{KOREAN-ENGLISH}
That afternoon, Joon So Min arrived at the house.
The same house he had bought just for this ridiculous arrangement. It was enormous,so luxurious it could easily be mistaken for a private resort. She was greeted immediately by the well-uniformed maids and silent, imposing bodyguards who stood like statues outside the gate.
Inside, the house sparkled.
A maid led her to the so-called classroom prepared especially for her lessons. Madame Louise, flown in from Paris just to teach her etiquette, was already seated inside.
To So Min's surprise, the woman was kind and gentle. Strict, but not unkind. Still, Joon So Min knew,this wasn't because of her. It was because of Lee Seo Jun. Because she was his fake girlfriend. This world ran on power.
Just as the lesson ended, Mr. No stepped inside the room with a polite bow.
"Madam, Sir said I should pick you."
"Okay, Mr. No," she replied, wiping her forehead. She was tired and worse, hungry.
He drove her to a restaurant.
"He is waiting for you inside," Mr. No said.
She bowed politely and stepped out, walking into an extravagant, elegant dining hall. Inside, Lee Seo Jun sat at a table, browsing the menu with the same calm, confident air that always surrounded him.
He looked up when she walked in.
"So Min," he called.
She smiled faintly and approached. "You called for me?"
"Sit," he said. She obeyed, slipping into the seat across from him.
"How were your lessons today?" he asked.
"They went well. Why did you ask to meet?"
"I thought we should have dinner together," he replied casually, as if this were normal.
Did he know she hadn't eaten all day?
Just then, he lifted a hand to call the server.
"Do you like raw meat?"
So Min immediately shook her head. "Wait," she said.
"What?"
"I... I don't want to eat here. Let's go somewhere else."
His brows twitched slightly, surprised. But he nodded.
"Sure."
They exited the restaurant. Mr. No was already waiting beside the car.
"Mr. No, let's go," So Min said cheerfully.
She got in the car first, then turned and smiled. "There's a place I know."
⸻
They pulled up in front of a small ramen restaurant beside a peaceful river.
Lee Seo Jun stepped out slowly, staring at the humble place.
"You want to eat here?"
"Yes," she said with a grin. "Trust me."
She turned to Mr. No.
"Please join us."
Mr. No looked surprised,he'd never dined with Lee Seo Jun before. But her tone was so sincere that he bowed and nodded.
"Thank you, madam."
The three of them sat at a wooden table outside the restaurant. The breeze carried the smell of warm broth and fresh vegetables.
"Why ramen?" Seo Jun asked, eyeing the place with slight suspicion.
"Have you ever tried it?" she asked back.
He shook his head. "No."
She smiled and called the server, ordering three bowls of spicy ramen and a plate of kimchi.
"They make it differently here. Just give it a try."
The steaming bowls arrived.
Lee Seo Jun stared at the fiery red broth like it was a weapon. Mr. No had already started eating, slurping loudly with a pleased hum.
"Sir, it's delicious," he said, nodding encouragingly.
Seo Jun cautiously picked up his chopsticks and copied So Min, who showed him how to mix in the kimchi.
"How is it?" she asked as he took a bite.
He chewed slowly, then nodded. "Interesting."
He took another bite. Then another.
A smile crept onto her face. She chuckled. "See? You like it."
⸻
Later that night, the car came to a stop in front of her apartment.
"You can drop me off here," she said.
"No. It's too late. This area's dangerous at night."
He ignored her protest and waited until Mr. No pulled up in front of her building. She stepped out and bowed politely.
"Thank you."
"Alright, off you go," he said, eyes lingering on her for a beat too long.
She ran inside, tiptoeing past the sleeping figures of her stepmother and younger brother. Kicking off her shoes at the door, she slipped quietly into her room.
⸻
The next day, Joon So Min was ready early. Mr. No arrived promptly to pick her up.
"Where are we going today?" she asked as she got into the back seat.
"Didn't Sir tell you?"
"No," she replied.
"You're meeting Madam," he said calmly.
Her eyes widened. "His mother?!"
⸻
The car stopped at the massive estate of the Lee family.
It was grander than anything she'd seen,the gardens were trimmed with geometric perfection, and guards stood in quiet rows outside.
So Min stepped out in awe, bowing to Mr. No before walking toward the main building. A maid bowed politely.
"Ma'am, Madam is waiting for you in the courtyard. Please follow me."
She did.
And there, in the middle of a glass garden pavilion, sat Park Su Ho.
Beautiful. Elegant. Cold.
She looked more like Seo Jun's sister than his mother, sipping her tea with graceful poise.
"Hello," So Min said, bowing deeply.
Park Su Ho looked up, her gaze calm but sharp.
"What is your name?"
"Joon So Min."
"Have a seat, dear."
There was tension in the air. The woman looked frustrated.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" So Min asked politely.
"I'm not. The models I hired for my fashion show tomorrow have ruined the gowns. I don't know what to do."
So Min blinked. "Can I see the dresses?"
Park Su Ho tilted her phone and showed her photos of torn fabric and frayed hems.
"When is the show?"
"Tomorrow."
"If you can get me the dresses today, I can help redesign them. They're not ruined, just torn."
"You can fix them?" Park Su Ho asked, eyebrows lifting slightly.
"Yes. I can."
A moment of silence passed before Park Su Ho gave a rare smile.
"Alright. I'll have them sent to you before you leave."
So Min smiled back, hiding her nerves.
She had no idea what she had just signed up for.