Grumpy Family Man

"To me, you look like a grumpy family man, struggling to juggle your family and your job. My advice? Choose your family over any job. They don't pay us enough to give up everything. Love your wife more and buy a pet. Pets always make things better. That's my idea of you. You're not a kidnapper, and you have too much to lose to become one. Don't want to disappoint your kids, right?" She winked, feeling proud of herself. Cherri had never steered her wrong; she had a knack for distinguishing truth from falsehoods. Yuna continued to fasten her ponytail, running her hands through her hair to ensure she appeared as though she had dressed in front of a full-length mirror.

Hyun-u scoffed inwardly, finding the audacity of this woman rather amusing. She clearly had no idea who he was; if she did, she would likely be swooning and currying favor with him. Instead, she was weaving strange stories about him. He felt a strong urge to reveal his true identity, but he thought better of it. He couldn't believe this woman had not only turned him into a compliant, obedient puppy but also managed to extract a level of recklessness from him.

He glanced at her several times, heating up with irritation as he tried to come up with a suitable response. She, on the other hand, appeared quite pleased with herself, sporting a smirk while applying her lipstick, as if triumphant in rendering him speechless.

Finally, he had gathered his thoughts and was about to reply when she alerted him to drop her off at the upcoming destination. Like an obedient automaton, he halted the car as she had requested. With a quick "thank you" and a swift bow, she bolted out of the car and into the entrance of the park.

Hyun-u watched her fading figure, still in a state of confusion and processing his bewilderment. Even when her figure had vanished from sight, he continued to gaze in that direction, caught between feelings of confusion and the attempt to process his confusion. It wasn't until an approaching car honked at him that he snapped back to reality and drove on toward his original route, which was not far from Fishing Bay Park. His house was only about 10 minutes away from the park, and these properties all overlooked the lake. So, he wasn't too far from home.

Sneaking in mid-event was a skill Yuna had honed over countless occasions, and this time, the process was seamless. In the blink of an eye, she found herself gliding through the beautifully decorated open area, seamlessly blending in as if she had been there from the very beginning. It was fortunate that Suzy, the event planner, was preoccupied with kitchen matters due to a dessert mishap. She hadn't spared a thought for whether Yuna was present or not.

Suzy was well aware of Yuna's chronic tardiness and made it a point to check on her regularly. She knew she could always rely on Yuna to slip up, giving her the excuse to dock her salary. Yet, there was an underlying issue that continually bothered Suzy – her fascination with Yuna. It had other reasons in place.

The wedding reception flowed smoothly, with the bride and groom dancing beautifully, their parents sharing heartwarming stories from their childhood, and even the groom's three sisters surprising him with a dance routine. The event was a success, and the meals were served flawlessly. Guests savored their food against the backdrop of a stunning sunset, a scene that could easily become a sought-after piece at an art show.

However, as is often the case at such events, there was that one critical guest who seemed to find fault in everything. Typically, the waitstaff would place bets before the event on who would be the most difficult guest to handle. Yuna always made money on these bets because Cherri, her intuition, was exceptional at spotting problematic individuals based on their mannerisms and behaviors. But today, she didn't get to place bets.