The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 37

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

37.
Someone had casually handed over that expensive Brooch without making a fuss—as if it were merely a sample.
Yun Cha-gyeong.
Na Hui’s mind filled once again with thoughts of him. That last meeting kept flashing before her eyes.
Sculpted features, posture without a single flaw, speech clipped and cold—he was a cold person, but she didn’t dislike it.
‘He’s definitely interested in me.’
He could have simply walked past her, yet he’d given her the Brooch. He hadn’t refused her invitation to dinner either. Wasn’t that evidence enough that he was sufficiently interested in her?
What she couldn’t understand was why he’d sat with an emotionless face when they’d actually met, and why he was ignoring her messages asking to see him again.
‘That’s just how he is. Why, they say wealthy heirs are trained to hide their emotions. But even so, if I asked to meet him, he should have agreed to it!’
The more she thought about Yun Cha-gyeong’s incomprehensible attitude, the more confused Na Hui’s mind became.
That was when the oblivious Gyeong-jun threw out another question, desperate to show off.
“Na Hui, how’s the food here? Does it suit your taste?”
Good grief. He’d bought her one meal and now he wanted to boast about it endlessly.
The word “pathetic” climbed all the way to her throat, but she barely held it back.
“Yeah, it’s delicious. Worth the price.”
Gyeong-jun was a backup plan, in case there were no developments with Yun Cha-gyeong whatsoever.
Such a thing must never happen, of course, but it was good to be thoroughly prepared for anything.
Having thus pacified Gyeong-jun in her own way, Na Hui picked up her phone again and opened the KakaoTalk chat window.
Her fingers began moving across the phone screen once more.
[Executive, I’m sending this again in case you didn’t see my earlier message. Would you have time to meet for a moment? Since you paid for dinner last time, I’d really like to repay you.]
She hit send and looked down at the screen—the “1” unread marker still hadn’t disappeared.
He still hadn’t read it.
‘If he keeps pretending not to read them, should I try calling him next? But if he doesn’t answer that either, then that’s that.’
Lost in such thoughts, Gyeong-jun suddenly asked her.
“Na Hui, who are you KakaoTalking with right now?”
“Hm? Oh, someone from the office.”
Na Hui kept her phone in hand but tilted the screen just enough that Gyeong-jun couldn’t see it.
Just then, her phone vibrated suddenly.
The moment she checked the screen, Na Hui’s lips curled upward.
[Yun Cha-gyeong: Tomorrow at 7 PM—does that work for you?]
* * *
Monday morning, the atmosphere at the ABE Office felt subtly different.
Do-a sat at her desk, turning on her monitor while half-listening to voices drifting from the direction of the Break Room entrance.
Or rather, she wanted to ignore them, but the conversation burrowed into her ears without her noticing.
“Na Hui came in wearing that Brooch again today.”
“Yeah, I saw. She’s still wearing it.”
“When Do-a said it looked like a dog collar….”
“I actually burst out laughing at that.”
“But isn’t it weird that she keeps wearing it even after hearing that?”
“Yeah, me too. Is it really just a sample?”
“Why would an executive carry around a sample?”
“Maybe she’s just using ‘sample’ as an excuse.”
Do-a’s hand paused over the mouse.
“A man with a girlfriend giving a Brooch to another woman isn’t exactly normal.”
“None of us ever got one.”
“Plus Na Hui’s boyfriend is Gyeong-jun, our account manager.”
“Yeah, our contact.”
“So all three of them are tangled together?”
“Do-a said he was her ex-boyfriend and Na Hui stole him from her, and Na Hui said Do-a is a stalker.”
“Which one is true?”
“I think it’s Do-a’s side. Look at her now—Na Hui keeps clinging to Executive Yun.”
“It does seem suspicious.”
That was when someone’s hand suddenly landed on Do-a’s shoulder.
“How long are those people going to chatter? They didn’t even realize Do-a was here, but they’re so keen on gossip.”
Do-a turned her head to find Na Hui standing with a hand propped on her shoulder.
On Na Hui’s left shirt collar gleamed the gold-framed Brooch she’d received from Yun Cha-gyeong, glinting in the light.
The Break Room employees continued their idle talk, unaware that Na Hui had overheard them too.
The gossip about Na Hui grew worse as the conversation went on, but Na Hui seemed utterly unbothered.
In fact, she seemed to be enjoying what they said.
“Do-a went to such lengths to explain, even bringing up neighborhood dogs, but I don’t know why everyone won’t believe her. Are the Executive and I really that suspicious looking?”
Na Hui whispered in a voice low enough that those in the Break Room couldn’t hear.
The gossip seemed to have given her a sense of satisfaction, and her tone carried a note of pride.
But Na Hui hadn’t come to Do-a this morning just to brag about the Brooch.
“Actually, I have plans with the Executive tonight….”
“Oh, you have dinner plans with Yun Cha-gyeong tonight, don’t you? You said last time he treated you to dinner, and you wanted to repay him.”
“What? You knew…about that?”
“He’s my boyfriend—I should know at least that much. You’re meeting at Restaurant A, right? I actually recommended that place. I’d eaten there before and it was good. I think it should suit your taste well, too.”
“Why are you—why would you recommend where the Executive and I are meeting? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“Oh, I just wanted you to have something delicious.”
Na Hui’s smile vanished like she’d just bitten into a whole lemon.
Just then, the Break Room employees finished their chatting and began filing out in a rush.
They started in alarm at the sight of Do-a and Na Hui together, but as if nothing had happened, they scattered back to their seats.
Do-a offered one more word to the dazed Na Hui standing beside her.
“Make sure you treat him to dinner this time. Don’t go out saying you’ll repay him and then end up eating for free again.”
“Who are you calling a beggar—!”
Na Hui was about to snap back at Do-a when she noticed the office employees’ eyes fixed on her, so she hastily returned to her seat.
Though Do-a had landed a blow, her heart felt far from settled.
It was because she’d been with Yun Cha-gyeong the night before, when Na Hui had contacted him asking to meet again.
After viewing an exhibition at a gallery in Cheongdam-dong as practice for dating, they’d just gotten into the car for dinner when it happened.
His phone vibrated, and when he checked the screen, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
“I got a message from Na Hui. She wants to meet.”
As Do-a’s hand trembled slightly on her lap, Yun Cha-gyeong asked in a voice mixed equally with mischief and spite.
“Should we go? Or not?”
“Why are you asking me that…?”
“Wasn’t it you who suggested I meet with Na Hui?”
It was indeed her plan, so why did she keep forgetting it?
“Ah, right. Then of course…we should go.”
“Really? You’d like it if I did?”
“Na Hui and Gyeong-jun haven’t broken up yet anyway.”
Then Yun Cha-gyeong, who had been watching her for a while, asked heavily.
“Are you really okay with it?”
“Yes.”
“If you said you didn’t want me to, I wouldn’t go.”
“Why wouldn’t I want you to? I’m the one who asked.”
Yun Cha-gyeong asked no further and, saying he understood, picked up his phone.
Do-a gazed out the window and bit her lip.
She’d told him to go, but watching him send the reply, something twisted painfully in her chest.
‘Do-a, what’s wrong with you? This is supposed to be what you want.’
Yet her heart wouldn’t settle.
She couldn’t tell if it was jealousy, hurt, or both.
‘Get yourself together. You and Yun Cha-gyeong are only in a Contract Relationship. You’re not a real couple.’
Do-a reminded herself of this.
But Yun Cha-gyeong’s occasional kindness and the warmth she’d received from his family seemed to have become poison—clouding her reason at every turn.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————