Marriage Mate: 35

“W-What…!”

His father abruptly stood up from the sofa. Startled, Yu-young also rose to his feet with him.

As Do-won approached, he bowed politely.

“It’s an honor to meet you and greet you in person.”

“How on earth is Team Leader Choi here…?”

Even as his father reached out and firmly shook Do-won’s hand, his expression was one of disbelief. Well, Yu-young felt like he had been bewitched himself, so he couldn’t blame him. Nervously, he watched the two of them interact.

“…Are you really… dating my Yu-young?”

“Yes.”

Unlike Yu-young, whose hands were trembling slightly with nerves, Do-won appeared completely composed. With a faint smile and impeccable manners, he looked like the ideal son-in-law any parent would approve of.

Despite that, Han San-chul still seemed to be struggling to fully accept the situation. His expression was bright, but there was still a hint of skepticism.

“But he only joined the company recently… How did you two get this close so quickly?”

There it was—the expected question.

Good thing they had gone over their answers earlier. Just as Yu-young was about to say what we had rehearsed, Do-won spoke first.

“I fell for Yu-young at first sight.”

It was a scripted line, but hearing it in his smooth yet sincere voice made his heart drop to his stomach. Yu-young head felt light, almost dizzy. Holding his breath, he waited for him to continue.

Do-won spoke in a natural tone, effortlessly weaving the story together.

“In fact, we didn’t first meet at the company. We originally met at a gym, where I developed an interest in Yu-young. Later, I found out we worked in the same company and even the same team. I took that as fate and decided to pursue him first.”

“Huh…”

“When I heard he was going on a blind date, I got too anxious and couldn’t just sit still. That’s why I came here so suddenly. If this has been overwhelming, I sincerely apologize.”

Do-won bowed slightly. Han San-chul hurriedly waved his hand.

“No, no, no need to apologize. If you’re in a relationship, of course you’d be concerned. I should be the one apologizing—I had no idea Yu-young was seeing someone.”

“Not at all. Thanks to this, I now have the chance to introduce myself to you, sir. And please, feel free to speak comfortably with me.”

“Hahaha! Well, in that case, I will.”

At some point, the formal “President” had been replaced with “Father.” That sly fox.

Seeing Do-won’s seamless approach, his father’s mouth was practically stretched into a grin. In the warm atmosphere, Do-won smiled gently at Han San-chul in return.

Was this really the same man who had suggested they just “rehearse” a kiss with a deadpan face earlier? His smooth handling of the situation left Yu-young feeling both bewildered and oddly reassured.

“Team Leader Choi, since fate has brought us together like this, why don’t we sit down for a cup of tea?”

The blind date had to be canceled entirely, but to Yu-young’s father, who was over the moon right now, that was hardly a concern.

Besides, the man he was supposed to meet, Executive Director Kim of MD Construction, wasn’t exactly a close acquaintance. The matchmaking had been more of a casual introduction rather than a serious arrangement.

Of course, his father would probably have to buy Kim a round of drinks later to smooth things over, but that wasn’t important now.

The only thing that mattered was the prospective son-in-law sitting before him.

Wasting no time, his father summoned his assistant and instructed them to cancel the date. After the assistant left with a bow, his father, grinning from ear to ear, led both Yu-young and Do-won to the hotel lounge café.

Once seated, he launched into his first set of questions. Rather than overwhelming Do-won with personal inquiries right away, he decided to ease into the conversation with work-related topics.

“So, you said you fell for my son at first sight. But tell me, as an employee, is he at least… competent?”

Hearing that, Yu-young recalled the past few days and made a complicated expression.

Getting scolded for his reports. Getting scolded for his so-called uncontrollable pheromones. Getting scolded for skipping meals.

All he could remember was getting chewed out by Do-won.

He couldn’t even lie and say he was a good employee.

But Do-won, ever the smooth talker, responded with a gentle smile.

“Yu-young is an excellent employee. He has a deep understanding of his work and a well-rounded personality that brings great synergy to the team.”

“I see. Honestly, I do worry a lot. My Yu-young can be a bit…”

His father caught himself just in time before blurting out hot-tempered and quickly rephrased it.

“…a bit strong-willed. I’ve always wondered if he was getting along well in his department.”

“There’s no need to worry. He gets along very well with everyone.”

As they continued their conversation about work, Yu-young allowed himself to relax a little. The business talk didn’t concern him much, so he sipped my tea and gazed out at the distant scenery.

That was when his father suddenly dropped a bombshell question.

“So, tell me, what exactly made you fall for my son? That’s what I’ve been dying to ask. Hahaha.”

“…Cough! Pfft—Cough, cough.”

Yu-young almost spat out his tea.

Thankfully, he managed to keep it in, but he ended up coughing violently.

Grabbing a napkin, he covered my face while Do-won, ever composed, gently rubbed his back and whispered to him.

“Yu-young, are you okay?”

“Huh? Cough—ah, yeah… I’m… fine.”

Do-won’s expression in his field of vision was incredibly gentle. His usually sharp, cool gaze now carried a moment of genuine concern for him.

Was he a born actor? I hadn’t seen him that way before, but he was terrifyingly good at this too…

As that thought crossed Yu-young mind, a strange flutter ran through his chest.

“Haha, why are you so flustered? It’s a simple question.”

“Haha, that’s right.”

Under the table, Do-won subtly took his hand. His eyes nearly widened in surprise, but Yu-young forced the corners of his lips up into a smile, afraid his father might catch on if he looked too shaken.

Do-won turned his steady gaze toward his father.

“Yu-young is a bright and energetic person. He has a contagious energy that affects those around him. He’s also perceptive, with an excellent understanding of people and situations.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“He has a great sense of aesthetics, and both his eating and smiling expressions are adorable. And, to be honest, his face is exactly my type. Should I keep going? This might take a while.”

Do-won raised an eyebrow playfully, and his father burst into a hearty laugh.

“Hahaha! You’re quite the doting partner, aren’t you? That’s quite different from the image you give off. But as a father, I couldn’t be happier. Knowing that my son is so deeply loved.”

Listening to their conversation, Yu-young started feeling strangely off.

No one had ever said things like this to him before.

In blind dates, every Alpha he met would point out the same things—his pretty face, his dominant trait, and his alluring pheromones. That was it.

They’d ask about his hobbies, but not because they were genuinely curious. They just wanted to find something they could tolerate doing together.

What the… What is this?

His heart was pounding erratically.

Hearing someone list out his qualities in that deep, gentle voice wasn’t unpleasant at all. But the unfamiliar thumping in his chest left Yu-young feeling unsettled.

Calm down… Calm down. You know this isn’t real. He’s just acting, that’s all.

“What about you, Yu-young?”

As I struggled to steady my emotions, my father suddenly turned the question to me.

“…Huh?”

“If he’s saying all this about you, shouldn’t you say something back? Tell us—what do you like about Team Leader Choi?”

Han San-chul was grinning widely, his face practically split into a Hahoetal mask.

Had he ever smiled like that before? Yu-young couldn’t remember.

Swallowing hard, he forced out a response.

“Do… Do I really have to say it? It’s so embarrassing… Hahaha.”

“Why not, Yu-young?”

Right then, Do-won leaned in slightly and whispered kindly.

“I’d like to hear it. Why did you fall for me?”

There was a distinct amusement in his gaze as he looked at him.

Still flustered, Yu-young turned to him with an expression that screamed, What the hell are you doing?

But he simply ignored his silent plea, waiting leisurely for his answer as if his reaction didn’t concern him at all.

Has he lost his mind? Why is he doing this? Has he gotten too into character?

Or is he just messing with me on purpose? No, that would be too much…

Feeling cornered, Yu-young had no choice but to say something.

If he sat here taking compliments without giving any in return, it wouldn’t be fair—even if this whole thing was staged.

“Well… as you can see, he’s, um… handsome?”

He barely got that out before running out of things to say.

A cold sweat trickled down his back.

After all, whenever Yu-young thought about his ill-tempered team leader, the only thing he had ever considered tolerable about him was his face.

Scrambling for more, he desperately racked his brain.

“He’s also… really, really good at his job! And… oh! His body…! His body is great too.“