Chapter 14 - Fake Date

Jun Ho gazed at the woman in front of him. It had been a long time and so the pretty and innocent girl he knew ten years ago was now a lovely and seductive woman. It wasn't like it was his first time seeing one. His mother did not fail in setting him up for dates. It's just that he was not interested. His bachelor's life revolved around work and work and work. It did feel like half of him was nowhere but in the past. And now, his past was alive in front of him. Yet had forgotten him.

"What? We are going to ride a train?" Jin Ae exclaimed, her big eyes rounder in astonishment. Her words brought Jun Ho back to reality.

Her mouth formed a pout, eyebrows almost knitted together, and her hands were firmly planted on her waist. Jun Ho scratched his cheek knowing it was his fault. He brought his car to a shop for repair thinking that they could just grab a rented car of course. But when he phoned for a car service, the man on the other line told him that there was an ongoing transportation strike. They had no choice but to ride on a train.

"How can I ride a train with an outfit like this?" She complained to herself, but obviously more to him.

"Wh-why did you have to wear like that?"

"Whose fault it is? Who came around saying I look tacky?"

After saying that, she rolled her eyes and walked past him, her three inches high heels creating a sound. Jin Ae looked more attractive when she was upset, he thought.

The train they got on was almost full. They stood on the side of the door, opposite each other. Jin Ae carefully put her sling back in front of her for protection, while she leaned.

Jun Ho noticed that the man in front Jin Ae was gazing at her; fixed at her face, neck, and exposed skin right above her chest. He felt a necessity to protect Jin Ae so when the train approached a bend, he used the opportunity to slip himself between her and the man. He glared at the man and the latter withdrew and moved backward, noting that Jun Ho was taller and buffer than he was.

The train stopped in the next station and more people came squeezing inside the train. Jun Ho held on to the rail where Jin Ae was resting half of her body and put his right hand on the wall of the train just right beside Jin Ae's shoulder. Completely building a wall in front of her. He wanted to make sure that she won't be squeezed even at his expense.

Despite the ample space Jun Ho managed to create between them, while other people were cramped, he could still smell Jin Ae's lovely scent. A mix of shampoo and perfume. She still had that refreshing scent ten years ago, he thought.

Wearing a three inches heel that made her slightly taller, her head was right under his nose. Being extra close to him, he felt his heart beating so fast. His breath stiffened as he couldn't catch the pace. The only thing he wanted to do now was to step outside the train and breathe, but a bigger part of him wished to stay like this forever.

Jin Ae was definitely big trouble to him.

It took them several minutes to arrive at Seoul Station. Jun Ho squeezed the other passengers with his solid body allowing Jin Ae to exit the train comfortably before him. He walked with her at the same pace as he cleared the way like a bodyguard.

Jin Ae glanced at the man whose left hand was behind her back, careful not to touch her, and whose right hand resembles a crane that automatically stretches in front when someone or something would probably make contact with her. He was the same man who created a firm wall a while ago inside the train. He could not have noticed it but the people inside were looking at them. Some ladies looked annoyed for they were cramped while she was not. But a few of them looked amazed at the sight.

'They might have thought that he was my lover boy.' She couldn't help but laugh a little and when she let out a small chuckle, he glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

They rode a taxi and fortunately, they arrived earlier than they thought, the venue was almost full. People near the entrance glanced over their shoulders, taking note of the gorgeous pair who had recently arrived.

Jin Ae smoothened Jun Ho's coat which caught him by surprise.

"We shouldn't appear like someone who caught a train, sweetie," she whispered, copying the endearment he used to her a while ago.

Soon after, a man and a woman who seemed to be a couple came to greet Jun Ho. Jun Ho and the pair exchanged greetings.

"Who is this gorgeous young lady you're with, Jun Ho?" The man asked and he smiled sweetly at Jin Ae.

"She works from the school where I am conducting my study," Jun Ho replied.

“I’m Son Ji Ae.”

"Oh, a pleasure to meet you, Son Jin Ae-ssi. I am Jun Ho's sunbae in the university, I'm Uhm Ji Tae"

The man bowed at her which Jin Ae responded with a slight bow as well. Her gaze went to the woman beside him with bulging eyes, looking at her in displease. Jin Ae responded by fixing her hair. Her hair was in a bun with some fringes hanging on both sides of her ears.

"Oh, see you around Jun Ho," the woman said, ignoring Jin Ae, and she pulled the man beside her to the other side.

"See you around, Jin Ae-ssi!" The man did not forget to bid goodbye to her while being dragged away.

Jin Ae looked around, trying to decipher what kind of event she was at. She couldn't see any banner or what. The place looked like a ballroom area. No, it was indeed a ballroom area. There were about thirty tables, six high tables for drinks, and there are about ten waiters roaming around. Thanks for her high mathematical skills.

She studied the people around her and there was one thing she realized. Everyone was with a-

"Jun Ho-ssi..." She glanced at him with narrowed eyes. He was sweating. "You-"

"Jun Ho! Oh, man! I thought you're not coming!" A man pulled Jun Ho's left shoulder and then hugged him. Jin Ae couldn't help but notice that Jun Ho tensed after seeing the man.

"-we thought you took it seriously. And that you will not appear without a date," he said laughingly in a pompous manner. Just then the man saw Jin Ae beside Jun Ho. His eyes grew all of a sudden.

"Wait... Is she- your date?"

Jun Ho couldn't utter a thing. Two days ago, he got a call from his friend, telling him to check his kakao group chat. He turned off all notifications from that group chat so he took a peek and found out that the guys in their class were chatting about the upcoming alumni. One classmate mentioned his name and teased him that he should better bring a girlfriend to the event. He wasn't supposed to mind it but they were already betting if he would come or not.

A text message he received the next day became a decisive point, he immediately asked Miss Oh about bringing Jin Ae to an important event in Seoul. Fortunately, she did not ask for further details and gladly told him that she will dispatch Jin Ae with him. He glanced at her sneakily and saw her staring at him sharply.

"Oh, man! So that's why you are so silent in the group chat? By the way, I am Gon Yoo. I am Jun Ho's former classmate. You are?"

"I am Son Jin Ae."

"Son Jin Ae. You look familiar. Have we met before?"

"No. You haven't met her at all."

Jun Ho replied instead of her. He won't let this womanizer use his pick-up lines to Jin Ae.

"Aniya (No). We could have met before, jinjja (for real)."

Jun Ho glanced at Jin Ae sharply. Was she responding to him?

"But... I do not forget those who left an impression on me. In your case, I don't remember you."

She gave him a bittersweet smile. Caught in surprise, Go Yoo barely managed to break out a laugh to save his face. He turned to Jun Ho, and whispered loudly which Jin Ae could still hear.

"Whoah! You have a tiger girlfriend here, my friend."

Gon Yoo looked at her and gave her a wink before leaving them. Jin Ae grabbed Jun Ho's arm and pulled him in a corner.

"What's going on? Are we at an alumni party? You have your sunbae here, a classmate...."

Jin Ae paused and looked at him more intently. His face looked like he was about to confess.

"So, we are at an alumni party?" She put her hands on her waist.

"....And I am your date?"

All he could do was to let out a smile, showing his deep dimples.

* * *

Jin Ae managed to slip herself out of Jun Ho's company. She went to the powder room and when she returned, he was already encircled with ladies and gentlemen. It turned out that he would be receiving an alumni award tonight and there were so many people, classmates, and professors, who wanted to come and greet him. She was annoyed in the fact that she became an instant date, girlfriend, and fiancee (for the professors who wanted Jun Ho to marry) tonight. She was tired of smiling and introducing herself. Let Jun Ho talk, she said to herself.

She saw a waiter with a tray of drinks.

"Water please," she said. She raised her hand while looking at Jun Ho's location.

A warm glass touched her hand and she held it. She looked in front to say thank you but it was not the waiter but a handsome smiling face who greeted her.

"Oh, thank you," she said shyly.

"I've been watching you ever since you stepped inside the room. You are Jun Ho's?"

"-date for tonight."

"Oooh. But that sounds like 'just for tonight'"?

He flashed her a seductive smile. Jin Ae responded to him with a sweet smile and then slipped the glass to her lips.

His name was Kang Do Won. An architect. He said he was one of Jun Ho's contemporaries in the university. They talked for a while and surprisingly Jin Ae found him easy to talk with. Sadly, he had to leave her company as someone called out to him.

Jin Ae glanced at Jun Ho's location and he wasn't there anymore. She tried to locate him, moving her head until her eyes caught a delightful sight. She's already here so why not enjoy the party, she thought.