Chapter 28: Smiles You Bought

“So… that man is someone your brother married?”

“Does ‘sister-in-law’ have any other meaning?”

Go Ha-jin didn’t even remember how the wedding shoot ended. After hearing the identity of the man from Chae Woo-seok, he had no choice but to brush it off with, “Let’s talk later.”

He needed time to think, but in reality, even that time didn’t help much. His mind remained a mess even as he changed clothes and came back.

“It doesn’t seem like your sister-in-law gets along very well with your father, does she?”

“You shouldn’t be calling him ‘your father’ anymore. Anyway… yeah, their relationship isn’t great.”

Now that he knew the man was Woo-seok’s sister-in-law, Lee Ah-seong’s behavior in the lounge made more sense. Neither the older brother nor his wife had shown their faces at the family meeting or during wedding preparations.

And if Lee Ah-seong couldn’t even fully hide his displeasure in a public setting, then their family relationship must be far worse than expected.

“By any chance…”

Once he pieced that together, another suspicion surfaced. Go Ha-jin looked straight at Woo-seok and asked:

“The reason you’re even planning a fake marriage with me… is it because of your sister-in-law?”

He didn’t know the exact reason, but Lee Ah-seong clearly disliked him. And since he hadn’t even attended the formal meeting, it likely wasn’t just him, Chairman Chae Il-ju probably felt the same. Yet Woo-seok had protected him.

“That’s because you-”

“Ah, never mind. I shouldn’t have asked. Forget it.”

Still, the thought lingered. Maybe Woo-seok’s real goal had something to do with her. He couldn’t yet connect how that tied into this fraudulent marriage, but the suspicion wouldn’t leave.

“Well… it’s not like you’re in any position to go around talking anyway, so it doesn’t matter. You’re right. It is partly because of her.”

Even after finally learning the reason behind the marriage he’d wanted to understand so badly, it didn’t make him feel any better. Instead, questions flooded his mind. What does that have to do with marriage? Do you actually like her? How are you planning to use me?

“…I see. Got it.”

But he couldn’t ask any of them.

The man he had thought he’d grown closer to suddenly felt far away again, so far that no matter how much he reached, he couldn’t touch him. Maybe that distance had always been there. Maybe he had just been mistaken all along.

****

“Director, something came up from PR… you’re not going to look at it, right?”

“What would I even understand if I did? Just leave it there. I’ll look at it later.”

The secretary’s face was filled with quiet disdain as she looked at Chae Woo-seok sprawled across the sofa. It was well past noon, yet he still seemed hungover and unfocused. Since this wasn’t unusual, she simply refilled his honey water and left.

“‘I don’t think of it as charity… it actually makes me happier.’ What nonsense.”

Only after she left did Woo-seok move. He glanced through the document she had brought, it was a news article. Since it was an SHS-affiliated paper, it didn’t matter how many people read it. Using whatever tools they had was better than nothing.

This article was about Go Ha-jin.

“An angel of charity who appears wherever help is needed.”
“The last conscience in a fading society.”

It was filled with over-the-top praise. Even if people didn’t know Go Ha-jin by name, many recognized him as the “Omega angel donor.” From Woo-seok’s perspective, knowing the truth, it was laughable. But right now, it was useful image marketing.

“Secretary Joo.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Remove the photo from that article.”

Why was he smiling like that? Woo-seok smirked faintly at the photo. Though Ha-jin usually played the perfect upper-class persona flawlessly, moments like this slipped through, ones that didn’t feel like acting at all.

Was that the real Go Ha-jin? Or just another layer of performance?

—Want to have dinner tonight?

Because he had been thinking about Ha-jin, he assumed the message was from him. But when he checked, it was someone else, an omega he had met at a club recently. Some celebrity.

“Ha… I’m getting sick of this.”

He deleted his reply and tossed his phone onto the desk. He’d learned the hard way that even indulgence required the right temperament. Though he had lived like this for years, it wasn’t something he truly enjoyed.

Still… with the wedding coming up, he would’ve preferred to have dinner with Go Ha-jin.

But things never went the way he wanted.

In the end, he reluctantly accepted the dinner invitation.

****

“Why do you look like you’re being sold off? Fix your face.”

“I am being sold off. And not even for a proper price.”

Go Ha-jin had realized something, he didn’t understand why people said wedding prep was exhausting. He had almost nothing to do. Everything was handled for him. He just had to sit or stand where he was told.

Except preparing the gifts, that part had been annoying.

And just like that, the wedding day arrived.

“Looks like you ran out of money again. You only start complaining when that happens.”

‘What a sharp bastard.’

Go Ha-jin awkwardly avoided Woo-seok’s gaze.

“Well… I was a bit short. Weddings cost a lot, you know.”

“That was all my money anyway.”

Go Ha-jin gave up trying to reason with him. Instead, he pulled out a small box from his bag and handed it over.

“What’s this?”

“I bought it while getting other things. Consider it a wedding gift. Not sure if you’ll like it though.”

Woo-seok noticed how awkward Ha-jin was, avoiding eye contact, pretending indifference. Yet at the same time, he seemed hyper-aware of Woo-seok’s reaction.

“…A watch?”

It was an expensive one. Not much by Woo-seok’s standards, but far beyond what Ha-jin could comfortably afford.

“Everyone gives one… even if it’s a fake marriage, we should at least keep up appearances.”

It matched Woo-seok’s taste perfectly.

“…So you sold all the gifts and bought this?”

“Can’t you just pretend not to notice? Do you know how much that cost…?”

Ha-jin had sold everything. None of it suited his taste, and keeping it felt pointless. He’d debated saving the money, but instead, he bought this watch.

“…You don’t like it? Then give it back.”

“I never said that.”

Woo-seok smiled faintly, clearly satisfied.

“Then I should give you some motivation too.”

He sat on the armrest beside Ha-jin and pulled out his phone.

“What, are you going to transfer money or-…huh? Why is this…?”

Ha-jin’s posture straightened immediately at the image on the screen.

“This is-!”

“A gift. Hope you like it.”

It was a painting. Hanging in the center of a luxurious room.

“‘Hyangju Ilpyeon Dansim.’”

“Where is that?”

“My house.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to sell it…?”

Ha-jin looked like he might get sucked into the screen. Woo-seok had intended to sell it, it had just been a show for his father.

But he couldn’t bring himself to.

“Do you like it or not?”

“I love it! Of course I do…!”

Ha-jin couldn’t stop smiling. Just looking at it felt satisfying.

Maybe… this guy wasn’t completely awful.

“Looks like I need to spend this much just to see you smile. Try to keep that attitude during the ceremony too.”

“Of course. Don’t worry, I’ll do it properly.”

Watching him, Woo-seok thought:

Not a bad investment.

Their unusually lively conversation continued, until an unwelcome voice echoed into the waiting room.