Chapter 5
‘Seriously, aside from his face, there’s not a single likable thing about him.’
Feeling sorry for the future female protagonist who would one day have to deal with someone like Seo Do-gyeom, Baek I-hae cast a sideways glare in his direction. She thought she’d done it discreetly—but then, why did their eyes meet?
Startled, Baek I-hae quickly averted her gaze, retreating it to where it had originally been. But even then, the same emotionless eyes were staring straight at her.
She hadn’t actually expected Seo I-heum to accept the food. Given his status as the highest-ranking person here, he wouldn’t risk damaging his image like that—surely not.
‘He can knock the chopsticks aside for all I care—just hurry up and tell him to eat! The food’s going cold!’
Just as she was staring intently at Seo I-heum’s lips, they finally parted—and slowly, he took the short rib stew into his mouth… Huh?
‘Why are you eating food meant for my mouth? Look at everyone—people are about to dislocate their jaws in shock.’
She hadn’t actually expected him to accept the food, so even Baek I-hae couldn’t completely hide her flustered expression. But the ones who were truly stunned were the people around them.
Too shocked to make a sound, the underlings could only gape with wide eyes, while the lieutenants stood frozen, eyes round as saucers.
Even Seo Do-gyeom flinched slightly this time—proof that the act was as foreign and unexpected to them as it was to her.
“Now, go ahead and eat.”
He had just shocked everyone in the room, and yet his calm words were nothing short of permission. Regardless of the process, she had gotten the result she wanted.
Baek I-hae couldn’t hide her joy. Her face bloomed into a bright smile.
“Yes! You should enjoy your food too, Mister!”
For some reason, Seo Do-gyeom seemed to stare blankly at that smile for a moment. But whatever. Maybe he was just staring because she looked stupid.
While Seo I-heum chewed gracefully—as if the short rib stew had no bones at all—Baek I-hae attacked her food with lightning-fast chopsticks.
Despite her small and slender frame, the sheer amount of food she was eating amazed everyone at the table.
“…She really is a little beggar.”
Muttering as though truly fed up, one of the lieutenants finally picked up his spoon. Watching Baek I-hae eat somehow triggered a sudden wave of hunger.
Was this… the power of a real-life mukbang?
The lieutenant began his own meal while enjoying a live mukbang right before his eyes.
‘The food here is so good! A rich family like this must have their own housekeeper, right? That housekeeper lady is a goddess!’
Her cheeks puffed out like balloons as she kept stuffing side dishes into her mouth without touching the rice.
Looking at her—like a dim-witted but adorable squirrel—Seo I-heum let out a sigh and pushed a glass of water toward her.
“Eat slowly.”
“Okeh! Mishter.”
Unable to pronounce properly because of all the food in her mouth, she swallowed and took a sip of water. Finally, she let out a deep breath of satisfaction.
Now that she had something in her stomach, she felt alive again.
“You’re actually a lot kinder than you look, Mister!”
Again came the sound of people sucking in breath all around them. Were they an audience or something?
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
Despite the reaction of those around him, Seo I-heum asked with a blank expression. His face wasn’t exactly gentle—no one would ever call it a friendly or warm visage.
She surely knew that, too. But there was something more important.
“You’re handsome! And that makes your face kind, at least to my eyes—it makes me happy just to look at you!”
It wasn’t some cheap flattery—just a plain truth. Okay, maybe the delicious food had made her a bit more generous with compliments, but still.
Seo I-heum, whom she thought would scoff at such a ridiculous remark, unexpectedly lifted one corner of his mouth in a smile. It was clearly a “You’ve got to be kidding me” kind of smile, but even that was dazzling.
‘The mood’s not as bad as I expected, right? Maybe I should ask about what I overheard earlier—about his fiancée.’
The atmosphere didn’t feel hostile, so Baek I-hae put on an innocent expression and cautiously opened her mouth.
“Mister, I heard something strange, and I was wondering if I could ask you about it?”
“Did someone bother you?”
Even as he addressed her, Seo I-heum’s cold gaze flicked toward one of the underlings standing by the wall. That underling hurriedly shook his head, clearly denying the implication.
“Oh no, it’s not that! That adorable Yeol-i told me I’m engaged to Seo Do-gyeom. That’s not true, right? She must’ve gotten it wrong.”
At the word adorable, the lieutenant Yeol choked, and Seo Do-gyeom slowly patted his back.
Seo I-heum’s eyes shifted back to Baek I-hae.
“She’s right. We plan to announce their engagement soon. The engagement will be kept simple, and the wedding—once they’re adults—will be held at a hotel…”
“Wait—hold on a second!”
His expression didn’t change even as he rattled off such outrageous nonsense. Baek I-hae hastily cut him off, startled.
She shot to her feet in panic, but somehow, even then, it felt like his gaze was still looking down at her.
The pressure he exuded wasn’t even comparable to Seo Do-gyeom’s.
“By whose authority? I just met him today! Mister, you didn’t even ask me!”
“It was decided before either of you were born.”
“Do you mean it was a promise with my parents? Or was it their will?”
He didn’t answer—but from the look on his face, it must’ve been true. Oh. My. God.
‘The house is all futuristic, but why is his brain stuck in the past? In this day and age, what kind of person talks about arranged marriages? Who still marries off their kids because of promises made by their parents?!’
Absolutely not.
‘Besides, I don’t remember anything in the original game about Seo Do-gyeom having a fiancée. Was it just a minor detail that didn’t make it into the game?’
Even if Seo Do-gyeom was eventually destined to end up with the female lead, Baek I-hae had no desire whatsoever to hold the title of “former fiancée.”
Seo Do-gyeom was going to succeed Seo I-heum and become the next head of this gangster family! What if, later on, an enemy organization mistook her for his weakness and tried to use her as a hostage?
“I refuse!”
“Why?” Seo I-heum asked calmly. “All you need to do is show up.”
Okay, admittedly… that part was tempting.
Baek I-hae flinched momentarily, but quickly shook her head and pointed a finger at Seo Do-gyeom.
“Sure, I care about looks—but I also care about personality, you know!”
I don’t want to be a gangster’s wife!
At her desperate protest, Seo I-heum blinked slowly. His expression didn’t change, but for some reason, he seemed… surprised.
“Hey, who do you think you are, rejecting my brother?!”
Seo I-heum and Seo Do-gyeom remained silent, but the one who exploded was none other than Seo-yeol.
With shocking lack of decorum, he climbed up on his chair and shouted at her. He was even pointing his finger aggressively.
“I have my own preferences too!”
“My brother’s face transcends preferences!”
“Well, yeah, that’s true, but—!”
At Seo-yeol’s outburst, Baek I-hae glanced toward Seo Do-gyeom. His bangs were long, so his features weren’t clearly visible, but his sharp jawline and flawless skin were enough to declare him ridiculously handsome.
Ugh, he’s not wrong, damn it.
“You were the one who said you hated being his fiancée!”
“I do! But I hate the idea of some pumpkin like you rejecting my brother even more! It should be an honor for our family!”
“And what does a brain the size of a pea know about family honor?!”
“Silence.”
Their argument escalated into a full-blown shouting match, with both raising their voices—yet none of the subordinates dared to intervene. One was the family’s youngest heir, and the other was someone personally acknowledged by Seo I-heum as a guest.
It was Seo I-heum who finally stepped in. He massaged his temple as if developing a headache and gestured for both of them to sit.
“Sit down, both of you.”
“Dad!”
“Seo-yeol. Who told you it was okay to stand on your chair during dinner?”
His gaze was icily cold—perhaps too cold for a child. Seo-yeol flinched and sat down, tears welling in his eyes. Baek I-hae felt a pang of guilt and scratched the back of her neck.
‘Better sit down before I get scolded too.’
She quietly took her seat, and the dining room fell silent once again. Only Baek I-hae and Seo-yeol kept stealing anxious glances at Seo I-heum.
Seo Do-gyeom, on the other hand, leisurely resumed cutting his steak like none of this concerned him.
“If the person involved doesn’t want it, I won’t force it. However, since it was your parents’ last wish, we’ll proceed with the engagement ceremony.”
“Mister!”
“It won’t be recorded anywhere. It’s nothing more than a formality. After that, the two of you can decide what happens next.”
By “the two of you,” he meant Baek I-hae and Seo Do-gyeom. Since there was never any real chance she’d marry Seo Do-gyeom, she felt somewhat relieved.
‘Well, if it’s just a formal engagement…’
Still, he had mentioned it was their dying wish—it felt wrong to outright reject it.
She nodded, signaling she understood, and the issue was settled. The room returned to its earlier quiet, the meal resuming in silence.
‘I didn’t notice earlier because I was too busy eating, but wow—they really do eat in total silence.’
Seo Do-gyeom had always been quiet, but even the usually talkative Seo-yeol was now completely silent.
Tears still shimmered in his eyes, and his forehead was red and slightly swollen, as if it had developed a bump.
Realizing just how guilty she felt toward him, Baek I-hae cautiously opened her mouth.
“Um… I think I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“I didn’t mean to, but… I accidentally hurt Yeol’s forehead. He got hit by a rubber band. It should heal quickly, but still…”
Surely they wouldn’t secretly “take care of her” for harming the youngest heir, right?
Even as she explained, her voice grew quieter and quieter. At her words, Seo I-heum finally turned his gaze toward Seo-yeol.
The boy tensed up and clenched his fork, but Seo I-heum gave him only a brief glance before calmly turning away again.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s fine”? That’s it?
Baek I-hae gaped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Maybe he was trying to keep her from feeling too guilty—but still, she couldn’t make sense of it.
‘Why isn’t he even asking him if he’s okay?’
She saw Seo-yeol bite his lip hard. No one else seemed to notice—like his pain was invisible to everyone but her.
‘Ah… damn it.’
Out of everything that had happened so far, this was the moment Baek I-hae felt the most sorry toward Seo-yeol.
