IT - 20

20. A Wicked Invitation

Ji-soo stared at the glass in her hand, its crimson hue reminiscent of yesterday’s events. No—more precisely, the lingering sensations from that impulsive kiss with Tae-ha on the third floor still clung to her, even after she had fled the scene. 

Eun-ho was as kind and considerate as ever, and the encore performance had been profoundly moving. Yet Ji-soo’s thoughts kept drifting back to the corridor on the third floor. 

8 PM. 

“No, I won’t go.” 

She had responded firmly to Tae-ha, who had chased her all the way to the stairs. She knew that if she didn’t say this, she would have ended up heading to that hotel. 

“If you change your mind, come find me. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.” 

As Ji-soo turned to walk up the stairs, Tae-ha grabbed her wrist and led her into the elevator. His strides, initially brisk and commanding, slowed slightly as though mindful of her high heels, allowing them to walk side by side. 

The studio shoot must have just begun, as the thick soundproof doors were firmly shut. 

“If you don’t run away first, I won’t chase you. Don’t keep forcing me to show off skills I didn’t know I had.” 

Tae-ha followed her into the elevator, pressed the button for the 10th floor, then stepped out again. Ji-soo avoided his gaze until the doors closed. True to her word, she hadn’t gone to the hotel last night. 

Staring at her silent phone throughout the night, she managed only brief moments of restless sleep before meeting Eun-ho. 

“Ji-soo, does it not suit your taste? Is it bad?” 

For thirty minutes, Ji-soo had merely gazed at the colorful spread filling the round table without taking a single bite. The only thing she touched was the stem of her wine glass, fidgeting with it absently. 

“Should I order something else?” 

Ji-soo slowly raised her head, weighed down by thoughts of Tae-ha. If she didn’t want to become an even worse version of herself, she needed to eat something—but in her current state, swallowing anything felt impossible. 

Behind Eun-ho, a man and woman walked in together. It was unmistakably Tae-ha and Yoo-ri—the face etched countless times in her mind and heart. Though his demeanor wasn’t particularly affectionate, he guided Yoo-ri flawlessly toward the private room. 

Noticing Ji-soo’s frozen gaze, Eun-ho turned to look where she was staring. He knew they were soon to meet through matchmaking, but he hadn’t expected it to happen today—and certainly not at Hotel Hera. Then again, given their close ties through Taesung Group's affiliates, perhaps it made sense. Any other location might have seemed odd. 

“Is that person walking into the room now… Kang Yoo-ri?” 

After wetting her trembling lips with wine, Ji-soo asked Eun-ho. Believing honesty required full disclosure, Eun-ho hesitated briefly before deciding to speak his mind here and now. 

“Yes, I believe so.” 

Ji-soo picked up her wine glass and drained it in one gulp. With barely enough strength left to hold her utensils, she began eating mechanically. Eun-ho noticed she wanted to leave the hotel restaurant as quickly as possible. 

“Ji-soo, there’s a nice walking path in the hotel garden. Shall we go outside?” 

Her cheeks puffed out from shoving food into her mouth without chewing. Seeing Ji-soo like this, who had appeared so gloomy and listless until now, Eun-ho couldn’t help but smile lightly. 

“We’re going for a walk, so you don’t need to eat too much.” 

“It’s delicious.” 

Though her tone suggested otherwise, Eun-ho decided to wait a little longer. The Ji-soo he knew always needed time. 

Others called her the “Ice Doll,” devoid of emotion, but once she let her guard down, she could become a close colleague like they were now. 

Colleague and friend. At some point, Eun-ho found himself wanting to break past the boundaries Ji-soo had set. Burdened by layers of pent-up feelings, he cautiously sought the right moment to confess. 

The ideal time, he thought, would be when rejection wouldn’t ruin their current dynamic and wouldn’t burden Ji-soo in the slightest. 

Perhaps today was that day—or at least, it had seemed so until yesterday, when he’d indulged in sweet dreams. Now, it seemed he’d need to take her home early. 

“By the way, have you looked into finding a new place? Any particular area?” 

“I’m planning to start looking soon.” 

“Didn’t you mention checking during your vacation last time?” 

Eun-ho poured her a third glass of wine and took away her main plate, replacing it with salad and fruit. Ji-soo hurriedly swallowed bites along with sips of alcohol, eager to finish quickly but unable to speed up. 

“Ji-soo, can I eat this? Is that okay?” 

“But you’ve already started…” 

“When are you planning to visit places? Want me to join you? It’s always better with two people rather than searching alone.” 

The chunks of meat that had lingered untouched in front of Ji-soo disappeared into Eun-ho’s mouth in seconds. This hastened their escape from the hotel where Tae-ha and Yoo-ri were dining, making Ji-soo feel grateful toward him. 

“I might move soon too. While scouting prices, I’d love to join you. I promise I won’t be a bother.” 

“If Team Leader joins, I’d be happy. But I don’t want to impose.” 

“It’s more of an imposition if you find a great place and leave me out. Let’s pick a few neighborhoods and go on a tour.” 

“Thank you so much, Team Leader. Saying 'thank you' has become so frequent that I feel guilty about it.” 

Eun-ho, who longed to be more than just someone Ji-soo was grateful for, smiled brightly as he popped the last piece of meat into his mouth. 

He could wait. After all, waiting for Ji-soo had always been worth it. That’s what Eun-ho believed—until the private room manager approached their table. 

“Vice President Cha Tae-ha invites both of you to join him. Would that be acceptable?” 

Had Tae-ha seen her when entering the room? Their eyes hadn’t met even once until now. Was this wicked invitation—a summons to dine privately with Yoo-ri—an offer she could refuse or flee from?

There was no reason to decline. She needed to make it clear: he had a woman he was going to marry, and their night together was over.

“No, thank you. We’ve already finished eating and were just about to leave…”

“I’ve been curious about the private room. How about we go in, greet Vice President Cha, and then leave? Since he invited us, it would be impolite to decline through the manager without even saying a word.”

---

As a business partner, Cha Tae-ha was the perfect match. Petty emotions or sensitive disputes were neatly handled by legal representatives and documented agreements. This marriage contract was no different from a corporate merger—perhaps even less personal. The terms of the contract defined their relationship more accurately than any traditional notions of bride and groom.

By becoming legally married, they would extract the maximum mutual benefit. That was the real reason Tae-ha was getting married.

The complete exclusion of emotion meant this union couldn’t be disrupted by hormonal impulses. Thus, Yoo-ri could dismiss the irritating woman who had been needling her since yesterday as inconsequential.

“Even if we postpone the engagement ceremony, Mother mentioned she’d like us to announce the engagement soon. What do you think?”

Tae-ha had sensed Ji-soo’s presence even before entering the hotel restaurant—or perhaps as soon as he stepped into the elevator. She wouldn’t come here alone, so she must have arrived with someone else. He anticipated seeing one of the countless men she might be with today.

When he spotted Ji-soo sitting across from Eun-ho in the dining hall, the memory of her defiant claim that they weren’t involved overlaid the scene. Or perhaps she had lied, using the excuse of being “just good colleagues” to avoid meeting other men.

Regardless, Tae-ha felt an urgent need to warn Ji-soo. When, where, and how should he do it? A satisfied smile spread across his face as he envisioned the most effective teaching environment.

“Team Leader Kang Eun-ho is in the main dining hall.”

After politely greeting Yoo-ri, the private room manager reported on the situation in the hall. Tae-ha’s cold gaze flickered dangerously beneath his otherwise calm demeanor.

“Really? With whom? Why are they eating in the main hall, drawing attention?”

“It’s the weekend, and if they couldn’t make a reservation, it’s possible.”

Tae-ha stared at the manager with icy eyes. Unable to refute his logic, the manager nodded calmly.

Yoo-ri wondered who this companion was—the one who had prevented Eun-ho from attending the family dinner over the weekend. As she glanced toward the door, contemplating whether to get up and investigate, Tae-ha unexpectedly spoke.

“If it’s fine with me, they can join us.”

Tae-ha was the kind of person who dismissed unnecessary formalities, categorizing people based on whether they brought him gain or loss, and maintaining appropriate boundaries accordingly.

Yoo-ri admired how Tae-ha’s steadfastness and mechanical precision aligned perfectly with the businesslike nature of their marriage. Therefore, when he casually suggested inviting Eun-ho and his companion into the private room, a dangerous curiosity stirred within her.

“Shall we? Manager, please relay the invitation.”

Moments later, the door opened, and Yoo-ri appeared with Eun-ho, her face reflecting a mix of anticipation. Her gaze swept between the two guests before settling on Tae-ha, who sat with polite composure.

It was unexpected. The fact that Ji-soo was dining here with Eun-ho on a weekend afternoon was surprising enough—but the audacity to accept the invitation to join them in the private room, despite having the option to refuse, made Yoo-ri want to applaud.

Thanks to Tae-ha, Yoo-ri found herself in for quite an entertaining show. How far would Ji-soo go to challenge him? While Tae-ha preferred defiance and spirited reactions over docility, her apparent lack of concern about Eun-ho’s proximity—and others encroaching—was a serious issue.

“We’ll set up accordingly.”

The nearly empty wine bottle and simple dishes from their meal in the hall were brought in and arranged on the table.

Alternating his gaze between the depleted bottle and Ji-soo’s flushed face, a sardonic smile tugged at Tae-ha’s lips—a mixture of welcoming a cherished guest and tolerating an unwelcome intruder.