“The First Step Towards the Unknown”

Seo’s Mansion

In the grand living room of the Seo family mansion, the air was filled with an unspoken tension. The soft ticking of an antique clock echoed through the space as Seo Jin sat on the couch, his expression calm but unreadable.

His mother, sitting across from him, sighed before speaking.

“Seo Jin, your grandfather has made his decision. You should listen to him and get married soon,” she said firmly. “You’re almost thirty now. You’re not getting any younger. It’s time to settle down.”

Seo Jin exhaled slowly, leaning back against the couch. He had heard this conversation too many times before. But this time, there was no avoiding it. His grandfather wasn’t simply suggesting it—he was demanding it.

Seo Jin ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his voice.

“How am I supposed to marry someone I don’t even know?” he said, his tone firm. “I haven’t seen her, I don’t know anything about her, and yet Grandpa expects me to agree just like that?”

His mother sighed, already expecting his resistance. “At least meet her, Seo Jin,” she reasoned. “There’s no harm in that. Just meet her once, and then we can talk.”

Seo Jin let out a deep breath. He knew his grandfather wouldn’t let this go easily, and now his mother was pushing him too.

“Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll meet her.”

His mother smiled, satisfied. “Good. The sooner, the better.”

Next Morning

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the Seo mansion as Seo Jin’s mother picked up her phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, a soft, polite voice answered.

“Hello?” Jieun’s voice came through.

“Jieun-ah, this is Seo Jin’s mother,” she said warmly. “Are you free today? I’d like you to come over to our house.”

Jieun hesitated for a moment. She knew why she was being called. Her grandfather had already told her about the arranged marriage, and though she respected his wishes, she still felt uneasy about meeting a man she had never met before.

“Yes, I’m free,” she finally answered.

“That’s good to hear,” Seo Jin’s mother said with a smile. “Come by in the afternoon. I’ll be waiting.”

As the call ended, Jieun let out a small sigh, gripping her phone tightly. She had no idea what to expect from this meeting, but one thing was certain—it was going to change her life.

Jieun’s Room

Jieun placed her phone down and sighed, staring at the ceiling.

“I’m already 25, yet I’ve never seriously thought about marriage. But meeting him once won’t change anything… right?” she muttered to herself.

She shook her head, trying to push away her nervousness, and walked toward her closet. Pulling the doors open, she scanned the rows of clothes inside.

Nothing felt right.

“Why don’t I have anything nice to wear?” she groaned, running her fingers through the hangers. She wasn’t the type to dress up much—her daily life as a teacher was simple, and she never had a reason to buy fancy clothes.

After a few more minutes of searching, she finally pulled out a soft beige dress. It was simple, but elegant enough for a first meeting. Holding it against herself, she took a deep breath.

“Alright, Jieun. Just meet him, be polite, and come home. That’s it.”

Even as she told herself that, a strange feeling settled in her heart.

Jieun stepped out of her room, still holding the dress in her hands. As she walked towards the front door, her eyes landed on her scooter parked outside.

She sighed, glancing down at her dress.

“How am I supposed to ride a scooter wearing this?” she muttered to herself. The thought of struggling to keep her dress in place while navigating through the busy streets made her shake her head.

“No way. Not today.”

Pulling out her phone, she quickly opened a ride-hailing app.

“A cab is the better choice today,” she decided, booking a ride.

As she waited, she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. This meeting wasn’t something she wanted, but it was happening anyway.

On the Way to Seo Mansion

Jieun sat quietly in the cab, staring out the window as the city passed by. Her thoughts were racing—what kind of person was Seo Jin? Would he be as cold and unwilling as she imagined? Or was there a chance he might be kind?

Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden realization hit her.

“Oh no!” she gasped.

She had completely forgotten to buy a gift.

Her grandfather had always taught her that bringing a small gift when visiting someone’s house was a sign of respect. How could she show up empty-handed?

“Excuse me, can you stop for a moment?” she quickly asked the driver.

The cab pulled over near a small shopping area. Jieun hurried into a store, scanning the shelves for something appropriate. After a few minutes, she picked out a neatly wrapped box of high-quality fruits, a set of elegant scarves for Seo Jin’s mother and grandfather, and a classic tie for his father.

“This should be okay, right?” she thought, hoping she had chosen well.

With the bags in hand, she rushed back to the cab.

“Sorry for the delay!” she said, slightly out of breath.

The driver nodded, and the car pulled back onto the road. As the Seo mansion grew closer, Jieun’s grip on the gift bags tightened.

She was about to step into a world completely different from her own.

Jieun held her phone tightly, checking the location that Seo Jin’s mother had sent her. She leaned forward slightly, guiding the cab driver.

“Ahjussi, take the next left… Yes, and then go straight for a few more blocks.”

The closer they got to the Seo mansion, the faster her heart pounded.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but it was useless. The weight of the meeting, the unknown future ahead of her—it was all making her nervous.

“Why am I so anxious? It’s just a meeting. Nothing more,” she told herself, gripping the gift bags a little tighter.

As the cab turned into an upscale neighborhood, the sight of luxurious houses and grand mansions made her even more aware of the gap between her world and Seo Jin’s.

And then, finally, the car slowed down in front of an enormous iron gate. Beyond it stood the Seo family mansion—elegant, intimidating, and nothing like the small, cozy home she had grown up in.

Jieun swallowed hard.

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