Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 7

Of course, some things had changed. He was taller, broader, and his face no longer held the same boyish innocence. He still looked young enough to be a university student, which he technically was, but now he carried himself like a young man in his early twenties. However, his aloofness remained. He seemed indifferent to how others perceived him.

This was evident from how other athletes had struggled to approach Sejin when he first joined the team. Partly due to an incident Sejin had caused, but also because of his standoffish demeanor, athletes from other disciplines had subtly avoided him, treating him almost as if he were invisible.

‘And back then, he seemed ready to explode at any moment…’

He’d been arrogant, at worst, or a highly skilled individual who maintained his own pace, at best. Once you realized he simply didn’t know how to interact comfortably with others, he was actually quite endearing. The volatile edge had softened, replaced by a quiet strength that couldn’t be underestimated.

Everyone matured with age. The prickly cuteness was gone, but the lingering baby fat made Taehyun smile inwardly.

“When you first came to Korea, you were hard to approach. Like, people felt they shouldn’t talk to you,” Taehyun commented, ladling the flavorful broth into Sejin’s bowl. Sejin quickly took the ladle from him, replying, “And you?”

He then proceeded to serve Taehyun, as if to say he wasn’t a child anymore. Taehyun chuckled as Sejin struggled to scoop up the slippery noodles.

“Me? Well, there was this rude kid who kept picking fights, practically begging for attention. I couldn’t just ignore him.”

Taehyun described his, in his opinion, entirely objective impression of Sejin. Sejin flushed and turned away, seemingly aware of his past rudeness.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“Yes, it was. You kept saying you were fine on your own, that no one should worry, but then you collapsed at home.”

Taehyun pointed out the specific incident. Sejin covered his face with his hand, embarrassed.

“That was only once.”

“But that once was quite memorable.”
“…….”

Unable to deny it, Sejin picked up his chopsticks instead of replying. The meat, as tender as Taehyun had promised, came off the bone easily. As Sejin picked up a piece, Taehyun pointed to the sauce dishes in front of them.

“…I’ve had gamjatang before.”

“When? With your teammates?”

Taehyun was intrigued by Sejin’s disgruntled tone. He doubted Sejin would have willingly gone out for gamjatang. A team dinner? A celebratory meal after winning a medal? Gamjatang for their star athlete? His curiosity piqued, but Sejin simply turned away and mumbled, “Just eat.”

He dipped the meat in sauce and chewed, his unrealistically handsome face clashing with the rustic dish. Taehyun couldn’t help but scrutinize him. The soft cheeks with a lingering blush, the perfectly proportioned nose, the full lips… It might not be a compliment Sejin would appreciate, but he definitely had an aristocratic air.

Taehyun, on the other hand, lacked that refined aura. He was more approachable, friendly. He’d never considered himself unattractive, but his features weren’t particularly striking or delicate. “I’m not trying to be a celebrity, so this is fine,” he’d always thought. He didn’t dwell on it, but seeing Sejin’s face inevitably triggered such thoughts. This was what it meant to have a face made for stardom.

Of course, Sejin was also an athlete, not a celebrity, so it was a moot point. The initial awkwardness had dissipated, replaced by a relaxed atmosphere. Taehyun, his tension easing, focused on conquering the gamjatang before him.

🤺

“Boss, thank you for the delicious meal!”

Having finished the fried rice, they stood up and headed to the counter. Sejin quickly pulled out his card, but Taehyun stopped him.

“No, I’m not that broke. I’ve done plenty of ads and broadcasts.”

It was true. He had far more than the average person in their late twenties and wasn’t about to let someone six years younger, someone he’d last seen as a minor, pay for him. The owner, naturally siding with his longtime customer, chuckled and waited for Taehyun to open his wallet, ignoring Sejin’s card.

“I’ll pay with this.”

“Yes, 46,000 won.”

“Okay.”

Sejin stared at the owner, dumbfounded. He’d refused Sejin’s card but readily accepted Taehyun’s. It was too late now. Taehyun retrieved his card and receipt and headed for the ice cream freezer. Sejin, glancing between the counter and Taehyun, followed. He ended up accepting a triple-scoop ice cream cone from Taehyun, who had a single, small scoop on his own cone.

“What are you doing? It’s going to melt.”

Taehyun added casually and walked out of the restaurant, the picture of nonchalance.

Following Taehyun out, slightly dazed from the unexpected treat, Sejin quickly asked, “Did you drive today?”

Taehyun sounded surprised. “Yeah, why?”

Sejin wasn’t someone who needed to ask for rides, so Taehyun tilted his head, curious. Sejin replied immediately, “You didn’t order alcohol.”

“Ah. I have to drive back.”

He could have called a designated driver, but there was no need for alcohol in this setting. Sejin probably wasn’t much of a drinker either, though he wouldn’t have known back then since Sejin had been underage. Taehyun had diligently consumed zero-sugar soda, which apparently betrayed his usual preference for alcohol with hot, soupy dishes. Taehyun shrugged and added, “What about you? Did you drive?”

He assumed a sports star of Sejin’s caliber, even at twenty-two, would own a car. The answer was unexpected.

“I took a taxi.”

“Huh?”

A sports millionaire taking a taxi? Taehyun raised an eyebrow, surprised that someone so concerned about privacy would use public transport.

“You don’t have a car? I’m sure sponsors would have offered. You filmed that H Motors commercial.”

The commercial, featuring Sejin facing off against a wild animal in a dark setting, had been popular, though mainly for Sejin’s visuals. People questioned the logic of a fencer fighting a wild animal with a sword. Most viewers agreed that logic wasn’t the point; Sejin looked good, and that was enough. However, the SUV featured in the background was so forgettable that the commercial was considered a failure.

⤷ I only remember Joo Sejin’s face;;
⤷ I only noticed the car after watching it 10 times
⤷ They should be selling Joo Sejin, not the car lol I didn’t even know there was a car lmao

He’d filmed a much-discussed commercial, yet he didn’t have a car? Was it in for repairs? Taehyun looked at Sejin, his confusion evident. Sejin replied with a straight face, “I’m not interested in cars.”

“They’re convenient.”

Taehyun almost added, “Especially for taking your girlfriend on dates,” but stopped himself. Why were they here, in this situation? Someone with a girlfriend, or the intention of getting one, wouldn’t need a mating partner. Taehyun blurted out the question that had been on his mind.

“Why do you need a mating partner?”

It was an abrupt question, skipping over several logical steps, but that didn’t matter.