The Accidental Matchmakers

CHAPTER 7

AUTHOR'S POV

ENTER JI CHANG-WOOK

The following week, Ji-won invited Soo-hyun to a casual gathering with her close friends. She thought it would be a good opportunity for him to get to know the people important to her, including her longtime friend, Ji Chang-wook.

They arrived at a trendy café where Krystal, Jisoo, and Ji Chang-wook were already seated. As they approached the table, Ji-won felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

"Ji-won!" Chang-wook greeted her with a warm hug, his smile bright. "It's been too long."

Ji-won hugged him back, laughing. "Chang-wook, it's great to see you!"

Soo-hyun watched the interaction, a flicker of jealousy in his eyes. He quickly masked it with a polite smile. "Hi, I'm Soo-hyun."

Chang-wook turned to him, extending a hand. "Ji Chang-wook. Nice to meet you."

As they shook hands, there was a subtle tension between them. Ji-won noticed and quickly introduced everyone.

"Krystal, Jisoo, you remember Soo-hyun," she said, gesturing to her friends.

Krystal nodded with a smile. "Of course. Nice to see you again, Soo-hyun."

Jisoo, sitting next to Jung Hae-in, also smiled. "Welcome, Soo-hyun."

They all settled into their seats, ordering drinks and chatting casually. Ji-won sat between Soo-hyun and Chang-wook, feeling the undercurrent of tension.

"So, Soo-hyun," Chang-wook began, leaning back in his chair. "How are you finding married life with Ji-won?"

Soo-hyun smiled, trying to keep his tone light. "It's been... interesting. We're still engaged though not yet married, but it's been good."

Chang-wook chuckled. "Interesting, huh? Ji-won has always been a bit of a challenge."

Ji-won playfully swatted Chang-wook's arm. "Hey! I'm not that bad."

Chang-wook laughed, but Soo-hyun could see the genuine affection in his eyes when he looked at Ji-won. It made Soo-hyun's jealousy flare up even more.

As the evening progressed, Chang-wook continued to engage Ji-won in conversation, reminiscing about old times and inside jokes that Soo-hyun couldn't understand. Soo-hyun felt increasingly like an outsider.

At one point, Chang-wook leaned in close to Ji-won, whispering something that made her laugh. Soo-hyun's jaw tightened, and he couldn't help but interrupt.

"So, Chang-wook," Soo-hyun said, his voice a bit sharper than intended. "How long have you and Ji-won known each other?"

Chang-wook glanced at him, seemingly unfazed. "Oh, we've known each other since college. We were pretty much inseparable back then."

Ji-won nodded, smiling at the memory. "Chang-wook was always there for me, through thick and thin."

Soo-hyun forced a smile, but his jealousy was hard to hide. "Sounds like you two have a lot of history."