A Flower for the Goddess
Having a good job came with plenty of advantages, but it wasn't all positives. For example, many of the country's most prestigious, deep-rooted conglomerates had their headquarters planted right in the heart of Seoul. It made sense to erect buildings where the crowds were, but even so, this level of traffic congestion felt excessive. The experience of passing through Sungnyemun Square at rush hour. Hundreds and thousands of buses slicing across Seoul, tangled up with every kind of private car in a frenzied tap dance of chaos. What did it feel like to be dropped into that scene? Special correspondent reporting live: It was fucking shit. I was in the mood to cast mass brainwashing on every driver ahead of me and tell them all to fuck off.
I'm going to lose my mind. I'm going to lose my mind.
My head was in a fog. I wondered why every company seemed to let out at the same time. If they diversified by industry or rolled out a staggered schedule, traffic wouldn't be this bad. If a woman became mayor of Seoul, maybe I'd turn her into a Believer and brainwash her...
Hoo. Hoo—.
My mind spun as hot as an idling engine, a storm of chaotic thoughts swirling inside. But even pain has an end eventually. I finally carved my way through the gridlock and reached my destination. I checked my watch. I was just barely on time for our meeting.
She's here.
It didn't take long for a dazzling beauty who captured every eye around her to appear in front of the Lamborghini. If Seolyoung resembled an elegant oriental painting, Yuna was like a Renaissance Western masterpiece. A goddess who overwhelmed people with her brilliant, commanding beauty. Then again, she had been raised as a precious princess, so it was only natural she radiated that kind of divine presence.
"Over here, Yuna."
I stepped out of the car to greet her. The moment she spotted me, a bright smile bloomed across Yuna's face as she walked over with haughty grace in her high heels. When that smile flowered, it felt like the entire alley in Seoul's downtown lit up with warm light.
That's a flower. Right there—that's what a real flower looks like.
I stared at her face, completely entranced. Her level of beauty was on another plane entirely. Truth be told, to properly treat an SSS-grade talent, I had bought a single flower on the way over. It was currently hidden in my left hand behind my back.
Since Yuna had been raised so delicately, I figured a traditional yet impactful flower would be better than trying to impress her with something expensive. But no matter how I looked at it, Yuna was more beautiful than the prettiest bloom in the shop I'd chosen. So I hesitated a little about giving it to her.
Hah. Calling something this pathetic a gift. Isn't my face prettier? Well, no matter how disappointed she got, Yuna wouldn't actually react that way. Still, because she was so stunning, I wondered if even a beautiful gift would move her at all. It felt like handing Bill Gates or Warren Buffett a five-thousand-won cultural gift certificate.
"...Minjun?"
"Ah, Yuna."
While I was lost in thought, Yuna had stepped right up to me. She glanced curiously at my left arm, which I'd pulled behind my back.
"What are you hiding?"
"Ah, it's a flower."
Maybe I was too distracted, because instead of silently offering it at the perfect moment, I answered honestly. The surprise factor that could have worked as a nice variable was gone.
Still, Yuna's reaction after hearing the word "flower" wasn't bad at all. That was a relief.
"What? A flower? For me?"
Yuna pointed at her own face as she asked. I nodded.
"Yes. I bought it to give to you, Yuna."
"...Then why aren't you giving it to me?"
"Because you're too beautiful, Yuna."
"Pardon?"
"You're so much prettier than the flower that I hesitated to hand it over. It feels like giving Bill Gates a five-thousand-won cultural gift certificate. You get what I mean?"
"Eep... Minjun—. How can you say something like that so loudly when there are so many people around? It's embarrassing..."
It was unexpected. I'd blurted out my inner thoughts with a whatever-happens-happens attitude, yet Yuna seemed to like it. Her cheeks flushed deeply and she twisted her body shyly.
Oh ho—. So women like this kind of thing...
It felt like I'd gained a small enlightenment. Sometimes throwing out raw, unfiltered thoughts in chunks worked better than polished lines.
That part's easy for me.
I was confident about this. I wasn't particularly talkative, but I had an enormous amount of thoughts. Enjoying every angle of an object and guessing all the related events from a single incident was basically a hobby.
Anyway, having so many thoughts made speaking without a mental filter surprisingly simple.
"Even now I'm hesitating whether to give it or not. I'm worried a shabby flower like this doesn't suit you, Yuna. Please don't throw it away after you receive it."
"Absolutely not! That would never happen, but even if the flower were ugly, I'd still be incredibly happy. Because it's the first gift I'm receiving from you, Minjun."
"When you say it like that, it makes me even more hesitant to give it. Still, here it is. Okay—coming."
With a smooth motion, I slowly drew the flower out from behind my back and held it out to her. Contrary to my worries, a huge smile bloomed across Yuna's face as she accepted it. The aura radiating from her bright smile completely washed away the flower's presence. In my eyes, only Yuna's face existed. Damn flower. Supposed to be the synonym for beauty, yet it lost completely to a human in the visuals department. Both the flower and Yuna felt a bit excessive.
"Hmm~ It smells wonderful too. Minjun, this is so pretty. And I'm really happy. This is the first time a man has ever given me flowers."
"Really? Well, since you were raised so delicately..."
"No! What does being raised delicately have to do with it? And among delicately raised girls, I was actually on the rougher side, you know?"
"Sorry. I have this condition where I can't breathe when the atmosphere gets too romantic. Your reaction was better than I expected, so I got excited and slipped up."
"...No! Saying things like that—so casually..."
Yuna's cheeks flushed again. Her eyes darted around as she became conscious of the people nearby.
What was this? I'd simply spoken my thoughts aloud, yet Yuna's reaction was far from ordinary. There was the extra buff that came with becoming ridiculously handsome, but I was definitely moving her with my words. At this point it didn't seem like women in general liked this—it felt more like Yuna had unique tastes. Maybe growing up too refined made her enjoy unfiltered speech instead. Hmm, that was definitely possible.
"Yuna. Let's get in the car now."
"Yes, Minjun."
Having just performed a scene straight out of a romantic comedy, we climbed into the car together in good spirits. Riding in a top-tier sports car with a beauty like Yuna beside me felt great no matter how many times I did it. The longing and jealous stares from people around us were incredibly sweet.
"This is the navigation, right? I'll input the restaurant address, Minjun."
Before getting in, Yuna lightly shook her shoes, gently opened and closed the door, settled into the passenger seat, and skillfully fastened her seatbelt. Then she promptly entered the address into the navigation on the center console. As expected from someone who used to drive, her consideration for the driver from the very start was exceptional. She could serve as the model passenger.
Still, I wanted to be the one to buckle the belt for her...
There was nothing quite as cringeworthy as buckling your girlfriend's seatbelt when she sat in the passenger seat. Yuna's competence was admirable, of course, but as someone with a refined hobby of occasionally enjoying those awkward moments, I couldn't help feeling a little regret.
Yuna was already nearing thirty, but after following an elite path, studying abroad, and jumping straight into the workforce, it was safe to say she was a complete blank slate when it came to dating and physical intimacy. If I had fastened it for her, she probably would have shown a lovely reaction. What a shame, that belt.
"...Um, aren't we leaving, Minjun?"
"Cough. Ah, yes. We should get going."
Yuna pulled me out of my daydream where I'd been staring at the seatbelt and letting my imagination run wild. Like a man caught having indecent thoughts, I cleared my throat and hurriedly started the car. Buckling the belt was a somewhat gentlemanly act that barely qualified as good manners, but somehow my reaction had veered into perverted territory.
"Minjun. Just asking in case..."
"I wasn't having dirty thoughts. I didn't stare at your chest."
"Hmm—. I see~."
Even with my clean explanation, Yuna's expression screamed suspicion, but it was easy enough to ignore. This was one of the driver's privileges. I kept my eyes forward to fulfill my duty, checking traffic conditions regularly, which let me naturally bypass her doubtful gaze.
"Traffic is really heavy today, Yuna."
"It is rush hour, after all... By the way, you really didn't stare at my chest, right?"
"Yes, I didn't."
"Tsk—. You could just be honest..."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Nothing."
I hadn't realized she had such a suspicious side, but Yuna deliberately asked again about the glance I'd given. No chance in hell. I denied it immediately without flinching, and my clean, natural response left her grumbling without anything else to say.
Why? Why does it feel like she's sulking?
It had clearly been a perfect exchange. There wasn't a single flaw. Yet from Yuna, who had clamped her mouth shut and lowered her head, I somehow sensed a faint pout. It was incomprehensible, but rather than analyzing why, figuring out how to lift her mood right now seemed far more important.
So I decided to just tell her the truth. It might embarrass me a little, but if it cheered Yuna up, the gain would be enormous.
"Actually, I was looking at the seatbelt earlier, Yuna."
"The seatbelt?"
"Yes. I wanted to buckle it for you, but you did it so skillfully that I felt disappointed."
"Ah... Pffha—. Hehe..."
"Why are you laughing?"
"Pff—. Ahem. Ahem. It's nothing. I just realized you have this cute side too, Minjun. Moments like this make you seem like a twenty-year-old."
"Only in moments like this? What about other times?"
"You seem much more like an adult than me."
"..."
It was a bit of a shock. Yuna would soon be thirty. Just how did I look in her eyes? Some nagging old man? A fossil?
"Ah, it means I find you that reliable, so you absolutely mustn't misunderstand, okay?"
"Whew—. That's a relief, then."
"Puhuhu. Minjun, you're being... really cute today."
"..."
I found myself speechless again. Never mind how embarrassing it was to be called cute by a woman—it had been so long since anyone treated me that way. Everyone had only ever looked at my cock like it was some kind of monster, yet here she was calling me cute. It was a refreshingly new shock. So fresh that I couldn't even tell if it felt good or bad. I was simply curious whether she could still say something like that after seeing my dick.
Vroom—.
We headed toward the restaurant, chatting comfortably. It was rush hour, but after suffering through hellish traffic near Sungnyemun earlier, even the slight congestion felt relaxed. Maybe it was thanks to Yuna sitting beside me, responding to every word.
Talking with Yuna was genuinely fun. It was enjoyable whether I saw her as a client or as my girlfriend. Consideration for others came as naturally to her as breathing. I wondered what kind of face this true elite of our time—with manners and refinement soaked into her very bones—would make when she tossed all that aside and rolled around wildly on the bed.
It was a perverted thought, but at their core, all men were perverts. So I simply strove to become a successful one.
Screech—.
I parked the car in the lot after cutting through the forest of buildings. I took Yuna's hand firmly and headed for the restaurant. It offered a direct view of the Han River right outside. Looking through the windows, the cars that had felt like mortal enemies while driving now looked beautiful. The excellent scenery combined with soft jazz flowing from the speakers created an undeniably perfect atmosphere. It felt like even farting here would come across as romantic. There was a reason countless couples poured money into searching for places with this kind of vibe.
"The atmosphere is nice."
"Isn't it? The last time I came here, I loved it so much... I told myself that once I had a lover, I had to come back here. That's what I thought."
"Wow."
My cheeks flushed at Yuna's suddenly adorable line. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but the usually proper Yuna felt much softer and fluffier too. Lovely cutie. That was the vibe.
"I will assist you with your order, sir and madam."
"Ah. Yes."
It was always the waiter who inserted a comma into the breathtakingly romantic atmosphere. I followed Yuna's lead and ordered suitable dishes. Since I had to drive, I skipped the alcohol. It didn't matter. To me now, alcohol was simply a preference. I had plenty of experience and confidence; I didn't need the help of intoxication to seduce a woman. To be completely honest, compared to the Pope's Aura or Prophet's Voice, alcohol was nothing.
"Ah—. Minjun. Would you take a look at this?"
"Yes? What is it?"