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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Woman Cha Seonghyeok Likes
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“First, let’s sit.”
Seonghyeok calmed the agitated Mihyeon, guided her back to her seat, and then had Yeongin sit in the furthest right of the three seats opposite the three people from BK.
Jingyo had no choice but to sit in the leftmost seat, as Seonghyeok sat next to Yeongin. With Seonghyeok in the center, Jingyo was on his left, and Yeongin was on his right.
Once the three were seated, Mihyeon, her face flushed, spoke again.
“Did you know I’d be here, and came to see me?”
“I was aware that Director Go Mihyeon would be here, but I didn’t come to see Director Go Mihyeon.”
“You’re still needlessly honest, aren’t you? What would it hurt to just say you came to see me?”
Mihyeon paid no mind to Seonghyeok’s consistently polite demeanor.
“I’m not skilled at empty words.”
“That’s part of your charm, I suppose.”
Seonghyeok tried to shift the atmosphere, attempting to rein in Mihyeon, who seemed oblivious to everyone else.
“Shall we start the meal?”
Contrary to his intention, Mihyeon’s personal chatter continued even after the meal began.
Thanks to her, Yeongin learned that the two were members of an old group and were meeting again after several years.
As time passed, Yeongin began to doubt if Mihyeon was truly a fan of Seo Jingyo. She seemed more suited to be the president of Cha Seonghyeok’s fan club.
Mihyeon even brought up unnecessary topics without anyone asking.
“I used to like Seonghyeok. I even confessed, but he rejected me.”
Yeongin, who was bringing a spoonful of crab soup to her mouth, paused for a moment.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know there were many attractive and capable women around Seonghyeok, yet her heart fluttered for some reason.
She liked Cha Seonghyeok, but she disliked feeling insignificant whenever she was involved with him. That was also why she was trying not to return to their previous relationship.
“I don’t think this is the appropriate setting for such talk.”
Mihyeon calmly looked around, despite Seonghyeok frowning.
“Are you uncomfortable? Those who are uncomfortable are welcome to leave first.”
The deputy general manager and manager from BK waved their hands, indicating they were not uncomfortable at all, while Yeongin and Jingyo responded with faint smiles, signifying they were fine.
However, both of them felt uneasy. Their emotion was the same—jealousy—but the targets differed.
Yeongin was jealous of Mihyeon for having liked Seonghyeok, while Jingyo was jealous of Seonghyeok for having stolen the attention of Mihyeon, who claimed to be his fan.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
Why was this woman acting like this…?
Discomfiture was evident in Yeongin’s eyes.
She had heard that Go Mihyeon had a personality that didn’t care about others’ opinions, but she hadn’t expected it to be this extreme.
“Why do you ask?”
Seonghyeok’s tone, slowly growing annoyed, became noticeably cold.
“If you’re not, I might try confessing again. I failed five years ago, but who knows, I might succeed this time?”
“You won’t succeed. I have someone I like.”
He cut her off so sharply that it was embarrassing for her.
“I was just joking, no need to be so serious…”
Mihyeon, feeling awkward, grumbled and picked up a wine bottle. Her gaze turned towards the woman Cha Seonghyeok liked.
“You’re Team Leader Chae Yeongin, right?”
“Yes.”
“Have a drink.”
The moment Yeongin reached for the wine glass in front of her, Seonghyeok interjected, beating her to it.
“Team Leader Chae, she quit drinking.”
I did?
Yeongin had to rack her brain before realizing where that statement came from.
“If you’re not going to call me, from now on, only drink with me.”
“I quit. I won’t drink anymore.”
She had been sincere at that moment. It was just that her sincerity had faded.
“Does the CEO of that company even know that a team leader quit drinking? What a family-like company.”
Seonghyeok merely shrugged without a word. He swallowed the thought that he wanted to be real family, but Chae Yeongin wasn’t cooperating.
Fearing Seonghyeok would get serious again if she pressed Yeongin further, Mihyeon changed her target to Jingyo.
“Mr. Seo, let’s have a drink.”
She realized how fickle the human heart could be. She had always thought there was no man more attractive than Seo Jingyo, yet seeing him next to Cha Seonghyeok, she felt no particular excitement.
“I apologize. I have an early morning shoot tomorrow.”
Although he was smiling outwardly, Jingyo was thoroughly annoyed. It was the first time he had been completely excluded from the center of attention like this, and he was deeply displeased.
Mihyeon, rejected twice in a row, straightened her head with a crestfallen expression.
“Are you not going to drink either?”
Seonghyeok casually held out his glass.
“I haven’t quit drinking, and I don’t have a shoot.”
Yeongin looked at Seonghyeok, who was accepting the drink, with narrowed eyes. Something felt suspicious.
***
“Drive for me.”
Just as I thought.
Yeongin’s premonition hadn’t been wrong.
She also understood what Seonghyeok had meant by ‘not now’ before they left. He had driven his car here, yet calmly drank alcohol—it must have been his scheme from the very beginning.
“Was this why you kept me from drinking?”
“Kept you from drinking? You said yourself you quit. I just spoke on your behalf, didn’t I?”
“……”
As Yeongin was speechless, Jingyo stepped in.
“Let’s call a designated driver.”
Seonghyeok’s expression, as he turned to Jingyo, grew abruptly indifferent.
“I’ve never called a designated driver.”
“I can call a service I frequently use for you.”
“It’s not that I don’t know how to call one; it’s that I don’t want to.”
“Then I’ll drive.”
“The only person who can drive my car when I’m in it but not driving myself is Yeongin.”
Yeongin knew this fact too. Though she hadn’t realized he still adhered to that principle.
Jingyo, who had been speechless for a moment, curled the corners of his lips in a sneer.
“You’re quite particular, aren’t you?”
Yeongin agreed with that remark. Yet, ironically, whenever such a particular and sensitive person acted casually and generously only towards her, she often felt as if she had become someone special. Just like now.
“Is there any reason I shouldn’t, when I’m not harming anyone else?”
“Don’t you think you’re inconveniencing Yeongin?”
“What kind of inconvenience are you referring to?”
“Unwanted labor.”
Jingyo looked back at Yeongin as if seeking her agreement. Seonghyeok also turned his head to Yeongin.
Yeongin, receiving the gazes of both men, felt awkward about whose side to take.
In truth, she didn’t agree with Jingyo’s words. While she hadn’t wished for it, she didn’t consider it labor. But she couldn’t be honest, fearing Jingyo would be embarrassed.
“It’s fine, Seonbae.”
Yeongin took an ambiguous stance and shifted her gaze to Seonghyeok.
“We can drop off Seonbae Jingyo first, right?”
“You can.”
Regardless of Seonghyeok’s ready permission, Jingyo no longer wanted to feel alienated between the two of them. He couldn’t tolerate the strange intimacy he felt, even without them saying much.
“No. I’ll take a taxi.”
“Seonbae.”
“A taxi is more convenient.”
“Then I’ll call a taxi for you.”
“I’ll call one as I go upstairs, so take the CEO home and go home quickly.”
Yeongin couldn’t argue further.
“Okay…”
“I’ll call you.”
Jingyo, who had given Seonghyeok a silent nod, gently ruffled Yeongin’s hair, who looked apologetic, and turned away.
A vein pulsed in Seonghyeok’s temple as he watched the two.
He didn’t see Yeongin’s eyes widen momentarily. Thus, he didn’t know that this kind of skinship was new to her. He only felt displeasure.
***
Seonghyeok watched silently, smiling, as Yeongin naturally headed to his designated parking spot upon arriving at the villa’s parking lot.
It was quite gratifying to confirm that just as he remembered everything about Chae Yeongin, she did the same.
“No need to park. Just take it.”
“No, I’ll take a taxi.”
“If I intended for you to take a taxi, I wouldn’t have asked you to drive me all the way here. I would’ve just left the car at the restaurant and picked it up tomorrow.”
He wanted to be with her; he didn’t make Yeongin drive because he disliked taking taxis.
“Taking a taxi is more convenient.”
Seonghyeok’s eyebrows twitched irritably, hearing the exact same words Seo Jingyo had spoken a moment ago.
“Then I’ll follow you to make sure you get home safely. Is it okay for me to drive drunk?”
Yeongin stopped the car, turned to him, and retorted.
“Would that be okay?”
“So, just take it.”
“Beomjun Oppa knows this is your car, Seonbae.”
“Ah, right.”
Seonghyeok pondered for a moment before offering an alternative.
“Can’t we just reveal our relationship?”
“Reveal what? That we briefly dated and broke up?”
“No, I don’t want that.”
He refused firmly, then suddenly frowned.
“Then why make it so we can’t reveal it? Wouldn’t it be better if we could say we’re dating now, or that we’re about to get married?”
“……”
While Yeongin was flustered by the sudden reprimand, he came up with a somewhat sensible solution.
“Park it in front of another house nearby and go in.”
“What if it gets towed?”
“What’s the big deal? So what if it gets towed?”
“……”
Unlike the carefree car owner, Yeongin herself was worried about what would happen if the expensive car got scratched while being towed.
“Your car is at the office, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then drive my car to work tomorrow.”
Yeongin’s eyes widened as if to say, ‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
“What if someone sees?”
“So what if they see? You’re too conscious of other people’s gazes.”
“How can I not be conscious? Anyone who sees it will think it’s strange.”
“Are you worried they’ll think CEO Cha Seonghyeok and Team Leader Chae Yeongin are ‘that kind’ of couple?”
“Yes.”
“I wish they wouldn’t just think it, but spread rumors too.”
“……”
Yeongin stared at his smiling lips with an incredulous expression. But then, even more astonishing words came from Seonghyeok’s mouth.
“Do you know about the Seodongyo technique?”
“Just you dare.”
Just as Yeongin warned him firmly, a faint vibration echoed inside the car.
Seonghyeok unbuckled his seatbelt, picked up the bag from the back seat, and handed it to Yeongin.
Yeongin took out her phone from the bag, checked the caller, and heard a rather displeased voice.
“Is it Seo Jingyo?”
Just as he said, the phone screen displayed ‘Seonbae Seo Jingyo’.
