Chapter 2

1 year earlier.

“The young lady has much better qualifications than the women you’ve met before. She’ll be a great help to our group too. So let’s make this one work, son.”

During breakfast, a time when the whole family was expected to be together, Hajun’s mother, Yoon Mikyung, slid a photograph across the table toward him.

“She’s twenty-two years old. She only recently came back from Germany after studying ceramics. They say the CEO of Taeon Hotel stayed unmarried for so long because he poured all his love into his youngest daughter.”

Despite Mikyung’s continued explanation, Hajun didn’t even glance at the photograph.

His younger sister, Hamin, subtly lifted her head to sneak a look at it, but when Mikyung clicked her tongue and bit her lip, Hamin pouted while chewing on her chopsticks.

“At least look at the picture, Hajun. What do you think? Isn’t she pretty enough to stand beside you?”

Mikyung went on and on, saying that Director Yoon, who was famous among the elite for arranging political marriages, had personally introduced the match.

To Hajun, marriage was little more than a business deal that came bundled with unnecessary complications and inconveniences.

Naturally, he had no intention of rushing into one.

He knew he needed to prove himself worthy of inheriting Kwonil Group, but he didn’t feel any need to strengthen his position by joining hands with another family.

“I heard Taeon is building a premium hotel in Jeju. If we’re connected to their family, wouldn’t they naturally award the construction project to Kwonil Construction?”

“As far as I know, the Jeju Premium The Taeon project is already being handled by another company. And marriage has nothing to do with my work.”

“Ah, I know! My son is capable enough to succeed without a political marriage. But it would be such a waste to let this opportunity go. Taeon Group is incredibly wealthy when it comes to land ownership.”

“…”

“You’ve heard it too, right? That Taeon Group’s CEO has terminal cancer. Rumor has it he’s desperate to see his daughter married before he closes his eyes.”

Watching Hajun eat without responding, Mikyung grew increasingly restless.

Through gatherings with other chaebol wives, she had heard rumors that Taeon’s youngest daughter would soon enter the matchmaking scene.

The thought alone made her greedy.

When Taeon directly proposed a blind date with Hajun, Mikyung had nearly screamed with delight.

Once Lee Seongchan, the CEO of Taeon who was said to be on his deathbed, passed away, part of that vast fortune would undoubtedly go to his beloved youngest daughter.

And since the young woman supposedly cared about nothing except ceramics and had no interest in business, it would be easy enough for Hajun to gain control of those assets.

Though Hajun still hadn’t replied, Mikyung continued talking.

“She’s also ten years younger than you. The age gap is a bit large, but when you look at young couples these days, it’s really not that unusual.”

“Wow, she really is young. She must be dying to marry Oppa.”

“Seo Hamin, be quiet.”

Hamin, who always spoke whatever came into her head without thinking, finally shut her mouth after being scolded.

Mikyung smiled sweetly and continued.

“The younger she is, the better. Young women are healthy and can give birth to beautiful children. Healthy eggs are important…”

A dry laugh escaped Hajun.

His mother constantly pressured him to get married, yet she spoke about his prospective partner as if she were selecting a breeding animal that would produce healthy offspring.

Seeing Hajun’s expression grow colder and colder, Mikyung hurriedly waved her hands.

“Anyway, your father also said it would be good for Kwonil Construction to be connected with them.”

Seo Taeguk, who had been silently reading the newspaper while eating, finally lowered it.

After taking a sip of water, he backed up Mikyung’s words.

“Your mother isn’t wrong. You have to get married eventually, and it’ll be hard to find a better match than the second daughter of Taeon.”

Taeguk narrowed his eyes and continued.

“A girl from the Taeon Hotel family who studied art in Germany. Even the Chairman would approve.”

“…”

“I’ve never doubted that you can reach the top without relying on your wife’s family. But throwing away such a valuable opportunity is foolish too. I’d like to see the day you take Kwonil Electronics into your own hands as soon as possible. At least go meet her first.”

With Taeguk’s support, Mikyung beamed at Hajun.

“Secretary Son will send you the time and location. Go see what kind of girl she is.”

Once Taeguk had brought up Chairman Seo of Kwonil Group, this blind date became something Hajun couldn’t simply ignore.

His schedule was packed anyway, and since he’d been given permission not to take it seriously, he could just attend, end things quickly, and leave.

* * *

As Hajun headed toward the hotel lounge, Secretary Son followed closely behind him.

“I informed them that you might be late and that they could go ahead without you. They replied that it was fine, but…”

While waiting for the elevator, Hajun checked the time on his wristwatch.

He was already two hours late.

The meeting had gone on much longer than expected, and unusually heavy traffic had delayed him even further.

Failing to account for his work schedule had been his mistake.

Regardless, they had business ties, and being late wasn’t acceptable just because he had no intention of pursuing the match.

“Let’s go.”

Secretary Son looked at him worriedly, as though wondering what they would do if the woman had already left.

“We should at least show up.”

The blind date was being held at Taeon Hotel.

It was practically the woman’s home turf.

Even if he arrived late, he needed to leave the impression that he had at least made the effort to come.

When they reached the lounge, a server greeted him brightly and guided him inside.

Apparently, the woman was still waiting.

After hesitating for a moment, Secretary Son bowed and quietly disappeared.

“Then I hope you enjoy your time.”

The server escorted him to a private room located deep inside the lounge restaurant, then left after offering a polite greeting.

Although it was the woman’s family who had proposed the meeting first, no one would be pleased after waiting this long.

What was she thinking while waiting all this time?

Hajun rubbed the crease between his brows.

If he apologized for being late and immediately announced that he had no intention of marrying, she might get angry and start throwing things across the table.

Water.

Wine.

At this point, he almost hoped she’d splash one of them in his face and end the meeting quickly.

But the woman completely defied his expectations.

* * *

Knock knock.

A firm knock sounded from beyond the door.

Inside the room, Eunjae was examining a large ceramic vase that had been placed in the corner as part of the decor.

“Yes, come in.”

The restaurant’s head chef had been checking on her repeatedly, apparently concerned because the man she was supposed to meet was so late.

The chef was also a close friend of her father, so despite already checking on her several times, he still seemed worried.

The sound of the door opening came from behind her.

She had already received word through a secretary that the man would be late.

And honestly, there were so many beautiful ceramics in the room that she didn’t mind being alone at all.

Straightening from where she had been bent over inspecting the pottery, Eunjae turned around.

“Mister…”

But when she looked back, the person standing there wasn’t a chef wearing a cook’s hat.

It was a man dressed in a perfectly tailored suit.

The moment their eyes met, it felt as though time had stopped.

That man.

Seo Hajun was standing right in front of her.

It was the first time she had actually seen him since that day twelve years ago.

After their first meeting, all she ever heard were occasional mentions of his name from her older brother Dojae.

Meeting Hajun in person had always been impossible.

Maybe that was why it didn’t feel real.

‘…Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?’

The image of Hajun from back then appeared vividly before her eyes, like a scene from a movie.

His expression had been cool, but he had spoken as gently as possible so he wouldn’t frighten her.

He had already been handsome when he had just become an adult.

But now, carrying the unmistakable presence of a mature man, he seemed even more handsome than before.

An awkward silence lingered between them.

Unlike the nervous Eunjae, the man showed almost no emotion on his face.

He stepped into the room.

Then he walked toward her.

“Mister?”