Selfish Romance, a slow-burning romance webtoon unlike many others, centers around two seemingly selfish individuals who begin fake-dating each other to make their exes (who are, arguably, terrible partners) jealous. As complicated histories, tangled lies, and new feelings begin to interfere with the already messy idea of their fake relationship, Hyeondo and Yumin find themselves navigating a new world of chaos and drama. Previously in Selfish Romance, Hyeondo’s possessive ex-girlfriend, the famous actress Sojeong, meets Yumin for dinner and decides to win him back. Meanwhile, Hyeondo rescues a stray cat with his neighbour’s help. Little does he know that the kind-hearted neighbour is actually Yumin’s ex-boyfriend. Let’s find out what unfolds in Selfish Romance Chapter 25-34!
Selfish Romance Chapter 25: Hyeondo Turns Sojeong Down
Selfish Romance Chapter 25 begins as Sojeong presses Hyeondo’s palms to her cheeks and looks into his eyes, pleading with him to get back together.
This was it. The most chaotic months of Hyeondo’s life- countless sleepless nights, his new social media account, and weeks of faking dating Yumin to pull off a hopelessly childish shennanigan- had all been for this moment.
“Leave Yumin alone,” Hyeondo says instead, dropping his hands and wordlessly walking away. Sojeong treated him like an object-something to possess, not to love- and yet never once doubted his blind devotion to her. So when the door slams with his departure, Sojeong’s fists tighten.
Later, after the abrupt end of her dinner with Sojeong, who “felt sick” and had to leave, Yumin wonders if she’d ever meet the famous actress again. Moping over the slim chances, Yumin lazily decides to reply to Hyeondo’s message with a call (texting takes way too much work). She regrettably tells him that, as much as she wanted to, she was in no position to take care of Hyeondo’s adorable rescue kitten.
When she asks him what he was doing, Hyeondo informs her that he was taking a walk to clear his mind. It being the middle of the night, Yumin immediately deduces that something was wrong. He’d randomly called her in the middle of dinner and was taking a midnight stroll alone? Before he can hang up, Yumin asks for his location.
Reading Hyeondo Is a Walk in the Park
In the next scene of Selfish Romance Chapter 25, Yumin jogs up to Hyeondo (who’s slightly befuddled that she’d actually arrived) with two cups of tea. The familiarity of the neighborhood- Iseon’s neighborhood- hits her with an unexpected force. Cheerfully, she sits on a park bench with him. When he asks why she came, she truthfully replies, “You’re my friend. And I was worried because you sounded gloomy.” For the first time, Hyeondo doesn’t irritably deny their friendship.
Noticing his perturbed state, Yumin guesses that he’d visited his ex-girlfriend again (bingo!). She doesn’t press further, and they simultaneously gaze up at the twinkling night sky in silence.
Yumin asks Hyeondo whether he’d ever considered cutting his hair short. She tells him that he should flaunt his bold eyebrows and sharp eyes. But Hyeondo denies it and talks about his ‘mean face’ (thanks for the brainwash, Sojeong). She insists on his good looks and even cites the customer reviews of his restaurant, most of which mention a “handsome chef”. Yumin briefly wonders if Hyeondo was deliberately acting humble. But when he continues to disbelievingly brush it away, she realizes he was truly oblivious.
Later, Hyeondo points out his street to Yumin and, with a shock, she realizes that he lives in the same alley as Iseon, her ex-boyfriend. She makes up various nonsensical excuses to see his apartment. Chapter 25 concludes as Hyeondo leads her to his home (she’s about to figure out that they’re neighbors?!).
Selfish Romance Chapter 26: Happy Campers…?
Chopping up vegetables at his restaurant the next day, Hyeondo wonders why Yumin had insisted on seeing his apartment, beginning Selfish Romance Chapter 26. He concludes that, being ‘nice and nosy’, she must’ve tricked him into being walked home. Taegeun interrupts his thoughts by pestering him to go ‘glamping’ on the weekend. Despite his initial reluctance (what if Yumin called?), he finally agrees when Taegeun mentions that he’d already asked Yumin along.
The next day, Hyeondo rushes around the campsite, preparing everything alone despite Yumin’s offer to help. She tries to tell him that he lives in the same apartment as her ex-boyfriend, but he can’t seem to find a good time.
That evening, Jihui tells Yumin about dating Taegeun. Age didn’t matter in their relationship, but it could never be long-term. At twenty-four, he was too young to get married.
Yumin Changes the Plan
Later, Hyeondo prepares dinner while the three of them sit down for the meal. Yumin offers to help, but he denies the request yet again- he prefers to do it himself. While talking to Taegeun, she realizes with surprise that he knew nothing about Hyeondo having an ex-girlfriend.
That night, when Jihui drags Taegeun out alone, Yumin confronts Hyeondo for not telling his friend about his dating life. She starts to understand that his ex had left a bigger scar on him than she’d thought. Yumin starts to realize that Hyeondo maybe shouldn’t reunite with his ex at all. Although she couldn’t call off their fake dating, she was so close now- she decided not to ask more of him. She decides not to tell him about Iseon’s place of residence. Seeing Yumin’s distress, Hyeondo believes she’s fallen sick and begins to pat her back. Chapter 26 concludes as Yumin decides to change their plan on her own, believing that Hyeondo would understand.
Selfish Romance Chapter 27: Hyeondo Bakes For Yumin
Selfish Romance Chapter 27 begins with a series of cute dates- after Yumin texts Hyeondo about meeting in the vicinity of his residential area, since Iseon lived ‘near his place’- that all end with Yumin dropping Hyeondo at his door. One night, after Yumin leaves him at his house again, Hyeondo swipes through the numerous pictures he’d taken of her. Wondering why he’d snapped so many photos (he didn’t even have to post them anymore… does he want her pictures?), Hyeondo comes across an adorable picture of Yumin with cream all over her face. Smiling, he decides to send it to her.
Suddenly, he receives an unexpected call from Yumin. She arrives at his doorstep and drunkenly pushes a bag of sweets into his hands. She’d bought them from her favourite dessert shop specifically to help him sleep at night. Before she hops in a taxi, Hyeondo tells her to visit his restaurant anytime.
As he watches her cab leave, Iseon appears behind him, supporting a drunk friend. Dragging his drunk-talking friend away from the ‘hot gentleman’, Iseon briefly notices the bag in Hyeondo’s grip. It was from Yumin’s favourite sweet shop.
A few days later, Hyeondo works around the restaurant on high alert for Yumin, who’d been busy lately. But when night falls and she doesn’t show up, with an oddly determined gaze, he sends Taegeun home early.
Hyeondo’s Sweet Devotion
Meanwhile, at her office, Yumin receives an angry phone call from her mother. Why hadn’t she come to visit her? Yumin tries to explain that, as a CEO, she was incredibly busy. However, her mother ceases to listen and forges ahead. She tells her daughter to make time for a new boyfriend and a good one at that. Someone, unlike Iseon, who, despite being a good man, was always asking too much of Yumin. In typical mother fashion, she threatens to show up at Yumin’s house if she doesn’t visit soon and then hangs up the phone.
She receives another phone call from Hyeondo and tells him about needing to work late. Within moments, Hyeondo arrives at her office with a small, freshly-prepared snack. While Yumin munches on the delicious tidbits, he pulls out a green bag with sweets inside. He explains that he’d started baking since Yumin had expressed interest in desserts (aw, just for her). A faint blush appears on her cheeks as she wonders how generous and devoted he must be to his actual girlfriend.
As expected, Hyeondo tells her, “A boyfriend should cook for his girlfriend all the time if he loves her.” He explains that he’d do all the work- cleaning, laundry, cooking- just to help her out. “I would want her to be free of worries and just love me,” he says. Selfish Romance Chapter 27 concludes as Hyeondo asks if Yumin thought he was ‘strange’ for his principles of love and unwavering commitment.
Selfish Romance Chapter 28: Friend, Family, Or Lover?
At sixteen, Hyeondo’s parents had divorced and left him to live alone. The same neglected man looks down as he asks Yumin if he was strange, beginning Selfish Romance Chapter 28.
Yumin truthfully tells Hyeondo that he sounded like an overprotective father taking care of his child, rather than a man caring for his girlfriend. She further tells him, “This is just your way of showing your love, so I don’t think it’s strange at all.” Yumin realizes that his affection and generosity left him vulnerable to exploitation in a relationship.
Hyeondo tells her that he blamed himself for Sojeong’s changed behaviour at the end of their relationship. Yumi immediately gets up and orders him to erase his guilt. She explains that since relationships were between two people, the blame had to be equally divided between them. He was only partially responsible for the degradation of their love.
When Yumin calls him one of ‘her people’, Hyeondo realizes that she was the first close female friend he’d ever had. Going to an all-boys school, beginning a relationship with Sojeong, and being more comfortable around men in general, he’d never considered platonically befriending a female. He wonders if that was the reason he saw Yumin ‘differently’ in comparison to all his other friends (hmm… guess again).
They discuss going to visit the blooming cherry blossoms on a fake date, and Yumin, reminded of the first time she’d met Iseon under the pink trees, notes that her love for the natural beauties had been ruined.
The Exes Aren’t Done Yet
The next morning, Iseon’s friend (drunk the night before), greets him before he leaves to work. He notices a framed family photo of Yumin that Iseon still kept on his bookshelf. Curiously, he wonders why Yumin, who clearly loved Iseon more, broke up with him. Iseon, cluelessly conjectures that he ‘must’ve done something wrong. He admits that he still thinks about her. She was practically family; if only they’d gotten married, they’d be real family. Iseon’s friend tells him to be afraid of Yumin, who loves blindly.
At Hyeondo’s restaurant, while Hyeondo and Taegeun worry about the popularity of a new restaurant opening nearby, Sojeong walks in, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 28.
Selfish Romance Chapter 29: Pawns in Sojeong’s Game
Selfish Romance Chapter 29 begins as Aran sits with Sojeong in the office, waiting for Da-ae, another actress, to arrive. As a big fan, Aran attempts to make conversation with Seojeong, but the celebrity, busy scrolling through Hyeondo’s social media, barely pays her any attention. However, her aloofness completely transforms when Da-ae walks in. Sojeong rushes to greet her and explains how she and Aran had already become good friends (…sure). They head out for lunch, and Sojeong decides the venue.
The second they stroll into Hyeondo’s restaurant, the other diners immediately take notice and start whispering amongst themselves. Taegeun excitedly regards their first high-profile customers, but Hyeondo, instantly popping his bubble, decides to wait on them himself. Hyeondo approaches their table, and Sojeong asks him what he recommends, whisking him back a few years in time.
Sojeong had arrived home to Hyeondo’s house early from work. He’d eagerly asked for her opinion on his new restaurant menu. But Sojeong had simply dismissed it to chatter about the ‘really funny’ incident that happened on set that day.
Back to the present day, Sojeong longingly watches Hyeondo leave with their orders. When Hyeondo enters the kitchen, he finds Taegeun- still miffed about not serving the stars- in an irritable mood. He apologizes for ruining his first opportunity to wait on celebrities and promises that he won’t do it again.
An Orchestrated Reunion
Later, the actresses praise Hyeondo’s delicious food, sign autographs for Taegeun, and graciously take their leave. Sojeong promises to return, but Hyeondo realizes that he is finally done waiting for her.
After lunch, Sojeong climbs into her car with Hagyeong. When the topic of Yumin comes up, Sojeong explains that she’d love to befriend the kind woman. Hagyeong, thoroughly understanding (she loved Yumin too!), perks up at the idea of a group lunch. Her brief enthusiasm quickly extinguishes when she remembers that the dynamic between her and Yumin, her brother’s ex-girlfriend, was still tense. Sojeong becomes alert at the mention of Yumin’s ex-boyfriend and asks to learn more.
Later, Yumin receives a surprise phone call from someone at work. Subsequently, that evening, she nervously sat at a restaurant… waiting for Iseon to show up. A fist knocks on the table, and Yumin looks up to see her ex-boyfriend smiling down at her, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 29.
Selfish Romance Chapter 30: Love At First Sight
Selfish Romance Chapter 30 begins thirteen years ago when Yumin had glimpsed Iseon, the handsome son of her high school teacher, for the first time. She, like every other girl in the school, had been entranced from the very beginning and swarmed his father, Mr. Kim, with questions to no end.
A few years after high school, Yumin had tiredly collapsed on a bench under the cherry blossoms in a park. Iseon, who was passing by, had noticed her and asked if she was okay. They’d begun chatting, and Iseon had realized that the random girl he approached was coincidentally his father’s old student and also in his college. He’d cheerfully said, “It must be fate.”
In the following days, Yumin grew closer to Iseon and started falling in love. He’d always excuse himself to talk to her- she was his father’s old student after all, and seemed to show extreme kindness towards her. He’d shared all his small secrets, like being annoyed by the attention he received from women, and always paid attention to her. However, Yumin slowly realized that Iseon hadn’t been treating her any differently than he treated all of his father’s ex-students. He was, by nature, a caring and social boy who formed friendships with meaningful deliberation.
Yumin had been heartbroken, thinking, ‘I guess one-sided love always ends this way, but I had hoped for something more…’ One day, she arrived at Mr. Kim’s office to visit him. When she pushed the door open, she chanced upon a shocking sight, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 30.
Selfish Romance Chapter 31: Complicated Intentions
Selfish Romance Chapter 31 begins when Yumin rushes in, flashing back on her own past, to help Mr. Kim. A few days later, Iseon had thanked Yumin for saving his father and hugged her out of gratitude. When Mr. Kim started recovering, Yumin stayed beside him at the hospital. But her intentions weren’t as pure as everyone thought. She’d selfishly planned to use Mr. Kim’s situation to become closer to Iseon and make him fall in love with her.
Despite her true motives, Yumin had spent the next year sitting with Mr. Kim and helping Hagyeong ace a college exam. He’d quickly recovered, and unfortunately, nothing had changed between her and Iseon. Very soon, their graduation began to creep closer. Yumin had wandered to the same bench where she ran into Iseon, brooding over the fleeting moments she had with him before they split ways after college. Once again, Iseon had coincidentally appeared beside her in the park. And despite the fact that he had never been attracted to her, Iseon had asked Yumin out.
Yumin had known that he did care about her romantically, but had been confident she could change his heart. As the years passed, Iseon had grown to love her, but still never felt an ounce of attraction.
In the present, Yumin calmly sips her drink in front of Iseon. However, her mind wildly races with all the possibilities of what he’d say to her. When Iseon mentions that he’d previously seen her at a restaurant, Yumin suddenly realizes that her ridiculous ‘let’s fake a relationship!’ plan with Hyeondo had worked. She thinks about how shocked he might be when she tells him. Selfish Romance Chapter 31 concludes as Iseon tells her that he’d love to be friends.
Selfish Romance Chapter 32: Hyeondo Can’t Be Friends
Selfish Romance Chapter 32 begins as Hyeondo, who had been thinking about making lunch for Yumin, meets up with an old friend. Hyeondo explains his mixed feelings about Sojeong after their breakup: he loved her then and thought she loved him back, but now he wasn’t sure. Hyeondo’s friend expresses his disapproval of the way the actress treated him after gaining fame. She’d sidelined him and made him her personal prize, something only to be admired, of sorts.
When Hyeondo thinks about the way Yumin was treated by Iseon, he begins to sympathize with his friend’s perspective. He immediately realizes that something’s up and figures out that Hyeondo had a new female friend. When Hyeondo begins to shyly talk about the hard-working, social, and honest woman he’d befriended, his friend calls him out. “I know you. There’s no way you could just be her friend!” Hyeondo ignores the comment and tells him about Yumin’s situation with her ex. There was no way she even noticed him.
The next night, Yumin plans to meet up with Hyeondo to tell him something important. Waiting for him in the cherry blossoms park, she finds herself amid numerous happy couples, who were all hugging on the benches, sitting on the swings, strolling through the flowers, and grumpily hoping they all break up.
Hyeondo approaches her with a smile, and they fall into step. Cutting to the chase, Yumin tells him that she met her ex, and Hyeondo immediately stops, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 32.
Selfish Romance Chapter 33: When the Undeniable Feelings are Denied
Selfish Romance Chapter 33 begins as Yumin explains the success of their fake relationship to Hyeondo. Unexpectedly, he leans in and impatiently asks her if she has accepted the offer to be friends with her ex.
Yumin flashed back to the night she’d met up with Iseon. Although he’d asked her to just be friends, she surprisingly didn’t feel any strong emotions. Yumin had simply been confused at Iseon’s vague request- he never did anything without a concrete reason- but soon realized that it was all for his father, who missed Yumin’s visits. She’d agreed to be friends with him and decided to use the development as an opportunity.
When Yumin tells Hyeondo, he grills her about the impulsive decision. She still had feelings for Iseon and could never be just friends. Now her actions would lead her back to square one- a girl who had an unrequited crush on a friend. “Doesn’t that make you feel even more pathetic?” he angrily says.
How to Earn Forgiveness 101
After a brief pause, Hyeondo realizes the gravity of his vicious words and instantly begins to apologize. Yumin furiously reprimands him for being jealous of the success she had with her ex. Utterly in denial of his own feelings and also extremely oblivious, Hyeondo starts to believe her theory. Why else would he have gotten so worked up?
Since Yumin was reluctant to grant him forgiveness, Hyeondo fell onto his knees in front of her. Moved by the extreme gesture, Yumin embarrassingly helps him up and decides to forgive him. But there were a few conditions. First, Hyeondo would cook something of her choice and deliver it to her office. Second, she’d film him riding a bike for the first time.
Hyeondo clumsily wheels a cycle around the park, and Yumin begins to soften after noticing his sincerity. Suddenly, a small dog runs in front of Hyeondo’s cycle, causing him to crash to the ground. The owner of the puppy immediately runs to help and profusely apologizes for letting his dog run loose. Hyeondo, still facedown on the floor, doesn’t move to get up. Was he too injured? No. Was he too embarrassed about his lack of control over a bicycle to show his face? Bingo.
Once the dog owner leaves, Yumin tells him to get up. Slowly, Hyeondo lifts his head but still covers his face with an arm. Yumin impatiently swats it away and notices a small gash on his chin. She worriedly tilts his face up to look at the cut, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 32.
Selfish Romance Chapter 34: Yes, I’m Definitely Sick
Selfish Romance Chapter 34 begins as Yumin wonders where to get first aid, while Hyeondo lifts her hands away from his face. Flustered, Yumin suddenly realizes that she’d accidentally touched him in her concern. Hyeondo quietly decides to head home instead, and Yumin awkwardly follows after him.
The next day, Yumin volunteers to visit Hyeondo’s restaurant during the office lunch break, even though it is too far, but fails to strike up more than a brief conversation with him. In the next few days, Hyeondo begins to avoid Yumin by ignoring her texts and refusing to meet.
While having dinner with Jihui one evening, Taegeun tells Yumin about Hyeondo’s restaurant losing popularity. Yumin excuses herself and calls Hyeondo, knowing that he was avoiding her. He couldn’t be that busy. She tells him that she’d left Jihui and Taegeun because she hadn’t been feeling well, and Hyeondo uses that same excuse for not replying to her texts. He had too much on his mind. Yumin decides to believe him and briefly goes to work before returning home.
At her doorstep, she finds a small care package- filled with medicine and tea- left by Hyeondo. She runs to catch him before he leaves the vicinity, and asks him why he hadn’t stopped to meet her, concluding Selfish Romance Chapter 34.
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