Minji's penthouse.
The man in brown put his medical equipment into his briefcase, he then looked at Hanni, "I've injected anti-inflammatory drugs into all her bruises, she doesn't need to take any medication, I'll be back in three days for control. Make sure she doesn't move too much." he smiled.
Hanni bowed her head, "Thank you doctor." she glanced at Minji who was putting her sweater back on quietly.
Hyein walked into the room and put the package of food on the table, she bowed to the doctor, "Doctor Ma."
The man smiled, "Hello Hyein.", he then took out a pen and a small notebook from his bag. He wrote something and tore off the sheet and gave it to Hyein, "Take this prescription to the pharmacy and apply it to your wound in the morning and at night."
Hyein took it and bowed again, "Thank you."
"I'll leave now, call me if there's anything." he patted Hyein's shoulder and walked towards the elevator.
Hyein turned to Minji, "Is there anything else you need before I leave Miss Kim?"
Minji leaned back on her living room sofa, "Tell Haerin to cover for me for a week. Get the documents in my desk drawer and you can go home afterward."
Hyein walked to Minji's bedroom, she pulled one of the drawers in the desk near the door and took out a large brown envelope from inside.
She then walked back to them and put the envelope on the table.
"I'll take my leave now." she bowed to Minji and Hanni, then walked towards the elevator.
"Do you want to eat now?" asked Hanni, Minji shook her head, "Open the envelope, it's for you." she said.
"What's inside?" Hanni stared at her. Minji exhaled irritably, she closed her eyes, "I need you to sign that document." she hissed.
Hanni felt angry in her confusion.
She took the envelope and opened it, taking out the contents, skimming it.
"Marriage contract? Do you really need this?"
"Yes!" Minji opened her eyes and looked at Hanni quickly, a demanding tone clear in her voice.
Hanni decided not to say anything and started reading the letters. She skipped the front, her eyes searching for the points of the contract agreement.
~ The marriage is valid for 6 months only (extendable to suit the needs of the first party, Miss Kim Minji). ~
~ Both parties agree not to interfere in each other's personal matters. ~
~ The first party (Ms. Kim Minji) provides compensation or non-material damages in the amount of 1 (One) Billion Won to the second party (Ms. Pham Ngoc Han) for the second party's consent to the Marriage Contract Agreement. ~
~ Physical contact such as touching, kissing, hugging is permitted. Further physical contact such as oral sex or sexual penetration requires the consent of both parties. ~
Hanni scoffed, remembering Minji's earlier behavior. The CEO glanced at her annoyed, trying to guess which point made the Vietnamese behave like that.
~ The Second Party will continue to fulfill her duties as the First Party's secretary and attend the office on weekdays or when her presence is desired by the First Party. The monthly salary will still be paid and is separate from the Married Contract Agreement compensation. ~
Hanni did not continue reading, she placed the letters on the table.
"What exactly is going on?" she looked at Minji, to which the woman only replied with a snort.
"Just sign it Pham, you don't need to know what happened."
Hanni folded her arms in front of her chest, "You dragged me into the agreement you made with your father without my knowledge, you manipulated me. You acted nice to me and then sexually harassed me..." Hanni's voice trembled as she said the last words.
She took a breath, no...she would not cry in front of this cruel demon.
"I have a right to know." her tone reflected her resolve.
Minji ran a hand through her hair in frustration, "That old bastard got me engaged to Yoona without my consent, so I returned what he did to me. I called off the engagement, and he went crazy. He insisted I get married, or he'd take everything away from me."
Minji scoffed.
"He gave me time to find a wife, but she had to meet his criteria.
Someone with the heart of an angel, decent speech and behavior, someone with a clean background."
She glanced at Hanni, "Someone like you." she said in a mocking tone.
"Are there no such criteria among the women you've been with?"
Minji stared at Hanni like she was two-headed.
"Are you ignorant or stupid? They're just my lustful appetites, and they only want my money. There's no way I would choose them."
"That's why you chose me?"
"You meet the criteria Pham! My father really likes you." Minji snarled, clenching her fists.
"What about you Minji?"
"Don't fool around with me! Don't tell me you think that I really like you?" Minji gritted her teeth, "Not in a thousand years Pham."
A hurt feeling flashed across Hanni's face, she bit her lip, "Then your attitude towards me before was truly an act." she said, it wasn't a question, it was a statement.
Her heart felt like it had been ripped out, and her feelings were crushed. Because she liked Minji who was gentle with her, who held her until they both fell asleep, who kissed her gently.
She should have known that Minji couldn't have changed her attitude that easily.
"That's not something I have to answer, you already know it." Minji's face was expressionless.
"Does your father also know about this contract letter?" asked Hanni, feeling angry and devastated.
Minji's eyes flashed furiously, "Say one word to him and I'll ruin your life." she growled hatefully.
"You won't be able to do that because you'll be destroyed first Minji!" Hanni snapped at her.
She then picked up the pen lying next to the envelope and put her signature on the contract.
"But I'm not you and I already decided to help you when I lied to your father earlier, even when I didn't know what I was getting into." Hanni throws the pen on the table, it bounces and falls near Minji's feet.
Hanni stood up and looked at Minji, her tears fell rolling down her cheeks, "Let's make the best of this wedding drama, I'll play my role for 6 months and after that you won't see me again." she said coldly.
She then walked towards the guest room, "Don't miss your lunch, I'll take care of some paperwork first."
Hanni closed the door and leaned against it, a moment later she collapsed on the floor and burst into tears.
How should she get rid of this feeling now?
--------------------------------------------
Hyein sat on her couch, her fingers moving to rub the bruise at the corner of her lips, feeling the sting of the wound. She closed her eyes and leaned back.
Her cell phone buzzed.
Miss Seol
13:03 pm
Hyein, I'm at the lobby, have you arrived yet? I'll wait if you're still outside.
Hyein stood up and headed for the door, she was going to pick up the doe-eyed one.
She exited the elevator and walked towards the lobby, her brows furrowed when Yoona was nowhere to be seen. She squinted her eyes when she saw a familiar figure near the car park from behind the lobby's glass doors.
Hyein walked to the glass door and opened it.
Yoona was holding her hands up in front of her chest, collecting the falling snowflakes. Her nose was buried in her scarf, her cheeks tinged with a reddish blush.
Her beautiful curls were being shaped into a messy bun hairstyle. The woman smiled widely looking at the pile of snowflakes in her palm.
A strange feeling swirled in Hyein's stomach.
Yoona turned her head, Hyein didn't have time to look away.
"Oh, you picked me up." she chuckled, and then trotted over to the tall one, "You didn't reply to my message, so I thought you were still on your way." She then looked up at the sky, at the falling snow, "It's beautiful." she whispered.
Hyein also looked up, "Yeah."
Yoona looked at Hyein, "Did you eat? I brought tteokbokki, but I ate meat before coming here."
Hyein nodded, "Yes, and I'm full, but we can have the tteokbokki for tonight."
Yoona chuckled, "Did I hear that right? You want me to stay at your place until tonight."
Hyein blinked her eyes, "Aah...I mean..."
"It's my pleasure if you want it." Yoona smiled softly.
Hyein averted her eyes, "Yeah..."
Yoona looked into those brown eyes, she then rubbed the wound on Hyein's lip carefully, "Did Minji hit you again?" she asked with concern.
Hyein shook her head.
"Did you get into a fight?"
"No."
Yoona decided not to ask further questions, "Aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked in a cheerful tone.
Hyein's face became tense, "Ah..I'm sorry." she bowed 90 degrees.
"Stop that." Yoona lightly hit her arm, she then pulled Hyein to the door, "Let's go."
--------------------------------------------
"I'll be home late for the next few days."
Danielle looked away from her favorite drama series on TV. Haerin took off her shoes and put her coat on the hanger, she then walked to the sink and washed her hands.
"What's the matter?" Danielle asked.
"I have to replace Minji for a week." Haerin sat down next to Danielle.
"What's going on with her?"
"There's..a little problem." Haerin decided not to tell Danielle about Minji and Hanni's situation, for now.
"Then I'll go to the office tomorrow."
"Dani..."
"You can't handle everything by yourself Miss Kang."
"You still need to rest Dani."
Haerin glanced at Danielle's bandaged foot, "How's your ankle?" she asked.
"Better, thank you Miss Kang. Have you eaten yet? There's still a portion of jjampong on the dining table."
"I ate on the way back here."
They then fell silent, staring at the TV screen.
"It's Haerin."
"What?"
Haerin chuckled, "Call me Haerin, we're not in the office."
Danielle's face flushed, "I think I need some time..."
"You didn't need time that night." Haerin laughed.
Danielle gasped, she turned her face away.
Haerin realized and immediately shut her mouth, "Ah.."
Damn it.
"I'm sorry." Haerin stood up, Danielle was about to call out to her but she quickly decided against it.
She then turned off the TV and got up from the sofa, hobbling slightly into her room.
15 minutes later.
Haerin entered Danielle's room slowly, the woman was reading a book. The cat-eye sat on the sofa bed next to Danielle's bed, "I'm sorry Dani." she said.
Danielle closed her book and put it on the nightstand, "I think that night will be a night that neither of us will forget Miss Kang, so it's okay, you don't need to apologize." she smiled gently.
"But I shouldn't have made fun of it." Haerin felt guilty.
Danielle chuckled, "Let's just go to bed and not talk about this anymore."
"It's only 9pm."
"You need a lot of energy to do the work of two big positions, regular sleep is one of the ways."
Haerin sighed and lay down on the sofa bed, fluffing her pillow and laying her head down, "Good night Dani."
Danielle turned off her reading lamp, she also lay down and faced Haerin, "Good night...Haerin."
--------------------------------------------
Yoona applied the medicine to Hyein's cheeks and lips, she squinted her eyes observing which parts had not been treated.
"I can treat it myself Miss Seol."
Yoona sighed and capped the ointment, "Hyein, how many times have I told you, call my name." she put the medicine on the living room table.
"I'm sorry."
"You did it again." Yoona rolled her eyes.
Hyein stood awkwardly, her eyes darting around in all directions, avoiding Yoona's sharp gaze.
"I'm sorry..."
"Stop it, or I'll pinch your wounds."
"Okay..."
"Okay who?"
"...."
"Hyein!"
"Okay...Yoona."
Yoona giggled, "Alright, I have to go home now, don't sleep too late okay." she picked up her handbag and coat from the sofa.
"I'll walk you to the lobby." Hyein followed her.
Yoona turned around suddenly, "What did I say? There's no need, I have to do this right." she said as she stood on tiptoe and kissed Hyein's cheek, "Thanks for a great day too." she smiled.
Hyein furrowed her brows, would this 'kissing on the cheek' thing become Miss Seol's habit if they parted ways?
Would the funny feeling in her stomach every time she did that also become her new habit?
"Be careful on your way home." Hyein gave a small smile, Yoona returned it, "I'll let you know when I arrive." she then closed the door.
--------------------------------------------
Hanni opened the bedroom door, she woke up and suddenly felt very thirsty. She walked towards the kitchen while carrying her drinking glass.
Wait, where was the kitchen? Ugh why is this place so big.
She finally found it, she had already passed it once, the room was behind the dining room. Hanni felt so stupid.
She then walked over to the dispenser and put her glass in which was immediately filled automatically.
Hanni walked back to the guest room after quenching her thirst.
A loud noise from inside Minji's room stopped her in her tracks, she focused her hearing, there was another loud noise.
Hanni glanced around, looking for the wall clock. Ah, it was above the living room TV.
It was now 2am, Hanni raised her eyebrows, was Minji asleep yet?
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly made her way towards the CEO's room.
Hanni knocked twice on the door, and waited.
"What?!" came Minji's hoarse voice.
Hanni opened the door and stepped inside slowly. Minji was sitting on the edge of her king size bed, she turned her head when Hanni entered the room, her eyes bloodshot.
"I didn't tell you to come in." she snapped.
Hanni ignored her, glancing at the few items lying on the marble floor of the room, Minii's cell phone being one of them.
She sighed, stepped closer to Minji's bed and picked up the items on the floor, placing them on the table next to the door.
She turned to look at Minji, the woman was panting slightly, she looked like she was in pain.
Her back.
Hanni came back to her and stopped a few steps away, Minji didn't bother to look at her.
"Were you unable to sleep? Because of your back?" Hanni asked.
Minji huffed, "Why the hell do you care Pham."
"I already said I'll take care of you. Now tell me why you haven't slept at this hour."
Smelling Hanni's familiar scent, Minji turned her face away but felt a little calm.
"It hurts." was all she said.
"Can you lie down?"
"Yes Pham, that's what I've been doing. And I can't sleep on my side because that old ass is also hitting both sides of my body." Minji growled.
"I'll accompany you, try lying on the side that hurts less than the other. Do you want me to help you?" Hanni approached Minji.
"No."
Minji lifted her feet off the floor and lay sideways on the right side of her body, her back to Hanni.
Hanni covered Minji's bottom, she sat on the edge of the mattress and gently rubbed the taller one's back, up and down slowly.
"Does it hurt if I touch you like this?" Hanni asked.
"No." Minji murmured, it actually calmed her down.
Being around Hanni confused her, all the feelings that came up when she was around the woman felt very foreign to her. And she hated it, because she didn't know how to react.
Hanni climbed onto the bed and lay facing Minji's back, continuing her strokes.
No one said anything.
And Minji snored softly not long after.