Chapter 4.5

“Not that I’m trying to pressure you or anything. I’m not the type to make my wife work at the store. A woman just needs to take care of the house and support her husband well, don’t you think?”  

The man, who had insisted on having just one cup of tea with her, was already speaking as if their marriage was a foregone conclusion.  

“To be honest, I wasn’t even thinking about marriage. But the moment I saw you that day, I just knew—you were the one. They say everyone has their match, and I guess you’re mine.”  

Beating his own drum, playing his own cymbals—he was truly putting on a show.  

“How can you be so beautiful? You haven’t had work done, have you? Women who’ve had a lot of plastic surgery end up falling apart as they age.”  

“My hobby is going to plastic surgery clinics. Thanks for the advice; I’ll make sure to take better care of myself from now on.”  

“What…? Really? So… it’s not natural?”  

Su-eon’s gaze turned cold and sharp.  

“Do you think people are ingredients, to be judged as natural or not?”  

“Oh, I-I’m sorry, I misspoke because I was surprised… I meant to say that you’re as beautiful as a natural beauty, but…”  

The man, who had bombarded her with daily messages filled with heartfelt declarations of how he had fallen for her at first sight, now revealed his disappointment in his voice. Su-eon found it amusing. So much for talking about destiny and soulmates—his sincerity could falter over something as trivial as plastic surgery.  

“…It’s true, though. A five-star hotel is different. The view is nice, too.”  

The man awkwardly tried to change the subject.  

“How’s the Han River view? It must be expensive, right? How much does it cost?”  

“If you want to know the exact room rates, please inquire at the front desk.”  

Su-eon replied curtly, her tone businesslike, as she glanced at her watch again.  

“Th-then, do employees get discounts? I heard large companies offer those kinds of perks…”  

“We do have discounts.”  

“How much of a discount? I guess the benefits stop if you quit the job, right?”  

The man asked as if weighing the pros and cons of whether it would be better for her to stay at the hotel or leave. Feeling her patience wearing thin, Su-eon raised her head. At this point, everyone who needed to see had probably seen.  

The fact that she was sitting in the lounge with some man, drinking cup after cup of coffee, clearly not in an official work meeting, must have already made its way through the Food & Beverage team, the Banquet team, the Operations department, and even the Planning Office.  

Even the exaggeratedly obvious attempts by the staff at the counter to look away while straining their ears to eavesdrop confirmed it. That was enough. By now, the story would have reached Jung Cho-ah.  

Once Jung Cho-ah found out, whether it was this man or another matchmaking candidate, everything would sort itself out. By then, Assemblywoman Yeo would also realize that Su-eon was no longer a piece she could move around on her chessboard.  

“I’m sorry, but I’m on duty right now, so I’ll have to excuse myself. From now on, I’d appreciate it if—”  

Just as she was about to finish by saying she hoped he wouldn’t show up unannounced like today, the man interrupted her.  

“To be honest, I wasn’t in the best mood before coming that day. You know, your situation is a bit… well…”  

Without warning, the man delivered a brutal blow.  

“Matchmaking is all about evaluating conditions, isn’t it? Our family isn’t a chaebol, but we run a successful restaurant business, and my father has a good reputation. At first, I thought the Assemblywoman was looking down on us. My mother was strongly opposed, too.”  

So this was what he wanted to say all along: Even though my family opposed it, I insisted and decided to accept you. So be grateful.  

That’s how it sounded to Su-eon.  

“Disabled people… They say hearing-impaired individuals have children with the same condition. Of course, I’ve heard that your father’s disability isn’t congenital, but…”  

Enough. She couldn’t listen to any more of this.  

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Mr. Kim Kwang-yong.”  

Su-eon cut him off.  

“Let me be honest with you as well.”  

Seeing the resolute expression on her face, the man’s expression hardened.  

“I didn’t know what kind of meeting it was when I first attended.”  

“What? How does that make sense? Are you lying just to reject me?”  

“Why would I need to lie to reject you?”  

The man looked at her, flustered.  

“I’ve already told you multiple times that I do not have any romantic interest in you.”  

“That’s just you playing hard to get. Weren’t you just using the hotel as an excuse to make me come to you in person?”  

Looking at this man, whose ability to communicate seemed entirely absent, Su-eon thought that this was the moment when an even firmer rejection was necessary.  

“I don’t believe in marriage. I plan to live my entire life single.”  

“What? Why would you do something like that… Are you a feminist or something?”  

“This conversation isn’t going anywhere.”  

As she sighed in a tired voice, the man’s face turned red with anger.  

“I’ll live alone for the rest of my life, and when my father retires, I’ll live with him and take care of him.”  

“That’s… ridiculous, isn’t it? In a world where people don’t even live with their in-laws anymore, who would live with their wife’s family? And your father is disabled. How do you even expect to communicate with him?”  

It takes only a moment for someone to lose all respect for another person. The last layer of Su-eon’s professional mask vanished completely from her face. Yet the man, oblivious to this, continued to spew his nonsense.  

“What kind of man would accept that? Don’t you think you’re being selfish?”  

“I’ve never asked you to accept it. You’re free to misunderstand me all you want, but could you at least think before speaking?”  

“What… what did you just say?”  

“If you were someone capable of thinking, you wouldn’t have barged into someone’s workplace during their working hours. Or is it that you’ve never had a job and don’t know how things work?”  

At Su-eon’s icy tone, the man finally shut his mouth.  

“Next time, if you don’t know something, just ask. Then perhaps someone will give you this answer.”  

Su-eon stared directly at the man with a stern expression.  

“Don’t come looking for me again. From this moment on, I will reject all personal contact.”  

Looking at the man glaring at her with wide eyes, she drove the final nail in.  

“I’ve made myself clear enough that even an elementary school student would understand, so don’t misunderstand.”  

“……”  

“I’ll be leaving now. I’ll cover the cost of the tea.”  

Picking up the bill, Su-eon stood up without offering any further courtesy. The man, glaring at her with a resentful expression, let out a frustrated huff. Ignoring him, she handed the bill to the counter and left a message that she would settle it later, then quickly exited the lounge.  

The thought that the man who had persistently harassed her for a week might follow her out made her unwilling to linger for even a second longer. She should have firmly ignored him and sent him away from the start. The humiliation she had to endure while sitting face-to-face with him flashed through her mind, and her patience reached its limit.  

Why did I have to hear such things from someone like that?  

Clenching her teeth and tightly balling her fists, Su-eon stomped down the carpeted hallway, her footsteps loud and forceful. It wasn’t until she turned the corner and passed the long hallway leading to the fitness center that her anger finally began to subside.  

Regaining her composure, she pressed the elevator button and waited. It was then that she heard footsteps behind her. Her shoulders flinched. The thought that the man might have followed her filled her with unease as she nervously stared at the display panel. The quiet hallway was completely empty, with no sign of anyone passing by.  

The elevator doors opened. Su-eon quickly stepped in and pressed the close button. The sound of footsteps rounding the corner grew louder and closer. Her heart pounded as her trembling fingertips repeatedly pressed the close button.  

“…Don’t come. Stop following me. I really mean it.”  

Just as the doors were about to meet at a sluggish, snail-like pace, a foot suddenly slipped between them. With a jolt, the elevator came to a halt. Su-eon’s heart dropped with a thud.  

“Who’s following you?”  

The unexpected voice brushed past her ears, leaving her stunned. Turning her head with a dazed expression, her eyes slowly widened in silence.  

As the doors began to reopen, the face of Ki Seung-jo standing in front of her came into view.