GGAS 13

***

Because he had attended a speed-reading academy as a child, Seo Taerim still retained the ability. In just one hour, he read through hundreds of articles related to the Hau Group. He was already a businessman, so his information network was not weak, and on top of that, after reading hundreds of articles, Seo Taerim now knew all the important news about the Hau Group. In short, he was thoroughly prepared. But Seo Taerim was still nervous. Kim Abang was too much like Kim Abang. He opened a ticketing timer on his computer and, unable to hide his anxiety, tapped his fingers on the desk. Kim Abang would come at exactly twelve o’clock, and there was not much time left.

“Hoo…”

Seo Taerim took a deep breath. At that moment, someone kicked the office door open and came in. Seo Taerim and Chief Kang flinched, thinking Kim Abang had already arrived. But the person who kicked the door open was not Kim Abang, it was the actress Eun Yeonho.

“Ah! Seo Taerim!”

Eun Yeonho threw off the scarf and sunglasses wrapped around her head with dignity. Her long black-blond hair tumbled down in waves, and her sharp catlike face was revealed. As for her, she was an immensely popular actress currently starring in the drama “The Raised Princess” as a cold, tragic princess. She was also Seo Taerim’s childhood friend from way back. Seeing a familiar face, Seo Taerim felt his tension ease.

“Don’t kick the door open.”

Seo Taerim spoke with a slightly more relaxed attitude.

“Is that the problem right now?”

Eun Yeonho exploded in frustration.

“…? Then what’s the problem?”

“Ugh! Don’t you even look at the internet?”

Eun Yeonho calmly held out her phone in front of Seo Taerim.

“Look at this!”

On the phone screen was an online article with the headline, “Actress Eun Yeonho, dating H Hotel’s CEO Seo Taerim.”

“…What is this?”

Seo Taerim frowned for the first time and leaned forward.

“What do you think it is, it’s a crack in my career!”

Eun Yeonho trembled with anger. While Seo Taerim took the phone and read the article carefully, she tore open a new bag of his chrysanthemum tea and gulped it down without even steeping it properly. It seemed her stomach had burned during the rush to the hotel.

“This article… it’s complete nonsense. They’re saying you and I are using couple items, but that towel was the party favor you gave out at your cousin’s baby’s first birthday party.”

Seo Taerim spoke after finishing the article.

“That’s what I’m saying. But everyone believes that ridiculous story. Not just one or two people, every single one! We need to come up with countermeasures right now.”

Eun Yeonho insisted strongly. And so, Seo Taerim, Eun Yeonho, and Chief Kang sat around the table and racked their brains.

“I think the best way is to say you’re already dating someone.”

Chief Kang spoke.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Eun Yeonho agreed. Seo Taerim, on the other hand, was a little doubtful.

“If we say I’m already dating someone, do you have anyone who’ll go along and say they’re dating me?”

Then Eun Yeonho jumped.

“What are you talking about? It’s not me, you’re the one who has to say you’re dating someone!”

“…Me?”

“Yeah, that’s how the scandal gets solved. If I say I’m dating someone else, that’s scandal number two. How do we explain that?”

“But…”

“Hey, what are you worried about? Think about it. The great actress Eun Yeonho has a boyfriend? The whole country would flip. But H Hotel’s CEO has a girlfriend? So what… would the public care? Even your mother probably wouldn’t. Reporters will hover for a day or two at most and then it’ll end.”

“That’s true.”

Chief Kang nodded firmly. Seo Taerim’s pride was a little hurt, but he had to admit every word of Eun Yeonho’s argument was right.

“…Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Yeah, for this sister’s sake, you sacrifice a little.”

After getting Seo Taerim’s definite answer, Eun Yeonho patted his shoulder with a brightened face, as if a weight of several tons had been lifted from her shoulders. But Chief Kang was still deep in worry.

“But who will the boss… pretend to be dating? Will anyone agree to help?”

At Chief Kang’s words, Eun Yeonho tilted her head.

“Friendship is scarce for him. Hey, do you even have friends besides me?”

“Tha…”

Just as Seo Taerim was about to open his mouth to answer, the office door suddenly banged open with a clatter. The three of them turned in surprise toward the sound. A person was sprawled on the floor, carrying on their back a big round bundle that covered them like a turtle shell.

“Ow…”

The fallen person let out a muffled sound, then suddenly lifted his head. He had round, sparkling eyes. He was none other than Kim Abang.

“I’ll do it!”

Kim Abang looked at Seo Taerim with shining eyes and shouted without hesitation.

“…What do you mean?”

Even though he was caught off guard by Kim Abang suddenly volunteering, Seo Taerim asked calmly. Then Kim Abang, still lying on the floor, smiled brightly.

“Pretending to date you, Taerim-ssi! I’ll do it!”

“…What?”

“Please let me! Contract dating is on my bucket list!”

At Kim Abang’s sudden declaration, Seo Taerim’s gaze, which had been feigning composure, shook helplessly. Meanwhile, Eun Yeonho burst out laughing at those words.

“Hahaha!”

As Eun Yeonho laughed joyfully, Kim Abang shifted his gaze from Seo Taerim to her. His eyes were still gleaming.

“I can really do it well!”

Kim Abang appealed brightly. To show his firm determination more effectively, he even clenched his small fist.

“Really? Ah, you’re interesting. You’re saying contract dating is on your bucket list?”

Eun Yeonho looked at Kim Abang with curious eyes and asked.

“Yes!”

Kim Abang answered with a big smile.

“Then is a love triangle on that list too?”

“Wha…!”

Startled, Kim Abang covered his mouth with both hands.

“H-how did you know?”

Hearing that, Eun Yeonho burst out laughing again and couldn’t even answer, she only laughed. Seo Taerim watched her and quietly let out a sigh, then got up and walked over to Kim Abang. He bent down on one knee and reached both hands out in front of the fallen Kim Abang.

“Take my hands.”

“T-Taerim-ssi, what do I do? Did my bucket list leak…?”

Kim Abang grabbed Seo Taerim’s hands as if clutching at salvation and wailed.

“…That can’t be. First, let’s get you up.”

Seo Taerim lifted him up with a movement that was already quite practiced. He now knew how to control his strength, so there was no mishap of Kim Abang falling into his arms. Once on his feet safely, Kim Abang blinked nervously and looked at Seo Taerim.

“Taerim-ssi, could it be I lost my bucket list? I thought I put it well in the secret box…”

“You said you put that box under your bed and haven’t opened it for three years. There’s no way you lost it.”

Seo Taerim spoke.

“But…”

“I’ll bet today’s lunch that you didn’t lose it. And the problem probably isn’t the bucket list.”

“What?”

“I just thought of it too, but did you know if you leave a paper box unattended that long, bugs can start to live in it?”

Kim Abang gasped.

“I-I knew, but I forgot…!”

Seo Taerim wanted to say that forgetting for three years wasn’t forgetting but shoving it to the back of memory. But as always, he didn’t say everything he wanted to say. Strictly speaking, it would have been quite rude, and now was the time to say something else. Yes. He had just thought of it, but this was the perfect chance to naturally send Kim Abang home, under the pretext of bugs and boxes.

“Kim Abang-ssi, I think you should go home and check that box.”

Seo Taerim spoke as if it was very unfortunate.

“If you leave bugs, they’ll keep multiplying.”

With one hand he kindly opened the office door, and with the other he gently pushed Kim Abang’s back.

“Y-yeah, I guess so?”

“Of course. Later you won’t even be able to touch it.”

Imagining a box swarming with so many bugs that he couldn’t even deal with it, Kim Abang unconsciously adjusted the strap of his lunch bundle.

“Th-then I should go home…”

At that moment, Eun Yeonho, who had been watching the situation with a wide smile on her face, spoke up.

“Wait a minute.”

“……?”

Seo Taerim and Kim Abang turned their heads toward Eun Yeonho. Accustomed to people’s gazes, Eun Yeonho rose from her seat with a leisurely attitude and strode across the office on her long legs. Then she stretched out her arm and closed the office door. The lock clicked into place.

“There’s no need to rush that problem.”

When Eun Yeonho smiled kindly without strain, Seo Taerim’s insides squirmed. He had a bad feeling.

“From what I heard the CEO calling you, your name is… Kim Abang-ssi? Did I get it right?”

Eun Yeonho addressed Kim Abang with a gentle tone.

“Yes.”

“You said you’d do a contract relationship with CEO Seo.”

“Yes, but…”

“Good. Why don’t we sit down and talk?”

As expected, it was just like Eun Yeonho. Watching her spoil what had already been settled, Seo Taerim sighed inwardly.

“Um…”

Kim Abang rolled his eyes around as if he was troubled.

“Well… I have something I need to take care of at home right now…”

“I’ll send an express courier to your house, Kim Abang-ssi, so don’t worry about that problem.”

“But…”

“Everyone has things they’re confident in and good at, right? They should do that. Pest control to professionals, contract relationships to professionals.”

Eun Yeonho smiled softly as she spoke. It was the same smile she had used when acting as a lawyer in the past. A friendly smile that gave trust even if you placed your entire fortune in her hands.

“Kim Abang-ssi is a talent overflowing with passion, enough to put contract dating on his bucket list. Right now, we need someone like you.”

At those words, Kim Abang’s eyes wavered.

“You need someone like me…?”

“Yes. We need someone like you, no, we need you, Kim Abang-ssi.”

“I… am needed.”

Seeing Kim Abang’s eyes shining, Seo Taerim was dumbfounded. It was clear Kim Abang had completely fallen for Eun Yeonho’s sweet talk. Eun Yeonho also seemed well aware of that, a smile close to victory hanging on her lips.

“Then, shall we sit down and talk?”

Eun Yeonho asked again, as if to put a final period on the matter.

***

But unexpectedly, drafting the contract was not easy. Chief Kang, who had been racking her brain, ran away for a moment with the excuse of bringing more chrysanthemum tea, and among Eun Yeonho, Seo Taerim, and Kim Abang, none of them had ever written a contract relationship contract before. As for the feeling, it could be handled with Seo Taerim and Kim Abang, and the term could be set until suspicion no longer arose from the mass media, but the detailed clauses after that were the problem. Exactly what and how were they supposed to set it?

“Is it hard to write?”

Chief Kang returned after a long while, opening the office door and asking.

“Even if it’s hard for me, would it be as hard as you raising chrysanthemums, Chief Kang?”

Seo Taerim, hit directly by life’s hardships, snapped at the shameless runaway. But Chief Kang was by no means flustered. She had something to rely on.

“It’s not that I raised chrysanthemums, but I did find something useful. Take a look.”

Chief Kang placed a thick pile of documents on the table as she spoke.

“Will this work?”

Seo Taerim picked up the stack and asked. Chief Kang looked at him as if she was wondering why he was asking something so obvious.

“It’s just as the title says. Contract Relationship Agreement Form.”

“What the… this existed?”

Flustered, Seo Taerim flipped through the documents. What Chief Kang said was true. Clauses related to contract relationships were written in very small letters, filling each page densely. When Seo Taerim looked at Chief Kang with eyes asking for an explanation, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Ah, I didn’t make it. It was something left by my predecessor.”

“Predecessor?”

“Yes. Chief Ha. She left a file saying to open it in case of emergency. I was curious and opened it, and there was something like this.”

Seo Taerim looked at the pile of contracts with uneasy eyes. Chief Ha, who had worked as a secretary before Chief Kang. Ha Bomi was a bit of a strange person. She was good at her work, but she kept trying not to leave after hours and would ask if there was any extra work to do… because such a person had created it, the contents of the contract were a little suspicious. Something like, “If a passerby thinks it looks boring, Party A and Party B must immediately kiss.” It seemed like such a clause could be in there. But Kim Abang seemed to think differently from Seo Taerim.

“Then do I just stamp here?”

At some point, Kim Abang had already dabbed his thumb into red ink and was asking as he opened to the last page.

“Wait!”

Seo Taerim quickly grabbed both of Kim Abang’s arms and lifted them up like he was making him do a cheer.

“You’re going to stamp it without even reading?! What if there’s something strange in the clauses!”

Seo Taerim raised his voice in shock. But Kim Abang, instead, looked at him with pitying eyes.

“Taerim-ssi, why are you so clueless about how the world works? Things like this are supposed to be unfair contracts.”

Kim Abang spoke as if he was coaxing a child. Seo Taerim felt like he was getting a headache.

“No matter… no matter what, let’s read it all before stamping. Let’s each read it separately and then talk again tomorrow. Chief Kang?”

“Yes.”

“Put that document in front of Kim Abang-ssi for away now.”

When Chief Kang took the contract away at Seo Taerim’s order, Kim Abang’s eyes went round.

“But I already dipped my thumb in the ink!”

Kim Abang flapped his restrained arms at Seo Taerim in protest.

“Wipe it off. We have wet tissues.”

“But…!”

Kim Abang flapped his arms again in protest. Seeing the fierce resistance, Seo Taerim thought it was necessary to negotiate.

“If we say we’ll stamp it tomorrow after properly reading it, I’ll allow you to stamp the signature section with your baby rabbit stamp instead of a thumbprint, Kim Abang-ssi.”

At Seo Taerim’s proposal, Kim Abang suddenly stopped flapping his arms.

“Hmm…”

Even though he had already given in, he pretended to be thinking hard, as if he might look bad for changing his words immediately.

“Hoooom…”

Of course, it was clear to Seo Taerim’s eyes that Kim Abang had already been won over and was just stalling for time.

“…It doesn’t have to be red. You can stamp it with any color you like.”

Seo Taerim added another condition. Hitting right at his taste, Kim Abang’s face bloomed with a smile, not caring anymore about pride or anything else.

“Alright!”

“…Chief Kang, give the contract back.”

Chief Kang placed the contract back down on the table. Kim Abang, seemingly in a good mood, tapped his feet and quickly picked it up.

“I’m going to go home, eat chicken, and read it! I’m so excited! This is my first contract relationship!”

Seo Taerim gave his habitual good-looking smile and thought. It’s my first time too.

***