{KOREAN-ENGLISH}
"Who is he?"
The whispers echoed throughout the room. All heads had turned.
Girls gaped in awe, their expressions softening into admiration. He stood tall in a fitted black suit, handsome and intimidating, with Mr. No quietly behind him like a loyal shadow. His every step exuded power,measured, magnetic, impossible to ignore.
Then, as if the moment wasn't already shocking enough, Lee Seo Jun walked straight to Joon So Min and... kissed her on the cheek.
Her entire body stiffened. Her face flushed crimson.
"I'm Lee Seo Jun," he said calmly, flashing the faintest smile.
It wasn't just charm,it was control. He owned the room the second he opened his mouth. Some of the girls sat beside their boyfriends, but all of them couldn't stop staring. Their men, in turn, glanced at Seo Jun with rising envy, their own confidence shrinking by the second.
"You're really... Joon So Min's boyfriend?" one of the girls finally dared to ask, her voice filled with disbelief.
He smiled wider. "Yes. Though it seems So Min's been hiding me,even from her friends."
Laughter followed, light and tinged with envy.
"Have you all ordered yet?" Seo Jun continued, looking around at the table. "If you're friends of my So Min, the food's on the house."
Eyes widened. "Wait... do you own this restaurant?"
Joon So Min looked like she might faint.
"Yes," he said casually, "one of many I own across Seoul."
Gasps followed.
"Wait," a guy asked, leaning forward cautiously. "Are you... from the Lee family?"
Seo Jun only smiled.
He then took the seat beside So Min and leaned in. "You should've told me you were coming. I would've reserved a VIP room for you."
"It's fine," she said quietly, clearly overwhelmed.
But Seo Jun had already turned to Mr. No, who nodded and left to handle the arrangements.
"Your friends deserve the best," he added with a soft glance.
The girls now looked at So Min with barely concealed jealousy. The boys sat stunned, realizing they were in the presence of Seoul's elite.
"What are you doing here?" So Min whispered.
"I came here with foreign investors. They wanted to try Korean cuisine. But then I saw you... so I dismissed them."
She turned sharply. "You dismissed foreign investors?!"
He just smiled.
Soon, they were escorted into a sleek private room. Everyone admired the luxurious setting, speechless.
"You're really lucky," one girl muttered to So Min. "First Jung Hyun, now someone richer and hotter..."
Su Jin's jaw was clenched. Her fingers gripped her wine glass as she glanced bitterly at her boyfriend, clearly annoyed at So Min's success.
Food arrived, and chatter resumed.
"Eat more," Seo Jun said gently, placing food on So Min's plate.
She was too stunned to argue.
"Brother-in-law is really doing well," Hye Sua said sweetly, raising a glass.
"Brother-in-law?!" someone echoed.
Seo Jun chuckled but didn't deny it.
"How did she even land someone from the Lee family?" another girl whispered.
The guy who had previously mocked So Min now cleared his throat and spoke carefully. "Sir... I work at one of your banks."
Seo Jun gave a polite nod but didn't give him more attention than necessary.
"If you need anything,anything at all,just let me know," the guy continued, offering a business card with both hands.
Others at the table followed, trying to curry favor.
"I'm a close friend of So Min's," the guy added quickly.
Seo Jun looked at him, cold and unamused. "I don't think so."
The room fell silent.
"I saw how you spoke to her earlier," he said coolly. "You were rude. Show her some respect... or you'll regret it."
His voice was calm but laced with threat. The man's face drained of color.
The rest of the evening went on peacefully. No one dared say another negative word. Instead, they admired So Min with fresh eyes,envy mixed with something like fear.
⸻
"She's probably selling her body,"Su Jin hissed later as they left.
"Shut up," her boyfriend snapped. "I almost lost my job because of that girl."
"You hate her because she never liked you," Su Jin retorted. "Now you're even more jealous that her new boyfriend outclasses you."
She stormed off.
He followed, scoffing, "You hate her because of Jung Hyun too!"
⸻
"Bye, Sua," So Min said with a wave as her friend got into Min Jun's car.
Then she turned back to Seo Jun. They were now in the backseat of his car with Mr. No silently driving.
"Thanks... for today. You didn't have to pretend like that," she said.
"I wasn't pretending," he replied easily. "You're my girlfriend. I treated you,and them,the way a good boyfriend should."
She gave a small laugh. "You're such a narcissist."
"No, I'm not."
"I still like Semin more than you."
He raised a brow. "So you do like me."
He leaned closer.
Her breath caught, eyes darting toward Mr. No, who didn't react.
"What are you doing?" she asked, heart racing.
He smirked and pulled back. "Semin can't compete with me. That bunny gets to stay with you. I don't."
He sighed dramatically. "I have a conference tomorrow. It's about my new development project. Will you come?"
She nodded. "I'll be there."
Mr. No spoke for the first time. "We've arrived, ma'am."
She stepped out, bowed slightly. "Thank you."
Seo Jun watched her run inside, the corner of his mouth lifting with fondness.
"Sir, shall I take you there now?" Mr. No asked.
For years, on this same day, Lee Seo Jun would visit a quiet graveyard. But this year, something had changed.
"No," Seo Jun said. "Take me home."
Mr. No glanced at him through the mirror. He said nothing but nodded.
Seo Jun had changed. He barely smoked, rarely drank, and no longer looked hollow.
Since meeting Joon So Min... he was healing.
And Mr. No, who had been with the Lee family since Seo Jun's childhood, had never been more relieved to see that spark of life return.