In this twisted little power game of theirs, So-hyun firmly believes she just took home the first round. Basking in her victory, So-hyun tries hiding a smug little smile. She tells herself this is not a competition, but she is definitely keeping score. Pulling out her phone, she confidently calls Ji-hun up to announce her arrival. After getting his attention, though, a pretty awkward silence hangs between them.
He finally asks why she has not hung up yet. She quickly fumbles for an excuse, claiming she was just waiting for him to end the call first. He ignores the excuse, simply stating her breathing sounds pretty unique. Before she can even react, he gives a really strange order. Put her lips close to the phone. So-hyun officially decides this guy is just not normal.
But she is actually going along with this bizarre request, right in a crowded hotel lobby. Totally against her better judgment, she obeys the strange command. But right then, a nearby elevator opens up with a soft chime. Her eyes go wide with pure shock. Standing right there in front of her is Ji-hun, his own phone still pressed to his ear.
He was not just on the line. He was standing right here, listening to her the entire time. This little power game just completely flipped on her. Ji-hun leans in with a smug look on his face. He points out she is so shocked that her breathing completely stopped. So-hyun's face flushes red, caught completely off guard, but she absolutely refuses to back down.
In one bold move, she closes the distance until her lips are inches from his ear, making his eyes widen. He challenges her, asking if she dares. She wants him paying close attention. Flashing a confident smirk, she pulls back and delivers her final counter move. He better behave. The tables just flipped again. But the second So-hyun gets the upper hand, the heir himself steps in.
Wearing a confident smirk, he throws out a tempting offer. A huge reward if she leaves with him. The elevator doors slide open. She follows him right out, repeatedly telling herself she is not even drunk. But watching his back walk ahead, she cannot deny her heart is absolutely racing. They finally reach their destination. An employee immediately bows to Ji-hun.
This guy is a massively big deal. The employee playfully tells Ji-hun he looks even more handsome than last year. He simply smiles. Compliment accepted. Slightly flustered, she follows close behind, remembering he only visits Korea once a year. But instead of a standard hotel room, Ji-hun leads her to a breathtaking private restaurant with a full city view.
Confused, So-hyun asks why they skipped the bedroom. Ji-hun calmly hands her a menu. He smoothly points out she needs to eat. Keep that energy up. A slow smile completely takes over her face. This guy is full of surprises. She playfully asks if he is feeding her now. Flipping the script with a smirk, she suggests he is the one needing energy for later.
But Ji-hun stays one step ahead. Leaning in with a slick grin, he tells her that for tonight, she can use all her strength. He will just lie there. That bold counter leaves So-hyun completely speechless, blushing absolutely bright red. Scrambling to recover, she questions if he is actually any good at following basic orders. Utterly amused, he just watches her confidently take charge and start ordering their dinner.
As So-hyun handles the menu, Ji-hun watches her intently. He notices something. While she pretends to ignore him, she keeps sneaking tiny glances his way, silently checking for his approval. He finds that perceptiveness pretty impressive. He cannot even hold back an amused smile. Sitting right across the table, So-hyun picks up on his quiet observation. She realizes it is not disinterest at all.
It is consideration, a subtle, gentle gesture she actually finds herself genuinely appreciating. Total silence, a quiet, undeniable moment of mutual understanding between them. Sipping her drink, So-hyun actually enjoys the comfortable silence, realizing Ji-hun is not such a bad guy. For a woman who talks constantly for work, the silence feels like a real break.
But Ji-hun cuts right through the calm. He observes she seems to keep herself incredibly busy. Slightly caught off guard by his sharp eyes, So-hyun just explains that she simply enjoys investing in herself and dressing up. She keeps the heavy truth totally hidden. She always has to be ready for clients. She highly doubts he would ever understand that part of her life.
Ji-hun breaks the quiet again, asking if something is actually bothering her. When she denies it, he smirks. He was just wondering how many shiny accessories he should buy her. Completely shocked, she asks why he would do that. He casually calls it a third-meeting gift, but So-hyun instantly shuts the whole idea down. She clearly states the rule of zero demands also means leaving absolutely nothing behind.
Her tone is totally firm. No messy complications here. A heavy, intense quiet crashes over the entire table. It only shatters when the waiter finally arrives. With that heavy tension broken by their actual food showing up, So-hyun takes one bite and is instantly in pure heaven. She savors the rich steak, completely thrilled with her perfect wine pairing. For a split second, she gets totally lost in her own happy little world.
But that peace shatters when her phone suddenly buzzes. Deeply annoyed, she puts on a fake professional smile and answers her manager, smoothly confirming she will handle some lingering issues from an earlier meeting. Ji-hun just watches silently. He almost called her himself. So-hyun handles the work call like an absolute pro, effortlessly confirming a future dinner meeting with another client.
Throughout the chat, Ji-hun stays dead silent. His food sits totally untouched as he just watches her. Hanging up, she takes a deep breath. She tries salvaging the date, softly asking if they can just go back to being happy, but Ji-hun has zero interest in smoothing things out. Absolute ice. He stares right at her, pointing out her food is getting cold, and bluntly tells her to finish eating, effortlessly flipping that heavy, awkward tension right back onto her.
Ji-hun breaks the tense silence, flat out demanding to know who was on the phone. So-hyun is completely caught off guard. He points out how incredibly smooth she sounded, a very clear jab at her fake professional charm. She scoffs. He would never understand the real effort it takes to sound convincing. Taking a quick bite of steak, she coolly flips the script right back, telling him to stop acting so incredibly inexperienced.
Following a long, heavy pause, Ji-hun quietly admits that even without trying so hard, she is already way more than convincing enough. So-hyun happily enjoys her food, completely unfazed by his intense vibe. Ji-hun quietly watches her before breaking the silence, asking how the food is, but she completely tunes him out. Having none of it, she coolly fires back that it is not her first time here, totally ruining his attempt to impress her.
She takes a smug sip of wine, pretty sure she just won this round. That is, until Ji-hun suddenly grabs her arm. His whole vibe flips instantly. He demands she look right at him, repeating his question with this absolutely chilling intensity. "How is the food?" he asks. Realizing she pushed him a bit too far, So-hyun smoothly changes her tune. Flashing a playful smile, she admits it tastes way better than usual.
Then she cheekily asks if it is because he is here. The unexpected flattery actually works. Ji-hun quietly goes back to eating. Internally, So-hyun pats herself on the back. She excuses herself from the table. Safely alone in the restroom, she grabs her makeup bag, figuring she needs a really quick touch-up before heading out to face him for round two.