Chapter 28. Physical Contact by Mutual Agreement  

Yerin looked at Lee Hyun with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.  

Lee Hyun leaned forward slightly and began to speak.  

“I’m a businessman.”  

Although Yerin hadn’t worked under him for long, Lee Hyun was already well-known as an indispensable figure in the Jiseok Group.  

Every project he touched turned a profit, and he was famous for reviving businesses on the brink of collapse.  

“I always weigh what’s mutually beneficial and make the best decisions. That’s what I’m good at.”  

Yerin stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.  

“I’ve been wondering for a while now—what do you need?”  

It seemed he had spent quite some time pondering what they could exchange to meet each other’s needs.  

“Even when I offered you a building, you refused. When I offered you money, you didn’t want it. It’s been quite the challenge figuring out what to give you.”  

Today, however, it seemed he had finally discovered what Yerin truly needed.  

“I’ll take full responsibility for your mother’s care. At our Jiseok Hospital, of course.”  

It was an incredibly tempting offer, one that naturally piqued her curiosity.  

“That’s information only my father knows.”  

Lee Hyun, however, looked completely confident, as if it didn’t matter.  

“It doesn’t make sense for family members to live without seeing each other, does it?”  

He was right. Byeonghun had essentially held Yerin’s mother, Chansook, hostage, using her as leverage to demand money from Yerin.  

While Yerin didn’t mind giving him money, not being able to see her mother whenever she wanted was truly painful.  

Seeing Yerin’s brown eyes waver, Lee Hyun smiled faintly.  

“So, Secretary Han, let’s date. Date me.”

“…”  

“I promise I won’t do anything inappropriate.”  

Lee Hyun emphasized that he genuinely wanted to practice dating and had no ulterior motives.  

“I’ll even promise not to do anything without your permission.”  

This was the first time Yerin had encountered such a cold and calculated form of pseudo-dating, making it hard for her to make a decision.  

“I’m not planning to do anything to you. I’m just suggesting we do a little rehearsal together.”  

As if preparing to persuade her more seriously, Lee Hyun unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.  

This revealed his muscular arms, with veins prominently running across his skin.  

“Do you have a boyfriend?”  

“No.”  

“Do you like anyone?”  

“No, I don’t.”  

“Then, what’s your type?”  

Yerin hesitated for a moment at his question.  

Her type? She had never really given it much thought.  

“I don’t really have one.”  

“I see.”  

Lee Hyun clicked his tongue in mock pity.  

“In that case, let’s find out what your type is.”  

“What?”  

“While dating me.”  

No matter what they discussed, the conclusion always came back to dating.  

“I’ll do whatever you want me to.”  

In truth, it was an offer where Yerin had nothing to lose.  

The only issue was that it felt a bit burdensome since the person making the offer was her boss.  

But if it meant she could finally see her long-lost mother, Chansook, more often…  

And if it wasn’t real dating but just pretending… maybe I could give it a try.  

The firm resolve in Yerin’s heart was starting to waver.  

“Then, let me think about it a little more…”  

“No.”  

Lee Hyun was adamant. He seemed unusually urgent.  

“You’ve spoken with my mom, so you know.”  

“Know what?”  

“My mom is probably already investigating the woman I supposedly have a crush on.”  

“What?”  

Startled, Yerin raised her voice. This couldn’t be allowed to happen.  

“If she finds out that the woman I’m supposedly in love with has disappeared…”  

“…”  

“She’ll search the entire world until she finds her.”  

Yerin’s fingers, resting under the table, began to tremble.  

“So, before that happens, wouldn’t it be better to divert my mother’s attention elsewhere?”  

“How?”  

“By telling her I’ve started dating.”  

“…”  

Yerin couldn’t decide which option was better.  

If Mrs. Yoon got involved, Lee Hyun would eventually find out that Yerin was the woman who had disappeared.  

But even if she agreed to a fake relationship with Lee Hyun to prevent that…  

It would still feel like walking on a tightrope.  

No matter what, there were risks involved.  

“If you tell Mrs. Yoon that you’re dating someone, won’t she become even more curious?”  

“No.”  

Lee Hyun’s expression turned firm as he answered definitively.  

“She’ll lose interest.”  

“Why? Wouldn’t she want to know more about the person you’re dating?”  

“She might be curious.”  

“Then that’s exactly why we shouldn’t do it.”  

Lee Hyun calmly continued his explanation, as if trying to make her understand.  

“If I tell her I’m dating someone, she’ll be cautious, worried it might harm her son.”  

“Really?”  

“She might occasionally call you in to ask a few questions out of curiosity, Secretary Han.”  

And that, he explained, was the issue.  

Lee Hyun reassured Yerin, as if to calm her worries.  

“All you’d have to do is list a few dates we supposedly went on.”  

“What?”  

“You only need to leave out the part where I was dating you, Secretary Han, and just share the details. Doesn’t that sound easier?”  

Would it really be that easy? 

Just thinking about it made her fingertips tremble.  

Lee Hyun, however, looked completely confident, as if there was nothing to worry about.  

“You just need to play along a few times.”  

“I think Mrs. Yoon would become even more curious about the woman you’re dating.”  

“I’ll make it clear to her not to take any interest until I formally introduce the person to her.”  

Yerin still looked uncertain.  

“You can meet your mother comfortably, I can calm my mother down, and we can practice dating. It’s a win-win contract in every way.” 

Lee Hyun said with a bright smile.  

Lee Hyun took out the tablet PC he always carried and placed it on the table.  

He scribbled something on it with a pen designed for the tablet and then smiled brightly.  

“It’s a contract, so take your time reading it.”  

“A contract?”  

Hearing his words, Yerin looked at the tablet PC and saw a document titled ‘Dating Contract.’  

When did he even prepare something like this amidst his busy schedule?  

The clauses about Chansook, which Lee Hyun had just promised to handle, were also included.  

However, there was something strange.  

“Why are you listed as the ‘B’ party?”  

In the dating contract Lee Hyun handed over, Yerin was listed as the ‘A’ party, and Lee Hyun was the ‘B’ party.  

Yerin assumed it was a typo.  

“Yes, I wrote it that way.”  

“Why…?”  

“Well, because I’m the one begging you.”  

It was strange to see a man who was always in the position of power voluntarily labeling himself as the subordinate party.  

Yerin, as if bewitched, began reading the contract.  

“‘Party B may engage in physical contact with Party A only with consent’? What is this?”  

“Exactly what it says.”  

“Are we seriously going to hold hands? No, right?”  

“Is holding hands all you’re thinking of?”  

Yerin’s brown pupils trembled slightly.  

Lee Hyun seemed just as flustered.  

“You said this was just practice dating.”  

“Yes, practice.”  

Lee Hyun looked as if he didn’t understand what the problem was.  

Apparently, Lee Hyun’s definition of practice included physical contact.  

“We’re not elementary students anymore. Did you think we’d just sit and chat?”  

Unfortunately, yes, she did.  

Lee Hyun frowned slightly.  

“Have you forgotten why I’m doing this contract dating with you?”  

“You said you wanted to be prepared to naturally date the woman you lost, when she reappears…”  

“Exactly.”  

Yerin still couldn’t fully understand.  

Lee Hyun smiled faintly and began explaining further.  

“Secretary Han, imagine I meet her and kiss her.”  

“Yes.”  

“If I end up acting awkward because my heart feels like it’s going to explode…”  

“You?”  

Impossible. This was the same man who had claimed it was his first time but had acted like a wild beast that night.  

The idea that he’d be tongue-tied over something as simple as holding hands didn’t make sense. 

“Yes. Aside from that impulsive one-night stand, I’ve never had physical contact with a woman.”  

Yerin could only awkwardly lick her lower lip.  

There was no way to call him out for lying.  

Lee Hyun, as if to emphasize his sincerity, pressed his finger against the contract.  

“That’s why I specified it, didn’t I? Physical contact only with mutual agreement and consent.”  

“What if I don’t agree?”  

“Well…”  

Lee Hyun appeared to think for a moment.  

“Then I’ll make you agree.”  

“What?”  

“Or make it so you can’t refuse.”  

“…”  

“Kidding.”  

Having said something so serious, Lee Hyun casually brushed it off as a joke.  

“If you don’t consent, of course, I won’t do anything.”  

But Yerin found it hard to believe him.  

Lee Hyun confidently pointed his chin toward the contract.  

“Looks like you haven’t read the clause below yet.”  

Because of the mention of physical contact, she had stopped reading and started asking questions.  

Yerin’s gaze returned to the tablet PC.  

“‘Party A may immediately terminate the contract if Party B violates any terms of the agreement’?”  

“Yes.”  

In other words, if Lee Hyun engaged in physical contact without Yerin’s consent, it would be a breach of contract, and their contract dating would end immediately.  

It was a perfectly crafted contract with safety measures in place.  

“Even after the contract period ends, you’ll continue to cover my mother’s hospital and treatment expenses?”  

“Yes.”  

“Isn’t that too much?”  

“Not at all.”  

The proposed dating period was six months.  

Even during that time, the cost of Chansook’s hospital and treatment fees would be enormous.  

And yet, he was offering to continue supporting her even after the contract ended.  

“You won’t be able to see other men while dating me.”  

“Yes, I understand.”  

“But if, during that time, an amazing man you can’t afford to lose appears…”  

“What?”  

“I’ll obviously expect compensation for you missing out on him.”  

The chances of that happening were incredibly slim.  

“This is a token of appreciation for your time, so please don’t refuse it. I actually think it’s not enough.”  

The mother and son were eerily similar.  

Mrs. Yoon was constantly trying to give more, and Lee Hyun was also eager to offer more.  

If she refused this, Yerin felt Lee Hyun might just force a building under her name.  

So, she nodded.  

“Then I’ll accept it gratefully.”  

“Good, that’s the right decision.”  

Lee Hyun placed the tablet PC pen next to Yerin, who was hesitating.  

“Is there anything else you’d like to add?”  

“No.”  

Chapter 28. Physical Contact by Mutual Agreement  

Yerin looked at Lee Hyun with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.  

Lee Hyun leaned forward slightly and began to speak.  

“I’m a businessman.”  

Although Yerin hadn’t worked under him for long, Lee Hyun was already well-known as an indispensable figure in the Jiseok Group.  

Every project he touched turned a profit, and he was famous for reviving businesses on the brink of collapse.  

“I always weigh what’s mutually beneficial and make the best decisions. That’s what I’m good at.”  

Yerin stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.  

“I’ve been wondering for a while now—what do you need?”  

It seemed he had spent quite some time pondering what they could exchange to meet each other’s needs.  

“Even when I offered you a building, you refused. When I offered you money, you didn’t want it. It’s been quite the challenge figuring out what to give you.”  

Today, however, it seemed he had finally discovered what Yerin truly needed.  

“I’ll take full responsibility for your mother’s care. At our Jiseok Hospital, of course.”  

It was an incredibly tempting offer, one that naturally piqued her curiosity.  

“That’s information only my father knows.”  

Lee Hyun, however, looked completely confident, as if it didn’t matter.  

“It doesn’t make sense for family members to live without seeing each other, does it?”  

He was right. Byeonghun had essentially held Yerin’s mother, Chansook, hostage, using her as leverage to demand money from Yerin.  

While Yerin didn’t mind giving him money, not being able to see her mother whenever she wanted was truly painful.  

Seeing Yerin’s brown eyes waver, Lee Hyun smiled faintly.  

“So, Secretary Han, let’s date. Date me.”

“…”  

“I promise I won’t do anything inappropriate.”  

Lee Hyun emphasized that he genuinely wanted to practice dating and had no ulterior motives.  

“I’ll even promise not to do anything without your permission.”  

This was the first time Yerin had encountered such a cold and calculated form of pseudo-dating, making it hard for her to make a decision.  

“I’m not planning to do anything to you. I’m just suggesting we do a little rehearsal together.”  

As if preparing to persuade her more seriously, Lee Hyun unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.  

This revealed his muscular arms, with veins prominently running across his skin.  

“Do you have a boyfriend?”  

“No.”  

“Do you like anyone?”  

“No, I don’t.”  

“Then, what’s your type?”  

Yerin hesitated for a moment at his question.  

Her type? She had never really given it much thought.  

“I don’t really have one.”  

“I see.”  

Lee Hyun clicked his tongue in mock pity.  

“In that case, let’s find out what your type is.”  

“What?”  

“While dating me.”  

No matter what they discussed, the conclusion always came back to dating.  

“I’ll do whatever you want me to.”  

In truth, it was an offer where Yerin had nothing to lose.  

The only issue was that it felt a bit burdensome since the person making the offer was her boss.  

But if it meant she could finally see her long-lost mother, Chansook, more often…  

And if it wasn’t real dating but just pretending… maybe I could give it a try.  

The firm resolve in Yerin’s heart was starting to waver.  

“Then, let me think about it a little more…”  

“No.”  

Lee Hyun was adamant. He seemed unusually urgent.  

“You’ve spoken with my mom, so you know.”  

“Know what?”  

“My mom is probably already investigating the woman I supposedly have a crush on.”  

“What?”  

Startled, Yerin raised her voice. This couldn’t be allowed to happen.  

“If she finds out that the woman I’m supposedly in love with has disappeared…”  

“…”  

“She’ll search the entire world until she finds her.”  

Yerin’s fingers, resting under the table, began to tremble.  

“So, before that happens, wouldn’t it be better to divert my mother’s attention elsewhere?”  

“How?”  

“By telling her I’ve started dating.”  

“…”  

Yerin couldn’t decide which option was better.  

If Mrs. Yoon got involved, Lee Hyun would eventually find out that Yerin was the woman who had disappeared.  

But even if she agreed to a fake relationship with Lee Hyun to prevent that…  

It would still feel like walking on a tightrope.  

No matter what, there were risks involved.  

“If you tell Mrs. Yoon that you’re dating someone, won’t she become even more curious?”  

“No.”  

Lee Hyun’s expression turned firm as he answered definitively.  

“She’ll lose interest.”  

“Why? Wouldn’t she want to know more about the person you’re dating?”  

“She might be curious.”  

“Then that’s exactly why we shouldn’t do it.”  

Lee Hyun calmly continued his explanation, as if trying to make her understand.  

“If I tell her I’m dating someone, she’ll be cautious, worried it might harm her son.”  

“Really?”  

“She might occasionally call you in to ask a few questions out of curiosity, Secretary Han.”  

And that, he explained, was the issue.  

Lee Hyun reassured Yerin, as if to calm her worries.  

“All you’d have to do is list a few dates we supposedly went on.”  

“What?”  

“You only need to leave out the part where I was dating you, Secretary Han, and just share the details. Doesn’t that sound easier?”  

Would it really be that easy? 

Just thinking about it made her fingertips tremble.  

Lee Hyun, however, looked completely confident, as if there was nothing to worry about.  

“You just need to play along a few times.”  

“I think Mrs. Yoon would become even more curious about the woman you’re dating.”  

“I’ll make it clear to her not to take any interest until I formally introduce the person to her.”  

Yerin still looked uncertain.  

“You can meet your mother comfortably, I can calm my mother down, and we can practice dating. It’s a win-win contract in every way.” 

Lee Hyun said with a bright smile.  

Lee Hyun took out the tablet PC he always carried and placed it on the table.  

He scribbled something on it with a pen designed for the tablet and then smiled brightly.  

“It’s a contract, so take your time reading it.”  

“A contract?”  

Hearing his words, Yerin looked at the tablet PC and saw a document titled ‘Dating Contract.’  

When did he even prepare something like this amidst his busy schedule?  

The clauses about Chansook, which Lee Hyun had just promised to handle, were also included.  

However, there was something strange.  

“Why are you listed as the ‘B’ party?”  

In the dating contract Lee Hyun handed over, Yerin was listed as the ‘A’ party, and Lee Hyun was the ‘B’ party.  

Yerin assumed it was a typo.  

“Yes, I wrote it that way.”  

“Why…?”  

“Well, because I’m the one begging you.”  

It was strange to see a man who was always in the position of power voluntarily labeling himself as the subordinate party.  

Yerin, as if bewitched, began reading the contract.  

“‘Party B may engage in physical contact with Party A only with consent’? What is this?”  

“Exactly what it says.”  

“Are we seriously going to hold hands? No, right?”  

“Is holding hands all you’re thinking of?”  

Yerin’s brown pupils trembled slightly.  

Lee Hyun seemed just as flustered.  

“You said this was just practice dating.”  

“Yes, practice.”  

Lee Hyun looked as if he didn’t understand what the problem was.  

Apparently, Lee Hyun’s definition of practice included physical contact.  

“We’re not elementary students anymore. Did you think we’d just sit and chat?”  

Unfortunately, yes, she did.  

Lee Hyun frowned slightly.  

“Have you forgotten why I’m doing this contract dating with you?”  

“You said you wanted to be prepared to naturally date the woman you lost, when she reappears…”  

“Exactly.”  

Yerin still couldn’t fully understand.  

Lee Hyun smiled faintly and began explaining further.  

“Secretary Han, imagine I meet her and kiss her.”  

“Yes.”  

“If I end up acting awkward because my heart feels like it’s going to explode…”  

“You?”  

Impossible. This was the same man who had claimed it was his first time but had acted like a wild beast that night.  

The idea that he’d be tongue-tied over something as simple as holding hands didn’t make sense. 

“Yes. Aside from that impulsive one-night stand, I’ve never had physical contact with a woman.”  

Yerin could only awkwardly lick her lower lip.  

There was no way to call him out for lying.  

Lee Hyun, as if to emphasize his sincerity, pressed his finger against the contract.  

“That’s why I specified it, didn’t I? Physical contact only with mutual agreement and consent.”  

“What if I don’t agree?”  

“Well…”  

Lee Hyun appeared to think for a moment.  

“Then I’ll make you agree.”  

“What?”  

“Or make it so you can’t refuse.”  

“…”  

“Kidding.”  

Having said something so serious, Lee Hyun casually brushed it off as a joke.  

“If you don’t consent, of course, I won’t do anything.”  

But Yerin found it hard to believe him.  

Lee Hyun confidently pointed his chin toward the contract.  

“Looks like you haven’t read the clause below yet.”  

Because of the mention of physical contact, she had stopped reading and started asking questions.  

Yerin’s gaze returned to the tablet PC.  

“‘Party A may immediately terminate the contract if Party B violates any terms of the agreement’?”  

“Yes.”  

In other words, if Lee Hyun engaged in physical contact without Yerin’s consent, it would be a breach of contract, and their contract dating would end immediately.  

It was a perfectly crafted contract with safety measures in place.  

“Even after the contract period ends, you’ll continue to cover my mother’s hospital and treatment expenses?”  

“Yes.”  

“Isn’t that too much?”  

“Not at all.”  

The proposed dating period was six months.  

Even during that time, the cost of Chansook’s hospital and treatment fees would be enormous.  

And yet, he was offering to continue supporting her even after the contract ended.  

“You won’t be able to see other men while dating me.”  

“Yes, I understand.”  

“But if, during that time, an amazing man you can’t afford to lose appears…”  

“What?”  

“I’ll obviously expect compensation for you missing out on him.”  

The chances of that happening were incredibly slim.  

“This is a token of appreciation for your time, so please don’t refuse it. I actually think it’s not enough.”  

The mother and son were eerily similar.  

Mrs. Yoon was constantly trying to give more, and Lee Hyun was also eager to offer more.  

If she refused this, Yerin felt Lee Hyun might just force a building under her name.  

So, she nodded.  

“Then I’ll accept it gratefully.”  

“Good, that’s the right decision.”  

Lee Hyun placed the tablet PC pen next to Yerin, who was hesitating.  

“Is there anything else you’d like to add?”  

“No.”  

“Then sign it.”