Chapter 2

“W-Why… Why is Jaehoon here…?”

Dayun was shocked. She couldn’t believe what was happening. Of course, the fact that she had to get married was already shocking enough. But what was even more surprising? It was that the person sitting in front of her, at her arranged marriage meeting, was none other than her longtime crush, Jaehoon.

Jaehoon also seemed just as surprised. His eyes widened as much as hers when he saw the unexpected person in front of him.

“How do you… Huh… Even Daon…?”

Jaehoon’s lips formed the name of her older brother, Daon. When Dayun glanced at her brother, she noticed that he also looked shocked. Then, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

‘Ah, right. Daon was also in our club. But… he called him “hyung”? Could it be that my brother and Jaehoon are close?’

Daon had been a member of the same club as Jaehoon and Dayun. However, since Daon had already graduated before Dayun joined, she never knew if they were close. The only clue was that Jaehoon referred to Daon as “hyung” instead of “sunbae,” which made her assume they had a close relationship.

“Do you two already know each other?”

Jaehoon’s father, who had been watching the young people’s confusion, asked in a curious but composed manner.

“Ah, well… We were just senior and junior club members.”

“Haha, is that so? Then there’s no need for introductions. You must already be close!”

“No, not really. I might have been a bit close with Daon, but I barely interacted with her. I didn’t even know they were siblings, and honestly, we’re practically strangers now. So, I wouldn’t say we’re close.”

Jaehoon’s tone was cold and sharp as he responded to his father. If one were to put it nicely, he was just being honest. But if one were to put it bluntly, he was being rude. His words left Dayun’s family feeling awkward. Even his parents seemed embarrassed, clearing their throats unnecessarily. However, Jaehoon himself remained completely unfazed and sat confidently in his seat.

At that moment, Daon, who had been watching with an awkward expression, leaned in and whispered to Dayun.

“Sis, since I’m your brother, I’ll be honest. I’m against this marriage.”

“Why?”

She was curious. Daon was always optimistic, always looking at things positively. Why didn’t he like Jaehoon?

“Why? Because Ahn Jaehoon has always been rude, just like he is now.”

“Pfft.”

Dayun couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at Daon’s words. She completely agreed. Jaehoon was quite well-known—not just for being handsome and smart, but also for being cold and difficult to deal with.

Just as she was holding back her laughter and turning away, she suddenly froze.

“Huh…”

She accidentally made eye contact with Jaehoon, who had been staring straight at her. Then, he mouthed the words—

“What are you laughing at?”

“Oh my god, he’s so rude!”

At a café, Dayun sat across from her friend Sojin, sharing the story of her unexpected engagement meeting. When Sojin heard that the groom-to-be was none other than Dayun’s longtime crush, Jaehoon, she was speechless. And on top of that, he had the nerve to question why she was laughing? As someone who fiercely cared for Dayun, Sojin couldn’t hold back her frustration.

“And you just let that slide? Well, knowing you, our kind-hearted Dayun, what could you have done? Ugh, I’m so mad! That guy was rude back then, and he’s still the same now!”

“Yeah… But he’s still good-looking and charming…”

“What?! Are you seriously still into him? The guy who said you two weren’t even close?”

Sojin was horrified. She had never approved of Dayun’s feelings for Jaehoon.

“Hmm… I don’t know. Do I still like him?”

“No! You can’t like him!”

Seeing Sojin’s desperate attempt to convince her, Dayun smiled unconsciously. It was a warm feeling, knowing that someone cared for her so much. But soon, despite Sojin’s protests, she spoke with a nostalgic and shy expression.

“Seeing him again… I realized I was happy. I thought I had forgotten him, but when I saw his face, the shock disappeared, and I just felt… glad. It was nice to see him again.”

Dayun placed her hand over her heart.

“And my heart started beating like crazy. I thought it was going to jump out of my chest.”

Her voice was playful, but Sojin’s face darkened with concern.

“Haa… Dayun, you really shouldn’t like him.”

“…”

“You know why, don’t you?”

At Sojin’s words, Dayun’s expression turned just as serious.

“Because he already has someone he loves.”

“…”

“For eight years…”

That was right. Jaehoon had been in a relationship for eight years—with a beautiful and kind woman.

“Sigh… Yeah. From what the other seniors said, they’re still deeply in love. And yet, you still like him? You still can’t forget him?”

“Yeah, Sojin. I guess I haven’t moved on. They say ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ right? I really thought that was true. I avoided Junseok oppa and the other seniors because they were close to Jaehoon. But the moment I saw him again, everything shattered. I thought my heart wouldn’t race anymore, but it did… just by seeing him.”

“Ugh, this is so frustrating…”

Sojin let out a deep, bitter sigh.

“You worked so hard to forget him! You even avoided meeting people who knew him. And now, you meet again… as a potential bride?”

“Yeah…”

“So, what did he say? Did he agree to marry you?”

“Well…”

Back at the engagement meeting, dinner was over, and empty dishes were scattered on the table.

“Well, now that we’ve had a nice meal together, I think it’s time for the adults to step out.”

Jaehoon’s father suggested, and the others nodded in agreement. This left Dayun feeling uneasy. She was about to be alone with Jaehoon, and the thought made her nervous. However, Jaehoon himself looked completely indifferent as he spoke.

“That sounds good. The younger ones probably have things to discuss. Oh, Daon, what about you? Since Father had some drinks, you should take him home.”

His words were clearly suggesting that Daon should leave. Dayun glanced at her brother with pleading eyes, hoping he wouldn’t go. But after a moment of hesitation, Daon nodded.

“Yeah, I should go. Jaehoon’s right—I need to take our parents home.”

Satisfied, Jaehoon nodded before turning to the adults.

“Then, you should head home first. I’ll make sure Dayun gets back safely.”

“Alright, please take care of our daughter.”

“Yes.”

One by one, the adults left the room. Before leaving, Daon paused, ruffled Dayun’s hair, and smiled warmly.

“Talk it out and come home safely. I’ll be waiting.”

Dayun reluctantly nodded. Then, Daon turned to Jaehoon with a much colder expression.

“Take good care of my sister. And if possible, convince your father to cancel this marriage in a way that causes the least damage.”

For a moment, their gazes clashed, filled with intensity. Then, Daon gave Dayun one last gentle pat before leaving.

Now alone with Jaehoon, an awkward and uncomfortable silence filled the air.

Dayun sipped her tea while Jaehoon, seemingly unfazed, fiddled with his phone.

‘What? He said we needed to talk, but he’s just staring at his phone?’

After nearly ten minutes of silence, she started feeling annoyed.

Then, unexpectedly, she coughed. Their eyes met.

Jaehoon smirked.

“You’re still clumsy. What are you now? Twenty-four?”

Her face heated up. He remembered her age?

Then, his next words shocked her.

“To get straight to the point… Let’s get married.”