"Future Husband?" Haneul smiled sarcastically as she read it out loud.
Well they both knew they were here for an arranged marriage setting, and they also knew that this time, it was bound to happen.
"That's what I aim to be," Yeom Tae said, "Unless…"
He seemed to have taken a fancy to her already. Haneul supposed that was a good sign.
"Unless?" Haneul asked out of sheer curiosity.
"Unless you reject me of course." Yeom Tae said. "Women are hard to please."
"Why do you think I would reject you?" Haneul asked, it was her interrogating phase now.
Yeom Tae laid back in his chair. Not as a reaction to what she asked but because the waiters had come to clear their table. The waiters stacked plates one over another and picked them up to walk away.
Haneul kept her eyes glued to Yeom Tae the entire time. He bit his lips when he saw her anticipating gaze striking directly at his eyes.
"Haneul-ssi," Yeom Tae muttered, "If I may ask, how old are you?" He asked.
Haneul narrowed her eyes on the sudden question. She wondered why her question wasn't answered and why she was asked a question instead. She wanted to call him out on that but her mouth didn't do her justice.
"I am turning 30 this year." Haneul replied unwillingly.
"So we're the same age." Yeom Tae muttered, "Let's talk casually."
It was their first meeting and he already wanted to drop the honorifics. Haneul didn't have a problem with that but she was just confused.
"Okay?" She muttered in a questioning tone, clarifying her confusion.
Yeom Tae grinned, making her nervous for some reason. "Haneul," He called her without honorifics this time. "Your voice sounds as if I'm being judged with everything I say. How can I not expect a rejection?" He spoke casually.
If he would've said the same thing politely, it might have sounded sarcastic to Haneul's ears. The man did claim that women are hard to please but he seemed to drop into all categories that seemed to please women.
"Of course…" Haneul said, slightly flustered. "I wouldn't marry a stranger."
"You would've married me even if I were a stranger." Yeom Tae enforced.
That was true. Haneul could hear the seriousness in her parents' voices when they talked about introducing her to Yeom Tae. She knew this was the last blind date she was gonna attend which is why she actually wanted to try to take a liking to the man. It was honestly strange for even her that she wasn't able to put a single man above her career.
"Haneul," Yeom Tae called her out. "Rest assured."
His voice had different flavors to it. Sometimes it was interrogative and testing. Sometimes it was arrogant and moody. Other times it was relieving and soothing. Haneul was glad she agreed to drop honorifics. She felt as if he could express himself much better without honorifics.
"I-I will." Haneul replied hesitantly.
Haneul pressed the call button on her phone after hesitantly looking down. Yeom Tae's phone rang and she cut the call.
"Would you like to do the honors?" He asked while pulling his phone out of his pocket and handing it over to her.
Haneul hesitantly grabbed it and looked at her phone number, waiting for a name. Despite his bold look, Yeom Tae seemed playful if anything. Something funny, or light would make sense.
Haneul typed it in and handed it over to him after locking his phone, indicating that he saw it later. Since he seemed to know how to please women, he slid his phone back into the pocket of his coat.
Haneul then stood up, and he stood up right after. He offered his arm for her to hold onto to escort her outside. She felt comfortable around him so that was a good sign. The two walked out of the hotel where Haneul's chauffeur had been waiting.
"Where is your ride?" Haneul asked the man.
"I'm expecting someone." Yeom Tae replied, watching Haneul sit inside her car, "Haneul," He called her, grabbing her attention like always. "Until next time."
Then the door of the car gently slammed shut. What was that? Haneul felt something warm in her stomach. He was just like all other blind dates so far but she felt different. Maybe it was because she actually paid attention this time.
The car drove right away, leaving her no chance to stare back at Yeom Tae through the window. She was suddenly interested in whom he was expecting and decided to add it in the list of questions that she would ask him the next time they would meet. It was strange that she was actually looking forward to their next meeting even though everything about this meeting had been completely normal, just like usual.
Yeom Tae walked back to the hotel to go back to his seat in order to wait for the 'someone' he was expecting. Before walking in, his curiosity piqued and he pulled his phone up.
"Wife." Yeom Tae chuckled as he read her name in his contacts.
Haneul had regretted that to some extent, but now when she thought about it in the car, she wondered if it was able to make the man crack a smile. Because that had been her intention anyway.
Though she had mixed feelings about everything, she was still glad to have had an enjoyable dinner with someone she actually looked forward to seeing again. Maybe marriage wasn't all that bad.