"What did you just say?"
"You already answered with your expression. It says, 'It's fake.'"
"Ah... no, it's not!"
"Don't worry. I'm fake too."
"What?"
Gyeoul laughed brightly at Mimo's surprised expression.
"Seriously. You seem like someone who wouldn't lie... So, why are you here?"
---
***
"So, Gyeoul, you got asked to do this two weeks ago?"
"Yeah. They said they'd pay me, so I agreed."
"You're getting paid?"
"Oh my! Are you doing it for free, unni? This is so mentally stressful! I need to be compensated for my time and effort."
"You're smart."
"Haha. If I were really smart, I wouldn't have gotten married."
"Huh?"
"Well, anyway. We're only meeting the mom today, and we've already come up with a reason to break up."
"How?"
"What's the youngest son's name again?"
"Kang Cheonsu, and his girlfriend is Im Taeyeon."
"Right. We'll pretend to be dating, and after they get married, we'll break up, saying we don't agree on how to raise kids."
"Wow. You really thought this through."
"What about you, unni?"
"I just came because they told me to. I feel guilty for lying."
"Oh, unni... Unni! Straighten your shoulders! You look so down. You didn't do anything wrong. The real problem is those brothers. Bringing fake girlfriends just to get their brother married... They both look perfectly fine too. Tsk tsk."
The more Mimo talked with Gyeoul, the more she liked her straightforward personality. Actually, she had liked her ever since she found out Gyeoul wasn't really Unsu's girlfriend.
"I shouldn't be gone too long. Unni! Let's do our best."
Gyeoul stood up and opened the bathroom door, and Mimo straightened her shoulders and followed her. Gyeoul's words made Mimo's guilt melt away like snow.
It wasn't her choice, but since she had agreed to help, she just had to get through today like Gyeoul said.
With a lighter step, Mimo followed Gyeoul back into the room where the family was waiting.
***
"What took so long? Were you doing number two?"
The moment she sat down, Jaesu's remark hit her. A moment ago, she wouldn't have been able to say anything, but the Mimo sitting here now was different from the one before the bathroom break.
"Aren't you being a bit rude to your girlfriend?"
"What?"
"If you consider me your girlfriend, you should speak more respectfully."
Seeing Jaesu's shocked face made her feel like the soda bubbles in her chest finally burst, clearing away the tightness.
***
This is so awkward.
Inside the car. Mimo was staring out the window, nervously playing with her nails. Next to her, Jaesu was driving.
It had been five minutes since the scene outside the restaurant.
"Don't worry about me."
"No, it's fine. Take this car."
Jaesu had pulled the car he had driven from the parking lot up in front of the restaurant and was looking back and forth between Jeongsurin and Mimo.
"I said it's fine. Hurry and get in. Our son is waiting."
"No, Mother..."
"I want to go alone, please. Mother, just get in."
"We're blocking the way. We need to move."
"Hurry up and get in."
With Jaesu's insistence, Jeongsurin lightly pushed Mimo into the passenger seat.
"I'll ride in Cheonsu's car, so hurry and go. See you next time."
Before Jeongsurin's words were even finished, Jaesu started the car and drove off.
Shouldn't he at least say goodbye to his mother? Not even a glance back as he leaves. Cold-blooded jerk.
With just the two of them in the car, an awkward silence hung in the air. Mimo leaned back in the passenger seat, looking out the window. There was nowhere else to focus her gaze but outside.
"What's your address? I heard it's near the shopping district."
"Just drop me off at the shopping district."
His blunt question was met with an equally blunt answer.
"We won't see each other again anyway, so I'll just take you home."
"No, thanks. I need to work, so just drop me off in front of the shops."
Jaesu glanced at Mimo briefly before turning his gaze back to the road.
"You're really being difficult."
"Yeah, I'm very difficult."
"At first, I thought you were some shy girl who couldn't speak, but now you're talking just fine."
"I'm not a kid. I'm an adult. And since we won't see each other again, I'll speak comfortably from now on."
At her sarcastic comment, he chuckled.
"Actually, we might see each other again."
"Why would we?"
"Have you... seen me before?"
"No, I've never seen you before."
"Really? Hmm..."
Jaesu's car stopped in front of the shopping district.
"Thanks for the ride."
Mimo got out of the car after giving a polite bow. The window rolled down, and Jaesu called out to her.
"Don't work too late. Go home early."
The window rolled up as Jaesu's car drove off.
"What's it to you whether I work late or not?"
Grumbling to herself, she descended into the basement of the shopping center and pressed the number pad. The keypad didn't respond.
"Right. Ugh... I completely forgot because of Unsu-oppa."
Mimo turned around and headed home.
***
Two days had passed since then. Mimo and Unsu had become casual acquaintances.
On her way to the café, Mimo ran into Gyeoul, who was carrying coffee.
"Unni! You look so different from last time."
Gyeoul said, looking at Mimo, who was in a tracksuit.
"You look strange too, wearing an oversized shirt."
Gyeoul wasn't in her usual tight yoga outfit or dress but in loose yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt that looked like an XL.
"I'm on a break right now. Can I visit your office, unni?"
"Sure. I'll grab some coffee, so wait a minute."
Mimo entered the coffee shop. When Unsu saw her, he greeted her cheerfully.
"That smile of his. It's the best."
There were no empty seats inside, and Unsu was busy working. As he handed her a takeout cup, Mimo said, "You seem really busy."
"I am. It's been hectic. I really need to hire someone soon..."
Unsure from Unsu's tired expression, Mimo sighed and stepped outside.
"You went in all happy, but you came out looking down."
"Unsu-oppa looks so exhausted."
"Well, he's picky when it comes to hiring."
"Huh?"
"Look there."
Gyeoul pointed to the help-wanted sign on the café's window.
"Oh? When did they put that up? I didn't notice it."
"He put it up three days ago, and a few applicants came by. But he turned them all down because they were too slow or couldn't focus. Ha, he even rejected one just because they didn't like coffee."
"Really?"
"Yep. He's so picky, word got around, and now no one's applying. But for some reason, he's already ordered the uniforms."
"Uniforms..."
Mimo remembered the uniform Unsu had lent her, which was now at the dry cleaners. Thinking about it, she muttered to herself, "It was nice."
"What was?"
"Nothing. Let's go."