“Honey,”

Chairman Lee looked up from his desk, his wife had walked in his study, carrying his usual cup of tea with her.

“I thought you went out to meet with your friends today.” He said with a smile as she set his drink before him.

“I did, I just got home. Dawon called and informed me that he had lunch with Dahye and his friends.”

“Good, Dahye should be roaming around during her free time. She’s always away from town.” Mr. Lee nodded approvingly as he took small sips from his drink, he noticed how his wife sat down with an excited smile on her face.

“What is it? You seem happy? Too happy.”

“I met with my friends from earlier, and I realized,”

“Realized what?”

“Our daughter is home.” She told him, the male tilted his head.

“I know that. I made her come home. Remember?”

“I don’t mean that. Dawon is not like his sister, he’ll probably find a good girl soon enough and he’ll settle down when it’s time. But, our Dahye,”

“Ah.” Mr. Lee grew amused, and then there was a soft knock on the door, Dawon’s secretary came walking in.

“Good afternoon, chairman and samonim.” He greeted them politely.

“You’re here, what happened this week?” Mr. Lee turned to him, the male handed in a folder.

“What’s that? Dahye’s work?” Mrs. Lee leaned over to take a peek.

“Yes, ma’am. She attended meetings this week, and even met up with chairman Kim of Hyundai.”

“Ah, Dongju, right. How is he doing? I was supposed to go with her, but I was needed in Incheon. Did the meeting go well?”

“Yes, it did, sir. The young miss has left quite an impression on him,”

“That’s good.” He smiled and crossed his arms.

“What did you want to talk about, honey?” He asked his wife, the secretary started to gather the files before leaving.

“Right, about Dahye, why don’t we send her on blind dates? I have a friend who can introduce her to these dashing young men.”

The secretary paused, his brows going up.

“You want Dahye to go on dates?”

“Yes, I mean, that girl is always frowning and scoffing, she’ll probably end up alone if we let her be.” She explained with a flourish of her hand.

“Well, if you can trust this friend…why not?” The husband murmured, knowing that he had no control over this situation.

“Samonim,” Dawon’s secretary spoke up, the two elders turned to him.

“I don’t…think that’s safe.” He murmured, the LeeSan chairman chuckled at his words.

“What do you mean?”

“The young miss…that wont sit well with her.”

“It’s okay, she will have to adjust how living in our society is. It’s not good for her to always be alone.”

Dani puffed her cheeks as she walked into the store, Rowoon was behind her, checking his phone.

I should have joined my brother and his girlfriend.

Being a third wheel is better.

I should have chosen the third wheel path.

She sighed, Rowoon looked up from the screen and came up to her, Dani paused.

“I guess you really did change your mind about the sightseeing thing.” He said softly, the girl chewed on her lower lip.

“This might take long, I’m really fine being alone.” She told him, but the male shook his head.

“It’s okay, you need clothes for warm weather, huh?” He said as he looked around the store, Dahye nodded back at him.

How do I shop with this tall person around?

I need swimsuits too!

This isn’t easy for me!

“I—I’ll go check on some jeans.” She said softly, the two made their way towards the stairs in silence, and then Dani started to feel a little odd.

He was usually the one who started conversations, Rowoon was kind of chatty, not the annoying chatty, but he always did talk.

They reached the denim department and Dani started going through the racks of pants, she started to get ones that she liked.

“Let me.” Rowoon took the items from her, she blinked at him.

“Uhm, h—hey, you know, if you get tired, we can just meet up outside. There’s a coffee~”

“Dahye-ah, it really is okay. I needed the distraction anyway.” He said as he took the jeans from her, Dani nodded and made her way towards the other section of the shop. Now, she was checking on shirts, blouses and cardigans.

She glanced over her shoulder, Rowoon was at the other aisle, listlessly looking at the display of shirts and pullovers before him. Dani noticed how most of the female customers were staring at him, the girl could almost see hearts coming out from their eyes.

Dani let out a chuckle.

“It’s unbelievable how patient he is. Chani would be throwing a fit by now. Even Dawon oppa.” She murmured to herself, she sighed and made her way towards him.

“It’s time I end your suffering, let’s go.” She said, Dani’s eyes widened.

Wow, a straight sentence without a stutter.

Yeay, you, Dani!

“You said you needed swimsuits.” Rowoon replied as he took the shirts from her.

“You got in the swim team. Right?” He continued.

“I..can get those in another time, come on.” She urged the male to follow her, the two reached the counter and the sales associate began on checking the clothes.

“I—I warned you, it was a long afternoon, huh?”

Rowoon smiled and shook his head at her, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed that two young males staring at them, no, at Dahye.

He followed their gazes and noticed that their eyes were glued on her legs, this girl was leaning over the counter to speak with the sales associate, causing her skirt to hike up. His forehead creased before deciding to stand right behind her.

The girl paused and turned his head to her.

“W—What?” She blurted out, even the lady before her almost blushed.

“You make it seem so easy.” Rowoon said, keeping his voice low.

“What?”

“Working for your family. I mean, with your family.”

Dahye paused, she grew confused. Did he really want to talk about that in the middle of a women’s clothing store?

“I—It’s not.” She replied, Rowoon’s brows went up briefly and then leaned over to take the shopping bags from the counter.

“Is..this what you wanted to talk about? Not school?”

“Why would I waste your time on talking about school? Walk in front of me.” Rowoon mused at her, the girl blinked at him and walked ahead.

“I mean, I thought..since we have the same cl—classes,” She murmured, she heard Rowoon let out a small laugh.

“Is it that serious?” She glanced at him, the male pursed his lips before speaking.

“Serious enough that I boldly asked you to be stuck with me.”

“As if I’m not already stuck with you during weekdays.” She shot back, Dani halted at her words.

“I—I mean, we~”

“Touché, ice princess.” He laughed and Dani could only shake her head.

“Focus!” The coach yelled out from the benches, the tall male paused and glanced over his teammates again.

“Why is everyone so talkative today? What are you all yapping about?” The man hollered again, he slammed his phone on the desk and the players stopped. The others looked at their team captain while preparing themselves for another round of punishment, or what others would call another round of intense lay ups.

“Coach,” The team captain spoke up and jogged towards the man.

“How about a fifteen-minute break? Everyone just finished with exams, we’re all a little tensed up still.” He said in his perfectly polite tone, the male huffed and left the court.

He exhaled and turned to his teammates again.

“What is going on with you? Why can’t you focus?”

“Jungho keeps on yapping about this girl, sunbae.” One of them spoke, his eyes went to the male. Jungho was off towards the bleachers to get himself some water.

“Girl? Is he seeing someone?”

“Someone actually wants to be with him?” They all chuckled, the team captain shook his head and they all walked towards the bleachers.

“She’s in three of my classes, she’s very beautiful. From her face, her body and, that girl has curves~”

“Jungho-ya,”

The male looked at their team captain, the latter had his forehead creased.

“What are you talking about? Now’s not the time to be focusing on that, we have championships in a month.”

“Eunwoo hyung, he’s talking about the campus’s new beauty.” One of the athletes spoke as he grabbed a bottle of Gatorade.

“What?”

“Our Cha Eunwoo, he is never updated with the news. SNU gained another goddess!” Jungho announced proudly, the male sighed at him.

“Was she the one you were harassing earlier last week?” Eunwoo said, unamused. Jungho could be really pushy especially towards women, and that bothered the team captain a lot.

“Right, it’s that girl who’s always hanging around that kid. The soccer team’s bets midfielder.”

“She’s in the soccer team too?” Eunwoo asked as he sat down, he got his phone and noticed that his mother had been calling him.

“No. She’s good friends with Kang Chanhee, the midfielder.”

Eunwoo nodded along, he leaned back and stretched his legs before him.

“That lucky bastard, I bet he feels up her s every time she clutches onto his arm.” Jungho mused, the others broke into laughter. Eunwoo sighed and threw his bottle of Gatorade at the male.

“Will you please grow up?” He murmured.

“She’s a total goddess, sunbae. You should see for yourself!”

Rowoon thanked the waiter as their food was being served, Dani looked at her plate of sliders and fries.

“We didn’t really have to eat..again.” She spoke, the male shrugged before picking up his fork.

“I ordered rice cakes too.” He pushed the bowl towards her, the girl pursed her lips before tapping her fingers on the table.

Rowoon looked at her.

“What did you want to talk about? Don’t extend this until dinner.” She said, her tone was light, not wanting to sound too demanding.

Two meals is enough.

I can’t digest well with you around.

“I’m..I’m curious.”

“About h—how I do my work?” She asked as she picked up one of her sandwiches and took a quick bite.

“How you do everything. How are you…okay with everything?” Rowoon continued, not meeting her gaze.

Now, that’s a first.

“Actually, I was once not…cool with it. Before I started college my father…asked, no, demanded that I join him after school. Oppa became his first victim, and I thought that there was..no way in hell I’d be joining them.”

“And that didn’t work out well for you?” Rowoon continued, Dani her lips.

“I realized that I was looking at it wrong, you know. I—It’s a responsibility that I can’t really escape, and I don’t want to leave all the burden to my brother. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“But, your father understands. He…He lets you do what you want.” He finally looked up, Dahye leaned back on her seat.

“I tell him what I want to do, and in return I listen to him. Does…it not work that way with your p—parents?”

Rowoon leaned in and he picked up a fry off her plate, he started to nibble on it.

A man this tall can actually nibble on a French fry.

Amazing.

“I only wanted to finish school being a student. Enjoy the last few months of being one. But, my father doesn’t seem to agree with me on that.”

Dani grew silent, she glanced around them, her forehead creasing.

“You know, if it really bothers you that much, talking to him won’t hurt.” She finally said, a small sad smile appeared on his face.

“I know, but he never listens.”

Dahye paused, she took a quick sip of her grape juice before wiping the sauce off the rice cake, Rowoon looked on, amused.

“I’m all for enjoying life or whatever, but how about try looking at it differently?” She said, Rowoon put some slices of rice cakes on his plate.

“How?”

“Don’t look at it as work.”

“It is work, Dahye.” He said with a snort as he wiped the sauce off the rice cakes.

“Think of it as…like a field trip. You see new things. You l—learn new things.” She finished, she paused when Rowoon put the rice cakes on her plate.

“You don’t like spicy food,” He said to her, she nodded back before taking another piece.

“Is that how you do it?” He tilted his head at her, Dani nodded back while chewing.

“That’s how I look at everything work related. Makes you think less about your being a corporate slave or, the family’s new face to use.” She said, trying to lighten up the mood. Rowoon didn’t reply, he just continued eating. Dahye pursed her lips, and she couldn’t help but look at him.

She could sense it, he was okay with working for his father, but he doesn’t want to do it right away. He doesn’t like the pressure.

Nobody likes being pressured.

She chewed on the inside of her cheeks; she had been in that position. And it felt awful, some people might think it was petty of them, because they came from prominent families. But it wasn’t easy, all the pressure and effort that goes through their minds was enough to make a sane person go lose it.

“Rowoon-ah,” She spoke, the male looked up at her with wide eyes. Dahye pushed her plate of French fries to him.

“It’s not that bad. You can take my word for it.” She stated, Rowoon broke into a smile and really looked at her.

“What now?” She sighed at him, he chuckled.

“You didn’t call me Denim Jacket, that’s really nice of you, Dahye.”

“It’s Dani.”

“I never promised I’d call you that.” He hummed back before taking her fries, Dani sighed at him.

“But, thanks for hearing me out.” Rowoon said to her, she could only nod back.

What have I gotten myself into?

Did I just tell him to look at things like he was in a field trip?

I hope this never reaches his father's ears.

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