Let's Just Stay the Night

Kang-ho parked the car across from the franchise chicken joint. Judging by the weathered, faded sign, the place had clearly been in business for a long time. Which meant the family had business sense and grit, and he found himself thinking that was a relief.

Because who knew—he might otherwise have gotten a headache over people with a claim to his money. Mu-young had no parents, had been raised by her maternal grandmother, and after the old woman's death her uncle and aunt had taken her in. The kind of history that could, conceivably, prompt demands for compensation.

Marriage was like that. It was never just a matter between two people, so it paid to handle any thorny issues fast. The phone call he'd made to Mu-young had been about the pace of the wedding preparations, too. If it had to be done anyway, better to get it over with before the noise started.

He'd intended to suggest they each handle their own introductions and arrangements—when he was ambushed by a completely unexpected figure.

'Would that be you, our brother-in-law?'

At first, the word brother-in-law left him speechless, and then, taken to task over his attitude, he found himself scrambling for an excuse a second time.

'Not so much as a courtesy visit. Don't you think that's a bit much?'

The brazenness layered into that sweet, guileless voice made Kang-ho laugh in sheer disbelief. Strictly speaking, she wasn't wrong. They'd decided to marry, and introductions to family were the bare minimum.

Mu-young had already visited his household. With no room left to make excuses, Kang-ho declared he would go straight to the chicken shop run by her aunt and uncle to pay his respects.

'Right now? You're coming right this minute?'

It was Mu-young, oddly enough, who was startled. It would be awkward for her, no doubt, in all sorts of ways. He understood that well enough—but he saw no reason to manufacture a grounds for disqualification where none existed. As it happened, his evening schedule was free, so he wouldn't even need to go to the trouble of setting a separate appointment.

On the way to the meeting, he stopped by a department store and picked up a fruit basket and a premium hanwoo beef gift set. Hoisting the bundle of presents from the trunk, Kang-ho walked toward the chicken shop.

"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Baek Kang-ho."

The ones who came out to greet him were the aunt, Mu-young, and the young cousin who had engineered this whole meeting. Beyond them, through the doorway, a middle-aged man—presumably the uncle—could be seen frying chicken in the kitchen.

"Welcome! I'm Jang Jeong-mi, Mu-young's aunt."

Jeong-mi received his bow with evident warmth.

"I was worried our girl might have been the one committing a faux pas."

Introductions were one thing, but it seemed she felt an apology was owed if her niece had erred. Kang-ho waved it off with a light laugh.

"I'm the one who should apologize for being so late with my respects. This is a small token of my regard."

The moment he held out the gifts, Ji-soo, standing nearby, couldn't restrain herself and jumped in.

"That's a small token? Look at that wrapping—the price tag must be insane. Imagine what a big token would look like, it'd cause a whole riot… Ow, Mom! What was that for!"

"Just go inside. Why are you butting in so much today, honestly. So embarrassing."

Jeong-mi tried to tuck Ji-soo behind her. Watching their squabble, Kang-ho flashed a smile that said it was no trouble at all. Perhaps the high school niece could actually serve as a useful ally, loosening up the awkward atmosphere.

"I should be thanking her, really. Thanks to your cousin here, this introduction happened so naturally. I was planning to ask Mu-young to set a date for a visit anyway."

At the effortless, unhesitating lie that rolled off Kang-ho's tongue, Mu-young froze beside him, mouth hanging open. Since when had she become "Mu-young"? It came out so naturally it dredged up that distant past. Meanwhile the man beside her was simply performing his usual theatrical social maneuvering. She'd told him none of this was necessary, but he seemed even more absorbed in the role than she'd given him credit for.

"Is that so? Well, we're free any time—I just worried we'd be taking up a busy man's time. Anyway, we're so glad you came."

"Enough with the greetings already. Here, take a delivery order."

That was when Hyun-sik, his patience worn through, made his presence known from the back. The unwelcome in his posture was plain to anyone, so there was no need to guess at his feelings. And to be fair—when a niece you'd raised like your own daughter was suddenly marrying into a political family, as if sold off overnight, it would have been stranger to welcome it with open arms.

Kang-ho set the presents down on a table and walked toward the kitchen where Hyun-sik stood. At the movement, Mu-young's alarm deepened into open worry.

"My apologies for the late introduction. I'm Baek Kang-ho."

Oblivious to—or unbothered by—the man's pointed disregard, Kang-ho stepped right up to him and offered a formal bow at the waist. Even Hyun-sik, who had refused to so much as glance in his direction while working, faltered for a moment when Kang-ho came straight at him like that.

"Well, you're here, so sit. Have some chicken before you go."

Grumbling all the while, Hyun-sik was nevertheless in the middle of preparing food worthy of a guest. Jeong-mi, who knew her husband's temperament better than anyone, wasn't particularly worried.

"I'd be honored to. The smell alone is something else—and it hasn't even reached the table yet. I think a beer with this chicken is long overdue."

With easy charm, Kang-ho shed his coat and settled into a seat. He seemed slicker around the edges than he had in the old days. It was how he'd managed to become a National Assemblyman, certainly—but Mu-young was finding it hard to keep pace with him.

"Where's the beer? I'll go get it."

No sooner had he sat down than he was up again. Mu-young pushed him back into the chair as if to head off his overeagerness.

"I'll—I'll do it. Just sit still for once."

The look she gave him said, please, that's enough. Kang-ho, apparently delighted by how flustered she was getting, answered with a bright, boyish smile.

"By the way, didn't you drive here?"

"I'll leave it with a driver service, obviously."

The casual banmal slipped out of him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Mu-young's forehead tightened involuntarily. She genuinely couldn't tell how far she was supposed to play along with him.

"There's no long-term parking in front of the shops here."

The warning was delivered sideways: so just eat your chicken and go. She figured he'd have at least that much sense.

"In that case, should I go move it to a paid lot right now? That'd put my mind at ease. Now, where did I put the keys…"

Contrary to her hopes, Kang-ho kept twisting the knife, and the crease between Mu-young's brows dug in deeper. Was he doing this on purpose? She couldn't read his intentions, and it was suffocating. What was so enjoyable about stonewalling her here, of all places—this from a man who'd barged into her office just to talk, complaining how busy he was.

"Why don't you skip it and stay the night?"

Jeong-mi tossed the remark out in passing.

"You can have a look at Mu-young's room, too."

"Aunt Jeong-mi."

Mu-young whipped her head around in shock. This was an attack from an unexpected quarter. She could forgive Kang-ho his antics, but she hadn't imagined Jeong-mi would pile on and corner her like this.

"Oh, would that be all right? I'd love to, if you'd permit it."

How far is this man planning to go? Mu-young's sharp glare pinned him in place. Try as she might to keep her composure, it wasn't working. She knew he had a talent for rubbing people the wrong way on purpose, but surely there were lines even he had to keep.

"Didn't I tell you I have an early schedule tomorrow morning?"

Mu-young asked through gritted teeth. Kang-ho dodged her gaze, feigning innocence.

"I do, but opportunities like this don't exactly come around every day."

Her patience reached its limit right there. She could take no more, so she changed tactics. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

"Fine. Then let's make it a sleepover. In my bed. Together."

The instant the words left her mouth, Kang-ho—mid-sip of water—choked and coughed violently. Jeong-mi and Hyun-sik, who had been observing the couple's silent power struggle, exchanged a look of something close to relief. They didn't seem like a completely mismatched pair. Whatever the origins, Mu-young hardly looked like a woman about to be slighted or pushed around.

A faint hope even flickered to life—that their relationship might develop into something more, in time. A thought possible only on the assumption that the man was reasonably decent, of course.

They drank in moderation, and then Kang-ho followed Mu-young's lead into the building directly behind the chicken shop. A modest detached house with a small flower bed—that was where her uncle's family and Mu-young lived. Her room was on the second floor. Climbing the stairs, Kang-ho watched her from behind.

Her shoulders were wound tight as a bowstring—her nerves plainly visible. A smile spread across his lips without his permission. Truthfully, this hadn't been part of the plan; he'd simply been swept along. Not that he was entirely without interest.

If they were going to be married anyway, it wouldn't hurt to get to know her. You had to know your opponent thoroughly before you could bend them to your will.

"Just… give me a moment, please."

At the top of the stairs, Mu-young turned to him with a pleading look. Presumably she wanted to inspect the room first. Kang-ho nodded and waited.

A few minutes later, Mu-young stepped back slightly from her doorway and signaled for him to come in.

"Oho. So this is Miss Lee Mu-young's room?"

Kang-ho strode in without the slightest hesitation. The overall feel of the room was tidy and charming. He'd assumed someone so cynical would have no interest in decorating, yet a row of small figurines stood displayed on a shelf in one corner.

"Didn't take you for the type to be into this stuff."

He reached out to pick up one of the figurines.

"Hey, don't just grab—hyah!"

Mu-young rushed over to stop him and lost her footing. In the next instant, the two of them toppled naturally onto the bed, bodies overlapping. Kang-ho had caught her slender arm deliberately, guiding her fall so she wouldn't crack her head on something else first.

"Well. Isn't this moving a little fast?"

"What are you—what do you think you're doing right now?"

Since last time, it kept turning into hand-to-hand combat, and Mu-young, unable to bear it, tried to push herself up off his body. But Kang-ho caught her and pulled her back down, pinning her beneath him. Her face had flushed hot enough to be uncomfortable to look at. When a trace of murderous heat kindled in her eyes, Kang-ho's expression turned delighted beyond all reason.

"Why are you so desperate for it you can't see straight?"

"Who's desperate, exactly?"

"Exactly. So let's drop the coy act, shall we?"

And Kang-ho flicked the tip of her nose, light as a tease.