Ch 2

Narrator

Once Chris and Jihyun were left alone, she didn’t waste time and slapped his hands away from her. Chris didn’t have it in him to feel offended as he knows, he was at fault. Glaring at the male in silent rage, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” gone was the calm and collected woman, as Chris looked at her apologetically.

“Whoa, calm down!” Chris placed his hands on her shoulder and massaged them softly. He was hoping to reduce her anger but she looks nowhere near calm. “Maybe I should have thought this through? But the deed’s already done… what am I going to do?”

This was the first time he’s seeing Jihyun like this, so, the surprise would be an understatement for Chris. Jihyun had always been a woman who was good at keeping her feelings hidden from him, she was always so professional. So, to see her being this expressive because of his small decision, made him feel bad.

“Don’t touch me! What the hell was that?! What the hell did you do?!” nose flared and breathing heavy, her eyes were throwing daggers at him, she was very unsatisfied and outraged. “Why on earth do I have to be your girlfriend!?” 

Recalling the small whisper, he said when the two guests were present, she could not help but want to choke him for holding her captive. He didn’t give her any time to react or decide as he made her comply and introduced her to the two people in his life.

And it made her feel stupid for not being able to do anything at that point because of the two pairs of eyes. They made her freeze over but the small grip Chris had on her arms told her everything that she needed to know. She had to play along if she knows what was best for her.

“It’s like he’s having a blast making me do this, do that!” she thought angrily as what occurred flashed back in her mind like a broken record.

***

“Jihyun, come here. I want you to meet my cousin and her fiancée. Guys, this is my one and only secretary, temporary hotel manager, and my girlfriend,” Chris was suddenly beside her and wrapped his hand around her shoulder. He pulled her closer as he squeezed himself into her smaller frame. 

“What... How did he get here? Wasn’t he there just now? What’s he doing?“ She couldn’t fully register what he just said but the confused looks of his two guests gave her the impression they too, were confused like her.

“What? You are dating your secretary? Since when?” the female said and had her eyes up and down Jihyun’s figure as if she was in disbelief. Staring back at her, Jihyun’s ear caught the scandalous words, feeling the color drain from her face as her brain registered the words.

“What?! Who’s dating who?!” Jihyun had her eyes wide at the statement and glared at the male for saying such things suddenly. ”Is this some sick joke? What is he doing?”

“Wow, I know I said I was worried about you Chris… but dating your secretary? I didn’t see this one coming,” the male chuckled and Jihyun tried hard to breathe normally and think rationally. Even the male guest, her boss's best friend, looked at her in question, yet Jihyun could not feel any sort of hostility from him, just pure curiosity. While the female guest, Chris's cousin was staring at her without blinking. Jihyun could not for her life, make out what the stare stands for.

“Was this some bad joke? A nightmare perhaps? Maybe I fell asleep at my desk and maybe this will all be over once I wake up… yeah… that’s it…” she tried to make herself feel better but knows it was futile when Chris kept giving her a soft yet firm squeeze on the shoulder. "Yep, this sh*t's real and he is so dead!"

“I’ve never said anything because…” Chris looked down at her and she caught the slight glint in his eyes as if he was secretly enjoying this. “Well, Jihyun doesn’t want anyone to know about our relationship. She’s a bit shy for public display of affections. Plus, I don’t want people saying she got this job to seduce me. It’s the other way around if I’m being honest… and you two know my reputation with women…”

Chris’s sudden explanation and the pinch on her lower back hurt, making Jihyun blink. Looking up at him again, he was already staring down at her with a raised brow. “Right baby?” He was gripping her shoulder so hard at the time, so Jihyun had to pinch his arm a bit for him to lessen his hold on her.

“What?” her confusion must have done something because he grinned at the two people before leaning down and husked by her ear.

“Go along with it if you want to keep your job,” he whispered and she held back a curse, eyes wide. He pulled back a bit to give her the coldest look he could muster before looking at his guest with warm eyes.

Aliaa all the while was silent as her eyes had been observing the sudden couple in front of her. Blinking and head tilted back, she made eye contact with her fiancée who only shrugged the matter away.

“So… you guys have been hiding because you were worried about people’s judgment?” Chris nodded at his cousin's confirmation and almost yelped when Jihyun pinched his back shoulder in revenge, now slowly loosening the grip he had on her.

“Man! This woman can pinch…”

“I mean, it’s understandable… you are the hot bachelor in the business world, the chaebol of everyone’s dream after all…” Luke joked while wiggling his brows, making Chris roll his eyes. “I don’t give a damn about that… that's all bullsh*t anyway...”

Looking between the two, Aliaa took a step toward them as if she was making a decision. “Oh, I guess people would think that,” suddenly the woman jumps towards Jihyun with a huge grin, making Jihyun puzzled at her sudden 180. ”Didn’t she just look at me like I wasn’t supposed to be here? What is wrong with her?”

“Unnie… since you’re here and dating oppa, come to my wedding, ok? I’m sure once we are there, oppa can introduce you to everyone officially,” she nods with enthusiasm, and Jihyun wasn’t sure what to reply. ”What wedding? What is she talking about? Officially? We are not even together!”

“Aliaa, she’s going to have to book the resort for you. Of course, she’s coming, right baby?” Chris beamed and tightly smiled at Jihyun, sending her the secret message. Agree right now or you will face my wrath.

“Eh? Oh… sure...” not sure what else to say, she just smiled. Although she was sure it looked forced.

Luckily for her, the conversations they shared didn’t last long as the couple had a few more errands to run, leaving them to the present.

***

“You only have to be my girlfriend for ten days, give or take... it’s not that hard honestly…” Chris blankly stated, taking Jihyun out of her thoughts and she could not help but want to strangle him for this sudden and unnecessary task. ”How could he act so nonchalantly? Does he think this is a game?!”

“How can you act like this is nothing? How am I supposed to be your girlfriend if I’m not even yours to start with?! I barely know you personally out of this goddamn office!!” 

She angrily inquired, Chris could tell she was royally pissed by staring at her face. The plainly beautiful face was red with anger from her whole face down to her neck and up to her ears. As much as it was his first time seeing Jihyun this red and angry, he couldn’t take back his words. He had unknowingly created a small situation where the both of them would be needed at the wedding. 

“It didn’t have to be a mess if I just told Aliaa I’m fine with seeing Cameron again… it’ll just be ten days anyways... but Jihyun is just for reassurances, yeah… that’s right reassurance.” He kept telling himself that and continues to stare at a fuming Jihyun who is glaring at him with many deadly ideas in her head. 

“It is nothing. Just act like your mine, I’m sure it’s not that hard. Oh, don’t forget to book the resort in Okinawa for ten days. I’ll email you the details that I had discussed with them earlier,” 

He brushed it off and tore his attention away from her to his laptop. Completely ignoring Jihyun who looks like she could murder him right there and then. The female huffed and exited his office and purposely slammed his door loudly. To show how upset and enraged she was with the sudden task.

“A task I never and would never imagine myself signing! Ugh! The nerve of this giant! Fluff you!!!!” she badly wanted to curse out at the proud male but alas, the only thing she could manage was to say it in her head. 

Chris just shook his head as he too, contemplated whether or not he made the right decision. “It’s too late to tell them otherwise… Aliaa and Luke looked like they have a lot on their plate already for their wedding…” he sighed and went back to his pending work. But a tiny bit of guilt was slowly eating him up for the small antic he pulled on Jihyun.

***

A little later after office hours ended, Chris got out of the chair for a little stretch and sighed. Most of the files he worked on are now on the side for Jihyun to pick up and he’s just waiting for her to come. But she hasn’t yet, so he figured he could call and ask her to pick it up.

But the moment he opened the door to his office slightly and sees her stressed-out face, the guilt he felt earlier came back. And when he heard Jihyun fluently talking in Japanese, knowing fully well where she was connected to right now made him feel worst.

Not wanting to dwell on it for long, he closes the door and kept to himself. Taking out his phone, Chris was ready to tell Luke and Aliaa that Jihyun couldn’t make it. But Philip’s caller id flashed suddenly as he talked about Luke and what he heard. Thus, the lie Chris told earlier, expanded out of control.

Sighing for the nth time that day, Chris cursed at his idiotic brain for doing this to himself. “Not only am I a liar, but I just potentially ruined the life of my secretary,” he pinched the bridge of his nose as he decided to prepare himself to see his friends tonight.

Unnie – older sister / the way younger girls or sisters refer to older women or their blood sister and family

Chaebol – usually refers to men who are successful, single, and come from wealthy families