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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Yeonhee
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“You have a lot of close friends, don’t you?”
Jae Ha said to Ha Yul. Her brow furrowed briefly, then smoothed out, as if she took it as a jab.
“Yeah! Two whole close friends!”
Jae Ha flinched at Ha Yul’s volume, then turned his gaze to Yi Yeon.
“So, what’s your name?”
Jae Ha asked as if he absolutely had to know Yi Yeon’s name.
The situation was so bewildering that her mind went blank.
She had to say something.
“It’s Yeon.”
“Yeon what?”
“No, just Yeon.”
“Oh, Yeonhee. Such a pretty name, too. I thought I’d go blind watching you walk over from afar earlier. Are you a celebrity? I don’t think I’ve heard of any celeb named Yeonhee.”
Yeah, just call me whatever, Yeonhee.
“Not a celebrity. Don’t say that. I might get hate for it.”
“Who’d hate on you? I’m just stating facts.”
Yi Yeon sneaked a glance at Do Hyun.
“Oh, this guy’s all stoic and uninterested. He got dragged here to this event against his will. His grandpa’s got ties to the Youngsin family…”
Jae Ha clapped a hand on Do Hyun’s shoulder, and Do Hyun turned his head toward Jae Ha.
Do Hyun and Yi Yeon’s eyes met in midair.
Her heart pounded. It was their first time facing each other without her disguise, and she was tense. For some reason, she couldn’t look away.
Do Hyun seemed to frown slightly, then turned his head.
He took a step sideways, as if putting distance between them.
Their brief staring contest ended in Yi Yeon’s victory.
Good, he didn’t recognize her.
But why the frown?
Yi Yeon tried to brush it off as nothing and was about to suggest to Ha Yul that they move to another table. That’s when Ha Yul suddenly slammed her hand on the table.
“I only have two friends, so no one else to ask. This one looks all innocent, but I worry bad guys might come sniffing around. I’ve got something to take care of, so could you watch our little cutie for a bit?”
“Why are you doing this? I’m fine alone!”
Yi Yeon was starting to get confused. Was Ha Yul really that scared and brought her along for protection?
She also worried that if the lie got exposed, Do Hyun might call off their marriage.
Please stop.
“How can you trust us with your cutie?”
It was all Im Ha Yul’s fault that everything was falling apart.
And what was this “little cutie” nonsense? Even her image felt off now.
On top of that, Jae Ha chiming in made him annoying too. The two had great chemistry.
“Sorry, but I trust the Vice President more than you. Anyway, I’ve gotta go now…”
Ha Yul shoved Jae Ha, then pushed Yi Yeon’s back.
Jae Ha stumbled back, and Yi Yeon’s body tilted toward Do Hyun.
Do Hyun’s eyes widened as he watched her.
Jae Ha and Yi Yeon both let out an “Eek!” Ha Yul, waving goodbye as she left, was already far away.
Yi Yeon grabbed Do Hyun’s forearm with both hands instinctively to keep from falling.
Once Yi Yeon regained her balance, Do Hyun shook off her arm and gave her a cold look.
“What?”
The gaze Do Hyun fixed on this stranger was icy. It must’ve been relatively warm compared to his usual standards toward her.
“Ah, sorry.”
“It’s not like the cutie did it on purpose. That lady pushed her.”
Jae Ha scolded the prickly Do Hyun.
“But doesn’t your friend have some personality issues? Why shove me aside and toss the cutie at Do Hyun?”
Jae Ha asked Yi Yeon with eyes that seemed half-serious, half-teasing.
“I wonder about that sometimes too.”
Yi Yeon agreed with Jae Ha, annoyed at Ha Yul for throwing her at Do Hyun.
“You can’t stick this close. This guy’s married. Me? Single and solo.”
Jae Ha grinned as he pried the two apart.
They hadn’t been that close, but knowing the situation, Jae Ha seemed to be signaling that Do Hyun was taken.
Yi Yeon, though, didn’t hear a word.
Fretting that Do Hyun might recognize her, she fidgeted with her trembling fingertips. She stole worried glances at him, but he didn’t spare her a look.
He really hadn’t recognized her.
‘Good.’
It was good, definitely good. So why did a pang of disappointment and regret bloom in her chest?
She’d disguised herself to avoid attention, yet she wanted Do Hyun’s interest.
What a joke.
As if anything would change if he knew.
Unbidden, Yi Yeon’s eyes drifted to Do Hyun, who wouldn’t even glance her way.
She suddenly understood why women wanted to look good for the guys they liked, craved their attention.
Disturbed, Yi Yeon dropped her head and stared at the floor.
This is ridiculous, Yu Yi Yeon.
“Kim Jae Ha, you not leaving? Let’s just sign in and grab food.”
“Why are you so stiff? That girl with personality issues asked us to look after the cutie. We should wait till she gets back.”
How long was he going to call her “cutie”?
Jae Ha flashed Yi Yeon a bright smile, as if to say he’d wait with her. It didn’t seem like romantic interest—just good manners ingrained in him.
He’d been just as casually chatty when he’d dropped by the office a few times to see Do Hyun.
She already knew his personality, felt no ulterior motives, so it didn’t bother her. Or maybe she trusted him because he was Do Hyun’s friend.
Jae Ha leaned in close to Yi Yeon and sniffed.
“Yeonhee, mind if I ask? What perfume? It’s not common, but it suits you perfectly.”
“Oh, I mix my own, so it might seem unique.”
“First fell for the cutie, now twice for the scent. Too dangerous to leave alone. That’s why Personality Issues left her with us. Just stick close. Especially by Do Hyun—no one approaches him spouting nonsense. Smart move by her.”
Personality Issues.
Yi Yeon burst out laughing at calling Ha Yul “Personality Issues.”
“But cutie, why do you look so familiar? Have we met somewhere?”
She should’ve said no right away, but bad at lying, she mumbled instead.
“Feels like we’ve met our cutie before.”
Jae Ha even asked Do Hyun.
Her soaring spirits crashed at “familiar.”
“I’m great with faces. That’s why you seem familiar… Even your voice rings a bell…”
Feeling Do Hyun turn toward her made her lips go dry.
Im Ha Yul, when are you coming back?
Yi Yeon scanned around and spotted Ha Yul far off, chatting with the family types, introducing her it seemed.
She pulled out her phone to check the time and saw a message from Ha Yul.
Ah, she’d texted. Too focused on Do Hyun and Jae Ha to check.
[I Yeon, emergency! Not sure when I can escape here. They won’t let me go.]
It was nearly 10 p.m. Time to start the Cinderella game earlier. No end in sight—she’d better bail from this tense spot.
[Okay, I’ll head out first then. Wrap up easy! Don’t worry about me.]
Yi Yeon left the text for Ha Yul and grabbed her pouch bag in a hurry.
That’s when Do Hyun, fiddling with his phone, announced he was leaving to Jae Ha.
“I’m heading home. As for that lady… wait till Personality shows up or whatever.”
Wait.
The situation felt hopelessly tangled.
Her disguise stuff was in Ha Yul’s car shopping bag.
If Do Hyun went home first like this, Yi Yeon couldn’t follow in this getup.
She had spare wig and makeup at home, but getting there was the issue.
“Wait!”
Yi Yeon grabbed Do Hyun as he started to leave. He turned back with a blank face, like what’s this?
“Me?”
“Yes! I want to go first! Let me go first!”
Ridiculous, right? But no other ideas. Escape first.
“What’s that…”
“Thanks for today! Personality Issues will thank you too! Take care!”
Yi Yeon bolted from the building as soon as she finished. Luckily, a taxi stand was right outside, so she hopped in one.
She’d probably beat Do Hyun home.
Yi Yeon leaned her head against the seat.
The dry gaze he gave a strange woman.
Feeling Do Hyun’s coldness firsthand, she got it. He wasn’t like other guys ogling beauty.
Even famous celebs passing by didn’t faze him.
Of course—consistent even with Jeong Hee Ra.
Her heart had sunk when he smacked her hand away, but now it seemed lucky.
He disliked other women touching him.
Was there really a man like that?
Yi Yeon closed her eyes, heart rate climbing pleasantly.
* * *
“Vice President, an executive meeting’s been called for 10 a.m. Should we push the weekly one? What time?”
Monday morning, Yi Yeon got word of the executive meeting and hurriedly knocked before entering Do Hyun’s office.
Do Hyun slowly scanned Yi Yeon from head to toe.
Today, too, she was bundled up tight.
But he’d already glimpsed the silhouette hidden under her baggy clothes. So now, he pictured the slender, shapely limbs beneath.
“Vice President? Weekly to what time? Or tomorrow?”
“Tell them 2 p.m.”
“Yes, sir.”
One more weird thing.
That cutie—or Yeonhee—from last week’s event overlapped with Yi Yeon in his mind. Absurd, yet the doubt kept surfacing.
