Chapter 1
On the way to the place, Minhyuk’s forehead was furrowed the entire time.
It’s already been more than three months since I lost my golden time every Sunday, thanks to my father’s appointments.
Minhyuk’s father, the Supreme Court Justice, boasted a wide range of connections, and used them in order to arrange marriage meetings for him.
Even the granddaughter of the Chief Justice, the daughter of a lawmaker, and the niece of a former president. All of them had outstanding looks and academic backgrounds, but nobody had a second meeting with Minhyuk.
Minhyuk’s straightforwardness and cold words made his opponents’ tongues hang out, and those with high self-esteem usually couldn’t catch up to him.
As the number of fights increased, his skill of refusing also
improved. Now, in less than 10 minutes, he was able to finish the opposition in these meetings.
With his son showing such unpleasant behaviour, Minhyuk thought that it was about time his father gave up, but Minhyuk’s father put another fight on this sunday’s schedule.
“This time, it’s a family that you can’t just refuse or say ‘no’ to in advance.”
However, once Minhyuk found out the other person’s information last night, he became afraid. His opponent was Yunsei, the daughter of Eunseong Group’s Chairman. She was just 20 years old when she graduated University.
Minhyuk brushed his hair roughly.
‘Damn it. She’s only 20 years old.’
If I was a year older, there would be a 10 year age gap, and if she were any younger, it would be considered illegal.
Minhyuk frowned and spoke in anger.
‘What was her father thinking when he suggested this marriage?’
What I don’t understand more than my own father, was President Tae-sik Yoon, the father of the opposing daughter…
His desire to enter the world of politics was something everybody around me knew.
And the news of their household looking for a son-in-law who would help in achieving the president’s goal was talked about by many.
But, no matter what, I wouldn’t like to marry a wife who is only twenty years old.
Minhyuk, sighed for a long time, then decided to think about
The younger the woman, the more self esteem they have, and the more emotional and easily used they become based on the situation
It was evident that even if only a little effort was put, the grass would die and fall off already.
Alright, this wasn’t so bad after all.
With that in his mind, the wrinkles between Minhyuk’s eyes were gone.
Minhyuk entered the hotel in a well-dressed suit, and as he passed by some people on the way, their eyes would turn to him.
Clean, white skin that complements his flipped back black hair. Horizontally stretched dark eyes. An erect towering nose and a sharp v jawline.
His appearance exuded a sharp, yet strong atmosphere, and both men and women alike couldn’t stop looking at him.
And it wasn’t just his beautiful face that stole the people’s gazes…
The man’s wide open shoulders and elongated legs boasted proportions that were comparable to that of a model.
Thanks to his incredibly good-looking appearance and physical condition, he was a celebrity, not only to those in the prosecutor’s office, but also to the public.
Minhyuk’s photo was attached to an article that dealt with the third generation Chaebol’s drug case last year.
As one of those photos began spreading to various media such as SNS, Minhyuk became a star prosecutor in a day. Minhyuk goes past a large hotel lobby and heads to a cafe on one side. Stepping into a clean, old-fashioned cafe, he quickly glanced inside. It was a big cafe, but it was easy for him to find his opponent.
The back of a woman sitting by the window came into Minhyuk’s eyes. Long black hair that falls down to the shoulders. Small and slender shoulder line. One could still see the cheeks, which had less chubbiness, and could feel the aura from afar.
Minhyuk looked at his wrist watch. There was still about 15 minutes until the appointment time.
‘I’ll be helping soon.’
He mumbled, and headed for her.
As he approached the table, a woman who felt the need to impress him stood up, and greeted Minhyuk with her face against his. “Hello.”
A calm voice that is neither too high nor too low.
“This is Seo Min-hyuk.”
After Min Hyuk shook his head, he sat down. She then sat down and said.
“I’m Yunsei.”
Minhyuk looked at her with their faces opposite to each other.
Lee Yun-sei has a slim face. Black eyes, with a slight brown-ish tinge. Small, thick lips, and has a smooth face without makeup.
The pearl earrings hanging from her thick earlobe looked like she was borrowing her mother’s jewelry, and her chic black dress seemed awkward, as if she was forced to put on clothes that didn’t fit.
She wore no facial expression, and seemed inanimate.
She was as cold as a doll in the window of a toy shop.
Breaking the quiet atmosphere between them, she opened her mouth and spoke first…
“You’re early.” “That’s what I wanted to say.” “Oh, I only came here early because I was bored at home.”
Bored staying inside.
Minhyuk laughed inside.
Someone wasn’t able to sleep on weekends, but this Chaebol princess seemed to be free all the time.
Minhyuk sat with his wide shoulders straight and opened his mouth.
“Because I don’t have the time, I’m going to leave the hobbies, blood type and my ideal type crap aside, and cut straight to the main subject.”
“Do you want to marry me?”
The question was phrased rudely enough, but nevertheless, with a little embarrassment, she replied, not too fast, yet not too slow either.
“Yes.”
Minhyuk’s handsome eyebrows flinched. He said, with a little more emphasis in his voice,
“You and I are nine years apart in age.”
“What about it? Is there some sort of legal problem?”
“When Yunsei is thirty, I will be ahead of you, at forty, and when you are 40, I’ll be ahead of you again, at fifty. Don’t you find that disgusting?”
“It’s human nature for a person to get older over the years, and thus, it’s reasonable to not accept it, but I don’t see why that’s
gross.”
At this point, Minhyuk was still full of energy, and she wasn’t really distracted at all. Rather, she was making a valid point.
But, he was someone who had never lost in a negotiation battle.
The title of a prosecutor was not attached to him just for show. Even swindlers and nasty gangsters have eventually raised white flags in front of him.
It took no effort for him to beat anyone as he was vigorous and brilliant and as charismatic as a tiger.
No matter how mature you pretend to be, the opponent is still only 20 years old.
It’s a good time to say that you don’t know how scary a puppy can be.
The result has already been decided. Minhyuk opened his mouth with a stoic expression on his face.
“I’m not even a second generation Chaebol like you. Moreover, there’s already a lot of dirty public servants who are waiting to eat your pocket money. But for me, there are gangsters and drug dealers to meet, a lot of work to do, and investigation records needed to be understood. I don’t have the time to look at my wife’s face. Such are the demands of my job.”
“It will be difficult to enjoy the same life that you have lived as Yunsei up until now. It means that the princess who has only
seen the sweetness of the world by biting a gold spoon will now only experience the spicy and bitter taste of reality.”
Minhyuk stared at her with sharp eyes.
“But you really want to marry me?” “After knowing all that, you still want to marry me?”
A momentary silence flowed. Sei’s dark eyes didn’t show any emotion. She then opened her mouth with a calm look.
“Through this marriage, my father wishes to gain authority and honor, and Seo Min-hyuk’s father wants money and strength. The difference between our family’s status and our age gap doesn’t matter. I just want to be a daughter-in-law soon.”
“I don’t want to live like a princess. I don’t care if my husband is a civil servant or anyone else, I just want to get married as soon as possible.”
“Why?” “I want to be free. My family is very conservative and strict.”
“Haa!” Minhyuk exhaled a sigh.
To Minhyuk, her words sounded like a fully-fledged princess’ struggle to grow like a flower in a greenhouse.
“Aren’t you also destined to marry a person chosen by your family even if it’s not me?”
Sei said with her clear eyes fixed on him.
“If there’s a marriage you’ll be forced into anyways, and if you don’t have a lover……just marry me.”
Minhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
“Just?”
He spoke in a mocking tone.
“Marriage is not a child’s play.” “I know it’s not. That’s why I’m trying to marry you.” “Seon…baenim?”
“I was from the university where Senior graduated. I originally wanted to go to the law department, after you, but I had to go to law school instead.”
While recalling the past, Sei’s mouth was open for a moment.
“I saw you in the news one day. In my eyes, you were just and good.”
“Hey. Junior. Not all prosecutors are good people.” “But they’re the ones who punish bad people, so at least they’re better than them.”
Minhyuk had a grin on his mouth after hearing this. Being able to speak out was proof that she was still young and indifferent. Minhyuk leaned forward and approached her. Then he deliberately opened his eyes and mouth while speaking in a low voice.
“Don’t assume things. You never know… I may be more vicious than a criminal…”
“No.”
Sei stared at him with her black eyes.
“Senior… you are definitely a good person.”
Minhyuk took a deep breath without noticing.
He wanted to reply back, but strangely, nothing came to his mind. Her eyes, which felt only cold all this time, now became darker.
“I’m not going to be involved in your life. I won’t restrict you by asking who you meet or whatever you do. I’ll be like a ghost without a presence.”
“I don’t care how much you indulge in your private life. I only want to have my own space, no matter how small it may be. That’s all I want.”
She said, empowering her voice,
“Please marry me.”
Her slightly trembling voice was beyond pity and simply felt pathetic.
Minhyuk’s black eyes shook. Only then, did he realize that his 20-year-old counterpart was a formidable opponent.
A more decisive method sprang to his mind, and the look in his eyes changed.
He stared at Sei, holding his slender chin with one hand. He opened his mouth with his cold eyes fixed on her.
“But what do I do? I have no intention of having a young woman as a bride.”
“Why not?”
“They’re too sensitive about every little thing, and they whine and get too emotional. You’re inexperienced, so it’s obvious that you’re immature.”
“Being inexperienced doesn’t mean I’m immature.
Her excited appearance was refreshing, and a laugh escaped him.
It seemed to have triggered a desire to defeat that stubbornness somehow.
Minhyuk tilted his sharp jawline. When they reached eye level, with her beautiful face facing his, he said, staring straight at
Sei,
“I was talking about the marital relationship right now.”
Only then, for the first time, did it seem like her black eyes were embarrassed.
At this time, I want to do everything, Minhyuk said in a more blatant tone.
“I’ve already had 20 years of experience, how many years will you take? The ideal fresh feeling I want is a girl who will satisfy me at night rather than daytime. I’m someone who values it the most.”
Now, it was clear to the young woman’s eyes that he could only be seen as a cheeky pervert.
Perhaps, she’d run out with a red face, shouding that “He is a pervert!”
That gossip would float around society for a while, but for Minhyuk, who already had a long history, it wouldn’t be hard to accept it.
For a moment, silence followed, then she opened her mouth.
“Were you like this when you were young? No need to worry about such a thing, I’m positive that I’ll meet your standards. But, I wouldn’t say the same if we were talking about ‘my’ standards.”
“…What?”
Minhyuk asked, surprised.
“I won’t meet your standards? How could you be so sure of that?”
Sei replied calmly,
“Then how about we do it as a test, to check whether we can really meet each other’s standards. Would you like to go up now?”