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chapter 35
It was far too upscale a restaurant to be just for lunch.
The four of them took seats in a private room at a restaurant located far from their company. It was a place that suited Taekyung and Sujeong perfectly, but to Dain, it had an atmosphere that felt almost untouchable.
At least Woo-hyun’s presence was a comfort to Dain, but his own awkward expression didn’t help the situation. The two exchanged uneasy glances and let out long sighs.
“Hmm.”
Perhaps even that brief eye contact was displeasing, because Taekyung moved his foot under the table. The subtle taps of his shoe against Woo-hyun made Woo-hyun stiffen immediately. Ignoring this silent warning would surely have consequences.
“What do you like, Dain?”
“I eat anything. Please order whatever’s convenient.”
Sujeong pretended to study the menu while observing Dain’s reaction. She had expected Dain to be flustered, but Dain’s calm demeanor was more interesting than anticipated.
Soon, the ordered dishes arrived one by one, and the four of them began eating amid the awkward atmosphere.
Dain began cutting her steak in rhythm with Sujeong, who was seated across from her, while Woo-hyun, sitting beside Sujeong, slowly sipped his soup.
“…….”
Only Taekyung, sitting next to Dain, sipped tea but didn’t touch any of the food. Perhaps he felt uncomfortable, but his expression remained as stoic as usual.
“You spoke with Mrs. Woo a few days ago. How’s the chairman doing?”
Dain asked absentmindedly, swallowing dryly as she became conscious of him. Sujeong chewed her steak carefully and smoothly brought up the topic of Taekyung’s parents.
“They’re doing well. Why are you asking if you already know?”
“Do you keep in touch with them? They seemed quite worried.”
“I’ve told them not to worry, several times…”
“Well, that’s always been how Taekyung is, hasn’t it?”
There was a faint tension crackling between them. Seeing Woo-hyun quietly struggling, Dain sent a subtle, sympathetic glance.
“Did you know, Deputy Min, that Taekyung used to cry so much as a child that his nickname was ‘faucet’?”
Taking advantage of a moment when Taekyung’s attention was elsewhere, Sujeong quickly threw out a new topic. Dain, intrigued by the unexpected story, parted her lips.
“I… I’ve never heard that before.”
“He had one close friend, and if that friend drifted away, he’d cry. If the friend was beside him, he’d cry asking them to listen… They said he was an absolute crybaby.”
It was all completely new to her. She had often seen Hanul’s mature demeanor and assumed that Taekyung’s childhood would be similar.
‘Taekyung… a crybaby?’
It was hard to even imagine tears welling in that perfectly sculpted face. While Dain stared at him in disbelief, Taekyung forced a smile, carefully managing his expression.
“If you’re just going to talk nonsense, stop eating and leave.”
Though she wanted to shout at him to shut up, Dain didn’t want him to make a scene in front of her. Sujeong shrugged in response to Taekyung’s low warning.
“Why is this nonsense? Look, Deputy Min is curious too.”
Sujeong pointed at Dain. Naturally, Taekyung turned his head and met her gaze. Dain looked up at him with a pure expression.
“Curious about that… really?”
“Yes, it’s kind of interesting.”
After asking if she was curious, her response of “kind of interesting” made his voice drop slightly, as if disappointed.
“…Kind of?”
“Very interesting, really.”
Dain answered with a light, amused tone. Her flushed cheeks showed that she was genuinely engaged in the conversation. At that point, Taekyung couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
“Hmm, then I guess there’s no choice.”
He gave a helpless smile. Sujeong, across from him, blinked in surprise at his unfamiliar smile. Woo-hyun whispered not to stare, but it was useless.
‘It’d be nice if the topic naturally led to the first-love story.’
Dain hid her thoughts perfectly, looking at Sujeong with sparkling eyes, clearly anticipating the next story.
“Executive director.”
If Woo-hyun hadn’t urgently called him, the conversation might have gone on a little longer.
“I just received a call from the chairman. You’ll need to step out briefly.”
Taekyung raised his right hand and subtly inclined his head toward Dain, signaling a whisper. Dain leaned in. His gentle, low whisper brushed softly against her ear.
“Eat slowly and chew thoroughly so you don’t get indigestion.”
Dain’s cheeks flushed red at his childlike way of adding that. Having been close to Hanul, it seemed such tones came naturally to him.
“Y-You should also be careful.”
Dain’s awkward reply was met with a smile before Taekyung stepped outside. Woo-hyun hurriedly followed, tablet tucked under his arm.
Only then did Dain realize she was alone with Sujeong.
‘He probably won’t talk about this if he’s not here. A little disappointing.’
She wanted to hear more, and noticing her subtle disappointment, Sujeong immediately set down her fork and rested her chin on her hand.
“Dain, are you uncomfortable here?”
Sujeong asked brightly, with a cheerful smile.
“No.”
Dain widened her eyes and shook her head. Far from uncomfortable, she was enjoying the interesting conversation.
Hearing about Taekyung’s childhood from a third-party perspective was refreshing. Woo-hyun would never tell her, and asking Taekyung directly would be embarrassing.
“Really? That’s good.”
Sujeong’s smile brightened at Dain’s straightforward, firm response. From the beginning, Dain had left a perfect first impression: neat eating habits, attentive eye contact without pressure, and the ability to listen seriously.
‘Sujeong, do you know why she suddenly returned to Korea?’
Sujeong recalled a question she had heard recently from Taekyung’s mother. When Taekyung’s parents had once faced a business crisis, they had to leave for abroad with him, and they carried long-term guilt for it. After that, they always worried whether their sons had been hurt but never expressed it openly.
‘I’m sorry for asking this… there aren’t many people close to the kids.’
So Sujeong visited Korea herself. She was curious if Taekyung’s sudden return involved a woman, among other things.
And as soon as she started investigating in Korea, she received surprising news: at a previous party, Taekyung had brought a partner who wasn’t introduced by the family.
The moment she heard that, Sujeong’s intuition sparked: Taekyung had a girlfriend.
‘Could it be her?’
She had sensed it from the atmosphere when she entered the office and confirmed it upon arriving at the restaurant. All of Taekyung’s attention was on Dain.
“Dain, are you married?”
“No, I’m still single.”
Sujeong smiled to herself, convinced once again. At first glance, Dain seemed plain and ordinary, dressed neatly like a professional, but there was something about her calm presence that put others at ease. Her voice was clear, her speech precise, and even her occasionally overly gentle manner suited her.
“How did you and Taekyung get so close? I heard you attended that party together as partners.”
Dain hesitated, embarrassed. She hadn’t realized her attendance at the party had become known outside.
“I had a lot of difficult situations, and he willingly helped me. The last party was just my way of returning the favor.”
“I see.”
“Yes. I’m sure you’re curious, but it’s not what you think.”
If Taekyung were there, he would have said the same. Dain quietly breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t present.
“Ah, I thought I’d finally found the answer this time.”
Sujeong tilted her head, disappointed.
‘Answer? What does she mean?’
Dain followed her gesture, curious about the next part.
“Then why did he come back to Korea? Is he really looking for his first love?”
Finally, the word she’d been waiting for—first love—had appeared.
