MBWI 05

Chapter – 05

He was saying he had a favor to ask.

No matter how she looked at it, it was probably something ridiculous.

Like asking her to spend the night with him—something clearly inappropriate.

“What kind of favor?”

Gaeun asked deliberately with a crooked tone while turning on the recording function on her phone.

If Seokjin said anything inappropriate, she planned to use the recording as evidence and report him to the police.

As she expected, his mouth wouldn’t open easily, as if he was about to ask something difficult to say.

If he said anything unacceptable, she was ready to slap him.

“Um…”

“Go ahead.”

“Well…”

“No thanks.”

Gaeun rejected him immediately without even hearing the request.

After all, whatever a retail company president wanted from her had to be something abnormal.

She didn’t want to dirty her ears with nonsense.

“…Could you at least hear me out?”

“I said I won’t.”

“Please just listen first and then decide?”

“I don’t even want to hear it.”

Gaeun spoke firmly.

If she listened and then refused, she might end up learning another one of his secrets after that bizarre wife interview.

And if that happened, her peaceful life might become complicated.

As she kept refusing, Seokjin’s face gradually turned red with embarrassment.

As if making up his mind, he took a deep breath.

“Ms. Oh Gaeun.”

The way he said her name sounded strangely desperate, making her glance sideways at him.

“I’m sorry, but… could you lend me some money?”

Gaeun doubted her ears.

The great Joo Seokjin, president of Jooshin Retail, was asking an unemployed woman like her for money.

Does that even make sense?

Seeing her suspicious expression, Seokjin calmly explained.

“I forgot the cash I exchanged.”

“You don’t have a card?”

“I don’t carry one while traveling.”

“You travel without a backup plan in case something happens? Are you bold? Or just thoughtless… Ah, forget what I just said.”

Even though she said that, she still thought he was thoughtless.

How could someone travel without preparing alternatives? She couldn’t understand it.

Even if it were an ordinary person it would be ridiculous—but a company president?

A chaebol with no money?

Is this another test?

The situation felt unreal.

“I’ll pay you back as soon as we get back to Korea.”

“Do you really think it makes sense for a rich businessman to borrow money from me?”

“I’m asking sincerely.”

His serious eyes showed he wasn’t lying.

Unlike their first meeting, where he had been confident, he now looked completely deflated.

It seemed real.

Gaeun mentally calculated how much money she had.

Her exchanged cash and what remained in her debit account.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to help.

Someone like Joo Seokjin would probably pay her back double, so it wasn’t a losing deal.

But she wasn’t financially comfortable enough to lend money easily.

“I would like to help, but…”

His eyes seemed to shine with hope.

If she crushed that hope now, how much would he resent her?

“You probably looked into me, so you know. I don’t have money. I scraped together everything I had for this trip. I thought of it as the last luxury of my life.”

“I see.”

“If I lend you money, things will get really tight for me… but I have an idea, if you’re okay with it.”

She decided to suggest an alternative.

“What is it?”

“How about we match our schedules and travel together?”

He stayed silent for a moment.

“If that’s uncomfortable, then you could just call your secretary…”

“Let’s travel together.”

She still couldn’t understand why he agreed.

Why make things complicated when he could just call his secretary?

Still, she thought it would be better than traveling alone and smiled slightly.

“My return flight is Tuesday evening. What about you?”

“Same.”

“Maybe…”

“I think it’s the same flight.”

“That’s lucky. Should we compare schedules?”

Since she’d be traveling with him, she couldn’t insist only on her own plans.

“Sure.”

“I’m staying at T Hotel near Asok Station. You?”

“I’m staying there too.”

“Wow, same flight and same hotel…”

The coincidences were making her uneasy.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well…”

“Yes?”

“You don’t hack things, do you?”

Maybe he had arranged everything because he fell for her at first sight.

She had looked especially pretty that day.

“I don’t.”

“I was wondering if you found out my reservations and copied them.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“I was joking! You really don’t get jokes.”

Embarrassed, she laughed loudly.

“I don’t really like jokes.”

“Yeah, you look like that type. Anyway, I originally planned to get one massage a day, but since I have to feed you now, I guess I’ll cut it down to two massages.”

“…I see.”

“This is where you say sorry. Because I’m making a sacrifice because of you.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, maybe help me get a job—”

Since she was lending him money, she decided to be bold.

A company president could easily help someone like her.

“I don’t accept employment favors.”

“I was joking.”

“I said I don’t like jokes.”

He looked too serious for something she said casually.

“Alright, alright. So where were you planning to go?”

“I was just going to wander around.”

He almost took out his travel notebook but put it back.

Since he was asking for help, he didn’t want to burden her with his plans.

“You look very planned, but surprisingly you aren’t.”

“I was just going to rest at the hotel.”

“If you spend this much money to come here, you should see and eat as much as possible. I’m going to Asiatique, Wat Arun, a rooftop bar, Khao San Road…”

She also planned to buy underwear.

She had planned to buy one set, but now she dropped that idea.

She decided to buy it later in Korea after he paid her back.

“Sounds like a good schedule.”

“Of course. I picked famous places.”

“Then I’ll rely on you.”

“You’re not allowed to complain.”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s shake hands to celebrate.”

She held out her hand first.

“Please take care of me.”

He took her hand.

After the awkward handshake, she checked the remaining flight time and closed her eyes.

She wasn’t worried about herself.

She was worried about him.

He seemed to have cut contact with his secretary to enjoy a quiet vacation.

Would he manage being stuck with her because of money?

“Ms. Oh Gaeun.”

She opened her eyes.

“The in-flight meal is here.”

Her excitement exploded.

“Oh! When did they bring this?!”

“While your eyes were closed.”

“I’m so excited!”

“Enjoy.”

But when she saw the food, her face stiffened.

It was below her expectations.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wasn’t expecting caviar, but I thought it’d be amazing. But it’s just fish.”

“It’s still a course meal.”

“I should’ve picked Korean food!”

“Is it that upsetting?”

“Very.”

Dry bread.

Cheese with a strange smell.

She had wanted to take pictures, but lost all motivation.

“You expected too much.”

“But it’s business class.”

“There isn’t much difference from economy.”

She frowned and tried the salad.

Strange seasoning.

A bland taste.

She learned salad could taste bad.

“I should’ve eaten soup at the airport.”

“If you don’t like it, want to switch?”

She looked at his plate.

It wasn’t much different.

“It’s okay. I’ll just eat tom yum goong when we reach the hotel.”

She put her fork down.

Then picked it back up.

It felt wasteful not to eat.

Maybe her taste was just cheap.

She forced herself to eat.

“Ms. Gaeun, don’t force yourself.”

“It’s delicious! Wow, so delicious.”

“If you force it, you’ll get sick.”

He gently took her fork and called a flight attendant.

He ordered apple juice.

“Drink this first.”

He handed it to her.

“And the caviar meal you mentioned—I’ll buy it for you in Korea.”

“Forget the meal. Just pay me back quickly. Imagine rumors if I’m seen eating with you.”

Just imagining it felt terrible.