The Bitch & The Bastard | Jaehyun

𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑡. 𝐼

She considered him, sceptical. 'What mind games are you playing?'

He huffed a laugh, calling for the driver that the hotel had sent for them. 'I want to do something nice for you,' he said, almost shy at his own words but received nothing other than a raised eyebrow in reply.

Haeyoung had never been this quiet with Jaehyun, specially not when he was talking to her constantly. She was listening, nodding when necessary but that was all she did. The memory of that day had already buried itself inside her mind somewhere refusing to show itself.

She turned her eyes at him. The afternoon was pleasant outside the car but she realized that he was pleasing to look at too. Jaehyun was telling her of the story of how he became an ambassador of a records company. She had heard this story a million times before, usually under the guise of flaunting modestly.

At one of his mother's many parties, his voice had caught the attention of the President of a records company. He was on the piano, singing his mother's favourite song for the guests. Thoroughly impressed, the President had offered to introduce him to the CEO of a talent agency. But Jaehyun had declined– he had no interest in singing for others.

Though Haeyoung always made sure to point out the actual reason– his arrogance, which she did this time too and just like always Jaehyun mumbled something incoherent before continuing the story.

The President had been persistent, refusing to take no for an answer. He brought it up every time they met in the next three months. Jaehyun was declining multiple calls, a detail he liked to exaggerate with every retelling (the first time she'd heard the story, the President had called him only once).

Haeyoung waited for the number, her own smile catching her off guard when he mentioned twenty-nine this time.

'What?' he said, seeing her chuckle.

She immediately shook her head, almost horrified.

'... we came to a compromise and I became the ambassador for them instead,' he finished the story.

Haeyoung nodded, turning her gaze outside, quietly chastising herself for staring at him with that stupid smile on her face.

They got out of the car on a busy street, sending the driver to the hotel they were staying at. The faint sun was a light yellow in the sky shining through the thin clouds, brightening up the grey and beige buildings around them.

'Why are we here?' she finally spoke.

'To buy you clothes, why else?'

'Oh, right.'

'Are you alright?' he asked, seeing her zone out every few seconds.

'Yes,' she replied curtly.

Unconvinced, he still nodded. 'Why don't you select a store?' he said, and Haeyoung looked about her.

They were surrounded by posh storefronts of some of the most sophisticated luxury brands in the world. There were some names she recognized, and others she couldn't even pronounce but the one thing they all had in common was how terribly expensive they all were.

As much as Haeyoung had enjoyed spending his money before and on some of these brands too in the past, it wasn't the same anymore. It was no fun when he was so willing and she realized that the overpriced dresses held no value to her, after all, if she could not annoy Jaehyun by wearing them.

'That one,' she said at last, pointing to a small shop down the narrow alley, tucked between two large stores.

'That one?' Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. The store was one of the humblest looking shops in the neighbourhood with a simple placard at the front for a signboard. 'Are you sure?' he asked, despite seeing the answer in her eyes already.