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Chapter 13
“Why are you already here…?”
Jooyoung immediately checked her wristwatch. It was 12 o’clock—an hour earlier than the time she had told him to come.
In the meantime,
Clomp, clomp—the long strides closed the distance between Seonghoon and Jooyoung quickly. He soon stood in front of her, tilting his gaze downward.
“Thanks for calling me by a nickname, but your naming sense… isn’t great.”
“…Nickname? What are you talking about?”
From the start, the man hadn’t taken “crazy guy” seriously as a nickname. His eyes and tone made that clear.
Jooyoung changed the subject.
“Why did you come already? Didn’t you see my text telling you to come at 1?”
“I saw it. That’s why I came.”
Jooyoung was left speechless at his audacity.
If he read the message, he should have come at 1. If he had another schedule and couldn’t make it, he should have informed her in advance, either by message or through his secretary.
Though it was her fault for sending a notification-style message without checking his schedule, Seonghoon was no different.
Chances are, Seonghoon came early just because he felt like it.
Because he wanted to act on his own whim.
“…Let’s go upstairs, then.”
There were words she wanted to say under her breath, but Jooyoung swallowed her anger, conscious of the people around.
With the dating rumors, more and more people were beginning to recognize Seonghoon and Jooyoung.
Perhaps feeling it too, Seonghoon agreed to Jooyoung’s suggestion.
“You lead the way.”
This is Jooyoung’s home ground, after all.
Jooyoung went up to the office with Seonghoon.
She offered him a drink, but he declined, so she sent Secretary Shin out of the office.
Now, only Jooyoung and Seonghoon remained in the office.
“Don’t people often say you have a strange personality?”
“Not really. I’ve never heard that before.”
Seonghoon crossed his legs and leaned back comfortably in his chair, resting his arm on the backrest.
Jooyoung, coming around the desk to get some documents, couldn’t help but laugh quietly at his relaxed posture. Did he think this was his office?
“Oh.”
Seonghoon, following Jooyoung with his eyes, added a casual comment as if he just remembered something.
“I have heard the nickname ‘crazy guy’ once.”
“…”
Jooyoung muttered inwardly: personality, huh. Maybe Seonghoon’s muttering yesterday was his way of introducing himself.
“Let me repeat: that’s not a nickname.”
Jooyoung gathered the envelope of documents he had sent with cabbage juice in the morning and sat across from him.
She set the envelope on the table with a soft thud. Only then did Seonghoon’s gaze shift away from her.
“You probably need an explanation for why I sent this, right?”
Seonghoon glanced briefly at the envelope before returning his gaze to Jooyoung.
He didn’t open it. He already knew what was inside.
“Why would I need your explanation? You wrote it yourself.”
“If I didn’t know, you wouldn’t have come all the way here, right? So stop babbling and just answer the question I asked.”
“Funny, you’re the one who babbles better.”
Until now, Seonghoon had been leaning back, but he straightened himself.
“Jooyoung, who has many men lined up for marriage, let’s be honest.”
“…”
“Was there ever a moment when we could have liked each other? Even at the matchmaking meeting, or later when we met again, you probably behaved the way you did because you were sure we wouldn’t get involved again.”
“…”
“Still, you proposed marriage to me. Why did it have to be me, even knowing the awkwardness it would bring?”
Seonghoon spoke without hesitation. He was certain his assumptions were correct.
“You are the best option for me.”
That was the correct answer.
“And with that, smart Jooyoung wouldn’t choose a second-best option, right?”
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single flaw in his statement. It was all correct, which only made her frustrated and irritated.
Why him? Why marriage?
Jooyoung had always run relentlessly from birth. She never missed the top spot in school, and now, managing CS Department stores, she was on the verge of achieving annual sales of one trillion won.
But all of that became meaningless in the face of marriage.
Even the meticulous work and achievements she had built up—apparently, in Choi Kwon-yong’s eyes, the profit from this marriage was bigger.
“And the same goes for you, Seonghoon, right? If you’ve had ten matchmaking meetings this year, then you also need to marry.”
“Correct.”
“If I were not ideal, you could have moved on to the 11th candidate. But the fact that you accepted my conditions means I was somewhat appealing.”
“Quite the confidence.”
“…”
“But I agree with ‘not ideal.’ That’s why I came.”
Seonghoon leaned forward, reaching for the envelope on the table.
“Me. First.”
His words came out staccato, each syllable deliberate and filled with intent.
“Gently.”
He took the documents out of the envelope and laid the last page on the table.
“Isn’t that right, Jooyoung?”
Jooyoung’s gaze fell.
The page was mostly blank compared to the previous pages packed with contract terms.
It was the signature page.
Their names, “Jooyoung Choi” and “Seonghoon Bae,” were written neatly.
Jooyoung only moved her eyes to look at Seonghoon.
“‘Gentle’ makes me want to cry.”
“Go ahead, cry. I’ll wipe it for you.”
“I’ll pass.”
Jooyoung picked up the documents and put them back in the envelope.
“If there are no additional clauses, we’ll proceed with the contract as is. Sign it and each keep a copy. I’ll draft the final contract and send it today.”
Afterward, Jooyoung got up, walked to her desk, and opened a drawer. She put the envelope inside and said,
“Oh, by the way, the contract rewrite date is set for one year after the wedding. Let me know in advance once you’ve discussed the plan with the lawyer. I’ll cooperate.”
“Sure.”
Seonghoon got up from his seat.
Jooyoung moved to see him off. Since they had exchanged contract matters, there was no reason for her to stay any longer.
However, as she grabbed the door handle, Seonghoon reached out and stopped her hand.
A spark of static shot through their hands.
Jooyoung frowned unconsciously and looked up at Seonghoon.
“What is it?”
Seonghoon had moved close. The distance between them was slightly more than a hand’s width. The office contained only Seonghoon and Jooyoung.
Maybe that’s why she noticed things she hadn’t before.
Seonghoon was huge.
Even clothed, his outline was unmistakable, and it was easy to imagine what he was hiding under the clothes.
Height, build—everything about him was impressive.
Even… that part was said to be large.
“You’re not using casual speech like yesterday.”
Just as her thoughts were about to drift, Seonghoon spoke.
“As long as you don’t cross the line, I won’t speak casually to you either.”
“Why not?”
“It feels familiar. You and I are only in a business relationship. That’s it.”
Jooyoung had no intention of getting close to Seonghoon. She didn’t think she would, and more importantly, it would be inconvenient if she did.
Business is business.
Take what you need, protect what’s yours.
“Take what you need, protect what’s yours. Business is always like that, right?”
“…”
“In that sense… your hand.”
Jooyoung nodded toward her hand, which Seonghoon was still holding.
“Let go.”
Seonghoon quietly chuckled and withdrew his hand.
“True enough. Take what you need, protect what’s yours. In that sense…”
Jooyoung, determined not to waste any more time, immediately turned the handle.
But once again, she couldn’t open the door.
“We started business, but we need to go on proper dates too, honey.”
Because of Seonghoon’s bombshell comment.
