Zeris World
TL – Zeph
PR – ZEPH
Enjoy Reading – Regards ZEPH
 
Episode 1
Choi Kangwoon stood in front of the mirror, fastening the buttons of his dress shirt. Secretary Han had already arrived early at the apartment where Kangwoon lived, clocking in for work. He quietly stared at the tray in Han’s hands. More precisely, at the green glass placed with almost reverent care.
More precisely—it was green juice.
“Donghee, you drink it. It’s good for your health.”
Secretary Han furrowed his brow slightly. All the herbal tonics previously sent had been handed off to Han, and he grumbled that there was no point getting healthier when he was already perfectly healthy.
“*Sir, I stopped by your family’s house this morning just to get this. Please, drink it at least out of respect for my effort.*”
“*Respect? Your mother sends a token of her respect every month. Seems like it’s not enough, huh?*”
“*Ahem. Anyway, you have to drink it. The chairman asked for a photo of you drinking it. You know what he said to me? That your complexion’s improved and he wants to know what you’ve been eating.*”
Secretary Han couldn’t bring himself to say, *That’s what he gave you,* in front of the chairman, and murmured with a guilty conscience.
In the end, Kangwoon took the green juice, tilted his head back, and brought it to his lips.
100% pure pain.
Disgusting.
His face twisted as he forced it down.
*Click, click.*
Han Donghee snapped photos of Kangwoon from various angles until the glass was empty. His smile was like a kid having the time of his life.
I really should’ve known better than to keep him around.
All the while, he chirped nonstop. *You look like a model, seriously. You’re ridiculously good-looking. That physique’s no joke.*
Kangwoon let out a weary sigh.
“You have a meeting at 10 about changing the resort landscaping vendor. A 5 o’clock meeting at SIRI Hotel. And don’t forget the blind date at 7, okay?”
At the mention of the blind date, Kangwoon’s face slightly tensed. As he pulled on his gray suit jacket, he spoke.
“Who is it?”
“The eldest daughter of Do Min-chae from DF Group.”
“Got it.”
“Also, there’s a visit scheduled at SIRI Hotel this afternoon. It’s Friday, so it’ll be extra noisy and crowded.”
“Sounds like a marketplace.”
“Exactly. Other people might have blind dates too, so please make sure you find the right one.”
“Tsk, Donghee.”
“Just kidding. I meant it’ll be hectic, that’s all.”
“No one’s that insane.”
Secretary Han, amused by Kangwoon’s ridiculous comment, left through the front door.
>
Eun Sehee sat in front of the mirror. She’d left work early, taken a shower, and even put on makeup. But when it came to styling her hair, her golden hands turned into clumsy ones.
“Ugh, maybe I should just go as-is.”
In the end, she carefully styled her long brown hair.
Then she picked up the outfit her mother had sent—at the request of Aunt Majung. A pricey two-piece meant for a blind date.
It was a fabric of soft pink threads mixed with darker ones—delicate, elegant, and feminine. That’s what Majung’s mom had said when she bought it. She claimed it gave off a youthful vibe too.
Maybe she was right.
The H-line skirt came slightly above the knee, with a slit in the back. Inside the short jacket was a sheer sleeveless top.
When was the last time I wore a skirt?
\
Since she often worked on-site, Sehee’s wardrobe mostly consisted of pants.
“This is uncomfortable.”
The top fit okay, but the skirt was tighter around the hips than it had been on Ajeong. She had to take smaller steps.
Is this going to rip?
Better be careful.
“Let’s go!”
Arriving at SIRI Hotel, Sehee stepped into the lobby and frowned slightly at the noise. Just as Ajeong had said, it was chaotic due to a banquet.
A blind date on a day like this?
Two staff members stood at the lounge entrance. One looked like they were explaining something to the other. Probably an intern.
“Hello. Please tell me the reservation name.”
“Go Ikyung.”
“Just a moment.”
She looked visibly nervous. While the senior staff checked the list, a walkie-talkie buzzed. The intern received a nod to escort the guest and smiled politely before quickly vanishing.
“Right this way.”
As she took a step forward, another couple arrived—a middle-aged couple with gold name badges, followed by a young couple.
People from that side.
The intern panicked, torn between following Sehee or escorting the other guests.
“If you tell me the table number, I can find it myself.”
Sehee spoke up, and the intern’s face lit up as if they’d just been rescued.
“Thank you so much. If you look toward the far window, there’s a gentleman in gray…”
Before she could finish, the older man behind them coughed impatiently, clearly signaling he wasn’t one to be kept waiting.
Sehee headed toward the table the staff had indicated.
Far window. Gray suit…
A man in a gray suit sat alone.
That must be him.
Even from behind, he looked tall.
His broad back made the chair seem small.
A lawyer? He looks more like an athlete.
Before sitting down, Sehee checked the time on her phone.
She was 20 minutes early.
With a polite smile, she greeted him.
“Hello.”
The man stood up and adjusted the collar of his gray suit. He was much taller than she’d expected, and she instinctively shrank back. Cool, sharp eyes, a high straight nose, and defined lips—if Ajeong had seen him, she’d be kicking herself with regret.
“Yes, hello.”
A deep voice responded politely. A blind date?
He tilted his head slightly, as if she looked familiar.
Where have I seen her before?
At that moment, both their phones vibrated.
“Excuse me.”
“Excuse me.”
They both smiled awkwardly, turned away, and answered their calls.
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.”
Again, the same words. They exchanged a glance, said a few words to their callers, and hung up at the same time.
“Please, have a seat.”
Kangwoon gestured to the chair. She pulled it out and sat down.
Up close, she reminded him of someone he used to know. She looked at him with bright, curious eyes and asked first.
“You must’ve arrived early?”
“I had a meeting here at the hotel.”
“Oh, really? Then I guess the timing worked out.”
“I came in around 6:10.”
“So about thirty minutes early? If I’d arrived on time, you’d have waited almost fifty minutes.”
“The meeting ended earlier than expected. What would you like to drink?”
Her eyes were the same brown as her hair.
Where have I seen those eyes before?
After ordering two coffees, she suddenly said:
“Oh! I didn’t tell you my name. Though I suppose you already know—Go Majip.”
Go Ahgul? His blind date was supposed to be Do Minjae.
Suddenly, Han’s words came to mind:
*There might be other blind date groups, so make sure you find the right one.*
*Who’d make such a dumb mistake?*
Here she is.
Kangwoon raised one eyebrow and asked:
“Do you know my name?”
“Of course. You’re Kim Minjun, right? A lawyer, if I’m not mistaken?”
She spoke with confidence.
“Well… that’s awkward. I’m not a lawyer.”
“What? You’re not a lawyer?”
Surprise filled her face. Her eyes darted, trying to piece things together.
Clearly she remembered the job—but never imagined she might be at the wrong table.
Understandable. It’s my first time too.
“Sorry, I must have misheard when someone said you were a lawyer.”
At that moment—
Just as Kangwoon was about to explain the mistake, a hotel staff member approached.
“Excuse me. This isn’t your table.”
The staff spoke to the woman, clearly embarrassed.
“What?”
“The seat we showed you is behind this one.”
Blinking quickly, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Huh?”
“I’m so sorry. You were booked to meet someone else.”
The staff pointed to another gray chair at the end.
“I-I’m so sorry.”
Sehee quickly stood, but her skirt caught on the table with a loud *rip*.
Tchrrrrrrrk.
An alarming sound that triggered panic.
No way.
She’d felt uneasy earlier. She had a feeling something was wrong with the skirt—and now it seemed to have torn. She was afraid to check.
The sharp pain in her thigh was forgotten. All she could think about was the skirt. She slowly looked down. The front was fine.
Figures. That means it tore in the back. What now… this is a nightmare.
Sure, her hips were on the wider side, but to actually rip a skirt?
Was it her fault—or the cursed skirt’s?
She’d had a bad feeling when she put it on.
As she sat back down silently, Kangwoon asked:
“What are you doing right now?”
“What?”
Sehee scrambled mentally.
“I said I’m not Kim Minjun the lawyer.”
“Right, I know. But… I’m really sorry, would you mind switching seats with me?”
Her eyes pleaded with him.
“I can switch seats, but if you stay here, you’ll have to go on a blind date with my actual match. You okay with that?”
“What?”
“This is a reserved seat. If you want to stay here, you’ll have to go on a date with my match. If that’s okay, I’ll switch.”
Sehee bit her lip. How was she supposed to tell a stranger she couldn’t move because her skirt had split?
“I’m so sorry, but… I really can’t move right now. Please.”
“You can’t move…?”
He muttered, tapping the table with long fingers.
“You’re not going home either?”
Would it kill him to just switch? Even if it’s a reserved seat, he didn’t have to be this cold. Explaining this situation was beyond embarrassing, but Sehee cautiously spoke.
“My skirt… it ripped in the back.”
Her voice shrank.
He didn’t hear her over the noise and asked again.
“What did you say?”
“Pardon?”
“My skirt tore at the back.”
As she said it, laughter erupted from a nearby table. The noise drowned her out.
“I didn’t catch that.”
“I SAID MY SKIRT TORE!!!”
Her voice, filled with shame and frustration, echoed through the lounge.
Like on a film set—
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Sehee. Her face flushed red to her toes.
I must be crazy.
Kangwoon rubbed his face with one hand.
“Hmm.”
“Alright. I’ll let the front desk know. Just stay seated.”
His tone was a little annoyed, like he couldn’t be bothered, as he headed toward the desk.
Thanks for Reading…
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