Chapter 5
So he had the nerve to say he had a favor to ask.
Even without hearing it, it was obvious the request would be absurd.
Something improper—like suggesting they spend the night together.
“What kind of favor?”
Ga-eun deliberately asked in a crooked tone as she quietly turned on the recording function on her phone.
If Seokjin said anything inappropriate, she planned to keep the recording as evidence and report him to the police.
As expected, it seemed to be a request difficult to voice. Seokjin’s mouth showed no sign of opening.
If he dared say anything indecent, Ga-eun was ready to twist around and slap him across the face.
“Um…”
“Go ahead.”
“Well… perhaps…”
“No thanks.”
Ga-eun rejected him instantly without even hearing the request.
A man who was the president of Jushin Retail asking a favor from someone like her? Whatever it was, it was bound to be abnormal.
She had no desire to dirty her ears with something unpleasant.
“…Please at least hear me out.”
“I said I won’t.”
“Could you listen first and decide afterward?”
“I don’t even want to hear it.”
Ga-eun spoke firmly.
If she listened and rejected the strange request, she might end up learning yet another secret about Seokjin—on top of that ridiculous “wife interview.”
And once she knew something like that, her peaceful life might become a complete mess.
As Ga-eun stubbornly refused to listen, Seokjin’s face gradually reddened with embarrassment.
As if making up his mind, he inhaled deeply and let the breath out.
“Ms. Oh Ga-eun.”
The way he called her name sounded oddly desperate, and Ga-eun turned her head slightly toward him.
“…I’m sorry, but could you lend me some money?”
Ga-eun doubted her ears.
Right now, the mighty Joo Seokjin—the president of Jushin Retail—was asking her, an unemployed woman, to lend him money.
Does that even make sense?
Seeing her suspicious gaze, Seokjin calmly explained his situation.
“I accidentally left the money I exchanged behind.”
“Don’t you have a card?”
“I don’t carry one when I travel.”
“What? How can you not bring a card when you travel? What if something happens? Are you just that bold, or do you have no—… Ah, forget what I just said.”
She said she’d take it back, but inwardly Ga-eun still thought he was completely thoughtless.
How could someone go on a trip without preparing any backup plan? It was beyond her comprehension.
Even if an ordinary person did that it would be ridiculous, but the president of a company being this careless?
A penniless chaebol?
Was this another test of hers? The whole situation felt unbelievable.
“I’ll repay you immediately when we return to Korea.”
“Do you really think it makes sense for a chaebol to ask me for money?”
“Please.”
His eyes were serious. He wasn’t lying.
And unlike their first meeting—when he had been full of confidence—Seokjin now looked thoroughly subdued. That alone proved the situation was real.
Ga-eun quietly calculated the money she had.
The cash she’d exchanged and the remaining balance in her debit card account.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to lend it.
His identity was guaranteed, and if it was someone like Joo Seokjin, he might even return double the amount she lent. From a business perspective, it wouldn’t be a loss.
But Ga-eun wasn’t wealthy enough to lend money without hesitation.
“I’d like to help you, but…”
Seokjin’s eyes seemed to sparkle with hope.
If I crush that hope again right away, how much will he resent me?
“President Joo, you probably looked into me a little, right? Then you know I don’t have money. I scraped together everything I had for this trip, thinking it’d be the last luxury of my life.”
“Yes.”
“If I lend you money, things will get too tight for me… but there’s one possible solution. If you’re okay with it.”
Ga-eun decided to offer an alternative.
“What is it?”
“How about we match our schedules and travel together?”
For a moment, Seokjin said nothing.
“If that’s uncomfortable, it can’t be helped. Honestly, the best option would probably be to call your secretary and have them come—”
“Let’s go with traveling together.”
Even after he agreed so easily, Ga-eun still couldn’t understand him.
Why make such a simple matter complicated when he could just call his secretary?
Still, having someone with her was better than traveling alone. Thinking that, Ga-eun deliberately curled the corners of her lips upward.
“I’m flying back Tuesday evening. What about you, President Joo?”
“Same here.”
“Wait… really?”
“Looks like we’re on the same flight.”
“That’s a relief. Then shall we compare schedules?”
Since she’d decided to travel with him, she couldn’t insist on following only her own itinerary.
“Sure.”
“I’m staying at the T Hotel near Asok Station. What about you?”
“I’m staying there as well.”
“Wow, the flight and the hotel are the same—”
The coincidences felt a little too perfect, and Ga-eun suddenly grew uneasy.
“What is it?” Seokjin asked.
“Well… just wondering.”
“Yes?”
“Do you… happen to do hacking?”
It could have been a scheme by President Joo, who had supposedly fallen for her at first sight.
After all, the day she’d dressed up for the interview and put extra effort into her makeup, she had to admit she’d looked pretty amazing.
“I don’t.”
“I just wondered if you somehow found out what I booked and matched your plans to mine.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“I’m joking! Don’t you know what a joke is?”
Embarrassed for jumping to conclusions, Ga-eun forced out a loud laugh.
“I’m not particularly fond of jokes.”
“Yeah, I can tell just by looking at you. Anyway, I originally planned to get a massage every day, but since I suddenly have to feed you too, I guess I’ll cut it down to two massages instead.”
“…I see.”
“You’re supposed to say you’re sorry at times like this. Why? Because I’m making a sacrifice for you.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“If you’re sorry, then maybe help me get a job—”
Since she was already lending him money, Ga-eun decided to be a little shameless.
If he was the president of Jushin Retail, slipping someone like her into a job should be easy.
“I do not accept employment requests.”
“I was joking.”
“I told you I don’t like jokes.”
She had said it casually, but his serious reaction suggested he had realized she wasn’t entirely joking.
“Okay, okay. Got it. So where were you planning to go, President Joo?”
“I was just going to wander around.”
He was about to take out the notebook from his backpack that contained his travel plans, but then he put it back.
Since he was the one asking a favor, he didn’t want to burden her by revealing his itinerary. He wanted to minimize the chance of interfering with her plans.
“You look like someone extremely organized, but surprisingly you have no plan at all.”
“I was planning to rest at the hotel the whole time.”
“If you spent this much money to come here, you should see, hear, taste, and enjoy as much as possible. I’m going to Asiatique, Wat Arun, a rooftop bar, Khao San Road…”
She had also planned to buy underwear.
Originally she intended to buy just one set, but if she was traveling with Seokjin she would have to give up that little luxury.
When he paid her back in Korea later, she could just buy it from a store then. With that thought, Ga-eun mentally erased the lingerie shop from her itinerary.
“That sounds like a great schedule.”
“Of course. I picked all the famous places.”
“Then I’ll be in your care.”
“You’re not allowed to complain.”
“Of course not.”
“Then shall we shake hands? To celebrate getting along well.”
Ga-eun extended her hand first.
“Please take care of me.”
Seokjin said as he took her hand.
After the awkward handshake, Ga-eun checked the remaining flight time and closed her eyes for a moment.
She could get along with anyone without trouble, but she was worried about Seokjin.
From the way he’d cut off contact with his secretary, it seemed he had wanted to enjoy a quiet vacation alone without telling anyone. She wondered whether he’d really be able to handle being stuck with her because of money.
“Ms. Oh Ga-eun.”
At the sound of her name, she slowly opened her eyes.
“The in-flight meal has arrived.”
The moment she heard the words in-flight meal, Ga-eun nearly lit up with excitement.
“Oh! When did they bring this?”
“While you had your eyes closed.”
“I’m so excited!”
“Enjoy your meal.”
But the moment Ga-eun looked at the food on the tray, her face stiffened.
It was far below what she had imagined.
“Why that expression?” Seokjin asked.
“Wow, I wasn’t expecting caviar or anything, but I thought it’d be amazing. But it’s just fish.”
“It’s still a course meal.”
“If I’d known this, I would’ve ordered the Korean meal!”
“Is it that disappointing?”
“Very.”
She was truly disappointed.
The bread wasn’t even moist, and the cheese gave off a faint musty smell.
Ga-eun had intended to take pictures, but her enthusiasm had already completely vanished.
“You seemed to have had very high expectations for airplane food.”
“But this is business class.”
“There isn’t much difference between economy and business.”
At his words, Ga-eun frowned and took a bite of the salad first.
The spices left an awkward, bland flavor—neither good nor bad.
She hadn’t known salad could taste bad.
“If I’d known this, I would’ve eaten a bowl of gukbap at the airport.”
“If it doesn’t suit your taste, would you like to switch?”
Ga-eun glanced at Seokjin’s tray.
But aside from the main dish, his meal didn’t look much different.
“It’s fine. As soon as we get to the hotel, I’ll unpack and go eat tom yum goong.”
She said, putting her fork down.
Then, after pouting for a moment, she picked the fork up again.
No matter how she thought about it, it felt like a waste not to eat it.
Convincing herself that maybe her taste buds were just too used to cheap food, Ga-eun forced a delighted expression and began eating again.
“Ms. Ga-eun, don’t force yourself.”
“It’s delicious! Oh my, how could it be this delicious?”
“If you keep forcing yourself like that, you’ll get sick.”
Seokjin gently took the fork from her hand and set it down. Then he called a flight attendant and ordered apple juice.
“Have some juice first.”
The flight attendant soon brought it, and Seokjin handed it to her.
“And the meal with the caviar you mentioned—I’ll treat you to one when we return to Korea.”
“Forget the meal. Just pay me back quickly. If people see me eating with you and strange rumors start spreading… ugh.”
The mere thought of it was horrifying.
