Corporate Cupid

Chapter 5: Deceptions and Desperation

Yuna, still reeling from her unexpected encounter with Woozi, decided to take control of the situation. After calming herself, she asked for Woozi's name, hoping to establish some sort of connection. Woozi, ever composed, introduced himself as a co-director at Wonho Motors. Yuna was stunned by this revelation; she hadn't expected him to hold such a high position.

Trying to regain her composure, Yuna mentioned that she had an association with her father's company and expressed a desire to meet with him again. However, Woozi quickly shut her down, explaining that any personal relationship between them could interfere with his work. His professional tone left Yuna speechless, and as he walked away, she was left fuming, resisting the urge to curse him out loud.

Yuna: (calming herself) Thank you for your help, by the way. I don't think I caught your name.

Woozi: (smiling slightly) It's Woozi. I'm a co-director at Wonho Motors.

Yuna: (stunned) Co-director? I didn't expect that. I'm Yuna, by the way. I'm actually associated with my father's company, so we might have more in common than you think.

Woozi: (nodding) I see. It's always interesting to meet someone with a business background.

Yuna: (regaining composure) Maybe we could discuss it further sometime? I'd like to get to know you better—on a personal level.

Woozi: (raising an eyebrow) I appreciate the offer, but I have to be upfront with you. Any personal relationship between us could complicate things at work. It's important for me to maintain a clear boundary between my professional and personal life.

Yuna: (taken aback) Oh, I see. Well, I wasn't suggesting anything too serious—just a friendly connection.

Woozi: (maintaining a professional tone) I understand, but even a friendly connection can lead to complications. I prefer to keep things straightforward. 

Frustrated, Yuna called Hari to vent about Woozi's cold demeanor. Later that night, Yuna's anger had only intensified. Determined to clear up the mess she had created, she arranged to meet with Wonho. But before she could reach him, she bumped into Woozi again. This time, she confidently handed him her business card, trying to maintain her composure despite her earlier embarrassment.

When Yuna finally met with Wonho, she decided to come clean. She admitted that she had hired someone to impersonate her on the blind date. Wonho's reaction was unexpected; he seemed more concerned about the imposter than the real Yuna. His anger was directed at the woman who had insulted him during their date, and he insisted on meeting her again before he called off the marriage proposal. Yuna, realizing she was in too deep, reluctantly agreed to arrange the meeting, without informing Hari of the situation.

Yuna devised a plan to dress Hari up in her clothes and wig, transforming her into "Luna" once again. Just as she was finishing the preparations, Yuna casually mentioned that Wonho would be arriving soon. She assured Hari that all Wonho wanted was an apology.

When Wonho arrived, he noticed a coupon on the ground, one that Hari had accidentally dropped. It was from her family's chicken restaurant. As he handed it back to her, Hari, feeling cornered, admitted that her family owned the restaurant but lied about her name, blurting out, "Kim Sari." The name, ironically, was that of a character from a TV drama—a chicken shop worker who falls in love with a rich man. The coincidence was almost too perfect, and it only fueled Wonho's anger further.

Enraged by the deception and the earlier insults about his appearance, Wonho demanded an explanation. Hari, desperate to make amends, offered to do him a favor. In response, he took her phone and entered his number, insisting that she answer whenever he called.

Wonho: (handing her the coupon) You dropped this. Your family owns a chicken restaurant?

Hari (as Luna): (nervously taking the coupon) Yes... It's just a small business.

Wonho: (narrowing his eyes) And your name is Luna, right?

Hari (feeling cornered): (panicking) Actually... no. My name is... Kim Sari.

Wonho: (frowning, recognizing the name) Kim Sari? Isn't that the name of the character from that drama? The one who works at a chicken shop and falls in love with a rich guy?

Hari (realizing her mistake): (gulping) Um, yes, but I... it's just a coincidence...

Wonho: (his anger rising) A coincidence? First, you insult me, then you lie about who you are, and now you're making things worse with this ridiculous excuse? What is your real name?

Hari (desperate): (sighing) My real name is Hari. I'm so sorry for lying to you. I didn't mean to deceive you like this.

Wonho: (furious) So you've been lying to me from the start? Pretending to be someone else, making a fool out of me?

Hari: (pleading) No, it's not like that! Yuna—my friend—she asked me to pretend to be her, and I didn't know how to get out of it. I didn't want to hurt you, I swear!

Wonho: (coldly) So all of this was just a game to you? Lying about your name, your background, everything?

Hari: (shaking her head) No, it wasn't a game. I was just trying to help a friend. I never meant for it to go this far.

Wonho: (sarcastic) Well, congratulations. You succeeded in deceiving me. And now, you think an apology is going to fix this?

Hari (desperate): (tears welling up) I'll do anything to make it right. Please, Wonho, just tell me what to do.

Wonho: (his expression hardening) Anything, huh?

Hari: (nodding) Yes, anything. I just want to make things right.

Wonho: (taking her phone out of her hand) Fine. You want to make it right? You'll answer whenever I call. No more lies, no more games. You'll owe me until I say we're even.

Wonho later informed his grandfather that he and "Luna" had broken up. This news led to a long string of blind dates with other eligible women, none of whom interested him. Frustrated by the process, Wonho blurted out to his grandfather that he and Luna had reconciled, inadvertently committing himself to his previous deception.

Realizing the precarious position he was in, Wonho called Hari with a proposal. He suggested that they pretend to date, offering her 1.6 million won for each time she met his grandfather while impersonating Luna. Hari was hesitant, aware of the complications that could arise, but the promise of money tempted her. With her mounting debt, the offer was hard to resist.

That night, as Hari contemplated Wonho's proposal, she received a call from him. He was outside her house, waiting for her. Nervously, she made herself up and went down to meet him. Wonho presented her with a fake-dating contract and a profile of himself, insisting that she memorize it.

Hari, overwhelmed by the absurdity of the situation, thought Wonho's idea was crazy. She ran out of his car, desperate to escape. But as she bolted, she noticed her father approaching the shop. Panicked, she tried to duck out of sight, only to collide with Wonho. The impact knocked them both to the ground, and before she knew it, she found herself on top of him. Their faces inches apart, and in the chaos, their lips met in an accidental kiss.

Both were left stunned, the unexpected intimacy adding another layer of complexity to their already tangled web of lies and misunderstandings.