AOA 117

She said something, and Baek Mugyeong quietly listened.

“……”

I almost told her to back off. Baek Mugyeong was someone who never let people he disliked get close. But right now he was being too kind, not like him. No, correction. Baek Mugyeong was being polite, the same as usual.

I did not like that.

“Don’t you get jealous?”

“What?”

“Never mind. You still don’t get it. You saw it too, right? Mugyeong-hyung is really popular. A face like his is really rare. If he looks good to me, of course he looks good to others too. I get it, but if it keeps going like this, he could cheat in no time.”

“…Really?”

When I answered halfheartedly, Choi Jaeha started nagging. He said I had no sense of crisis. Handsome men were rare. I needed to keep him in check. Even his Taehwan-ssi suffered a lot, and it made him so angry.

None of Choi Jaeha’s words entered my ears. The word jealousy filled my head instead.

Whether Baek Mugyeong treated others politely or not had nothing to do with me. But seeing attractive people close to him made me feel strange.

The problem was that to be jealous, there had to be a premise.

Could it be that I love Baek Mugyeong that much?

At that absurd realization, I felt a shock like I had been hit on the head with a hammer. I blinked several times while staring at Baek Mugyeong’s profile in the distance.

Even while my head was not working well, I started to question myself.

Really? Me? About Baek Mugyeong? Why? Because he is handsome? Because of sex? Because he is somewhat kind?

I should have denied it, but I could not. All kinds of moments with Baek Mugyeong passed through my mind.

Because we liked each other, we were getting to know each other seriously. But I had not expected that to connect to jealousy.

The moment I thought of the word jealousy again, my face heated up and I quickly lowered my head. My thoughts would not connect properly.

“Ah. Hyung is coming.”

At Choi Jaeha’s words I lifted my head. Because of what I had just realized, looking at Baek Mugyeong made me feel embarrassed.

But if I panicked, it would be over. At times like this, I had to act as if nothing was wrong. Unfortunately my heart pounded like it was running a race. I thought cold sweat would run down my back.

I even had the stupid worry that if Choi Jaeha or Baek Mugyeong heard my heartbeat, what would I do? That only made my heart beat louder.

“Why are you here?”

As he came toward us, Baek Mugyeong saw Choi Jaeha and frowned. His voice was blunt too.

“Of course I came to see our Minchae.”

Choi Jaeha linked his arm with mine on purpose and pressed close. Baek Mugyeong’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“Choi Jaeha. Let go.”

“No. I’m going to hang out with Minchae more. Since you left Minchae alone and laughed with other omegas, I should at least stay with him. Isn’t that right?”

As always, Choi Jaeha did not hold back. He said whatever he wanted in a loud, clear voice.

Sometimes I envied that personality, but not now. What I had just realized was not yet sorted out. I had to stop Choi Jaeha from pouring oil on it.

“No, it’s not like that. It’s not.”

I unlinked my arm and shook my head toward Baek Mugyeong. Normally when I met Choi Jaeha, I would complain and curse that Baek Mugyeong was too much. But today I could not let Baek Mugyeong misunderstand.

“Not like that? Minchae says he doesn’t get jealous. He’s like a saint.”

“Why do you keep doing this?”

“I’m teasing hyung. Why are you flustered? Say proudly that you don’t get jealous.”

“Of course I don’t. But look at the place we’re in. Have some manners.”

He lowered his voice and reminded us this was not the street but the banquet hall for Baek Jinseok’s birthday.

Of course, people were gathered in groups chatting, and our conversation in the corner was buried.

But they said even birds hear words in the day and rats hear words at night. Someone could overhear us, twist it maliciously, and spread rumors. Thinking of how before regression, people had called me and Choi Jaeha concubine and mistress, it was better to be careful.

When I looked at him asking if that was not right, Choi Jaeha scolded me for being too timid. I answered back that he was the one with no caution.

While we bickered, Baek Mugyeong cut in.

“Minchae-ssi, you need to go see Grandfather. He called for you. Jaeha, you too, go to Chairman Choi.”

“Really? Fine. Minchae, call me later. Hyung, you reflect on yourself a bit.”

Choi Jaeha waved his hand, turned his body, then looked at me again. His face was full of a meaningful smile.

“Minchae. You know you owe me something, right?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t expect a wristwatch, but you should at least give me something good.”

He winked, then said he was going to meet his lover, and walked straight out of the banquet hall.

I stood puzzled at what he wanted, then remembered the bet I had made with Choi Jaeha not long ago.

Choi Jaeha had bet a wristwatch that Baek Mugyeong liked me. But on the other side, I had staked nothing.

“Do you have something you need to give Jaeha?”

“Well… a gift. But it’s not certain yet, so I think I should talk to him later. Let’s go now. The chairman will be waiting.”

I pulled myself together, worried that I might make a mistake. I could never say, even with my nose buried in a plate and ready to die, that I had made a bet about whether Baek Mugyeong liked me or not. It had been before we agreed to try, but I still did not want him to find out.

Then I remembered how I had felt jealous earlier when I saw the long-haired woman standing close to Baek Mugyeong. That had made me question how much I liked him.

My cheeks heated up again, and my heart raced. I was not sure what kind of expression I had on my face. But I pretended nothing was wrong and changed the subject.

Fortunately, Baek Mugyeong did not pay much attention to Choi Jaeha.

“Grandfather will introduce you to someone. He said it’s a man who collects paintings by Kim Yeongcheol. If you don’t plan to keep the painting forever, I recommend you sell. It’s Chairman Hong of HGK.”

“Yes.”

I had no knowledge about paintings. Even the paintings I bought at this exhibition, which would become famous, were only for money. If the price was right, I would sell them without hesitation.

“A while ago, Butler Son came looking for you. He told me to tell you it was handled well. Was something wrong?”

“Ah, that? The wires on the chandelier in the men’s lounge were cut. It looked dangerous, so I told Butler Son.”

“…Is that so?”

“I’m glad it was resolved.”

I felt pointlessly proud, thinking that I had prevented people from getting hurt. Being able to stop accidents that happened right before my eyes was one of the good parts of regression.

If I sold the painting at a high price, it would be even better. I barely held back a foolish smile and turned my head, only to meet Baek Mugyeong’s eyes. He had a strange expression, like he had something to say.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Now I had to meet the chaebol chairmen, so I needed to focus.

Chairman Hong Sehwan of HGK Group, a man who loved art, was a collector. He proudly said he always got the works of the artists he liked.

Then he praised me without holding back, saying I had outstanding judgment. He said that picking out Bae Jongho and Kim Yeongcheol’s paintings among the works of new artists was something no ordinary eye could do, and he gilded my face with compliments.

“It’s amazing.”

“You flatter me.”

“Kim Yeongcheol said he wanted to meet you. I’ll introduce you.”

“Thank you.”

In front of Baek Jinseok and Hong Sehwan, I behaved as politely as I could. I could not fawn over them, offering my liver and gall, but I had to at least show that I was intimidated by men of such reputation.

I kept the conversation flowing smoothly and tried to gauge the time. I did not know exactly when Baek Gyeongbin would appear. I only remembered that it was when the banquet was in full swing.

I briefly wondered if I should leave before the commotion broke out. But I remembered there was something I needed to do regarding Baek Gyeongbin, so I decided to stay until the end.

For now, Baek Jinseok and Hong Sehwan in front of me were more important than Baek Gyeongbin. I tried to listen carefully to their words and focus on the conversation.

It was not long before a verbal promise was made that both paintings would go to Hong Sehwan. Just then, Baek Sujin brought her children over.

She came to say she would send them home now.

“Oh my, all of Chairman Baek’s grandchildren are so handsome and pretty. Baek Mugyeong’s spouse is handsome too. Then the great-grandson will be handsome as well.”

“Hey, people don’t say things like that anymore. They’ll call you old-fashioned. Be careful.”

“What’s wrong with being called old-fashioned when I am old-fashioned?”

“Then people will curse at you… huh?”

While trading jokes with Hong Sehwan, Baek Jinseok stopped mid-sentence and looked left. I also turned my head that way. At the same time, restless murmurs spread inside the banquet hall.

There, a man wearing a gray trench coat was kneeling toward us.

It was him. I did not clearly remember his face, but his clothes and his overall build matched my memory.

The difference from before regression was the spot where I was standing. Because I was facing him directly, I could see the man’s face clearly.