CEB - 14

Chapter 14: Dan-jung’s Blind Date

“Hye-mi, you’re willing to marry Min-hyuk, right?”

Unlike Min-hee, Yeon-joo maintained a calm and rational demeanor. Still, she couldn’t help but worry that Hye-mi might leave Min-hyuk again.

“Yes, as long as Senior agrees.”

Hye-mi emphasized her response to dispel any doubts Yeon-joo might have.

“This time, if you get married, it has to be for life. I won’t allow another breakup.”

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”

“But if Min-hyuk ends up lonely again… what will you do then?”

“…”

For a moment, Hye-mi was at a loss for words. It was the same thing she had said to Yeon-joo before breaking up with Min-hyuk years ago:

[Mother, I’m so sorry. But being with Brother makes me feel so lonely.]

“Mom.”

Min-hee, sensing the awkwardness in the air, grew restless.

“I’ve made up my mind. Even if I feel lonely, I’ll stay by his side because I now know life without him would be lonelier.”

“Alright, I trust you.”

Yeon-joo nodded, deciding to give Hye-mi another chance.

“Thank you for trusting me.”

The shadow of doubt on Hye-mi’s face lifted as she finally smiled brightly.

“Hello? Min-hyuk?”

Knowing her son’s time was running out, Yeon-joo didn’t waste any time and called Min-hyuk directly. She rarely called him unless absolutely necessary, so this call was carefully considered.

• Yes, Mother. What is it?

“I’d like you to come home today if you can. Let’s have dinner together—it’ll be nice.”

• I’ll stop by after work, around 7 PM.

“Good, see you then.”

After ending the brief call, Yeon-joo’s thoughts deepened. Her son was an exceptionally rational person who couldn’t feel emotions. If he had chosen someone other than Hye-mi, there must have been a reason. But marrying an unknown woman without understanding her background wasn’t something she could accept lightly.

“I understand your feelings, Hye-mi. I’ll have a sincere talk with Min-hyuk today. However, the final decision rests with him.”

“Yes, I understand. If you speak to him, I’m sure he’ll listen.”

Hye-mi knew all too well that Min-hyuk’s actions were often influenced by his mother. Yeon-joo’s words carried significant weight, so with her intervention, Hye-mi felt reassured.

________________________________________

After finishing the call with his mother, Min-hyuk fell into deep thought. His mother never called without reason, so it was clear she was concerned about his marriage.

“I need to discuss this with her today.”

Min-hyuk decided to visit his family home and inform them of his intention to marry Dan-jung. With his father’s deadline looming, he couldn’t delay preparations any longer.

“Um… President Min. There’s something I need to tell you. I’m not sure if I should say this, but I think you should know.”

Im Secretary, driving Min-hyuk, hesitated before speaking. The night before, while dropping Dan-jung off, he had overheard a conversation about a blind date and agonized over whether to report it. But seeing Min-hyuk visit Dan-jung two days in a row convinced him that his boss was clearly interested in her. Believing it was his duty as a loyal subordinate, he decided to share the information.

“Go ahead.”

“Well… it seems Miss Choi has a blind date tomorrow.”

“A blind date?”

“Yes. Last night, when I dropped her off, I overheard her mother urging her to meet someone on Friday. She seemed reluctant, but just in case, I thought I should let you know.”

“Thank you for the information.”

Min-hyuk’s brow furrowed involuntarily at the news. He couldn’t stand the idea of someone interfering with what he saw as a done deal. Though Dan-jung appeared committed, caution was still necessary.

“A blind date, huh…”

Min-hyuk muttered, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. A headache was creeping up again.

Why now? He had been fine just moments ago.

Seeing Min-hyuk’s expression twist in pain, Im Secretary began to regret mentioning it.

“Secretary Oh, bring me some water. And check Miss Choi’s schedule for tomorrow, please.”

Entering the office, Min-hyuk requested updates on Dan-jung’s schedule while massaging his throbbing head. Though he rarely showed signs of discomfort, anything related to Dan-jung unsettled him.

In the past, Min-hyuk hadn’t paid much attention to headaches—they disappeared with medication, and he hadn’t cared enough to question the emotions behind them. But now, he was curious about this unpleasant feeling. Though he couldn’t pinpoint why, he was certain it had something to do with Dan-jung.

“Yes, sir.”

Oh Hyun-jung, a seasoned secretary in her late 30s with over a decade of experience, had worked closely with Min-hyuk since his days as a senior manager. She had earned the absolute trust of the Lee family through her meticulous support.

Even so, seeing Min-hyuk’s visibly troubled face startled her. It was the first time she’d seen him display such raw emotion. Though his usual composed demeanor sometimes felt artificial, witnessing his frustration now made him seem more human.

Knock, knock. Moments later, Secretary Oh entered with a glass of water.

“President Min, according to the schedule, Miss Choi is working the night shift on Friday.”

“Hmm…”

After taking his headache medicine, Min-hyuk sighed softly. If she was on the night shift, Dan-jung would have plenty of time to meet her blind date for lunch or conversation.

“Contact the front desk team and change Miss Choi’s schedule to the afternoon shift.”

Secretary Oh blinked in surprise at Min-hyuk’s abrupt order. She was aware of the rumors surrounding Min-hyuk and Dan-jung, but her boss wasn’t the type to act impulsively. He was known for being cautious and level-headed—so why this sudden behavior?

“As you wish. I’ll take care of it.”

Collecting herself, Secretary Oh left the office.

“This is… troubling.”

Despite piles of documents and proposals awaiting his attention, Min-hyuk couldn’t focus. All he could think about was Dan-jung meeting another man and chatting warmly. If she changed her mind and rejected him, he might end up marrying anyone—a prospect he dreaded.

Pushing aside the paperwork, Min-hyuk stood abruptly.

“Secretary Im, let’s go to Miss Choi’s place now.”

He called Secretary Im as he exited the office. Determined to eliminate any uncertainty, he planned to ensure Dan-jung wouldn’t attend the blind date.

________________________________________

<Hey, I came to my parents’ house with Ha-yeon. I’ll stay overnight and return tomorrow.>

Receiving Jin-hee’s text, Dan-jung relished the rare moment of solitude. After enduring Hye-mi’s demands and the absurd request for a “love report,” she was utterly exhausted.

Riiing, riiing. Just then, her phone interrupted her rest.

“Hello?”

Annoyed, Dan-jung answered without checking the caller ID.

• Sister?

“Who? Is that Si-woo?”

• Yeah, it’s me. Do you have a moment? I need to talk to you.

“When? Today?”

• Yes.

“Alright, I’ll see you at the employee lounge later. Aren’t you on the night shift too?”

• Actually, I’m outside your place right now. Can you come out for a bit? I won’t take much of your time.

“My place?”

Dan-jung got up, stomping down the stairs to peer out the window. There, Si-woo looked up, phone in hand, and their eyes met. He waved cheerfully.

Sigh… Why did everyone want to see her today? Exhausted, Dan-jung just wanted to rest. Meeting Si-woo separately held no appeal—it only added to her burden.

“If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve taken the bus.”

She regretted occasionally hitching rides with Si-woo after work. Though he had always kept his distance, she found his unannounced visit burdensome, especially after yesterday’s scare with Won-soon.

It was different from Min-hyuk’s visit earlier. Despite entering her home without permission, Min-hyuk hadn’t made her feel uneasy or annoyed. In fact, discovering a new side of him had been refreshing.

But Si-woo was different. His unexpected arrival irritated her.

“Wait a moment. I’ll be right out.”

Still in her loungewear, Dan-jung went outside. Spotting her, Si-woo awkwardly waved.

“What brings you here? Is something wrong?”

“Sister, is it true you rode in President Min’s car yesterday at the intersection?”

“How did you know?”

“Someone claims they saw you getting into his car. Rumors are spreading that you two are… involved.”

“Ugh… I waited near the bank just in case.”

“Sister, are you really going to marry President Min-hyuk?”

“It seems likely.”

Dan-jung saw no reason to hide the truth from Si-woo, who already knew about Min-hyuk’s proposal. Besides, once word spread at the hotel—which was inevitable—there’d be no point in secrecy.

“Sister, do you know about President Min-hyuk’s condition? He has mental issues.”

“How do you know that?”

Dan-jung was shocked. Min-hyuk had explicitly told her it was confidential, and she hadn’t shared it with anyone except Jin-hee. How did Si-woo know?

Jin-hee wouldn’t have spoken about it, and surely other employees weren’t aware either. Otherwise, gossip about Min-hyuk would have erupted long ago.

“So you know, and yet you’re still marrying him?”

Si-woo’s expression hardened at Dan-jung’s confirmation.

Truthfully, he hadn’t moved on after she rejected his feelings. Instead, he’d stayed close, hoping she’d eventually reciprocate. Though she dated others, those relationships never lasted long, giving him quiet hope.

But marriage? That changed everything.

“Sister, actually, I…”

“President Min?”

Before Si-woo could confess, Dan-jung blurted out something entirely unexpected. Following her gaze, Si-woo turned to see Min-hyuk striding toward them with purposeful steps.

In an instant, Min-hyuk reached them, grabbing Dan-jung’s hand and pulling her to his side. It was as if he was marking his territory, silently warning Si-woo to back off.