The Main Wife War (5)
The Main Wife War (5)
080
Yoon Hee-yeon sat on the sofa with a grumpy expression, sipping her Americano.
A cold, bitter taste swirled in her mouth. She was holding ice cubes in both cheeks until they were about to burst, when suddenly, her chest felt cool.
"...? Damn it!"
Water droplets that had formed on the surface of the glass cup were dripping onto her chest.
"Do you want a tissue?"
"No, it's fine. It'll dry if I leave it."
As she flapped the hem of her t-shirt, she felt a sense of skepticism about what she was doing so early in the morning.
She was currently drinking in the dawn air in the hotel lobby because of Su-yeon-unni's urging, just in case. She was already exhausted from dealing with Min-jun yesterday, and now this—she hadn't even slept properly.
"Unni. We don't even know when he'll come out, do we have to keep waiting like this?"
"Just wait a little longer. It's only been 30 minutes."
"Only 30 minutes? It's been 30 minutes already."
"Let's stay a little longer. Min-jun said so himself. He's very diligent, so he wakes up early."
Yoon Hee-yeon, who had buried herself in the sofa with her arms crossed to express her displeasure with her whole body, pouted her lips.
"It's too unplanned from the start. Even if he wakes up early, he might not come out to the lobby, or he might sleep in today."
"Then it can't be helped."
Seeing her smile while saying that, Hee-yeon pursed her lips.
"Aren't you tired, Unni?"
"I'm tired."
"...But how did you manage to wake up at dawn and even put on makeup? You're the one who's truly amazing."
Unlike Hee-yeon, who had come out dressed casually, Su-yeon was impeccably dressed in a suit and even wore light makeup.
"If I don't do at least this much, I won't be able to keep up with you guys. I have to at least make an effort."
Su-yeon gave a bitter smile.
There are too many good women by Min-jun's side. In terms of looks, and ability.
She had prided herself on not losing to anyone in terms of beauty, but just looking at Yoon Hee-yeon sitting next to her, she was no less than herself. No, honestly, she was even better. As if the nickname 'Tennis Fairy' wasn't just for show, even her disheveled, just-woke-up appearance was pretty. Enough to be compared to herself, who had been fully made up since dawn.
And that's not all.
What about ability? She might be a reporter, but she hadn't passed the Journalism Exam, nor did she have experience in major media outlets. She was a reporter in name only; in reality, her only experience was as a magazine editor. And that was at a trashy magazine that pursued useless ideologies, and she had only gotten in through the Women's Quota System at that.
Compared to that, what about Yoon Hee-yeon?
At the fresh age of 23, she had outstanding beauty and the skills to be considered a prospect who would lead the Korean women's tennis world. She was truly the epitome of a woman who possessed all the looks and abilities she had admired.
If Yoon Hee-yeon is like this, then Oh Ha-rin is...
"What's wrong with you, Unni! You said you were confident about this Journalism Exam! Besides, aren't you the owner of a media company!"
Su-yeon smiled faintly at the sight of Yoon Hee-yeon, who was comforting her despite having every reason to brag, as befitting a kind-hearted person.
"I have confidence, but I haven't passed yet. And what kind of media company owner am I, when it's just a place anyone and everyone works at? To be precise, Ha-rin is the owner."
"Ah, aaah...!"
Hee-yeon, who had been opening and closing her lips, quickly changed the subject as if to divert the conversation.
"Oh Ha-rin, that vixen! If it weren't for screwing her over, I wouldn't be doing this annoying stuff. Right?"
"Even if it wasn't Ha-rin, you would have done it, right? It's Min-jun's request."
"I don't know. Whether Hong Min-jun asked or not."
Watching Yoon Hee-yeon grumbling with her lips pouted like a child, Su-yeon smiled slyly.
"Why? Are you jealous?"
"...Of course I am. Aren't you jealous, Unni? How can a person be so indifferent? Asking his own woman to help him seduce another woman, is that even a thing?"
"Not 'his own woman', but to be precise, 'his own women'. You know well enough what kind of guy he is, so why act surprised now?"
"Oh, seriously. Are you on my side or that vixen's side, Unni?"
"I'll be on Min-jun's side."
Seeing Su-yeon smiling playfully, Hee-yeon sighed.
"Fine. I'm the only bad girl here. Ah~ I don't know. I said I'd do it, so I guess I have to help this time."
"You're a good girl, our Hee-yeon."
"I'm not a child, you know? Since it's come to this, I really hope that girl, Da-ye or Da-hye or whatever her name is, gives Oh Ha-rin a taste of her own medicine."
"Why are you so prickly toward Ha-rin?"
"Then aren't you annoyed by her, Unni?"
"Annoyed? Why?"
When Su-yeon asked with a puzzled expression, she began to pour it out as if she had been waiting.
"It's just like that! Her attitude is all wrong from the start. Just because she's a third-generation chaebol, does that make it okay? She acts like the Legitimate Wife. We're not actually concubines! And what's with that bizarre proposal? Is that even something to say? It's truly ridiculous."
"Why are you like this? You accepted it too."
"......."
Hee-yeon was left speechless by the nonchalant reply.
That was true.
Whether it was absurd or ridiculous, in the end, she was the one who accepted Oh Ha-rin's proposal.
"...I hate you, Unni."
Having nothing left to say, Hee-yeon just opened and closed her lips, barely managing to spit out those words.
"Ha-rin probably made that proposal with us in mind, in her own way."
"Ehh~? No way! How is that a proposal with us in mind!"
Hee-yeon recalled her meeting with Oh Ha-rin a month ago.
That was around the time Hong Min-jun had just been called up to the national team and left.
Oh Ha-rin had contacted Hee-yeon, who was resting in Korea after finishing a grueling overseas tour. Through Su-yeon.
The content was just to meet up once.
Hee-yeon already knew Oh Ha-rin well.
Because she had seen her rolling around in a 3p with Min-jun in a video that Su-yeon-unni had sent her a while ago.
She didn't like the fact that her man was rolling around with another woman, but at the same time, she thought, 'What's the big deal if Su-yeon-unni is there too?'
Like the saying that the first time is hard but the second is easy, Hee-yeon, who possessed a bizarre sexual orientation, was sexually very aroused watching them. At the same time, anger welled up that her man was seeing another woman.
While suffering from these contradictory emotions, she decided to meet Oh Ha-rin when the contact came.
She felt she had to meet her in person, because that was the only way she might find some small clue to resolve these contradictory feelings.
She had felt it while watching the video, but Oh Ha-rin, whom she saw for the first time, was pretty.
And she was a completely different person from what she had imagined.
She wasn't a pervert like in the video, nor was she an ordinary person.
A third-generation chaebol. A young lady from a chaebol family, no less.
Furthermore,
"Come under me. I'll give you everything. As for the conditions, this woman here will explain them to you."
She even made a bizarre proposal through Su-yeon-unni.
The content was that since women naturally follow a capable man, they shouldn't cause trouble among themselves. Furthermore, saying she wouldn't just say it with empty words, she said she had created an agency company, so they should join.
When she asked what she was talking about in Korea, which isn't the Joseon Dynasty and practices monogamy, she was stunned by the remark that her own father did the same.
She even wondered if she was the weird one because of Oh Ha-rin's brazen attitude in revealing that she was an illegitimate child as if it were nothing.
Besides, the conditions of Oh Ha-rin's agency were incredibly good.
Externally, the conditions were slightly more generous than the industry average, but the actual contract was practically at a level with no agency fees. Along with full-blown support for her entire athletic career.
Considering that Korea is a barren land for tennis, and especially the reality of the even more dire women's tennis world, it was obvious that Oh Ha-rin's agency wouldn't be making money, but rather suffering huge losses due to player support costs.
When asked why she was offering such absurd conditions,
"Because I'm the Legitimate Wife. Managing the concubines is the duty of the Legitimate Wife."
She even laughed triumphantly.
"For your information, the woman next to me has accepted my proposal. You're a reporter, right? Since a sports player needs a friendly media outlet anyway, I decided to entrust it to her. Unlike some people, she knows her place well."
Recalling that time, Hee-yeon pouted her lips with a grumpy expression.
"It's truly ridiculous. Who's the Legitimate Wife, and who's the concubine? She's really something else."
"Ha-rin might be a third-generation chaebol, but she's an illegitimate child. It doesn't seem like they don't acknowledge her as a daughter like in dramas... but still, she must have had her share of sorrow. That's probably why she's obsessed with being the Legitimate Wife. We should understand."
"You're too nice for your own good, Unni."
'Do you think I like doing this?'
Su-yeon swallowed her words.
Compared to the two confident women who lacked nothing in beauty or ability, she lacked everything. Unlike the two who had given their first time, she hadn't even been able to give that.
From the beginning, her place was not by his side, but behind him.
That was why, unlike Hee-yeon, Su-yeon quickly surrendered to Oh Ha-rin. To at least gain the position of a concubine under the tolerance of the Legitimate Wife.
'Because you and I are different.'
She is different from Yoon Hee-yeon, who crosses her arms and pouts her lips.
She is different from a woman who can be confident, who can aim for the position of the Legitimate Wife.
So... even if it's just to survive,
"But it's not like you can leave Min-jun either. Then we should all get along well. Without causing unnecessary trouble."
"Hmph. I don't like Oh Ha-rin, but... since you say so, Unni, I'll let it slide for now."
"Yes, yes. Ah. There she is. Her name was Yoon Da-ye, right?"
"Hello."
The black-haired woman with a bob cut turned around, her indifferent gaze sweeping over the two women's faces.
Hee-yeon forced a smile.
'Ah, damn it. Why is she so pretty too?'
She knew she was pretty because she saw her yesterday, but she was so confused that she hadn't been able to examine her closely. However, today, facing her head-on like this, her beauty stood out anew.
A sharp bob cut and large, round eyes.
She was a woman who truly gave off the vibe of an intellectual beauty.
"Ah. The people who came with Min-jun's girl...friend yesterday."
Hee-yeon and Su-yeon looked at each other at the subtle tone.
The certainty in her gaze.
'It's certain. This girl, she likes Hong Min-jun.'
Because she was a woman who liked the same man, she could feel it even more clearly.
"That's right. I'm Yoon Hee-yeon, who came along with... ahem, Min-jun's girlfriend."
"Yes. You're player Yoon-hyeok's older sister, right?"
"Oh? You know? Please call me tennis player Yoon Hee-yeon rather than Hyeok's older sister."
Saying that because she wanted to be remembered as a tennis player rather than her younger brother's sister out of a player's pride, Yoon Da-ye's eyes widened slightly.
"Ah. You were a tennis player."
"...Don't tell me you didn't know?"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
"No... You knew I was Yoon-hyeok's sister, but you didn't know I was a tennis player? Me, the Tennis Fairy? Me, the future of the Korean tennis world?"
"Yes. I apologize."
"......."
She said she was sorry, but her tone was so indifferent that it didn't feel like she was sorry at all.
"I greeted you yesterday, right? I'm Kang So-yeon. I'm player Min-jun's dedicated reporter."
"Yes. You're Editor Kang So-yeon from Woman Power Magazine, right?"
"...Y-yeah, right? I've resigned now, though."
Su-yeon, who had quickly jumped in at the chilling atmosphere, was also flustered.
How did she know that? Woman Power Magazine is famous for being an unlikable magazine, so people who know would know, but how many people would remember who the editor there is?
"Ah. You resigned. No wonder."
Seeing Yoon Da-ye nodding, Su-yeon suddenly realized.
'This feeling is familiar.'
A sensation she had felt a few times while working at the magazine.
Yes. This is like...
'...A stalker?'
Cold sweat ran down her back.
'This... I think I've messed with the wrong person.'
She had a bad feeling, but this was, after all, to fulfill Hong Min-jun's request. Su-yeon tried to suppress her anxiety and began the prepared lines.
"I'm worried because player Min-jun's lifestyle pattern seems unstable since he started dating his girlfriend lately."
"......Ah, ah, right. I heard from my brother that he eats instant food all the time. You know, junk food, junk food. Hamburgers, pizza, cola~ stuff like that."
Watching Hee-yeon start her bad acting belatedly, Su-yeon squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
'It's ruined. She looks quick-witted at a glance... Plus, there's no way a woman with stalker tendencies would fall for such a shoddy trick...'
"That thing just now. Tell me in detail. What did you say Hong Min-jun is eating?"
'...She fell for it?'