“A blind date?”
Ahan repeated the words evenly.
“…Yes?”
“What blind date?”
“Huh?”
The startled Yeoreul accidentally replied without honorifics.
At that exact moment—
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
A gloomy expression settled over her face as she stepped out.
So… we really weren’t equals after all.
Then…
What exactly does he think this meeting between us is?
