That night, Ji Hoon sat in the living room with an upset face. His mother and father had again planned a dinner with the Park family, with the aim of strengthening the relationship between Ji Hoon and Park Eun Seo. However, Ji Hoon wasn't interested in the matchmaking idea at all.
"I told you, I don't want to," Ji Hoon said, half shouting.
"But it's important for our family," his father replied calmly. "The Park family is a very valuable business partner."
Ji Hoon sighed heavily, feeling cornered. He knew that an outright refusal would not make things better. Suddenly, a crazy idea popped into his head. He stood up from the sofa and said in a firm voice, "Okay. But I'll bring someone."
"Who?" his mother asked suspiciously.
"My girlfriend," Ji Hoon replied without thinking, then rushed out before his parents could ask further.
A few minutes later, Ji Hoon was standing in front of Soo Jin's house. He knocked on the door hurriedly, not caring that it was quite late. Soo Jin, who was reading a book in the living room, opened the door with a confused expression.
"Ji Hoon? What's wrong at this time of night?" asked Soo Jin in a worried tone.
"I need your help," Ji Hoon said quickly, his eyes full of hope. "Come with me right now."
"Where? What happened?" Soo Jin was getting confused.
"To the family dinner," Ji Hoon replied. "I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend."
Soo Jin's eyes rounded. "What? Are you serious? Ji Hoon, this is crazy!"
"Please," Ji Hoon pleaded. "This is the only way I can get out of this arranged marriage. You just have to pretend. Nothing more."
Soo Jin sighed, feeling trapped in Ji Hoon's mess again. "Why should I?"
"Because I believe in you," Ji Hoon replied in a serious tone. "And I know you can do it."
Soo Jin looked at Ji Hoon for a while, trying to find a reason to refuse. However, she knew how serious Ji Hoon was this time. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. But it's just an act, right?"
"Yes, it's just an act," Ji Hoon replied with a relieved smile. "Come on, we should go now."
At the fancy restaurant where the family dinner was held, Ji Hoon and Soo Jin entered together. Ji Hoon's parents and the Park family were already seated at a large table, chatting casually. When they saw Ji Hoon come in with a girl, everyone immediately fell silent.
"Sorry for being late," Ji Hoon says casually. He pulled out a chair for Soo Jin, surprising everyone at the table, including Park Eun Seo.
"What's the meaning of this?" asked Ji Hoon's father in a sharp tone.
"This is my girlfriend, Soo Jin," Ji Hoon said with a big smile.
Soo Jin smiled awkwardly, feeling all eyes on her. "Nice to meet you all," she said quietly.
Park Eun Seo, who was sitting next to her mother, looked both confused and incredulous. "Girlfriend?" she muttered, looking at Ji Hoon.
"Yes," Ji Hoon said as he looked at Eun Seo with an unpredictable expression. "I've been wanting to introduce her for a long time, but only now did I get the chance."
The Park family looked at each other, while Ji Hoon's father seemed to be trying to contain his anger. However, before anyone could say anything, Ji Hoon's mother smiled slightly and said, "Okay. Then let's continue with dinner."
During dinner, Ji Hoon continues to be sweet to Soo Jin, making the situation even more awkward. Soo Jin, despite feeling uncomfortable, tried to keep up with Ji Hoon's game.
At the end of dinner, as they said goodbye, Ji Hoon grasped Soo Jin's hand tightly. "Thank you for coming," he whispered softly near Soo Jin's ear.
Soo Jin just nodded, feeling tired from the night's drama. But on the other hand, she can't help but smile a little when she sees how serious Ji Hoon is about protecting her from an arranged marriage.
After leaving the restaurant, Ji Hoon takes Soo Jin home. On the way, he says, "You did great, Soo Jin. I don't know what I would do without you."
"Next time, don't drag me into your problems again," Soo Jin replied while giving Ji Hoon a sharp glance.
Ji Hoon chuckled. "Promise. But I still owe you big time."
That night, despite being tired, Soo Jin felt something was different. Her relationship with Ji Hoon, though often filled with turmoil, felt closer.
After taking Soo Jin home, Ji Hoon stepped onto his motorcycle. Before starting the engine, he took a deep breath as he contemplated what had just happened. It was a crazy night for him, but at least he managed to avoid an arranged marriage for a while.
However, inside the house, Soo Jin still couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. She stares at her reflection in the mirror, trying to digest everything Ji Hoon said at dinner last night. "Do I really look like his girlfriend?" she muttered with a small smile.
Elsewhere, Park Eun Seo sat in her room, thinking about the night's events. Ji Hoon's relaxed expression and the way he treated Soo Jin kept playing in her head. "So, they're dating?" Eun Seo muttered quietly, but her eyes showed an unusual curiosity.
The next day at school, things were a little awkward. Rumors about Ji Hoon and Soo Jin "dating" have spread among the students, especially after photos of them having dinner with Ji Hoon's family appeared on social media.
During break, Soo Jin irritably approached Ji Hoon in front of the class. "Ji Hoon, you're really crazy! Why did you upload that photo?" she whispered sharply while showing her phone screen.
Ji Hoon looked at Soo Jin with a casual expression. "What's the problem? It's just a normal dinner photo. There's nothing to make a big deal about."
"But everyone at school thinks we're dating!" Soo Jin retorted, her voice slightly raised. "You even said in the comments that I'm your girlfriend. What the hell is that?"
Ji Hoon just smiled ignorantly. "I just wanted to make this story seem real. Isn't that your goal too? To make Eun Seo believe me?"
"But this is too much!" Soo Jin grumbled, her face red with embarrassment. She took a deep breath before saying, "We have to explain this to everyone. Tell them that we're just friends."
Ji Hoon sighed, but finally nodded. "Okay, if that's what you want."
When the next lesson started, the rumors grew so loud that even their teacher mentioned it jokingly. At that moment, Ji Hoon stood up from his seat. "Everyone listen carefully," he said loudly, causing the whole class to instantly fall silent. "Soo Jin and I are just friends. So stop making up stories."
Soo Jin stood up and nodded. "Yes, we're not dating. It was just a misunderstanding. Please don't spread rumors anymore."
Although there were some students who chuckled and whistled teasingly, most eventually believed and stopped talking about them.
However, during the second break, Park Eun Seo appeared in front of their class. She strode confidently towards Ji Hoon and Soo Jin, who were sitting together. "Ji Hoon, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, giving Soo Jin a small smile.
Ji Hoon stood up and glanced at Soo Jin, as if asking for approval. Soo Jin just nodded, trying to look casual, though there was a hint of awkwardness in her heart.
In the hallway, Eun Seo looked at Ji Hoon seriously. "So, you guys are really just friends?" she asked directly, without preamble.
Ji Hoon nodded. "Yes, I'm not lying."
Eun Seo paused for a moment, then smiled faintly. "That's good. Because if you guys are really dating, I'm not sure I can just keep quiet."
Ji Hoon raised an eyebrow, a little confused by that statement. "Why do you care?"
Eun Seo chuckled. "There's no particular reason. I'm just curious."
After that, Eun Seo walked away, leaving Ji Hoon still confused by her attitude.
Meanwhile, in the classroom, Soo Jin watched from a distance. She bit her lip lightly, trying to ignore the sudden discomfort. "Isn't this just an act? Why do I feel weird now?" she muttered softly.
In the school parking lot, it was quite quiet after the bell rang for the end of class. Eun Seo stands by her car, waiting for the driver who is parked at the end of the area. She scans around, her eyes falling on Ji Hoon who has just exited the school building.
As she watches Ji Hoon walk towards his motorcycle, Eun Seo has a little hope that maybe he'll ask her to go home with him, or at least have a longer conversation. However, her hopes are dashed when Ji Hoon passes by without seeing her, seemingly busy with his cell phone.
Eun Seo sighed, trying to calm her feelings that were getting a little disappointed. "Why did I expect him to take me home?" she wondered. "I already know he's unpredictable."
Ji Hoon rode his sports bike casually and put on his helmet. Just as he was about to start the engine, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking to the side, Ji Hoon saw Eun Seo standing with a rather flat expression, as if she was waiting for something from him.
Eun Seo tried to smile and waved, hoping Ji Hoon would greet her. "Ji Hoon," she called softly.
Ji Hoon paused, looked at Eun Seo out of the corner of his eye, then casually replied, "Oh, Eun Seo. Are you waiting for your driver?"
Eun Seo was a little surprised by Ji Hoon's seemingly indifferent attitude, but she tried to remain friendly. "Yes, I'm just waiting for a driver," she replied, trying to continue the conversation.
Ji Hoon just nodded slowly, then turned on the motorcycle and started driving. He felt no need to talk more. "Bye," he said simply, not giving any chance for further conversation.
Eun Seo stood there, staring at Ji Hoon as he drove away, feeling a little confused by his attitude. "It's really hard to guess Ji Hoon. He can be so close, but suddenly become distant." She thought, though a small smile was etched on her face, as if accepting the fact that Ji Hoon was indeed not an easy person to reach.