TGMD 2

Chapter 2

Even Your Malice Belongs to Me

“Look at you two, getting acquainted already.”

Before Yoo-joo could formulate a response, Ha-jin smoothly interjected. He casually slumped into the seat next to Do-kyung, leaving Yoo-joo with no choice but to sit back down as well.

“I didn’t mean to crash like this, so I apologize if it’s uncomfortable, Yoo-joo. Truth is, I suggested we meet here specifically to introduce you to Do-kyung. He’s the first friend I wanted you to meet.”

Seeing Ha-jin put so much blind trust in Do-kyung—the very man who had just declared, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was going to wreck this marriage—felt deeply surreal.

“I know people say there’s bad blood between Doseong and Yuha, but that’s our parents’ generation. Our generation should focus on harmony and cooperation, don’t you think?”

“You two seem quite close.”

Yoo-joo did her best to muster a smile, but the corners of her mouth were so stiff it barely worked.

“We are.” “Not really.”

The two men answered at the exact same time, their tones polar opposites. Unlike Ha-jin, who looked visibly flustered, Do-kyung had already dissolved back into his usual lazy demeanor.

“W-Well, of course, we haven’t known each other that long. I only recently joined the social club Do-kyung belongs to.”

Even without an explanation, she knew instantly which club he was talking about. The high-society men’s club that her older brother, Yoo-ho, also belonged to was famous in these circles.

Any young man who had amassed even a shred of wealth scrambled to become a member by any means necessary. It was the starting line for all major networking. People even joked that the future of South Korea was shaped in that very room.

On the surface, it looked like a casual gathering for building connections, but in reality, it was a ruthless interest group with a clear hierarchy based strictly on wealth and status. And the apex predator at the top of that food chain was, naturally, Do-kyung.

She had no idea Ha-jin had gained entry to that ridiculous circle. Yoo-joo felt a flicker of annoyance toward her brother for not warning her in advance.

“The moment I met Do-kyung, I just knew. I knew we’d click, that we could become really close friends. Your brother Yoo-ho felt the same way.”

Ha-jin’s face unashamedly radiated excitement over finally making his way into the upper crust of society.

Of course, there was nothing inherently wrong with wanting to climb the social ladder, and she knew expecting a prosecutor to be completely pure and selfless was a naive fantasy… still, she couldn’t help the sudden drop in her opinion of him.

God, this type is so exhausting.

Sinking into a moment of bored indifference, Yoo-joo’s eyes locked with Do-kyung’s. To be precise, she had walked right into the trap of a man who hadn’t taken his eyes off her for a single second.

Caught you.

That was what his innocent, yet wicked eyes seemed to say. She tried to mask her emotions instantly, but it was already too late.

Irritated with herself, a tiny crease formed between her brows. Then, out of nowhere, she spoke with a cold, cynical edge.

“People usually call that destiny. Maybe I should just step out of the picture and let you two marry each other instead.”

A soft chuckle slipped from Do-kyung. Sharp, sarcastic jabs disguised as casual jokes used to be Yoo-joo’s specialty.

Everyone always expected Yoo-joo to be sweet and polite. So, as if to throw it right back in their faces, she loved slipping sharp, biting truths into harmless-sounding jokes.

Whenever the less-than-angelic Yoo-joo put people on the spot, Do-kyung used to feel an electric, thrilling rush course through his whole body.

Besides, a wicked Yoo-joo was infinitely sexier than a well-behaved one. That was precisely why he had fallen so hard for her.

Seeing that side of her—the side that used to drive him completely insane—brought back a flood of memories.

“Oh, Yoo-joo, what a joke.”

Ha-jin, who knew nothing about the real Yoo-joo, seemed entirely fooled by her gentle face, clearly failing to realize it was an attack.

Which made it all the more entertaining.

It feels like we’re sharing our own little secret again, doesn’t it, Yoo-joo?

Just like back then.

In this moment, even your malice belongs solely to me.

“Anyway, I really like you, Yoo-joo. You’re beautiful and elegant. I genuinely think we’ll make a great match for each other.”

“My goodness, I feel the exact same way.”

The proposal she had been waiting for had finally arrived. Ignoring Do-kyung’s suffocating, lingering gaze, Yoo-joo flashed a shy, delighted smile at Ha-jin as if his proposal was the best news she’d heard all day.

“Please make sure to say those exact words to my father. He’s been waiting so eagerly to hear them.”

“Does that mean you want this marriage too, Yoo-joo?”

Stop it if you can.

This time, it felt as though Yoo-joo was the one provoking Do-kyung.

“Yes, of course.”

Do-kyung pulled over the coffee cup Yoo-joo had ordered earlier and took a slow sip. He deliberately pressed his lips directly over the faint lipstick mark she had left on the rim.

It was undeniably intentional. There was plenty of untouched space around the rim, yet Do-kyung insisted on forcing his lips onto that exact spot.

He was blatantly mocking both Yoo-joo and Ha-jin.

Yoo-joo felt a sudden wave of panic that Ha-jin might notice this wicked little display, but at the same time, a flush of embarrassment washed over her.

Despite her desperate efforts to play it cool, the tips of her ears had long since burned bright red.

In the end, her only option was to make a swift escape before everything unraveled.

“I should get going now. Have a nice time with your friend.”

Do-kyung kept his gaze fixed on her until she completely vanished from the cafe, softly biting his full lower lip.

“Why are you drinking Yoo-joo’s coffee? Should I buy you a fresh one?”

“Nah. Food tastes better when it belongs to someone else.”

“Look at you, rich guy acting cheap. Anyway, what do you think of my future wife? Pretty, right?”

Ha-jin’s question didn’t sit well with Do-kyung. Seeing him show off as if he possessed Yoo-joo—someone who had belonged to Do-kyung long before him—was frankly laughable.

Still, hiding his annoyance, Do-kyung replied with a nonchalant shrug.

“Yeah, she’s pretty.”

Jung Yoo-joo had always been beautiful.

She was so painfully gorgeous around everyone else that it used to make him anxious. It got to the point where Do-kyung developed an obsessive urge to keep her tucked away in his arms, where she would look at no one but him for the rest of her life.

Where did that naive, flustered girl go—the one who never knew how to handle his suffocating possessiveness?

Was she completely gone? Or was she just hiding deep behind this mature, composed facade Yoo-joo was putting on?

Do-kyung wanted to see for himself.

I’m still the exact same, Yoo-joo.

Even though he had acted cold and mean, the truth was that seeing Yoo-joo again brought him a bittersweet mix of joy and heartache.

“Hello? Is this the movie club room?”

As he raised the back of his hand to cover his eyes, his very first memory of Yoo-joo resurfaced like a phantom image. It was the year she had just entered high school, and he was eighteen. Poking her head out with a face as bright and delicate as cherry blossoms, she had asked:

“The teacher said it was here, so I came, but…”

She smelled of clean, fresh fruit—a scent untouched by the grime of the world.

Normally, he would have shouted at any intruder barging into his private hideout, but for some reason, that day was an exception. He didn’t feel angry enough to raise his voice.

“If I have the wrong room, I’m sorry.” “No, you’re in the right place.”

Instead, he found himself surprisingly generous, making space for the unexpected guest.

“Huh?” “I said you’re in the right place. Come on in.”

Maybe the weather was unusually nice that day, or maybe he was just in a surprisingly good mood.

“To join a club like this, your family must be pretty well-off. What’s your name?” “It’s Jung Yoo-joo.” “Ah… you’re the famous Jung Yoo-joo?” “Me? I’m not famous at all.”

Or maybe, finding out she was the younger sister of his sworn rival, Jung Yoo-ho, awakened a twisted urge to talk to her even more.

Whatever the reason, the moment Yoo-joo walked in, she captured every single one of Do-kyung’s senses. He couldn’t help but be drawn to her, as if following a script that had already been written for him.

As he got closer, Do-kyung found himself growing increasingly fascinated by the way Yoo-joo shrank back in hesitation. It was a strange, unfamiliar emotion he had never experienced before.

“Guess what my name is.” “I don’t know… You’re not wearing a nametag…”

Glancing timidly at Do-kyung’s plain shirt missing its nametag, Yoo-joo answered in a barely audible voice.

“Han Do-kyung.” “…”

Already intimidated, Yoo-joo turned even paler the moment she heard his name. He had expected that reaction to some extent, but seeing it in person wasn’t particularly pleasant.

If Yoo-joo’s parents had witnessed that moment, they would have rushed over immediately to tear their precious daughter away from him. That was how completely off-limits they were to each other.

The thought that, without that minor, passing coincidence, he might never have exchanged a single word with that fresh-scented girl made his heart sink.

“Why are you looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost? What, did your mom tell you not to even talk to me?”

Back then… was I simply, clichés aside, completely captivated by the frail way your body trembled when you realized who I was?

“Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

Everything was a first, making it hard to put into words. It was a complicated puzzle. In truth, almost every first experience he had with Yoo-joo was clumsy and unrefined.

“It’s just me for now, but I should still give a proper welcome to our new member. What kind of movies do you like?”

His first crush, his first love, his first confession, his first kiss… every single one of them had been terribly clumsy.

Looking back, those days felt so embarrassing and cringe-worthy, yet Do-kyung tried his hardest never to forget a single second of them.

Thanks to Yoo-joo, all of Do-kyung’s firsts carried a fresh, sweet scent and a delightful taste.

Even now, at thirty, just thinking about those memories left a lingering sweetness on his tongue.

From the moment Yoo-joo entered his life, Do-kyung’s world was completely transformed. It became far more colorful and vibrant. He realized that life didn’t have to be endlessly dull.

Those were, without a doubt, the brightest and sunniest days of his entire life.

“I like… romance.”

And that was how seventeen-year-old Jung Yoo-joo and eighteen-year-old Han Do-kyung first met.