Chapter 2 Part 1

The 100 million won contract payment was promptly deposited into Minjoo’s account. She first paid off her high-interest loans. With the urgent financial crisis managed, she then went to work. Fortunately, Gi-hyun didn’t appear that day, and she hoped to not see him the next day either.

**Bang… Bang…**

The next morning, the old iron door produced a dull thud. Startled while preparing for work, Minjoo tied her hair up tightly and approached the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Gi-hyun, who had previously only lingered around her home and the store, had now shown up at her residence. Minjoo took a deep breath and opened the door. Today, he was dressed in a suit, looking more mature with his hair slicked back, revealing his forehead. Minjoo half-closed the door again, reluctant to reveal her humble living conditions.

“What are you doing here so early?”

“Didn’t you just say you’d come over when it’s convenient?”

Minjoo hadn’t expected him to follow her to her one-room flat. She went back inside, grabbed a cloth bag, and pulled out an envelope that she had prepared. She handed it to Gi-hyun, who was still standing at the door.

“It’s all in there.”

Gi-hyun took the envelope but did not check its contents. Minjoo, unconcerned, adjusted her shoes. As she was about to step outside, Gi-hyun blocked her path.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to go to work.”

“To work?”

Gi-hyun’s finely shaped eyebrows rose. Minjoo locked the door and passed by him, heading on her way. As she descended the stairs, Gi-hyun matched her pace and spoke.

“I already gave you the advance payment.”

“…So what?”

“Do you have another urgent need for money?”

“I’m going to keep working.”

Whether she’d break the contract and return the money or prepare for life after her dealings with Gi-hyun.

She didn’t even make eye contact with him as she responded. Eventually, Gi-hyun stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Because she was only looking forward, Minjoo almost ran into his arms, forcing her to look at his face. His long, finely shaped eyes were looking at her fiercely.

“Why do you insist on continuing to work?”

“Was there a clause in the contract telling me not to work?”

“……”

“If not, it doesn’t matter, right?”

Minjoo spoke as neutrally as possible.

Gi-hyun silently stared at her. His intense gaze had twisted. Minjoo ignored him and walked past. This time, he did not follow her.

“Hasn’t that customer come back?”

It was late lunchtime when most of the customers had cleared out. While preparing a meal for the staff, Ms. Yoon asked the question. Minjoo pretended not to know what she was referring to.

“Should I throw out the leftover kimchi?”

“Let’s keep it; we can fry it up later. By the way, Minjoo, how do you know that young man?”

“…What young man?”

She feigned ignorance. However, Ms. Yoon, known for her keen perception, persistently inquired further.

She played dumb. However, Ms. Yoon, with her sharp eyes, persisted in her inquiry.

“The young man who bought fifteen lunch boxes. You two seemed quite friendly when talking.”

“…On closer look, it turned out he was a university classmate. I recognized him, so we chatted for a bit.”

Minjoo offered a vague explanation. It seemed to satisfy Ms. Yoon, who easily accepted the answer.

“He’s not a face one easily forgets. So handsome, looks like the type who could break hearts. Men should be rugged and reliable like bears….”

Minjoo let Ms. Yoon’s chatter wash over her as she set the cutlery on the table, focusing solely on her tasks. Unaware of Minjoo’s discomfort, Ms. Yoon continued to meddle.

“Minjoo, you should get married soon too. Find a good man to help pay off your debts.”

“Who would take that on? No one’s going to marry me.”

“You work through it together. Everyone has their match. If it’s meant to be, you’ll meet.”

If even a bad relationship counts as fate.

Minjoo opened a container of side dishes and smiled bitterly. She had no appetite, but she forced herself to eat, needing strength to work today, tomorrow, and in the days to come. She shoved the rice into her mouth, intending to energize herself, but soon found herself chewing over her feelings instead.

Once, she had hoped to be connected with Gi-hyun. She had fallen for his occasional kindness, harboring hope that if she tried hard enough, she could be loved.

Why hadn’t she realized that love can’t be earned through effort?

It was sad how she had once been swayed by feelings of love, and now, by the need for money, she was still being influenced by Gi-hyun.

***

Minjoo worked at a galbi restaurant in the evenings, which was quite large and popular. During the summer, they even set up tables outside due to the good business. The staff had to personally grill the meat, which meant they were always short-handed. Today was especially busy as one staff member didn’t show up.

Despite the busyness, the environment was challenging mainly because there were a lot of middle-aged male customers. They would quickly lose their temper with the young male staff and often made inappropriate jokes towards the female staff. Minjoo usually just responded with a weary “Yes, yes,” tolerating it because the pay was good, although they were currently delaying salaries.

While she was flipping the meat, a middle-aged man, overfilling his soju glass, struck up a conversation.

“You grill meat really well. What’s your name, young lady?”

It was a familiar scenario. He was the customer who always asked for names when drunk. Minjoo mechanically moved the meat tongs and let his words flow in one ear and out the other.

“My name is Cha Minjoo.”

“Pretty name too.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s great that the staff here grill everything and are so prompt. It really puts you in a good mood.”

As he said this, he overflowed a soju glass and handed it to Minjoo, who immediately stepped back.

“I have to work, so I can’t drink.”

“You’re supposed to eat what the customer gives you.”

“This isn’t a drinking establishment.”

“Well, aren’t you fussy? I was just trying to give you a tip.”

As the man persisted, Minjoo quickly tried to move away. He fumbled in his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, and took out a 10,000 won note, extending it towards her.

“Use it to buy drinks or something for the staff.”

“You don’t have to do that…”

“Take it. I’m giving it because you’re pretty. I’ve given one to each of the kids here.”

“…Thank you.”

Not wanting to prolong the conversation, Minjo accepted the money. She went straight to the counter and handed the money to the manager.

“The customer at table 15 gave this. He said we should use it for snacks for everyone.”

“Keep it, Minjoo. You’re stiff but that’s part of your charm. Having something like this makes it worth smiling at customers.”

“…….”

She turned away without saying more. Arguing would only make her seem overly sensitive. Now, with a numbed heart, she vigorously wiped down the tables with a cloth.

After midnight, the unremarkable workday ended. Eager to rid her hair of the smell of food, Minjoo quickly bid her coworkers goodbye and hastened her departure.

“Cha Minjoo.”

Instead of the sound of a car horn, it was a human voice that called out. Minjoo turned slightly to see Gi-hyun standing near a street light outside the restaurant. He was dressed in a well-fitting suit, just as she had seen him in the morning. Minjoo wondered briefly why he was so formally dressed and where he might have been, but her thoughts were interrupted. Even in the darkness, Gi-hyun’s gaze was intense, making her feel uneasy.

Her somewhat creditor approached her.

“Let’s talk.”

“Can we do it tomorrow? It’s late and there’s nowhere proper to talk.”

“In my car.”

“It’ll smell like food.”

“I don’t mind, get in.”

Trying to escape was futile, and ultimately Minjoo followed Gi-hyun and climbed into the car parked at the corner of the alley.

Unlike Minjoo, who got into the car nonchalantly, Gi-hyun aggressively closed the door after slipping his long legs into the driver’s seat, as if he was on edge.

After starting the engine, Gi-hyun blurted out, “You seem confident?”

“Confident? About what?”

“About the condition of your body.”

“What are you talking about?”

Minjoo’s indifferent question was met with a sarcastic laugh from Gi-hyun. The laugh quickly faded.

“Then set a date.”

“What date?”

“The day we make a baby.”

“…What?”

“Do I need to say ‘s*x’ for you to understand?”

Although she had signed the contract in desperate need of money, the blatant talk about having s*x brought back past memories. The emotions she had tried to suppress in front of Gi-hyun surged. She clenched her fists tightly in an effort to hold back. However, Gi-hyun didn’t stop talking.

“You don’t look like you’re overworked.”

She couldn’t understand why he was taking out his frustrations on her. As soon as she felt it was an unjust accusation, Minjoo’s emotions cooled down instead. She averted her gaze from Gi-hyun and looked out the passenger window. Without turning back, she spoke clearly and steadily.

“My periods are irregular.”

“……”

“It’s hard to calculate my ovulation period. Right now, having s*x would be like planting seeds in the desert.”

“……”

“I’ll let you know when my cycle returns to normal.”

Even though she had taken the money, Minjoo didn’t want to be treated this way by Gihyun. In response to her words, instead of replying, she heard a soft tapping sound. Gihyun was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. The tension was palpable, and Minjoo found herself swallowing nervously.

After a brief pause, Gihyun shifted gears, preparing to move the car. Just as Minjoo began to relax slightly, Gihyun spoke up.

Minjoo turned to look at him sharply. This time, Gihyun spoke calmly.

“Just tell me the days we can’t. Women aren’t fertile all 365 days a year, right?”

When did he become so obsessed with having a child?

His calm tone felt like defiance, which amused her. Minjoo sneered at him immediately.

“If you just want to satisfy your lust, stop forcing it.”

“Did you read the contract?”

Gihyun muttered coldly, his hand still smoothly turning the steering wheel. Before Minjoo could respond, he reminded her of the contents.

“The party of the first party shall cooperate without delay in utilizing the pregnancy rights. The party of the first part, during the validity of this contract, shall not engage with others….”

“I know. I read it thoroughly.”

“Then I would appreciate your full cooperation.”

“If it’s so urgent, why don’t you just do it right here?”

As Gihyun was entering the main road, he abruptly turned the wheel. The car stopped at the end of the street in an instant. Minoou had no time to be surprised. Gihyun grabbed the back of Minjoo’s seat with his right hand and twisted his upper body.

Their bodies pressed together, faces close. Minjoo tried to block Gihyun with her clenched left arm. But Gihyun pushed in. His breath touched Minjoo’s left ear.

“If that way excites you, I don’t mind.”

Gihyun’s rough breath soon pulled away. Minjoo looked at Gihyun’s flushed eyes in the light coming through the car window. Gihyun, as if his shirt and tie were uncomfortable, shook and adjusted his tie. The brief movement cooled the atmosphere. Returning to a calm face, Gihyun continued speaking.

“Let’s do it by the book.”

“…?”

“Move out.”

Minjoo was taken aback by his forceful tone. However, he didn’t give her a chance to fully grasp his words.

“I can’t leave you in a house where even the door doesn’t lock properly.”

“What does the condition of the house have to do with anything?”

“It matters.”

Gihyun turned the wheel again and pressed the accelerator. The car carrying the two of them resumed its journey on the road.

“It’s a hassle to drive over every time. And I don’t want to roll around in a cramped room.”

Despite appearing focused on driving, Gihyun’s words hung in the air.

Gihyun seemed focused on driving, but he showed no intention of stopping his talking.

“Do you think you’ll get pregnant lying in a room with a door that looks like it could be kicked down by any thug and with no proper heating?”

“……”

“Stay where I can see you until we have a child.”

They hit a red light. While Gihyun shifted the car into neutral, Minjoo struggled to control her rising emotions. This time, it was Minjoo’s eyes that turned red. The implication that she might be with another man, regardless of whether a child could be conceived, reminded her of the Gihyun from the past.

“…Do you think I’m like you?”

“I heard your mother is in S Hospital.”

Minjoo’s eyes widened.

“Did you investigate me?”

“Blame your former landlord for having a loose tongue.”

Gihyun casually shifted the blame and continued with his instructions.

“First, pack your things.”

He added a justification for the upcoming actions.

“The place you’ll be staying is close to S Hospital. Visits might not be allowed often, but it will be much easier than it is now.”

“……”

“Isn’t it worth moving?”

Gihyun had clearly pinpointed her weak spot, winning the argument. Minjoo couldn’t say anything. She was speechless at how Gihyun had already figured everything out. Gihyun kept his eyes on the road as he drove.

“And.”

Gihyun wasn’t finished yet.

“If you’re going to work, find a different job.”

“……?”

“If you really want to keep working at the lunchbox store, I can’t stop you, but quit the barbecue restaurant.”

Gihyun always had a way of saying the most unexpected things.

“Working late at night isn’t good either.”

He added with a bit more emphasis.

“I don’t like strangers asking for your name or you receiving tips.”

That statement felt strange. Why would he be upset about that? Minjoo’s eyes wavered with uncertainty.

“What if I refuse?”

The words came out with difficulty. Gihyun chuckled.

“I almost added a special clause to the contract.”

He looked amused by his own thoughts.

“No private conversations with other men.”

Why?

The words circled in Minjoo’s mind, unable to find their way out. Taking advantage of her silence, Gihyun expressed his desires.

“Let’s just make this a verbal agreement.”

He muttered, pressing the accelerator a bit roughly.

“I thought it was too petty to put in writing, but I guess I should include it after all.”