Love Class

Chapter 2

“Hello,” Eunchae said, repressing her fear of standing in front of Yiheon. She spoke gently, with a refreshing smile on her face.

He turned to her indifferently. Then his sharp, handsome face contorted.

“Ji Eunchae?” he asked, looking aghast.

Eunchae had been right. He didn’t even bother to read up on the basic profile of the women he was meeting. He was simply showing up to these blind dates like he was performing some kind of job. And he was very dutiful about it too.

“So you remember me.”

She sat down while he was frowning at her.

Despite his insistent glaring, she returned his gaze calmly.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he said.

“Hmm. You are Cha Yiheon, are you not?”

“Cha Yiheon?” he replied angrily, an incredulous laugh escaping his lips.

Her smile began to grow rigid from his cold response. I could really use a cup of water right now. I need to stay calm.

There was no going back anyhow. She needed to prove her usefulness to him today. There were even more shocking things she had to say. She couldn’t let herself grow intimidated from the get-go.

“My name is Ji Eunchae. As I’m sure you’ll be able to confirm through the papers you were no doubt provided, I am your thirtieth blind date.”

“Ha!”

Though her tone was casual, she was unable to hide her anxiety. Her hands shook underneath the table.

“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Ji Eunchae.”

“To think they’re sending me children now!” he exclaimed.

“I’m twenty-five. Hardly a child,” she said.

“No, you are a child,” he spat.

She stared at the table and bit her lip. The forced smile had already stiffened. It was fragile, ready to shatter at any moment.

I would’ve been better if he’d forgotten about me entirely and failed to recognize me, she thought.

However, he remembered her all too well.

She felt awkward, wearing this revealing outfit and shamelessly smiling at him. No wonder he was so shocked.

Seeing her suddenly go silent, he sighed quietly. “Do you even know what you’re getting into?”

“I’m not so young that I don’t know what a blind date is,” she replied.

“Just as bold and stupid as ever, I see,” Yiheon said coldly, sipping his coffee.

“Drink your tea and leave,” he said. This was not a suggestion or a recommendation—he was commanding her.

About five minutes had elapsed. She had told herself she needed to last just ten minutes, but five? She was no doubt the fastest on record to be turned down by him.

Is it over?

She couldn’t let it end like this. She needed to change his mind somehow.

Pulling herself together, she raised her head, looked right at him, and recited the lines she had rehearsed.

“I studied in America. I was on a scholarship for the entirety of those three years, and I graduated early. My academic excellence was proven by the fact that I received multiple scouting offers from notable companies before I had even graduated.”

Yiheon tilted his head. “So what?” he asked, unimpressed.

She sucked down a heavy breath. Righting her gaze, she went on with composure, “That includes Chawoon Group, of course. I know of a topic with which the group has recently been struggling. I believe I can be of use to Chawoon Group, as well as you, Cha Yiheon.”

She studied his expression as soon as she was done. His gaze was as dry as the desert.

So this isn’t going to work.

Her first approach had failed. She recognized that her offer had not interested him in the least.

“So that’s the first reason I should marry you, Eunchae?” he asked.

He was saying that marrying him would take much more than that, even though she had just given him the results of an entire lifetime of effort.

“Yes,” she said, smiling.

Yiheon’s eyes went rigid at the fact that she was smiling at his cold criticism.

Eunchae knew that effort was never enough. Sometimes, congenital circumstances were far better than hundreds of hours of effort. One’s family lineage might be an example of that.

“Second. I am young and beautiful,” she said.

Or possessing looks that anyone might lust after. Possessing youth that is limited and therefore coveted by all.

Eunchae knew that she was pretty enough to catch eyes no matter where she went. She had lived her entire life being told how pretty she was. As a result, her sister Eunjoo had often gone into hysterics. As a child, she had frequently torn at Eunchae’s face with her nails.

“Die! Die! Damn it!”

“Eunchae, I wish you would drop dead!”

To some, this face was the ultimate inciter of jealousy, but to others, it was irresistible. As vulgar as that could be, it was reality. Eunchae could not afford to ignore anything that could work to her advantage.

“Ha!” Yiheon put an arm on the table, looking as though he had a headache.

Eunchae’s shoulders stiffened slightly.

“Listen closely. I’m only going to tell you once. First of all...”

First of all? Does that mean there are multiple things he wants to say?

Eunchae remained silent, not looking particularly willing to listen.

“You are a talented young woman, I am sure. But you aren’t here for a job interview, are you? I’m here to find myself a wife, not to discuss the future of Chawoon Group.”

“But—”

“Perhaps you should make clear to yourself first: are you selling yourself or your qualifications?” he asked, cutting her short. “Secondly, I’ll admit you are astonishingly beautiful. But you’re wrong if you think I am susceptible to that. You chose the wrong man.”

His piercing eyes leveled at her. She felt a chill, like she was walking on thin ice.

“I will be honest with you. If I needed a trophy wife, I have many better options than you. Too bad I’m not an idiot who fuels his self-worth with a young, pretty wife, or a lecherous bastard who gets hard at the sight of anyone young and beautiful,” he spat, countering every argument she had provided.

It really was over now. There was no need for any further explanations. She was of no use to him—that much was clear.

“And finally... You want me to share a bed with one of my students? I would have to be mad to do that.”

If anything, she was like a thorn in his side, stimulating his noble morality.

00:09:00

Time was passing. Yiheon’s ten minutes were rapidly running out.

She anxiously clasped her hands, which rested on her thighs.

“Get up,” he said coldly.

“Mr. Cha...” she said, raising her head.

He was not moved by the earnest look in her eyes.

“Turn around and leave. Go home and don’t look back. Go apply yourself to the studies you enjoy so much, or go enjoy some good food. Start a job hunt. Whatever.”

Despite his frosty tone, he was actually giving her advice.

“Be your naive self—and sometimes, painfully dwell on the fact that reality isn’t your friend. That is the way a girl your age should live. Don’t try to sell yourself off on a blind date you have no business being on.”

He was obviously worried for her—he wanted what was best for her despite the fact that she had shown up out of the blue and provoked him. This was so like him.

But he was right. She had misunderstood him. He was far too noble for vulgar seduction to work on him.

“You hear me, Eunchae?”

She clammed up, staring at his angry face.

“Get up.”

She could not get up.

“Ji Eunchae.”

Studying, eating good food, looking for a job, being innocent as girls her age should be—that would have been her choice too, if it had been possible.

It was Eunchae who hated the idea of this blind date more than anyone.

“Mr. Cha,” she said, summoning up the last of her energy. She had a reason she couldn’t go back.

“You witch!”

“I’m sorry... Please forgive me...”

“I told you I hate it when you so much as breathe! I told you to stay out of my sight!”

“Ow! That hurts. Mother, please.”

She was already an unwanted being.

If she went back unsuccessful, she would have to suffer assault and verbal abuse. Her life had forced her to put down her pride long ago.

She clamped her eyes shut.

“Help me...” she pleaded.

It had been precisely ten minutes.

“Please... Please just help me once.”

“You...”

“Mr. Cha... Please.”

“Ha!”

“I beg of you.”

The ten minutes were up. Yet...

Yiheon watched her silently, breaking his own rule.

“I promise you,” she swore, “I will never love you.”

It was her last card to play.

Yiheon did not want a marriage, it seemed. Given this uncertain supposition, this was the best proposal she could come up with.

“I will do nothing. You won’t even know I’m there. I’ll be nobody. That’s how I’ll live. I know I’m capable of it.”

Her eyes were burning as she said the words.

Yiheon noted the irony of that. He blinked slowly as he watched her cry.

“Please. I just want to survive. Please marry me.”

Ji Eunchae, the thirtieth blind date, had been refused in record time. However, she was also the only one who had ever lasted more than ten minutes.

She was the exception to his rule.