I had no chance of putting my plan into action during dinner because I was seated next to two married men whose spouses were right next to them. The conversation on my end of the table sounded more like a board meeting than friends on vacation. Work hard, play harder, I guessed.

At one point, an older lady who sat across from me asked me how I knew the Yoons. I responded, “I’ve been their neighbor since I was a child. My father worked with Yoon ChanShik sajang.”

“Your father worked with Yoon ChanShik sajang?” she looked at me with surprise. “What did he do exactly? Was he one of the executive officers on the board?” she returned.

I hesitated. “He was Yoon ChanShik’s executive secretary.” While not a lowly position, my father being the executive secretary did not put me in the same social standing as people like the Yoons and their guests. They were heirs of major corporations or owned a large portion of company shares as part of their extensive financial portfolios. I knew their world, but could never be apart of it since my father had only been a secretary.

“Oh,” was all she said.

I’d been brushed aside as I’d expected and steeled myself for, so I was surprised when I felt my inhibitions getting the best of me half way through dinner. I was losing my nerve. Up to now I’d only been sipping the glass of wine in front of me, but if I was going to put my plan into action as I hoped then I’d need courage, liquid courage.  I wasn't very fond of drinking because it turned my cheeks and nose and embarrassing shade of red, and I hated that, but there was no way I was going to get through the rest of tonight without it.

I downed the remaining liquid and a servant immediately stepped forward to refill my glass. I began to feel less anxious as the wine began to take effect. The rest of the meal I took larger than polite sips of wine so that by the end I felt quite happy and relaxed, almost to the point of wanting to sleep, but I remembered I had a plan to put into motion tonight.

As soon as we were all seated in the lounge after dinner for coffee and cognac, I took the first opportunity I could to sit next to a man ShiAhn who had assured me was not married.

“Kim Soo Hyun,” I said. “I’m very interested in talking to you about Spain. I understand you’ve been there before.”

He was probably in his late twenties and not really my type--if I even had a “type”--but I’d chosen him because of our similar interest in Spain.

He took his time to swirl and sniff his cognac. Then looking at me he said, “Yes? What about it?”

Now that my plan was actually in motion, and inspite of the two glasses of wine I’d had at dinner, my nervousness returned with full force. What am I doing?! How can I even try to get this guy to like me, let alone propose?!

HeeSoo. I thought of all the times I’d watched her flirt with men other than my father, both after he’d died and even before. I thought of the way she smiled, the tilt of her head, and what her hands did.

I slid closer to him on the couch, suddenly very aware of all the people around us. Tilting my head to one side like I’d seen HeeSoo do, I smiled at him. “I’d love to hear what Spain is like.”

He stared at me without blinking. “Different.”

I blinked. “Different?”

“Yes, different.”

My smile faltered as I saw the amusement on the faces of the people around us who were listening.

“Yes, I understand it’s a different climate and culture than ours, Kim SooHyun-ssi. But I was hoping you could tell me something more. You see, I’m moving there shortly and I don’t want to make tourist mistakes.” I remembered how HeeSoo would lean in to show a man she was interested in him, so I leaned towards Kim SooHyun.

A movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. ShiYoon stood across the room, watching us with a blank expression, his jaw set and eyes like steel.

“You plan on going to Spain?” Kim SooHyun surprised me by actually showing some expression on his face. “Who are you going with?”

“My aunt lives there. So I’ll be traveling alone, but once I get there it’ll be the two of us.”

“Just the two of you? Alone in a foreign country?”

I nodded.

He laughed as if what I said was a complete joke. The people around us smirked, including Park ShinHye who was nearby. My face was hot. I felt for sure I was the reason for their amusement. I didn’t dare look over at ShiYoon to see his reaction.

“What’s so funny?” I forgot to smile and lean in towards him.

“Two single ladies living in a foreign country without a man there to protect them,” he shook his head as he continued to chuckle. “I’ve never heard of anything more ridiculous in my life!”

He turned away from me, as if dismissing me, and began a conversation with the man sitting in the chair next to him.

My pride would not let me lose. “Well, I don’t think it’s ridiculous!” I said loud enough for everyone to hear. “In fact, I think it’s quite adventurous!”

Kim Soo Hyun turned back to me with one eyebrow raised and a look of disdain. This time he leaned in close to me and said bluntly, “Spain is no place for girls looking for adventure. You’re not that bad looking. It’d be better if you stayed here in Korea, married a nice boy, had a few kids, and left the adventures for those more suited for them.”

He stood, straightened his jacket, and walked across the room. My face burned. I didn’t dare look at anyone, but I still felt their gazes on me. But mostly I just felt ShiYoon’s gaze on me. I was so humiliated that I didn’t think I could ever look at him again. After a long moment of awkward silence, I stood and walked away with as casual an air as I could force myself to adopt.

I poured myself a glass of cognac and surveyed the room as I downed the contents. After a few minutes, the relaxed, happy feeling returned to me. The room had also begun to tilt off its axis just slightly.

I did not know where to go after my humiliating experience with Kim SooHyun. Then from across the room, like a buoy in a stormy sea, I saw the gaze of one of the Jung cousins. I still didn’t know which was Jung JinYoung and which was Jung YongHwa, but right now that didn’t matter. This Jung was watching me from where he sat in a corner of the room, far enough away that he probably hadn’t heard or seen my failed attempt at flirting.

Grasping my courage along with my glass of cognac, I moved towards him. I would try this once more. Kim SooHyun has been needlessly cruel, but this Jung cousin was kind. I could see it in his eyes.

He stood as I approached, bowing to greet me, and offering me a seat in the chair next to him. I smiled with relief. My instincts has been correct; he was kind.

“You look a little flushed Kim MiYoung-ssi. Perhaps the room is too warm? Do you want a fan?”

I pressed a hand to my cheek thinking how it burned with embarrassment and not warmth.

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

This Jung cousin was the younger one, the one with the beautiful cat eyes. He was not the type ShiAhn usually went for, so my fuzzy mind determined this one must be Jung YongHwa, the one she didn’t like. It’d be safe for me to flirt with him.

Please log in to read the full chapter