Chapter 7
I almost had a heart attack when I checked the price tags on the tableware in the store. Who in their right mind would pay this much for a plate? Even as I was wondering that, I realized that person was me.
"Ugh." I sighed unintentionally.
Upon remembering the existence of Lee JiHan next to me, I was forced to quickly change my expression and pretend to be okay with all of this.
It’s okay, it’s okay. You needed to prepare a dowry anyways, right?
Trying to control my emotions, I glanced up at Lee JiHan. He was watching me with his arms crossed and an expression that clearly said "Let’s see how well you can choose."
I had to choose well, but How was I supposed to know which one was good or not?
I lowered my gaze toward the displays and cradled a bowl carefully in my hands. No matter how much I looked, the only thought in my head was that this was too expensive. I had no idea how to decipher which of these expensive pieces were the best.
I slowly put down the bowl and decided to ask a sales rep for help.
"Which of these would you recommend as the best option?" I asked.
"Ma’am, all of our products are the best," the sales rep said, smiling courteously while delivering an utterly useless answer. With no alternative, I wracked my brain, chewing at my fingernails. Finally, I came to the decision that it would be safe to assume that the most expensive one would be the best.
"Um...then could I have the one that is the most expensive...?" I asked the sales rep.
"Spending money haphazardly. Oh, you’re that type of girl."
As if he had been waiting for me to make a mistake, Lee JiHan came down on me before I had even finished my sentence.
"No, uh...not the most expensive one. The one that’s the most popular..." I said quickly.
Even as I changed my words, he just as easily found something else to scold me about.
"Buying what others buy without any thought. Well figures, you have no knowledge of the subject, so how could you even have an opinion."
"Never mind!" I cried desperately, "Give me the one that no one buys!"
I tried to change my answer to the opposite of what he was reprimanding me for. Lee JiHan scoffed in exasperation at this.
"You’re going to buy something that no one would even take if it was handed to them for free and give that to my brother?"
"Oh! That! That one looks good. That one," I said.
Running away from Lee JiHan’s criticisms, I stopped in front of a display of plates labeled Vera Wang special edition.
Vera Wang? Wang special edition would be the very best, right? But if this plate designer is Vera Wang (king in korean) which country king would that be? Whoever designed these plates has the same name as that wedding dress designer.
Of the designs, I chose the highly eccentric looking pink plate and examined it. In an instant, Lee JiHan approached me and began chastising me.
"Tableware designed by a famous wedding dress designer. Of all the things to choose, you choose the one with no foundation."
"Oh...this Vera Wang is that same Vera Wang?" I asked.
"That’s right, ma’am," the sales rep answered my question with pride in her voice. "This is a special edition design by the famous Vera Wang."
The moment the words left the rep’s mouth, Lee JiHan poured out his discontent.
"You think if it’s designed by a famous person, then it must be good, right? You can’t even tell if this design is for a plate or a wedding dress. Are you planning to sit a Barbie doll on top of it or eat out of it? How could you even think to have my brother use a design like this? You can’t even be bothered spare a thought for the man you will be using this with, you selfish woman."
The sales rep looked embarrassed, and I, having witnessed this, was doubly embarrassed. My face glowed hot. I tried to quickly calm myself and laughed lightheartedly to let the sales rep know it was okay.
"We’ll just choose on our own," I told the rep.
"Yes ma’am. Please look around at your own convenience."
The sales rep left with an uncomfortable smile and hurriedly escaped our presence. I fanned my face with the plate I was holding. After I cooled off, I carefully put down the plate and asked Lee JiHan a question.
"Young master, which do you think would be the best option?"
"I’m pretty sure I told you not to call me that," he said violently.
I quickly changed the way I called him. "Oh, I forgot. Not young master, just mister. Mister, which plates do you like?"
"Why are you asking me? You aren’t even capable of choosing this on your own?"
"No," I admitted. "I am unable to."
Because whatever I choose, you will find something wrong with it.
I answered with certainty. Lee JiHan was surprised by my answer and stared into my eyes with a look of exasperation. I held my two hands near my heart and quietly explained my reasons.
"JiKyung is going to be using it, and I can’t just pick anything. Your opinion will be much better than mine, no, it will be the very best."
"What are you talking about?"
"Who in this world knows JiKyung better than you? If it’s about JiKyung, you know a thousand times more than I do. So obviously, you will know and be able to choose which products JiKyung will like. I confidently believe that."
Lee JiHan narrowed his eyes with his face askew. But he didn’t try to cut me off. He looked as if he would continue to listen, so I quickly continued talking.
"I want to choose the style that JiKyung will like but I don’t have the skill, that only lies in you. In this instance, what does my opinion even matter? I will follow your direction."
Silence.
"Of course, JiKyung will like it too if he knew his brother chose it for him."
I humbled myself and gave up my power of decision to him. I utilized all my prowess to avoid getting yelled at, but I was starting to become afraid even this ploy would get me in trouble. I waited anxiously for his response.
"Psh." Lee JiHan scoffed at the ridiculousness of my tactic.
I knew I was screwed. So screwed.
"What could I possibly expect from this pathetic girl. How much could she possibly know about my brother," Lee JiHan muttered loud enough that I could hear.
With a look of exasperation, he chose a plate and picked it up. He examined the plate with a look of superiority and said, "Well. There really isn’t anyone that knows as much about my brother as I do."
Lee JiHan smirked. "If you don’t know as much as me, then you should stay put, yep." He nodded in agreement at his own thoughts and turned his head towards me. "I’ll choose, but you pay."
"Oh, yes, of course. Please just pick something for me," I answered right away.
He looked me up and down. "You sure know how to talk."
His unexpected compliment took me by surprise and I blinked. Did I do well? I was just about to get this thought through my head when Lee JiHan started another rant.
"You’re only good at talking." He clicked his tongue, and went to the shelf next to him.
Of course it wasn’t a compliment. Depressed, I stuck out my lower lip and with my eyes turned downward, I stared at the floor. I rubbed my toe into the floor. While Lee JiHan picked out plates, I traced swear words onto the floor with my shoes.
***
Lee JiHan had made such a fuss and nit-picked at everything when I was doing the choosing, but he just picked everything. He chose every single one of the store’s display of tableware sets.
I mean, if that was all he was going to do, why did he make such a big deal about it in the first place? "The design has to be like this, the use has to be like that." He was going to end up buying everything without any differentiation anyways!
He even bought the Vera Wang special edition! After scolding me when I chose it!
Because of my credit limit, I split the purchase between three different credit cards and shed a tear looking at the receipt. My precious money, gone. Even if I somehow got a million dollars, I would never be able to spend like this.
"I mean, why do we need to buy 20 sets!" I exploded, but remembered Lee JiHan was there and quietly changed my tone. "There must be a reason you bought it. You wouldn’t just buy all this without reason. Isn’t that right?"
I tried with all my might to keep the smile on my face and looked up at Lee JiHan.
"My brother is no normal person," he replied, looking at me pitifully. "He is a businessman. The leader of a world company. If you want to advance in this field, do you know how many people you have to meet?"
"Of course, there will be a lot," I said.
"Then there will be a lot of times where he will have to invite people over to his home. You have to take into account each guests’ unique style. If you want to match their tastes then you will have to prepare a variety of options. You don’t even know something this basic? I can’t believe I have to teach you every little thing."
"I would’ve never imagined such a deep meaning behind this purchase," I said, clapping my hands. "I couldn’t possibly have that thought of that. And not just me. A person that could think of such things is rare, I’m sure there aren’t many people like you. It is an idea that’s beyond me. Your love and care for your brother runs so deep. JiKyung must have saved a country in his past life to have gained a brother like you. I’m so envious of JiKyung."
What the heck did I do in my past life that I ended up with a brother in law like this.
With a smiling face, I swallowed my tears. Suddenly, LeeJiHan turned his back and walked in hurriedly out of the store. What the...? What’s he doing? Is he ignoring me all together now?
I carried one set and requested the rest to be delivered, then followed Lee JiHan. Even though I hurried out of the store, he had already gone. Just in case, I checked the other stores on the same floor but he was nowhere to be found.
Why? We didn’t even finish shopping for all the kitchen appliances.....
This jerk! Did he go home and lock all the doors?! Am I being kicked out again?
***
Lee JiHan
This tiny girl had a knack for brown nosing; saying all those things that were true, but still good to hear from someone else. I almost laughed in front of her. I can’t believe I almost laughed in front of her. That can never happen. A scoff, a sarcastic sneer maybe but sincere laughter, no.
I washed my hands in the bathroom sink, and set my mind straight.
No matter what she says, no matter how good it feels to hear her say it, I cannot, will not, smile. I have to remain diligent. If I were to smile, we might develop some sort of mutual bond.
That girl is smarter than she appears. She knows that in order to gain my brother’s hand in marriage, she cannot beat me. However unreasonable I am, she just accepts it believing that it is the best way to support my brother. She may be quick witted and on point after all. Well, at least I like that one thing about her. Even so, she went from a negative 100 to a negative 99. I turned off the faucet, wiped my hand on my handkerchief, and left the bathroom.
When I returned to the store, Na AhJung was talking to the sales rep. I knew she had already finished the transaction, but if that was the case, why was she handing the sales rep her credit card again? Assuming there had been some error during the time I was in the bathroom, I watched as the sales rep placed a tableware set on the counter.
"Would you like this one?"
At the sales rep’s question, Na AhJung shook her head.
"No, No. Not that one. That, the more expensive one. Please give me that one." Na AhJung pointed to a set that was behind the sales rep.
There, all the sets I had chosen were stacked high, but she was only pointing at one. The rep grabbed it and placed it at the register.
"Then should I only process this one for payment?"
Na AhJung examined the set and chewed at her fingernails.
"Oh...but this one the design is too extravagant so wouldn’t you be able to tell if it went missing from the group?" she asked.
"Then how about you take out the one that’s the most expensive after that," suggested the sales rep.
"Oh! Yes, yes. Please do that."
Na AhJung’s eyes twinkled and she nodded her head vigorously.
I approached her.
"You think just that one is enough?"
At the sound of my question, Na AhJung turned and screamed. Not worrying about whether she felt the need to scream or not, I calmly added.
"Why don’t you just remove all the purchases and tell me to my face you didn’t."
"Uh, uh, uh," she stammered. "So what happened was....."
I gave this girl a negative 99, had I been too generous? More like negative 199.
"Never mind, just cancel everything," I said. "Your wedding too, cancel it."
With those last words, I coldly turned and left the store. Na AhJung chased frantically after me.
"It’s not that. It’s just I thought you left me, abandoned me, and went back home," she said.
"So, in your anger you decided to take out one of the tableware sets?" I didn’t turn back and instead looked straight ahead as I spoke..
"Oh, no. What do you mean angry? I just thought I was too late to catch up to you so I just thought that maybe I could leave a bit later," she explained.
"Then you thought, this would be the perfect time to get rid of one? And fool me?" Still only looking forward, I got on the downward escalator. It wasn’t until I was halfway down that I realized it was quiet behind me. What the...? did she not get on? Shouldn’t she be chasing after me like her life depended on it, but she dares to not?
In utter abhorrence I turned quickly around, and there Na AhJung stood. She had her head hung low and there were tears in her eyes.
"Why aren’t you answering me?" I asked rudely.
"I...didn’t mean...to fool you." Na AhJung’s shoulders trembled up and down. And with a shaking voice, she continued. "It’s just...I hoped you wouldn’t notice...I prayed that you wouldn’t."
How could she say such a ridiculous thing so sorrowfully? I glared at Na AhJung whose face looked as if she held the entire world’s sadness in her heart.
"Look. Hoping I wouldn’t notice means you wanted to fool me. Who goes around saying I’m going to fool you so I’m letting you know what happened?
"That’s–"
"And you crying will not work on me. How many times have you cried in front of me, you should know that by now. Crying for every little thing. That’s such a turn off."
Let’s take this opportunity to really embarrass her. Maybe then she would get the message to stay away from my brother.
With my arms crossed, I turned completely to face Na AhJung. "Your tears may have worked on my innocent brother but it will not work on me. I... huh? Ahh!"
Something seemed to catch my heel and I faltered. I turned around quickly to see my predicament. I had already reached the bottom of the escalator and my heels hit the metal at its end. I tried to catch myself but it was already too late. My body swayed and fell backward.