1.1

“I’m against that relationship.”

Chaeyoon told her friend, Joo-eun, who had just started a relationship and seemed to have all the happiness in the world.

Joo-eun, despite her bubbly personality and occasional lack of tact, was cute and a bit of a hothead who had been Chaeyoon’s best friend for 15 years.

“Why?”

Joo-eun looked at Chaeyoon with a betrayed expression.

“I don’t want to watch a soap opera drama unfold right in front of my eyes.” 

Chaeyoon said it bluntly. It was expected of her to react this way.

Joo-eun was the child of a conglomerate family, and the parents of the person she was currently dating used to be servants in Joo-eun’s house just a few years ago. Her father was the head butler, and her mother was in charge of the kitchen.

Realistically, there were plenty of reasons for them to meet. It wasn’t easy to develop feelings for each other when a young man and woman, living under the same roof, encountered each other frequently and couldn’t avoid bickering.

The daughter of a chaebol and the son of the servants. What could be more dramatic than this?

“What’s the big deal? It’s not like we’re getting married; it’s just a few months of dating. We can date secretly.” 

Unlike the serious Chaeyoon, Joo-eun had an endlessly casual attitude, as if it were no big deal.

“Why bother dating for a few months only to break up?” 

Chaeyoon asked seriously.

“Then should I just get married without ever experiencing a relationship like this? Next year, I’ll be getting married for sure.”

Although her partner hadn’t been finalized yet, as the daughter of a conglomerate family, an arranged marriage was waiting in the wings. Joo-eun had endured a year and a half after graduating from college, but now she had reached her limit.

“I can’t get married like this. I absolutely can’t. I’ll date Seokhyun-oppa for a few months at least.

Joo-eun pouted her lips and lifted her chin. It was a gesture she always made when she was being stubborn.

“That makes it worse. You’ve had a crush on him for a long time. Do you really think you can break up with him easily?” 

“Yeah. I can.”

Joo-eun said it bluntly. At times like this, she seemed selfish and calculated, just like the daughter of a conglomerate.

“So, Seokhyun-oppa really agreed to this absurd relationship?”

“That’s right. He’s going to date me.”

“Ugh. Why would Seokhyun-oppa do that?”

Chaeyoon sighed involuntarily.

Joo-eun had confessed to Seokhyun since they were in high school, and Seokhyun had always rejected her with a warm smile, saying, “You’re like a little sister to me.” 

But now, he has accepted this relationship?

“He knows too that this is our last chance to date. If I get married and then meet him, it’s adultery. Neither he nor I think that’s right.”

The sight of Joo-eun drinking a beer with a bitter smile on her face was truly forlorn.

Chaeyoon dropped her hardline demeanor and took a step back.

“Then do it without getting caught. If you two are caught dating and they decide to separate you, don’t create trouble for your families.”

“Haha, don’t worry. If we get caught, I’ll tell Oppa that he’ll get compensation in exchange for staying away from me.”

“What? How can you even think like that?”

“It’s a matter of perspective, and there are plenty of people who approach me with the intention of getting compensation.”

Joo-eun’s expression was genuinely cheerful.

“You think Seokhyun-oppa’s like those swindlers? He’s capable enough to not need to resort to that. Just let him be. And don’t get caught under any circumstances. Got it?”

Chaeyoon was not from a conglomerate family. Her mother used to work as a secretary for Joo-eun’s mother, a chaebol wife, and that’s how Chaeyoon became friends with Joo-eun.

She’s seen the inner workings of their lives and the inequality that exists within them. She also knows how chaebol families destroy lovers of children they don’t like.

Even though her friend was from a conglomerate, she couldn’t help but empathize with ordinary people. So, Chaeyoon had repeatedly advised that they should be kind to each other. This was the biggest compromise she could make.

“That’s why you need to help me.”

Joo-eun smiled warmly and looked at Chaeyoon.

“No thanks. Leave me out of it. And I’m going to study abroad soon.”

“I’m not asking for a big deal. I just need an alibi from time to time until you leave.”

Joo-eun smiled innocently, oblivious to how terrifying her words were.

“What if we get caught? I might not be able to go study abroad.”

“Oh, my mom believes in you like a rock. She has no idea how good you are at lying. You have two faces, Chaeyoon.”

“Unlike you, I’m not a chaebol’s daughter, so I have to behave well. Don’t sell me short.”

“I know. And you love me so much, you’ll be my shield again this time, right? Hehe.”

“Ugh.”

Chaeyoon couldn’t argue and just rolled her eyes. It was the truth. Despite being generally naive, sometimes impulsive, and often lacking in a solid plan, Joo-eun’s actions were still endearing.

“Alright, it’s your turn now.”

Joo-eun looked up at Chaeyoon with a twinkle in her eye.

“What?”

“Now that you know my secret, it’s your turn to spill.”

“You’re the one who blurted out your secret. I’ve never been curious about your relationship at all.”

“Still, if there’s one thing going, there should be one thing coming, so tell me.”

Joo-eun hugged Chaeyoon tightly and swayed back and forth.

“There’s nothing to spill.”

“But you must have someone you’re interested in, right? Even if it’s not a guy, maybe a girl?”

“Are you crazy? I’m into guys.”

“Right, guys. So there’s a guy you’re interested in.”

Joo-eun chuckled as if she caught Chaeyoon red-handed, flicking her finger.

Chaeyoon looked at Joo-eun with a disapproving look. Joo-eun was a hundred shades of shrewd at times like this.

“….”

“Right? There is, isn’t there?”

Joo-eun jumped to her feet and nudged Chaeyoon.

“Who is it? Come on, tell me.”

After hesitating for a while, Chaeyoon was pressured by Joo-eun’s bouncing and nudging.

“It’s not like I’m interested. I just… there’s a guy I’d like to sleep with.”

“Sleep with someone? Wow! So, you have desires after all. I thought you were asexual.”

“I want to be asexual too. Desires are obstacles to success.”

Chaeyoon said, throwing down the can of beer as if it represented desire.

“What a horrible thing to say. Anyway, who is it? You’ve never shown any interest in guys before, but now you want to sleep with someone. Is it someone our age? Or younger? Someone I know? Come on, tell me quickly. I feel like I’m going to die waiting.”

Joo-eun rattled on like a rapper, tapping the floor energetically. She was frantically curious.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

“Who is it?”

“Ugh… Seonho.”

Chaeyoon finally blurted out under Joo-eun’s relentless urging.