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Episode 6
Would you ever think you’d run into your childhood crush at a dinner party?
“You ran away like that, and now you’re ignoring even me.”
Be careful, as you can stand up.
Yeah, I’m frozen solid right now.
Because Ryu Do-kyung before me is glaring at me with sub-zero eyes.
‘How could I forget this face.’
Ryu Do-kyung
I used to like him once. Though that was when I was very young, and I cut ties when we became independent from the Joo family.
No matter how far apart we grew, his name was one I could often hear. If you just turned on the news, Ryu Do-kyung often appeared.
Around the time before the regression, when I had just turned twenty.
“-Seohae and Dongwoo to become in-laws?… Tension in business circles over heirs’ engagement rumors”
*”-Seohae Group heir Ryu Do-kyung (21), engagement rumors with Dongwoo Group’s Joo Soo-yeon (20) ‘untrue'”*
There were even engagement rumors with Joo Soo-yeon, Joo Soo-deok’s daughter and my same-age cousin, but until my death, he never got engaged to her.
Whenever Ryu Do-kyung’s face appeared in news or YouTube videos, I’d wipe my nose thinking, ‘That oppa grew up well… I had an eye for him…’
But I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that I’d meet that Ryu Do-kyung again!
‘My forehead is going to get pierced…’
With him glaring at me while emanating an intimidating aura, I was busy avoiding his gaze.
“The sound of your eyeballs rolling is noisy.”
Ryu Do-kyung grabbed my cheek and turned my face. Our gazes tangled thickly in mid-air.
“I said, why aren’t you answering? Did you forget how to speak? Or are you, perhaps…”
“…”
“Disinclined to talk to me.”
Isn’t that obvious? I closed my eyes tightly and briefly recalled the past.
Me, following pitifully behind Ryu Do-kyung, and what I said to him while sobbing after getting scolded by my mom.
‘What do I do? Mom, Mom says she’ll marry me off to a fool… Sniff, can’t I marry you, Oppa? Can’t you just be the fool?’
‘Jusei, stop following me and go apologize to your mother. Forget about marriage or whatever, you fool.’
…Ah.
I even remembered wiping my snot on Ryu Do-kyung’s sleeve.
As I stood there dazedly, Ryu Do-kyung poked my forehead with his finger, urging an answer.
“You’re the one who never showed your face.”
“…”
“Should I be treated as an uninvited guest?”
“Ah, no!”
No matter my dark history, the other party is the young power broker and cold-blooded heir of the Seohae Group. If I let the “uninvited guest” remark slide without an answer, I might get on his bad side.
Frantically making hand gestures, Ryu Do-kyung finally tilted his head slightly as if a reaction had arrived.
Just as he was about to speak again.
“Chairman Joo is entering.”
Nice timing!
The protagonist of the dinner party. The reason for my visit here had arrived.
“Thank you all for coming all the way here.”
Chairman Joo’s raspy voice filled the now-quiet space. The hanbok, personally commissioned by a master artisan, shone in the sunlight, displaying its texture.
The political and business figures returned to their assigned tables. Ryu Do-kyung did the same.
Sae-i’s seat was at the table for the Joo family members. Specifically, right next to her aunt.
Chairman Joo, who had been lightly raising his hand in greeting, stopped walking at the center of the party venue. Soon, his gaze swept over each table.
His gaze lingered intently on one spot.
‘…You really came.’
Jusai The seat of the granddaughter left behind by his eldest daughter, who had left him earlier.
“Tsk.”
Chairman Joo clicked his tongue.
Not long ago, she showed up at the Dongwoo Foundation, and now, having somehow coaxed her aunt, she’s been invited to the dinner party.
‘Back then, you were busy avoiding us even when we asked you to come.’
Puzzlement was evident on Chairman Joo’s face at his granddaughter’s changed behavior.
As Chairman Joo took his seat at the head, the attendants began serving warm food onto the pristine white tablecloths as if they had been waiting.
“Does it make sense for me to share a table with her?”
Even though Joo Soo-yeon was openly giving dirty looks, only random thoughts floated in Sae-i’s mind.
I have to show my acting to Chairman Joo. If not today, I might never get another chance.
To organize her tumultuous thoughts, she shifted her gaze. People who had roughly finished their meal were watching Chairman Joo’s demeanor. And then.
“Chairman. Chairman Ryu has sent a special gift.”
Ryu Do-kyung, having adjusted his expression with a smile, spoke up amiably. Fearlessly.
“I’ve prepared something too! Let’s have a leisurely chat!”
“Chairman! We also…!”
The guests watching for an opportunity began raising their hands one by one.
“Haha… Do-kyung, you speak up first, I see.”
“…”
“Shall we hear them one by one? What you prepared, and why you prepared it.”
It was the moment the reins of legal flattery were loosened.
Chairman Joo promptly rejected gifts he didn’t like.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Joo Soo-deok, his daughter, and my aunt were gathered with acquaintances, chatting.
I was alone at the empty table, secretly glancing at Ryu Do-kyung sitting over there.
Ryu Do-kyung, being first, delivered Chairman Ryu’s gift and passed the test.
Maybe because of that? He returned to his seat and was observing the situation with a relaxed expression.
‘It’ll be my turn soon.’
My hands were shaking. Dozens of times more than when I acted in front of Actress Sung Hye-sim. It’s probably because my future is at stake.
Burying my head toward the floor, I silently recited the lines I’d memorized. This helped steady my wavering mind a little.
“Hey.”
“Eek!”
“Why so startled? Am I going to eat you?”
When did he get this close? Ryu Do-kyung, with his hands in his suit pockets, looked down at me.
“You kept looking at the ground and muttering.”
“Uh… You saw all that?”
“It was visible, naturally.”
“I see. It was just visible…”
I nodded soullessly.
“Using such excessive honorifics doesn’t suit you.”
“Yes.”
“Speak comfortably.”
“No. I’m comfortable like this…”
Ryu Do-kyung eyes momentarily widened significantly. A face showing agitation.
‘Why is he surprised?’
It’s been years since we last saw each other. I’m even the person who confessed a hundred times, got rejected a hundred times, and then ghosted him.
“You.”
“…”
“Are you, uncomfortable with me?”
We’re not on comfortable terms!
…I wanted to shout but held back. Ryu Do-kyung had already taken the seat next to me and was staring intently.
“That’s strange…”
Ignoring his muttering as best I could, I cleared my throat. It really was almost my turn.
Whew. Taking a deep breath, I stood up from my seat. Ryu Do-kyung lightly grabbed my arm.
“He’s merciless even with family.”
As if having realized I was going to introduce my gift, he warned.
The earlier agitated face was gone, replaced by seriousness. Now he looked like the Ryu Do-kyung I had seen in the news from this time.
“I know that too.”
“Are you prepared?”
“I’ve prepared to satisfy him.”
As if finding it hard to believe, he tilted his head.
“What is that gift? If you get scolded for coming here after so long for nothing…!”
Is this guy worrying about me now?
But there was no more time to deal with “ After shaking off his hand, I said to him softly.
“You’ll know when you see it.”
The moment I turned away.
“Joo Sae-i.”
Grandfather called my name. I calmly walked towards him.
“You, who wouldn’t come even when called,Ryu Do-kyung wouldn’t show your face again without a reason.”
“…”
“At this point, I’m becoming curious about what you’ve prepared. Hand it over.”
“The gift I’ve prepared is…”
I looked at him, putting the certainty that he would be satisfied into my gaze. And, I imbued that certainty into my voice once more.
“…what Chairman holds most dear.”
“…What?”
“Only, what you believe no longer exists in this world.”
The party venue fell silent. It was conveyed through the air alone that everyone was listening to our conversation.
Undeterred, I stated the main point.
“I will return it to you through acting.”
“Ha! Something dear? Acting? Father, what could she possibly know about your heart?”
Starting with Joo Soo-deok, who had been eavesdropping, the guests began to murmur. Having anticipated this reaction, I waited only for Grandfather’s permission.
“She’s saying she’ll put on some performer’s act in front of everyone right now! You should send her away immediately!”
““Sudeok-ah.”
“Father!”
Grandfather hesitated. His granddaughter, who suddenly showed up, suddenly wanting to perform acting—he must have thought it was all or nothing.
If this continued, I’d have to leave without showing anything. Just as I was about to move my lips to try more persuasion.
“Chairman.”
From behind, Ryu Do-kyung raised his hand. The murmuring stopped briefly. And then.
“I’d like to see it, Sae-i’s acting.”
I don’t know if it’s a choice made out of belief in me or an intention to mock.
“…Let’s see once.”
Ryu Dohyeong’s words placed me on Grandfather’s testing ground. That was a most welcome thing.
