The Famous Millionaire

“Can you promise me to come out unconditionally when I call you this evening?”

“Got it. Let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.”

“Okay,” said Hyunwoo, putting his arm around her shoulders vigorously.

But Suji pulled his arm down, looking sharply at him, and said, “Somebody is watching us.”

“Who cares?”

Hyunwoo tried again to raise his arm, but Suji hopped away from him, “I don’t like it!”

Giggling a bit, he followed her into the house.

***

At 3 pm Suji began to take out various clothes from her wardrobe to check out what was best.

Looking at her Mrs. Kong made a bright smile because obviously, she had a good appointment, given that she paid lots of attention to her clothes.

“Are you meeting someone?”

“Yes, I’ve got an appointment.”

“With whom?”

Suji momentarily agonized over her answer because her mother didn’t like her dating Hyunwoo. If she told Mrs. Kong that her date was Hyunwoo, obviously she would dissent and even tell her off.

Suji could stand that, but her mother might go further and speak ill of him to dissuade her, which would be unacceptable to Suji.

Suji could lie to her she was meeting an alumnus friend, but she didn’t want to lie.

Rather, she wanted to tell her mother that Hyunwoo was a much better guy than she thought.

“I’m going out to meet a man.”

Brightening, Mrs. Kong said, “Good for you! By the way, who is he? Do I know him?”

“Yes, Hyunwoo Jang.”

As expected, Mrs. Kong’s face hardened the moment she heard it. She even began to scold Suji.

“What the heck are you doing now? Why are you dating Hyunwoo when there are so many good men around you? I hear he didn’t go to college. And now he quit from a good company to do a business that is hopeless?”

Suji patiently waited until her mother finished what she had to say.

Then Suji said in a calm voice, “Mom, I’m not a fool, nor a child. I know what marriage means, and that love alone doesn’t bring about happiness.”

Mrs. Kong’s hardened face eased a bit and seemed to trust her and felt assured.

“You know about Hyunwoo a bit, but I know him much more. You’ll like him if you really appreciate Hyunwoo’s true character.”

“Is he such a great guy?”

“I don’t want to boast about him with my own mouth. Let me wait until he can change your perception of him. Are you happy now?”

Mrs. Kong smiled brightly. Her daughter was more thoughtful and considerate than she felt.

“Got it. Go and see him. Don’t be too late.”

Suji went out of her house.

Hyunwoo was waiting for her. He didn’t drive this time. Instead, he took a taxi to come to Suji’s place.

They went to a restaurant first.

When they arrived, Suji opened her eyes wide because it was the most expensive in Ansan. Though she could afford to come to this place a couple of times with her parents, it would be pretty burdensome to Hyunwoo, she thought.

Stopping walking for a moment, she pulled his arms gently and said, “Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Why? Any particular reason?” asked Hyunwoo with a curious look.

Suji could bring herself to say it’s an expensive restaurant because it might offend his pride.

“Well, I had an upset stomach after having a meal here before. After that, I avoid this place on purpose.”

“Really? Let’s go to some other restaurant. I wish I had asked you in advance before making the reservation. What do you want to eat?”

“Why don’t we go to that seafood restaurant that we had visited previously?”

Hyunwoo made a somewhat regretful expression. The seafood house was good, but not good enough for him to give himself to her.

Anyway, they headed for the seafood house.

While enjoying the seafood, they chatted away pleasantly.

Of course, Hyunwoo was looking for a chance to win her heart.

In fact, he was determined to make Suji his woman this evening but didn’t know what to do.

Hyunwoo looked at her face with amorous eyes.

As if she felt it, Suji seemed a bit nervous.

“Suji,” said Hyunwoo in a quiet voice as amorous as his eyes.

Her eyes became wider now as if she already expected what would come out of his lips.

Hyunwoo felt his heart was throbbing. Though he was decided, he just felt shy and awkward about showing his love.

Now he set about it, there was no turning back.

“Won’t you date with me?”

Suji blushed. As if she was surprised at his unexpected proposal, she looked at him with open eyes, and then leered at him again.

“You don’t have a speck of romantic ambiance in you! How can any woman be tempted by a dumb proposal like that? I don’t like a man with no romantic feelings. Just go and learn how to propose to a woman,” said Suji, but she was all smiles, though.

Scratching his head, Hyunwoo said, “Well, I’m pretty clumsy at that.”

“What are you talking about? You can do if you want. How can you get married with that mindset? Learn how to surprise a woman, dress well, get your hair done at a beauty salon and take care of your care.”

“Actually, I see many telling me about that, but I don’t feel like it. I wanted to meet a woman who will appreciate the inside of me, not my appearance. I mean, my true character,” said Hyunwoo sincerely.

“Still your appearance should be impressive. Only then can you have a chance to show your true character, right?” said Suji.

As if he appreciated her advice, Hyunwoo lowered his head and said, touching the teacup with his fingers, “That makes sense, but it’s not in my element to spruce up my appearance that way. I just want to win a woman’s heart by showing my true heart.”

“True heart?”

“In other words, the truth that I didn’t intentionally spruce up my appearance. The truth that my true character will be the same 100 years from now on, just like it is now. I would like to meet the kind of woman who can believe me, and I wished it was you.”

Hearing his confession, Suji couldn’t move for a while. The weight of the truth that Hyunwoo was confessing seemed to press heavily on her.

As if she wanted to get away from the awkward atmosphere, Suji looked at Hyunwoo again and said, “How can a woman know that?”

“That’s why I have ended up like this today,” said Hyunwoo, smiling bitterly.

“No, don’t say that. You look great,” said Suji, comforting him belatedly.

Suji brooded on Hyunwoo’s remarks, though.

In some aspects that was the biggest difference between Hyunwoo and Sangho Oh, his former colleague at Aurum and a graduate of Columbia University.

Sangho was the type of man who could spruce up his appearance hundreds of times to win a woman’s heart. Once he achieved his goal, however, he would go back to his original dirty character.

On the other hand, Hyunwoo would always be the same.

Given the choice between the two, who would Suji choose?

Suji thought it would be Hyunwoo.

The thing was that there were few women who would be able to find the truth that Hyunwoo’s true character now would still be the same for all his life.

Suddenly Suji came to think, Am I a lucky girl, then? I’ve had a chance to watch him at a close distance for a long time.

After dinner, they moved to a beerhouse, and then to a karaoke room.

Actually, Hyunwoo was really better at singing and dancing than anybody else. As if he wanted to show the best of his entertaining talent.

Clapping her hands right before him, Suji shook with laughter.

He sang his favorite songs twice in a row, and the atmosphere couldn’t be better.

Suji also chose a cheerful song. Excited by Hyunwoo’s random dancing, she also moved her body rhythmically, and Hyunwoo shouted a cheer.

Was it because of the lights? Or was he getting tipsy because of the beer he had a moment ago?

Suji’s face looked much more beautiful than before. Her eyes were deep and clear and her lips were redder. When she smiled, her white teeth was also reflected in his eyes.

After they had a good time singing, they took a brief break.

Suji took a seat first, and Hyunwoo sat as close as possible to her side, putting his arm around her shoulders.

Filling his cup with beer, Suji said, “You really look wonderful.”

“You, too, Suji. You sing and dance well.”

“I suspect you might blame me deep inside, right?”

“Oh, no, no. How can I? Why don’t we drink our first cup with our arms linked?”

And then he pushed his body inside her arms, which looked like they were hugging each other.

Stunned, Suji screamed briefly, asking “Oh my god! What are you doing now?”

“If you don’t drink it up, you have to grant my wish, okay?” said Hyunwoo, making an arbitrary rule.

Hyunwoo emptied his cup first. As the cup was large, it took some time for him to fill her cup.

“Tastes so good. Did you drink it up?” asked Hyunwoo.

“It’s too much. Let me sip at it slowly.”

“Yea, you’ve got lots of time. You can drink it slowly. Or you don’t have to do so if you can grant my wish.”

“So, what is the wish you talking about?”

In fact, Hyunwoo had no particular wish, but he felt he could tell her about some burdensome wish. He could respond with ‘Never mind!’ if she rejected it anyway.

“Well, I would love your kiss, and that deep kiss.”

“Oh, I can’t do that,” said Suji charmingly, wriggling her body wrapped in his arms.

“How about it? You want to stop drinking now, right?”

“Nope, I will.”

“Really? Okay, then. Drink it slowly. Let me take a nap while you’re drinking it. Wake me up when you’re done.”

“Why don’t you change your wish? Let me sing a song.”

“No, I love your kiss better.”

As if she felt good because of intoxication, she didn’t hesitate to act charming today. Shaking her shoulders, she spoke through her nose, “Doh, let me take your request song.”

He really couldn’t resist her request, “Okay, then. Let me give it a pass this time only.”

Hyunwoo found the song for her.

Suji stood up to sing the song, and so did Hyunwoo. He naturally put his arm around her shoulders. She didn’t care at all. Instead, she looked at the screen with the lyrics. Not caring at all about Hyunwoo’s act, she only focused on singing.

Though she didn’t sing well, her singing itself was beautiful.

Her song was over before he knew, but Hyunwoo wouldn’t release her.

“Please sing one more.”

“Which song?’

“Any song, I mean, the same song you just sang.”

Hyunwoo hugged her tighter, who corrected her position a moment ago. He wanted to express to her how happy he was now, but that was a mistake because she moved her body, after all. That was a clear signal that she wanted to be freed from his tight hold.

She turned back as if she wanted to go back to her seat in the karaoke room.

But he didn’t let her go. Instead, he held her shoulders and hugged her all of a sudden.

He felt the warmth of her body. She was clearly tense and tried to raise her hand to stop him, but she didn’t resist anymore. Though she raised her hand to push him away, she stopped there.

Only then did Hyunwoo let her go, but he didn’t release his folded arm completely.

Hyunwoo wanted something very strongly, and Suji found herself agonizing about it.

Finally, he edged toward kissing her. The closer his lips came near hers, she lowered her head, as if she was shy. And then he stole a kiss from her. Now he was trying to steal a deep kiss, but she kept stepping back as if she wanted to set up a barricade for the moment.

“No, no. That’s the limit,” said Suji in a low voice.

It looked as if the bridge of love that connected them was collapsing, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Hyunwoo released her, after all.