Hyun Bin POV
I was still processing this ridiculous marriage idea from my parents. And the bride too, her? A staff? I thought they would choose an eligible bachelorette from another country, someone important's daughter, a beauty pageant winner, or sort of.
When I read her file to learn more about her, I admitted that she was good looking, but...plain? I rarely saw her, but in those rare occasions, she always wore a typical working attire, no killer skirt or blouse, no killer stilettos.
But I have no room to negotiate either, I knew what I've done. I was enjoying the privilege of being the President's son. I was guarded with PSS, got special treatment almost everywhere, never have to reserve on something, and of course, a babe magnet. Girls were already fell for hearing my name.
Settling down was still far from my plan. But to hold on to this privilege was important. I chose to obey my parents and play along whatever the game was. The plan should be easy, pretend to date for a week, legally get married, building an image that these days were so-called relationship goals, and divorced after the inaugural ceremony. We had to live together and share the bedroom, not the bed. Of course, it would be weird to have two beds in the same room but I can always sneak out to the other bedroom once I dismiss the PSS.
I got the impression that she was trying to guard up and act professionally as this stunt was a job for her. She was being paid for it. But I noticed that she gulped when I told her about I rule the bedroom.
If she was that professional, she would not even blink, but she gulped. Tempted, miss Son?
I was being told that she would start tonight, to be my consort for the state dinner. The first announcement would be released tonight for the internal affairs, and the media frenzy would start tomorrow as the official statement released.
She stood by my side and played with her, our, fake-engagement ring. She looked prettier tonight in a pastel-colored dress, a very different look from her usual formal attire. Her hair and face were done, and she looked like a beauty pageant contestant. Attractive enough to be my arm candy for the next five months.
We walked behind my parents as we entered the ballroom. As anticipated, the guests were whispering one to another, and as they landed their eyes on the lady on my arm.
She flaunted her smile. I could feel her hands were sweating as I held hers, but her face played it well. We were approached by some guests and the estate secretary who was assigned to walk with us greeting the guests introduced her as my fiance. That I have proposed to her and planned our wedding next week.
This dinner was easy, I was more worried about the media for tomorrow. There will be a lot of questions, hate speeches, and gossips that would likely attack her. Well, maybe that's why my parents chose her. That was her daily job. But she used to defend our family, not her own self. Would it cause her some hard time?
"Mr. Hyun, are you okay?" her question brought me back from my wandering mind.
"I am. Why?"
"You're spacing out. I was asking you a question, do you want some drinks? I was going to ask for some champagne to the maid." She whispered.
"Yes. Brandy."
"Bourbon whiskey an hour ago, then brandy? You're an old fashioned. How old are you, Sir?"
"Just get me one, staff."
"Staff?" she gasped.
"What? You rejected my idea to address each other as a babe."
"I have a name, and it's Son Yejin if you forget. And I'm not your babe."
"Then who's? That bodyguard's?"
"What are you talking about, Sir?"
"Him, your loverboy. He has been eyeing for you since you walked out of our bedroom."
"That's his job. He was assigned to me. Youngjae was used to be with you if you even remember, Sir, he has a name, Choi Youngjae."
"Oh really? I bet you're just pretending or you're just really that stupid to be aware of that loverboy."
"Are you implying that you're jealous, Sir?"
"Of course not. Don't flatter yourself just because my parents like you then I would automatically like you too. You can have him, or better, I will shove you to him once we were done with this dinner. There was a secret exit door in my bedroom. He knows it, and I'll ask your loverboy to pick you up there."
"He doesn't know about this arrangement, Sir. Don't be reckless."
"So you insist to sleep on my bed rather than his?"
"It would be nice if I can sleep outside your bedroom. But I don't want to risk anyone to see me outside your room when you were inside. This arrangement was known only by us, your parents, and Mr. Park. Even my parents are clueless about this and they are thinking that I will become President Hyun's daughter in law next week."
"I have an idea. What if we both pretend to stay inside that room? We'll use the secret exit door to the back yard and we can go separately from there."
"Where to? You can't even leave your gate without any PSS agent knowing. And now, me too. We're trapped. Is there secret access to another bedroom as well?"
"No. Only my room has it, and it's heading to the backyard."
"Okay. Try this. You ask the PSS to change the perimeter. Ask them to clear the living room before your bedroom, so I can use another bedroom without anyone knowing."
"That might work. I'll try it. You can use the room across mine."
"Mr. Hyun, President Hyun is going to make a speech," her elbow nudged me, drawing my attention to Dad.
Dad started to greet the guests and did the sweet talks, then he reached the part about me getting married next week. The guests were applauding for the delighting news and Dad closed his speech by raising his champagne glass to toast with everyone in the room as everyone's eyes turned to me and Yejin.
"Hear hear!"
"Congratulations, Mr. Hyun, Miss Son!"
"You're so lucky to have such a beautiful fiance, Mr. Hyun."
"It's an honor to be among the first ones who heard this joyful news!"
"God bless you, Mr. Hyun, Miss Son."
Those were kind of congratulations I have received from the ministers and other state officials. Everyone was smiling and looked ecstatic, I wasn't sure why to see me finally getting official with someone or to wait on what trouble would I make with this upcoming wedding. My father was sitting on the highest political throne in this country so everyone around us would likely always has their own intention, sometimes good but often not so good.
Yejin acted very well like she was born for this. She blended well, smiled, and greeted everyone, knew everyone's names and the latest head ups about each guest. I might be a party animal, but not this kind of bull-sweet party.
"You blend very well, Miss Son."
"Oh, so now I am Miss Son, no longer staff? Of course, I knew everyone and what are they into, their dirt, their backup..it is just a part of my daily job."
"I can call you whatever I want. What do you mean by part of your daily job? Listening to everyone's gossips?"
"To defend President Hyun from threats, I have to know what dirt I can use to threaten back and who get their back. To help President Hyun negotiate, I also have to know what were personal interests of the other party."
"Sounds so complicated, you have to know about everyone, do you still have time left to have fun?"
"It's fun, you know, being the one who knows more about one's personal information."
"In the future, there's no way I'm going to pick politics as my career, even though my Dad never gets tired of pushing me to become an assemblyman after his period was over."
"I'll try my best to prolong his period for the next four years. I like President Hyun."
"By how?"
"By handling you, Sir. I mean, taking care of you."
I rolled my eyes in disbelief.
"Eyes over here, Sir. Don't roll your eyes in public, it's disrespectful."
"Disrespectful my ass. You should tell that loverboy to do his job, watch on everyone in this room, not darting his eyes on your boobs."
"Language, Sir. Curse all the way you want in your house but not here not now. Have anyone never told you before? You're a son of a high profile, and now a President, you're unbelievable, Mr. Hyun."
She managed to have this conversation with me, and still put her sweet smile the whole time.
"You should be the one who has the last name, Hyun. Hyun Yejin. Sounds good."
"Not to disrespect you and your family, but I won't change my surname to Hyun. It's not on the contract."
"Contract? Do we have a contract? Where do I sign? I don't remember that I have ever signed up."
"You will, it's still being drafted by Mr. Park. Don't worry Sir, the contract is to protect you not me, so I won't have your fortune once we get divorced."
"What if you get pregnant?"
"Definitely would not."
"Then don't, there is no way I'm going to share a kid with you."
"Don't worry Sir, same over here. But don't hate me too much or you will end up falling for me, Mr. Hyun."
"Oh, is this a challenge? Let's see who's gonna crumble first."
"As long as Youngjae is around, I won't. What you said about Youngjae is a serious accusation, Sir, but you seem like you really sure about it, so why don't we just prove it then? You think just because of your last name or your face then every girl will fell for you? I don't think so."
"So you're into him?"
"Not your business, Mr. Hyun. I'll keep my professional appearance as your fiance and soon your wife, but what's going on behind my door is my personal business. So are yours."
"What the hell, Miss Son?!"
"Language, Mr. Hyun. I respected you as President Hyun's son but you're pissing me off. So let's draw a border here. I'm on duty 24/7 as your partner, but don't test my patience. I'll put my best face in front of everyone for the sake of President Hyun's image, but once I'm in the bedroom, I have no obligation to do a wife's duty on you."
"Fine. Then it's fixed, you will sleep in the bedroom across mine, and I can bring my night companions as many as I want."
"Manwhoring, Mr. Hyun? Don't forget to check yourself at the doctor's. You know...you might get a serious disease for having that kind of lifestyle."
"You're such a pain in the ass, Miss Son."
"Careful with your words, and I will honor you as a husband, in front of and behind everyone. But if you still act like this, I'm sorry, you will only have me for appearances."
This girl..shit. I have never ever being rejected blatantly like this.
"So you will be my partner on screen, for day and dinner optics. Then that PSS boy will bang you at night?"
"As I said, that is none of your business, Mr. Hyun. Whatever I will do with my loverboy at night was none of your concern, don't trouble yourself to worry about me. I'm a big girl, I can choose with who I will spend my night with. Don't worry about what will happen behind my bedroom door."
She turned her focus back on the guests who were approaching us. I gritted my teeth. Not that I was jealous, but I didn't like being ignored and being treated this disrespectful by a woman who was going to be my wife. She should be someone who obeys me, no matter what I do.
The photographers were going to take a picture of us.
"Smile, babe, smile," she whispered.
"Sure, baby. One more thing, baby. Change of plan. You will sleep in my bedroom tonight. I need to teach you some lessons on how to pay respect to me."
"Why bother? I don't want to disturb your session with your night companion, Mr. Hyun. I'm not into threesome."
I held her waist and whispered closer to her ear. "She's not coming, and I need a substitute."
"Thank you for your offer, but I'm busy. I have a plan to check on Youngjae tonight, is he really a loverboy of mine as you said before? Excuse me." She gently pulled off my hand from her waist and swayed her way out of the ballroom.
Oh, Son Yejin. What game are you playing? I'll show you who's the MVP here.