II - 15

True to the high-end traditional Korean cuisine, the table was set with elegant dishes placed neatly in front of each person. 

“Please enjoy the meal. Next time, we’ll make sure to host you properly.” 

I-jun rose from his seat and bowed deeply to I-ryeong’s parents, encouraging them to eat. 

“You’re a busy man—no need to go out of your way. We’re fine.” 

“Thanks to you, we’re already enjoying the meal. Please, go ahead and eat.” 

I-ryeong’s parents smiled warmly at I-jun, their gratitude and appreciation evident on their faces, creating a cozy and heartwarming atmosphere. 

“Honey, isn’t our young master acting strange? Don’t you think so?” 

Yu-jin, who had been picking at her rice, nudged her husband Il-ha playfully in the side. 

“Strange? He seems perfectly fine to me.” 

Il-ha chuckled awkwardly and exchanged an apologetic smile with I-ryeong’s parents across the table. 

“I think I-jun is charming too—it’s nice to see.” 

Even Kyung-soo, I-jun’s father, chimed in to ease the slightly awkward tension. 

“I’m not just saying this because he’s my son, but I-jun will treat you well too. He hasn’t caused us much trouble while growing up.” 

The only major incident I-jun had caused was this sudden marriage announcement. 

“The daughter-in-law-to-be is also very refined. You’ve raised her well,” Kyung-soo added, praising I-ryeong as he steered the mood toward warmth and harmony. 

“As I-jun said, since our daughter-in-law is so lovely, I’m already looking forward to grandchildren. Wouldn’t you agree, dear in-laws?” 

He laughed heartily, indirectly expressing his approval of I-ryeong. Based on what he’d heard from his son, she was even more beautiful than he’d imagined, which explained why his son had pursued her so eagerly. 

“We are grateful for entrusting us with your precious daughter. We will cherish her as if she were our own.” 

Kyung-soo spoke with sincerity. 

Though the eldest daughter-in-law, Yu-jin, had initially been skeptical, she hadn’t outright opposed the marriage. From the start, she didn’t intend to interfere as long as her sons were happy—a stark contrast to her husband’s approach. 

After the meal ended, traditional tea and desserts were served. 

“How about we discuss the timing of the wedding ceremony?” 

Under Kyung-soo’s guidance, the formal discussion began. 

“My wife and I have decided to follow your lead and respect the opinions of our children,” Kang-tae said, glancing at his daughter and future son-in-law as he relayed the decision he and his wife had made the night before. 

“Since you run a restaurant, please let us know your days off so we can consider them when setting the date.” 

Touched by Kyung-soo’s thoughtfulness, Kang-tae felt a wave of gratitude. 

As the saying goes, “You can tell the child by their parents.” Seeing the character of their future in-laws eased some of Kang-tae’s worries about his daughter’s future husband. 

As they passed around tea, sipping and exchanging pleasantries— 

“When did a snack shop become a restaurant? Father-in-law sure knows how to joke.” 

The eldest daughter-in-law, Yu-jin, dropped a cold remark. 

Kang-tae’s face flushed red, and he instinctively lowered his head. 

“Il-ha.” 

Jung-ae, who had been quietly observing, called out to her eldest son. Her voice was soft but carried undeniable authority, causing Il-ha to flinch. 

“Take your wife and leave.” 

Without daring to protest his mother’s quiet but firm reprimand, Il-ha quickly escorted his wife out of the room. 

In the hallway, Yu-jin’s sharp voice echoed loudly before gradually fading away. 

“We apologize for the rudeness.”

Jung-ae’s sincere apology to I-ryeong’s parents quieted the previously unsettled atmosphere. 

“The wedding will take place next month, in March.” 

I-jun dropped his bombshell announcement into the calm that followed. 

“This was my decision alone, so I hope both families can understand and support it.” 

He hadn’t even given I-ryeong prior notice. 

“Now that I-ryeong and I have agreed to marry, I don’t want to drag things out unnecessarily.” 

As he spoke, he continuously met I-ryeong’s gaze, as if silently apologizing for springing this on her like this. 

“I also want to start living together as soon as possible.” 

With this statement, I-jun made it clear that he was the one most eager for the marriage. 

“Since I-ryeong has already agreed, I ask that you trust us and follow our lead.” 

It was a whirlwind decision—swift and decisive. 

No one objected or added anything to I-jun’s words. Even I-ryeong, hearing his true feelings for the first time here, didn’t protest. After all, he had been the one who initially proposed the marriage. 

“We’ll begin our married life in my room in Dogok-dong, so we only need to hold the ceremony.” 

I-ryeong felt a sharp pang in her chest. 

Needing an escape, she reached for his hand. Since this wasn’t a marriage based on love, it felt acceptable to keep the ceremony simple. 

But still, her chest ached with an inexplicable sting. 

“What? You’re going to move into Dogok-dong?” 

Kyung-soo couldn’t comprehend his son’s intentions. 

Living with his eldest son’s family was already uncomfortable enough—adding his youngest son’s family to the mix felt overwhelming. 

“Considering it’s their honeymoon period, living under one roof might not be ideal, right?” 

Just then, I-jun smirked, as if he’d been waiting for this moment. It almost felt like he’d plotted everything in advance. 

“Give us the annex.” 

His eyes were set on the annex—a space he hadn’t even offered to his older brother’s family. 

“It’s just sitting empty, so we’ll renovate it and use it ourselves.” 

The mention of renovations was essentially a notification that he’d already selected a contractor. 

“If we live in the annex, there won’t be much difficulty with living at the in-laws’. So please, rest assured and entrust I-ryeong to me.” 

I-jun stood up and bowed deeply to I-ryeong’s parents. 

I-ryeong stared at him, her heart conflicted. 

How was she supposed to interpret his sincerity in this fake marriage? And why did it feel so real? She fidgeted with her hands hidden beneath the table. 

The marketing team was bustling as they prepared to leave work. 

Amidst groans about how Mondays were always brutal, the atmosphere was tense but lively—until I-jun stood up and called for everyone’s attention. 

“Excuse me for a moment.” 

He waved an envelope in his hand, catching everyone’s curiosity. 

The room fell silent as all eyes focused on the envelope. 

“I’m getting married.” 

The sudden announcement left the employees speechless. 

“No need for congratulatory money. Just come for the meal. Oh, and attendance isn’t mandatory, so don’t feel obligated.” 

He then handed out invitations to each employee individually. 

The pristine white invitations, adorned with a single lily, had been personally designed by I-ryeong.

“When did you two start dating and end up getting married?” 

“Wow, this is huge!” 

“Congratulations, Senior Managing Director!” 

The team members buzzed with curiosity, eagerly flipping open the invitations. 

“Chae I-ryeong? The bride is Chae I-ryeong?” 

“Wait, you mean our I-ryeong?” 

Upon confirming the bride’s name, all eyes turned to I-ryeong, whose face was now flushed red. 

“I-ryeong and I are getting married.” 

I-jun responded nonchalantly, his expression indifferent, as if to say, “It’s no big deal.” 

“How did you two manage to date and get married without us knowing?” 

“Congratulations, truly!” 

The initial shock on the team members’ faces gradually gave way to smiles. 

“As you can see, our I-ryeong is shy, so she kept it hidden.” 

“Our I-ryeong”? Hearing that affectionate term in front of her colleagues made I-ryeong feel like her heart might burst from embarrassment. 

“And look how beautifully she’s blossomed. She hid it because she only wanted me to see her.” 

I-jun’s deadpan delivery of such teasing remarks sent the team into fits of laughter, their faces lighting up with broad grins. 

I-ryeong felt both burdened by their stares and deeply embarrassed. 

After putting on such a show in front of their parents, he had no qualms about making bold, shameless comments in front of her colleagues too. 

She wished a hole would open up for her to crawl into and disappear. 

“Even though we’re getting married, nothing much will change at work,” I-jun said calmly, bringing the lively atmosphere back under control. 

Without further ado, the team members returned to reviewing their invitations, waiting for the end of the workday. Relieved by the now-settled mood, I-ryeong let out a long sigh. 

“I’m sorry, Team Leader Baek.” 

She turned to apologize to her senior colleague, Baek Hyun-wook, whose hardened expression made her feel even guiltier. 

“I never intended to deceive you. I wasn’t even sure until the invitations came out. I’m really sorry.” 

She apologized again for what had happened in the cafeteria. 

“So… when you said ‘husband,’ you meant Senior Managing Director?” 

“That… well, things just turned out that way. I’m really sorry.” 

The more Hyun-wook’s expression twisted in confusion, the heavier her guilt became. It felt like she had toyed with his feelings. 

Before she knew it, she found herself clasping her hands together and bowing deeply to him. 

“I’ll apologize to Team Leader Baek as well. I’m sorry.” 

I-jun quietly approached them and extended his hand toward Hyun-wook. 

“I acted poorly toward you, Team Leader Baek.” 

“So… does that mean the two of you were fighting over love back then?” 

Hyun-wook couldn’t bring himself to shake hands, alternating his gaze between I-ryeong and I-jun, utterly baffled. 

This only made I-ryeong’s face turn an even deeper shade of red than before. 

“Congratulations, Senior Managing Director. And to you too, I-ryeong.” 

Finally, Hyun-wook grasped I-jun’s outstretched hand, unable to hide his lingering regret. 

“I-ryeong is someone anyone would covet. I’m glad things worked out.” 

I-jun silently nodded, understanding all too well what Hyun-wook was feeling. 

And with that, the commotion died down, leaving only I-jun and I-ryeong in the office. 

“Let me see you put it on.”

“It’s not like I’m hiding it—our colleagues will naturally find out soon enough.” 

I-ryeong found I-jun’s request inconvenient. 

“Do I really have to post it where everyone can see?” 

“It has to be done.” 

He was surprisingly adamant. But the thought of doing it alone made her feel unfairly singled out. 

“Am I the only one posting this? What about you, Senior Managing Director?” 

I-ryeong glared at him with a pout on her face. 

Originally, she had planned to personally hand out invitations to her close friends and peers in person. 

But suddenly, I-jun insisted she announce the wedding news on social media by posting a photo of the invitation, almost throwing a tantrum about it. 

“We’re alone now. Are you still going to call me ‘Senior Managing Director’?” 

“We’re still at the office.” 

“Are you already playing the role of a devoted wife?” 

I-jun’s lips curled into an uncontrollable smirk. 

“Look, I’ve already posted mine. Now it’s your turn to upload the invitation right away.” 

His voice was full of excitement as he urged her on. 

With no other choice, I-ryeong reluctantly followed his wishes and posted the wedding announcement on social media. He immediately showed visible satisfaction. 

“There. Done?” 

“You did well. Shall we head home now?” 

Without hesitation, he extended his hand to her in the middle of the office. I-ryeong stared at his outstretched hand, momentarily lost in thought. 

The reality that she was truly marrying Senior Managing Director I-jun hit her, and her heart began to race.