Kim Hana glanced at the delicious food spread before looking back at Old Madam Kang.
Her stomach suddenly growled.
Loudly.
Hana froze.
Seo-ma slowly turned toward her.
Hana looked down at her stomach.
“…I’m hungry.”
Seo-ma immediately covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Old Madam Kang, however, simply smiled.
“My goodness, Hannie.”
Hana’s cheeks warmed slightly.
“Grandma…”
“You haven’t changed at all.”
Hana blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“When you were little, you were always hungry.”
Hana sighed.
“That’s not true.”
Seo-ma immediately spoke up.
“It is.”
Hana turned toward her.
“Whose side are you on?”
Seo-ma shrugged.
“The truth’s side.”
Old Madam Kang laughed.
“Go on, Hannie.
Go eat something.”
Hana immediately smiled.
“Thank you.”
She turned toward Seo-ma.
“Come on.”
Seo-ma grinned.
“Now you’re talking.”
The two girls were about to leave when Hana suddenly heard her grandmother calling after her.
“Hana.”
Hana turned around.
“Yes, Grandma?”
“Don’t eat everything before the guests get a chance.”
Hana stared at her.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
Seo-ma immediately whispered,
“That’s a lie.”
Hana elbowed her lightly.
“Come on.”
The two girls quickly walked away.
Neither of them noticed Tae-jin watching them for a brief moment.
His eyes rested on Hana.
She was completely different from the other girls at the banquet.
While everyone else was busy watching him…
She was busy thinking about food.
Tae-jin’s expression remained unreadable.
Then he looked away.
A short while later, the lights inside the banquet hall slowly dimmed.
The guests turned toward the stage.
Kim Hana’s father stepped forward.
He stood behind the microphone, holding a glass of champagne.
“Good evening, everyone.”
The conversations slowly faded.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the seventy-ninth birthday of my beloved mother.”
The guests applauded.
Old Madam Kim smiled warmly.
Her son continued.
“Throughout my life, my mother has been the heart of our family.”
“She has guided us, supported us, and given us more love than we could ever repay.”
He turned toward her.
“Mother, I hope tonight reminds you of just how loved you are.”
A warm smile spread across Old Madam Kim’s face.
“Happy birthday.”
The room erupted into applause.
Hana smiled as she watched her grandmother.
Seo-ma leaned closer.
“Your father gives a good speech.”
Hana nodded.
“Yeah.”
Then the music suddenly changed.
Soft music filled the banquet hall.
The large dance floor slowly became the center of attention as couples began stepping forward.
Hana immediately grabbed another piece of food.
Seo-ma stared at her.
“Seriously?”
“What?”
“The dancing has started.”
Hana took a bite.
“Good for them.”
Seo-ma shook her head.
“You really don’t care, do you?”
Hana swallowed.
“Not really.”
A few minutes later, a young man approached Hana.
“Miss Kim.”
Hana looked up.
“Yes?”
“Would you like to dance with me?”
Hana glanced toward the dance floor.
Then back at him.
“No, thank you.”
The man looked disappointed.
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
Seo-ma looked at her.
“That was fast.”
“What?”
“You didn’t even think about it.”
“I thought about it.”
“When?”
“Before he finished asking.”
Seo-ma burst out laughing.
Before Hana could say anything else, another young man approached.
“Miss Kim, may I have this dance?”
Hana looked at him.
“Why?”
The man froze.
“Why?”
“Yes.”
He looked confused.
“Because…
it’s a dance.”
“I know.”
Hana nodded.
“That’s why I asked why.”
The man didn’t know what to say.
Seo-ma turned away, desperately trying not to laugh.
Finally, the man awkwardly excused himself.
“Never mind.”
“Okay.”
Hana returned her attention to her food.
Seo-ma stared at her.
“Hana.”
“What?”
“You’re rejecting them like they’re job applicants.”
“They should be grateful I gave them an answer.”
Seo-ma shook her head.
“You know what?
Never mind.”
A third man approached.
Hana immediately looked at him.
“Let me guess.”
The man blinked.
“What?”
“You’re going to ask me to dance.”
“How did you—”
“No.”
She turned away.
The man stood there, completely speechless.
Seo-ma finally burst out laughing.
“Hana!”
“What?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
Hana calmly continued eating.
“What?
He was going to ask.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
Then she looked around.
“Wait…”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Am I invisible?”
Hana looked at her.
“No.”
Seo-ma pointed toward the dance floor.
“Then what’s going on?”
Hana tilted her head.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are they only asking you out?”
Hana looked genuinely confused.
“How am I supposed to know?”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“Kim Hana.”
“What?”
“Look around you.”
Hana glanced around.
Several young men were still sneaking glances in her direction.
Hana blinked.
“Are they?”
Seo-ma nearly fell over.
“You’re kidding me!”
Hana shrugged.
“Maybe they’re looking at someone behind me.”
Seo-ma looked behind Hana.
There was a large decorative plant.
She looked back at Hana.
“Unless the plant suddenly became attractive, no.”
Hana laughed softly.
“You’re overthinking it.”
Seo-ma sighed.
“You’re hopeless.”
Hana smiled.
“I’m hungry.”
“Of course you are.”
Meanwhile…
Soo-min had been staring at Kang Tae-jin for quite some time.
She couldn’t even imagine how someone could be this handsome.
His sharp features, tall figure, and cold, commanding presence made it almost impossible for her to look away.
Several young socialites standing nearby were also talking about him.
“That’s First Young Master Kang.”
“I can’t believe he’s actually this handsome.”
“Yes!
He looks like those models in magazines.”
One of the girls sighed dreamily.
“If I could marry someone like Kang Tae-jin, I’d be so happy.”
“You wish.”
Another girl laughed.
“Someone like Kang Tae-jin will probably only marry a wealthy heiress.”
“Maybe someone from the Han family.”
“True.”
Then another girl suddenly turned toward Soo-min.
“Soo-min, you never told us your grandmother was friends with Old Madam Kang.”
Hearing her name, Soo-min immediately snapped out of her thoughts.
“Oh…”
She forced a smile.
“I guess it slipped my mind.”
That was the only excuse she could think of.
Her grandmother had never told her about the friendship.
But now…
Soo-min couldn’t help feeling that this was a perfect opportunity.
Ava leaned closer to her.
“This is your chance.”
Soo-min glanced at her.
“My chance?”
Ava subtly nodded toward Tae-jin.
“To get to know him.”
Soo-min’s eyes brightened.
Ava smiled.
“Take it.”
Soo-min looked at Tae-jin again.
“You’re right.”
She slowly stood.
“I guess I’ll take my chance.”
She turned toward the girls.
“I’ll take my leave for a while.”
“Enjoy the party.”
As soon as Soo-min walked away, the girls immediately began whispering.
“Look at her.”
“I think she’s going after First Young Master Kang.”
“Me too.”
Ava suddenly frowned.
“Do you girls even know where you are?”
The girls turned toward her.
“Ava, what’s your problem?”
“She’s only using you.”
Ava’s eyes widened.
“What?”
But the girls had already walked away.
Ava watched them leave with an annoyed expression.
Meanwhile, Kim Hana and Seo-ma had already tasted almost everything on the food table.
Hana was now reaching for a plate of freshly prepared tteokbokki when Seo-ma suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Hana!”
Hana nearly dropped the plate.
“What?”
Seo-ma pointed toward the other side of the banquet hall.
“Look over there!”
Hana frowned.
“What’s it?”
“It’s Soo-min.”
“So?”
“She’s approaching Kang Tae-jin.”
Hana paused.
She slowly turned her head.
Sure enough…
Soo-min was walking toward Tae-jin.
Hana stared at her for a moment.
Then she looked at Seo-ma.
“Hmm.”
Seo-ma’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Let’s go.”
Hana raised an eyebrow.
“Where?”
Seo-ma grabbed her hand.
“There’s going to be drama today.”
Hana glanced toward Soo-min.
Then toward Tae-jin.
Based on everything Seo-ma had told her about Kang Tae-jin…
Hana already had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well for Soo-min.
She sighed.
“Fine.”
Seo-ma grinned.
“Yes!”
Hana picked up one last piece of tteokbokki before allowing Seo-ma to drag her away.
Seo-ma stared at her.
“You’re still eating?”
Hana looked at her innocently.
“What?”
“You’re going to watch drama while eating?”
Hana nodded seriously.
“Of course.”
She took a bite.
“It’s better with snacks.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
Then burst out laughing.
“You’re unbelievable.”
Hana swallowed calmly.
“You’re the one who said there was going to be drama.”
She took another bite.
“I’m just prepared.”
And with that, the two best friends headed toward the unfolding drama…
Completely unaware that tonight’s banquet was about to become far more interesting than either of them expected.