Accidental Encounter

p>Her face was flushed so intensely that there was no way to hide it, but Yeong-a lifted her chin with open pride.

p>“From today onward, I’m officially off the one-sided crush.”

p>“Did you receive any confession notice?”

p>“Well… it’s kind of like that.”

p>Just imagining it made Yeong-a’s heart skip again.

p>“How far away is it? Is the location far?”

p>“No. It’s the company underground restaurant, though…”

p>The moment the thought crossed her mind, Yeong-a quickly checked the location on her phone map. With a brisk walk, it should take about ten minutes.

p>Hwigyeom glanced at the screen, then pulled out his own phone.

p>“Don’t let the flow break. Finish reading that first.”

p>In the end, Yeong-a only left the café after her promised meeting time had been reduced to just ten minutes.

p>“What an odd person. Why ask where I’m going? Do they really think I’m their slave?”

p>Clutching her leather bag, Yeong-a vented her anger into the empty air while racing toward the underground. Yet the very thought of meeting Suho—starting today, of dating him—filled her with such joy that she barely felt the cold.

p>By the time she reached the restaurant, panting from the rush, there was one more person waiting.

p>“Yeong-a? You’re here? Chaemi wanted to celebrate with you, so I invited her too.”

p>Suho glanced at Chaemi sitting beside him and smiled warmly.

p>“Ah…”

p>Yeong-a’s expression had been too hopeful; she couldn’t quite control it. Chaemi, watching her, shot her a playful glare.

p>“What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy I came?”

p>Yeong-a quickly smoothed out her startled face and shook her head.

p>“No, Chaemi. Thank you for coming. Today I’m treating you to dinner.”

p>“No need. I already know your situation. We ordered two bottles of wine to match the pasta. It cost tens of millions of won. This isn’t the kind of place where you just eat tteokbokki and leave.”

p>Chaemi smiled elegantly, as if pitying Yeong-a’s obvious disappointment. But even that pity was enough to make Yeong-a feel as if she had already been buried underground.

p>“I know that much too. I used to work part-time at a three-star fine-dining place.”

p>Yeong-a grinned proudly and crossed her arms.

p>“Oh, right. I heard they’re having trouble getting reservations now that it’s on TV. They’re using connections—can they really refuse someone who just works there?”

p>Originally Yeong-a had taken kitchen assistant shifts, but because her looks were so striking, she was switched to hall serving. The chef praised her service so much that he personally gave her his number and begged her to return one day.

p>Even one extra table would have been fine, but Yeong-a didn’t want to use her position to pull strings.

p>“I’m afraid it might be difficult. There are already quite a few employees involved.”

p>Yeong-a deliberately lowered her voice further, but Suho jumped in to comfort her.

p>“Yeong-a, I ordered pizza and meat for us all. Pick only the pasta. Today I’m treating. Eat whatever you want.”

p>“Really? Are you sure you’re not overdoing it?”

p>At that moment Chaemi glanced between Yeong-a and Suho, then let out a soft laugh.

p>“You two really do look like siblings. You must have grown up together since childhood.”

p>“T-That’s right?”

p>Suho smiled awkwardly, but Chaemi’s eyes suddenly dropped to the bag Yeong-a had set on the floor. Her expression immediately cracked into a laugh.

p>“What’s that? Yu Yeong-a, did you buy a new bag because you got a new job?”

p>“Bag? It’s the representative’s bag.”

p>Yeong-a tilted her head in confusion.

p>“Which representative?”

p>“The one at the part-time job I’m working at. They gave me the documents to take home.”

p>“Wow, really? I’d love to see it.”

p>The moment Chaemi reached out, a long leg stretched out from the side and parted the space like a crimson river.

p>A cold voice followed, settling over them like frost.

p>“Where do you think you’re going? Get lost.”

p>Twenty minutes earlier.

p>Watching Yeong-a hurry out of the café, Hwigyeom called his older brother.

p>“Hyung, the dinner location—can we change it?”

p>“Whatever.”

p>As expected, Jae-yeong answered casually. He was the kind of person who only ate enough to fill his stomach and not disrupt his work.

p>A short while later, the two brothers met at the entrance of the Sahan headquarters underground dining area.

p>“The company restaurant it is. Looks like you’re finally settling in.”

p>Hwigyeom quickened his pace and asked.

p>“I’m not sure if it suits me or not, but I’ll go along with it.”

p>Watching Hwigyeom shrug, Jae-yeong’s eyes narrowed slightly.

p>“Mother’s been worried about you.”

p>“Yes, Representative Sa Jae-yeong.”

p>The moment he said it, Yeong-a’s voice calling him “representative” echoed in his mind.

p>“This is getting ridiculous.”

p>He had meant to stay close to Yeong-a only to recover the buried memories, yet the girl kept slipping into his thoughts uninvited.

p>Well, it didn’t matter.

p>Since that day, Hwigyeom’s mind had been wonderfully clear. The nightmares still came, but the headaches were steadily improving. There had been a time when he walked around with a constant scowl—the kind that felt like a past life.

p>“What now?”

p>Jae-yeong asked, frowning.

p>“Nothing.”

p>“Make sure nothing reaches my hand. If you don’t want to come home.”

p>“Yes.” Hwigyeom answered absentmindedly while the two men arrived at the Italian-flag restaurant beside the company building.

p>Despite the unassuming underground location, it was Friday, so the place was packed. Jae-yeong’s secretary had to move tables hurriedly.

p>“If you had contacted us earlier, we could have prepared better. Please come this way.”

p>The moment the two brothers entered, the owner rushed out and bowed deeply. The location was close, so the Sa family often used it for meetings.

p>“No need. You must be busy.”

p>Jae-yeong spoke the empty words easily. Hwigyeom, however, scanned the interior with displeasure. Then his eyes suddenly lit up.

p>“There.”

p>The place he had no business looking at normally was where Yeong-a was sitting, smiling awkwardly.

p>Tsk tsk. Hwigyeom couldn’t help muttering.

p>His love life was none of his concern. But Yeong-a had been more than just someone else’s girlfriend—she was his totem, the lucky charm that had shattered his old trauma and delivered victory.

p>So he was only a little curious. A little too curious about the existence of the man who had dragged his totem away in such a hurry.

p>“Hyung, I know someone here. I’ll be right back.”

p>Hwigyeom excused himself and walked over. There was a woman he hadn’t expected.

p>“Three? The baby bump changed your personality.”

p>Just then, the sight made Hwigyeom’s brows furrow.

p>To stop the improper touch, he stretched out his long leg.

p>“Where do you think you’re going? Get lost.”

p>Hwigyeom snatched his bag up. The woman’s hand had not yet been withdrawn.

p>“R-Representative?”

p>Yeong-a stood up in shock. Compared to the awkward smile from earlier, this expression was almost lovable.

p>“Listen carefully. I hate it when other people touch my things.”

p>“N-No, why are you—“

p>Despite her wide eyes, Yeong-a still tried to shrink away.

p>“Got it?”

p>Hwigyeom cut her off. He had a lot to say to his brother who had already left. He was the kind of man who stood up the moment he finished his meal.

p>“……Yes.”

p>Yeong-a sat down in defeat, but the man on the opposite side suddenly spoke.

p>“I don’t know who you are, but suddenly acting so rude isn’t very nice.”

p>Among the chaebol heirs, Hwigyeom was extremely careful about his public image. His face didn’t appear on social media or in any news. Thanks to that, even when everything blew up, no one saw his face. The only photo reporters had was the one with Yeong-a’s face.

p>It was all because of the incident in his childhood. Hong Jeong-hye had hidden him away like a prisoner. Jae-yeong had taken over the role of family face.

p>Naturally, no one who wasn’t close knew what he looked like.

p>Hwigyeom watched the man’s hateful glare and remembered the purpose he had forgotten. His eyes narrowed automatically, but Yeong-a whispered to him.

p>“Oppa, the representative at the part-time job.”

p>She grabbed the man’s sleeve. Hwigyeom let out a hollow laugh.

p>“Oh, that place.”

p>His totem had wanted to squeeze out every last bit of power to protect him from the man who had confessed.

p>“Huh?”

p>The kind of bland food that looks good but isn’t really good, and now this limp noodle. Where was she going to use him?

p>“You don’t even know the meaning of manners to begin with.”

p>Having called another woman to the restaurant just for a confession was bad enough; now he had sat next to her too.

p>“What on earth are you talking about?”

p>The man tried to stand up in a huff, but Yeong-a grabbed his sleeve again. For some reason, every time she touched him, Hwigyeom felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck.

p>To help the man who clearly didn’t understand, Hwigyeom turned his gaze to the woman seated next to him.

p>But she only blushed. The woman smiled brightly and reached out a hand that had been improperly placed earlier.

p>“Nice to meet you. My name is Park Chaemi. You’re the representative at Yeong-a’s workplace, right? Please take good care of her. She works very hard.”

p>“Ah, so Yu Yeong-a is your mother?”