RED STRING || 1

Chapter two.

Seulgi's heart skipped a beat as she processed the name. Joohyun? Could that be the name of the person she was supposed to marry? Her curiosity spiked, and she glanced at the girl she had seen earlier in the garden. Could she be his sister? She's beautiful... Seulgi thought, wondering what Joohyun looked like. Little did she know, Joohyun wasn't the name of a man, but rather the name of a woman.

Mr. Bae motioned to one of the maidservants, who quickly approached him. "Can you please call her?" he asked, his tone polite yet commanding. "She needs to meet this lovely lady here."

Seulgi's confusion grew. Her? she thought, her mind racing. Why was she meeting 'her' and not 'him'? She felt a knot form in her stomach as her thoughts scrambled to make sense of the situation.

Seeing her distress, Mr. Kang gently tapped Seulgi's shoulder, a reassuring gesture that indicated everything was fine, even though Seulgi wasn't so sure about that herself.

Moments later, the girl from the garden entered the room. Seulgi's gaze instantly locked onto her. As soon as she laid eyes on the girl, she was struck by how stunningly beautiful she was. Her presence was calm, composed, and her smile-Seulgi thought it was the prettiest smile she had ever seen.

Mr. Bae reached out and placed a hand on the girl's arm, guiding her closer to him. "This is Joohyun," he introduced, "but call her Irene."

Seulgi's heart seemed to stop. She was caught off guard, though she did her best to maintain her composure. Inside, her mind raced, her mouth agape and eyes wide with shock. But on the outside, she kept her expression neutral, not wanting to reveal the turmoil brewing within.

"Irene, it's a little polite to say hi to your future wife," Mr. Bae continued, his voice light but firm.

Seulgi almost choked on her own saliva in that moment. She hadn't been prepared for this-her future wife? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and she could feel the weight of the room's attention turn toward her.

"Ms. Kang, are you alright?" Irene's mother, whom Seulgi assumed to be the matriarch of the family, asked with concern. Seulgi's father was quick to stroke her back twice, ensuring she was okay. He then asked for a glass of water.

The maidservant immediately handed her a glass, and Seulgi took a small sip, trying to steady herself. The cool water didn't quite quench the heat of her surprise, but it helped calm her nerves.

"Why don't we have dinner? Let's further discuss everything once we've had a proper meal," Mr. Bae suggested, a shift in tone as he tried to ease the tension in the room. Everyone else followed suit, rising to move toward the dining area.

Seulgi noticed Irene's gaze on her as they walked to the dining table. There was something in her expression that Seulgi couldn't quite place. It wasn't friendliness. In fact, it felt like a silent challenge, as if Irene were sizing her up in some way. Seulgi decided to let it go, shrugging off the feeling. She probably thinks I'm some spoiled brat, Seulgi thought to herself, though she wasn't entirely sure why Irene would feel that way.

~~

Dinner was a quiet affair, save for the occasional clinking of utensils against the plates. Mr. Bae spoke up, breaking the silence as he dug into his medium-rare steak.

"I will invest 60% in it, and yours will be the remaining 40%. Is that too much, or would you like me to decrease the percentage?" he asked, taking another bite of his meal.

Mr. Kang shook his head, his tone steady. "No, it's a fine deal."

"Great," Mr. Bae said with a satisfied nod. "Now, to our last resort-marriage. This business acquisition will fail without the marriage of these two, because they are the successors of our companies." His words rang out, heavy with the finality of the situation. Everyone around the table leaned in, eager to hear more.

Seulgi felt a strange sensation in her chest. She had never experienced anything like this before. LGBT and same-sex marriage are already legal in Korea, she thought, but I didn't think it would be me. Not like this. She had never been romantically involved with anyone before. Despite her looks and the attention she sometimes received, she had always kept to herself, never exploring the idea of romance.

"So, Seulgi," Mr. Bae continued, his voice softening, "What do you say, Princess?"

Seulgi took a deep breath, her voice calm as she answered, "I'm fine."

She turned to Irene, who was sitting beside her. Irene's foot purposefully stepped on hers, and Seulgi winced slightly from the pressure. She could feel the tension building in the air. Seulgi's father noticed the small discomfort and asked if everything was alright, but Seulgi assured him it was nothing.

"And Joohyun?" Mr. Bae asked, glancing between the two women.

"Absolutely not," Irene responded coldly, crossing her arms with a smirk. The tension in the room thickened, and Seulgi couldn't help but feel a mixture of confusion and unease as the reality of her new future began to take shape before her.