Every once in a blue moon, a woman comes across a Bambam in her life.

Bambams are most commonly found in kdramas in the form of rich and spoiled chaebol heirs, with inflated egos and a tendency to squander their inheritance away, but they do exist in real life. You will rarely come into contact with a Bambam in the course of your daily life unless you see his face on a magazine or on the gossip column of the newspaper. Bambams live in a different world from ordinary mortal folk like us. That’s what makes it so rare to come across them.

A Bambam lives for luxury. He has money and he’s not afraid to spend it on the finer things in life; designer clothing, gorgeous real estate, overpriced wine and extravagant jewelry. Bambams never settle for anything less than the best. It’s not unusual to see a Bambam throwing a fit at a restaurant because the service wasn’t up to their expectations or storming out of a clothing store because they don’t have the latest designs stocked.

Bambams are childish, petty and spoiled. They like to think that they can buy anything with money.

But you’re not an object. You don’t have a price tag.

You can’t be bought.

Perhaps that’s why a Bambam will never be able to win with a woman like you.

–

You met the Bambam of Bambams on a warm summer morning. Your company specialized in marketing and business consultancy so you were invited to make a presentation on a marketing strategy for a new clothing line under Bambam’s design label. It had taken you days to devise a complicate but fool-proof marketing strategy with your team. You went to their office early in order to make your presentation in the hope of clinching a deal. You had been informed that some of the higher-ups at the design label would be attending your presentation but you hadn’t expected Bambam, the founder of the label himself to turn up.

Bambam entered the conference room thirty minutes into your presentation. A Bambam is never on time, because his time is worth more than yours is. They always make that very clear to you in the beginning.

“Sorry, I had some other appointments to deal with,” Bambam drawled lazily as he barged in on your presentation. You weren’t sure why you were startled by his sudden appearance but he was really tall and handsome. Part of you had believed that most Bambams’ good looks were the result of skilled photoshop and professional makeup but you were wrong. This Bambam’s pouty lips and dark, seductive gaze were all his own. 

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Bambam.”

He held out his hand for you to shake and you had to stop the presentation in order to introduce yourself to him in return. Bambam’s grasp was firm and a small smirk appeared on his face as he looked you up and down. You tried to stay calm. 

Showing weakness in front of a Bambam is the biggest mistake you can make. They can smell fear like a hound.

“I was just making a presentation on a new marketing strategy for your upcoming clothing line,” you explained to him. “Right now, I’m talk about the optimal distribution lines we devised which could cut your overall distribution costs in almost half-“

Bambam took a seat beside one of the other officials of his company and coolly placed one leg over the other. He was wearing an expensive suit, possibly one of his own design. You were startled by how well his dark suit complimented his silver hair.

“Interesting,” Bambam commented. “Would you mind summarizing everything you’ve presented until now in one or two lines so that I’m not lost?”

In one or two lines? You balked for a moment. You had just gone through almost twenty slides about expanding customer base and increasing revenues and he wanted you to summarize all of that in a few lines? Bambam wore a pleased smirk on his face and you felt a burst of irritation. Folding your arms across your chest, you stared back at his smug face with a calm smile of your own.

“Here’s all you need to know,” you replied simply. “You current marketing strategy is inefficient and uselessly expensive. My team and I can save you money while also increasing your brand value and market reputation. Does it matter how we go about it as long as we bring you the necessary results?”

You saw the twinkle in his eyes and realized that you had won.

Bambams are extremely attracted to confidence.

“You have the deal,” Bambam informed you. His tongue darted out to his lips briefly as his eyes flickered up and down your body. “I hope to see a lot of you over the next few months.”

–

When a Bambam is interested in someone, everyone knows.

His affections towards you over the next few months were so obvious that every single employee of both of your companies knew that Bambam was pursuing you. It’s extremely difficult to resist a Bambam’s shameless and blunt attempts at wooing a woman. Bambams are persistent and consistent with their affections. 

Bambam makes sure you and your team get the best office in the building for whenever you have to work on site. A Bambam will ensure flowers are delivered to your desk every morning, he will ask you to have lunch with him in the most expensive restaurants. A Bambam will even find out what your favorite band is and leave concert tickets on your desk with a little heart and his personal phone number written on the envelope.

As difficult as it is, you can’t give in.  

Some of the gifts might seem thoughtful (like the concert tickets or the time he had your favorite food delivered to the entire office for lunch or the time he bought an enormous ice cream cake and had the entire team surprise you for your birthday) but a Bambam’s presents are always expensive and always materialistic.

Do you want to become a gold-digger?

I didn’t think so.

As difficult as it may be to send the gifts back and buy your own lunch even though your favorite dish has already been delivered to the office courtesy of Bambam, you absolutely have to resist.  Resist, no matter how difficult it is. Do not give in to those beautiful eyes and those smooth words. Do not let yourself become weak whenever Bambam looks disappointed at your repeated rejections. Do not listen to the other employees who try to convince you that they’re never seen a Bambam try so hard for a woman before. Do not believe the stories that you are the first person to have him wrapped around your finger.

These are all tricks. A Bambam knows the game better than you, he knows how to make a woman weak.

Guard your heart with walls of stone, or a Bambam will blow it down in seconds.

–

However, your problems do not end here.

Unfortunately, Bambams of the world love a good challenge. Even though a Bambam may be briefly deterred and thrown off by an unexpected rejection, they always bounce back stronger than before. A Bambam will be even more intrigued by your constant refusal to accept his gifts and ability to cut off all his flirtations. It will usually only lead to him being even more interested in you because Bambams believe that the world revolves around them. They are incapable of coming to terms with the fact that somebody simple might not care.

As your project neared a close, Bambam only grew more desperate and open about his feelings for you.

“Why won’t you let me take you out on a date?” he insisted. He had found you alone at an office party that had been thrown to celebrate the successful clothing line launch. Your entire marketing team had been invited and no expense was spared on the part of Bambam’s company. You had made them a lot of money this year. Bambam was looking as dashing as ever and you had to be careful not to look into his soft eyes, or it would make you weak.

“I told you, I’m not interested in dating you. Do I need to give you an explanation?”

Bambam pouted, his lips distracting you. You had to take a large gulp of your wine and hold your breath to avoid inhaling the tantalizing scent of his cologne. A Bambam always wears the best fragrances. But you weren’t about to give in and become the latest candy on his arm only to be thrown away once he was bored with you.

A Bambam would dispose of you the way he disposed of clothes that were out of season. Cruelly and without a second thought.

“But why? You’ve never even given me a chance. I’d understand if you got to know me and then decided that you don’t like me but you’ve been closed off since the beginning,” Bambam insisted. You had to hold your breath as he gently lifted a hand to your face and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. Bambam’s soft brown eyes were gazing deep into yours while his thumb brushed your cheek. “Please give me a chance. One date. I don’t know what I did wrong but I can change your mind about me, I swear.”

“If this date doesn’t work out then will you stop trying so hard?” you demanded.

A sudden, childish grin spread across Bambam’s face.

“I will, I promise. So you’ll go on the date with me?”

You sighed. “Yes, all right.”

–

A Bambam always arrives in style.

He pulled up outside your apartment in one of his expensive sports cars and lowered the window to reveal himself decked up in a casual suit and designer sunglasses. You tried not to sigh when Bambam hurried to open the passenger side door for you. He informed you that he had the entire day planned out; he would take you shopping, followed by dinner reservations and then a drink at a club he owned. It sounded like a little too much for a single date but Bambams like to go over-the-top with things. Perhaps you should be more understanding.

You were pleasantly surprised at how fun it was to shop with Bambam.

He had an excellent taste in fashion which wasn’t surprising considering that he owned a designer label. Even though you were reluctant to roam around overpriced designer stores with him at first, Bambam didn’t push you to buy anything. 

Instead, he tried on goofy-looking sunglasses and made faces at you in the mirror. He even picked up random suit jackets and began striking y model poses while trying them on. You found yourself laughing from a mixture of embarrassment and bewilderment. How could a Bambam behave in such a foolish manner? But he had a pleasant laugh and you found yourself laughing along with him. The store employees stared at you both oddly but Bambam didn’t mind.

There was something refreshing about Bambam’s ability to behave like an idiot and not look even slightly embarrassed.

He did insist on buying you one particular black dress that you tried on, though. Bambam’s jaw had gone slack the moment you stepped out of the dressing room wearing it and you blushed under his intense gaze. He only looked at you for a few seconds before his own face turned pink and he averted his eyes and mumbled that you looked pretty. The smiles and laughs suddenly stopped there. Bambam had finished paying for it before you had even changed back into your ordinary clothes.

“Who said it’s for you?” Bambam asked coolly when you confronted him about buying the dress. He held the bag out of your reach. “I just wanted to buy it because it’s pretty. Don’t flatter yourself.”

You couldn’t really argue with that. Bambams sometimes had an unbeatable logic. He hadn’t said the dress was meant for you so you kept silent.

At dinner, Bambam had booked out the entire restaurant.

Even though the entire event was over-the-top and unnecessary, you couldn’t help but enjoy yourself. The dim candlelight and the expensive wine made for a very romantic mood. Bambam sat next to you in the booth and put his arm around your shoulder as you both sipped on the wine. His hands never roamed anywhere inappropriate but his voice was low and sultry when he whispered into your ear. Bambam told you how much he liked you, how stunned he had been the first time you both met and how he was falling harder for you every day.

“I don’t know why I’m so crazy about you,” Bambam whispered, making your entire body shiver. His warm breath was on your neck and you had to admit that you had butterflies in your stomach. “Your lips say one thing but your eyes say another. I’ve never been so attracted to anyone before. Am I really the only one who feels this way?”

You held your breath. Admitting to a Bambam that you had feelings for him was fatal.

You simply don’t do it.

“Probably,” you replied. “I’m not really feeling it. Don’t you think you’re trying too hard?”

There was a brief silence and Bambam pulled away from you slowly. You could see the disappointment in his face and the hurt in his eyes but you ignored them. 

A Bambam doesn’t care for you as much as he pretends to. Nothing will come first in his life besides his own money so there’s no use in feeling guilty. Bambams will cast you aside and get bored of you eventually anyway, so it’s better to break their hearts than your own.

Stay strong. You can’t seriously be falling in love with a Bambam!

The rest of the date was awkward and Bambam decided to drive you home soon afterwards. He had just started up the car when he got a phone call. Apologizing to you quickly, he answered the phone. Whatever information was conveyed to him seemed to upset him because he promptly made a call to a doctor and ordered them to go to a particular address urgently. You felt a little awkward as you listened to the conversation. When Bambam finally hung up you cleared your throat.

“Is everything okay?” you asked doubtfully.

Bambam blinked at you and then ran a hand over his face. “Uh… I’m not sure, actually. I’m sorry about this. I’ll just drop you off first because I kind of need to go somewhere urgently.”

You bit your lip. “If you need to leave, I can take a cab home…”

“No, no. I can’t make you go home alone when this is a date. I’ll drive you home myself. Do you mind if I just make a quick stop in between? It won’t take more than ten minutes, I promise. I’ll be really quick about it,” Bambam promised you. 

You nodded your agreement as he quickly took a U-turn and began driving in the opposite direction. He drove for about a mile before he suddenly parked the car in a side-street. “I’ll be back really quickly, I promise. Stay in the car, this isn’t a really safe neighborhood.”

Where the hell was he going? You sat silently in the passenger’s seat as you watched Bambam dart into a convenience store across the road. He came out with two huge bags of what seemed like food and then hurried down the street and disappeared at the turning. You bit your lip and waited silently. This little detour had thrown you off a little. Why were you at this random place, why had he called up a doctor? Was somebody he knew sick? Then why not take them to a hospital?

A Bambam shouldn’t ordinarily be behaving in such a mysterious way.

You waited for a full ten minutes before you let curiosity get the better of you. You got out of the car (taking the keys and locking the vehicle first, because you weren’t going to be responsible for Bambam’s convertible getting stolen) and walked in the direction that you’d seen him going. There was nothing here except random buildings. The only place where the lights were still on was a large building that had the gate open. As you stepped closer and squinted at the signboard, you realized that it was an orphanage.

Was this where Bambam had gone? Everywhere else was silent and empty at this time of night.

You approached the orphanage. There was a smiling woman sitting in the front reception area and she greeted you politely. You felt a little embarrassed and bowed to her. “Hi, I’m sorry. I just thought Bambam came down this way…”

Her eyes brightened. “Oh! You must be the girl Bambam was on a date with tonight!”

You nodded hesitantly. “So he is here?”

“Yes, he did. We’re so sorry for ruining your evening. Bambam told us that he was going on a date with a girl he’d liked for a long time but one of our boys has been extremely ill and his condition was getting worse. I’m terribly sorry for ruining your evening,” she apologized to you politely. You bit your lip and forced a smile at her. 

What was this place? Was it an orphanage that Bambam was sponsoring? Had he perhaps set it up? It wasn’t completely unusual for a Bambam to be involved in charity work although you had to admit it was a little surprising. Most Bambam’s only did charity if it helped with their publicity. 

“Oh, no, that’s okay!” you insisted, waving her apologies off quickly. “Is, uh, is the boy who was ill doing all right?”

“Yes, the doctor’s seeing to him now. Why don’t you come inside? I’m sure Bambam wouldn’t mind me giving you a tour of his childhood home. He does talk about you a lot.”

You stared at her. “His childhood home?”

The woman looked surprised. “Oh, you didn’t… you didn’t know? Bambam was here until his early teens, which was when he was adopted by an extremely rich couple. His adoptive parents allowed him to live an extremely lavish lifestyle but he always comes back to take care of the children who are still here. He says that he’s lucky to have been adopted into a rich family but the other kids who weren’t lucky enough should still have a chance at a nice life.”

You gulped.

A Bambam wasn’t supposed to have such humble beginnings. What was happening? Your calculations had been all wrong. Your heartbeat thudded as you followed the woman into a large room where a bunch of children were playing. Bambam was sitting in the corner and listening to a little girl talk about her dolls excitedly. He looked up at the sight of you and his eyes widened. he stood up and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

“I thought you were going to wait in the car?” Bambam asked, his voice faltering slightly.

You raised an eyebrow at the man in front of you. Even though he was still wearing his designer suit and looked like a modern prince, you could see something different in his eyes. The little girl was upset that his attention had turned to you and began pulling at his pant legs. But Bambam was staring at you with wide eyes.

“You can’t come to a place with so many cute kids and expect me to wait in the car,” you replied with a pout. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Bambam looked down at the floor. “I thought it was too heavy a conversation for a first date.”

You smiled as you walked over to him and slipped your hand into his with a small smile. Bambam looked down at you with warm brown eyes and you bit your lip. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to let a Bambam have your heart. Maybe, even though he liked luxury and money and expensive things, he knew the price that things like this came at. You opened your mouth to speak but you were interrupted by the little girl who was still tugging at Bambam’s pants.

“Oppa! You’re not listening to me!” she whined. “I still haven’t told you about Dolly!”

Bambam’s cheeks flushed when she fisted the cloth of his expensive designer pants in her little hands and you giggled at the sight. “Oppa?” you with a raised eyebrow. “Aren’t you a little too old to be having four-year olds call you oppa? You’re old enough to be her father by now.”

Bambam lifted the little girl into his arms to quieten her whining and then gave you a sneaky side-glance.

“Didn’t you hear? If you’re handsome, then you’re an oppa,” he told you matter-of-factly.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, that’s the rule these days.”

You folded your arms across your chest and smiled. “Well, thanks for telling me… oppa.”

Bambam beamed at you, a childish grin spreading across his pouty lips as you giggled along with him. He swooped down and pressed a sweet kiss to your cheek. Your own face flushed and the little girl in his arms began to whine, crying that she wanted a kiss from oppa too. You watched Bambam pinch her cheeks and tell her that she find get her own oppa to kiss her someday as a warmth exploded in your chest.

Maybe it’s okay that Bambams like their money. Maybe it doesn’t matter that they enjoy diamonds and fancy cars and expensive gifts from time to time.

Because deep down, a Bambam’s heart is made of gold.