Romance Is a Luxury

After hearing Yoon Ju-ha’s words, Da-yeon shut herself away in her room, sunk in gloom.

No matter how clearly Seok-hyeon seemed to care for her, she could not bring herself to propose marriage this year. He was the man who had even joked about a newlywed home with her, yet if she suddenly raised the subject of marriage in earnest, she was terrified he would feel pressured and flee. Even if things somehow advanced to wedding preparations, the moment he learned her “real” circumstances, that gentle face of his would surely freeze over, cold and distant. She could not bear to watch that happen.

In any case, this matchmaking arrangement already had its outcome decided. The man who met her stepmother’s standards while maximizing her father’s profit—if “President Park” fit those criteria better than “CEO Shin,” her stepmother would push the match through without hesitation.

Above all, she did not want to burden a man who approached her with genuine sincerity. Not only herself, but her entire household as well.

It would be far easier on her heart to decide, first, that she would stop seeing Seok-hyeon than to watch him grow disgusted with her or her stepmother and walk away. So even when his messages arrived, she did not answer.

When the daily stream of contact suddenly stopped, of course he would wonder. As Da-yeon continued to give no reply, the calls began. Her phone rang with stubborn persistence. Before the missed-call count reached double digits, she finally answered.

The moment the line connected, Seok-hyeon’s urgent voice came through.

He kept pressing, as if coaxing an answer from her silence. That he would ask after her well-being—when no one else ever did—touched her with quiet gratitude. Yet her stepmother’s sharp words had already dragged her back to reality. Da-yeon went straight to the point.

"I’m sorry. Please cancel our next meeting."

Over the phone, no sound came. Only their breathing mingled in the quiet. Then Seok-hyeon’s voice returned.

"Seok-hyeon… I don’t think we’re a good match."

"No, it isn’t that."

"It isn’t that either. It’s just… our conditions don’t seem to fit."

She could not bring herself to say she disliked him.

"There are family circumstances. Marriage is urgent, and…"

"Yes."

His voice dropped low. Da-yeon had never expected him to press this close; the apology only sank deeper into her chest.

"I think Director Jeong didn’t explain properly. I’m lacking in so many ways."

"Seok-hyeon… you should meet someone better. I’m sorry."

She ended the call then and there. No further ring came from Seok-hyeon. No message either. There was not even time to feel regret that the connection had snapped so easily. Even after severing the relationship with her own hands, Da-yeon could not endure the hollow ache. She buried her face in the pillow and wept without a sound.

“…I used to think romantic feelings were a luxury.”

“…It’s funny, isn’t it. I regret it too.”

Seok-hyeon’s bitter voice lingered in her chest. Her own heart felt exactly the same. The luxury she had just thrown away ached with piercing longing.

Da-yeon lived each day in quiet resignation until the next matchmaking appointment arrived.

On the day of the meeting she followed her usual routine—makeup, neat clothes—and climbed into the taxi that felt like a ride to the slaughterhouse, thinking of the day she had gone to meet Seok-hyeon.

What had the weather been like that day? What kind of tea had they drunk together?

She sank into those moments with him, then wondered whether she had really needed to push him away so hard, only to console herself that it was better than stringing two men along. The relationship was already finished.

Only when she arrived at the hotel in the city center could she finally shake free of thoughts of Seok-hyeon. Reality waited right in front of her.

"Good afternoon."

Seok-hyeon’s case had been the rare exception. This matchmaking partner looked exactly like his photograph. In fact, the real man fell short of the picture. He carried more flesh, and his complexion was nothing but ruddy. A hearty middle-aged man who clearly loved his drink—that was the sum of him.

"Kim Da-yeon, right? Please, sit down."

The man old enough to be her uncle looked her over from head to toe and smiled with open satisfaction.

"I heard you’re twenty-nine, but looking at you, I’d believe twenty."

"…Thank you."

"I’m a little older, so it’s shameless of me, but… I won’t make things hard for our young lady."

"……"

"What shall we order? My treat. The coffee here’s excellent. They make it so strong I can’t sleep."

She could not bring herself to smile along with his forced joviality. With her caffeine allergy, there seemed little she could even drink. She made an effort to stay polite.

"I can’t drink coffee, so…"

"Looks young and has a young palate too, doesn’t she. You like sweet things, I bet—go ahead and pick whatever you want."

Da-yeon reached for the menu to read it. But President Park did not hand it over. He rose from his seat and settled beside her instead. Leaning in close against her startled body, he opened the menu wide.

"Here, what should I buy you? Pick a dessert too."

"But if you sit so close…"

"Aigoo, even our Da-yeon’s hands are tiny. If I hold them, you won’t even see them. I couldn’t even ask you to massage my shoulders."

In the same breath he seized her hand. Da-yeon extracted her fingers as gently as she could and forced a smile.

"This is a little awkward for me."

"There I go again, jumping ahead. I’m always too fast. First marriage, I grabbed the girl’s hand right away and even made a baby right away…"

The atmosphere was utterly different from every match she had endured before. President Park looked like a man who would pour money over her as long as she simply stayed still. She finally understood why her stepmother had pushed so hard.

Da-yeon patiently tried to choose a non-coffee drink. President Park closed the distance once more and spoke again.

"Our Jung-mo hyung has some real ambitions, I hear."

Calling her father “hyung” did not sound the least bit unnatural at his age.

"I’ll back Jung-mo hyung all the way, so don’t you worry. He can live for politics, and I just want an easy life. As you know, I’ve had a wife before, so I understand a woman’s heart. I’ve been through it all—I won’t make you suffer. We’ll travel around looking at land, play some golf, live all cozy and sweet."

"……"

"What kind of man does Da-yeon like?"

He dropped the formal speech as if it were natural, draping an arm around her shoulders while he asked. Her stomach turned.

"President, just a moment."

"What? Did I talk too much about myself without even ordering drinks?"

"No. I just need to fix my makeup properly. I didn’t expect to sit this close… Please order anything for me."

Without waiting for an answer she fled straight to the powder room. Only after escaping those thick hands did she realize how empty her wish had been—that anyone at all would simply buy her. The thought of that man groping not only her hands but her entire body already felt unbearable. The previous men who had lost interest the moment they decided she looked too gloomy now seemed preferable.

Yet if she refused the marriage, would her stepmother leave her alone? If she ran away from home, would her father suffer for it? Imagining the worst, Da-yeon steeled herself.

If it could not be CEO Shin Seok-hyeon, then it would not be President Park Yeong-taek either.

Ready to take whatever beating her stepmother might deliver, she stepped out of the powder room.

A different man sat in her seat. At the familiar build and presence, Da-yeon froze solid. Once you had seen him, there was no failing to recognize that handsome face.

President Park, seated across from the newcomer, looked even more flustered than she did.

"Hey now, you can’t just sit down out of nowhere like that…"

He scolded Seok-hyeon as if the younger man were his own son. Seok-hyeon turned his head, looked at Da-yeon, then smiled again at President Park.

"Forgive the intrusion. I hope I’m not interrupting your company."

He asked with perfect courtesy, yet to Da-yeon he felt like a man who had come from the start to ruin this meeting. He politely offered his business card and continued.

"Circumstances forced me to seek you out in a hurry. The truth is, I’m interested in the parcel of land you’ve put up for sale."

"What could be so urgent you come all the way here?"

President Park probed him carefully. Still, he did not throw the man out. Interest in a land deal clearly outweighed annoyance. Seok-hyeon continued in an even tone.

"Yes, that’s right. I’ve come to request an urgent sale."

"Urgent sale? Which one? I’ve got so many I don’t know which you’re talking about…"

"I heard the Cheoljin-side land hasn’t been selling well and it’s been weighing on you. I’ll match whatever price you want."

Only then did President Park sit up straight.

"You got some special source? Why would you value that land so high? Do you even have the money to pay?"

Where the older man grew agitated, Seok-hyeon remained perfectly at ease.

"If you doubt me, confirm it right now. Give me an account and I’ll transfer the deposit immediately."

Only then did President Park begin examining the card Seok-hyeon had offered. In that interval Seok-hyeon simply gazed at Da-yeon. She lowered her head without meaning to. His low voice rolled out across the table.

"Your companion seems to have been standing far too long. What shall we do about that?"