Saturday, 2:00 p.m.
Ikseon-dong’s hanok street.
I’d left earlier than our appointment, so I stood in a convenient spot, waiting for Yoo Sia.
No wonder it’s an SNS hot spot—there were so many people in their early to mid-20s. Most were dressed to the nines, handsome guys and beautiful girls, and I could barely spot anyone who wasn’t already a couple. Everyone strolled down the street arm in arm or holding hands, gazing at each other with syrupy eyes.
Knowing this place was a hot date spot for young people, I’d dressed neatly and dandyish, but even so, standing here as a guy in his thirties made me feel shrunk into my shoes.
Just then, a black taxi pulled up right in front of me. Even drunk people know not to ignore a cab with the vacant light flashing—hands that had waved aimlessly dropped at the sight of that sleek taxi. From it stepped a familiar woman.
“Ms. Yoo…?”
Yoo Sia.
My breath caught the moment I saw her. How did she manage to get a deluxe taxi? It wasn’t that late yet.
“Mr. Son!”
But carefree Sia waved at me cheerfully as she got out of the taxi.
“You took a deluxe cab?”
“Oh, yes!”
She nodded confidently.
Actually, she’d been careful even before leaving home. Before she’d even walked out the door:
“Butler Kim, could you call me a taxi?”
“A taxi? Mr. Park’s car is waiting today, so you can just take that.”
“No. If he drives me, they’ll know where I’m going.”
“If you’re uncomfortable, shall I drive you?”
“I’d like to go alone today.”
Among the cars waiting at home, even the cheapest was at least a K9 or a Genesis. The rest were foreign luxury cars or sports cars. But to appear with a driver to meet Son Jin-seong… wouldn’t that scream rich-girl? She didn’t want to invite more rumors on top of her scandalous reputation, so she chose public transport popular with ordinary people.
But from the butler’s perspective it was different.
“A small sedan might be uncomfortable. Shall I call a call-van?”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll take what everyone else takes.”
“All right.”
Even so, Butler Kim couldn’t bring himself to send his noble young lady off in an ordinary taxi, so he ordered a deluxe cab. Sia didn’t realize that deluxe versus regular taxis cost more or less the same—she just thought she’d taken a taxi like everyone else.
“Ah, the deluxe… you take taxis often?”
“Sometimes.”
Of course, those weren’t real taxis—they were cars driven by drivers employed by her family, but she introduced them to others simply as taxis.
“Shall we go?”
“Yeah, let’s…”
We started walking side by side. From the very start, the taxi situation nagged at me, but people’s hearts are fickle: once I began walking with Sia, my mood softened.
Maybe it was the nice weather, or maybe she’d done her makeup differently before leaving home, but in the sunlight Sia looked especially pure, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Her face aside, the dress was practically violent. She wore a square-neck dress that clung to her figure, and once your gaze landed on it, it wouldn’t let go.
“Wow, there really is a street like this. It’s nice.”
Sia seemed to be seeing the hanok street for the first time. She looked around as if everything were new, clearly enjoying herself.
Alright, I told myself, no more complaining today. I’d invited her out to apologize, and if I started lecturing again, it would all be for nothing.
We wandered the hanok alley, browsing small accessories and antiques. When the sun felt too strong or our legs ached, we ducked into a café for a cool Americano and then kept walking. If we felt peckish, we bought a twisted doughnut from a street vendor. Before we knew it, time flew by and the clock’s minute hand pointed to 5:00 p.m.
“Sia, aren’t you hungry? Shall we get dinner?”
“Hmm, it feels a bit early. I’ve eaten a lot of snacks.”
“Then shall we rest in the park for a bit and go eat later?”
“Sounds good!”
It turned out to be a surprisingly simple date. I’d expected her to want me to splurge money, but she didn’t seem to be someone who only liked expensive or lavish things.
How should I put it? It felt like she still hadn’t fully grasped economic value. Sometimes when you ask kids to choose between three 1,000-won bills and one 10,000-won bill, they pick the three bills because they see “three” and think it’s better. She felt like that child—treating a few thousand won the same as a few hundred thousand won.
Suddenly I thought, if that’s the case, maybe it’s actually fine. If it’s not that she loves luxury but that her sense of money management is underdeveloped, I could guide her. If I took control of the finances, maybe daily life wouldn’t be a problem…
Bzzz—!
My phone rang. It was my father.
“Sia, wait a moment.”
“Oh, yes.”
I stepped back and answered.
“Hello? Yes, Father. Ah… I see? I’ll come down next week and take care of it. Yes, of course. Got it.”
When I ended the call and turned back, Sia tilted her head in curiosity.
“That was quick. You could’ve taken your time.”
“I don’t usually talk with my dad for long.”
“You don’t get along?”
“We’re just normal. Father-son relationships tend to be more awkward than close.”
Especially once you hit your thirties and your hair starts to gray. As you age, you begin to understand your father’s feelings, but you also clash more—naturally growing apart.
I hurriedly changed the subject before it got too awkward.
“You said you live with your parents?”
“Yes.”
“Do you see them every day?”
“Of course. My father works, and my mother stays at home.”
“Huh, I see.”
Hearing it like that, her family sounded quite ordinary.
“You have a happy home.”
“We do. We’re competitive at family gatherings, though…”
“Right. Relatives are the biggest rivals. Last time, at Aunt Jong’s house, her son passed the civil service exam, and they bragged that driving a bus was better than working at a big company—Dad got so mad.”
“Well, the meaning of competition is a bit different… but everyone’s like that, I guess?”
“Almost.”
Hearing about her family made Sia seem even nicer. I’d always wanted to marry someone from a harmonious home. Without realizing it, I blurted out my true feelings.
“I envy you.”
She looked awkward.
“Aren’t you going down next week too, Mr. Son? Have something delicious with your parents.”
“I wish. My mother and father live separately.”
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Divorce is common these days.”
My parents split when I was young, and I grew up with my father alone. To be honest, I don’t even think of my mother as family. That’s why I’ve always envied people from loving homes even more.
Hearing that Sia regularly had warm meals with her relatives made me think how wonderful it would be to build a home with someone like her.
‘The more we talk, the more I’m falling for her.’
You can’t help being drawn to someone.
Men are really foolish creatures. I know in my head it won’t work out. If I date Sia, I’ll live as her ATM and my spine will snap under the weight, but…
‘She’s too captivating.’
A pretty, shapely junior at work—a 24-year-old just out of college—assaulting me with insane charm. I couldn’t think straight.
At first I just meant to buy her a meal out of courtesy and be done with it.
“Mr. Son! Shall we see a movie today? I got tickets.”
“Tickets…?”
“Yes. A VIP preview screening.”
“VIP…?”
“I was lucky. They even give us time to shake hands and chat with the actors!”
“That’s almost for insiders only.”
“Well… my friend’s father works there. Anyway, let’s go!”
“All right. But I’ll buy the popcorn.”
“Great!”
Those unexpected movie tickets sidetracked me. And that wasn’t all.
“Mr. Son, I also got amusement-park tickets.”
“Another free ticket?”
“Yes. My cousin’s friend works there. It’s a pass that lets you skip lines on every ride.”
“I get motion sick…”
“But the meal is free.”
“…And you got into that one restaurant that only lets in ten groups a day?”
“Of course.”
“You’re going this week?”
“Yes. They’re only valid until Sunday.”
“Let’s go.”
Next was an amusement-park date. Then we kept going to various places.
‘Feels like we meet every weekend.’
Before I knew it, it’d been three weekends in a row.
“Hmm, the breeze is nice.”
The stifling heat had passed, and a cool autumn wind was blowing.
Saturday night, 10:00 p.m.
We strolled along Cheonggyecheon at night, enjoying the breeze. As we walked through Jongno, Sia said offhand,
“Mr. Son. I like you.”
Just that simple line, but coming from her, it felt dazzling.
My heart pounded like crazy. I was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled.
“Go out with me.”
…
But I couldn’t bring myself to agree so hastily.
‘I do like her, that’s true.’
I’d never been as happy or excited with anyone as I was with her.
But dating formally and looking toward the future are different matters.
“What’s holding you back?”
When I couldn’t answer easily, she asked impatiently,
“Tell me. I’ll solve it.”
I hesitated, then replied,
“…The future.”
“Pardon?”
“If I date you, Sia, I want to think about the distant future.”
“Me too.”
“In that case, I want to control the finances.”
“…?”
“I want us to spend less… put money into our housing savings, and not take so many taxis.”
She might not fully get it, but I figured it wasn’t too hard.
“Okay.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want us to ever burden each other financially.”
“If that’s what you mean… it’s possible.”
No matter how much I went wild with my card, Sia’s household would never suffer.
“All right, Sia. Then let’s date.”
Today is Day One.
The mansion in Naegok-dong.
A dinner meeting once more after a month.
Sia’s eldest uncle eyed her and asked,
“Sia, what happened to that thing we talked about last time?”
Everyone was curious but held back. Still, having heard rumors, they couldn’t pretend not to know. Even Chairman Yoo, expressionless, had his ears pricked.
“Oh, that?”
Sia scratched her cheek, embarrassed.
“It’s embarrassing, but we decided to date officially.”
…!
“It’s been exactly a week today. He seems like a good person.”
“!!!”
“And he played baseball, like Grandpa likes.”
But Sia’s embellishments went unheard.
Chairman Yoo and his five sons and thirteen grandsons exchanged glances. No one spoke, but they all understood each other.
Whoever this guy was…
‘I have to find him…!’
I don’t know what he does, but if I catch him, I’ll break every bone in his body, they thought.
“Thank you for the meal. I’ll go wash up.”
No sooner had Sia left her seat than shouts erupted.
“Damn it!”
“Who is this guy!!”
“Chairman, will you allow this?”
“Uncle Youngest! Our Sia, our Sia…!!”
“We can’t let her pure soul be tainted!”
They let their fury loose all at once.
“Quiet, everyone!”
Chairman Yoo silenced them instantly.
“Listen up, you Yoons.”
He lowered his voice ominously.
“Son Jin-seong.”
“…?”
“That’s his name.”
“!!”
“Is that true?”
“It’s confirmed. We finished the investigation the day before yesterday.”
“But grandfather, if that’s the case…?”
“It’s fine. Sia hasn’t found out.”
…!
Everyone was impressed. As expected of Chairman Yoo.
“He’s in Planning Team 2.”
“So he really was in the same department as Sia…!”
Chairman Yoo ground his teeth.
“Monitor him closely.”
Unable to contain his rising anger, he barked,
“If anyone even touches a hair on our Sia’s head….”
The backlash would spread everywhere.
The Yoon men began to move in unison.
“Hey, who’s the head of Planning at HR Media?”
“Check the personnel records right now… no, have him come in to work tomorrow morning—no, tell him to come in right now. Weekend night? Who cares? Tell him if he doesn’t want to get fired, he’d better show up this instant!”
“List all employees from Korea University, class of ’13, in the Department of Physical Education, not finance. Don’t ask why—get it ASAP!”
“Find every possible connection he might have. We’ll either threaten or persuade him, got it?!”
“He’s seven years younger? Have you seen such a bastard?!”
“Isn’t this original dating? Contact the National Police Commissioner immediately! Have him arrested on the spot!”