.  He furrowed at my question then responded grumblingly. For some reason, he looked quite proud of himself just until now, but I guess I spoiled his moment.

  “Come on, don’t get me wrong.”


  “Don’t get me wrong? It looked like he was beaten by you before. Dude, you shouldn’t do that to your cousin although that guy named Eun Kyum is a bit…”


  I slurred the end of my sentence.

  Although that guy named Eun Kyum is a bit… No, it’s not just a bit.

  “A bit… I mean, quite… delinquent.”


  Eun Jiho then laughed sardonically and suddenly lifted his hand to push my forehead.

  What the… I moved his hand away from me with a frown, saying, ‘Ugh, stop it.’ Still, he pushed my forehead firmly for a while and added his words.

  “Just mind your own business. In the first place, it was– oh, never mind.”


  “What?”


  “Nothing. Now look forward and smile. Come on.”


  Speaking like a photographer, Eun Jiho turned my shoulder to the front. I almost begged him to clarify what he meant, pouting my lips.

  What is it? Please tell me.

  I said it’s nothing.

  Oh, come on! What is it?

  I told you, it’s nothing!

  At that moment, a quiet voice intervened between us. Eun Jiho and I turned back simultaneously to look at who it was. We then turned stiff.

  “Choi Yuri.”


  As Eun Jiho called her name, his eyes revealed a sign of cold, icy thin contempt. It then disappeared as he found a person standing next to her.

  Holding her hands together as if she was praying, Choi Yuri detached her lips again.

  “Jiho! And… Donnie is here too…”


  Speaking like that, Choi Yuri showed a faint smile on her gentle and kind looking face which resembled that of an herbivore. I remained silent as not knowing how to react; Eun Jiho stared at her, flickering his eyes with composure. Meanwhile, a person beside her stepped forward then stretched out his hand to Eun Jiho. Holding that hand, Eun Jiho opened his mouth.

  “Mr. Chairman.”


  “You’re getting more and more handsome. How fortunate is our chairman Eun to have a son like you!”


  The gentleman called Mr. Chairman then gave a hearty laugh.

  Maybe that person is Choi Yuri’s father.

  I quickly scanned his appearance.

  Unlike Choi Yuri’s slender figure and gentle appearance, the gentleman was big and quite thick. He looked somewhat sharp and obviously athletic.

  I said to myself quietly.

  Choi Yuri, now I get that you’re also like the rich daughters in TV dramas.

  I guess it was because of your background that let you bombard such words to me like ‘I’m gonna ruin you as well as your family.’ Hold on, I could have been in big trouble?!

  The moment I had those thoughts in mind, Chairman Choi, who exchanged a few polite words with Eun Jiho, suddenly dropped a remark.

  “I heard that you and my daughter went to the same high school. I’m sorry she recently transferred. If she remained in that school, you two could have gotten close with this opportunity and, well, might also get along at school.”


  “No, dad. We were close before too.”


  What’s more, Choi Yuri intervened with a shy smile. I glanced at Eun Jiho in surprise. His icy-cold eyes, veiled with politeness, didn’t move at all.

  While applauding Eun Jiho’s peace of mind, I muttered to myself.

  How respectful you are too, Choi Yuri.

  After what Choi Yuri said, chairman Choi laughed delightfully as a response. He then spoke, looking at his daughter with a warm gaze.

  “Well, my daughter has an amazing personality. That’s why she has a lot of friends. Anyway, it’s good to hear that you two have been friends before I knew! Let’s get together some time.”


  “My honor, sir.”


  Replying like that, Eun Jiho even showed a smile on his face. Dropping a few more words, chairman Choi then left the spot for us to keep up with our conversation.

  When only the three of us left, Eun Jiho stiffened his face in a cold attitude. Smiling awkwardly, Choi Yuri detached her lips again.

  “Jiho.”


  “Isn’t there someone else you should speak to?’


  With that said, Eun Jiho pointed at me with his chin, looking angry. Choi Yuri then directed her eyes on me but soon turned dark as she found Eun Jiho’s arm around my back.

  Gazing at her, I thought for a moment.

  Mr. Chairman, do you think your daughter has an amazing personality? I’m glad that she’s, at least, a good girl at home.

  Then I leaned myself more into Eun Jiho’s arms as if I never complained to him about getting his hand off from me. My action made Eun Jiho put a naughty smile on his lips. Having eye contact with him, I turned my head back to look at Choi Yuri with a swiveling smile.

  I said, “No, what else is left to speak further? We’re all over at the rooftop.”


  “Ham Donnie.”


  Choi Yuri seemed to mutter savagely, but she took a step back when looking up at Eun Jiho. Her eyes then suddenly flooded with tears.

  Duh?

  I almost laughed out loud, feeling dumbfounded. While I barely suppressed my laughter, Choi Yuri continued with eyes of sorrow.

  “Jiho, you’re really getting me wrong. I…”


  “Are you kidding me? I didn’t hear all that from someone else but heard it directly from you.”


  When Eun Jiho responded to her apathetically, Choi Yuri became a grim face. She, however, opened her mouth again regardless.

  “Of course, I understand that’s all you can think of in the circumstances, but you’re supposed to think twice and figure things out. A lot of things happened before you knew it–”


  Heaving a sigh, Eun Jiho turned his head to Choi Yuri as if he was about to see what she would put out. Having no idea what to say, I just looked at the two alternately at a loss of words.

  In fact, the person at the center of this matter would be me, so I could hardly understand why she continued her excuse toward Eun Jiho.

  Well, as a major stakeholder, I thought it would be appropriate to listen to her explanation first since she was trying hard to keep on making excuse right now. That being said, I turned my body in her direction, bun Eun Jiho had himself toward me and spoke in a sweet voice.

  “Didn’t you say you’re hungry?”


  “Huh?”


  I blinked my eyes, thinking, ‘I never did.’


  Taking his hand off from me, he continued with a smile.

  “Choi Yuri and I will talk for a moment, so please go there and grab something. Once we finish, I’ll be there shortly.”


  When I looked at the direction he pointed at, I found a table with beautiful finger foods near the wall of the banquet hall. As there wasn’t a place to sit and eat, people were lightly enjoying, holding a beverage on one side of their hands and a plate of food on the other. Blinking my eyes, I diverted my eyes back on to Eun Jiho.

  ‘Listening to this bullshit would just make you upset.’


  When I heard Eun Jiho murmuring those words icily, I, at last, was aware of his intention.

  Anyway, she’s initiating a conversation with him, so is he trying to finish it on his own?

  It was true that I would just get upset when reviewing what happened in the past. Having that thought, I looked at Choi Yuri, scowling at me over Eun Jiho’s back. I then said to him, flaunting a bright smile.

  “Fine, I’ll be there for a moment. Enjoy your conversation.”


  Mr. Chairman would be watching us too.

  When I turned back after uttering those words, chairman Choi was indeed at a distance, fastening his gaze at us for the whole time although he was surrounded by other people. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to sense my stare. Anyway, Eun Jiho also switched his gaze to the chairman and checked the situation. He then smiled kindly to me and said, ‘I’ll finish it ASAP.’


  Before I turned around to leave, suddenly, I stretched out my hand to grab his wrist. Eun Jiho looked perplexed. Looking at his black eyes growing bigger, I glanced at Choi Yuri then dropped my last word.

  “Get back soon.”


  “Uh…”


  “Huh?”


  “Um, yeah, of course…”


  Eun Jiho, who looked quite confused until then, replied like that. He then giggled alone. Perking the corners of his lips upwards slightly to hint a smile, he stared at me with eyes filled with curiosity. He then swept his hair back and murmured to himself, but I couldn’t really hear what he was saying. Looking up at him blankly, I thought I shouldn’t be here any longer. Thus, I quickly turned around.

  As I watched Eun Jiho turning toward Choi Yuri, I bent my steps to the table.

  There weren’t many people at the food table. When I looked around, most of them were talking to each other, standing against the wall or in the middle of the hall with a glass of beverage on their hands. Some were having a conversation without holding anything. Those were the scenes around me that came into my sight.

  I felt they were throwing glances at me once in a while, so I quickly straightened up myself and moved my steps.

  Walking slowly, I browsed the foods, but most of them were desserts such as a canapé, so I didn’t really want anything to eat.

  But, should I just try something cool and pretty?

  That was when I almost stretched out my hand to pick one. Someone, who approached behind me, slightly bumped into me in the back.