“You want me to do WHAT?” Jans couldn't help but say it louder than she intended to. She was talking to her future boss, Mr. Lee. She was supposed to be a part of the pioneer group of English teachers who would have high profile students. Idols, singers, actors, and such were going to try to fit their English review into their very busy schedule. Their regular accounts would handle the regular students but those who would be part of this special account would have to be the best and the most tight-lipped people they had. It wouldn't be a great idea to find out that one's idol sucks at using prepositions. Companies would rely on them to make sure that the VIP student's information, English proficiency, and rate of improvement would be protected.
Nowhere near her resume objective did it say, 'To be hired as CEO's son's fake fiance'!
“I can always get someone else to do it. But I am not sure if they would take it seriously or not. I don't want my son ending up being more jaded. So I will officially tell him that you are the girl that we want him to marry. That is not lying, isn't it?” she looked at him like he grew another head all of a sudden. “He's stubborn. He dates all those superficial women. I want him to be with someone who doesn't care about their next hair appointment. I want him to have a normal girlfriend.”
“I am sure there are a lot of normal women who wants to jump your son's bones.” she blurted out before she could stop herself. I am not going to tell you that you just helped me check out three things from my life list? Be asked to marry someone, have a chance to be with someone famous, and last but not least, have dibs on my favorite Korean performer...She faced him again and smiled meekly now. “This is just for one month, right?” She had to be sure. “Then I would go back to my original designation, right?”
“Correct. We would pay you handsomely for it. Don't worry.” She doubted that. She is keeping her expectations low of her new boss.
“When is he coming?” She had to ask. She needed to prepare for this. Mr. Lee said that it would appear real for all intensive purposes. But she would know it was a rouse. She wasn't even allowed to tell her best friend.
“He's in Boracay now.” she almost fainted with said the worst possible answer for that question.
“He will arrive later in the day. We will have dinner together if you are up to it.” Mrs. Lee chimed in. “I will take you shopping for something to wear if you want to.”
She shook her head. “Isn't what I am wearing okay? Is it too casual? How formal do I have to look? I have some dresses that I have here but I don't know if he is going to like it or not. They are pretty...unusual.” She was a member of a band on top of being a teacher so she had some pretty shinny clothes. They included performance dresses that she was comfortable enough to wear for their gigs. Being a bassist for Bazooka Janes was no easy feat. They have been making rounds and she's had to give up sleep over it since she didn't want to give up her day job. And now this.
“We will go to a fine dining restaurant. Consider it as an early engagement gift from us. You can't play the part if you don't have the right costume, right?” The Lady Lee is known for her love for fashion and not taking no for an answer. She visited the office a lot this year, she says that her son Sungjin loves studying English with the teachers that so she showed her gratitude by giving out Korean cosmetics.
“I don't know. Can I keep the clothes after?” she sheepishly asked.
Mr. Lee laughed and then said. “You can't expect me to wear them now, do you?”
She felt more comfortable after that. It was almost like talking to her parents. They were warm, real, and very funny. If nothing else, they were both couples who looked blissfully happy in their marriages that it seems a shame that she is not really going to their real daughter-in-law.
“Okay, I am in.” Mrs. Lee hugged her in gratitude. “But this would be a chaste engagement. Kissing is only allowed in the cheek. My mom would not have it any other way. Uhm...and could we not tell them that I am not his real fiancee? My mom and dad would not let me go through with something like this if it was just for money. I would tell them afterward but I just don't want them to think I am being nuts for doing this.”
“Agreed.” Mr. Lee shook her hand and Mrs. Lee smiled gratefully at her. Mr. Lee gave her a gold card then kissed her head lovingly. “Try not to buy too many shoes this time.”
Mrs. Lee laughed and leaned on him. “I think I wouldn't be able to control myself. She's so cute.”
Jans blushed at that compliment. It's not every day that a beautiful woman complimented her. She could only wish she would be as beautiful as Lady Lee when she was that age.
Maybe true love really stops aging.
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