Ch.372372. It’s Not Like We’re Just Casually Dating and Then Ending up Together Forever, Right?

I was staying at a hotel room with a man who was chasing after my sister because he liked her, and he happened to be in charge of her company’s partner firm. What kind of ridiculous coincidence is this? Even a romance movie script would be criticized for lacking plausibility if written this way.

Of course, they say life is more movie-like than movies themselves. But this still doesn’t make sense. Did my sister sprinkle MSG or something? When I narrowed my eyebrows and gave her a suspicious look, she got upset.

“Siwoo, what’s with that disbelieving look? Are you doubting what I’m saying right now?”

“No, I’m not doubting you… but it’s such an incredible coincidence. How on earth could a man who likes you happen to be the person in charge at your partner company?”

“I was shocked at first too, Siwoo. But when I thought about it, it’s not that unreasonable. Mr. Baek’s father is a big name in the food industry, and our company’s new product is related to their business… so it makes sense we’d meet.”

Hearing that, it’s not entirely wrong. Actually, it’s quite convincing.

Since my sister’s main job is new product marketing, and assuming Mr. Baek does something similar… wouldn’t it be stranger if they didn’t know each other? Even in my case, after working in the construction industry for four years, I’ve gotten to know many people and built a network.

Right, it’s common to meet the same person from Company A on a project with Company B. Marketing probably isn’t much different.

Thinking about this, I glanced at my brother, who was nodding with a subtle expression. His silence suggests he’s reached the same conclusion as me.

“That makes sense… but wow, still. How did you happen to meet him right there? They really say you never know what life will bring.”

“So, Jiyu. What happened after you met him as the partner company representative?”

“After that… nothing special. We talked about work-related issues, but he didn’t say anything else. So I thought, ah, he’s given up. That’s a relief… or so I thought.”

“Oh, you thought?”

My sister hesitated, fidgeting with her lips before looking at us and blurting out:

“Well, for field research… I went on a business trip to the provinces with Mr. Baek. Just the two of us.”

“…You and Mr. Baek? Just the two of you?”

Even if it was for work, they sent a man and woman together on a provincial business trip? What company handles things that way? What if something happened?

When I asked again in disbelief, my sister scratched her cheek awkwardly and nodded.

“Yeah, but don’t misunderstand? We weren’t originally supposed to go together. I was supposed to go with a female colleague from my department.”

“Okay, and then?”

“But that colleague suddenly got pregnant and couldn’t go on the trip. So I needed to find a replacement, but everyone in our department was busy. I was panicking until the morning of departure, unable to find anyone. That’s when Mr. Baek happened to call about work.”

“…And then?”

“Like a drowning person clutching at straws, I asked if he wasn’t busy, could he come with me to the provinces… and he agreed.”

“…”

Wait, why does this sound so familiar? In office romance dramas, this situation happens all the time. A man and woman go on a business trip alone for some reason and secretly fall in love.

Hwa Nabi and Woohee watch dramas with similar stories, and I remember criticizing them just the other day for such unrealistic fantasies… I never imagined that unrealistic fantasy would become reality, with my sister as the protagonist.

I stared at my sister with my mouth open. She looked into space briefly, as if recalling the not-too-distant past, then continued.

“So I went on the trip with Mr. Baek… but the problem is, normally when people of the same gender go on business trips, each person gets their own room, right?”

“Yeah, one room per person is the basic principle.”

“I was pretty close with the female colleague who was originally supposed to go. Since we were staying at a hotel, we had booked one room with two beds but reported it as two rooms for expense purposes… we agreed to use the extra money for room service and massages.”

“…But the person going with you changed, from your colleague to Mr. Baek.”

“Yes, it changed. But I forgot about that. It wasn’t with any strange intentions, but I was in such a rush that morning trying to find someone to go with me… I didn’t have time to think about such minor details.”

Working at a company, unexpected incidents happen all the time. So I understand, but still, there are certain things you shouldn’t forget.

Seemingly sharing my thoughts, my brother who had been listening quietly furrowed his brow as if he couldn’t understand either. My sister glanced at us and mumbled quietly.

“Anyway. When we arrived, there was only one room reserved. I was panicking, but Mr. Baek said he would sleep in another room, so I shouldn’t worry. But it happened to be a rainy Friday evening, and the following Monday was a substitute holiday.”

“Don’t tell me there were no vacant rooms… so you had no choice but to stay in the same room with Mr. Baek?”

“Yeah, that’s right. How did you know?”

“…Wow.”

This is truly unbelievable. I shook my head and mentally summarized my sister’s story.

So, my sister and Mr. Baek had only eaten together once, but our father misunderstood and spread rumors about a formal meeting between families. Mr. Baek took advantage of those rumors to ask my sister out again, and at their meeting place—a VIP floor with a nice night view—he confessed that he liked her, but she rejected him?

Honestly, even this much is shocking, but what followed was even more incredible. Mr. Baek started following my sister around every day because he liked her.

And that’s not all—she met him again as a partner company representative, somehow ended up going on a provincial business trip alone with him, and then there were no vacant hotel rooms so they stayed in the same room?

Is this even possible? I’m not being pranked, am I? I was so dumbfounded that I shouted at my sister.

“Sis, say something that makes sense!”

“Oh my! Han Siwoo, why are you suddenly yelling at me?”

“It doesn’t make sense! What? A female employee gets pregnant so you take a partner company representative as a replacement? You go on a business trip and coincidentally there are no vacant rooms so a man and woman stay in the same room? Sis, even drama writers would get criticized for such an unrealistic plot! Viewers would complain!”

“Siwoo, can you calm down first? You’re too excited.”

“…Sigh.”

My heart is pounding like a viewer who just watched a makjang office romance drama. Not because I’m excited, but because I’m angry that someone completely destroyed the authenticity of corporate work procedures.

Company work isn’t child’s play—how could you stay in the same room just because there are no vacancies? It’s because people accept these ridiculous plot developments that dramas are getting weirder these days.

I sighed while gripping the sofa armrest.

“…Sigh, be honest. Sis, all those things you just said. Did you make them up after watching some weird drama?”

If she nods now, I could generously let it slide. People’s imaginations are their own.

But crushing my expectations, my sister shook her head as if I was talking nonsense.

“No, it’s true! I have the expense receipts and even photos of the hotel bathrobes. Want to see?”

“Wait, what? You took pictures with Mr. Baek wearing only bathrobes in the hotel room?”

When I emphasized each word, my sister blushed and jumped up.

“W-what are you saying? That’s not what I meant! I literally took pictures of the bathrobes! The female colleague who couldn’t go was so disappointed, so I took them for her!”

“Oh, is that so? I thought…”

I thought she meant they took pictures together on the bed wearing bathrobes.

I swallowed the rest of my words and looked at Hwa Nabi, who had been quietly listening but now seemed curious enough to ask on my behalf.

“Sister-in-law, about those photos you mentioned. Could I see them? I’m curious if it’s the same hotel that my husband and I went to.”

“Oh, sure. Here you go.”

Hwa Nabi took the phone and swiped through the photos. Since it really was a business trip for field research, there were so many photos that it took a while to get to the hotel pictures.

Photos of the hotel entrance, the front desk, the room interior. The bathroom, hotel-provided bathrobes, the bed, and night view photos. My sister, being a woman, must enjoy taking pictures—there were so many.

“…Oh.”

I was looking without much thought when I suddenly startled. In the night view photo I just saw, there was someone else reflected in the window besides my sister in her bathrobe.

“Wait, Nabi. Go back.”

“Huh? Back? How far?”

“Two back, one more. …Wait! Yes, this one.”

I blinked twice and checked the photo again.

The person reflected in the window of the serene night view photo, with a somewhat large build that looks like Mr. Baek… is wearing a bathrobe.

“Sis, why is this person dressed like this?”

“Huh? What?”

“Look at this, he’s wearing a bathrobe. …Sis, don’t tell me.”

I swallowed the question “Did you two start dating then?” and glanced at my sister.

She just fidgeted with her fingers without saying anything, then mumbled while looking away from me.

“No, no. We just slept then, just slept…”

“…”

Her face looked like that of a young girl I’d never seen before, which suddenly woke me up.

“Siwoo.”

“Yes, brother.”

“It looks like there’s going to be a real family meeting soon, so keep your weekend schedule open for a while.”

“Okay, got it.”

“…Hey, oppa! It’s not like that!”