Chapter 3.1

“How have you been?”  

Seeing Su-eon frozen in place, Seung-jo greeted her first.  

Su-eon, who had been running back and forth between the banquet team and the food and beverage team all day to resolve issues for the event happening tomorrow, looked at Executive Director Ki Seung-jo, who had seemingly fallen from the sky into the World Hotel lobby, with disbelief.  

Why, how, and for what reason is this giant man standing here?  

“Have you perhaps forgotten who I am? Has it been that long?”  

Ki Seung-jo muttered with a smile.  

Long? It hasn’t even been a week.  

To be precise, it was the sixth day. Tomorrow was the day she was supposed to meet him again. Of course, the person attending that meeting wouldn’t be the fake Jung Cho-ah, Ji Su-eon, but the real Jung Cho-ah.  

Which is why Su-eon, who had the misfortune of running into him a day earlier, could only consider herself unlucky.  

She looked at him with a polite yet cautious demeanor.  

“What brings you to our hotel?”  

“There was a meeting here.”  

Ki Seung-jo smiled again. He was truly a man who smiled often, even today. Su-eon returned a similar smile.  

“Yes. I see. A meeting, here.”  

Of all places, at this World Hotel, and today, of all days.  

It was common knowledge among concierge staff that Executive Director Ki Seung-jo, who preferred global hotel chains, frequented several branches outside of Han Kyung Hotel as if they were his regular spots. Yet, here he was, crossing the Han River to visit this World Hotel in Yeouido. For what reason, exactly?  

A man who appeared to be his driver approached and handed Ki Seung-jo his car keys.  

“You’ve done well. You can go now.”  

“Yes, I’ll take my leave, Executive Director.”  

Listening to their brief conversation, Su-eon discreetly scanned Ki Seung-jo while hiding her chaotic thoughts. 

Why was he sending the driver away first? Why wasn’t he leaving with him?  

“Aren’t you done for the day? It’s already past six.”  

At his question, Su-eon raised her gaze. It felt as though her wandering mind snapped back into focus.  

“I’m working overtime today. I have to oversee the preparations for the grand ballroom event, so I’ll be finishing quite late.”  

“I see.”  

“Yes, that’s right.”  

Hiding her nervousness, Su-eon replied in a stiff tone. Her nerves were on edge, fearing someone might approach and call out, “Secretary Ji,” to her. Wasn’t there a saying about a thief feeling guilty even before being caught? The persistent ache in her abdomen, which had been bothering her since morning, throbbed even more.  

This was why she hated lying like this.  

Although Jung Cho-ah had asked her multiple times to stand in for her at matchmaking meetings, Su-eon had always flatly refused. It wasn’t just that she disliked pretending to be someone else; she also feared the self-pity that might consume her if the lie were exposed.  

She hated pity even more than disgust. Ji Su-eon, who was neither the heir to the World Hotel nor the daughter of an assemblywoman, was merely an ordinary secretary. The best course of action was to quickly distance herself from this unfortunate coincidence.  

“I’m sorry, but I should get going now. Please take care on your way home, Executive Director.”  

With a slight bow, Su-eon naturally walked past him.  

“I’ll wait for you.”  

Ki Seung-jo’s voice, calm and composed, reached her back as she turned away.  

“…Excuse me?”  

Turning back with a slightly bewildered expression, Su-eon saw Ki Seung-jo’s gentle smile as he softened his gaze.  

“Over there.”  

He pointed to a specific spot with his finger. It was the sofa area in front of the reception desk.  

“Call me when you’re done.”  

Ki Seung-jo was a bigshot in the business world. While the general public with no interest in economics might not recognize him, experienced hotel staff would easily know who he was. And now, this man said he would wait for her in the lobby, where the front desk team was bustling.  

Was he trying to humiliate me?  

Watching Ki Seung-jo already heading toward the front desk, Su-eon quickly scanned the area. To her dismay, the front desk manager was present.  

Damn it.  

Su-eon hurried her steps. A veteran front desk manager would undoubtedly recognize Ki Seung-jo and approach him to see if he needed assistance.  

“Executive Director, just a moment.”  

Quickening her pace, Su-eon called out to him.  

Ki Seung-jo stopped and turned to look at her. Even in this moment, the man, who seemed incapable of losing his composure, exuded an air of leisure as he turned lightly. Su-eon found it ironic that someone so relaxed could still feel as solid and unyielding as a rock. She opened her mouth to speak.  

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m very busy today. I can’t guarantee when I’ll be finished.”  

“Don’t worry about me and just do your work. I have plenty of time.”  

Why did he have so much time, anyway? Even someone like Jung Cho-ah was busier than him.  

Though she thought this with some irritation, Su-eon maintained her professional smile as she asked, 

“Do you have something you’d like to say to me?” 

“Something to say, huh.”  

Ki Seung-jo quietly repeated her question, as if he were only now considering it.  

“I just thought I’d say hello if we happened to run into each other.”  

He looked at her with a faint smile, as though the answer to his thoughts lay on her face.  

“Now that I see you, though, I think having dinner would be a good idea.”  

“Dinner… with me, you mean?”  

Her voice rose slightly, as if she had just heard something absurd. Ki Seung-jo seemed to notice and looked at her with amused eyes. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something since last time.”  

Feeling a sense of dread at what kind of bombshell he might drop next, Su-eon tensed her shoulders.  

“Have you been in the military?”  

“Sorry?”

“Your tone of voice—it sounds like you have.”  

“…My tone of voice?”  

Thinking this was an utterly ridiculous accusation, Su-eon asked quietly. Ki Seung-jo laughed, clearly entertained.  

“Look at you now. You’ve got the face of a sergeant who’s hit a mid-service slump.”

With a leisurely gaze, he studied her intently, his cryptic words probing her inner thoughts.  

“Or maybe like a staff sergeant who applied for officer training and then gave up.”

“…….”  

Mid-service slump, resignation—was that how I appeared?

Su-eon’s brow furrowed ever so slightly at the man’s assessment of her, made after only two encounters. Despite smiling so much that her cheeks ached every time their eyes met, it had all been for nothing.  

“Executive Director, are you saying that my attitude is unsatisfactory?”  

Su-eon asked in a polite tone. She wasn’t in the mood to smile, so her face remained neutral.  

“Oh. Did that upset you? My apologies.”  

Ki Seung-jo offered an apology with a smile.  

What kind of manners were those, smiling while apologizing? And “my apologies”? What’s with the casual tone? Does he think we’re friends or something? 

Su-eon forced her stiff lips into a semblance of a smile.  

“No, not at all. Feedback like this is valuable for personal growth.”  

“Oh dear, you’re upset.”  

“I just told you I’m not.”  

He looked perfectly fine, but it seemed his ears were blocked. In that case, there was no point in continuing the conversation. Just as Su-eon was about to end things with a smile and take her leave—  

“I meant it as a compliment.”  

Ki Seung-jo spoke.  

“You’re hanging in there without deserting.”  

“…….”  

What on earth was he saying? Where did he see any signs of vulnerability? 

The man, whom she had briefly considered might be more of a klutz than he appeared, managed to momentarily halt Su-eon’s world—a world where this unexpected reunion had started to feel slightly bothersome. Even the bustling noise of the hotel lobby seemed to fade into stillness.  

Su-eon moistened her dry lips slightly and quickly reassembled the mask that had already begun to crack. She hadn’t survived in society this long by letting a single jab throw her off balance.  

“I’m not sure what you mean, but it doesn’t seem like you have any specific business with me.”  

Feigning ignorance, Su-eon flashed a bright smile. She believed in the golden rule: when in doubt, play dumb.  

“Why don’t we continue this conversation tomorrow?”  

Though the lies piling up left her feeling a twinge of guilt, she ignored it and carried on.  

“You don’t have plans for tomorrow evening, do you?”  

Perhaps he hadn’t intended to press further from the start, as Ki Seung-jo readily followed her lead in changing the subject.  

“Oh, about that plan.”  

After pausing briefly as if for effect, he smiled and continued.  

“I was hoping today’s meeting could take its place.”  

Su-eon’s eyes widened. That was absurd. Absolutely ridiculous.  

“I really want to see you tomorrow, Executive Director.”  

Unlike before, Su-eon’s words carried a hint of determination. Ki Seung-jo chuckled softly at her response.  

“Why?”  

Why? Because only then could Jung Cho-ah meet him properly, clear up the misunderstandings, go on a formal date, or set a wedding date. They could sort it out themselves, whether they quarreled or reconciled. 

But Su-eon couldn’t tell the truth, so she bit her lip again.