The night was colder than usual. Office lights dimmed one by one, leaving only a few stubborn bulbs flickering through the glass panels. Sooyaa rubbed her eyes, sighing as she finally shut down her computer. Kang Hye-jin had already left bit earlier to meet one of his friends.
Her heels echoed down the empty street as she rushed toward the bus station, clutching her bag tightly. Just as she turned the corner, she saw it—the last bus of the hour—pulling away from the stop.
"No, no, no!" she gasped, running for it.
But the doors closed.
The taillights blinked mockingly before disappearing into the traffic.
Frustrated and drained, Sooyaa slumped onto the cold metal bench at the bus stop. She let out a deep sigh, brushing her hair back with one hand.
"Next bus... 40 minutes," she mumbled after checking the app. "Great. Just great."
A minute passed. Then another.
Suddenly, a sleek black sports car glided to a stop in front of her. The tinted window lowered slowly, revealing none other than Kim Taehyung.
"Get in," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I'll drop you home."
Startled, Sooyaa blinked. "No, it's okay. You don't need to take the trouble."
"I also want to discuss the proposal," he added without missing a beat.
Sooyaa groaned inside. Why is he always talk about work? Can't a girl just sit and sulk in peace?
"Fine," she muttered, standing up and opening the door. "Let's just get it over with."
She slid into the plush leather seat. The car was warm and smelled faintly of his cologne—clean, crisp, and annoyingly comforting. But just as she was about to speak, her stomach betrayed her.
Gurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Sooyaa froze. "Not again," she whispered, cheeks burning.
She dared a glance at Taehyung, who was already smirking. He said nothing but smoothly turned the car, taking an unexpected route.
She frowned. "Wait, I didn't give you my address . Should I—?"
"No need," he said coolly. "It's already saved in my GPS."
Her heart skipped.
Already saved...?
She blinked, looking out the window to hide the expression blooming on her face. "Hmm... okay."
But instead of turning into her neighborhood, the car rolled to a stop in front of a stunning luxury restaurant—its name glowing softly under the moonlight.
"Mr. Kim?" she asked, puzzled.
Taehyung stepped out first, then circled around to her side. He opened the door for her, like a scene straight out of a drama. She hesitated, but got out, muttering under her breath, "Ahhhhh... why does this feel like a date?"
Inside her head, a thought snuck in uninvited—I've always wanted to eat here...
As they walked toward the grand entrance, she tried to protest. "Mr. Kim, do you really need to do this?"
"It's your treat," he replied with a straight face.
She blinked. "My... treat?"
A mischievous grin crept across her lips. Well, if it's just one meal, I can cover it. as One day treat for a CEO? I got this.
Sooyaa sat a little straighter, pride swelling in her chest. "Yes. My treat."
But the moment the waiter handed her the menu, her pride crashed.
She stared at the prices.
Then stared harder.
Then she looked at Taehyung... who was casually browsing the wine list like it was a convenience store flyer.
Her fake smile faded. Her stomach stopped growling. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore.
Sooyaa stared at the menu like it had just laughed at her savings account.
₩720,000 for a steak.
₩450,000 for a bowl of soup.
She blinked.
Is this restaurant feeding people or selling edible gold bricks?
Quietly, she closed the menu and placed it down like it was radioactive.
"I think… I'm not that hungry, anymore" she said softly, faking a calm smile. "You eat, Mr. Kim."
Taehyung leaned back, expression unreadable. He glanced at her, then at the menu.
He smirked. She's panicking about the prices.
"Alright then," he said smoothly. "I'll just order for myself."
The waiter arrived.
"I'll take the white truffle risotto and the A5 wagyu steak—medium rare," Taehyung said. "And for her…" he paused dramatically, just long enough to make Sooyaa's heart skip, "the lobster soufflé and the black pearl caviar salad. Also, the gold leaf tiramisu for dessert—two, please."
Sooyaa's mouth opened in horror.
"Mr. Kim—!"
He didn't even look at her. "It's done."
As the waiter walked away, she stared at him, frozen. Her internal monologue wasn't quiet anymore—it was a full orchestra of financial doom.
Sooyaa says
"I'm not hungry..."
"I don't like people staring at me while I eat. Sit down."kim tae hyung says with low but firm voice.
Sooyaa's brain went silent—then suddenly exploded with imaginary sounds of money.
Cha-ching.
₩3.1 million and counting.
Rest in peace, Sooyaa's wallet.
She blinked twice.
Is this food or a down payment on a car?
She inhaled sharply. I could live three months off this meal.
Just then, a random, unhelpful thought popped into her mind. He probably doesn't even know how much a cup of instant noodles costs."
Her eyes flicked toward him.
He was sitting there, relaxed, scrolling through his phone like the whole thing was normal.
"Are you even real?" she muttered under her breath.
He glanced at her with an amused look. "H
m?"
She sat up straighter, flustered. " Nothing I said… the ambiance here feels surreal."
And so does this financial trauma.