A while later, Hae-in stepped out of her room, dressed in the outfit her mother had chosen. Light makeup. Neat. Presentable.
Her mother looked her over and smiled, clearly satisfied. "Hmm… my daughter looks very pretty," she said, fixing a strand of hair, adding that final, unmistakable motherly touch.
Hae-in only stared back, expression blank.
"Don't carry that dead face," her mother scolded gently. "Smile a little."
Hae-in stretched her lips into an exaggerated, dramatic smile.
Her mother chuckled. "Enough, enough."
Just then, her father's voice called out from the other room. "Can we leave already? It's getting late."
"Yes, yes, we're done. We're coming," her mother replied.
She reached out, took Hae-in's hand, and gave it a light tug. "Come. Let's go."
And just like that, they stepped out together.
At the wedding venue, Hae-in sat tucked into a quiet corner of the hall, her gaze drifting aimlessly toward the ceremony. The air buzzed with chatter. Laughter rose in pockets. Someone cheered. The bride and groom glowed with excitement, wrapped in a happiness that felt distant to her.
She looked around, searching for her parents.
Her mother was seated among a group of women, heads bent close, voices animated. Judging by the expressions, a fresh piece of gossip had just landed. Nearby, her father stood with a group of uncles, laughing loudly, lost in their own version of joy.
"Aish…" Hae-in muttered, cringing to herself, unimpressed.
Quietly, she slipped away, weaving through the crowd until the familiar comfort of the food section appeared. She picked up a plate and began serving herself from the buffet, focused, relieved to have something to do with her hands.
"Oh—hi."
The voice came from behind her.
Hae-in turned, confused for half a second.
Then she saw him.
That familiar bright smile. The same pair of eyes. Recognition clicked instantly.
Her face lit up without permission. "Oh… hi," she said, surprised and genuinely happy. "You're here."
Ji-hoon smiled back. "Yeah. It's my father's friend's son's wedding."
"Oh," she said, the coincidence settling in with a soft laugh. "I'm from the bride's side. My dad's friend's daughter."
Ji-hoon smiled genuinely, his gaze drifting over her, from head to toe, before he spoke. "You look beautiful today."
Hae-in smiled, a little awkward under the attention. "Thank you… you look nice too," she said, briefly avoiding his eyes.
He chuckled softly. "Why are you eating alone? Did you come by yourself?"
She shook her head. "No, my parents are here. They're just… busy talking to other people."
He nodded. "Same. I came with my parents too. They're caught up with their friends." He smiled again. "I was getting bored, and then I spotted you."
She smiled back, something warm flickering in her chest.
He hesitated for a beat, then asked, "If you don't mind… can I join you?"
She blinked. "Huh? Ah… yeah. Sure."
He grinned, served himself some food, and together they moved to an empty table, settling into their seats.
"By the way," he said, glancing at her, "I'm Han Ji-hoon. And you?"
"Jeon Hae-in," she replied after a brief pause.
He smiled, pleased. "That's a really nice name."
A small smile curved her lips, quieter this time, as the wedding noise hummed around them.
"Hm… this dessert is really good," he said, tasting a piece.
She glanced at his plate. "Oh…"
Then his eyes shifted to hers. "Why didn't you take any sweets?"
She looked up at him. "I don't really like too many sweets. So… yeah."
He smiled. "I like them more."
She smiled back, faint but warm.
"By the way," he continued, "it's nice seeing you again. That night, I honestly felt grateful that I could feed a hungry customer. You looked really drained."
She smiled, remembering. "Yeah. As I said, it was a hectic day. I didn't eat properly the whole day, so I felt weak."
He frowned slightly, genuine concern in his eyes. "You shouldn't skip meals like that. It'll affect your health."
"I know," she said softly. "But sometimes I don't even get time to eat. That's how my job is. It just… happens."
"If it's draining you this much," he asked gently, "why don't you switch jobs?"
She smiled, a tired honesty in her expression. "I want to. But right now, I don't have time to prepare for a new one. Skill upgrades, resume updates… It's a whole process. And I don't have that much time to waste."
He tilted his head. "Time wasted? It'll benefit you, right? Better opportunities, better salary, perks."
She smiled again, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah… but that's not my goal. I have different plans. My parents wanted me to get into this field, so I followed. But now I've realized it's not for me. I'm planning something different."
He smiled, unbothered. "Hmm… then talk to your parents and do what you want," he said simply, continuing to eat.
Hae-in stared at him for a long moment while he remained blissfully unaware. Then she scoffed, shaking her head. "If it were that easy, I would've kicked this job away a long time ago."
He looked at her now, curious. "Why? Your parents wouldn't allow it?"
She gave him another look. "My parents aren't like yours. They're… different." She gestured vaguely. "To them, this job is perfect. Flexible, good pay. Sitting inside an air-conditioned, posh office, just clicking on a computer."
He chuckled. "You sound really frustrated with life."
"I'm. Kind of," she replied flatly, taking another bite.
Just then, a cheerful female voice cut through the moment.
"What are you doing here, sweetie?"
Ji-hoon's head snapped up instantly. His eyes widened, panic flickering across his face. "Omma—" he hissed, shooting her a warning look, eyebrows practically begging.
His mother only chuckled. "What happened, baby?"
He sagged in defeat, embarrassment washing over his face. "Hajima, Omma," he whined. "Why do you call me that in public?"
Hae-in pressed her lips together, holding back a smile.
Ji-hoon's mother finally turned her attention to her, then back to her son, who was still silently pleading for her to behave.
"Hello," the woman said warmly. "I'm Han Mi-sook, Ji-hoon's mother."
Hae-in immediately stood up, smiling politely. "Hello, Aunty. I'm Hae-in," she said, bowing slightly.
Ji-hoon turned to her, smiling awkwardly. "Um… Hae-in-ssi, this is my omma," he added unnecessarily.
She nodded. "Yes… I figured."
His mother smiled brightly. "Are you two friends?" she asked suddenly. "Since when? Because I didn't know about you."
Ji-hoon squeezed his eyes shut. Fully embarrassed now.
Hae-in glanced at him, confused by his reaction. "Ah… no, Aunty. Not yet," she said carefully. "We've only met twice. Both times were… unexpected."
"Oh," Mi-sook said, eyes lighting up. "By the way, you're very pretty."
Hae-in stiffened slightly, awkward all over again. "Thank you," she murmured.
"Omma," Ji-hoon cut in quickly, gently pushing her away. "What are you doing here? Where's Appa? Why did you leave him alone? Go, go back to him."
"Hajima," she laughed. "Why are you pushing me, sweetie? Let me talk to her."
"No, no need," he said, flustered. "We just met, and you're already making it awkward."
Hae-in stood there, quietly witnessing their little tug-of-war, lips pressed together to keep from smiling.
"Fine. Don't push me, I'm going," Mi-sook said dramatically as she walked away. "But make sure you introduce your friend properly next time."
Ji-hoon sighed, deeply embarrassed. He straightened his tie, ran a hand through his hair, then turned back to Hae-in.
She was standing there, smiling awkwardly.
"Um… sorry," he said sheepishly. "My mother is… a little too social."
She smiled kindly. "It's okay. Don't apologize."
He smiled back, cheeks still warm.
"Um… I'm done eating. Can I?" She said.
He nodded. "Yeah… me too. I'm full."
They picked up their plates and walked out of the food area together.
As they entered the aisle, a voice suddenly called out across the hall.
"Hae-in!"
Both of them turned.
"Oh—it's my dad," she said quickly. "He's calling me. Excuse me."
She started toward him.
Ji-hoon watched her for a second, then followed at a distance.
Her father immediately pulled her closer, his hand firm around hers. "Everyone," he announced proudly, "this is my elder daughter, Hae-in. She's a software developer at a well-reputed company in Busan."
Ji-hoon paused.
"She's won Best Employee awards three years in a row," her father continued, beaming.
Hae-in forced a smile, standing there as applause and approving murmurs rose around her.
"Hello, Hae-in. Nice to meet you."
One of the men seated in the circle greeted her warmly. Hae-in inclined her head slightly. "Nice to meet you all," she replied, her voice calm, almost distant.
A soft chuckle followed, then another voice joined in. "Since your daughter has achieved so much already, when are you planning her marriage, Mr. Jeon?"
Hae-in's expression stiffened. Her fingers curled into her palm, nails pressing into skin. She kept her gaze lowered.
"Ah… soon," her father answered with a practiced smile. "We're just waiting for a good proposal."
"By the way," Mr. Han said, shifting forward, "this is my younger son. Ji-hoon. Han Ji-hoon."He gently pulled the man beside him into view.
Mr. Jeon looked up first. Then Hae-in did.
Ji-hoon met her eyes briefly, then looked away, clearly aware of the scrutiny. She noticed the way he adjusted his posture, the slight tension in his shoulders. He glanced back again, quick and unsure.
"Oh," one of the elders said, smiling widely, "he's very handsome."
Ji-hoon cleared his throat, offering a polite smile, modest but composed.
"He is," Mr. Han agreed, pride unmistakable in his voice.
"And what do you do, Ji-hoon?" Mr. Jeon asked.
Hae-in closed her eyes for a second, already bracing herself for the rest of the conversation. She knew this script too well.
"Um… I own a restaurant," Ji-hoon replied. "Here in Busan."
Mr. Jeon nodded, a pause lingering just long enough to weigh the answer. Quietly impressed.
Hae-in opened her eyes again, her face unreadable, the room suddenly feeling smaller than before.
"He always told me he wasn't interested in corporate life," Mr. Han said with a light chuckle. "He wanted to be his own boss. So I gave him freedom. Do whatever you want."
Soft laughter rippled through the group.
The conversation drifted again, as it always did. Politics. Marriage timelines. Children. Education. The same familiar loop, voices overlapping, opinions clashing politely. Hae-in sat through it all, nodding when required, her mind elsewhere, counting the seconds.
Then, suddenly, Mr. Han spoke again.
"By the way, Mr. Jeon…" The casual tone was gone. His voice was steady now. "Do you mind if I ask your daughter, Hae-in, for my son Ji-hoon?"
The room froze.
Hae-in's eyes widened, her breath catching mid-inhale.
Ji-hoon stiffened, his eyes widening too, but his reaction carried something else beneath the surprise. A quiet spark. An emotion he didn't bother hiding, flickering briefly across his face before he could school it.
Mr. Han sat straighter, hands clasped, waiting. Expectant.
All eyes turned to Mr. Jeon.
He leaned back slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips, unreadable but not displeased. The pause stretched, heavy and deliberate, as if he were savoring the moment.
Hae-in's heart pounded against her ribs. And everything suddenly felt irreversible.