Chapter 16: Because you are handsome

When you see someone every day, you naturally come to know their eating habits.

Especially with children, who are often picky eaters, it’s even easier to notice.

People say that picky eating habits improve with age, but old habits die hard.

Foods you disliked as a child are likely to remain unappealing, and those you liked, you’ll probably still enjoy.

[Auntie’s Bulgogi]

“We’re here. Let’s go in.”

“Bul…gogi?”

“…That’s unexpected. Honestly, I thought we were going to a pasta place.”

Jung Do-yoon, who just told me I was being unpredictable, avoided fish dishes.

Apparently, he once got a bone stuck in his throat as a child, and he found their round eyes creepy.

Jung Hwa-yoon, who had tilted her head at the quaint-looking sign, couldn’t handle spicy food.

She once had a traumatic experience choking on jjamppong (spicy noodle soup).

Most importantly, this bulgogi place served yogurt drinks as dessert.

Those tiny 65ml plastic bottles were the favorite snack of Jung Do-yoon and Jung Hwa-yoon 24 years ago.

“It’s hard to find a snack that’s tasty and healthy.”

You might think something like a small yogurt drink isn’t a big deal.

But surprisingly, these little details can matter.

Maybe this is what that one famous chef meant by the term “kick.”

“…Haven’t had one of these in ages.”

Jung Hwa-yoon, after glancing around the restaurant, soon sat beside me.

Jung Do-yoon took the seat across from me.

The food came quickly.

Three bowls of hot pot bulgogi.

Thinly sliced green onions, beef, and tofu slowly cooked, releasing a gentle aroma.

“Mmm, this place is nice.” / “…Delicious.”

When the broth had reduced by about half, both Jung Do-yoon and Jung Hwa-yoon voiced similar impressions.

Hot broth and sweet-savory bulgogi—it’s hard to dislike, and that was once again proven.

A glance showed both of their expressions had softened.

The mood had clearly improved, too.

The chilliness from the executive office wasn’t present anymore.

That was meaningful progress.

‘A single meal won’t bring dramatic change, but… the first step is always important.’

Eventually, as the meal ended, yogurt drinks were served as dessert.

Apricot-colored bottles with green caps.

The label read:

“Contains 20 billion probiotics.”

But both Jung Do-yoon and Jung Hwa-yoon just stared quietly at their drinks.

Worried one each wouldn’t be enough, I asked the owner for one more per person.

“Please have some. Good for your gut health.”

I popped a yellow straw into one and handed it to Jung Hwa-yoon.

Fortunately, she accepted and drank it without a word—seems she didn’t stop liking it after all.

Jung Do-yoon, sitting across from me, silently inserted his straw as well.

Right, even as adults, we need to care for our gut health.

“Would you be okay with coffee for dessert?”

Realizing it was time to go, I guided them to a nearby café.

As any proper office worker knows, a post-lunch coffee stop is practically mandatory.

Thankfully, they didn’t decline.

They still weren’t speaking to each other, which was a bit awkward.

But it was too soon to expect too much.

What mattered was improving their relationship—even slowly.

“Three Americanos, please.”

I ordered coffee for all three of us and received a round pager and receipt.

Since Jung Hwa-yoon had stepped out to take a call, only Do-yoon and I sat at the café table.

A moment of silence.

Was it still awkward?

Not knowing what to say, I simply looked at him quietly.

The café was quiet for lunch hour, and all I could hear was soft music and the sound of coffee brewing.

Jung Do-yoon, sitting across from me, didn’t speak.

Arms crossed, he stared out the window.

‘…He got handsome.’

He had already been good-looking as a kid, and he had grown up without any awkward phases.

Or maybe the role of executive director at Yeryeo Corporation had shaped him.

He looked like a drama protagonist—charismatic, well-groomed.

Even his suit was clearly high-end.

His watch?

A luxury brand most office workers could only dream of.

Maybe I’d been staring too intently.

Noticing my gaze, he turned his head, furrowing his brows slightly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

A faint tone of suspicion in his voice.

It sounded almost the same as when I first met him long ago.

After a moment’s thought, I opened my mouth.

My answer was a bit shallow—but said with a smile.

“Because you’re handsome.”

***

“…What?”

At Yuseo-ah’s casual reply, Jung Do-yoon’s expression flickered with confusion.

Not exactly how you’d expect a new employee to speak to the executive director.

Another awkward silence followed.

Still, Yuseo-ah’s gaze stayed fixed on him.

Maybe since she’d been caught, she figured she might as well keep staring.

“…Ms. Yuseo-ah, are you always this informal with someone you’ve just met?”

Unable to endure her calm, bold eyes, he asked.

To be fair, Yuseo-ah’s appearance could be quite disarming.

“Just met… I don’t think so.”

But her reply silenced even Jung Do-yoon.

Her face still carried a faint smile.

“Have we met before?”

“That’s a secret.”

Her calm voice followed, hinting she’d tell him once they got closer.

What did that mean?

It was as if she were confident they would get closer someday.

“I’m pretty sure this is our first meeting.”

“Probably not.”

“What do you mean…”

Naturally, Jung Do-yoon wanted to press further—

Buzz buzz.

Buzz buzz.

“Oh, it’s ready. I’ll go get it.”

This time, the pager cut him off.

By the time Yuseo-ah returned with the fragrant coffee, Jung Hwa-yoon had also rejoined them.

In the end, the only conversation that followed was about work.

But even that wasn’t easy, thanks to Jung Hwa-yoon’s cold tone.

“You need to treat those people well, or else—”

“I’m preparing everything. Don’t worry.”

Today, Jung Do-yoon had only come to see Jung Hwa-yoon because executives from the overseas branch were staying at the Yeryeo Hotel.

A schedule had also been set to inspect the hotel rooms together with Jung Hwayoon.

Everything the incoming executives would see, hear, and feel at Yeryeo Hotel would soon become the image of the Yeryeo Hotel brand itself.

If anything went wrong during their stay, it was certain that rumors involving Jung Hwayoon would arise.

However, even the simple advice that they should be more cautious seemed unwelcome.

At this rate, no matter what Jeong Doyoon said, it would likely be seen as meddling—nothing more, nothing less.

‘What kind of confidence is that, from someone who doesn’t even really know these people…?’

And so, just when it seemed the conversation at the café would end without much progress—

For a brief moment, Yoo Seoa, who had been observing the conversation between Jeong Doyoon and Jung Hwayoon, made eye contact with him.

The person who had brought him and his sister—who once couldn’t even sit at the same table—together at one.

At the same time, someone close enough to Jung Hwayoon to casually suggest they go have lunch together.

“Ms. Yoo Seoa.”

“Yes?”

“Would you be able to show me around the VIP rooms? I couldn’t quite grasp everything earlier when it was just explained in words.”

Using the excuse that he hadn’t fully understood the earlier briefing in the executive office, he expressed his wish for Yoo Seoa to accompany him for the rest of the schedule.

In any case, Yoo Seoa was the staff member preparing for the VIP protocol.

‘If it’s coming from her…’

To be honest, Jeong Doyoon had found himself thinking about Yoo Seoa more than he wanted to admit.

He’d only pushed it to the back of his mind because there were more urgent matters at hand.

“Are you okay with working outside the office?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Soon after, Yoo Seoa stepped out of the café with her phone, saying she’d make a quick call.

Ring.

The dial tone echoed in her ear.

[Hello?]

“Oh, Chief Park. I have something to report—”

From that point on, things went smoothly.

As soon as she mentioned that Executive Director Jeong Doyoon had personally requested her to accompany him out of the office, the only response she received was a short “Got it.”

[Okay, I’ll mark it as an outside appointment. If anything comes up, contact me right away!]

“Yes.”

Chief Park, on the other end of the line, didn’t yet realize he had mistaken Yoo Seoa for a member of the royal family.

It helped that Yoo Seoa wasn’t particularly concerned with anyone at the moment except for Jeong Doyoon and Jung Hwayoon.

Anyway, with permission granted, Yoo Seoa returned to Jeong Doyoon and Jung Hwayoon.

She gave a detailed briefing on the VIPs’ stay and led them from the café to the lobby of the Yeryeo Hotel.

“As soon as the branch directors arrive at the hotel, a dedicated concierge team will—”

“Access to the VIP floor will be restricted to pre-registered personnel and designated staff only.”

“If there’s anything specific you’d like, please let me know—”

In the end, it turned out to be a good decision to have Yoo Seoa accompany them.

She accurately pointed out not only the areas Jeong Doyoon had personally been concerned about but also other aspects that could potentially cause issues later on.

If anything felt unsettling, it was the fact that she didn’t seem like a new employee at all.

How did she even guess the diffuser preferences of the overseas branch directors?

“I have an eye for physiognomy.”

Confident, perhaps even brazen.

How on earth could someone deduce diffuser preferences from facial features?

“There’s a lot of interest group-wide in the overseas directors’ visit. So…”

“Yes. I’ll do my best to ensure that Executive Director Jung Hwayoon’s name remains untarnished.”

She saw through the fact that he was concerned for Jung Hwayoon without hesitation.

Did she study mind reading instead of physiognomy?

The more time he spent with Yoo Seoa, the more he realized how little he actually knew about her.

Eventually, all inspections and briefings wrapped up, and it was already quitting time.

Jung Hwayoon returned to the executive office, saying she still had work to finish, and Jeong Doyoon also had to head back to Yeryeo Trading.

But for one fleeting moment, only Jeong Doyoon and Yoo Seoa remained in the hotel lobby.

“Please get along. She’s your only sister, after all.”

Yoo Seoa’s sudden, but sincere words made Jeong Doyoon’s eyes flicker briefly.

Long, brown hair.

Gently curved eyes.

A soft smile on a beautiful face.

Was it just his imagination that all of it suddenly stood out so vividly?

He even briefly overlapped her with the person who used to console him and his sister when they fought as kids.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

Even after Yoo Seoa bowed lightly and walked away into the distance, Jeong Doyoon stood frozen for a while.

His heart beat a little faster.

He couldn’t tell whether it was because of that person from the past, or this person in the present.

Only when he started walking toward the underground parking lot did he hear a faint rustling sound.

Something moved in the pocket of his suit jacket.

Puzzled, he reached into his pocket and found an empty yogurt bottle.

When had it gotten there?

It wasn’t that he forgot to throw it away—he couldn’t even remember putting it in.

It was just there.

As if it belonged.