MBWI 03

Chapter – 03

Han-gyeong was smiling when he saw her.

It wasn’t the polite smile he used for civil petitioners. It was a mocking smile.

“I came to get a copy of my resident registration certificate.”

At her words, Han-gyeong glanced around and leaned closer toward Ga-eun.

“You know you could easily get it online or from an automated machine. Why bother coming all the way to the district office…?”

“Excuse me.”

Ga-eun deliberately called him in an irritated voice. His face immediately stiffened.

“Did you come to beg me to get back together?”

“Did I just hear a dog barking somewhere? Dogs these days sure talk well, don’t they? Stop talking nonsense and just print my document.”

Ga-eun held out her ID.

“You really came just for the document?”

“Why are you speaking casually to me?”

“What kind of relationship do you and I—”

“Wow, this ajusshi is really funny. Even if I look young, I’m still a civil petitioner. Is it okay to talk down to me like that?”

“……”

Ga-eun crossed her arms and continued.

“Just print it quickly. I’m busy.”

“…Yes.”

After taking her ID, Han-gyeong printed the document and handed it over.

“I wonder why things like cheating history don’t show up on these records. It would be nice if they did… Oh, I needed two copies. Why did you only print one without even asking?”

“Oh… two copies… yes, I’ll print another right away.”

“Please hurry. Why does printing a simple document take so long?”

Han-gyeong’s face was already flushed red.

He wanted to ask why she was acting like this, but this was his workplace, and right now Ga-eun wasn’t his ex-girlfriend but a petitioner. He had to remain professional.

Because of that, he became flustered and struggled even with the simple task of printing a document.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“You can just print it like before.”

“…Yes. I’m sorry. Just give me a moment…”

Han-gyeong wiped his forehead and fumbled around.

This was a side of him Ga-eun had never seen before.

Jung Han-gyeong had always been someone who acted arrogant no matter what he did. Seeing him this shaken made the corners of her mouth slowly rise.

“Do I have to wait long?”

“…It’ll be ready soon.”

“I’m very busy right now, you know?”

As her voice grew louder, another employee sitting behind Han-gyeong stood up.

“We apologize. Our employee hasn’t been here long, so I think he caused some inconvenience. I’ll handle it instead.”

“Then please make it quick.”

“Yes. Here it is.”

The employee skillfully printed the document and handed it to Ga-eun with both hands.

“Thank you.”

After thanking him, Ga-eun left the district office.

On her way in, she had wanted to point fingers at Han-gyeong and cause a huge scene, but she held herself back.

If she did that, she felt she would only make herself look ridiculous.

[You did that on purpose to mess with me, didn’t you?]

Ga-eun smirked at Han-gyeong’s message.

“I didn’t know he liked getting screwed over so much. If I’d known, I would’ve fed him taffy every time we met.”

She read the message but didn’t reply. Soon another one came.

[If you have something to say, say it in person. Don’t do this at my workplace like a coward.]

“You’re the one who can’t even do your job properly. Why are you taking it out on me? I won’t have any reason to see you again. Do people avoid poop because they’re scared? No, they avoid it because it’s dirty.”

More message notifications kept coming, but Ga-eun ignored them and went home.

Her time was far too valuable to waste on trash like him.

* * *

After signing the last approval document, Seok-jin stretched his neck and arms.

There was a knock, and Secretary Tak entered with an envelope.

“I’ve exchanged the money.”

“Thanks.”

“If you could at least tell me which hotel you’ll be staying at and your general schedule—”

“I’ll be fine. You should take some time off while I’m gone.”

“But sir…”

Today was the day Seok-jin was leaving for vacation.

His summer vacations were somewhat unusual.

Unlike other businessmen who informed their secretarial staff of their destinations and received assistance, he traveled completely privately and secretly.

He didn’t even tell them which flight he was taking or where he was staying.

“I’ll be back safely.”

“Every time you go on vacation like this, it drives me crazy. What if something happens? What if there’s an emergency—”

“That’s why I at least tell you which country I’m going to. That’s enough, isn’t it?”

Seeing Secretary Tak’s troubled expression, Seok-jin lightly patted his shoulder and left the office.

Wearing a white T-shirt and cotton pants, he didn’t look like the young president of Jushin Retail. He looked like an ordinary office worker going on vacation.

After arriving at the airport by taxi, he sat in the boarding gate waiting area.

Normally he would’ve used a private departure route, but today he sat among the crowd like everyone else.

“It’s fine. Mom doesn’t have that kind of money anyway. Who knows? Maybe I’ll meet some handsome guy in Bangkok and have a passionate romance… Okay, okay. Can’t I even joke? A three-day romance, yeah right. I’d rather stay single than meet another jerk like Jung Han-gyeong.”

It was a familiar voice.

From behind him came a tone he recognized.

It was the woman named Oh Ga-eun.

“It’s business class. Later, when I make a lot of money, I’ll put my mom in first class. Mom, I need to pick up something from the duty-free shop. I’ll hang up now.”

As Ga-eun stood up, Seok-jin covered his face with his hand.

He didn’t know why he was hiding even though he’d done nothing wrong. Still, he tried his best not to be recognized while observing her.

Judging by the massive amount of duty-free shopping bags she carried, it was hard to tell if she was traveling or starting a resale business.

After looking around, she sat down again behind him.

“Crazy bastard. Why is he calling again?”

Still full of anger, Ga-eun answered the phone, adding a curse.

“Why?”

Since she was sitting right behind him, he could hear everything without even trying.

—What are you doing?

“What does it matter to you what I’m doing?”

—I was just wondering.

“If you’re so curious about someone’s well-being, call your precious girlfriend instead.”

—Hey, I don’t have a girlfriend.

From the conversation, they sounded like close acquaintances.

Though from the man’s lingering tone, it was obvious he still had feelings.

“You know, your girlfriend. Want me to call her? Tell her Jung Han-gyeong keeps calling his ex because he’s bored.”

—…When did you find out?

“When doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re a cowardly jerk who was dating two women at once.”

—You knew and still pretended not to? I’m really disappointed.

“Disappointed? That’s funny! Was it fun putting me and her on a scale and comparing us? Must’ve been exciting. Honestly, I wanted to throw a bucket of sewage at your face at the district office, but you’re already garbage, so I figured I didn’t need to.”

—Are you done talking?

“Nope. I hope you choke on taffy and experience tens of thousands of embarrassing moments in your life, you miserable bastard.”

She spoke calmly, without even raising her voice.

Ironically, the man yelling sounded louder.

—Hey, Oh Ga-eun!

“Can you hang up already? I’m traveling with another guy right now.”

—What? You already found someone else? Who is he?

“A good guy. Wherever he is, he’s definitely a big man. Goodbye, Jung Han-gyeong. Tonight looks like it’ll be beautiful. Oh, honey!”

At her words, Seok-jin glanced around slightly to see where this “big man” was.

There was no one.

“You’ve worked hard dating trash like that, Oh Ga-eun. Go get a massage, eat good food, and come back ready to start fresh!”

Watching her scold her pathetic ex, Seok-jin thought she was an interesting woman.

Well, he had already thought she wasn’t ordinary when he saw her take 5,000 won from Secretary Tak’s wallet.

Have a good trip.

As boarding time approached, Seok-jin stood up.

* * *

If not for that last annoying call from Jung Han-gyeong, it would have been a perfect start to the trip.

She had been tired of staying home for months, so she decided to take a luxurious vacation using her savings, severance pay, and the refund money from the suit she had bought for Han-gyeong.

Of course, the only truly luxurious part was the business-class ticket she had bought with trembling hands.

“A good start makes a good journey and a good ending.”

People might call her crazy, but she had always wanted to try it at least once.

Fortunately, the Thai airline’s business-class ticket wasn’t too expensive.

Maybe because it was Sunday afternoon, there were hardly any passengers. Walking through the business-class boarding lane, she didn’t see a single person.

It felt strange.

“This makes me feel like I’m doing something ridiculously extravagant.”

After showing her ticket to the smiling flight attendant, she boarded.

The attendant helped store her duty-free bags. Ga-eun found her seat and sat down.

The spacious, cozy seat made her smile without realizing it.

While she looked around in fascination, the man next to her calmly read an English newspaper.

A man reading a newspaper was already intimidating enough, but an English one…

She suddenly felt uneasy about the nearly six-hour flight to Bangkok.

“Ugh seriously. What does this jerk want now?”

Han-gyeong was calling again.

After hesitating, she answered, deciding to give him one last verbal blow.

“I told you I’m busy.”

—How long has it even been since we broke up? You already found another guy? Were you cheating?

“This crazy bastard. Just because you cheated, you think everyone else does?”

—There’s etiquette even in breakups. We dated for seven years. You should at least spend a year grieving those memories.

“Memories my foot. Say one more stupid thing and I’ll call your girlfriend. The one who works at Jushin Retail!”

Instead of making excuses, Han-gyeong just hung up silently like a child caught doing something wrong.

Was she expecting an apology?

Maybe even a pathetic excuse?

She laughed in disbelief.

“My poor ears, thanks for putting up with that nonsense.”

As she absentmindedly picked her ear, she turned her head.

She froze mid-motion.

Seok-jin was staring at her with a blank expression.

Why was this man sitting next to her?

She hadn’t told anyone that President Joo Seok-jin was interviewing women to choose a bride…

Feeling as if her life were in danger, Ga-eun made a pitiful expression.

“I didn’t tell anyone.”

“Tell anyone what?”

“About the bride interview.”

A smile passed across Seok-jin’s face, and Ga-eun awkwardly smiled back.

“But… you’re telling me now, aren’t you?”