TSS 07

Chapte : 7

“So… where are we going now?”

After all that, Hayeon asked as she climbed into Geonhyeong’s car.

“Oh, sorry. I’m driving right now.”

She quickly apologized, remembering how her sister would get annoyed if someone spoke while she was driving. Geonhyeong shook his head.

“No, no. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

He had been thinking about the time his father tried to quit smoking. His father used to complain that his waist seemed to get thicker by the day. Remembering that made Geonhyeong suddenly crave a cigarette.

“To quit smoking, you really need something to keep in your mouth… wait a minute.”

Only then did he realize the secret behind his father’s waistline and let out a wry laugh.

“Ah, sorry. Something random just popped into my mind.”

“Oh, no. You don’t have to worry. Driving is tiring enough.”

“Whether the car drives or I drive? It’s not like I’m going on a long road trip. Who even complains every time they drive? Must be someone who’s really bad at driving.”

Hayeon smiled at his grumbling.

Her sister had indeed been a terrible driver. On top of that, she had a terrible sense of direction, so she always needed someone by her side to help navigate unfamiliar places. And every time, she deliberately chose Hayeon, because she didn’t want anyone else to know she couldn’t drive well.

Perhaps it was more about needing someone to relieve the stress from driving.

“…There really are people like that. But anyway, where are we going?”

“Ah, sorry. Shall we just eat first? Is there anywhere you like?”

“…Not really, I don’t know many places.”

Just like last time. Hayeon hesitated as she spoke, and Geonhyeong nodded.

“I see… You said you were abroad for a long time. Your father was a professor, right?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s impressive. You came back and quickly established a position in politics. How old were you when you returned to Korea?”

“In high… school.”

“It must have been tough to adjust during such a sensitive period.”

“Even in college… I didn’t really go out much.”

Hayeon hesitated before answering. Not going out much was hard for someone as outgoing as Geonhyeong to understand, but for someone as quiet as Hayeon, even adapting to a new place during adolescence would have been overwhelming.

He asked so many questions partly because he worried she might say she couldn’t get married. The conversation had grown longer than he expected.

“Alright. Then I’ll take care of getting us there today.”

For now, he was just glad that Hayeon was quietly following along. He quietly drove somewhere, and only then did Hayeon quickly glance at her outfit.

“Hye-yeon, you’ve done your part, so now it’s Hayeon’s turn. For Father’s goals, we’ll need Ise Financial’s resources.”

The moment the meeting was set, their mother had emphasized it several times. And her sister had, as if determined, prepared her outfit.

“S… surely not like when you go out for fun…”

Hayeon felt nervous under her sister’s firm gaze. She recalled her sister’s flashy outfits during nighttime outings, but her sister reassured her confidently.

“Don’t worry. That doesn’t suit you. You think I’m a beginner? I’ll make sure even someone as timid as you can go out comfortably.”

True to her sister’s words, Hayeon’s completed look wasn’t bad. She wore a light, flowing dress with a cardigan over it. It was modest enough not to feel embarrassing in broad daylight, as long as she kept the cardigan properly buttoned. Seeing Hayeon clutch the cardigan as if making a resolution, her sister smiled.

“Make sure to go to a private room or a separate building for lunch. You know what to do there, right?”

Hayeon buttoned her cardigan once more and spoke nervously.

“Um… now that I think about it, there’s somewhere I’d like to go…”

“Hmm? Where?”

Hearing that, Geonhyeong’s attention sharpened, like a large dog perking its ears. He had never raised a dog but felt a pang of guilt nonetheless.

Is this how a pet owner feels when they promise a walk but end up at the vet?

But there was no choice. If they returned home early today, he’d have to deal with his sister and mother’s scolding.

“I’d like… to have lunch comfortably. Just the two of us, quietly…”

Hayeon muttered in a barely audible voice. Geonhyeong almost looked sideways at her while driving, but managed to restrain himself, noticing the shy trembling in her voice.

“She must be embarrassed, so I can’t look…”

Hayeon felt guilty, but Geonhyeong only understood that she wanted a quiet moment alone with him. His sharp mind, often called the brain behind Ise Group, began calculating quickly.

Quietly, just the two of them, a secluded room… where could they go? Recently he had visited Cheondandong, but that had too many people around…

“Then what about Seonbuk-gu? It was nice before.”

“But that’s more of a bar area than food.”

He considered somewhere a little farther in Gyeonggi Province, with mountains nearby for a post-lunch walk…

“No, that won’t do.”

He shivered at the thought of the old men he knew frequenting that place.

“…Huh.”

Geonhyeong let out a small, troubled sigh. The only places coming to mind were dark bars filled with intimidating men. Despite his inexperience with dating, this was tricky.

“Um… it doesn’t have to be… it’s fine…”

Hayeon shook her head, realizing the silliness of fiddling with her cardigan’s buttons.

Yet, her hesitant refusal only made Geonhyeong think faster. Finally, Hayeon had expressed a real desire. Damn. There was no need to overthink it.

“Oh! No, it’s a bit far, but it’s fine?”

A private building, delicious food, and elements Hayeon would like everywhere. A bit uncomfortable perhaps, but acceptable.

“It’s fine if it’s far. Driving’s not hard…”

“The car’s driving itself, not me. And don’t you like animals?”

Hayeon’s eyes lit up at the mention of animals. Just as he expected.

“How about cats? You can see as many as you want.”

“C-cats?”

She tried to sound casual, but her voice rose slightly, and her cheeks flushed. Geonhyeong smiled.

“They even have shaved ice.”

Geonhyeong suggested casually. He was a skilled fisherman of sorts; the bait should never reveal the intent. And the word “shaved ice” worked perfectly. Hayeon nodded vigorously, leaving no chance to change plans.

“…I heard they’re on vacation now.”

As he entered the address into the GPS, a subtle smile curved Geonhyeong’s lips. It was a mixture of happiness and concern.

Finally, they arrived at a restaurant near Seoul.

Hayeon got out of the car, her mouth agape as she looked around.

“A restaurant?”

It felt more like a park than a restaurant. Nestled at the foot of a mountain, an old hanok was surrounded by beautifully arranged landscaping, giving it a historical, almost cultural heritage feel.

“Yeah. Not many people know this place. Here.”

Geonhyeong got out and offered his hand to Hayeon. Distracted by the scenery, she accepted without hesitation.

“…What kind of food do they serve here? Korean set meals?”

Hayeon recalled the carp restaurant she had first visited with Geonhyeong, tilting her head. She knew neither that restaurant nor this cat café were typical Korean set meal restaurants.

“Not exactly Korean set meals… more like a pavilion-style café, I guess?”

“Oh, a pavilion? I’ve never seen one. It’s beautiful.”

Her eyes widened in amazement, and she let out a small gasp. Geonhyeong instinctively tightened his grip on her hand, then quickly relaxed it.

Every time Taeseon fussed over wanting to devour cats in photos, he had reacted similarly in jest:

“Why would you eat that? Do you enjoy cat meat?”

Now, seeing Hayeon, he felt like a cannibal wanting to devour her.

“But, where are the cats? Where are they?”

As soon as they passed through the large gate after leaving the parking lot, Hayeon became excited. Geonhyeong looked slightly troubled.

“…Not hungry?”

He had begun regretting this as soon as they arrived, wishing to disappear before anyone noticed them. But Hayeon, ignoring his concerns, held his hands and lit up with pleading eyes.

“Can we go see the cats first…?”

Geonhyeong frowned. Did she realize she almost got “devoured” earlier?

Yet Hayeon muttered softly, letting her shoulders slump.

“I want to see the cats first… then eat, and maybe see them again later…”

Seeing her resigned, Geonhyeong gave up and gently pulled her along.

“Then over there…”

“Isn’t that Young Master?”

Hayeon looked up at Geonhyeong again. His towering presence made the title feel odd.

‘Ah, he swore.’

She noticed his lips twitch as if cursing naturally, without anyone noticing. Flustered, she felt his hands slip from hers.