Chapter 4
Cold sweat trickled down Ga-eun’s back.
Seokjin’s expression looked like that of someone toying with a test subject who had just been caught in a trap.
So what if a distinguished man wants to hold a bride interview? Why glare at me like you’re about to kill someone just because I mentioned it?
Damn it. If she’d known it would turn out like this, she would’ve worn high heels no matter how uncomfortable they were.
Ga-eun quickly searched her mind for anything she could use as a weapon.
Ah. My phone.
Her hands moved faster than ever before as she stripped off the bumper case—a case she had never once removed since buying the phone, afraid the body might get scratched.
“I didn’t mean to—”
Planning to smack him over the head and bolt, Ga-eun raised her phone high.
But before the corner of the phone could crash into Seokjin’s head, he caught her wrist.
“You were trying to hit me just now, weren’t you?”
Honest to a fault, Ga-eun nodded.
“Why?”
“…Because otherwise President Joo would get rid of me.”
“Why would I get rid of Ms. Oh Ga-eun?”
“You were fishing earlier. Talking about bride interviews and all that.”
“I didn’t say that first. Weren’t you the one who started talking about it?”
Now that she thought about it, he was right.
He hadn’t said anything—she had been the one to spill it all on her own.
Not even ten minutes after settling into the business-class seat, Ga-eun was already regretting it. If she had known Joo Seokjin would be here, she would never have splurged on business class in the first place.
First, she had to make it clear to him that she intended to keep the secret.
“I really haven’t told anyone except you, President Joo.”
“I believe you.”
“I swear I’ll take the secret to my grave, so please just leave me alone.”
“Who’s touching you?”
“You’re going to keep an eye on me in case I spread rumors, and if I do anything suspicious you’ll eliminate me, right?”
Seokjin, who had been looking at her like she was speaking nonsense, slightly furrowed his brow.
“Ms. Oh Ga-eun, you seem to enjoy wild fantasies.”
“Fantasies?”
“I’m not someone with enough free time to indulge your imagination.”
“Well… if that’s the case, then… thank you, I guess.”
Embarrassed, Ga-eun scratched the back of her neck and avoided his gaze.
A moment later, when she glanced over again, Seokjin had already returned to reading his newspaper.
The plane had taken off. There was nowhere to escape now. She would have to sit beside him like this for a long time.
It was an afternoon flight, so she wasn’t sleepy. More than anything, the excitement of riding business class for the first time made her eyes sparkle brighter than ever.
She tried to look away, but boredom kept pulling her gaze back to him.
He’s probably going to Bangkok on a business trip.
If that’s the case, then I win. I’m going there to have fun.
Feeling a pointless sense of victory, Ga-eun stifled a giggle.
Seokjin turned his head when he noticed her.
“Ah… I just felt like laughing. Looks like you’re going on a business trip.”
“It’s a vacation.”
Ah. A tie.
President Joo Seokjin was also on vacation.
“Me too. A vacation.”
Though, ever since meeting him, it had felt like one long, forced vacation…
Just as the conversation died and the atmosphere grew awkward, a flight attendant approached.
Judging by the words beef and seafood meal, she seemed to be asking which in-flight meal they preferred.
Ga-eun lightly tapped Seokjin’s arm.
“What did you choose?”
“I’ll have the seafood meal.”
“Then could you tell her I’ll take the beef?”
“Two beef meals, please.”
Startled by Seokjin’s reply, Ga-eun hurriedly raised her hand.
“Excuse me! Seafood meal, please!”
Seeing the flight attendant smile and say “Yes,” Ga-eun relaxed and lowered her hand.
“Didn’t you say beef?”
“I only said that because you chose fish, President Joo. If you had picked beef, I would’ve asked for fish.”
“Why?”
“Because this is business class!”
“So?”
She hadn’t expected him to understand, but she also hadn’t imagined he’d fail to understand this badly.
Since she was in business class, she wanted to enjoy everything available here—food, drinks, all of it.
Especially the different types of in-flight meals. She planned to take photos of them all and save them.
So that when she felt depressed, she could look at them for comfort.
“You probably wouldn’t know, but this is the first time in my life I’ve ever ridden business class. So I want to see, enjoy, and taste everything they offer here.”
“Go ahead.”
“I have limits on my own… so please help me.”
“Why should I?”
“….”
She had no answer.
As he said, Seokjin had absolutely no reason to help her.
Then suddenly she remembered what had happened at the hotel lounge.
“As payment for keeping your secret.”
Originally she had demanded 100,000 won, but since neither President Joo nor that Secretary Tak had that much cash, she had only received 5,000 won. She planned to use that as leverage.
“You said you’d keep it.”
“I accepted 95,000 won less for the confidentiality fee. If you help me taste various things—from the meals to the drinks—I’ll forgive that remaining 95,000.”
“…If there’s something you want, just call the flight attendant and ask.”
“How can I keep asking like that? It’s embarrassing.”
Even if it was free, she still had some shame. She didn’t have the courage to ask for every drink on the menu.
“I’ll give you the 95,000 won.”
With a sigh, Seokjin reached for the wallet in his back pocket.
“I left my wallet.”
He muttered to himself before standing and pulling down the backpack he had placed in the overhead compartment.
Apparently he’d rather compensate her with money than grant the petty request of ordering a few different drinks.
“Huh?”
As he unzipped his bag and searched inside, Seokjin’s face gradually darkened with confusion.
“Please give me the 95,000 won.”
Ga-eun held out both hands toward him.
Since he had offered, there was no reason to refuse.
Especially now that she was unemployed—every coin mattered.
“…I’ll help you.”
“If you had just agreed from the start, we could’ve avoided all this awkwardness. Okay then—I’ll order Chang beer, so President Joo, you order Tiger beer.”
Deciding to start with beer, Ga-eun quickly nudged his side with her elbow.
She expected him to tell her to call the attendant, but surprisingly, Seokjin obediently signaled the flight attendant and ordered the beers.
Ga-eun cracked open her can, which came with a small bowl of nuts, and took a refreshing gulp.
“Ahh! Aren’t you drinking?”
“I’m not fond of alcohol.”
“Ah, I see. People like you probably drink wine. I’ll get drunk if I finish all this, so it’s okay if I just have a little bit, right?”
“Do as you like.”
Seokjin’s face remained cold, as if he had no intention of conversing with an unemployed nobody like her.
“I’m only asking because it’s my first time in business class. You’ve probably flown like this a lot. Or maybe you only take first class?”
“Just drink as much as you want.”
“Ah, yes, yes. Thank you for your invaluable guidance.”
With an awkward expression, Ga-eun nodded and picked up the other brand of beer sitting in front of Seokjin.
“Wait.”
Seokjin suddenly grabbed the can, wrapped the lid with a handkerchief from his back pocket, and opened it.
Wondering why he was suddenly being so considerate, Ga-eun eyed him suspiciously.
“Go ahead.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“…Just because I felt like it.”
He placed the opened beer can on her tray table.
Staring at it, Ga-eun simply swallowed.
For some reason, she felt certain it wasn’t just beer.
“I usually don’t drink things people give me.”
She pushed the can back toward Seokjin.
Seeing his startled expression, her suspicion solidified into certainty.
There must’ve been something on that handkerchief.
“Didn’t you ask me to help you earlier?”
“Oh, it’s fine. On second thought, I realize I was incredibly rude to ask a stranger like that.”
“We’re not strangers.”
“Let’s just focus on minding our own business. It seems like President Joo and I aren’t the kind of people who should even be sharing the same space.”
“May I ask why your thoughts changed so drastically in less than a minute?”
Why do you think?
Because you’re suspicious.
Maybe it was because she watched too many movies, but there was no harm in being cautious.
“I’m the type whose moods change like boiling porridge.”
“That’s troublesome.”
At Seokjin’s comment, Ga-eun’s imagination began branching out at alarming speed.
Was he saying things would’ve been easier if I’d drunk the beer and passed out?
“My head’s too clear right now—that’s the problem. Ugh, maybe I should drop by a Muay Thai gym for some sparring later.”
“You practice Muay Thai?”
“Oh… just as a hobby.”
Muay Thai, my foot.
For the first time, Ga-eun realized how easily a person could lie when survival was on the line.
“Actually, I’m going to take a test to see if I can compete professionally.”
“That’s strange.”
“What is?”
“I was told that Ms. Oh Ga-eun… doesn’t exercise at all.”
“Oh my! Did you run a background check on me? Jusin Retail’s standards are really something…”
“I wasn’t sure whether you would keep the secret. It would be problematic if it became known that I conducted interviews to find a wife.”
“Then why do something you shouldn’t and put me in such an awkward position?”
Ga-eun genuinely couldn’t understand.
What exactly was lacking in President Joo Seokjin that he needed to interview women to marry him?
His looks were exceptional—beyond merely handsome—and he was wealthy too.
So what could possibly be the problem?
Wait…
Ga-eun’s gaze slowly drifted down toward the space between Seokjin’s thighs.
“There are circumstances.”
“…Circumstances you can’t talk about, right? I understand. Still, if you meet a woman you truly love, I’m sure you’ll overcome that… defect.”
“Defect?”
“Maybe you should try relying on the power of modern medicine…”
“Ms. Oh Ga-eun.”
Seokjin’s voice had turned icy.
Ga-eun flinched.
By the time she realized she had crossed the line, it was already far too late.
Should she quickly apologize?
“A moment ago at the airport, you said that place—wherever it may be—is actually very big.”
A very big… man?
Regardless of wealth, a man’s pride was truly astonishing.
Wait—did that mean he had overheard what she said at the airport earlier?
Don’t tell me he’s been following me since the airport.
Was this all planned?
Strangely enough, there hadn’t been any other passengers in business class besides her and President Joo.
“….”
“So, about that—may I ask you for a favor?”
