Episode 2
Use your head, Eun Se-hee. Think.
Growing desperate, Se-hee muttered to herself.
“I already said—I’m not Attorney Kim Min-jun.”
“Yes, of course… But I’m really sorry, could I ask you to switch seats with me?”
She clasped her hands like a prayer, her eyes pleading.
“I mean, I could… but you’d have to go on a blind date with my match. Is that okay with you?”
“…Sorry?”
“This seat is reserved. If you want to stay here, you’ll need to meet my blind date. If that’s still okay with you, I can switch.”
What kind of person talks like that? So stiff.
Se-hee bit her lip, pressing down on the front of her skirt—which hadn’t yet burst open.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s shameless, but please. I’m really not in a position to move right now.”
“You’re not going home either?”
He wasn’t being cruel—just indifferent. Of course, he didn’t know what was going on. As humiliating as it was, it might be better to just explain.
Okay, deep breath.
Se-hee sighed, tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear, and carefully opened her mouth.
“It’s just… my skirt, the back part… it tore…”
The confidence from earlier had completely vanished, and her voice grew smaller and smaller. Between the background noise and the lounge music, the man didn’t seem to catch it.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“…The skirt. The back ripped.”
Right as she said it, a nearby table burst out laughing.
“Come again?”
“I said—my skirt tore!”
Her voice, laced with shame and frustration, rang throughout the lounge. Like she was back on a construction site.
The surrounding area fell silent for a beat. The heat in her ears was a sign—everyone had heard her. Not knowing where to look, she tilted her head slightly toward the window.
“…Understood. I’ll let the desk know, so you can stay without confusion.”
His voice was formal and stiff.
“…Thank you.”
The man strode away, long legs carrying him toward the front desk.
Whew.
Se-hee finally exhaled.
It’s fine, Eun Se-hee. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’ll never see him again.
The immediate tension melted a little. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead into her hands.
“Here’s your coffee.”
Two cups—what she had ordered earlier—were set on the table.
Se-hee stared blankly. Her blind date hadn’t even arrived yet. What would he think, seeing two coffees already there?
She could ask someone to remove one—but her brain wasn’t functioning that well today. Everything was a mess. A cursed day. If things kept going this way, she might end up embarrassing her friend.
And her skirt—every time she moved, she could feel it tearing further.
How am I even going to get home like this…
A warm sting flared along her thigh—she’d only now noticed the scrape. She rubbed it gently, about to ask a staff member to clear the coffee—
When her actual blind date arrived.
“Hello, I’m Kim Min-jun. You’re Go Ah-jung, right? Looks like you’ve been waiting.”
The real Min-jun glanced at the coffee. Se-hee improvised a half-truth about why there were two cups and why she couldn’t stand. Since she’d already written off this date, oddly enough, she felt more relaxed.
“I work in landscaping… well, sometimes in magazines too. It’s a bit of a mixed bag. But being a lawyer must be clear-cut, right? You win or lose. Plus, all the overtime… that must be tough.”
She sipped her coffee.
“True. But when things go well, it builds your resume. I used to be in a corporate legal team, but now I’m at a firm specializing in corporate law. It’s definitely more intense—but it’s a good place to grow.”
Se-hee nodded and smiled politely. Their conversation flowed easily.
Until Min-jun checked his phone, apologetic.
“Sorry. A junior colleague just called—they need help submitting a legal brief. It’s urgent.”
“No worries. Go ahead.”
He stood.
“Let’s meet again soon. Dinner’s on me. This weekend works, or maybe next week on a weekday?”
“Sure. Just let me know.”
“Promise me you’ll make time.”
He grinned with the energy of someone still hopeful. Se-hee, thinking it was all a formality, smiled calmly and waved him off, pretending she needed to sit and rest for a bit.
Whew.
Once he was gone, she ran her hands through her thick brown hair, then clutched it.
I’ve done enough for my friend. Now I need to handle my own mess.
Like getting home in a ripped skirt.
If only her jacket could tie around her waist. But the cut didn’t work for that. And the sleeveless top underneath? So thin it barely covered her bra.
No way am I broadcasting my underwear to the entire hotel.
Just then, a couple passed by—clearly also from a blind date. They had arrived much later but were already leaving.
She watched the tall man’s retreating figure. The only person who knew about her situation.
God… how desperate do I have to be to regret not talking more to a stranger?
Shaking her head, she turned to the hotel staff. She made eye contact with the one who’d helped her earlier.
You helped me once. Your turn again.
Time to ask the hotel for help.
***
Was this a blind date or a business negotiation?
Kang-woon drank his coffee like it was water. His date, Do Min-chae, was dressed like she was heading to the office, and had launched straight into interrogation mode.
She asked most of the questions. He gave polite, precise answers—with a business smile.
Bored, Kang-woon found his thoughts drifting back to the earlier scene at the table nearby.
And his secretary Han’s words:
“Sir, hope you find your date okay. Just saying—it can get confusing sometimes. Some people don’t even know who they’re meeting.”
“Who’d do something that ridiculous?”
Well, here she was.
Kang-woon smirked.
“Mr. Choi? Something funny?”
“No. Please, continue.”
Min-chae resumed her questioning. Whenever she moved her head, he caught a glimpse of the silky brown hair behind her—specifically, the back of the mistaken woman’s head. And the man across from her? Smiling like he was enjoying himself.
Kang-woon scratched his brow and lifted his empty cup.
When did he even finish it?
As he lowered the cup, he saw the woman push back her brown hair.
She looked… familiar.
The woman who sat at the wrong table. The brown hair. The brown eyes.
He’d felt it at first glance—like he knew her from somewhere. He wanted to ask, but it sounded like a pick-up line, so he held back. Still… it gnawed at him.
“Mr. Choi?”
“Yes.”
“You just got promoted to executive director. How long do you think until you make VP? Any projections?”
“I give it a year. Though maybe I’ll skip the VP title altogether.”
Min-chae nodded and fired more questions. She asked about promotion timelines instead of age, industries instead of hobbies, company plans instead of personal values.
Eventually, they ended the “date” with professional handshakes.
“It was a pleasure.”
“Likewise.”
Like it was a business deal.
After walking her out, Kang-woon returned to the lobby—just in time to lock eyes with the brown-haired woman.
Her brown eyes sparkled, then quickly looked away. Kang-woon looked down.
She was wearing a hotel-branded grey blanket tied around her waist.
She turned to flee, cheeks burning—but he moved without thinking and stepped in front of her.
“Wh-what is it?”
“Are you… Go Ah-jung?”
“What?”
“Your name. Is it Go Ah-jung?”
“Y-yes.”
She lifted her chin and answered with all the confidence she could muster—though she wouldn’t meet his eyes, and her tongue darted out to nervously wet her lips.
Not Go Ah-jung.
He needed to ask.
“Have we met before?”
The self-proclaimed Go Ah-jung frowned—half trying to remember, half annoyed at being hit on.
“I don’t think so. First time seeing you.”
“Maybe…”
Just then—
“Sir!”
Secretary Han Dong-hee appeared out of nowhere.
“You’re still here?”
“Of course! I wouldn’t just leave you.”
Kang-woon raised a brow.
“Just go.”
“Come on, you know me.”
Annoyed at the interruption, Kang-woon turned—only to find that the mystery woman had vanished.
Han followed his gaze.
“Who was that?”
“What do you want.”
“Was that your blind date? From behind she looked—uh…”
He paused. His gaze had landed on the grey blanket.
“…Fashion-forward, I see.”
“What is it now?”
“Ah, yes—how did the date go?”
“Make something up.”
“I can’t just say the same thing every time. I have a reputation, you know.”
Kang-woon gave him a look.
“What reputation?”
“Sir, I’ve worked hard to keep up appearances with the Chairman and the President, you know that. I’ve been on your side, shielding you, smoothing things over. They trust me.”
Kang-woon cut him off.
“Dong-hee. Just go back to the main house already. I’ll tell your parents to give you a raise.”
“Aw, you’re too kind, sir. But I’m always on your team. Just give me something basic to work with, and I’ll spin it.”
Kang-woon shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at his secretary.
“She was 20 minutes late. Didn’t even apologize. Asked how much I owned, how soon I’d make VP, what my plans were—strictly business plans, nothing personal. Wanted to know if I’d take over the family group. Just a thoroughly… businesslike conversation. Got it?”
The weight in his voice made Han flinch. No matter how friendly they were, Kang-woon’s imposing frame and cold tone made it clear when not to push.
“And… you, sir?”
“What about me.”
As Kang-woon turned to leave, Han scampered after him.
“One sec—let me take this call. Hello? Yes, understood. Right. Got it.”
While Han took his call, Kang-woon turned his gaze toward the direction the woman had disappeared.
The woman with the torn skirt—fake Go Ah-jung—was gone.
“Sir, Chairman Wang wants to see you.”
To be continued…
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