Yeorin's eyes locked onto Bora's, a mix of surprise and regret swirling within them. He couldn't shake the disbelief that he had just signed a contract to be her companion for the next two years. Bora's expression mirrored his, her eyes widening in dismay.
"You?" they both exclaimed, their fingers pointing at each other as if hoping to deflect the reality closing in on them.
"How...?" Bora's voice trailed off, barely above a whisper, the weight of uncertainty hanging between them.
Yeorin's lips curled into a wry smile, already contemplating the twists their future might hold. "It seems our parents have a history, and we're just pawns in their game." His mind raced with questions. 'What have I gotten myself into?' he wondered, before focusing on Bora's irritated gaze.
Bora dropped her eyes, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sweatshirt. "I didn't know... My mother didn't tell me it was you."
The tension between them crackled, their past encounters now taking on a new, complicated light. Yeorin recalled their philosophy class, where Bora's forward nature had often rubbed him the wrong way. She remembered Yeorin's aloofness, misinterpreting it as arrogance. Little did they know how their paths would intertwine over the next two years.
Lee Ahn, watching from the corridor, couldn't hide her smile. For some unknown reason, she felt that choosing Yeorin over Su Ki and Kenji had been the right decision. Unaware of the past between the two, she saw them as an unlikely but perfect match.
Bora's eyes flashed with resentment, but she forced a smile. "Um, this is probably a mistake. Can we talk about it later? I need some time to... process."
Yeorin nodded in agreement, already contemplating possible escape routes. A two-year partnership with someone who didn't even like him felt daunting.
As Bora stood to leave, she froze under her mother's scorching glare, which seemed to pierce through her very being. "What do you think you're doing, young lady?" her mother's gaze demanded.
Bora quickly sat back down, struggling to maintain a smile in Yeorin's direction. Lee Ahn approached them, undeterred by the tension. "I know it's awkward, but you two look perfect together, as if you were tailor-made in heaven."
Bora felt a wave of shame wash over her as she turned to her mother. "Mom..." she muttered, her smile wavering.
Lee Ahn, however, remained oblivious to Bora's discomfort. "Take care of my daughter for me, Yeorin," she said with joy lighting up her cheeks. "Oh, and I've sent you a little something as a token of appreciation."
Yeorin felt a mix of obligation and trepidation. "I'll do my best, Ajumma," he replied, feeling the weight of the uncharted road ahead.
As Lee Ahn left, the air grew heavy with anticipation. Yeorin and Bora exchanged uneasy glances, realizing that the adventure they never asked for had begun.
"Shall we get this over with?" Bora suggested, her voice laced with resignation, but also a hint of curiosity about what lay ahead.
Yeorin shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I suppose we have no choice."
Bora glanced around the room, "Seriously?" she remarked, casting Yeorin an annoyed look. "You had a choice, and you took it."
Despair tightened in Yeorin's chest as he thought, 'How did my father connect with her mother, and why her, of all people?'
Straightening his posture, he met her gaze. "You heard me right—I had no choice."
"How much did my mom pay you for this, huh?" Bora leaned forward, her curiosity piqued despite her annoyance.
Yeorin sat there, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "What have I gotten myself into?" he thought, the reality of their situation settling in.
Bora's annoyance dripped into their conversation, her voice low yet piercing, "You know, when I first saw you, I thought you had some class. Your demeanor doesn't seem like it could be easily bought."
Yeorin's temper flared. "Bought off?" he retorted, anger tinging his voice.
Bora smirked, reclining in her chair. "Why are you acting like I'm lying? My mother clearly said she sent you a token, and you don't seem like someone who'd accept flowers."
Bora's taunts struck deep, igniting Yeorin's pride. The atmosphere in the café turned icy as he felt the weight of their situation—that every glance and word drawn from their past could shape their forthcoming journey.
In his thoughts, Bora's words echoed, "Jukheon isn't a school for the low-lives, so I understand if your family needs help."
Yeorin scoffed, 'What an annoyance she is.' Despite the rising tension, he maintained his composure. "It's not like that, Ms. Bora. Don't get ahead of yourself."
Bora laughed, the sound light yet sharp. "Ms. Bora? That's new. I didn't know you could be so respectful. I always thought you were just a rude brat... I guess money does buy respect."
Yeorin clenched his jaw, only for Bora's words to echo deeper. "Hyun Bora!"
"But to be honest, I can't blame you. Anyone would have done the same thing in your shoes. I mean, I'm pretty, smart, rich, lovable—what else could you ask for?"
Bora's lips stretched into a playful grin. Yeorin chuckled slightly. "Ah," he sighed, breaking into a light laugh. "You're pretty?" he murmured, his voice teasing and dripping with sarcasm.
Bora shifted, uneasiness creeping in but underlined with intrigue about what lay ahead. They were thrust into a partnership neither had anticipated, and the future seemed rife with possibilities.."
Yeorin scoffed, 'What a pain in the ass she is.' He kept his composure straight. "It's not like that Ms Bora, don't get ahead of yourself."
Bora laughed hysterically, "Ms Bora? Okay, that's new, I never knew you could be so respectful, I always found to to be a rude brat....I guess money does buy respect."
Yeorin clenched his jaw, the insult was fast becoming unbearable for him to bear, "Hyun Bora!"
"But to be honest, I can't blame you though, anyone would have done the same thing as you. I mean, I'm pretty, smart, rich, lovable what else could you ask for."
Bora's lips stretched into a weird smile. Yeorin chuckled slightly, "ahh," he sighed heavily, then it broke into a slight laugh. Yeorin's lips curled into a sly smile. "You're pretty?" He murmured, his voice low and teasing, dripping with sarcasm.
Bora became uneasy, her mind racing as if she had said anything she wasn't meant to.
"Pretty?" Yeorin laughed again. Bora began to stutter, "w-w-what is funny, a-ain't I pretty?"
Yeorin smiled inwardly, 'This is her weak point, pretty girls who know they are pretty always want affirmation, not getting that is like a slap on the face.' Yeorin crossed his legs and leaned back, he had found one of the things that touched her ego and he was ready to trample on it totally.
"It's funny you know," Yeorin said, "You found me amusing when you first saw me, but I on the other hand didn't give a single f!ck who you were. To me, you're another spoiled brat."
Bora's eyes sunk in, unable to control her annoyance, she began to laugh attacks at Yeorin. "Who told you I found you cute? You were always just another kid in school to me!"
"Yet you still walked up and approached me, I thought girls of your status let the boys do the approaching," Yeorin said.
His main aim was to fuel Bora's anger to the point of no return, her words hurt his ego but he was determined to trample on hers like an elephant stampede.
"What! You're getting the wrong idea, I-I only did that because you say on my seat, it's not because I found you cute or attractive or anything." Bora tried to cover up.
"You do find me cute and attractive don't you?" Yeorin leaned forward.
'What's wrong with this guy, he's such a weirdo, why is he trying to put words in my mouth.'
"No, no I do not, I never found you cute or attractive, even now that we're up close." Bora denied vehemently.
Yeorin picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip with a devilish grin playing across his lips, his mind was filled with treacherous ideas of how to make Bora uneasy. "I'm sure you've heard of the saying - "A strong denial is an affirmation", right?"
Bora's mind went into another uproar, 'He's cute but I hate him already.'
Bora tried her possible best to stand toe-to-toe with Yeorin but she was no match, "you look like a dinosaur from the era of unwanted humans."
Yeorin had found his confidence once again, 'seems like she's just a little kid after all.' his manly countenance was in full bloom once again, Bora was totally beaten to the ground and he knew it.
"It's okay if you find me cute and attractive though, it's normal, it just means your eyes are working," Yeorin said.
Bora scoffed ridiculously, trying to catch her breath and regain her footing in the banter, "I already told you, I don't find you cute or attractive, okay!"
Yeorin leaned further more, "If you don't, then why are your cheeks red?" He said and placed his hands on Bora's right cheek.
The contact between their skin sent shivers down Bora's spine, her eyes said the opposite of all she had been claiming earlier.
She didn't like the fact that she had to be forced into a relationship. As Bora's unease grew, she couldn't deny any longer that she was satisfied with her mother's pick.
Her heart skipped beats and she felt like her heart would burst her chest open, due to the profuse pounding in her chest. It was the first time both their eyes met during the conversation.
As Bora's anger subsided, Yeorin's unease grew. She looked into Yeorin's eyes, its hazel hue that seemed like glass began to glitter and spark with unknown emotions.
Bora was taken aback, for a slight moment, Bora just sat, looking at his eyes like she was trying to search for a part of his soul to hang onto. 'His eyes are pretty,' she thought to herself, 'so are his nose, and lips. Everything about him seems like it was on purpose, his flowery scent, his well-carved haircut, his clothes his demeanor, it's so demure.'
Bora pushed away his hand, and the pound in her chest became even harder, "I'm not blushing, my cheeks just get red when I talk too much."
While Bora gathered her thoughts, Yeorin affirmed to himself muffledly, "Yeah, now I've won."
Yeorin crossed his arms and leaned back, "As I said, we don't have a choice, it was a decision made for us. I know you don't feel anything for me so don't bother trying to, we don't need to act all lovey-dovey in front of others, it's just on paper that we're together, In real life, let's respect each other's space. I don't want to see your face as much as you don't want to see mine."
Yeorin's words lingered heavy with tension. An overwhelming annoyance engulfed Bora's bones and body as a whole, for a slight moment she wanted to appreciate the fact that their union might be fine with her, but Yeorin already drew the line, "Yeah! She exclaimed, "I don't want to see you either, You freak!"
"Call me whatever you want to, just don't disturb me. Loving wasn't part of the clauses." Yeorin and walked away.
Bora sat there drenched in pain, "how could he be such a jerk? Even if you don't like someone you don't have to make them feel bad... Dang! Why did my heart even flutter for such a person," Bora whispered to herself. "Well, what was I expecting from him, he's always been a jerk since I knew him.
As Bora stood up to leave, she came across one of Yeorin's properties, one that would bring about a whole new tension.
Though at irregular intervals, they both walked out of Café Elysium, into a future filled with uncertainty and obligation.
As the afternoon wore on, the autumn breeze carried the whispers of their doubts, as they embarked on a journey that would test the boundaries of their tolerance and understanding.
Would they find common ground, or would their differences tear them apart? Only time will tell.