The moment they stepped into the hotel lounge, Hae-som’s eyes were drawn to the bar area off in the distance.
More specifically, to Cha Ji-won, who sat there casually swirling a glass of whiskey while chatting with Jean Jacques.
The sharp, upward-slanting eyes, enhanced by a carefully drawn line of eyeliner, looked almost intimidating at first glance. Yet that only made her distinctive professional charm stand out more. The perfectly maintained bob haircut she always wore had much the same effect.
She seemed to be wearing a dark lipstick, and yet not a trace stained the rim of her glass. What kind of product was that?
Lost in ridiculous thoughts, captivated by Ji-won’s sophisticated appearance, Hae-som snapped back to reality when an arm wrapped around her waist.
“Let’s have a drink and head up before it gets too late.”
Jae-geon already had a key card in his hand. He must have checked them in while she wasn’t looking. Sneaking a glance at the room number, she realized it was a suite that probably cost several hundred thousand won a night without breaking a sweat.
Jean Jacques spotted them and waved from afar. Hae-som forced a smile in return, but she wasn’t happy at all.
The difference between their worlds had never felt more real.
Her pathetic inferiority complex had reared its head.
“Chef.”
Not noticing the pointed look she was giving him, Jae-geon slid the hand from her waist to her shoulder. Only after tucking her firmly beneath his arm did he respond.
“Hm?”
“Have you ever been to a motel?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“Have you?”
Jae-geon looked down at her as though she were being absurd and pulled her closer.
“Why? Is that your preference, Song Hae-som?”
“It’s not a preference. It’s more a matter of budget.”
“Oh. Here I thought you liked those rooms with mirrors on the ceiling. You’re secretly pretty bold, you know.”
How did he even know those kinds of rooms existed?
From experience?
Or from things he’d heard?
When Jae-geon saw her narrowed eyes, he chuckled and completely messed up her bangs.
This was supposed to be a place where she needed to look presentable.
My dignity is ruined, oh my God!
Meanwhile, Chef Jean Jacques was smiling even wider at her straightforward, almost childish reaction. Ji-won kept her gaze fixed on Jae-geon as she introduced Hae-som.
“Oh, Geonnie’s new baby? Come here. Give me a hug.”
His English was much easier to understand than his French. Hae-som immediately walked over and embraced him.
Compared to Jae-geon, he carried the scent of mature wood, dignified and elegant in its own way.
Jae-geon glanced once at the empty spot Hae-som had abandoned before dropping onto the lounge sofa.
“You’re late. It only takes twenty minutes from the restaurant.”
Ji-won promptly brought over the whiskey she’d been drinking. Amber liquor streamed over a carefully carved block of ice.
Jae-geon’s gaze remained completely indifferent as he accepted it.
“I didn’t expect you to arrive with a keychain attached.”
“…”
Ignoring her entirely, he grabbed Hae-som’s hand just as she finished exchanging cheek kisses with Jean Jacques and pulled her down beside him.
Yanked away, Hae-som blinked.
“What?”
“You really have to ask?”
“You told me to greet him.”
“Since when does greeting someone involve kissing?”
She had heard that it did in France.
The reply died on her lips when she noticed Ji-won’s sharp stare.
Ji-won quietly took away the whiskey glass Jae-geon hadn’t even touched.
“You two seem pretty happy together.”
As if she were an object rather than a person, Jae-geon curved an arm around Hae-som’s stiff waist and pulled her close.
His embrace was broad and warm.
Yet her chest prickled as though covered in thorns.
The intention behind this display of affection in front of his former lover was obvious.
He wanted to provoke Ji-won and free himself from her lingering obsession.
What Hae-som felt about it clearly didn’t matter.
She was used to being treated this way. Maybe she should simply endure it.
But Song Ji was another invisible victim caught up in all of this.
Provoking Ji-won didn’t seem like a smart idea.
Whatever calculation lay behind it, Jae-geon merely leaned in and whispered,
“The wine’s good, right?”
Taking her exhale as an answer, he summoned the waiting waiter.
He ordered the same wine they’d shared before, along with a few dishes to accompany it, then hugged her tightly as though she were a cherished doll.
When the wine arrived and Jae-geon’s attention shifted back to Jean Jacques, a conversation began that shut Hae-som out completely.
Jean Jacques nearly doubled over laughing at Jae-geon’s cynical remarks, while Ji-won skillfully filled every pause. Whenever something important came up, Jae-geon occasionally translated for her, but somehow that only made her feel worse.
In the middle of such a lively gathering, Hae-som felt completely alone.
Perhaps this was exactly why Ji-won had remained so quiet until now.
To make a mere college student painfully aware of how little she measured up.
Faced with Ji-won’s composed and elegant smile, Hae-som thought she had already been humiliated enough.
She was wrong.
The game had only just begun.
Apparently even alcohol tolerance depended on time and place.
At Jae-geon’s house, nearly half a bottle of wine hadn’t affected her. Here, a single glass left her head swimming.
The round floating lights overhead looked like UFOs.
The French drifting around her sounded like messages from another planet.
She found herself staring at a pair of striking blue eyes, wondering how a foreigner could be so handsome, when someone suddenly spoke to her.
“It looks like Song Hae-som has been having quite a productive internship.”
It was Ji-won.
Despite finishing half a bottle of whiskey, she showed no sign of being drunk.
Even her cherry-colored lipstick remained flawless.
Why did she seem like such an amateur even here?
Hae-som gently bit her wine-stained lips.
Jae-geon, who had been talking with Jean Jacques, immediately noticed and pressed a water glass against her mouth.
Cold water flowed in.
Her head cleared a little, but she found no comfort in his consideration.
Not while Ji-won stared at her as though looking straight through her.
When Jae-geon’s attention returned to Jean Jacques, Hae-som was alone again.
And Ji-won had no intention of leaving her in peace.
“Why aren’t you answering? Did Jung Jae-geon tell you not to?”
“No, Editor-in-Chief.”
Ji-won’s gaze cooled at the title that slipped out so naturally.
“I heard you extended your internship.”
“…Yes.”
“Your choice or someone else’s?”
“Chef Jae-geon suggested it first.”
“I see.”
Ji-won lifted her pointed chin.
That arrogant angle alone was enough to intimidate Hae-som.
Just like their first meeting, her head lowered on its own.
Apparently dissatisfied with the sight, Jae-geon clicked his tongue and lifted his wine glass.
He studied the purple liquid, swirled it gently, brought it to his sharp nose, and finally took the smallest sip ever.
Whether it was proper tasting etiquette or an effort not to get drunk, Hae-som couldn’t tell.
What she did know was that the simple act of tasting wine somehow looked quite sexy.
And Ji-won appeared no different.
Her gaze lingered on him just as much as Hae-som’s did.
Ji-won glared at the hand that had once again settled around Hae-som’s shoulders, then gave a thin smile.
“You got a pretty good bonus, didn’t you? There are plenty of women who’d take off their clothes and run to Jeong Jae-geon, even for a freebie. Including me, of course.”
Hae-som was stunned, unable to deny it outright. She had thought the same thing once. Hae-som still didn’t fully understand his intentions.
“Cha Ji-won.”
Jae-geon’s voice dropped in warning.
Ji-won ignored him completely, just as he had ignored her.
Jean Jacques seemed to crack a joke in an attempt to ease the tension, but neither of them responded.
The struggle between them was fierce.
And Hae-som still had no place in it.
“Still, Hae-som.”
“…Yes.”
“Don’t you think you were a bit shortsighted?”
“…”
“The restaurant industry is smaller than you think. People talk. That Jeong Jae-geon is sleeping with some intern.”
Did Jae-geon know those rumors existed?
She glanced at him.
His expression had gone cold.
The large hand gripping the wine glass trembled with anger.
Ji-won’s face, meanwhile, relaxed further.
“You think Jae-geon is the one who’ll suffer? Sure, he’ll be embarrassed for a while. People will say his judgment is terrible. It’ll become annoying when everyone starts bothering him.”
The darker his expression became, the more comfortable hers looked.
“What I mean is, Song Hae-som, you’ll have to live with the label ‘Jung Jae-geon’s girl’ from now on. Wherever you go, regardless of the truth. You’ll be known as a brazen girl who sold herself to get a job. And I’ll make sure of it.”
“Cha Ji-won.”
At the second warning, her shoulders twitched.
The resentment in her eyes as she looked at him was impossible to miss.
“What? When I answered your phone, did you really not expect this? Don’t tell me Jung Jae-geon didn’t know it would happen.”
“We have a guest here. What do you think you’re doing?”
Meeting that piercing stare with a faint smile, Ji-won turned back to Hae-som.
“How long do you think Jeong Jae-geon will be licking your… well. It’s time to wake up from your dream and face reality, Song Hae-som.”
Crack!
With a sharp explosive sound, the wine glass shattered in Jae-geon’s hand.
Ji-won screamed and leapt back as shards flew in every direction.
After hesitating for a moment, Jean Jacques hurried after her.
Only then did Jae-geon release a dry sigh and rake a hand through his hair.
The table.
The relationships.
It had all shattered.
