Chapter 6.1

Chapter 6.1

“This is unsettling.”

“Same here.”

They exchanged similar remarks. Throughout college and even after graduating, when he often showed up at Yeonsu’s alumni gatherings, Hajun had never once flaunted his background.

Things like how the head of Ihan was his cousin, or that he was the son of a major domestic food company owner, or that his mother was a famous university professor and a genius scientist once ubiquitous in the media.

Hajun quickly scanned Yeonsu’s resume. Her record of excelling at major corporate events and interpreting for national VIPs stood out.

Among them were events he had also attended. He found it odd that they had never once crossed paths.

“You’ve been busy, Shin Yeonsu. You ran around to all these events over the past two years?”

Yeonsu, whose face had been excessively emotionless, changed her expression and smiled faintly.

“I needed a job that paid well. I deliberately only took on formal assignments. They pay more for the same amount of interpreting work.”

“Why didn’t you mention you could speak five languages? I already knew you were good at English.”

“You didn’t ask.”

The document Hajun had read also briefly noted that Yeonsu had grown up overseas as a child.

He thought there was a lot he didn’t know about Shin Yeonsu, but he was dumbfounded to realize he knew so little.

“Are you the Shin Yeonsu I knew?”

“What about you, senior? I expected the senior I knew to be from a well-off family, but I never knew it was to this extent.”

That was probably true. He deliberately preferred clothes and shoes that didn’t show their brand. He couldn’t give up his watch, so he wore it that day, but he hadn’t expected Shin Yeonsu to recognize it at a glance.

Only then did he realize, belatedly, that her experience as a VIP escort interpreter had allowed her to instantly read him.

“Nothing’s going to change. I’m still the same scummy senior you knew, Kim Hajun.”

Yeonsu smiled.

“Who called you scummy?”

“As if I wouldn’t know you thought that every time.”

“You caught me.”

Hajun glanced out the window before turning back to Yeonsu.

“Hey. You’re just as weird.”

“Yeah, that’s why I liked you, senior. Everyone else said I was good, even though I’m weird and twisted. But you always pointed it out. You said my personality was weird.”

“That’s… ah, never mind.”

At a perfect moment, a waiter brought the menu. Hajun asked for the most popular dish, and Yeonsu ordered the same.

It was a business trip lasting a whole week. The thought of being stuck with Yeonsu, of all people, for such a long time—it was just… why was he in such a good mood?

Perhaps noticing his rising smile, she propped her chin on her hand and asked,

“Senior, do you perhaps like me?”

Hajun, who was taking his second sip of water, choked and spat the water he had been holding in his mouth. He was embarrassed, and his front was soaked.

The waiter brought napkins, and Yeonsu helped him.

“Hey! Why do you keep saying such brutal things?”

“Because you were smiling so creepily.”

“It’s not right to tease people with such a poker face.”

“Your reaction is always like this, so I can’t help myself.”

“See, I’m easy for you to mess with, right?”

“Do you dislike being easy to mess with?”

He lightly placed his hand on the armrest of his chair, reacting.

“It’s not that I dislike it, but sometimes I wish I could be a difficult person for you.”

“Dream on.”

“…My mouth is the problem, my mouth.”

Yeonsu laughed cheerfully at Hajun’s playful joke. Looking at her face reminded him of college. She had reeled him in this way back then too.

He was the only one who didn’t know, only him.

“But the auto industry interpreting has a lot of difficult terminology, it’ll be tough. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yes, I’ve been studying for days since I received the meeting date. If you don’t trust me, you can cut me loose now. It’s not a confirmed position anyway.”

“What are you saying? You’ll be better than me no matter what you do.”

“No way.”

Yeonsu smiled brightly. The problem was his heart, which reacted frantically every time she smiled.

Was his heart crazy? It needed to beat normally. It had been ages since he’d last exercised.

Hajun quickly changed the subject.

“You look a bit different today?”

“Different?”

Hajun stared at Yeonsu, scanning her from head to toe. She bit her lip slightly, then spoke.

“I really wanted this job, so I went to the hair salon this morning.”

“Even the hair salon?”

“I rented the bag and clothes for a day. When I go to important meetings dressed well, they tend to look favorably on me.”

Hajun’s brows furrowed at Yeonsu’s words.

‘What? She’s not just having a meal with me?

Those jerks must have looked at Yeonsu with ulterior motives. They were looking for an interpreter, not a pretty partner with a good figure, so why eat with them? Why? She should have refused!

Despite his seething thoughts, his words came out politely.

“That works?”

“Yes, it works, apparently?”