ICYM Ch 44

Episode 44

Could it be that Ken is actually an extreme extrovert?

It was the kind of day that left me no choice but to wonder. How could there be someone who recognized him everywhere we went?

“Sorry. He’s someone who’s known my family for a long time.”

“It’s fine. Go ahead.”

With my permission, Kendrick pushed his chair all the way back and went to stand beside the man at the table.

“Student. Excuse me a moment.”

The man smiled affably, but he still looked a little stiff.

“Keeping it a secret… You’re not mad, are you?”

“Let’s talk outside first.”

On their way out, I only faintly caught fragments of what the man said.

Judging from the way Kendrick cut him off so abruptly, and from what the man seemed about to say, it was obvious who he was talking about.

Kendrick’s father.

It’s not like the mafia is always shooting guns around. These days, they say the mafia operates like a corporation.

It was like being doused with a bucket of cold water, and I snapped to attention. It felt like confirming all over again something I already knew.

I bit down on my lower lip as I watched the two figures disappear toward the entrance.

Kendrick came back not long after.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. The food hasn’t come yet.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Was he someone you already knew?”

“Yeah, sort of. Our families know each other a little.”

“What did you talk about?”

“…Nothing much.”

“Oh?”

It was just a perfunctory question, so I nodded without thinking much about his bland answer. But the real point I wanted to get to was something else. Before the conversation could shift to another topic, I hurriedly spoke up.

“There’s actually something I wanted to apologize for, too.”

It wasn’t because I’d just been reminded again that he came from a mafia family.

I had meant to apologize earlier, but I got distracted and forgot until now.

“Apologize?”

Kendrick looked at me as if wondering what on earth I had to apologize for. So I brought up what had happened earlier.

“You know, earlier I said it was fine if they sat with us. It might sound like an excuse, but if I’d said no, I felt like it would’ve given us away somehow…”

Remembering how self-conscious I’d been made my face heat up. I rubbed the back of my neck and trailed off in embarrassment, while Kendrick, still looking puzzled, asked again.

“Why would that matter?”

“I just felt like I ignored your opinion.”

“Not at all. I was fine with it.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“I mean it.”

Kendrick repeated himself, as if to reassure me in case I kept feeling guilty.

Seriously, what on earth is with this “cold hot chocolate”?

The stiffness in my shoulders from just moments ago melted away again.

“Excuse me. Would you like me to start by bringing out the appetizers?”

“Yes.”

Thankfully, the food began to arrive, breaking the confusion that was whirling in my mind.

My plan was simple: finish dinner, then naturally hand over the gift.

But just in case he really hated it, I wanted to test the waters first by steering the conversation that way.

“About earlier, at the prop shop—”

When he went over to tell the two of them it was time to part ways, I’d been planning to bring up how they forced those dog and cat ear headbands on us, and ask if even receiving something pointless like that still felt nice.

Cough.

But before I could even finish speaking, Kendrick choked.

“You okay?”

After setting down his fork and knife, Kendrick sipped some water to soothe his throat before speaking.

“Earlier… I must’ve looked pretty pathetic.”

“Huh?”

I stared at him, wondering where that sudden nonsense came from. Kendrick, unable to hide his embarrassment, covered his mouth with his hand. His hand was big and his face small, so it covered more than half his face. While I was noticing that, Kendrick spoke again.

“When I asked you what you were talking about earlier.”

“Hm?”

Was that so? I’d forgotten since it was already in the past.

“Was it bothering you because you asked what I talked about and I didn’t answer?”

When I asked, genuinely not understanding, Kendrick seemed to realize he had just dug his own grave. His face turned flustered as he asked back, “Isn’t that why you brought it up?”

Because he had been stewing over it on his own, the moment I brought it up, he seemed to flinch preemptively, as if guilty.

“…No.”

“Sorry for being petty and jealous.”

The moment I saw Kendrick’s face flush red, it was like something struck me hard, snapping me awake.

Jealous?

I already knew the most likely reason why he had accepted my confession, yet I had pretended not to.

Because he’s an extreme-dominant Alpha, it was easy to brush off as a joke.

Because it was just a casual confession.

He had never once done anything to truly make me suspicious. The only reason I doubted him was because that way, I could keep myself at ease.

…Because he really likes me…?

The most obvious possibility was also the most likely, and yet—

When that thought hit me, my mouth went dry, making it hard to open it. I drained my glass of water in one go before forcing myself to speak.

“Ah, no. There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”

I wanted to respond calmly, but instead the words tumbled out clumsily.

And because of that, I completely missed the timing to give him the gift.

* * *

The meal was worth the price.

Even though I don’t know how much it really costs.

From the flavor of the food to the service, nothing was lacking. I had thought my head was swirling with so many thoughts that I expected my digestion to go poorly, that maybe I wouldn’t even know if the food went down the wrong pipe. But the dishes went down smoothly, and instead of feeling heavy, I was pleasantly full.

After finishing the last dish, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and patted my stomach with a satisfied expression.

“This place is so good.”

“Not bad, right?”

“Yeah, everything you ordered was delicious.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I’m gonna hit the restroom before we go.”

“Okay.”

This time, I had no intention of making a mistake. I even checked that the restroom was on the same side as the cashier.

I should be the one to pay for the meal.

I’d planned to settle the bill before heading into the restroom, but when I got there, nobody was at the counter. So I decided to take care of nature’s call first.

After coming out, I stopped in front of the sink and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Maybe I had been thinking in a way that suited me, but it felt like there wasn’t enough reason to take his words at face value.

Is there any reason he would like me?

Objectively speaking, I wasn’t bad-looking or anything, but Kendrick was on a whole other level. If I were Kendrick, I wouldn’t bother dating someone like me.

Looking back at my actions from Kendrick’s perspective with a cold mind, wasn’t it like this? First, I agreed when he suggested we just be friends, then I suddenly ignored him without explanation, and then out of nowhere, I confessed.

“I don’t know.”

I didn’t know, but the thought I’d had earlier was definitely too self-conscious.

I pushed aside the unanswerable worries to the corner of my mind, and when I came out of the restroom, thankfully, someone was finally at the counter.

“If you had requested a receipt from your table, we could have brought it to you.”

“I was planning to surprise him by paying.”

“Then it must be your companion’s lucky day. Which table are you at?”

“…I hope so. Table 3.”

Since I probably didn’t have enough cash, I naturally pulled out my dad’s card. They wouldn’t contact my dad just because I used this card, right?

I thought of the dazzling, extravagant house I’d seen in my dream as I handed over the card. The staff member tapped on the monitor a few times, but instead of processing the payment, handed the card right back.

“It says Table 3 has already been paid in full.”

When I asked them to double-check, the staff listed off the dishes we had ordered and confirmed it was indeed our table, but nothing had changed.

When I returned to the table, Kendrick was standing there waiting for me, holding the shopping bag with the dog and cat supplies.

“Kendrick.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you pay? For dinner? Including my share?”

“Huh?”

His expression said it all, ‘I was the one who invited you and made the reservation, so of course I’d pay. Why are you upset about it?’

“I wanted to treat you for your birthday, but they told me the bill was already settled.”

Worried I might have pushed too hard in my questioning, I took a step back, and then Kendrick said something completely absurd.

“No, that man from earlier paid for us.”

Why on earth is that man suddenly being brought up here?

“…?”

Sure, maybe it was possible. But his face, blatantly dodging my eyes like that, could only mean it was a lie.

It was the exact same expression as a dog avoiding eye contact when it knows it’s done something wrong. There was no need to even ask further.

Whether he thought I’d bought into his flimsy excuse or he just considered it a decent cover, he gathered courage and added, “He said he’d pay since it’s my birthday.”

If the man had actually been sitting nearby, he might have been pointing at himself with a baffled face right now.

But unfortunately, the man was seated a good distance away with his companion.

Seeing him lie so blatantly killed off any desire I had to press the issue further.

“So that means you don’t need to feel pressured, and you don’t have to pay me back either.”

“…Okay. Could you thank him for me?”

At my answer, Kendrick’s face lit up. I had wanted to pay since it was his birthday, but I had no intention of ruining the mood by insisting.

I’ll just pay him back in another way.

I glanced at my shopping bag. A moment ago, I’d thought the gift was just right, but now it suddenly felt far too small.