Hyejeong says: A good matchmaker always knows her clients—especially after a background check!

Seolhyun had to wait a week before she could get an appointment with Shin Hyejeong. She made sure Seolhyun understood that she was doing her a favor by squeezing her in at the end of the day.

Well to be fair, it was Hyejeong's personal assistant, Park Sojin, a rather unpleasant yet attractive woman, who made it sound as if an appointment was a terrible inconvenience.

Honestly Seolhyun didn’t hold out much hope for this, and who could blame her? The matchmaking psychologist had declined to accept Mina, who was probably the most kind and silly person Seolhyun had ever known.

The day of the appointment, Seolhyun went home to change clothes. She dressed carefully, choosing a dress that she thought made her look confident but not formal, and she refreshed her makeup.

When she walked into her office, it was with her head held high. She’d done her homework and was keeping an open mind. She’d checked two references the Sojin woman had passed on and felt she knew what to expect.

Both couples had raved about Hyejeong. The wives had warned her that Dr. Shin wasn’t the “warm and fuzzy” type. One of them had suggested that Seolhyun should be patient and not take offense.

Hmm…that was unusual advice.

“Dr. Shin will see you shortly,” the assistant informed her primly after Seolhyun announced herself. The office had modern art decorating the walls, large green plants in the corners and soft leather furniture in a deep shade of brown.

“You filled out the paperwork I e-mailed you and brought it in?”

“Yes, I have it here.”

Seolhyun thought applying for a job at the CIA would’ve been easier.

Hyejeong was interested in every aspect of her background, from the name of her first-grade teacher to her current shoe size. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration—a slight one—but she didn’t see how most of the questions were relevant.

Really, why did Hyejeong need a list of any allergies she might have? She handed the lengthy application form to the assistant, who scanned it, then took it into the inner office. Sojin reappeared a couple of minutes later and gave her a thorough once-over.

Then, to Seolhyun’s surprise, the woman offered her a reassuring smile. Seolhyun studied the assistant. She guessed Sojin was in her late twenties, she seemed efficient and no-nonsense. Seolhyun sat with her hands politely folded in her lap. The might be the most important appointment of her entire life. The best Christmas present she’d ever get—even if it was from herself.

Hmm… The great Dr. Hyejeong Shin kept her waiting a full thirty minutes. Seolhyun knew because she glanced at her watch every five minutes, crossed and uncrossed her legs and flipped through three magazines.

 By then, she’d grown impatient and irritable and had started to wonder if she’d made a mistake—or, worse, fallen for a scam. She wasn’t accustomed to being ignored. She had better things to do than sit in a waiting room on what might turn out to be a complete waste of time. She trusted that wasn’t the case; still, the longer she waited, the less hope she had.

A buzzer made her jump.

Sojin got smoothly to her feet, obviously used to such a sudden summons. “Dr. Shin will see you now,” she said. She motioned toward the massive double doors that led into the office. Seolhyun walked inside and her gaze went instantly to the woman standing behind the large desk.

The Internet research she’d done hadn’t included any photos, so she hadn’t been sure what to expect—but not someone so young with shockingly good looks. She was a bit taller than Seolhyun maybe by an inch or so, with an air of maturity that was simply irresistible.

“Ms. Kim?”

“That would be me,” Seolhyun said, straining to sound cool and collected.

“Please don’t sit down.”

“Uh…” The door closed behind her.

“Walk to the far side of my office and then walk back.” Seolhyun paused, which apparently Hyejeong didn’t like because she gestured for compliance.

“Catwalk or shuffle?’” Seolhyun asked.

Hyejeong didn’t so much as crack a smile. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Okay.” Seolhyun did as she requested and felt eyes burning into her with every step she took.

“Your posture needs improvement.”

“Excuse me?"

“You heard me and you agree with me, only I doubt you’d admit it.”

Okay, maybe she could improve her posture, but it was fine the way it was! Hyejeong continued to study her and her frown deepened.

“That color doesn’t flatter you.”

How dare she! “I happen to like brown.”

This was her favorite dress and she’d purchased it at a closeout sale for seventy percent off.

“Light colors would be better.”  Hyejeong came out from behind her desk and walked around her. “You should let your tan skin shine, as well. There's no point in whitening your face when it doesn't match the rest of you.”

“I’m glad you think there’s something attractive about me.”

“I didn’t say that.”

The girl was too much! Seolhyun was tempted to turn around and leave. She might have, only she decided to see how many other ways Hyejeong could find to insult her. It was becoming a game to her.

“Sit,” Hyejeong said.

“Please?” Someone needed to teach the woman some manners.

“Sit,” the taller woman repeated, more loudly the time.

“Sit, please,” she returned pointedly.

A flicker of a smile showed in Hyejeong's dark brown eyes. “All right, sit, please.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Seolhyun said pleasantly, taking the chair across from the desk.

After a moment Hyejeong said, “I’ve read your application.” She sat down across from the other girl, reached for the papers and leafed through them. “Tell me about your father.”

“Why are you asking about him?”

Hyejeong lifted her shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “It’s my experience that most women want to marry a man just like their father.”

"Not me. He was a poor excuse for a father. I want as little to do with him as po