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I laugh, finding him charming. With him, it would be effortless. He’s clearly the right choice. My father would get what he wants. My mother would have what she needs. The company will be safe. And so will Nathaniel.

The server approaches us and takes our orders. Unlike my father or Baek Haneul, Donghyun asks me what I want to eat and orders both dishes when I can’t decide between them.

I can’t help wondering what Nathaniel would do. We’ve obviously never gone on a date to a restaurant, just the two of us. He’d probably have ordered his own separate dish and then eaten off my plate.

“I saw your cameo on the latest episode ofThe Sea Prince. You were lovely. I’ll admit I was a bit shocked by the ending.” He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “You must be close to—”

“I’m not,” I say quickly. If Cha Donghyun believes there’s something between Nathaniel and me, he might tell his uncle. Who could tell my father. I shudder at the thought. “That is, we were close, but...”

We can’t be anymore.

“I see,” he says. I eye him.How much does he see?“HeisNathaniel Lee of XOXO. He probably can’t date like normal kidshis age. Not to imply that you were dating.” Donghyun smiles, guileless.

I shake my head. I wonder if he’s realized what he’s said.Kids his age,as if Nathaniel was so much younger than him.

The servers set our food on the table, two large platters of pasta dishes infused with Korean spices. Donghyun portions out a sizable amount of each pasta onto a separate plate for me, reaching over the table to set it in front of me. In the corner of my eye, I see two of the female servers whispering to each other and giggling over his manners.

“I’ve met him,” Donghyun says. “Nathaniel Lee.”

He’s currently in the middle of serving himself, otherwise he might have seen me choke on a caper. “You have?”

“He’s collaborating with one of KS’s artists, Naseol. We were introduced when he was at the company.”

I don’t know how I’m supposed to react to this information, so I say nothing. How would a normal girl whowasinterested in him react to his mentioning another boy she wasnotin love with say? My head hurts.

“He seems rather carefree, doesn’t he? That was my impression of him.”

I frown. Only someone who doesn’t know Nathaniel would think this about him. His friends know better. Hisfansknow better.

He cares deeply about his family and his bandmates. He’s passionate about music and performance. He has dozens of interests and pursues them all fearlessly. Beyond being funny and kind, he’s also hardworking, reliable, and the most genuine person I know.

He’s never lied to me. He’s so different than how I’ve been raised, to hide my emotions, to never cause discomfort for my parents. He’s always honest with his feelings, even when it hurts. He believes everything I say, which is sometimes terrifying, because I know I can hurt him so easily; his trust is a gift.

I can feel myself getting worked up, which will only confuse Donghyun. I take a deep breath. Like before, I say nothing, shifting the pasta around on my plate.

“This date is going so well,” Donghyun says, as he maneuvers his car from out of the Hongik University area. “I don’t want it to end.”

I smile at him. Itisgoing well, much better than I’d imagined, but I just want to go home and sleep. I check my phone, but Secretary Park hasn’t texted about any scandals. Maybe there won’tbeone. Two days have already passed since that night. It’s possible that the tabloid reporters hadn’t gotten a good photo; in all of them, I must appear scared and harassed. Not exactly titillating news.

“Sori-ssi, I’m sorry to ask, but...” I look up from my phone at Donghyun, driving with both hands on the wheel. “A friend of mine is having an event nearby here. I hadn’t thought I could make it and was honestly feeling a bit guilty. Do you mind if we stop over for a few minutes? The event is almost over. I just want to offer my congratulations.”

“Of course,” I say. “Though I’m not dressed appropriately for a party.”

“You look gorgeous. That is...” He coughs. “It’s not a black-tie event.”

We’re moving a little fast if I’m already meeting his friends.

But I’ll eventually meet them. If I’m to date him, I’d have to commit to the role. If you date someone while being in love with someone else, who are you betraying? Nathaniel and I never made any promises to each other. Donghyun, then...

As I glance at his eager face, my heart fills with self-loathing.

He pulls up in front of a sleek, modern building.

I glance uneasily at the red carpet leading from the porte cochere to the front doors. A few photographers line the walkway, though, as Donghyun pointed out, we’re late, and most of the guests are already inside.

“I thought you said it wasn’t a black-tie event.”

“It’s not. It’s just that photographers tend to follow idols, you know? But I wanted to support Naseol-nuna.”