Prologue: You Look Delicious
DK Foods, Product Planning Team. Assistant Manager Joo Hana.
She stood in front of the induction stove in a baggy white men’s dress shirt and barely-there shorts, staring intently at the stir-fry pan.
With a pale face, round eyes, round cheeks, and even round glasses, she looked like she had just graduated college—fresh and adorable. But in reality, she was thirty-two years old.
Hana tied up her wavy hair with the band around her wrist and hovered her palm above the pan.
“Perfect.”
She nodded and, with a solemn expression, dropped three cubes of butter into the pan.
Ssszzz.
The butter melted instantly, releasing its rich, nutty aroma.
Next up: finely chopped kimchi and even more finely sliced beef brisket.
Just as she reached for the plate of ingredients, Hana paused.
“Oops, apron.”
She couldn’t risk getting any seasoning on the borrowed shirt.
Rolling up her sleeves past her elbows, she called out toward the living room.
“Director, where’s the apron?”
Almost immediately, Siwan walked into the kitchen with a towel on his wet hair, wearing a sleeveless shirt.
Do Siwan, the third son of DK Foods CEO Do Myeongjin.
With sharply defined features—a chiseled nose, sleek jawline, and intense eyes under thick brows—he looked like he’d been drawn into existence.
However, if one had to point out a flaw—it was that his eyes were so piercing, strangers might assume he was constantly angry.
“Are you making me breakfast now?”
Hana turned to him with a shy smile.
“If I don’t, you’ll just take weird pills for breakfast again.”
“Oh, you know me well. I should ask my parents to be out of the house more often. So you can come over and cook for me.”
Feigning aloofness, she replied playfully.
“I just like seeing you enjoy the food. That’s the only reason I cook. Purely selfish motives.”
For a moment, the sharpness in his eyes melted into warmth.
It was a look he only ever showed in front of Joo Hana.
“I like that. Be selfish more often. Every day, if you can.”
“Anyway, about the apron…”
Siwan had tried to subtly suggest living together, but her reaction was lukewarm at best.
He looked a bit dejected as the edge returned to his gaze.
“I was just on my way to get it.”
Siwan pulled out an apron from a drawer and stood in front of her.
He gently turned her around by the shoulders.
Startled, Hana widened her already big eyes and looked up at him.
“…?”
He held up the apron in both hands.
“Here.”
“Oh, thank you.”
As she reached out to take it, Siwan stepped back slightly and shook his head.
“Raise your arms.”
“What? Oh… okay.”
Hana raised her arms like a surgeon preparing for an operation—not that she had asked him to dress her or anything.
Standing this close made her flustered. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, so she looked down.
Visible under his sleeveless shirt were well-toned muscles—not bulky like a bodybuilder’s, but smooth and defined, like they were carved from marble.
And surprisingly, he smelled faintly of baby powder. It was oddly charming.
Wow, he’s ridiculously sexy.
Feeling her brain go fuzzy from staring too long, Hana shut her eyes tightly.
As he slid her arms through the apron straps, Siwan spoke in a low, casual tone.
“So how long are you going to keep calling me ‘Director’? We’re not even at work. Do you really need to call me that here?”
“You’re the director, so what else would I call you?”
“What if I give you something else to call me? Will you use it?”
“I’ll hear it first. If it sounds reasonable…”
Before she could finish, Siwan reached between her arms and pulled her into an embrace.
“W-Wait a second!”
Hana panicked and squirmed, but Siwan leaned back and, with a serious expression, said,
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just tying the apron.”
“You could’ve done that from behind!”
“That wouldn’t be romantic.”
Siwan gave a sly smile.
Could those sharp eyes really soften that much?
Hana’s heart raced from the contrast.
But if he held her this close, he’d surely notice how fast her heart was pounding. She quickly pushed him away.
Then, to hide her blushing face, she turned back to the pan and made a fuss.
“I’m cooking here! It’s going to burn! This is your fault!”
Siwan casually shrugged and strolled to the dining table, dragging out a chair.
“Alright. I’ll just sit here until you’re done. Don’t want to interrupt.”
“Good. Please do that. Timing is everything when it comes to cooking!”
He propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands.
Under the loose white shirt, his shorts peeked out.
The thin yellow apron strings crossed over his back.
And with his hair tied up, the nape of his neck was fully visible.
He looked good enough to take a picture and hang on the wall.
Despite her fussing, the only thing in the pan was butter.
Afraid Siwan might call her out, Hana quickly tossed in the kimchi and beef.
Ssszzz.
The savory aroma of sizzling kimchi and beef filled the room.
Siwan took a deep breath, as if inhaling the scent of a forest.
His jaw ached slightly as his mouth watered.
Unexplained eating disorder.
That was Siwan’s diagnosis.
Regardless of the chef, price, or dish, he couldn’t bring himself to eat.
But strangely, only Hana’s cooking didn’t repulse him.
He didn’t have to force himself to chew or fake a compliment.
Because it was genuinely delicious.
Siwan called out in a suggestive tone.
“Hana, you look delicious.”
She immediately turned around with a scowl.
“That sounded super creepy.”
“I was just saying your cooking looks delicious. Where exactly was the creepy part?”
“Y-Your voice! It was your tone!”
Flustered, Hana turned back to focus on the cooking.
Meanwhile, Siwan silently got up and walked behind her.
Then he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
“I’m not that hungry… Can’t we cook later?”
“Of course not. Once you start, you can’t stop. That’s just common sense.”
Hana was firm, though she didn’t remove his hands from her waist.
“But right now, I want you more than food.”
“Seriously? Keep talking like that and you’re getting whacked with the spatula.”
Just then, the door lock beeped open.
The two sprang apart in panic.
Hana’s face was full of alarm.
Oh no, what am I wearing?
She was still in Siwan’s shirt—enough to cause all kinds of misunderstandings.
Siwan looked just as shocked.
“My parents aren’t supposed to be back for a few days…”
Tense, they stepped into the living room.
The door slid open, revealing a tall, young woman in a sleek black dress.
It was Chae Suhwa, the only daughter of SCH Financial.
She had been so stunning since childhood that entertainment agencies had begged to recruit her.
Even now, big agencies still sent her holiday gifts, hoping she’d change her mind.
With her long hair flowing, Suhwa strode confidently into the kitchen.
Her beauty was striking—so much so that people often turned around for a second glance.
But Siwan just stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.
“What are you doing at my house this early? And more importantly, how did you even get the passcode?”
Suhwa flicked her hair and replied casually.
“I asked your dad.”
“What did you say to make him tell you that?!”
Siwan snapped, eyes sharp as knives.
Suhwa raised a finger to her lips and shushed him.
“I’m not here for you. So zip it.”
“What? Then why are you here?”
She walked over to Hana and looped her arm through hers.
“To rescue our dear Hana, of course.”
Hana blinked in surprise and pointed to herself.
“Me?”
“Come on, let’s go.”
“W-Where?”
Suhwa narrowed her eyes at Siwan.
“Hana may not realize it yet, but all men are beasts. Look at him—those eyes? Total predator.”
“He does have fierce eyes… but I wouldn’t say he looks like a beast…”
Hana’s weak defense made Suhwa click her tongue.
“That’s what makes it worse. Pretending not to be a beast is more dangerous. You’ll get hurt.”
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Suhwa noticed Hana’s shirt. The apron had been hiding it until now.
She lifted the hem slightly to confirm.
「SW」
Siwan’s initials were embroidered on it.
Immediately, her gaze turned venomous.
“You beast! What did you do to my Hana?! She’s mine!”
Siwan glared even harder.
“What nonsense! Hana is mine. Why do you keep getting between us? Stop causing trouble and leave!”
“I will leave! But I’m taking Hana with me!”
“No! Hana stays—you get out!”
A sudden shouting match broke out.
Clearly not the first time this had happened, Hana let out an exhausted sigh.
She gently pulled her arm free from Suhwa and turned back to the kitchen.
“I’m going to finish cooking. You two settle this, quickly. Oh, Suhwa—did you eat breakfast? I was making kimchi fried rice.”
Suhwa, who had just been shooting daggers at Siwan, instantly brightened and clung to Hana again.
“Not yet! I knew something smelled amazing. I’ll wait quietly, so please hurry. Then let’s go out together.”
Siwan stomped over and grabbed Hana’s other arm.
“There’s nothing for you here, Suhwa. Leave.”
“She’s the one cooking. What’s your problem?”
“This is my house.”
“This is your dad’s house.”
They each held one of Hana’s arms and started bickering again.
Hana sighed deeply and muttered,
“This is exhausting…”
How did the three of them get entangled like this?
To find out, we must go back—just a little—to where it all began.
