Novel Lived
Chapter 33 - You sure talk well for a fake
Chapter 33 - You sure talk well for a fake
Chapter 33: You sure talk well for a fake
“…Kang Woo-ju!?”
Park Ji-hoon’s eyes flashed.
First, there was surprise, then curiosity, followed by anger. His eyes turned various shades.
Park Ji-hoon knew very well who the other party was. After all, it was the person who made him rush to Korea in the first place.
But no matter what, he never expected Kang Woo-ju to take part in the arranged date set up by their families on behalf of Kim Eun-ha.
“Why are you here…? This is absurd. Are you playing games with me? What the hell is this?”
Hiss—
It was natural for Park Ji-hoon’s voice to become much colder than usual. However, Kang Woo-ju didn’t seem to care about his emotions.
“Let’s order first.”
“…Huh.”
Seeing him lift the menu confidently while completely ignoring his gaze, Park Ji-hoon couldn’t help but laugh dryly.
Even more ridiculous was that he immediately called a waiter and began ordering in a very fluent manner.
“I’ll have the main course with a side of barley shrimp.”
“And how would you like it cooked?”
“Medium.”
The staff bowed lightly, showing courtesy, and Kang Woo-ju naturally accepted it.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Park Ji-hoon was so flabbergasted that he couldn’t even make a remark. Then the staff turned to him.
They were asking how he wanted his steak cooked. At this rate, the situation was entirely in Kang Woo-ju’s control, but for now, Park Ji-hoon decided to play along to grasp the situation better.
“…Rare.”
“Would you like wine with that as well?”
Smirk—
As soon as the staff asked, Park Ji-hoon’s lips curled slightly. He immediately thought of a way to deflate Kang Woo-ju’s confidence.
‘You’re still just a commoner.’
He hadn’t left Kang Woo-ju unresearched. It seemed Kim Eun-ha’s side had preemptively cleaned up his past with the help of their secretaries.
But it’s impossible to completely silence everyone. Park Ji-hoon, using Daehan Group’s information network, had also gathered some understanding of Kang Woo-ju’s past.
‘I almost fell for your confidence…’
Kang Woo-ju was an actor.
And he had struggled with significant financial difficulties.
Naturally, he wouldn’t have much experience dining in such a restaurant.
His acting was quite good, but the actions he was performing now were obviously part of the act. A little probing into the details should do the trick.
“Why don’t you choose for us?”
This single question would suffice.
Anyway, this restaurant only had one main course, so there was no great difficulty in ordering just by mentioning the side.
‘But wine is different.’
There are countless varieties, and selecting the perfect wine to complement the meal is no easy task.
It’s called [marriage] in French, the key being to harmonize the different tastes of the wine and the food.
‘Stupid bastard. He even chose a difficult side dish.’
When explaining simply to wine novices, it’s common to say that seafood pairs with white wine and meat with red wine.
However, Kang Woo-ju ordered barley shrimp as a side dish. In other words, seafood.
This side dish had a completely different texture and flavor from the restaurant’s main dish, a thick American-style steak.
Even for Park Ji-hoon, choosing a wine that paired well with both was a challenging task.
If Kang Woo-ju tried to avoid the question, he could take control of the situation, and if he pretended to know, Park Ji-hoon could point out his lack of basic knowledge. Either way, Kang Woo-ju’s facade would crack.
“Then let’s go with [Pinot Noir Burgundy].”
“…!?”
Startled once more by the unwavering order, Park Ji-hoon was taken aback. Moreover, it was precisely the menu item he considered the most appropriate.
Pinot Noir.
A grape variety grown in the ‘Burgundy’ region of eastern France. It is a prominent ingredient in red wine.
‘It’s quite light for a red wine.’
Among the varieties of red wine, it is relatively light, often paired with raw meat dishes.
Of course, it’s still a bit heavy to pair with seafood, but as a bridge to the steak that follows, it’s certainly not a bad choice.
‘Or perhaps, it’s the best choice?’
Considering it was for dinner, finding a better option would be difficult.
Reflecting on this, he wondered if ordering the barley shrimp as a side dish from the start was all part of a plan. Predicting his reaction perfectly.
“…Which kind?”
“Do you have [Vosne-Romanée] here?”
“Yes, we have it.”
“Then, please bring that.”
“…”
Even within Burgundy, from the ‘Côte d’Or’, known as the ‘Slope of Gold.’
And Kang Woo-ju further dived into more specific regions without hesitation.
Even someone who prided themselves on their wine knowledge would recognize this as an excellent choice.
“Shall I prepare it that way then?”
Park Ji-hoon nodded in affirmation to the waiter who looked at him.
Shortly after, the waiter who took their order brought the wine, and their glasses began to fill with a deep crimson color.
“Why did you specifically choose this wine?”
“Don’t you like it?”
“No, I’m genuinely curious about your reasoning.”
It was quite detailed, but it could have been prepared in advance. It was also possible he chose it because it was the safest bet.
“Hmm. The reason…”
For a moment, Kang Woo-ju’s eyes darkened. At the same time, a cold smile formed on his lips.
With a delicate touch that even another man would find ‘elegant,’ he lifted his glass.
Then, gently swirling the glass, he looked at the wine as if it were truly lovable.
“Pinot Noir is versatile and beloved throughout the year. It’s the least polarizing choice when sharing a drink with someone you’ve just met.”
“That’s not wrong.”
“And this is from ‘Louis Latour’, a renowned winery with almost 300 years of history in winemaking.”
“…”
“As you may already know, this place is also famous for its eco-friendly cultivation methods. I thought it matched well with the electric vehicle project you’ve been promoting recently.”
“You’re quite considerate, contrary to what I’ve heard.”
Smiling faintly—
Instead of replying, Kang Woo-ju lightly lifted his glass. Naturally inviting a toast, Park Ji-hoon unconsciously reached for his own glass.
The situation had progressed too far to refuse. Swallowing a bitter smile, Park Ji-hoon raised his glass in response.
‘…I’ve been bested pleasantly.’
Ting—
The thickest part of the wine glasses, the bowl, made a light sound as they clinked.
From the way he ordered, held the glass, proposed the toast, to how he savored the wine, there was not a single flaw in Kang Woo-ju’s behavior.
‘He’s certainly not ordinary.’
At this point, it was beyond method acting—it was possession level. He looked more like a chaebol than himself.
Park Ji-hoon, glancing sideways at his opponent, savored the wine. Today, the aftertaste felt particularly heavy.
Silently setting his glass down, he spoke in a more serious tone than before.
“So, why are you here, Kang Woo-ju?”
Deciding it was no longer meaningful to test him, Park Ji-hoon’s attitude changed significantly as he subconsciously acknowledged Kang Woo-ju.
Kang Woo-ju’s eyes sharpened, sensing the shift. The pleasantries were over; now the real battle began.
“On the contrary, I’d like to ask you first, Park Ji-hoon. Why are you hitting on Kim Eun-ha?”
“…Did you say I was hitting on her?”
Park Ji-hoon’s eyebrows twitched.
With his family background, honor, wealth, and even appearance, women never ceased to be around him. What could he possibly be lacking?
“Isn’t it too blatant? Usually, in such cases, one would choose a room to stay out of sight. Yet, you picked such a visible location. And also…”
Kang Woo-ju suddenly turned his head to look at another table. The couple sitting there flinched and quickly turned away.
“I see some familiar faces too.”
“…You’re the one who started this.”
“You seem to be mistaken. Eun-ha and I didn’t stage that; we were photographed without us knowing. Why is everyone so interested in other people’s private lives?”
“You sure talk well for a fake.”
“Fake?”
Kang Woo-ju tilted his head as if to say ‘go on’. Park Ji-hoon felt reluctant to answer, thinking he was playing into his hands, but staying silent here would be foolish.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know? Moving your parents to Mirae Group’s VVIP room. Providing your home and car, and paying off your student loans.”
“Seems Secretary Baek isn’t as competent as I thought.”
“…You crazy bastard.”
Park Ji-hoon’s poker face crumbled at Kang Woo-ju’s casual mention of Baek Do-young, a figure even he couldn’t treat lightly.
Even amidst this, Kang Woo-ju calmly swirled his wine glass, unperturbed. After wetting his lips with the deep red wine, he spoke again.
“So, what are you trying to say?”
“…What!?”
“Everything you said is true. I am indeed receiving financial support from Eun-ha. But why is that an issue?”
“So you think it’s normal to act as a paid boyfriend?”
“No. That’s obviously abnormal.”
“Then…”
“You’ve simply got the order wrong.”
Interrupting Park Ji-hoon, Kang Woo-ju declared firmly. For a moment, his gaze turned icy.
Even Park Ji-hoon, who had faced numerous influential people from a young age, flinched momentarily. The air around them seemed to freeze under Kang Woo-ju’s black eyes.
“Let me make this clear. Kim Eun-ha and I are in a formal relationship. We genuinely love each other and can provide what the other needs.”
“That’s nonsense…”
“Believe it or not, that’s up to you. But the reason I came here in her place today is to warn you.”
“A warning?”
Park Ji-hoon’s brows furrowed instinctively at his sharp tone. But Kang Woo-ju, seemingly indifferent, moved his dark red lips.
In a voice low enough for only Park Ji-hoon to hear, yet striking his ears with precision, in a way that defied understanding.
“Don’t mess with my woman.”
“…”
Park Ji-hoon wanted to retort, but he couldn’t move his lips. He was caught by the stark madness in Kang Woo-ju’s eyes.
A feeling he had experienced somewhere, sometime before.
‘What the hell is this…?’
Even as Kang Woo-ju stood up and walked away from the table, Park Ji-hoon’s mind remained blank.
Only when he saw Kang Woo-ju’s back confidently walking out through the door held open by a waiter did a name come to him.
‘…Chairman Kim Seok-ho?’
For a long time afterward, Park Ji-hoon stared at the empty seat in front of him, lost in thought.
* * *
Leaving Park Ji-hoon behind, I quickly exited the restaurant and got into the elevator. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible before my nerves gave out.
“Phew, I feel like I’ve lost at least a month off my lifespan.”
Cold sweat was trickling down my back, but I couldn’t show any signs of it until I got home.
As I replayed the conversation with Park Ji-hoon in my mind, staring at the mirror in front of me, I suddenly remembered something I had missed.
“Oh no! Eun-ha told me to pay the bill before leaving.”
Ugh—
Going back now would be too embarrassing. After a brief moment of contemplation, I decided to leave it as it was.
‘That guy is quite rich, he can handle it.’
Ding—
With that thought settled, the elevator arrived at the first floor. I composed my expression once more and stepped outside.
The people waiting to get on the elevator flinched and took a few steps back, but I didn’t have the time to worry about them.
‘Damn it, I have a shoot tomorrow. I spent all my time memorizing the script Eun-ha prepared for me.’
I’d probably have to stay up all night to memorize the drama script. The thought of pulling an all-nighter after such a long time already made my head throb.
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