For the next few days, Kiyonari dedicated himself to preparing everything needed for the first meeting of the prospective mates. Every folder, every document, every small detail had to be perfect—because even the slightest mistake could become ammunition for Soo-hyun's critics.
A shrill ring suddenly cut through the quiet air of the office. Kiyonari quickly reached for the receiver.
"Good morning, Je Group headquarters, this is Secretary Soo Kihyun speaking."
A smooth voice answered from the other side.
"Yes, hello. This is the secretary of CEO Kwon Jisung."
"Oh, yes, of course," Kiyonari replied politely, his tone steady though his grip tightened on the phone.
They discussed the details carefully—the time, location, and arrangement for the meeting. Jisung's secretary seemed precise and sounded confident, as if she'd done this countless times before.
"Yes, I think that's perfect. Thank you very much," Kiyonari concluded before gently hanging up.
He exhaled, pressing the telephone down as if trying to press away the weight already forming in his chest. Standing in front of the director's office, he straightened his posture before stepping inside.
Soo-hyun was at his desk, his hand swiftly moving across papers. His pen stopped mid-line as his cold voice broke the silence. "What is it?"
Kiyonari approached, folder in hand. "It's about the matchmaking, sir."
That single word made Soo-hyun freeze. He slowly looked up from his paperwork, eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh... that's today."
"Yes," Kiyonari confirmed carefully. He placed the folder on the desk with both hands. "Here's the information on the first candidate."
Soo-hyun took the file, flipping through with sharp, detached eyes.
"Kwon Jisung," Kiyonari explained quietly. "First born of the Kwon family. Current CEO of AO Enterprises, with multiple business establishments around Gangnam. His record is considered impeccable."
"Hm." Soo-hyun leaned back in his chair, scanning the folder one last time before tossing it back onto the desk with a soft thud.
"Alright. I don't see why I should delay this any further. The faster it's over, the faster I can get rid of this nonsense."
His lips curved into a smirk, but there was no light in his expression—only a hint of sarcasm, or perhaps disdain.
Kiyonari swallowed hard. He could tell his boss had no interest in these dates at all, and yet the family's pressure had backed him into a corner.
As he gathered the folder, a heavy feeling crept into Kiyonari's chest. He couldn't shake off the thought: Would this so-called matchmaking even work?
Or would it only end in disaster...?
*****
Later that afternoon, a white luxury car pulled over the curb of the restaurant. Its polished exterior gleamed under the city lights.
When the door opened, a man alighted first. His appearance immediately drew attention—his flashy light-colored suit, the dark sunglasses shielding his eyes indoors, the glint of a gold wristwatch and a thick ring on his finger. Everything about him screamed extravagance, the kind of man who enjoyed flaunting his success.
He straightened his suit with a sharp tug before adjusting his cuffs. Behind him followed a woman, her posture reserved and her head lowered slightly, walking just a step behind her boss.
The two entered the restaurant together.
A staff member approached with a professional smile. "Welcome, sir."
"We have a reservation," the woman answered politely on behalf of her boss.
"Yes, of course." The staff gestured toward the corridor. "Please, come this way. Follow me."
Their footsteps echoed along the hallway, leading toward one of the private rooms reserved for the occasion.
Meanwhile, Kiyonari hurried through the opposite direction, his polished shoes clattering against the tiles as he strode down the hall. He stole a quick glance at his wristwatch and muttered under his breath.
"Damn it! I hope I'm not—"
But before he could finish, a figure appeared suddenly from around the corner.
A woman.
Her head lowered, she walked quickly, almost colliding with him. Kiyonari instantly stopped in his tracks to avoid bumping into her.
"Ah...!" His voice trailed off, startled by the near collision.
The sound made the woman pause and lift her head. For the first time, he caught a glimpse of her face—neat, professional, but slightly flustered.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"No, it's fine," Kiyonari reassured her with faint smile.
He studied her for a moment, then asked cautiously, "Are you by any chance... Ms. Song?"
The woman perked up in recognition. "Yes, that's me. Are you..."
Kiyonari immediately straightened and switched into his professional demeanor. He offered a small bow and a polite business smile.
"My name is Soo Kihyun, secretary to Executive Director Je of Soo Corporation."
Her eyes widened slightly as she scrambled to fix her posture and bow in return.
"Oh! Yes, nice to meet you, Mr. Soo. My name is Song Mina. I work as CEO Kwon Jisung's secretary." She bowed her head lightly.
Kiyonari nodded. "We've spoken over the phone before, but this is the first time we've met in prison."
"Yes." She lowered her head apologetically. "And I must apologize for what happened last time."
"No, it's alright, Ms. Song," Kiyonari said.
Right. He remembered clearly. The matchmaking date had originally been scheduled last week, but Kwon Jisung had abruptly gone on a business trip. Secretary Song had reached out to request a postponement, and everything had been rescheduled to today.
"But... is the Director here?" Mina asked carefully.
"Yes," Kiyonari replied. "He will be here soon. He just excused himself for a bit."
"Oh, I see."
Kiyonari let out a soft sigh through his nose. Though Soo-hyun had arrived earlier than expected, he had slipped out toward the bathroom without any explanation. Kiyonari didn't dare question it.
One wrong word could spoil his boss's mood, and the last thing this meeting needed is tension.
"I'll just wait for him here," he muttered quietly, more to himself than to Mina.
*****
The sound of the private room's door sliding open broke the silence.
Soo-hyun finally stepped inside, his presence commanding even without trying. His dark suit was sharp and immaculately tailored, his expression cool and composed—yet his eyes carried that familiar weight of disinterest.
Kiyonari straightened instantly, relief flickering in his chest. He gave a subtle bow. "Director."
Behind him, Song Mina quickly tugged her boss forward. Kwon Jisung removed his sunglasses with an exaggerated flourish, revealing sharp eyes that seemed to linger on Soo-hyun longer than necessary.
Kiyonari quickly stepped in, lowering his voice just enough for Soo-hyun to hear.
"Sir, this is Mr. Kwon Jisung—the first candidate."
Soo-hyun's gaze flicked toward Jisung, his lips pressing into a thin line.
Meanwhile, Jisung smirked faintly, adjusting the collar of his flashy suit. "So, you must be Director Je," he said with a tone halfway between admiration and arrogance. "I've heard quite a lot about you."
Soo-hyun neither smiled nor frowned. He simply extended a hand across the table with a professional courtesy.
Jisung clasped his hand, the rings on his fingers glinting under the chandelier lights. His grip was firm, almost too firm—as if he wanted to make a point. "A pleasure meet you."
"The pleasure's mine." Soo-hyun faintly smiled.
Kiyonari, standing in a respectful step behind Soo-hyun, carefully watched the exchange. The tension was subtle, but he could feel it creeping into to the air.
Secretary Mina, shifting uneasily at her boss's side, glanced between the two men before quickly lowering her gaze.
"Shall we sit? Jisung suggested casually, gesturing to the table like he was the host instead of the guest.
Soo-hyun gave a faint nod, lowering himself into the chair with practiced grace.
Kiyonari quietly exhaled. His duty now was simple: observe, assist when necessary, and hope this meeting wouldn't collapse before it even began.
Once they were seated, the waiter poured wine into their glasses. Jisung swirled his drink leisurely, eyes fixed on Soo-hyun.
"You know," Jisung began with a smug smile, "I didn't expect the heir of the Je family to be... this young. Rumors said you were impressive, but I suppose they weren't exaggerating."
Soo-hyun, without touching his glass, simply replied, "You flatter me, Mr. Kwon... I'm not that young. Rumors tend to exaggerate."
Jisung chuckled. "True enough. But in business, reputation is everything. That's why I make sure mine is flawless." He leaned back, tapping the face of his golden watch for emphasis. "Multiple enterprises under AO are thriving. Expansion to Busan, Daegu, even Japan. You could say I don't exactly lose."
Kiyonari glanced at his boss discreetly. Soo-hyun's face remained unreadable, but Kiyonari could sense the irritation beneath his calm exterior.
"That's commendable," Soo-hyun finally said, voice flat. "But I don't look at people on the shine of their wealth or the size of their social standing in life."
The corner of Jisung's smirk twitched, his ego clearly prickled. He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing with interest. "Then how do you judge people, Director Je."
Soo-hyun's gaze was sharp as glass. "By their discipline, sincerity, and whether they understand the meaning of responsibility."
For a moment, the air thickened between them. Jisung broke into another chuckle, though it lacked the confidence of earlier.
"You're sharper than I thought."
Soo-hyun didn't respond. Instead, he finally lifted his glass, but only to swirl the wine before setting it back down untouched.
*****
The dinner finally wrapped up. Pleasantries exchanged, glasses raised, but beneath the polished surface, Soo-hyun's indifference never lifted.
Kiyonari escorted his boss to the car, opening the door with a quiet bow. Soo-hyun slipped in without a word, his expression unreadable, leaving Kiyonari wondering if the whole thing was already a failure in his eyes.
Meanwhile, not far from the curb, a sleek white car idled. Jisung leaned back into the leather seat with a smug grin tugging at his lips, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He pulled off his watch and rolled his wrist, basking in the faint echo of his own excitement.
"Ha," he chuckled under his breath, eyes gleaming with a hunger that wasn't entirely business. "So that's the Je family heir..."
Beside him, Mina stiffened. She could already sense where this was going.
Jisung turned his head, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "I don't really like the idea of this prospective mate crap or whatever," he said. "But marrying into the Je Group? Now that's not a bad thing at all."
His voice was low, heavy with self-satisfaction.
"Mina."
His secretary flinched at the sound of her name. "Y-Yes, sir."
"Set another meeting with Director Je, soon."
Her hands tightened in her lap, fingers digging into her own skin. She knew her boss all too well. This wasn't about compatibility, nor about some respectful union.
Jisung saw the Je heir as nothing more than a prize—a trophy to claim for power, wealth, and status.
Mina swallowed hard, lowering her eyes.
"... Understood, sir."
As she pulled out her planner with trembling fingers, she forced her voice steady, though her chest twisted painfully. She had no other choice but to obey.
Another car was already pulling away from the restaurant parking lot. Inside, silence lingered thick.
Soo-hyun sat back against the leather seat, his jaw tense, one hand pressed against his temple. Kiyonari, carefully holding the steering wheel, dared a glance through the rearview mirror. His boss looked drained—annoyed more than anything.
A sharp exhale cut through the still air.
"Tch. That was pathetic."
Kiyonari blinked. "... Sir?"
"That first candidate," Soo-hyun muttered bitterly, his lips curling with disdain. "Kwon Jisung. Flashy suit, cheap arrogance. The kind of Alpha who thinks money can make him untouchable."
He scoffed, eyes narrowing. "If that's the best the Association has to offer, then this whole prospective mate nonsense is already a failure."
Kiyonari tightened his grip on wheel, choosing his words carefully. "... So you weren't impressed, sir?"
"Impresses?" Soo-hyun let out a humorless laugh. "No. All I saw was a greedy man with ulterior motives. He didn't even bother to hide it. The way he looked at me..." His teeth clenched. "... like I was some prize on display."
Kiyonari lowered his gaze, silent. He'd noticed it too—the subtle smugness, the predatory gleam in Jisung's eyes. It wasn't interest. It was ownership.
Soo-hyun leaned back, resting his arm against the window. "Truly disappointing. If this is what my mother and grandfather expect me to marry into, then they've already lost their damn minds."
The car rolled down the quiet road, city lights reflecting across the windshield. Neither of them spoke for while. The weight of Soo-hyun's words hung heavily between them.
Kiyonari could only sigh inwardly, his earlier thought confirmed. If the first candidate already left this impression... what will happen with the rest?
*****
The next few days moved quickly, and before long, another meeting with Kwon Jisung was scheduled. As they strode down the hallway toward the restaurant's private dining room, the sound of Soo-hyun's sharp click of the tongue echoed, heavy with irritation.
"Tch. How come you didn't refuse his damn request?" His voice was cold, dripping with annoyance.
Trailing behind him, Kiyonari adjusted his pace, keeping his tone calm. "There was really no point in turning them down, sir. Even if we did, the Association would surely take action instead."
Or so I was told... Kiyonari silently added, recalling Eunji's warning.
Soo-hyun halted mid-step and the spun on his heels. His gaze locked on Kiyonari, sharp and cutting. The younger man instinctively flinched, stepping back a little.
"Which boss do you serve, Mr. Soo?" His words were icy, almost venomous. "Would you rather listen to those bastards than me?"
"N-No, of course not, sir!" Kiyonari quickly straightened. "I would absolutely listen to you—"
"Then you should've canceled this damn lunch date." Soo-hyun's tone dropped low, every syllable carrying weight.
Kiyonari froze, the words catching in his throat.
Soo-hyun exhaled sharply through his nose, clearly done with the argument. "Damn those Association suckers. They'd risk passing me off with trash like this? Fine. Let's see how this bullshit turns out."
He turned away and walked off, strides long and commanding, heading for the private dining room without waiting for his secretary.
Kiyonari swallowed hard, his nerves tightening. For a brief moment, he'd thought Soo-hyun might actually fire him on the spot. The heat of that glare still lingered in his chest.
The truth was, he had tried. He had called the Association personally to request the cancellation of the second meeting, insisting that his boss wasn't interested. But the Association had pushed back—claiming that the compatibility level between Soo-hyun and Jisung was high enough to warrant a second chance.
Now, as Kiyonari stood quietly in the corner of the private room, watching the two men sit across from each other, the irony wasn't lost on him.
Soo-hyun's expression was frozen in polite indifference, his eyes cold, while Jisung stumbled to find even the most basic topic that might engage him.
Kiyonari resisted the urge of sigh. Compatibility? Really? If this is their idea of chemistry, then the Association is more delusional than I thought.