She had one week to think about it, the Madame has said. One week... Long and short time. There were good things about the proposition for sure. First, the salary. She would get more than what she ever earned by working very hard, just by standing beside one guy, pretending to be in love. Along with that, to fit the statue, she had been promised beauty cares for free, given designer clothes and accessories and would get a driver to lead her at the Kim's and at various parties she had to go where she would met the cream of the Seoul socialites. Lot of girls would have killed to be able to do such a job for a few months. But at the same time... It was lying to an old man, playing with his ending life. And this, Hyoyeon was not very comfortable about...

She did asked advises to her best friend, Taeyeon, but the young girl was unnaturally excited about the job. They were having a dinner at a little restaurant in Insadong and, sitting face to face in front of a two-persons bulgogi grilling hotplate and her friend was pouring soju in her glass, carelessly about the time, a little too early for alcohol.

"I'm not that sure, Taeyeonnie... I mean, yeah, on the contract, it looks nice but... I don't feel easy about betraying that poor old man..." Hyoyeon declared while absent-mindedly chewing her kimchi.

"You don't really betray him. He will never know about the trick. And you know how are old rich men... Always trying to get their whims satisfied. How stupid to put such a condition to someone. As if... Finding a good fiancee was that easy for a man. Easy at all, even."

"Yes but..."

Still, even with all those good arguments, Hyoyeon couldn't make up her mind. She needed money, that was a fact. Since the club she was dancing at has closed, it was hard for her to be able to pay her rent. He had been ages since she didn't visit a hairstylist, not talking about buying brand new clothes. She was often relying on friends to eat something else than rice, kimchi and tofu. Times were not friendly with her and what has been promised in exchange of that game was such a great occasion for her to live better, save a bit of money and who knew...? She could buy her own dance studio and have her own dance class thanks to this. Yes, her mother couldn't help telling her there was this free place from her at the Incheon's kindergarten, but she did not want to go back to her native town. She wanted to have a good life here, in Seoul. It was the ideal occasion : the job was cool and well-paid. Yet, her scruples always got on the way.

"With that, I haven't seen the Kim son at all. If he doesn't have any girl friend to play that role, maybe that means he's ugly. And unbearable. You know... The rich kind just like in drama..."

"You mean... The arrogant jerk the heroine always falls in love with? Damn... You could fall in love with him!" The hazel-haired Korean girl replied, slightly laughing.

"Please, Taeyeonnie... This is no fun. It's a serious matter. I'm talking about my life... And this whole family's life as well. I heard if the Kim son doesn't inherit the enterprise, it would all go to his cousin. What if that was better this way? I mean, that guy went to jail!"

"Ok, this is no fun. Hyoyeon, why are you so nervous about it? That's only a job... Take it as it is and everything is going to be OK. Didn't you say you have an appointement with the Kim son to help you make your choice?"

"Yes. In an Apgujeong hotel tea saloon, tomorrow at three. Why?"

"Well, I think you might go there, meet the son and see if that could fit. If that's good... Take that job and stop asking questions! Aish... You're going to make my head ache, girl..."

Taeyeon sigh in exesperation and picked another piece of meat in the hotplate. She really liked Hyoyeon a lot... But she was asking herself way too much questions. Her friends had always been willing to live carefree... Ever since the day Junsu has dumped her, she had been secretly seeking for revenge. She wanted to get known, she wanted to be someone. And that was the point why Taeyeon just couldn't understand this hesitation of hers, especially when, back then, she was pretty used to unmeasured decisions, heading to the walls ahead, no matter if that meant breaking her neck. So what was really the problem about her and this perfect job?

In fact, what was bothering Hyoyeon the most was to be acting in front of that old powerful man. If she failed, the consequences would be terrible. If he got mad by discovering the trick, she was scared that would be impossible for her to ever make a good life. Powerful families like this one were a two-sided coin. One face was a chance but the other face could be her doom. She had never been that good at lying, with that and... If the old man belived her and died thinking his grandson was someone serious when in fact, he had just paid some random girl to play lovey-dovey with, she was sure she would have a hard time dealing with that idea. That decision was not only affecting her and her future and the future of many others too. And this was a responsibility she was not sure to be able to handle for her resting lifetime.

The sun was shining through the huge window of the dining-room... The green grass of the beautiful garden was shimmering with the rays of lights. A soft wind was shaking the flowers on the branches. It was a perfect warm April sunny day. Sitting at the long wooden table next to the window, Junsu was peacefully sipping his morning coffee, reading the newspaper. The big family house was calm and the silence had nothing weighing. It was a soft relaxed mood, the right mood to start a good day. The kind one would wish to last forever.

He almost didn't hear the muffled sound of Jin Ah's footsteps coming closer. She arrived right behind him and he needed time to feel her presence. He turned his head around and smile to the beautiful tall blonde girl whose was his fiancee. They have been together for ages now and still, he couldn't believe his chance to have such a beautiful wife to be. Her small face with its porcelain skin was surrended by silky dyed-blond curls. Her eyes were mischievous and yet innocent, her smile was a picture perfect and her whole appearance felt like some superstars out of a magazine. For sure, he was lucky... The only problem were his feelings for her. He liked her a lot, no doubt... But he was not that sure he was in love with that beautiful woman.

She walked to the table, her short designer dress giving an amazing glimpse at her superb long thin legs, which Junsu couldn't help but looking at. As the family tradition wanted, they might be together and fiance for years, they hadn't consummed their relationship yet... That would have been a pity not to take a least advantage of what she had in stores. Even if only with his eyes and not with his hands. She sat and ordered the maid a tea. She surely was somewhere hidden, waiting for some instructions from her.

"Did you hear the news?"

"Which news..? Actually, there is a lot of news that I might get to hear about. You'll have to be a little clearer about it, darling."

"About Yu Kwon... I heard he had a girlfriend. A hidden girlfriend. He might plan to introduce her to Grandpa and propose her by the way. I thought he hadn't been close to any girl since going out of jail..."

"I was sure he hadn't." Junsu answered, still reading his newspaper, legs crossed and face concentrated. "Maybe I was wrong. I'm not aware of everything about Yu Kwon, know... Got my own business to deal with."

"But that's a problem for your business if that is true. It means he will inherit the enterprise."

"Even if that is true, what do you want me to do about it? I'm not God..."

"But you promised..."

"Please." He cut her off, lifting his hand in front of her face.

Junsu was not the kind of man to raise his voice. He was always collected, calm... The opposite of this cousin, the free firecracker, often reacting in impulsion or thoughtlessly. Him never really got angry. He knew how to keep firm and being obeyed with just one gesture, one word... Never too mean, never too nice. The right dose. He was the kind to be feared but respected, even by his fiancee. Jin Ah closed immediately and stared at him.

"I know what I had promised you. But inheriting the enterprise doesn't mean being at the head forever. The CEO is powerful but he's not the only voice. There is a council whose voices are weighing a lot, too. They can discharge him any time if he acts bad and trust me, I know him by heart... One day, he will. So, even if he has a fiancee indeed, don't worry much about it. One day, the table will turn... And you will be the empress."

He got up and put his newspaper on the table, gently her hair by the way. Jin Ah didn't dare following him, though she was dying from the urge of wrapping her arms around his body. But they never touched. They barely even kissed. Sometimes, she wondered... What was he thinking each time he was looking through this window, at this garden. Who was he thinking, most of all? Was he thinking about her or about her? She was willing to know but never dared asked.

This was why she wanted him to win. She wanted him to get the power. Once he would be on top, thanks to her and her position then he would only look at her. She didn't want to be the empress of the world, as she thought she was. She wanted to be the empress of his world.

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Well... Improvising in a foreign language, that's not so easy but I think I did it right.. Did I? If you liked it (or didn't), please let me know! Thanks for your nice support ♥