Chasing Perfection || Lee Know

Lines Blur Easily

Lee Know had been unusually quiet all morning. The boutique encounter from the previous day kept replaying in his mind-the way Hyejin had stood so close to him, her laughter echoing in his ears. He found himself thinking about how often he had been stepping into her life, protecting her, and doing things that went beyond what a boss would typically do.

But it wasn't until later that afternoon that things took a strange turn.

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The day before, Jiwon had noticed them while shopping with his fiancée. He didn't approach them-Hyejin had looked preoccupied, and Lee Know, with his usual aloofness, had been too focused on her to notice anyone else.

When Jiwon returned home, he brought it up casually during dinner with their mother. "I saw Hyejin at the mall today," he said.

"Oh? Did you talk to her?" their mom asked.

"No, I didn't want to intrude. She wasn't alone."

Yoon Chaesoo paused, her curiosity piqued. "Alone? She was with a friend?"

Jiwon smirked. "More like a boyfriend, I think. They seemed... close."

Chaesoo's fork clattered against her plate. "Boyfriend? Hyejin never mentioned she was seeing someone."

"She didn't mention it to me either, but they looked good together. Seemed like he was spoiling her too," Jiwon added with a shrug, clearly amused.

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The next day, Hyejin was busy in the kitchen, prepping for the evening when her phone buzzed. She wiped her hands on a towel and picked it up, her eyes widening when she saw the message from her mom.

"Hyejin, are you seeing someone? Jiwon said he saw you with a man at the mall yesterday. You should bring him to dinner this weekend. I want to meet him."

Hyejin groaned, clutching her forehead. "What is Jiwon's problem?" she muttered.

Lee Know, who was sitting at the kitchen island going over emails, raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, but his piercing gaze was already on her.

"It's not nothing if you look like you're ready to throw your phone," he said dryly.

Hyejin sighed, finally giving in. "My mom wants me to bring my 'boyfriend' to dinner this weekend."

Lee Know's head tilted slightly, his brow furrowing. "Your what now?"

"Jiwon saw us at the mall yesterday," Hyejin explained, her voice rising with frustration. "And now my mom thinks I'm dating someone. Which, obviously, I'm not."

Lee Know leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "So what's the problem?"

"The problem," Hyejin snapped, "is that my mom won't let this go. And I can't exactly show up alone now that she's got it in her head that I'm seeing someone."

Lee Know watched her for a moment, then shrugged. "So bring me."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Hyejin blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "What the actual heck?"

"You heard me," he said, his tone casual but firm. "Bring me. We'll pretend to be dating for the night. Problem solved."

Hyejin stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "You're joking."

"I'm not."

"You can't just-"