As time passed, Yeorin and Lee Ahn just sat down there in the silence. Lee Ahn was enjoying the serene view of the Han River.
"Ajumma," Yeorin said, his voice measured, "I understand the benefits, but what about your daughter? What's her role in this?"
Lee Ahn's expression softened, her eyes taking on a maternal warmth. "Nae ttal (my daughter) is... delicate. She needs guidance and stability. You might not be able to give her that totally, but Bora needs a companion, she's been too lonely in her life."
Yeorin's gaze narrowed. Delicate? What did that mean? Was she fragile, or was there something more to it?
He peered into Lee Ahn's eyes and saw the undeniable longing for her daughter's happiness. That alone had begun to convince Yeorin to sign the contract.
He pushed his thoughts aside, focusing on the present. "And what about us, Ajumma? What's expected of our relationship?"
Lee Ahn leaned forward, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Yeorin-ah, I want you to understand that this is a business arrangement, it's just going to be for two years and that's all, and if you both think it's okay to continue, you have my blessings, and if not you go your separate ways. But I also want you to know that Bora.. she's special. Treat her well, and you'll find that this contract will be beneficial for both parties."
Yeorin tilted his head as if he were searching for something wishing the archives of his memory, 'Bora, Bora, Bora, what do I feel like I've heard that name before?'
Yeorin's eyes locked onto Lee Ahn's, searching for hidden meanings. He sensed that there was more to this Bora than met the eye. "You said it'll last for two years, right? Why two years?"
Lee Ahn raised an eyebrow, "would you have wanted it to be any longer?" She chuckled. "Actually the reason is I'm going to retire in the next two years, so I can spend more time with my daughter.
"So I'm just what? An instrument of time wasting?" Yeorin snickered.
"Instrument? No, you're not that, you don't seem really convinced to sign it, so...."
As the meeting drew to a close, Yeorin felt a sense of trepidation. He was stepping into a world of intricate alliances and power plays, where one misstep could have far-reaching consequences.
"Ajumma," he said, rising from his seat, "I'll consider the contract. But I need time to think."
Lee Ahn smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm sorry Yeorin, but time is the only thing that I don't have right now, I'm your country's ambassador to France and I'm bound to return to Paris in three days.." Lee Ahn sucked in her teeth, so I kinda need your answer right now."
Yeorin nodded, his mind racing with the implications. 'What would her daughter think of me? I'm sure this was done without her knowledge, what if she finds me annoying? What if she finds me unamusing? Loving has never been my forte and now I'm being forced to sign a contract where that's all I'm going to do.'
"You're young Yeorin, and I understand that, but this is the only way for both of us to come out of this winning. I give my daughter someone to rest her head on and talk to, your family does fine with the benefits, and seeing your sincerity, I'll give you a little something to hold onto." Lee Ahn said smiling.
Yeorin took off his glasses, the world around him seemed to have stopped and moved slower than usual, he flicked his hair casting his ethereal look at Lee Ahn. "Do you care if she'll even like me or not? You can't just force her into something like this.
Lee Ahn's mouth was left agape, 'Shibal (gosh), why weren't there guys like this in my time... All I got were people like Tae Gwang and Jeong Mi.'
"Have you looked into the mirror Yeorin? Who wouldn't like you? Come on, Bora is in for a treat, she even ought to thank me for this."
Lee Ahn continued to look at Yeorin's face, he had a nice eye shape and a nice eye color, his jawline was perfect, his skin tone was also on point, and his voice too. "Did Tae Gwang adopt you?" Lee Ahn jested.
Amidst all her humorous remarks, Yeorin kept his calm, and his demeanor straight - unflinching and unreadable.
"If you want the best for your daughter Ajumma, I should be the last person you should consider," Yeorin said.
Yeorin tried his best to dissuade Lee Ahn but she was hellbent on it.
"You're the perfect suitor Yeorin. Firstly, you both are lovers of art - she'll have something to talk to you about and from what I heard from your dad, he told me you were really good, he even showed me some of our works and they were nice. Secondly, you're both at Jukheon, so it'll be easy to keep up and see each other from time to time. Lastly, you're trying to live in denial Yeorin, from what your dad told me about you, you're also lonely, Tae Gwang has never said anyone was lonely before to me, but he told me you're the most lonely soul he had ever met and that made him feel like a useless Father."
Yeorin sighed, his eyes dropped down as his countenance his rock bottom, that was the only time in the Café that he let his guard down through his emotions. "But, Ajumma, don't you think it'll be worse, two lonely people coming together, That's like two negatives combining."
Lee Ahn chuckled, "You just said it yourself Yeorin, two negatives mathematically, gives a positive. That feeling of having that one person to talk to is very nice Yeorin, you seem like a very introverted and reserved person, my daughter on the other hand isn't like that, she likes to talk but doesn't have anyone to talk to. It's always better if the person you're talking to can relate to the feeling."
Yeorin was touched by Lee Ahn's words, he didn't know who her daughter was but, she seemed like someone he could at least give listening ears to. He on the other hand was fine being alone. 'I'll just see this as a form of charity.' Yeorin said to himself.
He took out his pen from his coat pocket, the bottom of his pen hitting the table, he began to rationalize. 'It's just two years, who could be the worst thing that could happen, huh? It's not like I'll need to like her or anything, her mother just needs someone she can talk to and someone who can go out with her to fun places. But gathering ain't really my thing.' he began to look at the cons of the contract. 'having to hear someone's plight for two years, gatherings, and I can't leave if I get tired until it's completed two years or I'll have to pay 30 million Won."
Yeorin snapped out of his thoughts, "Yes, in regards to the release clause, the amount is rather a joke." Yeorin said.
Lee Ahn burst out laughing, "Sincerely, it is. It was the way your Father and I used to make deals when we were younger, we made it so high so none of us would be able to pay for it, and even if we had the money we'd find it ridiculous to pay." Her face turned serious, "it always helped us keep to our promises." She said and immediately fell into nostalgia.
'She's a childhood friend of my dad, he never told me about his childhood friends though. But apparently, they seem to be quite close, since she knows a lot about him. Mun Yeorin this is something you can love with, it's just two years, how bad can 730 days be?'
Yeorin turned the contract to himself, "gosh, what are you doing Mun Yeorin," he whispered to himself and signed the contract.
Lee Ahn smiled widely like she had won a golden medal in the Olympics, tears filled her eyes, "Thank you Yeorin, seriously, thank you."
Yeorin smiled a little and nodded his head.
"She's not far from here, Lee Ahn said, her voice laced with amusement, "I'll call her in so you both can get acquainted."
As Lee Ahn left Café Elysium, the cool autumn air enveloped her, carrying the scent of uncertainty.
Yeorin's thoughts swirled: What secrets was Lee Ahn hiding? What did "delicate" mean in the context of her daughter? Was he ready to sacrifice his freedom for his family's benefit? Why would his dad accept an investment? Was his Father's firm having a hard time and he didn't know. Yeorin kept pondering.
Ultimately, Yeorin continually tried to remember where he heard the name Bora from. The questions haunted him like a memory from his past as he sat in the café, lost in the labyrinth in the streets of his mind.
With his head bowed looking at his phone, Yeorin heard the clacking of heels, "Annyeong," a soft voice like that of a primrose gently being brushed in a person's skin wafted through the air. Yeorin rose his head to meet a mysterious girl in a beige oversized sweatshirt and a black leather skirt that was just a little bit above her knee.
On meeting the familiar face from his philosophy class his mind tingled - 'Bora, Hyun Bora?' It all started to fall into place. Truly her mother was the ambassador to France, Lee Ahn said that but it didn't occur to him, her mother mentioned her name over and over again but he could not recollect her face.
Similarly, Bora was shocked, she didn't expect it to be Yeorin. Her mother didn't tell her the name of the person she was going to meet she looked at him in surprise and both their eyes locked onto each other.
They both wouldn't have agreed to it if they knew they were the ones being set up in the relationship. They both just stood there, lost in thought of what was going on. Yeorin began to regret, trying to reverse time to the moment before he signed the contract.
Bora didn't like Yeorin because he didn't answer her the first time she talked to him, so she saw him as a guy who over esteemed his looks and looked down on everybody other than Seol-Ah. Yeorin on the other hand, found Bora very condescending and commanding.
What Lee Ahn thought would be a blissful companionship was already shattered before it even began.