UC Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Huff… Huff.”

With a growing sense of urgency, I quickened my pace. Amid my ragged breaths, the crisp taste of winter air seeped in coldly.

A white Christmas Eve. Since morning, the TV had been buzzing excitedly about how it would be a romantic holiday with heavy snowfall.

Is that so? I wiped the sweat beading on my forehead and looked up at the sky.

Contrary to the word “romantic,” the air was as sharp as a blade, biting and merciless. The freezing temperature stung my cheeks as if it could slice through flesh. The once-mild and stuffy weather, along with the warm sunlight, had disappeared as if it had never existed, swallowed up by the dim, overcast clouds. Even the wind had turned rough.

Maybe the weather forecast was actually right this time. Before I knew it, snowflakes had begun to swirl down from the dark, ink-stained clouds.

It wasn’t that I was excited or giddy just because it was snowing on Christmas. I wasn’t a child anymore, and I was even less of a romantic.

“I hope it doesn’t snow too much…”

I furrowed my brows and muttered under my breath. It felt like I was going to be even later than I had expected.

With the year-end rush, traffic was congested everywhere, and the thought of being late for the appointment made me increasingly anxious. Since I barely scraped by on part-time jobs, I was used to meticulously planning every minute of my day. Any unintentional disruption like this felt unbearably inconvenient.

‘Be as late as possible. Make sure to rack up that dislike score.’

If it were my own appointment, I would never be late. But this meeting wasn’t mine. The real owner of this promise had made sure to drill it into my head, their voice still echoing in my ears as if to ensure I wouldn’t forget. That relentless, nagging voice that had gone on and on until I felt like I might choke.

With a bitter smile, I silently made a promise—to be as late as possible—and hooked my pinky in the air as if sealing the deal.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and tapped the screen.

7:20 PM.

Originally, we were supposed to meet at 6 o’clock, which meant I was now a whole one hour and twenty minutes late.

“……”

Frustration tightened in my chest as I bit down hard on my lower lip.

Sigh.

I let out another deep breath and looked ahead. The snowstorm had thickened into a hazy fog, obscuring my view of the destination. It felt like the road stretched endlessly, as if it would never end. Just like life—utterly hopeless.

But just because there was no clear answer didn’t mean I could sit down and give up.

I broke into a run, charging forward. My feet pounded against the ground as I pushed through the blizzard, only to crash straight into the hotel’s glass revolving door with a loud thud. The heavy impact sent Christmas ornaments hanging on the door jingling noisily.

“Welcome! We’re glad to have you.”

A concierge in a red coat and Santa hat greeted me with a bright smile. I gave a small nod of acknowledgment before quickly scanning my surroundings.

The golden sign gleamed under the hotel’s lights, its name delicately engraved in an elegant yet nearly illegible cursive font.

A five-star luxury hotel—right in the heart of Seoul.

Maybe it was because of Christmas, but the extravagant hotel lobby looked like a galaxy straight out of a storybook. Strings of fairy lights densely wrapped around towering fir trees over two meters tall, and crystal ornaments shimmered brilliantly, as if competing to outshine everything else.

Wow…

I found myself staring, eyes wide, completely entranced by the breathtaking scene.

If anyone saw me now, they’d probably think I was some clueless country bumpkin visiting Seoul for the first time. I had insisted I wasn’t a romantic, that I didn’t care for this kind of thing—yet here I was, utterly captivated by the dazzling display of capitalism at its finest.

After all, who could truly be immune to beauty?

The only flaw in this grand spectacle was the worn-out shoes on my feet. The borrowed Oxford shoes, scuffed and battered, scraped uncomfortably against my ankle bones, making an irritating sound with every step.

I had already put effort into dressing up, knowing this was an occasion where appearances mattered. The last thing I wanted was to trip and humiliate myself in a room full of well-dressed people.

7:30 PM.

Steeling myself, I pressed my toes firmly into the soles of my shoes and moved as quickly as possible toward the entrance of the hotel café lounge.

“Good evening, sir.”

The hotel staff, who wouldn’t have spared me a glance if I had been in my usual part-time job uniform, greeted me with an overly polite tone. Unused to such treatment, I blinked rapidly, my heavy eyelids fluttering in surprise.

“Are you meeting someone, or is there a specific guest you’re looking for?”

Fortunately, the staff didn’t scan me up and down with suspicion or attempt to kick me out. They only seemed curious about my reason for being here. At least I wouldn’t have to face the indignity of being dragged out before even meeting my arranged date. My restless eyes quickly settled.

“Ah…?”

Since I had never been to a hotel café before, I couldn’t respond smoothly like a seasoned adult. Instead, I stammered awkwardly, like a clueless puppy visiting a training school for the first time.

“Ah…! Um, just—just a moment.”

Gasping for breath, I rose onto my tiptoes, carefully scanning the tables.

The place was packed. Maybe it was because of the holiday season, or maybe, despite the ongoing recession, there were still plenty of people who could afford to visit such an expensive hotel. Either way, it felt like a completely different world from mine.

In reality, I was so nervous that I barely remembered anything other than the warm, cheerful atmosphere filling the air.

“……”

—Jingle bell, jingle bell…

A soft melody, the kind you’d expect to hear on a classical radio station, settled gently in my ears, and before I knew it, my cheeks flushed warm.

Wow, the sound is amazing.

With my face still slightly heated, I let myself be swept up in the ambiance, listening intently. But as I looked around, I realized I was the only one doing so. No one else in the hotel seemed to be paying any attention to the beautiful live music.

This intensely romantic Christmas atmosphere felt almost dizzying, as if I had stepped into another world. Yet, to the people here, it was just another ordinary backdrop—nothing unfamiliar, nothing worth marveling at.

“Uh… my companion…”

Among all the neatly paired-up tables in the hotel café lounge, only one person sat alone.

That must be the one I was supposed to meet.

“Ah, found them. Yes, I have someone waiting for me.”

“Understood. Please enjoy your time. Merry Christmas.”

I nodded quickly, and the staff smiled warmly before stepping away.

Step, step.

I walked forward, keeping my nervousness carefully concealed.

3, 2, 1…

I was close now.

A man in a sleek, polished black suit sat quietly, engrossed in a book.

“Uh… Hello.”

I approached him cautiously, my voice hesitant as I spoke.

‘Ibom, you watched that special episode of ‘This is Curious’ too! He’s a beast—a pureblood beast-man…!’

Su-hyun’s nervous voice echoed in my head. I tried to sound calm, but my own wavering tone betrayed my anxiety.

“Gasp.”

Doubt crept in before certainty. What if this isn’t him? The thought flickered through my mind for a brief moment.

But realistically speaking, what were the odds? A man sitting alone in a place like this on Christmas Eve—there was almost no chance he wasn’t my arranged date.

To be honest, in my head, I had pictured him as someone who would explode in fury the moment I arrived late—transforming into a beast, maybe even in some dramatic, monster-movie kind of way. No matter how good-looking or well-dressed he was, Su-hyun had insisted he was violent, a ruthless predator.

That’s what I had expected.

And yet…

Here, in the middle of a dreamlike hotel café, filled with the sparkling, romantic melody of Christmas carols…

The man lifted his head slowly.

Our eyes met.

And in that instant, the image of a savage, brutal beast shattered.

He was composed, refined—almost impossibly elegant.

A flawless forehead, as if sculpted from stone. Dark, well-defined brows. A sharp, precisely shadowed nose. And those deep almond-shaped eyes, partially hooded, their gaze unreadable.

His striking appearance made me instinctively tilt my head, puzzled.

He looked… familiar. As if I had seen him somewhere before.

“……”

“Uh…”

The man responded a beat late, his movements slow and deliberate. The sharp yet elegant melody filling the café seemed to complement his languid profile perfectly.

‘If he’s a feline predator, that means he could be a tiger… a leopard… what else? And if he’s a pureblood beast-man, that means he can fully transform, right? I heard he’s so dangerous that even the police don’t dare mess with him. How are you supposed to meet someone like that? A blind date? I’m an only son, you know!’

Su-hyun had to be mistaken.

This man? An uncontrollable beast?

…But he’s this good-looking?

“You’re… uh, my blind date, right?”

I raised my voice slightly, worried that my hammering heartbeat might somehow be audible. But no matter how I tried to compose myself, I couldn’t hide the heat creeping up my ears.

‘Make sure you ruin that blind date. Got it?’

Honestly, Su-hyun’s terrified face was still so vivid in my mind that, despite my fascination with the man’s appearance, my nerves didn’t settle. His voice… what if it was terrifying? What if it was rough and guttural, like the snarling wolves on the outskirts of the city, thick with phlegm and curses? Or worse—what if he got angry about me being an hour and twenty minutes late and bit my neck right here?

My tongue felt dry, sandpaper-rough, as I swallowed.

Carefully, cautiously, I spoke again, choosing my words to avoid offending him.

“…Good evening. I’m the person scheduled for today’s blind date. I… was late because of the snow. My apologies.”

“Kang Su-hyun?”

As I sat there nervously, my hands clasped tightly together, an unexpected voice rumbled softly in my ears.

Deep, smooth, and gentle.

Like a warm breath against my heated earlobes, sending a delicate shiver down my spine.

“Ah…”

“Is that right? You were late, so I was getting worried.”

The idea that he was some terrifying, uncontrollable beast suddenly felt absurd. His voice was deep and calm—gentle, even—perfectly matching his refined appearance.

I had told myself not to be nervous. I had braced myself, convinced I could handle this.

—All I Want for Christmas Is You…

The soft melody of the carol drifted into my ears, settling like a dreamy backdrop.

And in that instant, my resolve crumbled.

“I’m Eun Beom-ho. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

…What do I do now?

I had only come as a stand-in for someone else’s blind date.

I never expected the man across from me to be this perfectly my type.