I still don’t know what I’m going to say or do.
As I approach the door, I notice a group of people loitering around, very much not looking like they are waiting for their reservations. I hear, “That’s him!” just before the flash from a camera startles me, but I should have known. Of course she would have called photographers. She wants to be seen. Wants to be seen with me. I shove my way inside as quickly as possible, unwilling to play along.
The hostess immediately takes me to a candlelit table where Chaeji is waiting for me, right by the windows, on display for everyone, both inside and out. Her smile is smug as she suggests, “Aren’t you going to greet me with a kiss?”
I lean down over her, enough that it might look affectionate, close to her ear to make sure she can hear me as I say, “No.”
Despite the rejection, her expression doesn’t waver as she gives me a moment to take my seat. “I ordered for us. I remember your favorites.”
“Very observant of you,” I remark, taking a sip of water and trying to stay calm.
“I’ve noticed a lot of things about you,” she tells me, twirling a lock of her long hair around her finger as she gazes at me.
I have to fight not to roll my eyes. When Sun tells me he pays attention, I believe him, flattered by his desire to know me better. Coming from her, I can’t help but ask, “Did you notice that I’m angry?”
“You weren’t giving me much of a choice,” she quips, just asthe server appears, dropping off our appetizer. I hate that she did pick what I would have chosen.
“Choice? You’reblackmailingme into being here and you want to talk about having achoice?” I keep my voice low, but I am incredulous at the mental gymnastics she has to be doing to be so calm about all of this.
“I’m giving you the opportunity to take advantage of a situation,” she explains, taking the tiniest bite of food from the plate in front of her. “Your cooperation is beneficial to both of us.”
I am seething at her nonchalance—and the struggle to keep it off my face is real. There are far too many people around, many of them watching us closely, for me to tell her how I really feel. I hate that she knows about Sun, and that she’s infiltrated what is quickly becoming the very best part of my life by putting herself somewhere she does not belong.
Chaeji gives me a frown that I believe is supposed to be cute, her nose all wrinkled up. “You’re being awfully quiet, Kija. People will think we’re fighting.”
“We are.” I stab at a dumpling but don’t pick it up, very aware of the crowd of photographers pressed up against the window beside me. “How do you live like this? Why would you want to?”
“Like what? With all the attention? What’s not to enjoy?” She appears genuinely befuddled at the lack of appeal for me. “You know it would be a million times worse than this with him.”
The rage flares again when she alludes to Sun. “We’re not talking about him.”
“I didn’t know you were into guys,” she comments anyway. “But I guess that explains why you kept turning me down.”
“No, these things are unrelated. I kept telling you no because I wasn’t interested in pursuing something with you, specifically. It had nothing to do with you being a woman,” I snap and I can see immediately it hit just the way I wanted it to.
The smile that spreads across her face is chilly, totally lacking any sort of empathy. Despite being beautiful, there’s something about her that’s not quite sinister, but definitely a little bit villainous. “If you’re going to fuck around with a man—withhim, of all people—you should be grateful that I’m willing to help you keep your dirty little secret for a while longer.”
“Grateful?” I grin back at her, nowhere near as conniving, but it’s the best I’ve got. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. If it wasn’t for you, there wouldn’t be any reason for me to worry about what I’m trying to keep to myself.”
She sighs like she’s bored, tired of talking about this. “Don’t be naive, Kija. You need me now. More than I need you, even.”
I don’t respond, instead finally eating a dumpling because I need to chill out.
“I really do like you, you know. I did from the moment we met at that party,” she reminisces as I regret ever attending that particular soiree. “I could really see a future for us together when you’re done with him.”
I chug the rest of the water in my glass before clearing my throat, like that’s going to help what she said make sense. “I can’t have heard that correctly.”
“Sometimes we need to experiment. I know I certainly enjoyed the company of a girl or two when I was at university.” She smirks. “You’re just doing it a little later. That’s fine. I can wait.”
“There’s nothing to wait for. I don’t know how many ways I can tell you that, Chaeji.” I realize I’m getting nowhere, so maybe I need to take a different approach. “You are a stunning woman. You’re obviously intelligent and know how to get whatever you’re after. I’m positive you can do better than trying to drag me into this to accomplish what you want.”
She does preen at the compliments, but then says, “What I want isyou. If I can’t actually have you now, at least you can pretend for a little bit longer.”
“That’s what this is about?” I ask to clarify. “You want me to show up and have a fake relationship like some trite romance novel plot?” I almost laugh, because I know Sun would be horrified not only at that sort of trope slander, but also the fact that I know enough about them now to make that kind comparison. Twice in one night, even.
“Yes. We have some cute dates, I get the right type of publicity, you can keep sneaking around with your boy toy, and no one will be the wiser.” She holds her hands out like she’s making some magnanimous gesture, providing me with a kind of generosity that should make me thankful.
“What about the photos?” I ask quietly. It’s become very clear to me over the course of this conversation that no matter how livid I am at the situation, I’m going to entertain the idea because I would do anything for Sun. I know that now.
