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

T W E N T Y

CHAPTER TWENTY: AN INVITATION HE COULDN'T REFUSE

Sunghoon was having what he hoped would be a peaceful afternoon at his family home, far away from the chaos that was his life at the company. His plan was simple: avoid any mention of his work, dodge questions about Heeseung, and eat his mom’s cooking without any drama. But the universe had other plans, and Sunghoon should’ve known better than to think he could have a normal day.

“You know, Sunghoon,” his mother started, setting down a plate of kimchi pancakes in front of him, “I’ve been reading the news.”

Sunghoon froze, mid-bite. The dreaded words. He didn’t even have to ask which news she was referring to. Of course, it was about him and Heeseung. Everyone from his neighbors to his dry cleaner was probably talking about the supposed “office romance.”

“Mom, don’t believe everything you read online,” Sunghoon mumbled, trying to downplay the situation. “People like to make up stories.”

His mother leaned in, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “But this one isn’t made up, is it? You and that young CEO... Lee Heeseung, was it? The one taking over the company?”

Sunghoon cringed internally. His mom was way too invested in this. “It’s really not what you think—”

“Oh, come on!” She waved him off with a smile. “You’re finally seeing someone! And he’s such a handsome young man. Successful too. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Because there’s nothing to tell!” Sunghoon protested, but his mother was already on a different track.

“I was thinking... why don’t you bring him over for dinner? I’d love to meet him!”

Sunghoon nearly choked on his pancake. “Dinner? Mom, that’s not a good idea. Heeseung is... busy. Really busy. You know, CEO stuff.”

His mom looked unimpressed. “If he’s serious about you, he’ll make time. Why don’t you call him now and invite him?”

Sunghoon’s heart sank. There was no escaping this. His mom was relentless, and he knew the only way to get her off his back was to humor her—just a little.

“Fine,” Sunghoon grumbled, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He scrolled through his contacts, pausing at Heeseung’s name. His finger hovered over the call button, dread pooling in his stomach. Surely Heeseung would say no. He was a busy man, and this was just dinner with Sunghoon’s mom, of all things. There was no way he would agree.

Sunghoon hit dial and put the phone on speaker, mostly to prove his point that Heeseung was too preoccupied to accept such an invitation. The phone rang twice before Heeseung’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Sunghoon? What’s up?” Heeseung’s voice was warm, a little too cheerful for Sunghoon’s liking.

Sunghoon cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh, hey. So, um, my mom was, like, really insistent that I... well, that I invite you to dinner at our house tonight. You’re probably busy, so it’s fine if you—”

“I’d love to!” Heeseung’s reply was immediate and enthusiastic, cutting Sunghoon off entirely.

Sunghoon blinked, staring at the phone like it had betrayed him. “Wait, what?”

“I’ve been wanting to meet your family anyway,” Heeseung continued, sounding far too pleased with himself. “I’ll be there at seven. Should I bring anything?”

Sunghoon’s brain short-circuited as he tried to comprehend the situation. “No, you don’t have to bring anything... Are you sure? I mean, you really don’t have to—”

“I’m sure, Sunghoon,” Heeseung replied with a laugh. “I’ll see you soon. Can’t wait to meet your mom!”

The call ended before Sunghoon could backtrack, and he was left staring at his phone in stunned silence. This was a disaster. An absolute, undeniable disaster.

His mother, however, was beaming. “He sounds so polite! I like him already. You have to dress nicely, Sunghoon. You can’t look like you just rolled out of bed.”

Sunghoon slumped in his seat, his appetite vanishing. “Mom, this isn’t a date. It’s just... a casual dinner.”

But his mom was already fussing over the table settings, humming cheerfully to herself. Sunghoon could feel a headache forming. He had no idea how he was going to survive the night, much less explain to Heeseung why this whole thing was a terrible idea.

📌🖇

Sunghoon paced anxiously in the living room, his nerves shot. He kept glancing at the clock, wishing it would miraculously rewind so he could undo the call. His mom was bustling around the kitchen, preparing an extravagant spread like she was hosting a state dinner.

When the doorbell finally rang, Sunghoon’s heart jumped into his throat. He reluctantly opened the door to find Heeseung standing there, dressed impeccably in a suit, holding a bouquet of flowers that looked like they cost more than Sunghoon’s rent.

“Hey,” Heeseung greeted with that infuriatingly charming smile. “Hope I’m not too early.”

Sunghoon blinked at him, at a loss for words. Heeseung looked so effortlessly put together, like he was ready to charm the socks off anyone he met. “You... brought flowers?”

Heeseung grinned, holding them out. “For your mom. I want to make a good impression.”

Sunghoon took the flowers, feeling like he was in an alternate universe. “Right. Well, come in. My mom’s, uh, really excited to meet you.”

Heeseung stepped inside, immediately winning over Sunghoon’s mom with his polite greeting and the beautiful flowers. Sunghoon watched in stunned silence as his mom practically swooned, gushing about how “handsome” and “well-mannered” Heeseung was.

Sunghoon sat at the table, feeling like a third wheel at his own dinner. Heeseung and his mom chatted easily, bonding over everything from their favorite foods to the best vacation spots. Sunghoon could barely keep up, his irritation growing as Heeseung charmed his way through every conversation.

“So, Heeseung,” Sunghoon’s mom said, smiling warmly, “how did you two meet?”

Sunghoon nearly choked on his water. “Mom!”

Heeseung chuckled, glancing at Sunghoon with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say Sunghoon made quite an impression.”

Sunghoon’s face burned as his mom laughed, completely taken by Heeseung’s charm. Sunghoon, on the other hand, was having an existential crisis. Heeseung was too comfortable, too smooth, and Sunghoon was painfully aware that this was spiraling out of his control.

As dinner continued, Sunghoon couldn’t help but feel trapped between his mom’s approving smiles and Heeseung’s knowing looks. He was stuck in the middle of a situation he never wanted, with no clear way out.

When dinner finally ended, and Heeseung left with a promise to visit again, Sunghoon slumped against the door, exhausted. His mom was over the moon, already planning the next dinner with her “future son-in-law.”

Sunghoon rubbed his temples, wondering how his life had become a romantic sitcom without his consent. Heeseung had somehow managed to win over his mom, sneak his way further into Sunghoon’s life, and make everything more complicated—all while wearing that infuriating smile.

As Sunghoon trudged back to his room, he knew one thing for sure: Heeseung was trouble. The kind that Sunghoon couldn’t seem to avoid, no matter how hard he tried.