ARHS C9

Chapter 9

Perhaps because she had drunk a few more glasses of champagne while playing chess, Somin felt her face growing warm. Wanting some fresh air, she stepped out onto the terrace.

She liked it immediately because it was the terrace in the far corner, quiet and secluded. She inhaled the cold night air deeply and let it out again.

Only now did the heavy scent of perfume that had been clinging to her throughout the chess game begin to fade.

“Just how much perfume did they put on?”

Determined to clear the lingering scent from her lungs, Somin repeatedly inhaled and exhaled deeply. Between the currents of cold air, the faint scent of trees filling the garden drifted in. She stopped her deep breathing and relaxed her shoulders, which had been tense the whole time.

Somin looked out over the garden. The trees were trimmed to identical heights as if measured with a ruler, and rows of unfamiliar flowers were planted in neat lines according to their colors. It was certainly a well-kept garden, but it looked overly artificial.

Soon losing interest in the view, Somin fell into her thoughts.

Considering how tense she had been about attending a party held in a place nicknamed the Tiger’s Den, the atmosphere had turned out to be fairly ordinary. Since the host of this lavish celebration for a 30th wedding anniversary was Chairman Jin of the JR Group, many of the attendees were people she had previously seen only in economic newspapers.

Some came with their spouses, but quite a few had brought their lovers instead.

There were even those who had openly brought actresses they sponsored.

Thinking about it now made her laugh.

This was the Tiger’s Den that even Assemblyman Ryu—who had been elected three times—couldn’t enter, yet actresses supported by chaebol patrons could freely walk in.

“So there’s nothing special about it.”

Leaning against the terrace railing, Somin gave a wry smile.

“Parties like this are usually nothing special.”

At the unfamiliar voice, Somin straightened her posture.

A pale, unfamiliar man approached her.

“If you’re bored, want to leave with me?”

Seeing someone trying to pick someone up even at a party like this reminded her that people were the same everywhere.

“Who are you?”

“Don’t be so guarded. I’m Chris’s college friend. My name is Seo Minjae. And you are?”

The kind of thing someone would do in any club…

Just from the fact that he was trying this on someone who had come as Chris’s partner, Somin could tell he was someone to avoid.

“I’m Chris’s girlfriend.”

“Pfft.”

Minjae burst out laughing.

It was clearly mocking.

Jin Ah-young had been like that, and this man named Seo Minjae was just as blunt.

Still laughing, Minjae slowly looked Somin up and down.

“How much did you get?”

That was beyond honesty—it was outright rude.

Somin frowned slightly.

“What?”

“Did you get paid per day? Or something else? Stocks maybe?”

After firing off incomprehensible questions, Minjae’s smile vanished.

“Anyone who knows Chris knows he’s aromantic and asexual. He’s famous for it.”

Despite Somin’s tearful performance, it seemed no one actually believed she and Chris were a couple.

Chris had clearly failed to anticipate that.

But she couldn’t exactly confess that their relationship was fake.

“Everyone seems very interested in my boyfriend.”

“You’re putting up quite a wall. Guess you got paid a lot.”

I didn’t.

Sure, it was fake—but she hadn’t been paid.

If she had at least been paid for this, it wouldn’t feel so unfair.

But she couldn’t reveal that she was doing this because Chris had leverage over her.

Somin bit her lip.

“Let’s say you really are Chris’s girlfriend… although…”

The man spoke strangely—disorganized and rude.

Well, there was consistency in one thing: he was convinced she was fake and openly mocking her.

“How do you explain that, then?”

He pointed in one direction with the index finger of the hand not holding champagne. Reluctantly, Somin followed his gaze.

And froze.

The man standing face-to-face with Jin Ah-young was Chris.

They were on the terrace as well. Chris had his back to where Somin stood, but Ah-young was facing her.

As if proving that, even from the distance, Ah-young’s eyes met Somin’s.

When Ah-young realized Somin was watching, the corner of her lips lifted in a crooked smile.

Then, as if making a decision, Ah-young wrapped her arms around Chris’s neck and leaned into him.

Without realizing it, Somin turned her body away.

“Even that surprised look… you’re quite the actress. Are you an actress? Maybe sponsored by Chris?”

The man’s sarcasm became even more blatant.

Seeing the man she claimed was her boyfriend embracing another woman right in front of her—of course she looked ridiculous.

Somin tried to turn away again to avoid Minjae’s face, but stopped.

If she turned, she’d see Chris and Ah-young again.

Whether they were still hugging or doing something worse, she didn’t want to see it.

But she couldn’t push past Minjae and go back inside either. Perhaps intentionally blocking her path, Minjae was leaning against the glass door.

Turning her back to him felt dangerous—she didn’t know what he might do.

She was trapped.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re my type.”

At the absurd reply, Somin scowled.

What kind of man treats a woman he likes this rudely?

As if her expression didn’t matter, Minjae pulled out a business card and held it out.

“Call me when you’re done pretending to be Chris’s girlfriend. Even if I scrub my eyes and look again… you’re definitely not Chris’s type. But you’re definitely mine.”

“Excuse me.”

“And you’d better disappear from Chris’s side soon.”

When Somin made no move to take the card, Minjae forced it into her hand.

“Make sure you call.”

Miming a phone call with one hand, he walked away.

“Unbelievable. So I’m that trash’s type, but not Chris’s?”

Ignoring everything else, that comment bothered her the most.

Earlier, Jin Ah-young had called Somin “just anyone.”

“I’m not exactly unattractive, you know. And my family…”

Somin stopped mid-sentence.

Horrified by what she had almost said next.

She had nearly claimed to be the daughter of Assemblyman Ryu In-ho.

Even though it was fake, she had unconsciously started speaking as if the identity created by her adoptive parents were real.

Somehow, she had already adapted to the cage they had built around her—the very people she despised.

The realization made her skin crawl.

“Get a grip.”

Somin slapped both cheeks lightly with her hands.

“I’ve picked up some bad habits.”

The lace curtains fluttering in the wind suddenly settled, and Chris appeared as if by magic. No matter what he did, his presence was overwhelming.

The faint but obvious scent of perfume around him was irritating.

“Self-abuse becomes a disease if it goes that far.”

“I was just trying to sober up.”

“Did you enjoy the game?”

“Yes. It was fun.”

“You said you only knew the rules, but I heard you won all three games easily. They said you seemed defensive, but your attacks were quite sharp.”

Even though he hadn’t been there, he knew the results of the chess games. He must have heard it from the woman he had been hugging earlier.

“I thought about going easy on them, but then I wondered why I should.”

“Good.”

Hearing his praise felt strangely unsettling.

She truly couldn’t understand the man standing before her.

If everyone knew he was aromantic and asexual, why had he created a fake girlfriend and brought her to this party?

A perceptive man like him couldn’t possibly have failed to predict how Somin would be treated here by Ah-young and Minjae.

He had even let her see him hugging Jin Ah-young.

Was this revenge?

In such a petty way?

When Somin only stared silently, Chris stepped closer.

“Don’t tell me that look in your eyes is the loving gaze of a girlfriend?”

“‘Wanting to kill you’ would be more accurate than ‘loving.’”

Chris laughed soundlessly.

“The way you glare like you want to kill me is far more attractive than that lovely smile earlier.”

His taste really was far removed from common sense.

Somin shook her head lightly and turned away.

Inside, Minjae was watching them, and their eyes met.

When she turned the other way, Jin Ah-young was staring at her as if she wanted to kill her.

They weren’t the only ones filled with suspicion.

Everyone at the party seemed to be thinking the same thing:

How could someone like you possibly be Chris’s girlfriend?

Whether it was the champagne or the humiliating looks that had followed her throughout the party, Somin suddenly had a reckless thought.

“Earlier, you said I should stay quiet no matter what you do, right?”

“Probably.”

Chris nodded slightly.

Somin looked around to check where they stood. They were in a place clearly visible to the people watching them.

Fortunately, there was no need to move.

If only the man standing before her cooperated, she could completely fool everyone at the party.

“Then no matter what I do to you… stay still.”

“What?”

Somin stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Chris.

Raising her arms, she looped them around his neck and moved even closer.

Watching the dark eyes beneath his thick lashes flicker, Somin pressed her face close to his.