As True as a Dream

Yi Ho swallowed what he wanted to say.

 “I only asked you to be responsible for finding Guishan Dao, not to be my fiancée, so it would be unfair to override that, wouldn’t it?” 

As he spoke, a platinum pocket watch with a brilliant golden color magically fell in front of Hae-Joo’s eyes.

 

Her eyes widened at its brilliance in the streetlight.

 

Yi Ho wrapped the gold band around his finger and lightly swung the watch in front of her.

 

The smile on his lips was as cunning as a fox’s.

 “You liked that, didn’t you? This is the price.” “The… the price for being your fiancée, really?” 

Hae-Joo’s snobbery, dormant for days, reared its head again.

 

This platinum pocket watch is worth less than Guishan Dao’s honorarium, but it’s worth at least a thousand yuan!

 “Hmm. You don’t want it?” 

Seeing her reaction, Yi Ho was about to wrap the golden cord around the pocket watch and take it back, but Hae-Joo quickly reached out and wrapped her hands around it.

 “Are you sure you want to give it to me?” “Yes.”

He replied simply, letting go of the golden cord without hesitation.

 

Then the watch was in her hands, complete.

 “The contract is until Saito Mao leaves the country, marries someone else, dies or otherwise becomes quiet, and when things are quiet around me again, I’ll make sure you’re out of danger.” 

Yi Ho added, but none of his words reached Hae-Joo’s ears.

 

Her attention was focused on the watch.

 

The day she first met Yi Ho, she had brought the watch thinking the owner was dead, but he was alive and she had unwittingly become a thief.

 

She thought she had nothing to do with the watch, but eventually it turned around and came back to her.

 

Her heart pounded with joy.

 “Aren’t you going to ask me back later? Or should we just put it in writing? No, I think we should write it down.” 

Yi ho scowled at her pointed question.

 “Did you hear me at all?” “Yes. I’ll play the fiancée until it’s quiet around you. By the way, the diamond in here is real, right? If it’s real, I’d pay a few thousand won for this watch…” “Hae-Joo!” 

Hae-Joo, who had been gently rubbing the diamond on the edge of the watch like a golden toad, giggled at his sarcasm.

 

Then, as if to say nothing more, she tucked the watch into her purse.

 “I’m sorry, I’m trying to concentrate, so… if anyone asks, I’ll just say that our families were related and we’ve been engaged since we were kids…” 

As she spoke, Hae-Joo looked at her watch and remembered the problem she was worried about.

 “Do you think it would be a problem if I drove a taxi and sold jewelry?” “Why would it be a problem?”

Yi Ho asked immediately, her concern obvious.

 “The boss has a certain status in Gyeongseong, and his fiancée drives a taxi for a living. Wouldn’t you be laughed at if I went around selling trinkets?” “It doesn’t matter what they say, if you’re stuck, come to Gyeongseong and tell them that you’ve been looking for a fiancée according to your father’s will, and it’s me. It’s a family contract that must be honored, and since you are your father’s only child, you are the one who must fulfill it, even if you are an adopted daughter.” “Is it that simple?” “Or is it?” “No. Normally, when you have the status of a boss, it’s important to have a good public image and to be seen by others…” “You think that’s important for me?” 

Hae-Joo was stunned again.

 

The accusing look in his eyes, as if she was worrying about something so insignificant, made her feel both exhausted and relieved.

 “Of course, you’ll have to give up driving the taxi to concentrate on finding Guishan Dao. I’m sure you can handle the jewelry business.” “Really?” 

Yi Ho looked at her as if he didn’t want to say it twice.

 

But regardless of his expression, she was happy to do it.

 

When she had worked with him as a stockbroker, she had been afraid of him, but now that they were in the same boat, it couldn’t have been better.

 

First of all, it’s nice to see his face, which is like a craft without trying.

 

Also, for someone who used to hound her for debts, Yi Ho wasn’t as fussy about money as she expected.

 

And most importantly, he cares for her as much as she cares for him.

 

He even puts a rare medicine that money can’t buy on the back of her hand.

 

That’s how much he cares about his people.

 

Of course, there was a misunderstanding about the rare medicine, but Yi Ho didn’t know what Hae-Joo was thinking and Hae-joo didn’t know the truth.

 “So, boss, when will we get married?” 

Hae-Joo, who was in a good mood, smiled brightly and teased Yi Ho.

 

Yi Ho, who was staring at Hae-Joo in disbelief, suddenly turned serious and leaned his upper body towards Hae-Joo.

 “Sure. When should we do it?” 

As their faces drew closer, Hae-Joo’s eyes widened and his shapely red lips parted.

 

Her face flushed and her heart skipped a beat.

 “…Haha, I’m out of line, I was just joking.” 

Hae-Joo immediately shrank back.

 

As if mocking her, Yi Ho jerked his upper body back upright.

 “Go inside.” 

Hae-Joo nodded and Yi Ho turned as well.

 

She took a few steps, then looked back at him.

 “Excuse me, boss!” 

When she called out, Yi Ho half turned to look at her.

 “What if something like this happens again in the future?” “What happened?” “That thing in the Labyrinth Garden.” 

The word

“kiss”

didn’t come out of her mouth as her face heated up.

 “Ah. When you inevitably have to show that you and I are lovers?” “Yes.” 

Hae-Joo pursed her lips and waited for Yi Ho’s reply.

 “Well, we’ll have to deal with it accordingly. If I have to, I have to, and if I can avoid it, I will avoid it.” 

Confused by the answer, Hae-Joo frowned.

 “Does that mean that if you have no choice, you might do what you did in the labyrinth garden again?” 

Hae-Joo’s face lit up again.

 

She really can’t help it.

 

For a woman who prided herself on being thick-skinned, she was a blank slate when it came to things like this.

 “Why? You’re the one who benefits, not me.” 

‘I’m the one who benefits?’

 

Hae-Joo was stunned by his words.

 

Then she remembered what she had said on the train the other day.

 

“I’m sorry. I took advantage of… no, not that…”

 “I told you it was a misunderstanding!” 

She thought he wanted to kiss her to convince the police that she was his wife!

 

Hae-Joo’s eyes widened and she jerked her chin up at Yi Ho, who was grinning wickedly.

 “Why do you think I’m the only one who took advantage?” “I took advantage?” “Yes, because you are my first boss.” 

Yi Ho raised his eyebrows at my cringe-worthy comment, but then laughed softly.

 

‘Why laugh? You think someone else’s chaste lips are funny?’

 

Inside, he blushed furiously.

 “You still win, because it was my first time too.” 

Yi Ho walked over on his long legs and stood in front of her again.

 

Hae-Joo froze at his unexpected words.

 

As she stared at him, he grabbed her earlobe and shook it.

 

Then, as if he realized something, he grinned mischievously.

 “Are you sure it’s the earrings that made you feverish?” “Yes.” 

Hae-Joo’s heart sank, but she stubbornly answered yes.

 “Well… then wear them. Go inside.” 

Hae-Joo was about to say a few more words when she noticed that Yi Ho looked rather tired.

 

She took a few steps into the alley and turned around to see Yi Ho’s silhouette standing next to the car.

 

She covered the ear he had grabbed and rubbed it with her hand.

 

“You still have the advantage, you are also the first.”

 

‘I was the first? Really?’

 

Hae-Joo’s lips twitched and for some reason she held back the laughter that threatened to break out.

 

After a long pause, she muttered coolly.

“Okay, I admit it. I took advantage.”  

***

 

Five days later.

 

Hae-Joo drove a taxi to the car dealership, parked her car, and wiped her hands on the steering wheel.

 

The day after the party, she quit her job at the dealership and agreed to work until today, four days later.

 

Today would be her last day with the car.

 

It was a year of togetherness and now it’s time to say goodbye.

 

She looked back at the taxi again, sad to see her go.

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