"I survived," Chang Seol mumbles to herself. "I can walk through hell without batting my eyes for sure."
Since the day she bit his nose and letting him believe 'whatever' he wanted to believe, Sin Jeong-Hyuk has been 'kind' to her. However, the meaning of 'kindness' has changed for Chang Seol.
If she had known what it meant to be his 'goddaughter', she would have never agreed to it. He would ask her to make food for him. Then, he would even drop her at the university and come to pick her up. He would treat her like a ten-year-old girl.
But he would never forget to ask who Daydream is.
"I feel like I have aged three decades." She stares at the ceiling with dead eyes. "How could there be someone like him in this world? Does he have a job for real? He's too free."
The most annoying part is that he would always touch her head as if she's his pet or something. There are times when she would fall asleep like an idiot. She wears a hat as a safety measure from his wayward hands.
She hasn't been able to find a part-time job. She tried to look for a new place, but she can't find a cheap place. Most places are either too far or too costly for her. She can't ask her parents for money either. She heard from her sister that the marriage hasn't been broken because grandfather's friend wants to meet her husband first.
How can she fix this?
Also, it's tiring to lie to old mister. Though he has agreed to be her fake-husband, it feels bad to cheat that irritating man.
"No Shi-Won," She mutters the name with hate. On the internet, she can't find any engagement news. "Why are you still single? Just find someone and get married. Do you have to follow your grandfather's command?"
Her grandfather's friend is someone who started his business from rock bottom and made it quite big.
"Argh!" She rolls on her stomach. Mun Soyoon has been asking her to become a model for her. At the university, the lectures are so boring. Lim Da-Bin keeps trying to get close to her. Honestly, she is keeping a distance from everyone at the university. She's not good with people. People make her anxious.
She hasn't found out who stole her bag and locked her in the lecture hall.
Then, the weird sickness hasn't left her body at all. It's hard to sit in the same space with Professor Namgung whether it's university or this house. Why does she keep wanting to look at him? When their eyes meet, she can't find the strength to look at him.
At the university, he treats her differently. He uses a polite speech with her as he does with everyone else. At home, he talks to her informally. To be honest, she prefers how he's at home.
His small smiles are pleasant.
"Why does a human being, who is not blood-related to me, looks pleasant?" She exhales. Her heart acts weird and there's a strange feeling in her stomach. While it's difficult to be around him, she also wants to be around him. Has she lost her head?
Should she ask the internet?
"Pounding heart." She types the words. "Funny stomach… and feeling hot…"
Her face turns pale when she sees the search results. "I have a weak heart?"
Why? She's only nineteen. Should she visit a hospital? But why does this happen around a person? She knits her brows. Why would he cause a panic attack? It doesn't always happen though. She shakes her head, but her head is already in a panic mode.
Mun Soyoon opens the door and Seol rolling on her make-shift bed on the floor. "Seol, dear, what are you doing?"
"It's nothing." Chang Seol sighs and whispers, "I think that I can die anytime."
It does feel like she could die because of Namgung Yeon-Sik. She's happy whenever she's close to him. However, she's also agonized and confused at the same time. She doesn't even have much money
If she tells her grandfather's friend that she has a weak heart, would they reject the marriage? No… it's too late. She already lied.
"Dying?" Mun Soyoon looks at her, amused by the words. "Why? Is it the studies? I understand that transition from school to university isn't easy, but dying is overdoing it."
"The symptoms." Chang Seol puckers her lips and gives her phone to Mun Soyoon.
After looking at the symptoms searched on the internet, Mun Soyoon bursts into laughter. "Chang Seol, you are not dying."
"Then?" Chang Seol presses her hands on her chest. "Why is it acting weird since I came here?"
"You are hopeless." Mun Soyoon turns on her hairdryer. Her afro is gone, leaving a messy nest of curls. "It's happening because you like someone."
Liking someone? Chang Seol becomes quiet, confused and scared. It's normal to feel excited if she likes something. Why the hell her body would feel sick? It's not normal to feel this when she likes someone. "If it's happening because I like someone, then it should have happened with everyone I have liked so far."
"Aigoo!" This girl is either pretending or she's an idiot. Mun Soyoon asks her in loud voice, "Seol, when you start having feelings for someone, you want to do all sorts of things that you don't want to do with other people… like you want to hold their hands or hug them. You want to smack lips and hips with that person. Do you get it?"
Smack lips and hips with Professor Namgung? Lim Da-Bin and that boy did that sort of thing. Chang Seol covers her face. Do people feel this way when they want to kiss someone? It's embarrassing to imagine doing that with someone. She likes watching him. She also wants to hold his hands. But… doing that sort of thing…
Chang Seol's cheeks turn flaming red. No way!
"Don't feel bad.," Mun Soyoon chuckles, "Half the girls in our university have a crush on him. He is handsome and tall. He's nice to everyone. I heard that some girls even made a fan club. If you want, I will take you to that fan club."
Seol blinks her eyes. That's true. Professor Namgung seems nice to everyone. Why did she think that she's special? What's this about a fan club?
"Yeah." Mun Soyoon looks at her. "He has a girlfriend though."
"Huh?" Seol feels her heart dropping to the pit of her stomach. "Girlfriend?"
"I saw them at a restaurant a few times." Mun Soyoon sighs when she sees Chang Seol's blank face. "I guess he was your first crush. Don't be disheartened. Do you want to come with us today? We are going to an art exhibition in S city."
"No, Sunbae, I have something else to do today." Seol gives her a small smile. She plans to look for part-time jobs. The digits in her bank account are lowering down with time. If she wants to survive, she needs to earn.
However, she does feel a little upset after hearing that he has a girlfriend. But she doesn't want to have that kind of relationship with anyone. Rather than having these feelings that are both pleasant and annoying, she should --
"CHICKEN!"