Bad Relationship

“Are you really planning some kind of terrorist attack?”

After picking up a cream shrimp from the table and then putting some spicy chicken in his mouth, Junghyun asked, and Jaehyuk nodded with a composed face.

As if he liked that expression.

“Similar, but… let’s call it a coup rather than terrorism.”

Because “terrorism” doesn’t sound good, he said, making Junghyun tilt his head.

“You seem like someone who would be on the receiving end of a coup rather than the one staging it, hyung.”

At this instinctive question, Jaehyuk once again showed a mysterious smile.

With cold eyes.

Seeing that somewhat chilling smile, Junghyun stared at him curiously, and Jaehyuk muttered quietly with an amused expression.

“As expected, you’re quick-witted.”

He muttered “I really like that” only inside his mouth, but it was heard quite clearly due to the extreme quietness of the room.

It was clearly meant to be heard.

While trying to figure out his intentions, Jaehyuk, apparently more impatient than expected, cut to the chase without further delay.

“Since we seem to be running out of time, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m planning to marry you. Within a month from now.”

Just as he was about to put a cream shrimp in his mouth, Junghyun paused at this unexpected proposal.

This was a reason that fell under the “etcetera” category in his mind.

So he asked again.

“…Excuse me, what did you just say?”

“Exactly what you heard.”

“…You want to marry me?”

“The scenario is simple. Two weeks ago, we were both having breakup parties at a bar, happened to sit together, and felt a good connection. Then the next day, your profile appeared in the list of blind date candidates requested by my parents. And that too in the F-rank that nobody had ever seen.”

That was to be expected. F-rankers were classified as ticking time bombs in the marriage market, completely sidelined for the season, so no one would have seen them.

That’s why F-rankers, especially Omega F-rankers, were called unicorns.

Because they had names but didn’t exist and shouldn’t exist—like mythical creatures.

“I was curious what you’d done to be F-ranked, and as I looked at your profile, it turned out you were my close friend’s brother. Only then did I remember how I used to find you cute when I visited your house during high school, so I set up the blind date. At first, it was just curiosity, but the moment I met you again today, I had a feeling I would definitely end up marrying you, and since you’re a fan of our team, we came for a date while at it.”

While Junghyun was amazed at his impressively crafted story that skillfully mixed fact and fiction, Jaehyuk continued in an elegant tone.

“Soon, news of our date at the baseball stadium will spread across all social media and communities. Then tomorrow, through the PR team, I’ll announce that I fell in love at first sight when we bonded at the bar, and when we met for the blind date, I thought it was fate and immediately decided to marry. We’ll get engaged right away and be married within a month.”

His plan was quite thorough and plausible.

Except for one problem…

“Why should I marry you, hyung?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I need someone insensitive like you.”

“But why?”

“You’ll find that out slowly later, but anyway, we need to get married within a month, so get ready.”

“Are you dying in a month?”

As Junghyun was saying this ridiculous thing—asking if he didn’t want to be a bachelor ghost—he noticed Jaehyuk glancing at his phone screen.

After checking his phone screen to see if a message had arrived, Jaehyuk looked back at him and flicked his finger.

As if telling him to look.

“What?”

As Junghyun looked at him with a face that said ‘speak if you have something to say,’ Jaehyuk narrowed his eyes and smiled brightly.

With a hot gaze that could melt someone, very prettily, as if to bewitch people.

Unlike before, as Junghyun watched him staring with a passionate gaze as if looking at something very lovely, he felt chills.

Thinking he might have gotten involved with something very wrong, he tried to move away from Jaehyuk by leaning back, but Jaehyuk was faster.

Suddenly moving right next to him and leaning toward his shoulder, he whispered directly into his ear.

“You’d better think carefully and decide what’s best for you. Whether you want it or not, you’re going to end up in this marriage anyway.”

A strong scent wafted over, making his whole body shiver.

He was definitely an S-ranker.

Junghyun had sensed it somewhat since they first met in the elevator, but it became certain as the distance closed.

Even though Jaehyuk was probably suppressing it as much as possible, it was still a bit difficult to handle.

His skin hurt.

It tingled as if lightly electrocuted.

That feeling was uncomfortable.

“I’d appreciate it if you could move away a bit.”

“Why?”

“I’m someone who needs a wide personal space. This distance is very uncomfortable for me.”

“Before that, your answer?”

“If it’s about marriage, I refuse.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you don’t have a choice?”

“No, I do. I can simply not show up at the wedding.”

After Junghyun boasted that even if his family forced him to marry, he wouldn’t quietly walk into the wedding—he might flip them off and run away—Jaehyuk smiled languidly.

In a chilling way.

“You’ve got spirit too. I like you more and more.”

“I’m very sorry you like me, but please move away for now. With this level of privacy, I don’t think anyone could hear us from outside the door.”

It seemed strange that someone who had emptied an entire restaurant because someone might eavesdrop from outside a private room was now in a closed space. It turned out the room was soundproof.

It’s not easy for a baseball stadium to be this quiet—not even cheering sounds or footsteps outside the door could be heard.

If sound couldn’t be heard inside, it meant it couldn’t be heard outside either.

So when Junghyun asked him to move away, Jaehyuk finally separated himself.

At that moment, Junghyun shuddered again.

At this level, it wasn’t just pheromones—it was pure intimidation.

Shivering with dislike at that feeling, Jaehyuk leaned back comfortably in his chair and smiled.

“So, the date?”

At this repetitive question, Junghyun looked at him wearily while holding a cream shrimp.

“Let me say it again: I refuse. Even though I may live without thinking about tomorrow, I’m a romantic who wants to marry someone I love.”

At that moment, Jaehyuk narrowed his eyes and smiled as if finding it ridiculous.

His eyes seemed to say, “As if you would.”

“You shouldn’t judge people based on just one aspect and be prejudiced.”

“It doesn’t seem like prejudice, but rather a fact?”

“Despite my appearance, I’m actually sensitive and tender-hearted.”

“Sensitive and tender-hearted people don’t usually eat dongpayuk before leaving a place where they’ve been dumped.”

“It was delicious.”

“And you couldn’t even taste it to begin with.”

“That’s also prejudice.”

“That’s not prejudice, it’s a general principle. In other words, common sense.”

“Not all humans live according to common sense.”

“True, you definitely don’t live by common sense. Isn’t it unreasonable to expect me to believe that someone like you would make the sensible statement that you want to marry someone you love?”

To Jaehyuk’s point that it didn’t make sense for someone like him to have such a normal thought, Junghyun immediately rebutted.

“You must have heard two weeks ago? I was planning to marry my ex. And I have no intention of marrying anyone else if not them. I’m quite loyal.”

“That’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve heard so far, but… if you say so, I’ll take your word for it…”

After generously changing the subject, saying he didn’t know Junghyun well enough to argue further, he continued after a moment.

“Still, you’re going to end up in this marriage.”

“I won’t.”

“The ceremony is in two weeks. It’s a bit early, but we’ll prepare quickly. Actually, preparations are already underway, so there’s nothing for you to prepare on your end.”

“I’m telling you, I won’t do it.”

“What you need to do from today is prepare to move. You’ll come to my house right after the wedding ceremony. You probably only need to pack clothes and books, but it’s better to prepare early. You’ll need to find a new tenant too.”

“I won’t do it.”

“And even though I know you broke up with your ex two weeks ago, clean up any loose ends from that relationship. It’s not like you, but if there are any debts or similar issues, resolve them quickly. To avoid unnecessary gossip.”

Faced with Jaehyuk’s one-sided attitude as if he were talking to a wall, Junghyun was so dumbfounded that he didn’t even feel like refusing anymore.

He wasn’t listening to anything Junghyun was saying.

It felt like he was saying, “Go ahead and talk all you want.”

Looking at his confident expression that said Junghyun would definitely end up marrying him, Junghyun wondered what gave him such confidence.

NOTES: 

“Wild ginseng”: Nickname for S-rankers (rare and valuable)

Unicorn: Nickname for F-rank Omegas (extremely rare)