NSTAR - 3

Joo-eun stood there, so stunned that she forgot to even blink, until she finally snapped out of it moments later. 

“You’re asking… me to pretend to be your girlfriend?” 

“Yes.” 

While Joo-eun’s mouth hung open in shock, Minhyuk remained as expressionless as ever. 

In fact, he looked so composed and confident that Joo-eun was utterly baffled. 

“But why? Don’t you already have a girlfriend?” 

She was referring to the woman dripping with accessories she had seen that morning. 

“No. Not my girlfriend.” 

Minhyuk replied coldly, clearly irritated at even the suggestion that such a woman could be his partner. 

‘What’s wrong with assuming she’s your girlfriend when I saw her leaving your room this morning…’ 

Under the weight of his icy response, Joo-eun refrained from arguing and awkwardly scratched her neck, muttering, “I see…” 

“If you pretend to be my girlfriend for just five minutes, I’ll make sure the compensation is more than sufficient.” 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to get involved in other people’s affairs. Especially not some complicated man-woman issue.” 

“It’s not a romantic issue. It’s more like an unbearable case of stalking.” 

Ah… So that’s why. 

No wonder his gaze toward that woman had been so sharp. 

Only now did Joo-eun begin to understand the absurdity of his request. 

How much must he have struggled before coming to ask this of a stranger? She almost felt sorry for him. 

But pity aside, she still didn’t want to get involved—especially not on this trip she’d dreamed of for seven years. 

“It’s unfortunate that you’re being stalked in such a heavenly place, but I really don’t want to meddle in someone else’s business.” 

As if he had anticipated her response, Minhyuk pulled out his wallet. 

“Will this do?” 

A bitter smile spread across Joo-eun’s lips as she stared at the small slip of paper he held out. 

“So this is what a blank check looks like… Wow…” 

She turned the check over in her hands without bothering to hide her astonishment. 

“If I write a bunch of zeros on this by tomorrow morning, will that money really be mine?” 

“As long as it doesn’t exceed the balance in my account.” 

Her eyes narrowed slightly. 

“I could pay off all my debts, buy a small house for my mom and me to live in together, throw these fancy papers in the faces of my teammates who only ever boss me around, and then hand in my resignation. That sounds amazing!” 

It was only then that Minhyuk realized she was joking. 

Of course. Sure enough, she extended the check back to him. 

“That was fun while it lasted.” 

Waving the check at him, urging him to take it back, Minhyuk stared at her blankly. 

For the first time ever, someone had refused to accept his check. 

“You can take it if you want.” 

“Unfortunately, I’m not cut out for this kind of windfall. Are you absolutely sure it’s just five minutes?” 

Minhyuk was taken aback by how much more interested she seemed in the time commitment than the money. 

“…Yes, I’m sure.” 

“If you promise to erase all the humiliation, anger, and distrust you’ve felt today because of me, I’ll do it.” 

Minhyuk glanced down at the check in his hand for a moment before slowly raising his head. 

“May I ask why you suddenly changed your mind?” 

“I’ve felt guilty this whole time—for making you go swimming this morning and for putting you in such an unexpected and difficult situation.” 

Joo-eun hesitated under his unwavering gaze, which felt as though it had frozen her in place. 

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. It’s not out of pity—it’s just a sincere apology.” 

Finally, Minhyuk relaxed his stiff expression. 

“I’m not angry. My face just naturally looks like this.” 

That was a relief, at least. 

But as he finished speaking, his intense stare grew so heated that Joo-eun fidgeted uncomfortably, instinctively wiping her nose. 

“Hmm. Then… shall we meet later?” 

“Sure.” 

“Just… try not to get splashed again.” 

“That won’t happen.”

“Yes.” 

In the ensuing silence, Joo-eun hesitated to close the door immediately, leaving him standing there awkwardly. 

After several moments of hesitation, she slowly bowed her head and gently shut the door. 

Click. The door closed. 

“Phew… I thought I was going to suffocate.” 

Dragging her exhausted body back into the room, she collapsed onto the bed as if all her energy had been drained. 

“Still… what on earth just happened in that conversation?” 

Even reflecting on it made her feel dizzy. 

Most baffling of all— 

“I turned down a blank check… Am I insane? Wow, I actually look so cool right now.” 

The fact that she had rejected a blank check was utterly surreal. 

It had been a long time since she felt this proud of herself. 

Of course, regret quickly followed. 

“Forget it. Just let it go. People should live within their means. If you get greedy, you might lose even what you already have.” 

One month, two months—her life was about being grateful for each small step toward reducing her debt. A blank check? What nonsense. 

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. 

What comes easily goes just as quickly, and what rises swiftly can fall just as fast. 

Joo-eun reminded herself of these universal truths as she pushed away the wave of regret threatening to overwhelm her. 

But then, worry crept in. 

“Fake girlfriend, huh? What kind of bizarre request is this? I’ve truly heard it all in my life.” 

The image of the troubled woman staring back at her in the mirror didn’t exactly scream “girlfriend of a handsome, sexy man.” 

Who would believe it? 

“What should I do… Should I back out before I embarrass myself?” 

No. Absolutely not. 

She had already apologized sincerely and acted all noble by agreeing to help. Backing out now would be unbearable—it went against her pride. 

Her sense of self-respect overrode her fear. 

“Alright. Since I’ve already said yes, I might as well give it my best shot.” 

She unpinned the clip holding her hair up, and her long locks cascaded down, covering her shoulders like a shimmering curtain. 

Shaking her head side to side, the waves in her hair came alive, framing her face beautifully. 

“This looks much better.” 

She brushed off her lingering guilt toward him and prepared herself for a bit of revenge against the woman who had mocked her earlier. 

Time to see this through. 

With the heart of a warrior heading into battle, she tied the loose ends of her worn-out shirt into a knot. 

The simple act transformed her look entirely—the subtle exposure of her slim waistline added an air of confidence and allure. 

If she wanted to finish her makeup in time, she needed to hurry. Checking the clock on the wall, she sprang into action. 

Five minutes before the agreed-upon time. 

Thanks to her careful preparation, the woman standing in front of the mirror now looked quite different from before. 

"Sorry, my friend. I’ll wear them nicely and return them later." 

Joo-eun sent a preemptive apology to Seoyoung, who still hadn’t contacted her, as she slipped her feet into 9cm-heeled sandals. 

The white legs revealed beneath her denim shorts seemed to stretch endlessly, enhanced by the sparkling sandals, exuding charm and elegance. 

With newfound determination, she stepped out of the room. 

Feeling rather ambitious—until she spotted Minhyuk waiting in the distance. Her nerves instantly tightened. 

How long had he been standing there? There was still time left. 

He slowly lifted his head from his phone, standing with his sleeves rolled up in a casually elegant suit. In the dim light, he almost looked unreal. 

If he had been a wild, untamed stallion in the morning, now he resembled a refined white horse ready for competition. 

But why was he staring at her so intently? 

‘Did I tie it too tight…?’ 

Unconsciously, her hands fidgeted near her waist, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the exposed skin from tying her shirt. As she instinctively tried to pull it down, he chuckled softly and spoke. 

“You look like a completely different person.”

His gaze was still sharp, but the softness in his voice made her fidgeting hands slowly retreat back to her sides. 

"If I had shown up looking like I did earlier, no one would believe it. Even like this, I doubt anyone will, but since I’m doing this, I wanted to do it properly." 

Joo-eun had no idea how stunning she looked. 

She didn’t know that every employee in her large company’s marketing department knew who Song Joo-eun was. 

Nor did she realize how radiant she appeared at this very moment. 

Minhyuk, leaning against the railing and gazing at her with deep eyes, slowly approached her. 

One step, two steps. 

As if forgetting their chaotic first encounter and starting anew, he extended his hand. 

"Jeong Minhyuk." 

"Song Joo-eun." 

When she reciprocated by extending her right hand, he chuckled softly. 

"Do you really want to shake my hand?" 

"Huh? You held out your hand, so…" 

"I had other plans for this hand." 

Instead of taking her right hand, Minhyuk gently grasped her left and stood beside her. 

"The one who said we should do this properly is Song Joo-eun." 

The sweetness of his voice mingled with the refreshing scent enveloping her, stirring something deep within her chest. 

"Let’s go." 

Only when he gently tugged on her hand did her feet begin to move forward, one step at a time. 

Despite her determination to do well, her legs—accustomed to sneakers—wobbled with every step. 

Her constantly swaying shoulders brushed against his arm, making her increasingly flustered. 

Startled by the sensation of his rock-hard arm beneath his gentle touch, her body instinctively twitched. 

"Relax. We look like we’ve only been dating for a day. At this rate, we’ll be found out as soon as we walk into the bar." 

His low voice wrapped softly around her ear. 

"Ah, I’ll try." 

"We’re pretending to be a couple who’s been together for about a hundred days—a very passionate couple." 

How much more passion could there possibly be? At this rate, they might evaporate from the heat. 

"Hmm… Maybe we could pass off as a couple who’s been together for just a month—still fresh and sweet." 

"A month in, and we’re out here at this hour? That’d seem strange." 

"Why?" 

"You should be too busy kissing and… other things." 

Ah… In that moment, 

She couldn’t help but imagine it. 

Unconsciously, she swallowed hard. 

Would she be able to safely finish this dangerous charade with him tonight? 

Her heart pounded faster, warning her of the peril ahead.