Joshua

I’m not gonna lie; the heiress I’m on a blind date with is pretty. Very pretty. Before I met Chaeyoung, I probably would have jumped at the opportunity to tap that. But now, her prettiness means quite literally nothing to me, because I’m cheesily in love with my maid.

“So, Joshua, what do you like to do in your free time?” she asks me.

I am acutely aware of my grandfather watching me from three tables down, trying to make sure I actually give the girl a shot and not just snub her like I would have done if I were alone. So I smile at her and respond to her attempts at idle conversation.

“TV,” I say. “Currently obsessed with Squid Game.”

“Oh, I love Squid Game too!” she says with excessive enthusiasm. She seems way too pleased we found common ground. It’s obvious she desperately wants this marriage to work out. She’s probably a daughter to some CEO, and she’s seeking this marriage to help her poor daddy’s failing company. Must be a lot of pressure on her to seduce me. Hence the low neckline on her dress. I am not falling for it though!

I feel kind of bad knowing that I’m going to crush her hopes.

“Who’s your favorite character?” she asks.

“I like the old guy,” I reply, mostly to scare her off.

The light in her face dims a little. “What?”

“The old guy,” I say again. “Player 001.”

“But… he’s… he’s the –”

“The villain? Yeah, that’s exactly why I love him. He had a vision and he had fun with it. I personally like to have fun. No matter what the expense is.”

“I like to have fun too,” she says, a little less enthusiastically.

“This right here” - I signal between the two of us - “isn’t very fun.”

She bites her lip and lowers her head, and then I feel her foot brush against mine. “What can I do to make it fun?”

“Well,” I say, “you could tell my grandfather over there that I’m not your type.”

“But… but… I can’t do that.”

“Look here, girl…”

“My name is Nakyung.”

“Whatever. I’m not interested in marriage at all…”

“But why not?” she asks, suddenly looking desperate.

“Because… it’s no fun.”

“Are you gay?” she asks.

“Bi, actually.”

“Do you have a lover already then?” From the way her eyebrow raised, I can tell she already heard all the rumors.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Actually, Joshua, it is my business,” she said, her pretty face contorting into a frown. “I’m supposed to marry you.”

“Or what, your poor daddy’s gonna be out of business?” I tease.

hangs open, appalled at my rudeness. Good. I need her to be the one to dump me so grandpa doesn’t scold me about “not giving her a shot.”

“You’re mean,” she says. “An obnoxious rich boy with nothing better to do than make fun of others.”

“You’re an obnoxious rich girl too,” I scoff. “Maybe not for long though. How long do your projections say you need before daddy’s company declares bankruptcy?”

She is seething at this point. I can tell she’s holding back from slapping me across the face. I feel a little bad to be honest, but hey, she brought it on herself.

“You win,” she says, standing up from her chair. “I can’t stand you. I’d rather live on the streets begging for scraps than marry the likes of you.”

“If I pass by you on the streets, I’ll be sure to throw you a penny or two!”

She rolls her eyes. She puts on her jacket and collects her purse and belongings. “You know,” she says as she places the strap of her bag over her shoulder, “if you think marriage is so boring, maybe the problem lies with you, not marriage. It’s up to you to make it fun.”

And so she trudges off to talk to my grandfather.

But her words do sit with me a little bit. Having fun with marriage? I like the sound of that. The same way our Squid Game villain had fun. How fun would it be if marriage was like a game? A rigged game, like Produce 101. I already know who the winner will be. A pretty little maid named Chaeyoung.

Wait, I’m on to something!

Not Squid Game, but Wed Game. Broadcasted to all of Korea on TV. A series of games and challenges, where anyone and everyone can join. It would be a huge deal. Everyone would tune in, and the company can use it as a platform to advertise their products.

It will also mean instant fame for the person who wins, even if the person happens to be a maid. She’ll have influence and popularity, and the board would have to approve of her.

The game’s rigged, but no one has to know that. Chaeyoung will win. But the game will go on. Wed Game. Winner marries me.

I like the sound of that!