Son Yejin POV
"Miss Son, haven't we made ourselves clear yesterday? Or it's just you who don't understand the meaning of consorting my son? How can this happen? he got caught in another humiliating scandal like this. Why did he spend the night outside?" Mrs. President asked me, still managed her tone calm, but clearly disappointed was all over her.
It was 6 AM but I already started my day being scolded by The First Lady.
"I am sorry, Ma'am. He said that he would meet a female friend and spend the night with her in the hotel. I reminded him to be safe, and he said he would go straight to the hotel room to avoid being caught. I have no idea that he throws a private party there."
"A private party with half dozen of strippers! Luckily Mr. Park has bought and taken down all the pictures, but you, how can you still be calm looking at these pictures? This is him, your fiance, with a stripper on his lap, aren't you feel uncomfortable, at least? How can you manage to sleep last night knowing your fiance was spending the night with another woman?" she pointed at a picture of Bin and a stripper, in a private party.
"With all respect, Mrs. President, I am working, pretending to be his fiance in public, and I have done my part yesterday. But what Mr. Hyun did last night was his own will and I have warned him. I'm asking for your suggestion, Ma'am, what am I supposed to do if he wants to do his extracurricular at night next time? I don't think that I should join him."
"Of course not! Do anything so he stops seeing another woman during your marriage. I will scold him by myself later, but you, Miss Son, do something. What did he get from this woman? give it to him."
"With all respect, Mrs. President, it's clear that he was looking for some kind of sexual intercourse, which I can't give him. Does this assignment come with that task too? Because I'm sorry, I can't. I'm not being paid here to satisfy his needs."
"Like you aren't attracted to him already, Miss Son? We saw how you acted yesterday, very convincing. At some moment I believed that you both really attracted to each other. Or are you that old fashioned? I knew you both sleep separately the night before. Just...do something, Miss Son. I will personally speak to my son after this, but this, can't happen anymore. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
She stormed out of the study. Mr. Park was looking at me uncomfortably.
"Mr. Park... what should I do?"
"What's done is done. I've taken care of it. Partially, I agree with her that you should do something to stop his extracurricular at night, but I believe there are a lot of options rather than sex."
"I understand that extracurricular may have become his habit, that he has needs, but I don't think that I should be the substitute for that. I have to think a better way so that he can have it without being caught."
"Are you sure, Yejin? One of the girls would potentially leak it somehow."
"Then how? Don't you suggest to me too, I'm not a prostitute, Mr. Park. I'm being paid for this assignment, and I can't risk getting pregnant, Mr. Park, you know the agreement. If I was, then my baby won't have a father to support. I don't want it to happen."
"I don't. Mrs. President is just upset, ignore her words about suggesting you give her son what a prostitute did."
"I know, she's just emotional, but I'm insulted, Mr. Park."
"You slept in the guestroom?"
"I did."
"You better move back. Do what you do best, Yejin, and just stick to the initial reason why you're being assigned for this. Image, and it doesn't require a heart, so I support your decision to stay professional...but I won't complain though if it develops to the next level."
"I'm going to do this as planned, Mr. Park. I can't believe that I just lied to my parents yesterday. They called me and spoke to him through a video call. They thought that I never bring a man to meet them all this time because I was secretly dating President Hyun's son."
"Focus on the assignment, Yejin. I know you can pull this."
"Is that really necessary to sleep in the same room with him?"
"In my opinion yes, because the housemaid, your beauty staff, the agents...are gossiping. Even Mrs. President knew you slept in the separate rooms through those rumors, sure it will reach the public's ears in just a matter of days. Now you can make an excuse that you're the type of ones who waits until the wedding day but after the wedding? You better find a way to negotiate a sleep arrangement with him."
"I will. I understand."
"You will do another interview after lunch, be ready. Prepare him as well."
"Yes, Sir."
I stepped out of the study and noticed that my previous PSS agents have gone and replaced by Choonja and Youngjae. I instantly rushed off back to Bin's mansion and avoided Youngjae's glance, as I felt uncomfortable with our last conversation.
"Choonja, I wanna go for a morning run," I said to my female PSS agent.
"Sure, but aren't you supposed to have breakfast with Mr. Hyun, Ma'am?"
"It won't take too long. I'm going to change."
Hyun Bin was still sleeping on his bed. Usually, he does some sport exercises at this hour, but clearly, he didn't get much sleep last night.
I changed my outfit for running and stepped outside expecting Choonja to run with me but instead of her, it was Youngjae who already in a running outfit.
"Where is Choonja?"
"I'm going to run with you."
We ran at the Blue House's park that circling the buildings. It was the cheery blossom season. It actually would feel romantic to witness it with the loved ones, but my heart was far from it. I was bewildered.
I ran faster in front of Youngjae, and of course, he was able to catch up with my pace.
"Are you mad at me, Yejin?"
I didn't answer. I kept running because, well, I can't talk much during running and I still didn't know what was the answer.
"Yejin-"
"Don't just call me Yejin in front of anyone."
"I know. But it's only us now. Answer me."
I stopped and panted.
"I don't know, Youngjae. Maybe yes, I am angry."
"I love you, Son Yejin."
"I know. I know, Youngjae. But why now? Why you need a push this big to make a move? I'm going married in 5 days, Youngjae!"
"I know our feeling is mutual, or you won't be angry."
"No. I choose him, Youngjae."
"Since when? I know something is not right here. I know him, I know you. You both can't be dating and going to get married for real."
"Who are you, Youngjae? You know nothing!"
"Tell me if you don't have the same feeling for me. Look at me and say it,"
I sighed, and fixed my eyes on him.
"I don't have the same feeling for you, Youngjae. I like the nice and friendly Youngjae I know. I'm going to marry Hyun Bin. I have to! Accept it!"
"You have to? What happened to you? Did he knock you up?"
"He did not! This conversation is over." I walked away from him.
He spoke louder from behind me.
"I know you don't love him, Yejin. I know you hate him. Something is not right here. It's fine if you don't love me back but can't you be with someone better?"
I stopped walking.
"You think you're better than him? You know nothing, Youngjae!"
I felt like I was about to cry. I knew that I feel something about Youngjae but I wasn't sure that it was love. I also felt something about Bin but hell I was so sure that it can't be love. I won't give up my heart just because someone confessed his love, someone looked like getting jealous over me, or I was uncomfortable that someone seeing another woman when he was supposed to be with me. I wasn't that desperate.
Let them be. I'll stay on how I know best, to keep a comfortable distance. It was always casual relationships and casual kisses. I'll never say love if it doesn't exist. I only have one heart, I won't let it be broken.
Honestly, I was confused with my own heart. Who to blame? Choi Youngjae? Hyun Bin?
I ran faster, and I can heard Youngjae ran behind me, but this time he maintained a safe distance.
I came back to Bin's room and prepared to take a bath. He wasn't on his bed anymore, and from the wet tiles in the bathroom, he might have woke up and showered as well.
I was enjoying my warm milk bath when Bin's voice startled me.
"Miss Son. Next time, just ask me if you want to run, or take female agents to run with you." Hyun Bin was leaning on the bathroom door.
"Mr. Hyun! Oh my God! Get out! Can't I have some privacy? I'm taking a bath here!"
"Please. You didn't lock the door." He rolled his eyes and sat on the closed closet.
I lowered my body under the milky water. My heart beat faster. I couldn't go anywhere and I had to wait for him out.
"I thought you're already gone. Mrs. President is going to see you this morning."
"She has just summoned me. Angry, of course. I assumed that she has spoken to you, so I don't need to recap it, but we need to talk."
"Can't we talk after I'm done?"
"Can't. I like this version of you, Miss Son." He winked, then continue talking, "we are going to endure this fake marriage for four to five months. Just because of two nights spent separately, rumors that I still date another women have spread around Blue House. This morning, you paraded around the Blue House with that loverboy. What about tonight? Are you going to invite him on your bed after his shift was over, just like last night?"
"What do you want, Mr. Hyun?"
"Can't we just share this bedroom, if sharing the bed was too much for you. I will buy a new comfortable couch for myself because two beds will cause some suspiciousness."
"Okay, as long as I get the bed."
"Whenever you want to run, ask me first, I always into running. But if I can't, make sure that the PSS agent who would run with you was a she."
"Totally fine by me. I was asking for Choonja but Youngjae replaced her without asking me."
"Yeah, whatever. I don't like it and it doesn't look good. Last, if I want to spend the night outside, you have to come with me too."
"What? Then watching girls grinding on your lap? No!"
"You don't have to watch me, just your presence."
"No, Mr. Hyun, I won't go to your sex parties!"
"Fine. I'll find another way later. But so you know, Miss Son, I have needs."
"Mr. Hyun, are we done here? I have to get dressed for our next interview today. Can you please go out of the bathroom?"
"Sure. I'll see you outside."
He stood up from the closet and walked out, but on the door, he said, "You're pretty when you're blushed and flustered, Miss Son. I will look up for another blushing face of yours."
"Mr. Hyun, please..."
He chuckled and walked out, closing the bathroom door.
The day went fast, from one interview to one interview. Just like yesterday, we spent it as acting as a couple in love.
Between the interviews, when we were waiting for the camera to roll, he held my hand and leaned closer to me.
"What happened when you ran this morning?"
"Nothing. Why?"
"Your loverboy staring at us like he was ready to kill me." He chuckled.
I eased my hand off Bin's and looked at Youngjae.
"He confessed his feelings to me."
"Then why did you look...not so happy when you were back?"
"I am not sure about mine."
He looked surprised.
"Wait, why am I telling you this? Mr. Hyun, just forget what I said. It's my personal business, and it won't interrupt the assignment." I panicked.
"You seemed very confident about it yesterday. Why? Is it because of me?"
"You? I am not that desperate, Sir."
"Let's count, how many times have we tell the world that we love each other? I lost my count. You know if you hear something enough, you will start to believe it."
"So you're starting to believe that you love me, like how the world knows?"
"I don't know, baby, but what I know is I don't like when another man loves my fiance."