Soo-min had already made up her mind.
She was going to approach Kang Tae-jin.
Kim Hana and Seo-ma watched from a distance as Soo-min walked toward him.
Seo-ma folded her arms.
“Well, she’s really doing it.”
Hana calmly picked up another piece of tteokbokki.
“Looks like it.”
“You’re not even surprised?”
“Why would I be?”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“Because she’s walking toward Kang Tae-jin!”
Hana shrugged.
“She was going to do that anyway.”
Seo-ma sighed.
“You’re too calm.”
Hana took another bite.
“I’m hungry.”
“Of course you are.”
The two girls continued watching.
Soo-min finally reached the table where Kang Tae-jin sat beside his grandmother.
She took a deep breath before speaking.
“First Young Master Kang.”
Tae-jin slowly raised his eyes.
“Yes?”
Soo-min smiled.
“I’m Soo-min.”
“I know.”
Her smile froze for half a second.
“You remember me?”
“You’re Old Madam Kim’s granddaughter.”
“Oh.”
Soo-min quickly recovered.
“That’s right.”
Beside Tae-jin, Old Madam Kang quietly lifted her teacup.
Her eyes moved from Soo-min to her grandson.
She said nothing.
But she was watching.
Very carefully.
Soo-min took the empty seat nearby.
“I didn’t know our grandmothers were close friends.”
“They are.”
“I was actually surprised to see you here tonight.”
Tae-jin looked at her.
“Why?”
Soo-min hesitated.
“Well…
I didn’t know our families had such a close connection.”
Tae-jin gave a small nod.
“Now you know.”
Silence.
Soo-min blinked.
That wasn’t exactly the response she had expected.
Old Madam Kang slowly lowered her teacup.
Her grandson was truly talented.
Talented at ending conversations.
Soo-min cleared her throat.
“First Young Master Kang, are you enjoying the banquet?”
“It’s fine.”
“That’s good.”
Silence again.
Soo-min’s smile became slightly stiff.
Old Madam Kang almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
“Do you often attend events like this?” Soo-min asked.
“No.”
“Really?”
“No.”
Soo-min stared at him.
She was beginning to wonder if he had a limited vocabulary.
She tried again.
“Then…
do you enjoy dancing?”
“No.”
Old Madam Kang suddenly coughed.
Tae-jin turned toward her.
“Grandma?”
“Nothing.”
The old woman calmly took another sip of tea.
Soo-min quickly smiled.
“I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I know.”
Soo-min nodded.
“Of course.”
Across the banquet hall, Seo-ma was struggling to keep herself from laughing.
Hana glanced at her.
“Why are you shaking?”
“Why?”
Seo-ma leaned closer.
“Because Soo-min is trying so hard to have a conversation with him.”
Hana glanced toward Tae-jin.
Then back at Seo-ma.
“Is she?”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“Yes!”
Hana took another bite of tteokbokki.
“She seems fine to me.”
Seo-ma sighed.
“You’re hopeless.”
Hana shrugged.
“I’m hungry.”
“Of course.”
Soo-min noticed several people watching her.
Her confidence slowly returned.
Maybe everyone thought she and Tae-jin were getting closer.
She smiled.
“First Young Master Kang…”
Tae-jin looked at her.
“Yes?”
Soo-min opened her mouth to speak.
But before she could finish—
“Excuse me.”
Soo-min froze.
Tae-jin’s eyes shifted toward the person who had interrupted them.
Kim Hana stood a few steps away.
She held a small plate in one hand.
Seo-ma stood beside her.
Hana looked at Tae-jin.
Then at the food table.
Then back at him.
“Are you done?”
Tae-jin frowned.
“Done with what?”
Hana pointed toward the table behind him.
“I’m hungry.”
Seo-ma immediately covered her mouth.
Soo-min stared at Hana.
Tae-jin stared at her too.
Hana looked back at him.
“Well?”
“Why are you telling me?”
Hana blinked.
“Because you’re sitting there.”
“So?”
“So you’re in my way.”
The table suddenly became silent.
Soo-min’s eyes widened.
Old Madam Kang slowly placed her teacup down.
Tae-jin leaned back slightly.
“You came all the way here to tell me I’m in your way?”
“No.”
Hana pointed toward the food.
“I came to get that.”
Tae-jin glanced behind him.
A large tray of tteokbokki sat on the table.
He looked back at her.
“Then take it.”
Hana stared at him.
“How?”
“Walk around.”
“Why should I?”
Tae-jin’s expression darkened.
“Because I’m sitting here.”
Hana stared at him.
He stared back.
Seo-ma looked between them.
Oh, this was getting interesting.
Finally, Hana sighed.
“Fine.”
She walked around the table.
As she passed Tae-jin, she stopped.
“You’re very difficult.”
Tae-jin’s eyes narrowed.
“And you’re very rude.”
Hana turned around.
“Good.”
Tae-jin frowned.
“Good?”
“Then we understand each other.”
Hana walked away.
Old Madam Kang watched Hana disappear into the crowd.
Then she looked at her grandson.
Tae-jin’s eyes remained fixed in the direction Hana had gone.
Old Madam Kang smiled.
“Tae-jin.”
He looked at her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Grandma.”
“Eat your dinner.”
Tae-jin’s expression remained cold.
But his eyes shifted once more toward Hana.
He didn’t understand why he kept noticing her.
She was rude.
Unbothered.
And strangely irritating.
Yet somehow…
He kept looking.
Tae-jin frowned.
Annoying.
He picked up his glass.
I don’t care.
He took a sip.
I definitely don’t care.
Old Madam Kang watched him quietly.
A knowing smile slowly appeared on her face.
She had lived long enough to recognize something her grandson hadn’t realized yet.
The most dangerous person to a man who believed he couldn’t be distracted…
Was a woman who didn’t care enough to try.
And Kim Hana?
She didn’t even realize she had his attention.
Not yet.
Hana returned to Seo-ma with a fresh plate.
Seo-ma was practically vibrating with excitement.
“Hana.”
“What?”
“You just argued with Kang Tae-jin.”
“He started it.”
Seo-ma’s mouth fell open.
“He literally didn’t!”
“He called me rude.”
“You called him difficult!”
“Because he is.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
Then she burst out laughing.
Hana shook her head.
“You’re annoying.”
Seo-ma suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Wait.”
“What?”
Seo-ma pointed toward the other side of the hall.
Hana glanced over.
Tae-jin was still sitting beside his grandmother.
But his eyes weren’t on Soo-min.
They weren’t on the dance floor.
They weren’t on the guests.
For a brief moment, his gaze was directed toward Hana.
Hana stared for a second.
Then she shrugged.
“Maybe he’s looking at you.”
Seo-ma’s jaw dropped.
“Why would he be looking at me?”
“You’re the one standing beside me.”
“That doesn’t make sense!”
Hana took another bite.
“Then I don’t know.”
Seo-ma stared at her.
“You seriously didn’t notice?”
“Notice what?”
“Nothing.”
Hana narrowed her eyes.
“Why do I feel like you’re hiding something?”
Seo-ma smiled innocently.
“Me?
Never.”
Hana continued staring at her.
Seo-ma quickly looked away.
Across the hall, Tae-jin finally turned his attention elsewhere.
Neither of them noticed the old woman sitting beside him.
Old Madam Kang had seen everything.
And she was beginning to find the entire situation very amusing.
Because her grandson, Kang Tae-jin, had spent the entire evening surrounded by beautiful young women trying desperately to catch his attention.
Yet the only woman who had managed to hold it…
Was the one who didn’t seem to want it.
And that, Old Madam Kang thought, was going to be very interesting.