THE BLIND DATE MIX-UP||L.HS X P.SH

O N E

CHAPTER ONE: THE DATE DISASTER

Sunghoon stared at his reflection in the mirror, trying to adjust his tie for the fifth time. Tonight was the night—not for a romantic evening, but for the ultimate date sabotage. His mother had cornered him into going on this blind date with relentless persistence.

“You’ll love him, darling! He’s from a good family, and he’s perfect for you,” his mother had insisted over breakfast, casually leaving out any real details about the guy.

Sunghoon had reluctantly agreed just to get her off his back. But now, standing in front of the mirror, he was determined to make this the worst, most uncomfortable date ever. His game plan? Act like a total weirdo. His date would flee before dessert, and his mother wouldn’t dare set him up again.

Sunghoon walked into the restaurant, mentally reviewing his strategy. I’ll talk about conspiracy theories, ask the weirdest questions, and just make it unbearable. I’ll be free by the end of the night.

He approached the hostess, who led him to a table where his date was already seated. The guy looked up from his phone, smiling politely, and Sunghoon froze.

Lee Heeseung.

The name immediately popped into Sunghoon’s head, but he couldn't quite place it. Why does he look so familiar?

Heeseung stood up, extending his hand. “Hey, you must be Sunghoon. I’m Heeseung.”

Sunghoon nodded, accepting the handshake. “Yeah, that’s me.”

They both sat down, Sunghoon’s mind still racing. Where do I know this guy from? Heeseung looked familiar in a way that made Sunghoon’s stomach twist, but he brushed it off. After all, there were plenty of Lees in Korea.

Heeseung slid a business card across the table. “In case you want to get in touch after this,” he said with a casual smile.

Sunghoon hesitated, picking up the card. As he read the name, his heart sank.

LEE HEESEUNG. VICE PRESIDENT, HANIM GROUP

It hit him like a freight train. This wasn’t just any random Lee Heeseung. This was the Lee Heeseung—his boss’s son, the heir to the company where Sunghoon worked. How had I not realized?

Panic surged through Sunghoon. ABORT MISSION! ABORT MISSION! He couldn’t go through with his plan to act weird and chase Heeseung away now. If he messed this up, it wouldn’t just be a bad date—it could ruin his career.

But Heeseung was watching him, clearly waiting for Sunghoon to respond. There was no backing out now. Sunghoon shoved the card into his pocket, putting on a forced smile.

“So, uh… do you ever think about how forks feel when they’re being used?” Sunghoon blurted out. What the hell did I just say?

Heeseung blinked, momentarily confused. “How forks feel? Like… physically?”

Sunghoon nodded, trying to sound serious. “Yeah, you know, being stabbed into food all the time, like, what’s that got to do to their self-esteem? It’s pretty brutal when you think about it.”

Heeseung didn’t laugh or look disgusted. He simply tilted his head, considering the ridiculousness. “I’ve never thought about that before. But I guess if forks had feelings, they’d be pretty sad. Always stuck between food and people’s teeth.”

Sunghoon gulped. He’snot leaving? He’ssupposed to be weired out by me. Time to turn up the weirdness“And spoons! Don’t get me started on spoons. They’re like the emotional support utensil, right? Always cradling soup or ice cream. Do you think they resent the forks?”

Heeseung chuckled. “Maybe spoons are secretly jealous. They don’t get the sharp, stabby jobs.”

What is happening? Sunghoon was ready to combust from embarrassment, but Heeseung seemed unphased. In fact, he looked amused.

Desperate to up the ante, Sunghoon leaned in, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, I’ve always had this theory… that pigeons are actually undercover government spies. Like, think about it—they’re everywhere. And they never blink.”

Heeseung’s lips twitched, as if he were trying not to laugh. “Undercover pigeons? That’s a new one.”

Sunghoon’s eyes widened, leaning even closer. “I’m serious! Have you ever seen a baby pigeon? No, because they’re all government drones! I bet they’re listening to us right now!”

Heeseung laughed, full and genuine this time, causing Sunghoon to freeze. This is not how this is supposed to go.

Just then, the waiter came by to take their order, giving Sunghoon a brief moment to regroup. As Heeseung rattled off his meal choice, Sunghoon couldn’t help but mentally scream at himself. Why isn’t this working?

After the waiter left, Sunghoon tried one last desperate move. “Okay, real question—how do you feel about cats? Because I personally believe they’re plotting to take over the world.”

Heeseung grinned. “I love cats. If they’re plotting world domination, I’d gladly welcome them as my overlords.”

I give up, Sunghoon thought, slumping in his chair. Heeseung wasn’t weirded out—he was enjoying this. Sunghoon had officially run out of ideas.

“So,” Heeseung said, smiling as he leaned forward. “What do you do for a living?”

Sunghoon’s blood ran cold. There was no way he could tell Heeseung the truth now. “Oh, I, uh… I work at a small company. You wouldn’t know it. It’s nothing special.”

Heeseung’s brow quirked, clearly sensing Sunghoon’s evasion but not pressing the issue. “Got it. Well, Sunghoon, this has definitely been one of the more interesting dates I’ve been on.”

Sunghoon gulped. Please say you mean 'horrible'. Please say horrible.

“I mean that in a good way,” Heeseung added with a small chuckle, standing up from his seat. “I have to get going, but this was fun. Maybe we can do it again sometime.”

Sunghoon gave a weak nod as Heeseung left the restaurant. The moment Heeseung disappeared from view, Sunghoon dropped his head into his hands.

“What have I done?” he groaned. Not only had he acted like an absolute weirdo, but his plan had backfired. Lee Heeseung, his future boss, had just gone on the worst date of his life—and enjoyed it.

And now, Sunghoon had to figure out how to avoid him at all costs.