Chapter 3.3

“Just go and eat, it’s expensive, French!” Shin Se-ah wiggled her fingers, dazzling and emphasizing the artistic beauty of French cuisine. “It’s what you like!”

Min-kyung pointed out dryly, “No, it’s not.”

“Min-kyung, ah yes, you like your mom’s food the best… Just stay for a moment, refuse the meal, and leave then. “Se-ah put her chin in her hands, leaning on the table, “Pleeease… because my Seungmik is upset.”

“You two just had a date yesterday.”

“Well, yesterday I found out that today is his Birthday.”

Looking blankly but disappointed, “How did you not know it was his Birthday?”

Shaking her head, Se-ah answered, “I don’t know… I was confused because I was thinking about the lunar calendar.” 

Se-ah took Min-kyung’s hand tightly, and her big eyes looked straight at Min-kyung. “I’ll put it in writing. Here’s the deal, you won’t have to lift a finger until this summer. Hey, I will cook your lunches, wash dishes, and clean. You really...”

Min-kyung frowned slightly, feeling troubled and conflicted. “Really, just an hour?”

Se-ah nodded loudly, “Not even, 50 minutes is enough. Just say you suddenly got called into an interview with a top star… Cho O-seok! I interviewed him yesterday. So he will just assume the interview took place today.”

Min-kyung reluctantly nodded when their doorbell rang out. Se-ah jumped up, went over to the door, and tilted her head as she pressed the button on the wall pad screen. “Hyunseong oppa?”

She opened the front door, and Hyunseong entered wearing a neat black suit. “Oppa, you’re really here!” Se-ah chirped. “Did you really want some pickled red peppers that much?” Hyunseong nodded in response. “Come in and have lunch with us.”

“I’ve been so busy with work,” sighed Hyunseong and stepped towards Min-kyung. “Min-kyung, have you been working long days too?”

“I know, today is my first time having lunch at home.”

“Yeah, it’ll be my first time, too, I guess I’ve been busy.”

“Ah… It’s been... eventful.” Min-kyung furrowed her eyebrows. 

When she was transferred from her position as Assistant to the President of the Product Division to the Public Relations office, it was a welcome appointment. As soon as she adapted to the role, she was quickly assigned to Strategic Planning Headquarters with Tae Jun-seop, and that wasn’t too bad either. That is, until those hellish 10 days when the Head of Headquarters disappeared right before a big event she had prepared for over several months. Then she could finally breathe, and then… haa… Tae Yi-seop. She summed all of that into the single word ‘Eventful.’

“Oppa, let me prepare all the pickles, salted fish, and veggies.” Se-ah waved off any offer of help from Min-kyung, going into the kitchen, putting on gloves, and diligently putting the side dishes into small containers.

Min-kyung asked Hyunseong, “You were in New York for two years, right?”

“1 year of law school, 2 years at a law firm there, so actually it was 3 years.” He shook his head in surprise.

What was it then… Before he left, Hyunseong spoke with Min-kyung. ‘When the law school course ends after a year, I’m thinking of not returning but finding a job in New York. So, Min-kyung, why don’t you come too, take a course, and we’ll study together again? Or you could even transfer to an overseas branch of TK. There’s a law school that I could attend in any city that you got transferred to.’

It was a dream of his that he told her while they drank cider under the pavilion in the apartment complex park. He was leaving in a few months. She remembered the scent of crushed flowers being carried on the lukewarm wind.

‘With you, oppa? Why me?’ When Min-kyung asked, Hyunseong’s face distorted and saddened. She felt guilty; he looked like the flowers around them that had been carelessly stepped on. No, his expression wasn’t that of one that had been stepped on but a flower that once was about to bloom but wilted.

She brushed the memory aside and asked, “Oh yeah, that’s right. When you returned, you got a job at M&P Law Firm, right? How is it there?”

“It’s a little busy, but it’s worth it.”

Min-kyung nodded her head, “I heard your salary went up after they scouted you? Se-ah boasted a lot about it.”

“That’s right, oppa, family pride!” With her gloves on, Se-ah gave them a double thumbs up.

Ignoring Se-ah, Hyunseong asked Min-kyung, “I heard you were working for the president of TK C&T at work, right?”

“Now the Executive Director.”

“Oh, why the demotion?”

“Well, it’s Executive Director Tae Yi-seop.”

“Ah, then you’re on the promotion escalator?” Hyunseong smiled.

“Ha, I don’t know if I’m going up or down.” She chuckled, but when Lee Seop’s face came into her mind, her heart started racing, Min-kyung pressed her temples to get rid of the thought.

“Why?”

“Because the Executive Director hates me,” Min-kyung said matter of factly.

“What?” Hyunseong’s eyes opened wide as if he just heard the most unbelievable thing.

‘Why does he look so surprised?’ Min-kyung thought.

“You see, he and Min-kyung started at the company at the same time. Ever since then, they’ve never been compatible. It’s been unlucky from the beginning, of course, it’s Min-kyung who’s the unlucky one. Now it’s an uncomfortable symbiotic relationship, there they have to work together even though they hate each other.” Se-ah briefly gave a supplementary explanation and licked the seasoning on her glove. “It’s delicious.”

Se-ah took off her gloves and neatly packed the small containers of side dishes into a paper bag. “Hyunseong oppa, are you on your way home from work? It would be nice to have dinner together, but unfortunately, we can’t tonight; we have plans.”

“No, I only stopped by for a moment. I have to go back to work now.”

“Huh? Then why did you come all the way here?” Se-ah blinked, confused, and stared at him.

“Ah, work assigned me to TK Products.”

“Oh! So you came to tell Min-kyung?”

“Ah yes, it will be great.”

Min-kyung was half paying attention since her head was heavy with thoughts of Lee Seop but she answered half-heartedly. “I see. Our company must’ve renewed their contract with M&P. It might be busier than normal, the company is in the process of reorganizing so there are a lot of things to process.”

“Huh, so you don’t get along with Executive Director Tae Yi-seop, and working together is stressful? Are you alright?”

“It’s hard, and I get just enough incentives to compensate for it, although it’s not much.”

“Do a good job, but take care of your health first.” He assured Min-kyung before pulling up his sleeve to look at his watch. A bulky, expensive watch with his initials on it. Like his cousin, Hyunseong tended to always be stylish, even in the small details, to perfection. The time read 6:20 on the heavy watch with its blue face.

“I have to go now, oh Se-ah, you should get ready too.”

“What?”

“I heard you are going on a date with the son of the Director of J Hospital today.”

“Wait, how do you know?”

Hyunseong stood up from his seat. He said, while taking the heavy bag of food from an embarrassed Se-ah, “He’s an elementary school classmate.”

“Really?”

“I haven’t seen him often lately, but he’s a nice guy. A little rough around the edges, but cute, I think?”

“When exactly did you hear about the date with me?”

“About three days ago? He gave me a call on KakaoTalk. He said he had suddenly postponed the date with you because he had a lot of surgeries, but you didn’t respond. He told me that he was sorry and to tell you that was a big mistake. I think if he hadn’t called me, you would’ve gone without telling me.”

“Hyunseong oppa, did you say anything else?”

He thought for a moment and answered. “I guess he was worried that he may make a mistake and asked me what you like since we’re family. He wanted to make it up to you, so I told him to choose the French Restaurant at M Hotel. Oh yeah, that’s right, he asked a lot of questions about you. Don’t worry, I didn’t spread any gossip.”

“What did he ask?”

“Oh, nothing special, just about your personality and style? Like that stuff.”

“What did you say?” Se-ah tensed up.

Hyunseong said proudly, looking at her. “I said that you are stylish and lovely and like pretty things.”

‘Stylish? Lovely?’ Se-ah’s pupils shook slightly as she glanced at Min-kyung. “Ahahaha, that’s right, oppa, Stylish and lovely, okay, we’ll see you later. Bye now.” She pushed on his back. ‘Hurry! Min-kyung, we need to hurry. You need to transform.’ she yelled, only moving her mouth.

As he was exiting, “Min-kyung, I’m going to eat well. Please tell your mom that I’m very grateful.” Even while being polite as he left, Se-ah was stomping her feet while pushing.

‘How, how?!’