Side Story 2
As he scanned the café, he walked toward Suhyeon without hesitation the moment he spotted her.
Suhyeon greeted him with gentle eyes as he approached, meeting his gaze.
Hyunwoo and Bora, who had been staring blankly at his commanding presence as he entered, belatedly came to their senses and jumped to their feet.
“Hello, Director!”
“Ah, hello!”
The two greeted him simultaneously.
Though they were working on a project together, Hyunwoo hadn’t seen Jeonghan in a while since he was busy with court cases and working with other managers.
Come to think of it, Hyunwoo had thought it odd how involved Jeonghan was in the practical work given his position, but now he understood – it was because of Suhyeon.
‘Now it all makes sense.’
Now that he knew their history, everything fell into place.
But seeing him again after so long, this man really was…
Hyunwoo found himself hesitating anew at Jeonghan’s overwhelming presence.
Jeonghan approached and offered Hyunwoo a handshake with a neat smile.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has been, Director!”
Hyunwoo bowed deeply while shaking the offered hand.
Bora too was staring at Jeonghan with even brighter eyes than when she’d seen Suhyeon, captivated by his real-life presence after so long.
Looking slowly between Hyunwoo and Bora, Jeonghan spoke.
“I heard you’ve been especially kind to my wife. Thank you.”
Even though they hadn’t held their second wedding ceremony yet, Jeonghan naturally referred to Suhyeon as his wife.
“Oh no, thank you isn’t necessary! Manager Seol has been great to us.”
Bora said with a bright smile. Seeing such a sculpture-like handsome man after so long since that dinner party naturally brought a smile to her face.
“I know you were a great help during difficult times. I’m sincerely grateful that you were there for my wife when I couldn’t be.”
“Manager Seol Suhyeon showed excellent work capabilities that helped the company; we really didn’t do anything special.”
Hyunwoo answered with a smile while looking at Jeonghan.
While his unique aura remained the same, the gentle gaze he gave Suhyeon made him seem like a different man from before.
Jeonghan took out his wallet.
“I’ve given these before, but just in case.”
He said while pulling out business cards and handing them to the two.
“If you ever need help with anything, feel free to contact me anytime.”
Quickly understanding the meaning behind Jeonghan’s words, Hyunwoo waved his hands in protest.
“Ah, I’m fine! I already got assigned to an overly generous project, and a super promotion is practically guaranteed…”
Jeonghan smiled while pressing a card into Hyunwoo’s refusing hand.
“Take it anyway. You never know what might happen in life.”
“Ah… alright then. I’ll accept it shamelessly. Thank you!”
Hyunwoo accepted the card as if entranced.
Coming from Jeonghan, who had lived through the ultimate version of “what might happen in life,” the words carried natural persuasion.
Jeonghan’s gaze shifted to Suhyeon. In that moment, his completely transformed expression made everyone in the café who had been stealing glances at him hold their breath.
Jeonghan gently wrapped his arm around Suhyeon’s waist and looked back at Hyunwoo.
“Then I’ll see you both at the wedding.”
“Yes. Congratulations again on your marriage.”
“Congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
Suhyeon smiled and gave a slight bow.
After saying goodbye, Jeonghan escorted Suhyeon out of the café.
Hyunwoo and Bora watched them through the café’s large window.
As Bora watched Jeonghan helping Suhyeon into the waiting car, she spoke with wonder.
“How did she completely fool those eyes? They were literally dripping with honey.”
Hyunwoo, also watching outside, mumbled.
“I was surprised to see them today too. How did we not notice…”
Bora shifted her gaze to Hyunwoo.
“Well, you’ve met him separately before, right?”
Hyunwoo nodded while keeping his eyes on the window.
“Even then, they both seemed purely professional. Anyway, I’m glad it worked out well.”
“True… but I can’t help feeling envious. To have Director Do Jeonghan as a husband…”
A man with that handsome face, perfect proportions, and the power of being Cheonkyung’s head.
“Manager Seol Suhyeon is the real winner.”
Bora spoke with conviction, watching the car disappear with wistful eyes.
Her gaze couldn’t hide her envy.
After getting in the car, Suhyeon went with Jeonghan to their reserved Korean restaurant.
It was an elegant traditional restaurant with a view of Namsan, not far from where they’d met Hyunwoo and Bora.
“We’ve been waiting, Director.”
A restaurant owner in her fifties, beautifully dressed in modern hanbok, welcomed them with a bright smile. She had the dignified appearance befitting the owner of an upscale Korean restaurant.
“Please follow me.”
The owner walked ahead with graceful, courteous movements.
The reserved room was spacious with a particularly beautiful view, seemingly prepared with special care for the Cheonkyung head.
As they sat down, pre-prepared dishes filled the table one by one.
“Please enjoy your meal.”
After the owner and staff finished setting up and left, Jeonghan and Suhyeon quietly began eating. Between sharing conversations from the café, the table settings changed twice.
“Everything here is delicious.”
Suhyeon marveled at the dishes, which though not numerous, were each refined and deeply flavorful.
“I’m glad.”
Jeonghan smiled too. He seemed pleased that she was eating more than usual.
Knock knock.
After the knock, the door opened.
“This is the last course before dessert.”
The owner came in with staff pushing a cart, placing fluffy pot rice and several side dishes on the table.
That’s when Jeonghan’s face became subtly hardened.
“…”
His gaze was fixed on the grilled mackerel dish that had just been placed on the table.
In his mind, he recalled the day his mother passed away, when he rushed to open the front door holding ice cream.
The sound he heard then—
“Fresh mackerel, cheap mackerel for sale, good for your health and delicious mackerel…”
“Please remove this.”
Jeonghan picked up the plate with the grilled mackerel and handed it to the owner. A brief look of awkwardness crossed the owner’s face, who had been taking special care for the Cheonkyung head.
“Ah, you must not like mackerel. I’ll be sure to remember that for your next visit.”
The owner said with a proper smile, placing the mackerel plate on the tray held by the staff behind her with a subtle gesture. The staff quickly understood and carefully left the room with the tray.
“The rice is especially sticky and delicious because it’s from Haenam. Please try it.”
The owner spoke in a bright tone as if to change the atmosphere, opening the wooden lid of the pot to serve the steaming rice into their bowls.
“After you finish, try it with the dried yellow corvina and scorched rice—it’s a special treat.”
She spoke softly while pouring warm water from a silver kettle over the rice.
“Please enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you.”
After the door closed, Jeonghan picked up his water glass and drank.
Watching him, Suhyeon asked with concern.
“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”
Jeonghan usually wasn’t picky about food. Even leaving food was one thing, but Suhyeon had never seen him send a dish back before.
“…I’m fine.”
Jeonghan answered with a smile after putting down his water glass. But his face was somehow still tense.
As if trying to erase the question in her eyes, Jeonghan said to Suhyeon.
“Go ahead and eat. Before it gets cold.”
“Ah, yes.”
Suhyeon swallowed her questions and looked down at the glossy rice.
In the car heading home from the restaurant, she leaned her head on his shoulder and held his hand, fingers intertwined.
“…”
Though his expression had been troubled…
Although Jeonghan’s expression afterward returned to normal, Suhyeon couldn’t shake her concern about his tense face from earlier.
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