Chapter 16
The next day, Yeonho felt light and completely refreshed. He still couldn't believe he had actually finished unpacking all his luggage the night before.
It had been so tiring, moving back and forth, carrying everything upstairs, arranging and organising every single item all by himself.
For the first half of the day, Yeonho stayed right in his suite, relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet. Why shouldn't he? He had more than earned a proper rest.
Later that night, he would be busy spying on Hana again — only this time, Woo Gyeongjae would be there too.
For now though, Yeonho sat comfortably on the sofa in his living room, his laptop resting on his lap, feeling far too lazy to move around.
Right now, he was browsing and ordering new clothes from popular Korean brands, already excited to get started with his live streams.
He was basically going to work as a content creator and social media influencer.
The sound of rapid typing filled the room, while soft music played from his laptop and Yeonho hummed along to the tune.
"I should make a new account… but what username should I use?"
Choosing a name was trickier than he thought. Thanks to his disguise, he wondered if he should use his real name or make up a new one — until he paused.
'But even with the disguise, people here at the hotel have probably already seen my face before…'
Using a random fake name would only cause more confusion later on. He quickly decided it was safer to stick close to his real identity, and opened the profile settings.
"I'll just go with CH_Yeon."
He typed it in, satisfied with his choice. It was simple, and better than making up something totally unrelated.
"Now what kind of profile picture should I put?"
He pursed his lips, thinking it over, unsure what to choose. Then an idea popped into his head, and he let out a small, naughty giggle.
He snapped a perfect close-up shot of just his lips, and set it as his profile picture.
"That fits way better! Hahaha."
Completely pleased, he went on to finish setting up his new account.
Before long, night had fallen.
Yeonho put on his disguise — a loose black hooded cotton jacket and comfortable pants, simple casual wear.
He didn't wear his mask just yet, since he was only heading to the restaurant inside this very hotel, pretending to be a regular guest coming down for dinner.
Instead, he just slipped the mask into his pocket, ready in case he needed it.
He made his way straight to the restaurant.
"Good evening, sir."
A staff member greeted him warmly the moment he stepped inside.
"Do you have a reservation, sir?" the man asked with a polite smile.
"No, I don't. I'm just here for dinner alone. Do I really need a reservation just to eat?" Yeonho asked calmly, looking straight at him.
From his question and casual clothes, the staff assumed Yeonho was an outsider who hadn't booked a table.
"I'm sorry sir, but yes. If you don't have a reservation, you'll have to leave and come back another time."
He gestured gently toward the entrance, clearly trying to turn him away. But Yeonho simply lifted one hand, pointing his index finger up to stop him.
"I live here. I'm staying in one of the suites."
The confidence in his tone left no room for doubt. The staff immediately bowed.
"My apologies, sir. Please, let me escort you in. May I know what name you're registered under?"
"Just call me Mr. Yeon." Yeonho gave him an innocent, easy smile.
"Of course, Mr. Yeon. Right this way, please. I'll show you to your table."
The man stepped aside and gestured for Yeonho to go first.
That was easier than he expected, and a good start. Now all he had to do was figure out exactly where Hana was sitting.
Yeonho glanced around the grand dining area. Soft jazz music played in the background, and the whole space felt elegant and luxurious.
Even though his clothes were more casual than what most other guests wore, he didn't feel out of place at all.
Then his eyes landed on the person he was looking for. Hana was sitting alone at a table further back but she was easy to spot, being the only one wearing a soft pink floral dress.
"Can I sit somewhere over there?" Yeonho asked the staff walking beside him. "I'd prefer a quieter spot with fewer people around."
"Of course, sir. Right this way." The man didn't hesitate and led Yeonho straight toward Hana's section.
As they drew closer, Yeonho kept his expression neutral, gaze fixed ahead. Though he could already feel Hana's eyes on him.
He walked right past her table, and the staff stopped at the very next one, just inches away from hers.
"Here we are. Please have a seat. A waiter will bring the menu shortly. Enjoy your evening."
The man gave a small bow and left.
Yeonho settled into his chair, glanced casually around the room, then let his gaze fall naturally on Hana.
He caught her staring, so he simply gave her a gentle, polite smile.
Hana went stiff for a split second, before forcing a smile back.
It lasted only a moment, and soon they both turned away, acting as if the other didn't exist.
A waiter came over with the menu, and Yeonho ordered only light food. He had no real intention of eating much anyway.
He needed to stay alert, ready for anything that might happen.
A few minutes later, Yeonho, who had been secretly keeping an eye on her, watched as Hana suddenly straightened up in her seat.
She smoothed out her dress, let out a soft breath, and smiled sweetly, her eyes fixed on a man walking in from the entrance.
Yeonho followed her gaze and barely managed to stop himself from gagging, or from letting his eyes go wide in obvious shock.
He clenched his fist under the table, forcing down every chaotic reaction rising inside him.
A heavy, striking presence had just entered the restaurant, and every guest instantly turned to look, their expressions filled with the same sense of awe.
The man was Woo Gyeongjae — one of the male leads, and even more unrealistically handsome than described.
He wore a black polo shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong forearms, and the top two buttons left undone.
Yeonho watched as Gyeongjae walked straight toward Hana's table, and had to swallow hard to stop himself from staring too openly.
Gyeongjae was devastatingly good-looking. With striking white hair, and intricate tattoos winding up his arms, neck, and across his exposed chest.
If Yeonho had to guess, his back was probably covered in them too.
His features were perfect: sharp, thick brows, a high straight nose, and a chiselled jawline that almost made Yeonho's mind wander in directions it shouldn't.
And his height was impossible to miss. He stood easily well over six feet — probably 6'3, 6'4, or even 6'5 , enough to tower over everyone else in the room.
Yeonho found it hard to focus just looking at him.
He was exactly as the novel had described, but in person, he was even more intense and attractive than any words could do justice.
'Get a hold of yourself, Yeonho.'
He let out a quiet breath and risked another quick glance.
Gyeongjae had now reached Hana's table. Yeonho kept shifting his gaze subtly, pretending not to pay attention at all.
"Gyeongjae! You finally made it. How was your day?" Hana greeted him with a soft, warm expression.
Gyeongjae leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her cheek.
"Same as always. I thought you said you were too busy with work to meet tonight."
He pulled out a chair and sat down, and Hana followed suit.
"I cleared my whole schedule just for you. I missed you," she said, tilting her head with a shy smile.
"That sounds like you. Let's eat first." Gyeongjae called over a waiter and placed their order.
Since their tables were right next to each other, Yeonho could hear every word they said — though he acted completely unbothered, pulling out his phone to scroll through videos while listening closely.
They talked about simple, ordinary things, but Hana kept weaving in subtle flirts, and it was obvious Gyeongjae found it all charming.
He listened with interest as she told her little sweet stories, clearly entertained.
By the time Yeonho's food arrived, so did theirs.
Yeonho ate slowly, annoyed by Hana's fake act, but had no choice but to listen. Every now and then, Gyeongjae would tease or flirt back, making her giggle and blush.
Dinner stretched on, and Yeonho had no choice but to stay seated, pretending to order dessert. He was waiting for the right moment to step in and ruin their date, but for now, he couldn't think of a way to do it yet.
Scooping up his dessert and scrolling idly through his phone, Yeonho was starting to get impatient.
"Let's have a drink, Gyeongjae. I want to spend as much time with you as I can,"
Hana offered suddenly.
Yeonho's boredom vanished instantly, and he perked up to pay full attention.
Gyeongjae agreed easily, amused by her request.
A moment later, a waitress pushed a serving cart over to their table.
Hana's face lit up with obvious excitement. The waitress stopped right beside them and opened an expensive-looking black bottle resting on top.
She poured the rich, golden liquor into both Gyeongjae's and Hana's glasses, then stood quietly beside the table.
"Let's toast. This is a special new batch my grandmother sent me," Hana said, lifting her glass with a bright smile.
"Send my thanks to your grandmother for me."
Their glasses clinked together — just as a phone started ringing loudly.
Gyeongjae reached for his phone on the table. "Hold that thought, Hana. I need to take this call for a second."
He stood up and walked a short distance away to answer it.
"Of course, take your time," Hana called after him.
Yeonho watched silently the whole time.
The second Gyeongjae was out of earshot, Hana waved urgently at the waitress standing beside her.
"Hurry — give it to me," she whispered sharply.
Yeonho narrowed his eyes, tracking their every movement.
'What is she doing now?'
The waitress fumbled nervously, her hands rushing through the pockets of her uniform. Hana kept hissing at her to move faster, making the poor girl even more flustered and stressed.
"She looks way too suspicious…" Yeonho muttered quietly.
Without hesitation, he opened his camera and started recording. Even if he didn't know exactly what was happening, he knew better than to miss anything when it involved Hana.
'No way… you sly, shameless bitch.'
What he saw next made his eyes widen slightly. He never imagined Choi Hana would actually go this far.