MHD - 37

Chapter 37: Kwon Chae-won

Clomp, clomp.  

The sound of footsteps echoed through the lobby, drawing the attention of those nearby who bowed their heads in greeting.  

Jae-hyuk exchanged brief nods with people who paused to bow as he passed, quickening his pace. Stepping outside the lobby, a gentle spring breeze brushed against his forehead.  

It was unmistakably spring.  

The roadside trees near the company’s main gate were tinged with a soft pink hue. Flower buds that had endured the early spring rains hung from every branch, heralding the start of the season.  

For some, it was the kind of season that stirred unnecessary excitement or made them complain about the weather.  

Jae-hyuk detached his gaze from the blossoming trees, his expression indifferent. A black sedan was just pulling into the lobby driveway.  

“I’ve prepared everything as you instructed, Vice President.”  

The chauffeur reported via the rearview mirror. As Jae-hyuk settled into the backseat, a bouquet of flowers caught his eye—it was what he had ordered through his secretary.  

It was an elegant arrangement of pure white lisianthus interspersed with delicate baby’s breath, complemented by white roses and pale green wildflowers. The bouquet exuded a rich floral fragrance.  

“You’ve done well.”  

After a brief word of thanks and a nod, the car glided out of the company gates.  

A bouquet of flowers on a spring day—quite romantic, isn’t it?  

Jae-hyuk glanced briefly at the large bouquet beside him before turning his gaze back to the window. The familiar cityscape flowed past like a silent film.  

Vibrate.  

Picking up his phone, a message from Hee-soo appeared on the screen.  

[“Today’s the day, right? I’ll be there on time.”]  

[“Yes. See you there.”]  

Jae-hyuk replied swiftly and closed his eyes.  

Today was the day he would make a “proposal” to Hee-soo and confirm their first meeting.  

[“9 PM, Hotel Yeonwoon-am, the same place as last time.”]  

He had sent the message succinctly, and surprisingly, Hee-soo had responded quickly.  

[“Got it.”]  

No questions about the location, the time, or what they would discuss. It was an emotionless, concise reply.  

After that brief exchange, there had been no further contact until today. Hee-soo had only sent a confirmation message earlier—”I’ll be there on time”—a formal acknowledgment.  

Holding the phone and staring at Hee-soo’s message, Jae-hyuk let out a bitter smile before raising his head. In the distance, the hotel building came into view.  

7:00 PM.  

Jae-hyuk arrived at the hotel two hours earlier than the appointed time with Hee-soo.  

Before meeting Hee-soo, there was something he needed to take care of—a small play to unmask Seo Hee-soo.  

Jae-hyuk picked up the bouquet from the backseat and stepped out of the car.  

Entering the hotel lobby, he noticed curious gazes drawn to the bouquet in his hands. Eyes flickered between the flowers and his face, spreading whispers of intrigue among the crowd.  

People eagerly followed him with their eyes, wondering who the bouquet was for.  

This was the bustling lobby of a famous downtown hotel—a perfect stage for creating rumors. Carrying such a conspicuous bouquet was practically an invitation for gossip.  

Jae-hyuk deliberately walked slowly through the subtle yet prying gazes, heading toward the lounge area.  

“We can guide you to a more private seat inside.”  

“No need. This spot is fine.”  

Declining the staff’s offer of a secluded corner, Jae-hyuk chose a seat not far from the entrance.  

Being visible to others was preferable—it was why he had brought the large bouquet in the first place.  

The lounge was bustling with evening diners. Jae-hyuk sat with his legs crossed, his face expressionless as he stared straight ahead.  

7:10 PM, then 7:20 PM.  

Thirty minutes past the agreed-upon time, the person he was supposed to meet finally appeared at the lounge entrance.  

“Sorry I’m late.”  

A lavishly dressed woman approached Jae-hyuk upon spotting him.  

“Lee Jae-hyuk… Vice President, correct? I’m Kwon Chae-won.”  

“Lee Jae-hyuk.”  

Jae-hyuk gave a slight nod as a greeting to the woman standing before him.  

This was the long-delayed blind date.  

“It’s our first time meeting, right? For some reason, you look familiar.”  

Kwon Chae-won flashed a confident smile as she took her seat. From her words, it seemed she was unaware that her ex-boyfriend, Baek Dong-hwan, and Jae-hyuk were close friends.

That was understandable. Jae-hyuk always arrived late and left early at Dong-hwan’s drinking parties. In his memory, Kwon Chae-won was perpetually drunk whenever he saw her. Perhaps it was only natural that she didn’t remember him.  

Thus, she could so casually stand before her ex-boyfriend’s friend as if nothing were amiss and greet him as a blind date partner.  

“I guess I have a common face.”  

Jae-hyuk lightly joked, and Chae-won waved her hands exaggeratedly in response. Her eyes sparkled with clear interest in him.  

“How could that be? If faces like yours were common, this place would be paradise. Hohoho.”  

“…You flatter me.”  

When Jae-hyuk responded with a cold smile, showing no particular reaction, Chae-won seemed slightly embarrassed and changed the subject by ordering a drink.  

“…I come to Yeonwoon-am every week, but this is my first time in the lounge. There’s a flower-arranging meeting here every Wednesday. Do you like flowers?”  

As Chae-won spoke about her refined hobby, her gaze drifted toward the bouquet beside Jae-hyuk. She was an open book, her thoughts plainly visible on her face.  

Jae-hyuk smirked and handed over the prepared bouquet.  

“I heard you like flowers, so I brought this. It might be the best thing I’ve done all day.”  

“Oh my, you’re really something.”  

Chae-won giggled, struggling to suppress her widening grin.  

“I love lisianthus. How did you know?”  

“It’s a flower I like too.”  

In truth, Jae-hyuk had no interest in whether Chae-won liked lisianthus or not.  

The bouquet was a prop he had prepared specifically for today—an accessory to make their meeting more conspicuous.  

“Do you know the meaning behind lisianthus?”  

At Chae-won’s question, Jae-hyuk’s eyes flickered with a fleeting chill.  

Unchanging love.  

Memories from the past stirred—someone’s radiant smile as they received a white bouquet came to mind.  

“Everyone knows the meaning of lisianthus. Since you study flowers, I’m sure you’re familiar with baby’s breath too.”  

Cutting off his reminiscence, Jae-hyuk steered the conversation away. He had no intention of uttering even an indirect confession he didn’t mean.  

“Baby’s breath?”  

“Yes. It’s the small flower decorating the lisianthus. They say when baby’s breath blooms, it means spring has arrived. Quite fitting for the season.”  

“Oh my, Vice President Lee Jae-hyuk, you’re surprisingly romantic! You’re making me weak in the knees.”  

Chae-won blushed and fussed dramatically, though her expression remained somewhat muted compared to Jae-hyuk’s stoic demeanor.  

“This is quite troublesome. I thought you were forced into this just like me.”  

“Is there anything troubling about it?”  

Pretending ignorance, Jae-hyuk listened to what Chae-won had to say.  

“Why don’t we just be honest? Let’s cut to the chase. Aren’t we both here because of pressure from our elders?”  

“So?”  

“In this world, how many people marry purely for love? I’m looking for a man who can be a sincere ‘window-display couple’ with me.”  

At the phrase “sincere window-display couple,” Jae-hyuk couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.  

It seemed Chae-won didn’t fully grasp the contradiction in her words. Could “sincere” and “window-display” even coexist?  

Smiling faintly but masking it as a friendly expression, Jae-hyuk replied, “Miss Kwon Chae-won, your honesty is refreshing. What do you want?”  

“What I want? How honest should I be?”  

“What better partnership is there than one where our interests align perfectly? Speak freely.”  

Encouraged by his casual agreement, Chae-won babbled on enthusiastically.  

Since they’d be a “window-display couple,” they shouldn’t interfere with each other’s lifestyles—which meant having lovers on the side was perfectly fine. However, she hoped they’d attend family events together for appearances’ sake.  

Chae-won openly revealed her desire to live life on her own terms, even within an arranged marriage.  

After rambling on for a while, following the flow of her thoughts, she suddenly stopped when her eyes met Jae-hyuk’s.  

“…Um, may I call you Jae-hyuk? Calling you Vice President Lee feels too formal.”  

Chae-won smiled coyly, her cheeks flushing.  

“I thought being a ‘window-display couple’ was all about convenience since I had no choice in this arranged marriage. But after meeting you… maybe a relationship that starts as an elders’ setup can still turn into a real romance. Especially with someone as romantic as you.”  

Anyone overhearing this might think Kwon Chae-won had fallen head over heels for Jae-hyuk and was confessing her feelings.  

But Jae-hyuk already knew that earlier that afternoon, just before coming to meet him, Chae-won had been rolling around in a suite at another hotel with her lover.  

On his phone, Jae-hyuk already had photos sent by an employee who had tailed her—images of Chae-won and her lover arriving at the hotel around the same time.

Among the photos was an enlarged shot of a naked man and woman pressed against the floor-to-ceiling glass.

And yet, here Kwon Chae-won was at this matchmaking meeting, talking about wanting to date Jae-hyuk.

“I like you, Jae-hyuk. Honestly, you’ve exceeded my expectations.”

Chae-won’s eyes gleamed with greed—a look only possessed by someone who had always gotten everything they wanted.

It was the same unshakable confidence in her status and power—a gaze that perfectly mirrored her father, Assemblyman Kwon Sam-soo.

“Miss Kwon, you resemble your father quite a bit.”

The resemblance between father and daughter was striking, even in their expressions. Taking it as a compliment, Chae-won burst into giggles.

“You’re right! I hear that a lot. Hehehe!”

Overplaying her laughter to lighten the mood, Chae-won then turned to Jae-hyuk with a suggestive question.

“Instead of staying here, why don’t we head up to the Sky Lounge for a drink? I’ve heard the view is incredible.”

Her lust-filled eyes sparkled as she gazed at him.

At that moment, Jae-hyuk’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen while avoiding her gaze.

[“I came a little early. I’ll be waiting.”]  

It was a message from Hee-soo, indicating she had arrived at the suite just below the Sky Lounge in the same hotel. After reading the message, Jae-hyuk slipped his phone back into his pocket and stood up.

“Let’s do that.”

Smiling faintly, Jae-hyuk extended his hand toward Chae-won.