The Contract Begins

Ga Eul froze.

For a moment, she thought she had heard him wrong.

The soft music inside the café faded into the background as she stared at Seo Jun across the table.

“A marriage contract?” she repeated slowly.

Seo Jun nodded calmly.

Ga Eul let out a short laugh in disbelief.

“Why me?”

He stayed silent.

“You’re Lee Seo Jun,” she continued. “A chaebol heir. CEO of Cheonha Mall. There are probably women standing in line waiting to marry you.”

Seo Jun looked at her quietly before speaking.

“That’s exactly the problem.”

Ga Eul frowned.

“Everyone wants something from me.”

His voice was calm, but tired.

“Money. Status. Power. A future.”

He leaned back slightly.

“But you…”

He looked directly into her eyes.

“You don’t want marriage at all.”

Ga Eul blinked.

Seo Jun gave a faint smile.

“It’s difficult finding someone similar to me.”

“Someone who hates the idea of marriage as much as I do.”

Ga Eul crossed her arms.

“And marrying you would completely defeat the purpose of rejecting marriage.”

“That depends,” Seo Jun replied.

She raised an eyebrow.

“If this is just a contract,” he said softly, “then maybe we both get what we want.”

Ga Eul looked away.

“A clean ending. No emotions. No loose ends.”

His words lingered in her mind.

Seo Jun slowly stood up from his chair.

“You don’t have to answer now.”

He took out his phone.

“But think about it.”

After a moment of hesitation, Ga Eul exchanged numbers with him.

The two walked in opposite directions that night, but neither of them could stop thinking about the conversation.

The next morning, Ga Eul sat at her clinic desk pretending to read patient files.

Pretending.

Because the only thing on her mind was Seo Jun.

“A contract marriage…” she whispered to herself.

Her assistant entered the room.

“Doctor, your next patient is here.”

Ga Eul quickly straightened herself.

“Send them in.”

For the rest of the morning, she buried herself in work.

Patients.

Consultations.

Procedures.

Anything to stop thinking about him.

But somehow…

His words kept returning.

“Maybe we both get what we want.”

By afternoon, Ga Eul finally decided to take a lunch break.

She grabbed her bag and walked toward the lobby—

Only to stop abruptly.

“Mom?”

Her mother stood there smiling brightly beside an unfamiliar man in a formal suit.

Ga Eul immediately sighed.

“Not again…”

Her mother ignored her expression.

“Ga Eul-ah! Perfect timing.”

She pushed the man forward.

“This is Min Woo. He’s from a very respectable family.”

The man bowed politely.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Ga Eul forced a smile that looked more painful than polite.

They all sat down at a nearby restaurant.

And just as expected—

The questions began.

“So what kind of man do you like?”

“How many children do you want?”

“When do you plan to settle down?”

Ga Eul stared blankly.

The same questions.

Again.

“I don’t want children,” she answered flatly.

Her mother kicked her lightly under the table.

Ga Eul continued anyway.

“And marriage sounds exhausting.”

The man laughed awkwardly.

Her mother quickly interrupted.

“She’s joking.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Ga Eul!”

Ga Eul suddenly stood up.

“Excuse me. Washroom.”

The moment she entered the restroom, she pulled out her phone and dialed Seo Jun’s number.

He answered almost immediately.

“Hello?”

Ga Eul took a deep breath.

“I accept your proposal.”

There was silence on the other side.

Then—

“…What?”

“I’m serious,” she whispered quickly. “My mom brought another man to meet me. I need help.”

Seo Jun slowly smiled.

A real smile.

One his employees had probably never seen before.

“Send me the location.”

Ten minutes later—

Ga Eul returned to the table.

Her mother was enthusiastically talking while the poor man nodded nervously.

Then suddenly—

A tall figure stopped behind Ga Eul.

Everyone looked up.

Seo Jun stood there holding a bouquet of flowers.

The entire restaurant fell silent.

Ga Eul’s eyes widened.

He actually came.

Seo Jun stepped forward elegantly.

But instead of handing the flowers to Ga Eul—

He gave them to her mother.

“Mother-in-law,” he said politely, “I’m sorry for introducing myself so late.”

The table froze.

Her mother’s jaw dropped.

Seo Jun continued calmly.

“I’m Ga Eul’s boyfriend.”

Ga Eul almost choked trying not to laugh.

“And we’ll be getting married soon.”

The man beside her immediately stood up awkwardly.

“I-I think I should leave.”

Her mother looked completely horrified.

“Ga Eul?! WHAT is this?!”

Ga Eul innocently blinked.

“You wanted me to date someone.”

Her mother grabbed her bag in embarrassment and quickly dragged the other man away.

The second they disappeared—

Ga Eul burst into laughter.

Seo Jun looked at her and smirked slightly.

“You seem happy.”

“I haven’t laughed like this in months.”

For the first time, Seo Jun laughed too.

A soft, genuine laugh.

And somehow—

Ga Eul found herself staring at him longer than she should have.

Later that evening, the two sat inside Ga Eul’s clinic.

The building was quiet.

Safe.

Private.

Papers were spread across the desk between them.

At the top of the document:

Marriage Contract Agreement

Ga Eul read aloud.

“Three years.”

Seo Jun nodded.

“No interference in each other’s careers.”

“No falling in love,” Ga Eul added immediately.

Seo Jun smirked slightly.

“Agreed.”

“We act like a real couple in public.”

“And after three years,” Seo Jun said calmly, “we divorce peacefully.”

Ga Eul looked at him carefully.

“Are you sure about this?”

Seo Jun signed the paper first.

“I’ve never been more sure.”

After a long pause—

Ga Eul finally signed too.

The sound of the pen against paper changed both their lives forever.

The next day.

Cheonha Group’s newest business launch was crowded with reporters, cameras, and elite guests.

Flashes exploded everywhere as Seo Jun stepped onto the stage in a perfectly tailored black suit.

His family watched proudly from the front row.

But then—

A woman appeared beside him.

Beautiful.

Elegant.

Wearing a soft cream-colored dress.

Whispers spread instantly through the crowd.

“Who is she?”

“Is that his girlfriend?”

“Since when?”

Even Chairman Lee narrowed his eyes.

Seo Jun glanced at Ga Eul once.

Then he faced the microphones.

The entire hall became silent.

And with complete confidence, he announced:

“This is my bride.”

Gasps echoed everywhere.

Seo Jun gently held Ga Eul’s hand.

“We’ll be getting married soon.”

Camera flashes exploded wildly.

Ga Eul looked stunned.

His family looked furious.

And somewhere in the chaos—

Seo Jun smiled slightly.

Because for the first time in years—

He finally felt free.

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