“I think I’ve been selfish enough until now. And contract dating or contract marriage seem similar to me.”

Jae Hyuk let out a snicker as he watched her answer with a soliloquy she had no intention of hiding.

“Why?”

“Ah.”

Jae Hyuk quickly corrected himself, thinking his laugh might have sounded like mockery.

“I’m not mocking you. It’s just… it seems very like you, A Rin.”

A Rin felt strange watching Jae Hyuk speak casually.

The situation of contract dating they had been discussing just moments ago felt like a dream. Now, it felt as if their relationship had become an ordinary one having a normal conversation.

In novels or dramas, scenes with ex-husbands or ex-boyfriends were often drawn out and messy.

If either or both sides had lingering feelings, the relationship always tended to be sticky.

Then, either the two would realize their feelings for each other and reunite?

Or a new man would appear and they’d completely separate.

Until just recently, the two of them were the same.

Come to think of it, there was always conflict between Ban Jae Hyuk and Choi A Rin.

Either filled with shouting, or full of crying.

Someone clinging, while the other coldly pushed away.

Like repelling magnets, the closer they got, the further apart they became.

In the past, his eyes toward her were full of contempt, but then he desperately tried to hold onto her, dripping with lingering attachment.

By the time he tried to hold onto her, it was already too late.

The result was divorce.

The relationship between Choi A Rin and Ban Jae Hyuk was like a common cliché.

But.

‘How could things change so much in just a year? Although the subject is unusual, it’s strange… we’ve never had such an ordinary conversation face to face like normal people before.’

A Rin looked at Jae Hyuk’s face.

Thump thump, her heart was beating faster than usual. She was clearly shaken, reflected in his eyes.

It was a first.

Now, neither he nor she nor anyone else was shouting or crying, but calmly continuing the conversation.

Was that why?

A Rin couldn’t come to a definite conclusion about the nature of her feelings towards Jae Hyuk.

‘Get a grip!’

Suddenly, as if someone had shouted in her ear, she snapped back to reality.

‘No matter what, trying to understand such a terrible man… I’m not a saint.’

A Rin, lost in thought, met Jae Hyuk’s eyes. His eyes curved into crescents as he smiled. Her heart sank.

‘Why are your feelings so all over the place? What’s wrong with you, Choi A Rin!’

The change in her feelings towards him was unfamiliar. She couldn’t explain it herself, and it was also strange and uncomfortable.

A Rin deliberately snapped at Jae Hyuk.

“Seeing you smile now, you must be feeling at ease.”

It was a kind of defense wall, not wanting to reveal her wavering heart.

“It’s not like that.”

Jae Hyuk said without any sign of being upset. Her heart fluttered at the sight. Her heart started to beat a little faster.

‘Haah. This really won’t do. I should just cut it off.’

She sincerely wanted to escape this situation. She had developed a kind of sympathy? No, empathy? Anyway, an indescribable feeling towards him.

So it weighed on her mind. But she couldn’t accept his proposal. She didn’t have the confidence to be by his side, nor did she want to be. So, there was only one decision she could make.

“You know I’m going to refuse, right?”

Choi A Rin and Ban Jae Hyuk were over.

“I understand your situation, Ban Jae Hyuk, but it has nothing to do with me.”

It was true that she cared more about the fact that he, like her, was being hurt and used by his parents, but that was as far as it went.

She didn’t want to be hurt by him anymore.

His face sank deeply at her words. For a very brief moment, a feeling similar to guilt washed over her.

‘Oppa gave me incomparably greater wounds. So, I don’t need to feel guilty for refusing.’

It might be an absurd self-justification, but A Rin clenched her small fist tightly and steeled her heart.

“I’m refusing, I can’t go into that house. Honestly, I think it’s extremely inconsiderate of you to suddenly do this. Don’t you think it’s selfish?”

She refused his proposal as she had decided.

But why did she feel so uneasy?

Why was her heart aching so much?

“…I know.”

A deeply cracked voice flowed from between his lips. She felt increasingly strange.

“I’ll be going now.”

Unable to overcome her emotions, she stood up.

“A Rin.”

“I don’t understand Chairman Ban either, and I don’t want to see Madam. That house is like hell to me. How could I walk into hell of my own accord? Put yourself in my shoes, Ban Jae Hyuk.”

A Rin said, looking down at Jae Hyuk who had lowered his head.

“I’m not just asking you to do it.”

As she was about to turn around, his voice was heard. When she hesitated, he quickly added.

“Just look at this before you go.”

Jae Hyuk looked straight into A Rin’s eyes and held out a bundle of documents from his bag.

“What is this?”

“I’d like you to read it once. Let’s talk again after you’ve read it.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You won’t regret it after you see it.”

Was it because of his firm words?

As if enchanted, A Rin picked up the documents Jae Hyuk had held out.

– Party B, Ban Jae Hyuk, shall fulfill all the following conditions on the condition that Party A, Choi A Rin, stays for one year. If not fulfilled, he must bear any disadvantages.

1. The contract period is one year, which may be extended depending on circumstances. If extended due to Party B’s circumstances, Party A’s consent must be obtained and thorough compensation provided accordingly.

2. Residence shall be in an apartment under Ban Jae Hyuk’s name, not the family home. Ban Jae Hyuk has the obligation to protect Choi A Rin from all subjects that harass her. If Choi A Rin suffers due to his family, he must pay the price accordingly.

3. Separate rooms must be used, and Choi A Rin’s privacy must not be touched. However, if Choi A Rin wishes, her opinion shall be followed unconditionally.

4. Official events are limited to once a month at most. If more is demanded, appropriate compensation must be paid, and Choi A Rin must be consulted before scheduling all events.

5. Ban Jae Hyuk shall bear all costs including living expenses used by Choi A Rin during the one-year period.

6. After one year, Ban Jae Hyuk shall transfer the apartment Choi A Rin is living in to her and hand over the final blank check. (Ban Jae Hyuk must pay whatever amount Choi A Rin wants.)

A Rin’s large eyes grew even larger as she scanned the document from beginning to end.

“What is this? Party A? Party B?”

“Yes. You’re Party A, I’m Party B. These are things I can do for you if you stay by my side. Of course, I can do even more. If there’s anything you want, just say it. Whatever you want, I’ll grant it if you just wish for it.”

As his intense gaze turned towards her, A Rin let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha, now you’re trying to buy me with money?”

“That wasn’t my intention, but I want you to know how desperate I am.”

Somehow, she couldn’t just be angry. Because the conditions he offered were unreasonably tailored only to ‘Choi A Rin’.

“What does Ban Jae Hyuk want?”

Ban Jae Hyuk was a born businessman. A man who gives 1 and gets 10 in return.

‘But even for the company, can he do this? No, think about the value of VAN Group, even I would bow down flat. If I swallow my pride and give a few pennies, the company will come in.’

A Rin steadied her wavering heart and said.

“I told you. I want you by my side.”

“Is that for 1 year?”

“I’ll try for 1 year for now. But if it gets longer, I’ll follow your wishes then.”

“…”

A Rin’s gaze fell on the part that said ‘final blank check’.

“You’re going to give me a blank check?”

“Yes.”

“How much do you think I’ll demand?”

“…Any amount.”

Even after presenting an unfair contract, Jae Hyuk was saying he would give more.

“You must be really rich.”

He responded to her words with a faint smile.

“Is it really because of the company?”

“…Yeah.”

After a brief hesitation, Jae Hyuk said.

“The company is that desperate to me. You know that too. Of course, I know I’m shameless. They say even a dead person’s wish is granted.”

When their eyes met, somehow A Rin couldn’t avoid Jae Hyuk’s gaze.

“It’s just a contract relationship, A Rin.”

“…”

“Don’t just think about refusing, please consider it a little.”

If it were him in the past, he wouldn’t have spoken like this. He wouldn’t have given her a choice, and he wouldn’t have pleaded like this.

Even if he was in a position to ask her for something.

‘Oppa would have just forced me to do it unconditionally.’

So she couldn’t say anything.

She couldn’t say no, that she wouldn’t do it.

“Is it really because of the company?”

At A Rin’s question, Jae Hyuk clenched his fist tightly under the table.

Like a common cliché, it was possible to present a contract and have a contract relationship for mutual interests.

But the reason was impure.

‘Is it really purely for the company?’

Jae Hyuk asked himself.

He knew too well what he had done to her. He had no right to ask her for help now. Yet, he came to see her today.

Choi A Rin was Ban Jae Hyuk’s one and only love until death. So he couldn’t have any other woman by his side, and he couldn’t even imagine loving anyone other than her.

‘I love you, I missed you, I’m sorry I’m late.’

He swallowed these unspoken words hundreds, no, thousands of times alone behind his throat.

‘The reason for trying to get you back isn’t all because of the company.’

He smiled self-deprecatingly at his own cowardice.

“…Yeah.”

The company was the only thing that gave him the drive to live in Ban Jae Hyuk’s barren life without even A Rin. He thought that even if it was selfish, he should at least keep the company by his side, since she would never be by his side again.

‘Is that really all? Honestly? Is it really for the company? Or because you want her by your side again? Or both? Ha.’

He forcibly suppressed the dark desire surging within him.

‘This is all for the company. It must be for the company.’

“The company is that desperate to me. You know that too. Of course, I know I’m shameless. They say even a dead person’s wish is granted.”

“…”

“Don’t just think about refusing, please consider it a little.”

Jae Hyuk felt somehow awful for shaking her heart and hiding his cowardly feelings with cowardice. He disliked himself for knowing she wouldn’t be able to refuse if he spoke like this, for using her tender heart to sway her.

But, he wanted to keep her by his side even like this.

Pride? Such a thing was useless in front of her from the beginning anyway.