You Accepted the Contract (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
“What the hell are you babbling about!”
“Curious about my private life, huh? Is it because you heard there’s a woman who’ll do anything for two hundred bucks?”
Bill flashed a sneering grin. Si Yoon didn’t want to hear another vulgar word from him.
“You can’t even lift a finger because of your drugs—what private life are you talking about!”
“What did you say?”
Bill’s voice trembled faintly.
“If you get caught again this time, you won’t avoid actual jail time.”
“Who told you that? They couldn’t possibly know that much! You’re just guessing!”
Si Yoon had merely inferred it from Bill’s usual behavior, yet Bill’s outburst practically amounted to a confession.
“Who do you think you are, throwing around wild accusations like that!”
Si Yoon’s face turned grim as he tightened his grip on Bill’s collar. His thumb naturally pressed against Bill’s carotid artery, exerting steady pressure.
Bill, already cowed by Si Yoon’s usual charisma and holding the shallow assumption that all East Asian men knew martial arts, felt nothing but sheer terror as his breath grew short.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I messed up—please let go so we can talk.”
His huge frame hunched forward, hands clasped together begging pitifully. All the boldness he’d shown moments ago in provoking Si Yoon had vanished. When Si Yoon finally shoved him away and released his collar, Bill clutched his chest and took deep, heaving breaths.
“Hah… hah… hah…”
“Even if I don’t report you myself, it’s only a matter of time before the police find out. If you’re eager to get thrown behind bars sooner, go ahead and keep acting tough.”
“I won’t do drugs anymore—I promise, really!”
Si Yoon gave a mocking chuckle, as if utterly exasperated.
“Who the hell would worry about someone like you!”
“Th-that’s… right. You’re absolutely right.”
Bill fidgeted nervously in front of Si Yoon, completely flustered.
“Either go apologize to her yourself, or apologize through me and never come near us again. Your choice.”
“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again. Please tell Mi Joo too.”
“Say her name one more time with that filthy pronunciation!”
“No, no! I won’t say it again. I’m sorry!”
Bill kept stammering apologies as he stumbled backward, then turned and fled in panic.
Though Si Yoon had told him to apologize directly to Mi Joo, he couldn’t bear the thought of forcing Mi Joo to face Bill again. He didn’t want her reliving the unpleasant memories from the yacht—and more importantly, there was one other thought lingering in his mind:
‘If Bill’s words were true, and she’d secretly met with him…’
Frowning as if the very idea disgusted him, Si Yoon pushed open the hospital door. Inside, he saw Mi Joo still receiving treatment in the examination room.
‘What exactly am I worried about?’
Right at this moment, he resolved to stay completely calm and set his emotions aside. He even began thinking that even if Bill’s claim were true, it wouldn’t really matter.
‘After all, I’m the one who proposed an unethical, contract-based marriage to Mi Joo—so who am I to judge anyone else’s morality?’
He even considered that if he had to deceive his family and act in front of others, perhaps someone shamelessly bold and skilled at playacting would be the better choice.
Yet, inexplicably, his anger kept rising uncontrollably.
Boom!
People around him turned to look. He hadn’t even realized he’d clenched his fist and slammed it against the wall. Apologetically, Si Yoon raised his hand slightly toward those nearby, offering a brief, curt apology.
For Si Yoon—who always lived with a steady emotional temperature and unshakable composure—Mi Joo had become an unexpected trigger, throwing his feelings and actions into chaos.
For a moment, he laughed bitterly to himself, realizing he’d actually believed Bill’s despicable words.
‘It’s just a damn suspicion. I can verify it myself.’
* * *
After leaving the hospital, the two went to a car repair shop for a consultation, then moved to a nearby restaurant.
The server led them to a window seat with a nice view, and they placed their orders.
Ever since leaving the hospital, Si Yoon had grown unusually quiet, as if lost in thought.
Mi Joo could feel a stark contrast between his current demeanor and how he’d been that morning.
Their food arrived during this silence. Mi Joo tried her best to smile brightly.
“This is way too much food for just two of us.”
“Don’t worry. We can finish it all.”
Si Yoon picked up his fork and knife, cut a large piece of steak, and began eating heartily, showing a robust appetite.
‘How did I end up sharing a meal with the most manly yet unmanly man imaginable?’
Reality was starting to sink in for Mi Joo, and she was looking for the right moment to bring up their absurd contract proposal.
As if sensing her thoughts, Si Yoon wiped the corner of his mouth and spoke up.
“Shall we talk business?”
Mi Joo choked mid-bite, coughing violently. Si Yoon quickly handed her a glass of water. She took it, steadied her breathing for a moment, and looked at him.
“I’m sorry for bringing up work during dinner.”
‘Business. Right. He’s clearly meeting me for business reasons.’
Even the kiss that morning must have only excited her alone—she realized now that for Si Yoon, even that had merely been practice, part of the job.
‘Right… he likes men. Even if he doesn’t have a lover right now, once he finds someone he truly loves, won’t he be the safest person for me?’
Such a proposal usually involved a large sum of money. She had no family who’d be disappointed by her choice—only her own conscience to deal with.
“What benefits would I gain if I agree to this contract?”
Si Yoon set down his fork and knife, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and gave her a simple answer:
“Money.”
He immediately zeroed in on the topic that would hurt Mi Joo the most—her financial vulnerability, her weakness.
True, it was an offer she couldn’t refuse—but hearing him bluntly say “money” first, without any tact whatsoever, pricked her fragile pride.
She wanted to storm out of her seat right then and there, yet the word “money” was truly desperate for her.
‘Right… I need the money anyway.’
She clenched her fist under the table and lifted her head.
“How much will you offer?”
“If you have a desired amount in mind, just write it down.”
Si Yoon took out his tablet, opened a contract file, and placed it in front of her. The document was densely filled with tiny, meticulously written clauses.
‘When did he even prepare such a detailed contract? Or has he been carrying this around, ready to shove it in anyone’s face?’
Mi Joo felt both astonished and intimidated by Si Yoon’s bold, decisive approach. She stared hard at the contract, then looked up at him.
“Do you even know how much I’d ask for?”
“Do you even know how much I have?”
An arrogance only the wealthy could afford radiated from Si Yoon.
He picked up the tablet, entered an amount into the contract, and slid it back toward her.
“Take a look.”
But Mi Joo didn’t even glance at the screen—she just kept staring at him.
“This amount should be more than enough that you’d never need to hand out business cards like that again.”
Si Yoon placed Mi Joo’s business card beside the tablet.
Th-at. Ki-nd. Of. Ca-rd.
His words pierced her heart like a dagger.
Why did he still carry that card around? And why did he keep choosing only the cruelest things to say?
“This amount should easily spare you from ever having to accompany someone to a party for a measly two hundred dollars again.”
Mi Joo’s eyes wavered.
That humiliating party escort job—something she’d never told anyone about—how on earth did Si Yoon know about it?
More than curiosity, shame overwhelmed her, and she desperately wanted to avoid further blows to her dignity. She steadied her trembling voice and continued.
“So this is enough to cover a full year’s worth of party escorting, I assume?”
“If you’re unhappy with the amount shown, just add another zero at the end or put a one in front.”
She’d known from their first meeting that he was an arrogant man, but she’d thought they’d grown rather close since then.
Yet now, with the contract laid out before them, the cold way Si Yoon spoke made him feel like a stranger.
“With that kind of money, the job you expect from me surely isn’t just playing the fake bride, is it?”
“During the contract period, we’ll live together as a real married couple.”
“You’re awfully proactive about changing someone’s sexual orientation or values.”
Si Yoon offered no further explanation in response to Mi Joo’s remark.
“It’ll be exactly one year. That’s more than enough time to return to Korea, acquire the foundation, and resolve the issue with my father’s artworks.”
It felt strangely hollow thinking her connection with someone would last only a year—Mi Joo couldn’t understand why.
For Si Yoon, saying “one year” didn’t mean he was planning to part ways. If Mi Joo grew tired and weary within that time, he might let her go—but honestly, would he really be able to?
Quite the opposite—he was so confident he could win her heart during that period that he deliberately set the duration at one year.
“When the contract ends, I’ll also handle all administrative matters cleanly, so nothing ever interferes with your future, Mi Joo.”
It was meant to reassure her.
“Cleanly.”
Yet Mi Joo couldn’t understand why her heart ached at such precise, clear-cut arrangements.
“Just one question.”
Si Yoon gave her an unhurried, open look, inviting her to ask anything.
“There must be plenty of women around you interested in this sort of arrangement—why me specifically?”
Why did she secretly hope he’d say it was because of even a tiny bit of interest or fondness? Her heart pounded.
“Wouldn’t it be risky to make this kind of proposal to a woman who’s actually interested in you?”
As expected, her hopes and assumptions crumbled instantly. Still, Mi Joo calmly continued.
“So you mean this is purely a paper contract, and emotions aren’t needed?”
Si Yoon had tried to stay rational in front of the contract—but hearing those words actually come from Mi Joo’s own mouth filled him with unexpected disappointment.
“Well, I suppose if it’s just a contract, I shouldn’t go around acting like a real wife with inflated feelings all on my own—that’d just exhaust Kim Si Yoon, wouldn’t it?”
Mi Joo fully understood his position now. It was crystal clear this relationship was strictly business—devoid of emotion, existing only on paper.
Everything seemed like a fair deal. Her life would become much more comfortable, and she believed his promise to handle all administrative details meticulously.
Yet she was still weighing whether accepting such a contractual relationship truly aligned with her morals and values.
She even wondered how her family might react—if she had any.
‘I have no family to consult or risk hurting—this is something I alone must bear.’
After a brief pause, Mi Joo met Si Yoon’s eyes.
“Will you sign?”
“No. No matter how difficult things get, I can’t bring myself to act in this play that deceives family—even if it’s your family.”
Si Yoon’s expression hardened.
“I’ll take my leave first.”
Mi Joo struggled to stand up, dragging her injured leg.
“Sit down. In your condition, where do you think you’re going?”
But Mi Joo, no longer willing to listen, headed toward the door.
“Choi Mi Joo!”
Si Yoon stood up, grabbed her arm, and turned her around. In that instant, her braced leg gave out—she wobbled, lost her balance, and stumbled directly into his arms.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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