Chapter 5 –
Ga-in stood in front of the mirror, her lips pursed in thought as she adjusted the simple cream-colored dress she'd picked out. It wasn't flashy, just elegant enough to make her look presentable. A touch of light makeup—foundation, soft pink blush, and a nude lip tint—was all she bothered with. She didn't have the energy to do more, nor did she care enough to try.
"This is about the money," she muttered under her breath, brushing a strand of black hair behind her ear.
She grabbed her small handbag and left her cramped apartment. The cold air of Seoul stung her cheeks as she made her way to the café. Le Papillon was just a short walk, but every step felt heavier with the reminder that she wasn't meeting him for anything noble.
"Keep it together, Ga-in. You need this," she told herself, tightening her grip on the bag.
When she arrived, the smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted her, blending with the soft murmur of conversation. The café was warm and inviting, its rustic wooden tables and large windows giving it a cozy charm. Her eyes scanned the room, and she spotted him almost instantly.
Byun Woo Seok sat near the corner, dressed sharply in a dark navy coat over a fitted sweater. His neatly styled dark brown hair framed a face that seemed effortlessly calm. He glanced up as if sensing her arrival and smiled—a soft, gentlemanly curve of his lips that seemed both inviting and unsettling.
"Ga-in?" he said, standing to greet her.
"That's me," she replied, forcing a polite smile.
"You look lovely," Woo Seok said as he gestured to the chair across from him.
"Thanks," Ga-in replied curtly, sitting down. "But you didn't need to say that."
Woo Seok chuckled lightly. "I meant it. But if compliments make you uncomfortable, I'll stop."
She tilted her head slightly, studying him. There was something disarming about his calm demeanor. Most alphas she'd encountered were loud, boastful, and eager to flaunt their power. Woo Seok, however, seemed… composed.
"You're not what I expected," she said bluntly.
"Should I ask if that's a good thing?"
She shrugged. "I guess we'll see."
The conversation started awkwardly, with Ga-in giving short answers to his polite questions about her studies and life. Woo Seok didn't push, though, and instead shared little anecdotes about art exhibitions he'd visited, mentioning how he admired artists who put their emotions into their work.
"So, art," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Why do you do it?"
Ga-in frowned slightly. "Why does anyone do anything? To survive, mostly."
"I see. But I think there's more to it for you."
She paused, caught off guard. Most people dismissed her passion for art as a pointless dream, a failure waiting to happen.
"It's not about survival," he continued. "It's about saying something the world can't ignore."
His words lingered, and for a moment, Ga-in felt the tiniest flicker of something she hadn't expected—interest. But she quickly pushed it aside.
"I'm not trying to be some revolutionary," she replied. "I just want to get through life without starving."
Woo Seok's smile deepened, almost as if he saw through her deflection. "Fair enough. But I still think you're capable of more than you realize."
The conversation flowed more easily after that, but Ga-in remained guarded. She reminded herself that this wasn't about forming a connection. It was about securing an opportunity.
As they finished their coffee, Woo Seok glanced at his watch. "I've enjoyed this, Ga-in. I'd like to see you again."
"Sure," she replied nonchalantly, standing up.
"Then it's a date," he said with that same disarming smile.
Ga-in left the café with mixed feelings. Woo Seok was polite, charming even, but something about him didn't sit right. Still, it didn't matter. She didn't need to trust him. She only needed to play along.
"This is just business," she whispered to herself, stepping into the chilly evening air.