Chapter : 14
The Official Date
— [I picked up, since I have Chloe’s phone.]
Because it was a multinational company, Kang-woo already knew she used the English name Chloe for work instead of her Korean name. Hearing that name from Ray’s mouth made his blood run cold.
Chae-kyung and Ray had clearly only met for the first time today.
Ray’s provocation pushed Kang-woo into action.
— [Put Min Chae-kyung on.]
— [No. …Is it really worth getting that angry just because you can’t reach some female employee from your company?]
— [Ray, you’re going to regret this today.]
Kang-woo hung up and snapped crisp orders at Director Shin beside him.
“Broadcast it through the campus speakers or send people out—I don’t care. Find Deputy Manager Min Chae-kyung.”
The shift in Kang-woo’s gaze made Director Shin tense up.
“Yes, but… wouldn’t calling her be faster?”
“Ray… that bastard answered her phone for her. Find her as fast as you can and bring her to me.”
Director Shin, having worked for Kang-woo for a long time, knew of Ray’s existence—and how he made Kang-woo’s skin crawl—so he didn’t argue.
“Ray? …Understood.”
He walked away, already placing a call.
Kang-woo’s expression hardened, eyes glinting. He strode toward the convention center.
Meanwhile, Chae-kyung headed back to the restaurant to look for her missing phone.
The table they’d occupied had already been cleared and reset.
“I’m looking for a phone—someone was sitting here earlier. Did you happen to see one?”
“No, ma’am. We didn’t see anything while cleaning up.”
“I see. I’m sorry, could I borrow a phone to make one call?”
With the manager’s permission, she dialed her number.
A soft-voiced man answered—in English.
— [The phone you’re holding is mine. Where are you?]
— [Chloe? It’s Ray.]
— [Professor Rolf.]
Chae-kyung was startled and stayed silent a moment, so Ray teased her.
— [That’s a little cold of you. Call me Ray.]
— [Ah… yes. Where are you? Where can I pick up my phone?]
— [I’m at the convention center. Where’s Chloe?]
— [I’m at the convention center restaurant.]
— [Stay there. I’ll come to you.]
Ray hung up without listening further.
She sat by the window and waited.
“Chloe.”
“Professor.”
Ray smiled brightly and sat across from her, handing over her phone.
“I followed you out right away, but you were gone.”
Of course—she had moved to avoid him.
Then again, she realized she’d already accepted his help twice today.
He really had been kind.
“Thank you. I owe you twice today.”
“Twice in one day. Doesn’t that make it fate?”
He threw her own words back at her.
“Do you have time to finish that coffee we didn’t get to drink earlier?”
“I have to go back to Seoul. I’ll thank you another way instead.”
“I don’t need anything else. Just give me time next time we meet.”
Chae-kyung was wondering if there would be a next time, when a familiar voice cut in.
Sharp and mocking.
“Why bother asking for time.”
“Vice President.”
Kang-woo approached, his expression twisted in irritation.
“I told you to call me immediately. What’s this—someone else answering your phone?”
“I left it at the restaurant, so I came back to find it…”
Kang-woo snatched the phone off the table and delivered his verdict.
“You owe me one whole day of your time. Get up.”
His voice was calm and quiet, but he was obviously angry.
She had no idea why.
Why did he always bare his teeth whenever Ray was involved?
Kang-woo grabbed her by the arm, pulled her to her feet, and picked up her belongings himself.
“Just a second, Vice President—”
Chae-kyung gasped, grabbing onto him.
Ray didn’t even flinch—he simply said dryly:
“Why are you so mad?”
“Ray. Go back to your seat and stay out of it.”
Kang-woo glared down at Ray, then dragged Chae-kyung away.
She jerked her arm free.
“Vice President, you know you’re crossing a line right now.”
“I know. So read the room—there’s always a reason when I act like this.”
He looked down at her, voice calmer but still firm.
Then he took her hand again, marched ahead, and put her into his car.
Despite the icy voice and expression, his hand was warm—surprisingly warm.
Her fingers tensed.
It wasn’t the car she’d ridden in from Seoul.
He took the wheel of a black sedan and sped off campus.
They drove through neat, quiet streets—far calmer than Seoul.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere quiet.”
Curiosity nagged at her.
They soon left the city behind, speeding down an open road toward Lake Chungju.
The wide, open view felt like fresh air punching through her lungs.
“Let’s walk.”
He got out first, looking out over the water.
They walked side by side, silent.
Kang-woo didn’t show it outwardly, but now that they were alone, his expression eased.
Chae-kyung gathered her courage.
“Can I ask you something?”
She’d always wondered.
He was cold, yes—but usually composed and detached.
Why did he only bare his teeth at Ray?
“What is it?”
“How do you know Ray—Professor Rolf?”
Just saying the name made his eyebrow twitch, so she corrected herself.
“What’s your relationship?”
Kang-woo paused, then spoke succinctly—making it impossible to pry further.
“…A bad one.”
“…”
A relationship that would’ve been better if they’d never crossed paths.
That was all he could say.
Ray was a foster son adopted by Kang-woo’s stepfather—before marrying Kang-woo’s mother, Ja-young.
A case involving Kang-woo in their early twenties resulted in Ray’s expulsion from the family.
Since then, they were bound by ill fate.
Kang-woo’s stepfather, David, was kinder than Ja-young.
Kang-woo knew he continued to secretly support Ray even after the disownment.
Ray tried to take over Mot—the company Ja-young built and grew—
and he also ruined the lives of several women Kang-woo had once been interested in.
Logical and cold as Kang-woo was, that part stuck with him—like a stain.
Knowing someone’s life had been broken because of his involvement was a shadow he couldn’t erase.
He looked at Chae-kyung beside him.
Light makeup, someone who seemed untouched by the world.
He didn’t want her tainted by it.
“You don’t gain anything by knowing more.”
Seeing her with Ray had been enough to freeze his blood.
A woman who irritated him.
A woman he couldn’t stop looking at.
That was what Chae-kyung was becoming.
He had lived through his birth parents’ legendary romance—and its implosion.
Two people who “loved to death,” defying everyone to marry—
ended up “hating to death,” rolling in the mud and shredding each other apart.
They divorced without even noticing when a young Kang-woo was hurt badly enough to bleed until a house servant rushed him to the hospital.
Afterward, Ja-young constantly muttered that love was an illusion—that it shouldn’t be trusted.
Kang-woo believed that too.
Interest was just interest—nothing more.
Yet somehow Chae-kyung kept getting under his skin, stirring feelings he refused to acknowledge.
Maybe that was why he wanted to push her away—tease her, provoke her, keep her off balance.
And when Ray entered the picture—
his emotions finally had shape.
Maybe that’s why he was angry.
Kang-woo was drowning in thought when Chae-kyung called him back.
“You bought my time, remember? There are still six hours left today. How does this work?”
She checked her watch—the contract hadn’t specified the rules.
“A deduction of 1 million won per hour. Fine?”
The words slipped out thoughtlessly.
“Okay. That’s reasonable. …So what do you want to do?”
This one, he answered without hesitation.
“A date.”
Her eyes widened.
“…What?”
She stared, completely flustered—and for some reason, he liked that.
All he wanted was to tease her more.
Like a schoolboy pulling pranks on the girl he likes.
“A date. You and me, Min Chae-kyung.”
Kang-woo snorted at the ridiculousness of it—at himself.
