The influence of an influencer wasn’t something to be taken lightly, but Hugo was clearly in a different league. It was hard to understand why he was even here, in this place, among these people.
“…Have we met before?”
Yeon Yiseo asked cautiously as he shook Hugo’s hand. Hugo smiled.
“That’s right. It’s something only I remember.”
His response only confused Yeon Yiseo further. Even he couldn’t recall it, but it seemed they had met before.
“You might not remember, but we bumped into each other on the street once. I picked up the papers you dropped.”
“Ah.”
Once Hugo explained, a memory flickered in the back of his mind.
“Ah…! I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. I was distracted by my phone—it was my fault.”
“Was it something important?”
“Yes, I’m in a bit of a hurry right now. I’m really sorry for bumping into you. If you’re feeling unwell or—”
“Oh, no, nothing like that. Just go on.
“Thank you.”
It had happened on the day of the Dymine product launch, when he’d rushed over to deliver the documents Natalie had forgotten.
“You were the one I bumped into that day…!”
Yeon Yiseo widened his eyes in surprise, and Hugo gave him a charming smile. He blinked quickly, trying to shake off the creeping sense of déjà vu.
“Haha. I’m glad you remember.”
“That day was so hectic, I didn’t even get a chance to properly greet you. I’m really sorry. Were you hurt at all?”
Yeon Yiseo asked, trying to mask his embarrassment. Hugo laughed warmly.
“Oh, no worries. I just wanted to say hi—it’s amazing how coincidences work. Did you manage to finish what you were rushing for that day?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
Hugo smiled like that was all he wanted, and Yeon Yiseo smiled back. But even as he smiled, his mind was spinning in utter chaos. This wasn’t just déjà vu or a vague sense of familiarity. This was exactly an event from Don’t Look for the Sickly Villain. This was the scene where Seo Eunwoo and Hugo Cruz first met.
That thought came back again—that Yeon Yiseo had taken Seo Eunwoo’s place. Cold sweat trickled down his back at the realization. Could it really be true?
At this point, trying to rationalize it away felt more like avoiding reality. When so many coincidences piled up like this, it was no longer a coincidence. He had to accept it.
Yeon Yiseo had taken Seo Eunwoo’s place.
But accepting that didn’t make things better. If anything, it felt like he was sinking into a swamp he could never crawl out of.
And of course. Yeon Yiseo’s reality wasn’t a game. There were no saves. In a game, you could choose a route, strategize, and if things went wrong, reload from your last save point. A game let the player remain detached, playing from a safe distance. But not Yeon Yiseo.
For him, this was real life. The stakes were real. There was no room for carefree enjoyment.
“I don’t think I saw you on the invitation list. If I’d known you’d be here, I would’ve been better prepared.”
Despite the mess in his head, the words flowed smoothly from his mouth like they’d been rehearsed.
“Ah. My manager’s friend got an invitation. It included a plus-two, so I tagged along. I use Dymine products all the time, and the party sounded fun.”
So that’s what it was. If Yeon Yiseo had known Hugo would be here, he wouldn’t have let his guard down. But meeting him so unexpectedly had left him confused and unprepared.
“Actually,” Hugo began, “that day, I thought you bumped into me on purpose. Of course, I quickly realized that wasn’t the case.”
“Oh, I’m really sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose. I mean, how could I not recognize you? Your face is on every screen.”
“No, I’m not blaming you. That day, I realized I’d started assuming everyone would recognize me. It was humbling. Made me a bit more grounded.”
Yeon Yiseo fought hard to keep his expression from crumbling. This flow—this conversation—it was exactly the same as the one in Don’t Look for the Sickly Villain. Maybe not every word, but the structure and emotional beats were unmistakably identical.
In the novel, Hugo developed an interest in Seo Eunwoo after this encounter, which deepened into something more. That moment was happening to him now.
Once he acknowledged it, it was impossible to unsee. The pattern was so clear. Until now, he’d been blind to it—like someone had placed a veil over his eyes.
“I always wanted to meet you again, but thought I’d missed the chance. This really is a strange coincidence.”
“It is. I feel the same.”
Yeon Yiseo gave a polite smile and tried to excuse himself, but Hugo seemed to have other plans.
“It feels like fate, meeting like this. Why don’t we grab a meal sometime? My treat.”
“…Uh…”
Yeon Yiseo hesitated, unable to respond immediately. Hugo, however, didn’t seem the least bit offended.
“Ah, sorry. Of course you have a schedule. I thought you’d say yes right away—guess I’m not as humble as I thought.”
“No, I’d like that too.”
The words slipped out as Yeon Yiseo’s heart softened for just a second—and he immediately regretted it. But in that moment, it had felt inevitable. Anyone who heard Hugo speak like that would’ve said yes.
“Really? You’d like that? We can have dinner?”
“Ah… yeah.”
The mood made it impossible to backtrack. And it was just dinner, right? A single meal wouldn’t instantly change their relationship. It’s just a meal. Yeon Yiseo nodded, repeating that to himself like a mantra.
“Here. My number. Fewer than ten people know this one.”
“Huh? No, you didn’t have to go that far… I could’ve just contacted your manager…”
“I wanted you to reach me directly.”
The pressure hit him instantly. Yeon Yiseo opened his mouth to suggest contacting the manager instead—but someone came up and clapped Hugo on the shoulder.
“Hey, Hugo. What’re you doing? Someone you know?”
“Ah, Greg. Just taking a break. Where’s Stephanie?”
“The queen herself sent me to fetch you. Her royal messenger, reporting for duty.”
“Oh yeah? Got it. Let’s go. Make sure you contact me, okay?”
He said one sentence to his friend, and one to Yeon Yiseo, before walking away. Yeon Yiseo could only stare blankly at his back. A number only ten people know, he said. The paper with Hugo’s number in his hand felt unbelievably heavy.
Yeon Yiseo decided he’d think about it later and slipped the paper into his pocket.
Still feeling completely off, he picked up a banana canapé nearby and popped it into his mouth. It was a thick slice of banana with chocolate jam spread on top, garnished with berries and nuts. The mix of sweetness and tartness from the berries kept it from being too bland. Even when his appetite was gone, the flavor of the food remained unchanged.
“You seem to like that kind of food.”
It was a voice he knew well. Turning his head, Yeon Yiseo saw Alexander.
His slicked-back hair and three-piece suit suited him perfectly.
Alexander stepped closer.
“CEO?”
Another person who wasn’t on the guest list.
“What brings you here?”
“I had a quick matter to attend to.”
The answer was dismissive. Of course, the CEO of Scott Industries wouldn’t show up here for no reason. But clearly, he didn’t feel the need to tell Yeon Yiseo why.
“I see.”
Still, it wasn’t something he could show on his face. Yeon Yiseo forced a smile.
“When are you heading back, Mr. Yeon?”
“I should stay until the party ends.”
“Hmm. So you’ll be free after that.”
Yeon Yiseo tilted his head slightly, trying to read the implication behind Alexander’s words.
“All right. Contact me when the party’s over.”
“…Me…?”
Yeon Yiseo couldn’t quite process what Alexander meant.
“We’re going home. I have documents to review, and my business here is done.”
Was meeting me that “business”? Yeon Yiseo wondered—but couldn’t bring himself to ask such a self-centered question.
Alexander spoke before he could say anything.
“It’s been quite a few days, hasn’t it? I figured your pheromones might be low again.”
He was right. Yeon Yiseo’s open mouth slowly shut as he pulled himself together.
“You didn’t have to go this far. A call would’ve been enough…”
“That’s not for you to decide, Mr. Yeon.”
