Chapter 98

After changing channels over and over, he finally asked.

“Is there anything you want to watch?”

“…A movie?”

Yes, let’s rather watch a movie, it might help empty my head. Only this hope motivated her short answer.

Si-Jin handed the remote control back to Na-Yool.

“Pick whatever you want to watch.”

“Can I play one from the ‘latest movies’ category?”

“Why do you need to ask?”

“Because it costs 10,000 won…” Na-Yool blurted out. But upon realizing how tight on money she sounded, her face slightly contorted in shame.

Sure enough, she heard a soft chuckle coming from her side. Noo, I’m not poor! Who would pay 10,000 won to replay a movie at home?! Any ordinary citizen would not…

Of course, there must be more such people in the world than she thought, like the one right here. While Na-Yool was brainwashing herself that it was okay, Si-Jin snatched the remote control from her and played the 10,000 won one that Na-Yool was talking about.

Why give me back the remote control then…!

“From now on, pick whatever you want. Whatever the price.”

Was just being granted to watch paid TV programs at will worth being so moved? Na-Yool felt like the female lead of a drama, when the rich male lead drags her to the department store and asks for all the bags in the boutique ‒ and she then would examine the bags from every angle despite saying “I can’t accept this”. That kind of guilty thrill.

“I won’t stay long here, so…” Na-Yool said, also to convince herself there was nothing to get excited over. Because she was embarrassed for unintentionally feeling giddy. Si-Jin ignored her and pointed his chin at the screen where the movie was starting.

Right from the start, the movie began with a wedding. Na-Yool did not even know what Si-Jin had picked, but later realized it was a romantic comedy which flopped at the box office a short time ago.

“That is an unexpected choice coming from you…”

“It was the first on the list.”

“Don’t you hate this kind of movie?”

“I abhor it.” Si-Jin replied flatly.

Na-Yool muttered with a sigh.

“I knew it.”

“And you, do you like it?”

“Not at all.”

Si-Jin smiled brightly, seemingly pleased by her answer. His eyes shone with the genuine relief that she did not like this genre.

But did he not play it because he thought she would like it? Far from being disappointed, he even lifted the remote control, ready to leisurely spend another 10,000 won like the well-off man that he was. Na-Yool quickly stopped his hand.

“No need. Let’s keep watching.”

“But we both hate it.”

“It’s fine, else it is a waste of money.”

“But it’s a bigger waste of time to watch it.”

It might be true for him, but Na-Yool’s own time was not worth throwing away the already spent 10,000 won. She adamantly shook her head.

“It might get funnier later on.”

Of course, though, there might be the reason the movie flopped.

A short while after that, they were staring at the screen, sitting side by side, when the protagonists suddenly kissed, pledging their eternal love. Both immediately frowned at the same time. Changing the course of the ‌conversation, Na-Yool spoke up.

“Do you have plans to get married?”

“Do not.” Si-Jin replied resolutely as his eyes remained fixated on the screen. “What about you?”

“Not that interested yet.”

“Good.”

She did not know what that ‘good’ meant, but she acquiesced anyway and inquired further.

“Does your family not say anything?”

“I’m the black sheep of the family, so not really.”

Indeed, living with a son like this at home could be burdensome, Na-Yool thoughtfully consented.  As she did so, Si-Jin returned her question.

“And you?”

“My mom does not say much, but my relatives have been pressing me for a few years now.”

As soon as she turned 26, they brought up marriage out of the blue. What century were they living in!

“Sounds like you’re getting some meddling in?”

“They say women should marry at a wonderful age. Hilarious!”

“Hm.”

“They make tremendous fuss about how I will regret missing the right timing to marry and fail to do it later. It has been going on for 3 years already, I think? And if I say I have no plan to yet, they admonish me for living thoughtlessly. Well, that’s how things are. I just ignore it.”

“You don’t need to pay them any mind.”

“When it gets so annoying and I say I’ll never marry, my uncle always argues that people who say so are the first to marry. That I will come to my senses once I mature up. When he himself got married in immaturity… I’m so sick of it.”

Si-Jin, who had been quietly listening to her complaints, turned his gaze from the TV to her and abruptly said: “Then ask your uncle.”

“What?”

“When he is going to divorce.”

“…Sorry?”

“Of course, he will answer that he won’t. Then politely inform him. That those who say so are always the first to divorce.”

“……”

“Then he will shut his mouth.”

Si-Jin said so with a kind smile, as if bestowing her a pearl of life wisdom. Na-Yool’s jaw dropped, and only her eyes blinked in stupefaction.

For sure, he is not your average wacko!

Na-Yool blurted out in wonder.

“I can understand why your family does not live with you.”

“Yes, they get fed up whenever I open my mouth.”

If he acts the same way in front of his parents, it’s understandable.

Si-Jin shrugged and picked up the coffee placed on the table. Only then did Na-Yool notice her own share he had prepared for her. She picked it up as well and sipped.

“Still, I think your parents would be proud of you. And probably have high expectations regarding your marriage and things like that.”

“Not really.”

“You have accomplished things on your own. Even if they don’t say it out loud—”

“You’re reading too much into it. I’m just a stray troublemaker.”

“…Stray?”

Na-Yool had a younger brother. One who had once gone astray too. When people say the son of some family went astray, it is usually because a 17-year-old got caught smoking, because they got in an accident while drunk driving, or because they ran away from home. A common example of rebellious phase.

Not when a man in his 30s started his own company and grew it into a solid business…

“Mr. President, what exactly are your family ‒ oh so upright ‒ standards then?”

“At any rate, not my current self, even with my President status.”

“……?”

The more he talked, the more Na-Yool was confused. At first, his parents may have objected that it was a dangerous initiative. But if his business is as prosperous as it is now, what kind of parent would not be pleased about it?

Perplexity ‌remained on Na-Yool’s face, but Si-Jin changed the subject as though refusing to discuss it further.

“If you’re okay with it, tell me about you.”

“…About what?”

“Your parents, family, that kind of thing. Or any trivial topic is fine, too.”

“Are you really curious about these?”

Na-Yool had almost followed ‘really’ by ‘merely’. The fact that she was caught between a sense of vivid reality and of illusion ‒ it was probably because of such moments like right now. Every moment when words which did not fit him, like ‘sincerity’ or ‘interest’, came to mind as she looked at his handsome face.

They had slept together a dozen more times, and when it came to feeling bashful, such trivial topics could not even compare. But it was nonetheless strange. While she was cool about the various vulgarities Si-Jin occasionally uttered, his attention made her feel unsettled.

“I am curious.”

“Even if you hear it, you will probably think it’s not worth it.”

“It’s about you.”

“……”

Na-Yool’s face burned up. Ahh he will notice… so embarrassing, really! On the other hand, she also realized how ‌lowly she had always thought of his human qualities. Every time he spoke like a human being was followed by a sense of mismatch.

“So it’s worth it.”

“Why do you need to know, anyway?”

“It will be of use somehow.”

As Na-Yool stared at him suspiciously, Si-Jin raised his subtly flickering eyes. Just a few seconds ago, those eyes were looking at Na-Yool’s cheeks as if looking at a delicious little thing.

……Oh no.

An alarm in her head started ringing loudly. Real danger was coming! However, the impression that he was ready to jump and devour her at any time lasted only an instant.