Extra 1: Yoonsoo and Eun-kyung (3)

Another blind date, another disappointment. Eun-kyung was desperate to give up on these blind dates, but she felt like she was on a speeding train she couldn’t jump off. 

She believed she couldn’t stop now. Every time she saw her parents, who still held out hope every week, or thought of Yoonsoo, who had completely stopped coming to the café, she felt a renewed determination to try again.

[Eun-kyung! Our boss’s family is grilling meat this weekend, would you like to join?] 

On a Thursday afternoon, Director Yang called. She invited Eun-kyung to a barbecue at CEO Choi’s house, telling her to attend if she was free.

“When is it on the weekend? And who else is coming?” 

Eun-kyung wanted to accept immediately, but her strained relationship with Yoonsoo gave her pause. Plus, if it overlapped with her third blind date, she couldn’t make it. 

[Saturday at lunch. And who else but you? It’s just Mansur and the team leader. You know Siyeon can’t come because she’s pregnant and can’t go out.]

“Saturday at lunch…?” 

Eun-kyung bit her lower lip nervously. Putting aside the awkwardness with Yoonsoo, it clashed exactly with her blind date.

“Unnie, do you stay for dinner at the boss’s place too? Will everyone be there until then?”

[Probably? We usually end up staying and eating past midnight.] 

“I have a lunch appointment on Saturday, but I think I can come for dinner.” 

[What kind of appointment?]

“I’ll tell you about it when I get there.” 

Eun-kyung gave a vague response. If she mentioned it was another blind date, Director Yang would bombard her with questions. 

[Okay, then. Mansur and the team leader will start eating first, so finish up your appointment and come quickly.] 

“…By the way, is everything okay with Yoonsoo?” 

[Who, Mansur? Ah, yes. I keep calling him that out of habit, but I shouldn’t anymore…Anyway, Yoonsoo is the same as always.] 

Director Yang let out a short exclamation and then lowered her voice conspiratorially.

[A few days ago, Eunhye visited Mansu at the factory again!]

“Kim Eunhye…?”

[Yeah, you know? I think she’s eyeing the single rooster now that the married one is out of reach.] 

Eun-kyung made a bitter face. She regretted asking as it only soured her mood. 

What did it matter to me how Yoonsoo was doing or who he was seeing?

“It’s because Yoonsoo doesn’t refuse her and just accepts everything. That guy never says no to any woman!”

Her voice came out a little sharper than she intended.

[But the atmosphere between the two seemed really tense. We were too far away to hear the conversation, but it seemed like Yoonsoo was getting angry at Eunhye. I’ve never seen him get angry at anyone before.]  

“That is strange.” 

Eun-kyung had never seen Yoonsoo get angry either. He was always cheerful, and playful, and never seemed to take anything seriously. The idea of him getting angry and serious with Eunhye made her incredibly curious about what had happened between them.

[I tried to subtly ask Mansur about it, but even he snapped at me. He told me not to ask or tell anyone about it.]

“Tell anyone what?”

[I don’t even know. That’s why I just said ‘Okay, whatever!’ and left it at that.]  

No matter how hard she tried not to, Eun-kyung kept thinking about Yoonsoo. She had even cut her hair to try and sever her ties with him, but it seemed she hadn’t been able to let him go. All she had achieved was losing her precious hair. 

[Anyway, let’s talk more about it on Saturday. We’ll start eating first, so come as soon as you finish.]

“Alright.” 

After hanging up the phone, Eun-kyung sighed deeply. The thought of facing Park Yoonsoo without it being awkward made her feel uncertain. The last thing she wanted was for Director Yang or the team leader to notice any awkwardness between them. She didn’t want the eternal friendship of their group, herself included, to be affected because of her and Yoonsoo. The mere thought of it was dreadful.

“Hi, Yoonsoo! Hahaha. Everyone, I’m coming back from a blind date! Hehehe.” 

With an unnatural smile on her face, Eun-kyung started practicing her acting for Saturday.

“Boss, what are you doing?”

One of the employees noticed Eun-kyung practicing her acting in the air and tilted their head in confusion.

“Ah, uh? N-nothing!”

Eun-kyung waved her hands in a flustered manner and quickly went into the cafe office.

* * *

Another blind date and another disappointment. Eun-kyung decided to refuse any future dates. Compared to the man she met today, the previous two were exceptional blind date candidates. She almost felt sorry for rejecting them so abruptly.

The man she met today suggested they skip lunch and get to know each other more intimately, proposing a secret trip to test their physical compatibility. The discomfort and humiliation clung to her like a sticky film, not shaking off even after she bolted out of the cafe. 

“Mom, sorry. This lifetime isn’t for me.” 

Eun-kyung mumbled to herself as she quickly started her car. She felt like she had done her part. Her mother had been very disappointed that she had let the first blind date candidate go, but compared to today’s man, he was still better. However, he wasn’t someone she wanted to spend her life with either. With more than 50 years ahead of her, she couldn’t imagine living that long with a man she had no genuine attraction to.

“Okay, let’s get more insurance. Dementia insurance, caregiver insurance…” 

Even though she was only thirty, Eun-kyung felt that her life at thirty-five wouldn’t be much different from now. So, better safe than sorry, she decided it was best to prepare early.

“If I go like this, they’ll tease me.” 

Not wanting to waste time changing clothes at home, she drove straight to CEO Choi’s house. Director Yang and the team leader, seeing her like this for the first time, would probably laugh at her. And she was right.

When Eun-kyung arrived at the CEO’s house, they were already sitting on the porch grilling meat. They welcomed her warmly, saying she had come earlier than expected. She deliberately avoided looking in Yoonsoo’s direction, so she didn’t remember his expression. 

“Hahaha! So you went to the blind date in that outfit, then ran out in the middle of coffee?” 

“How many times are you going to tell that story? Stop teasing me, or I’ll really get mad!” 

As expected, laughter erupted from all around when she briefly recounted today’s blind date. Director Yang laughed so hard she was practically rolling around, clutching her stomach and giggling loudly. 

“But seriously, what was wrong with the guy that you ran out in the middle?”

“I’m not telling you.” 

Eun-kyung grumbled as she picked up meat with her chopsticks. She was consciously avoiding looking at Yoonsoo, who sat diagonally from her. The clothes she was wearing were uncomfortable, making it hard for her to sit comfortably, but at least she could eat the meat without any trouble.

“Was he lacking in appearance? Or was he too skinny or too buff?”

“Sis.” 

“I’m really curious! I’ve never heard of a paid blind date experience before!”

It was truly humiliating. Thinking she had failed in pursuing natural meetings at the age of thirty, she turned to the paid blind date service to find a husband. And, of all things, in front of the usually silent Yoonsoo, no less. 

“He asked me to go to a motel with him.”

“Yeah, to a mote… He… what?” 

When Eun-kyung replied in a curt tone, Director Yang’s mouth fell open.

“He told me to have coffee with him and then go to a motel. Not even a hotel, but a motel. Not that it really matters, but still.” 

“What kind of crazy guy is that? Didn’t you do anything about it?”

“No, I just quietly left and came here to eat. So don’t stop me today. I’m going to eat a lot of meat and drink a lot too. I need to build up my strength before going back and getting lectured by my mom again.”

“Yeah, eat as much as you want. You must have been really shocked. Wow, what kind of guy does that?” 

Listening to Director Yang’s astonished voice, Eun-kyung chewed and swallowed the meat in her mouth. She didn’t even bother with the lettuce or perilla leaves, just popping the pork belly into her mouth one by one. But then she felt a burning gaze on her cheek. Feeling like her throat was constricted, Eun-kyung stood up from the porch, using the excuse of needing to get some water. 

As she poured water from the dispenser inside the house and drank it, Yoonsoo suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Do you really want to get married so badly that you’ll accept that kind of treatment?”

For the first time since she arrived, Eun-kyung met his gaze. Seeing Yoonsoo’s serious face felt like she was looking at a stranger. 

“What’s wrong with wanting to meet a good person?”

“So the ‘good person’ you’re looking for is either a good person or good conditions?”  

His voice seemed accusatory, making Eun-kyung’s expression harden. 

Who was he to judge whether I was looking for good conditions or a good person? 

“Whether it’s a good person or good conditions, isn’t it better than just any man?” 

“When did I ever say that any man would do?”

Yoon-soo, sensing that she was talking about him, gave her a piercing look, causing Eun-kyung to flinch. 

“Forget it.”

The atmosphere was tense, so she decided to back off. He seemed really upset with her for refusing to be his weekend meal companion. 

“Stop going on those blind dates and just have meals with me again.”

“That’s already over. Don’t interfere in my life.” 

“Eunhye won’t be coming to see me anymore.”

“Really? Congratulations. Not that I see what that has to do with me.” 

Eun-kyung sneered, her expression sour. She couldn’t understand why he had followed her in here and was talking to her like this.

“You’re worried about Eunhye, aren’t you?”

“Me? Not at all.” 

“I’ve thought about it carefully, and no matter how I look at it, spending time with you is the most fun.” 

He paused briefly before speaking again. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Let’s date.” 

“Okay, let’s date. Wait, what did you say?”

“I said, let’s date. As a man and a woman.”

Eun-kyung was too stunned to say anything, her mouth just gaping open. At this point, he should be laughing and saying it was a joke, but for some reason, Yoonsoo wasn’t laughing.