II - 8

The snow that had fallen overnight had melted considerably during the day.

Iryeong frowned all day, bothered by the soggy streets.

Walking carefully with each step made her twice as tired as usual.

She wore clothes she wouldn’t normally choose—heels, a blouse, and an A-line skirt—all meticulously ironed, worrying about getting dirt or stains on them.

And it wasn’t just that. Since joining AE Cosmetics, she even wore an expensive coat she’d never touched before and styled her hair perfectly.

Today, Iryeong dressed up with determination, steeling her resolve to talk to Managing Director I-jun no matter what.

After a tiring day of fieldwork, she returned to the office and quickly finished writing her report. Then, like the other team members, she waited for quitting time.

“Haa…”

Unconsciously, she let out a deep sigh as her tension eased.

“Are you worried about something?”

“No, Senior Hyun-wook.”

Hyun-wook chimed in after hearing her sigh.

If he were her brother, she might have leaned on him—he was that kind person.

“Aww, you look troubled. How about grabbing a casual drink? There’s a new pub near the office.”

But he was still a man. His overly eager attempts to worm his way in were obvious despite his friendly smile.

“What should I do? I already have plans.”

She intended to reject him using an excuse about prior plans that hadn’t actually been set yet.

“Then maybe I’ll make plans too! I wanted to treat you to a nice meal since you’ve been working so hard.”

Hyun-wook persisted, not giving up.

“…”

For a moment, Iryeong chose silence.

She wanted to ask if he treated other teammates who went through the same process, but she bit her tongue and held back.

“I’m not trying to pressure you. If dinner or drinks feel like too much, how about coffee? Whenever you’re free, of course.”

He suggested lighter options, moving from drinks to dinner, then to coffee.

“When I become a full-time employee, I’ll treat you once,” she said, implying gratitude for his guidance as her mentor. Anything beyond that was absolutely off-limits. She didn’t want to risk repeating the awkward situations she’d faced at her previous job.

“Alright, I’ll expect a treat when you become a full-time employee. Looking forward to it.”

Hyun-wook smiled and agreed, and she nodded, wrapping up the conversation.

Then, she glanced sideways. She couldn’t shake the feeling that I-jun had been watching her from earlier. She stole a quick look at his desk, but he wasn’t there.

Iryeong took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and opened the company messenger app.

[Please make some time for me this evening.]

She sent him the address of the restaurant she had reserved earlier along with her personal phone number.

[Okay. I’ll contact you.]

I-jun’s reply came through a text message.

It felt as though he had been waiting for this moment.

Iryeong handed over her report to Hyun-wook and prepared to leave. Then, glancing again—almost compulsively—she checked I-jun’s movements.

After confirming he wasn’t around, she gathered her bag and stood up.

“I’ll head out first. See you tomorrow.”

At exactly 6 PM, she was the first to rise and left the office. Just outside, she flagged down a passing taxi and got in.

“Please take me near Namsan Tower. And hurry.”

Hoping to arrive before Managing Director Lee, she urgently rummaged through her handbag.

A single lipstick she had brought from home—one she had bought but never used, Stolen Kisses—was taken out, and just as she was about to apply it:

“Going on a date, are we? Here, let me turn on the light so you can apply it nicely.”

Thanks to the taxi driver’s thoughtful gesture, she was able to apply her makeup more carefully.

When she applied the lipstick that Managing Director Seo I-jun had ambitiously developed, her lips immediately gained vitality and volume.

She finally understood why female customers raved about it. A single swipe of lipstick transformed her into an alluring presence.

“It’s what Managing Director wanted in the first place.”

She adjusted her earrings and steadied her nerves.

* * *

A restaurant with classical music playing softly in the background.

The spacious distance between tables created an elegant atmosphere, and the place was already fully booked.

Iryeong and I-jun sat across from each other with the pre-dinner bread placed between them.

Iryeong, in particular, found herself staring absentmindedly at I-jun’s face. Under the soft glow of the table lamp, he looked especially striking today.

Yes, let’s say I’m smitten by his looks. That gave Iryeong a convenient excuse for this meeting.

Objectively speaking, he was flawless and undeniably handsome, making him the perfect excuse.

“I thought it would take longer, but have you already finished your deliberation?”

I-jun broke the silence first.

He felt elated on the way to the restaurant, confident that she wouldn’t have invited him to such a distant place just to reject him.

Moreover, the thought of being freed from the blind dates made him feel lighter.

Especially since her appearance—more glamorous than usual for office attire—had raised his expectations to their peak.

“I’m not dating you, Managing Director.”

Iryeong didn’t give him the answer he was likely expecting.

As a result, she got to witness the bewildered look on his face.

It felt satisfying to knock the arrogance out of him, as he had obviously assumed she would agree to date him.

“Excuse me.”

Just then, the server arrived with the main course, and I-jun ordered a bottle of champagne.

“Did you call me all the way out here just to reject me?”

As soon as the champagne was ready, I-jun drank hastily. The tingling sensation of the sparkling wine flowing down his throat jolted him back to reality.

“Why do you sound so certain?”

“Because you’re the one who made me think that way.”

Iryeong sipped her champagne as well. The subtle hint of apple fragrance lifted her mood.

It was just one glass, but the champagne coursing through her body seemed to push her worries away, urging her to stop overthinking.

“Let’s get married.”

And with that, she blurted it out.

“You said to choose, right? I choose to marry you. Is that okay?”

It was quite a bold proposal.

“Whether it’s dating or marriage, neither holds much significance for you, Managing Director, does it?”

Caught off guard by the marriage proposal, he fell into a long silence.

Iryeong didn’t rush him. She simply sat quietly, nibbling on her lower lip as she gazed at him under the warm lighting.

Though she had boldly blurted it out, the outcome wasn’t good. Just as she was thinking she had ruined everything—

“I must have misheard you…”

I-jun refilled his glass and asked again, his gaze serious.

Iryeong still nibbled on her lips, betraying her nervousness. Her entire body felt wrapped in heat, as if she might lose her mind.

She took a deep breath, straining the buttons of her gray blouse.

Then, she slowly closed her eyes, opened them again, and gazed at him with an intense stare.

“I’m proposing to you right now, Managing Director.”

Her lips, swollen from biting them, moved slightly as she spoke, ensuring he would focus entirely on her words.

“…A proposal?”

I-jun, who had been fiddling with his champagne glass, asked in disbelief.

“Let’s get married, us.”

“Your mind changed in just one day?”

I-jun stared at her while toying with his champagne glass.

“Yes. My heart feels endlessly light.”

Her trembling voice betrayed how “light” she claimed to feel. She seemed so fragile that he wanted to pull her into his arms.

“Light, huh.”

“Why? Do you dislike women who are ‘light’?”

Even her pupils were quivering.

A woman proposing marriage despite knowing his offer came with ulterior motives.

I-jun felt a sharp pang in his chest.

“In that case, should we marry with such a light heart?”

And yet, he felt as though she was lifting the heavy burden off his shoulders.

Perhaps because of that, he didn’t dislike this side of Iryeong.

“Do as you wish, Managing Director.”

Iryeong shrugged her delicate shoulders and sipped her champagne.

Though this was the situation he had wanted, strangely, he felt uneasy.

“I’ll decline your proposal, Ms. Iryeong.”

And so, he rejected her.

“…What?”

She had expected him to welcome it with open arms.

Iryeong’s face crumpled in devastation.

“I don’t want to take your feelings lightly. Give me one day.”

His smooth-talking words frustrated her.

Asking for time with an indifferent expression—wasn’t that just another way of rejecting her?

Iryeong realized once again that she had fallen for his tricks. She had impulsively given him what he wanted without meaning to, acting too hastily.

She didn’t want to live with guilt around her family anymore. So she had concluded that the only solution was to leave the house full of victims—starting with herself.

Since Managing Director Lee also needed marriage for his own purposes, she thought it was fortunate and went so far as to propose.

But his rejection left her completely deflated.

“Understood…”

“Then let’s wrap up this conversation here and enjoy our meal.”

He began eating leisurely, cutting into his now-cold steak.

Iryeong stared at him blankly as she sipped her champagne.

Was there really no way to counter this lunatic?

Iryeong gently rubbed her tongue against the rough roof of her mouth as she observed him.

Meanwhile, the champagne glass never left her hand.

* * *

Unbeknownst to her, Iryeong let out a faint giggle. This floating sensation was new to her.

Even the blanket she slept with every night wasn’t this soft—though the dream had certainly been a good one.

“…Ah!”

Startled, she kicked her legs and opened her eyes.

No wonder flying through the sky had felt so strange—it was because she had woken up in an unfamiliar place. Clutching the unfamiliar blanket, she surveyed her surroundings.

Squinting under the glow of the bedside lamp, she still couldn’t figure out where she was when—

“I’ve never seen someone lose their mind after just a few glasses of champagne.”

I-jun, sitting close by on the bed, chuckled softly, making his presence known.

“Managing Director?”

“Do you at least know who I am?”

Clutching the blanket tightly, Iryeong nodded.

Narrowing her eyes and looking into the distance, she saw him wearing only a shirt and pants, lounging comfortably with one leg crossed over the other.

“You collapsed at the table, so I carried you here. Since it didn’t seem like a hospital situation, I brought you to a hotel.”

A hotel? Iryeong’s eyelids fluttered nervously.

She hadn’t expected to collapse from the champagne.

“I didn’t drink enough to get drunk, but still, I apologize.”

Though she apologized verbally, her hands began patting herself down to check her condition.

“I’m not the kind of man who would take advantage of a sleeping woman.”

“Sex… sex…” She stammered. “Ah, okay.”

Her clothes were still intact, sparing her from an embarrassing situation.

“I took off my jacket and tie because I was feeling hot.”

Only then did she notice he was dressed casually, without his jacket or tie.

“Hot? In a hotel with better heating and cooling than home?”

Suddenly, a red light flashed in Iryeong’s mind as she stuttered.

“Because of someone, I’m still burning up right now.”

The way he said “someone” made it sound like he was referring to her. Unconsciously, Iryeong curled her toes.

I’m losing it, Chae Iryeong.

Holding her breath, she desperately tried to suppress the rising excitement creeping up from her toes.