The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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6.
Do-a’s footsteps stopped dead.
A chill raced across her skin so sharply it scattered the heat in an instant.
Could he possibly be talking to her?
The day of the protest, there had been a few people who’d glimpsed her face beneath the careful makeup.
The security guard who’d seized and dragged her away, the secretary in the office, and the Hyunsin Department Store executive who’d slapped her with a massive damage claim.
Do-a turned slowly, very cautiously, to look behind her. And froze where she stood.
The Hyunsin Department Store executive stood perfectly upright, not a hair out of place, looking down at her.
“W-what are you doing here……?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. What. Business. Do. You. Have. At. Our. Company?”
The man, who had been staring at her as if he could see straight through her, spoke again.
“Don’t tell me you came to protest again because of your ex-boyfriend?”
Do-a shook her head frantically.
“No, I didn’t!”
“Then have you come with an answer to my proposal?”
At those words, Do-a’s heart sank with a dull thud.
Right. The six-month Contract Dating arrangement.
That was a thing too.
She’d need to give him an answer soon enough.
But that wasn’t why she’d come today.
Do-a rummaged briefly in her bag and produced a rectangular Employee ID, extending it toward Cha-gyeong.
“I came to work!”
Then, belatedly, she bowed her head sharply and added a formal greeting.
“Good day, sir. I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Do-a Seong, an employee of the A.V.E Creative Team. I’ve been assigned to work on Hyunsin Department Store’s image advertisement this time.”
Cha-gyeong’s normally expressionless face clouded with disbelief.
“You work for A.V.E?”
“Yes. I came today because I have a meeting with the Hyunsin Department Store Marketing Team.”
“So you came to your future client company and caused that disturbance?”
“Oh, no. That’s absolutely not it.”
Do-a shook her hands as well, denying it.
“As you must know, A.V.E was dropped in the first round of bidding, and we only ended up participating because the top-ranked company withdrew.”
Do-a continued in a shrinking voice.
“I didn’t know when I came to protest. I had no idea my company would end up working with Hyunsin Department Store…….”
And she certainly never expected that Gyeong-jun would become the direct point person.
‘I can’t believe my luck could be this bad.’
In the midst of lamenting her misfortune internally, Cha-gyeong suddenly asked:
“Speaking of which, the picket sign back then said your ex-boyfriend was in marketing. You’re not going to be working with him on this project too, are you?”
‘He’s psychic. Absolutely psychic.’
Do-a nodded.
“That sounds rather difficult.”
It was dry, perfunctory reassurance utterly devoid of genuine concern.
“No matter how much you dislike your ex-boyfriend, you can’t let the work suffer. I trust you can separate business from personal matters.”
‘How dare he! I’m a known professional inside and outside the company, known for doing excellent work!’
True, she had once protested at her ex-boyfriend’s company, but she never let personal feelings bleed into her professional duties.
“Of course I will!”
“Good. Then I’ll trust you on that. And have you made a decision about my proposal?”
The sudden change of subject on top of everything else left Do-a momentarily stunned.
Naturally, she hadn’t had time to think about it. Or rather—to be precise—she’d been thinking about it every day but found herself completely unable to reach a decision.
“Whether or not you’ll enter into Contract Dating with me. Have you made up your mind?”
Cha-gyeong drove the point home once more, with perfect clarity.
Do-a found she couldn’t avoid thinking it through.
It wasn’t like she’d actually be dating him, and all she’d have to do was go through with six months of Contract Dating and he’d make a lawsuit for 3.2 billion won just disappear……
Even as she was tempted to just accept outright, doubt kept creeping up unbidden in the corners of her mind.
‘Why me, anyway? With that face and money too…… his character seems to be lacking quite a bit, sure, but there should still be plenty of women lining up to do Contract Dating with him.’
It would have been easier to decide if he were just an ordinary man.
The fact that he was an executive at Hyunsin Department Store, one of Korea’s largest retail conglomerates, felt overwhelmingly burdensome.
And since it hadn’t been long since she’d ended things with Gyeong-jun, even a fake relationship with someone new didn’t sit right with her.
As Do-a struggled to answer, her mind crowded with conflicting thoughts, Cha-gyeong spoke in a soft but firm voice:
“It seems you haven’t quite made up your mind yet. Well, there’s still time.”
“……Yes.”
As Do-a replied briefly, eyes fixed on the ground, a mischievous smile flickered across the man’s previously cold face.
“But do you know what?”
“……What?”
“Our legal team has already finished preparing the lawsuit. So if you decide to go through with it, Miss Seong Do-a will need to move quickly as well.”
“L-lawsuit?”
The moment that word hit her ears, Do-a’s eyes widened in an instant.
She quickly raised her head, but Cha-gyeong was already gone.
* * *
“A 3.2 billion won lawsuit… just the filing fees alone would run over 700 million won. And if I hire a lawyer on top of that…….”
“Do-a Seong.”
“Oh! You startled me.”
Do-a, who’d been calculating lawsuit costs behind the projector, jumped at the sudden sound of Na-hui’s voice.
“Did I scare you? Why are you so jumpy?”
“Scare? I didn’t do anything wrong—you and Gyeong-jun did.”
After responding curtly, Do-a tried to move away, but Na-hui grabbed her wrist.
“How do you know the Hyunsin Department Store heir?”
“What? How would I… know someone like that?”
“I saw you talking to him in the lobby. For quite a while.”
Cha-gyeong’s face suddenly flashed through Do-a’s mind.
Was she talking about the Hyunsin Department Store executive? That he was an heir?
It wasn’t strange information. It was common for third-generation chaebol to work at their father’s or grandfather’s company.
At least now she understood why he held the rank of executive at that age.
But an heir on top of being an executive? Perfect.
If she refused the contract, would he really go through with that lawsuit?
As Do-a held her aching head, Na-hui pursed her lips and pressed further.
“If someone asks you something, you should answer. Do you know the Hyunsin Department Store heir?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. If you’re going to babble, get out of my way. I have work to do.”
“……Hmm, well, there’s no way someone like you would know a chaebol family member anyway.”
‘Even if I did know him, why would that be any of your business?’
Do-a wanted to snap something back, but Na-hui, having finished her business, simply turned and walked away.
* * *
The meeting went surprisingly smoothly.
Gyeong-jun picked a few fights, but fortunately his team leader stepped in and stopped him, so Do-a managed to get through her presentation without incident.
“Everyone, thank you for your hard work. As I mentioned, please revise the main copy and overall visual tone. And the online team—please pay special attention to the short-form video planning.”
Once the Hyunsin Department Store Marketing Team leader left the conference room, Do-a’s coworkers began gathering their things.
Do-a was about to just grab her laptop and head home.
But Gyeong-jun, whom she thought had already left, suddenly appeared and called her over, dragging her off to a quiet corner away from everyone else.
“What is it?”
“You’re really not going to accept two million won?”
Unbelievable.
That’s what he dragged her over for? Do-a felt both absurd and angry, seeing straight through his intentions.
He wanted to wrap up the Bride Price issue quickly, but didn’t want to part with the money, so he was trying to settle it for two million won.
“I told you. I’m getting every last won of my 3,270 won Bride Price.”
“You really are something. How many times do I have to tell you? You gave it to me voluntarily, so there’s no legal obligation to return it. I’ve said this already.”
“Oh, you like voluntary? If you hadn’t tricked me into marrying you in the first place! Forget it. One way or another, I’m getting it back, so stop this nonsense.”
As Do-a turned to leave, Gyeong-jun laughed mockingly and said:
“Sure, do whatever you want. Just don’t damage my image again, or I’ll sue you right away.”
At the word ‘lawsuit,’ Do-a’s shoulders flinched.
The image of the executive’s expressionless face, who had threatened her with a 3.2 billion won lawsuit, flickered through her mind.
Mistaking her reaction for fear, Gyeong-jun became increasingly cocky.
“Did you think storming into the company and making a scene would change anything? Maybe you feel wronged, but someone like you—someone no one can reason with, stubborn, with not a single feminine quality…….”
Crack—!
“Gahhhhh!!”
Mid-tirade, Gyeong-jun’s eyes bulged as he suddenly doubled over, twisting his body as if he’d been held over an open flame.
Do-a’s gaze flicked between Gyeong-jun’s crotch and her foot.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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