NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8
“He’s really 33! He’s legit!”
When I said I was 33, Jang MD started asking me all sorts of questions, the kind you could only answer if you were really that age, things no minor or anyone under their mid-20s could know just by skimming the surface.
Even the guards, who initially had stern expressions, softened up.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were a minor.”
“Yeah, if you’re 33, it’s easy to forget your ID sometimes. Turns out you’re older than me, bro.”
“Wow. The world is really unfair.”
“Bro, let me be straight with you. With a face like yours, I was going to let you in even if you were underage. I even had a table in mind just for you.”
“But if you let in a minor and get caught, the fine is in the thousands, and you could lose business for a week or two. That’s tens of thousands in losses considering the revenue.”
“See? See? Would a minor say something like that?”
Jang MD grabbed my arm and led me down the entrance steps.
The loud beat of the music was already making my ears ring, echoing through the building.
“Bro, just trust me and come with me this once. They’re really good people.”
“I’m not gay.”
“No, of course not. I’m talking about charming ladies. You know it’s rare to see a team of women booking a room in a Gangnam club on their own dime, right? They’re like unicorns, I’m telling you. And you’re a unicorn too, so it’s a perfect match.”
“No thanks. I came here to listen to music and drink alone.”
“Please, just once. Help me out here, yeah? Bro, I’m begging you! Please!”
I finally declined and just ordered a bottle.
Jang MD left with a forlorn expression, as if deeply upset.
The place was more crowded than I had thought.
I guess there was no line because everyone who wanted to come in had already done so.
Jang MD personally brought over the bottle, glasses, and a tray of snacks.
“Bro, those ladies over there have a whole spread of Royal Salute. Why don’t you just take a quick look?”
“No thanks.”
The loud music.
Young men and women who couldn’t stop moving their bodies even for a moment.
You couldn’t understand a word even if someone was shouting right next to you.
The scene was so foreign that I was almost experiencing cultural shock, but I liked it.
It felt like a paradise where all the world’s worries had been banished.
Here, at least, no fear or anxiety could bother me.
[Yeon Da-eun]
[26 years old]
[166 cm, 52 kg, A cup]
[Base Sexual Desire: A]
[Interest in You: A]
[Special Note: Wants to go to a motel with you immediately]
I let myself go to the dazzling beat that seemed to drive away all worries…
[Choi So-hee]
[20 years old]
[168 cm, 49 kg, B cup]
[Base Sexual Desire: B]
[Interest in You: A]
For now, I was just intoxicated with the only state-sanctioned drug…
[Lim Mi-jin]
[Seo Min-hee]
[Kim So-young]
Oh, please!
The constant stream of women’s information popping up before my eyes was dizzying.
It was not even that crowded, so why were people bumping into me so much?
Feeling irritated, I moved to a quieter corner.
[Kim Ja-ye]
[Cha Seung-eun]
[Lee Jung-hwa]
No way. These women were sticking together and following me.
“Were you here alone? Let’s hang out together.”
“Wow, you’re really handsome. I want to see you in better lighting. Want to go outside?”
“Should we go out? It’s too loud in here, right?”
“Wow, you have a cool vibe. Want to dance together?”
“Let’s go outside. There’s no point staying here any longer.”
I was feeling dizzy.
I thought the dim lighting would be okay, but these women were sharp—they zeroed in on Chang-woo’s good looks and flocked to him.
I’d heard that good-looking guys get treated well in clubs and can choose who they want to hang out with.
I used to be envious of that, but I guess being too handsome had its own set of problems.
I can’t get used to this. I can’t take it.
“Oh my, bro! Where are you heading off to?”
As I was trying to leave, Jang MD hurried over and grabbed me.
Did he really keep his eyes on me the whole time?
“People keep bothering me when I just wanted to drink quietly and listen to music. I don’t think clubs are for me.”
“Oh, come on! If you want to drink quietly in a club, you need to book a private room! Come on, follow me!”
“No, I said no.”
“Just sit for 10 minutes, and if you don’t like it, you can get up and leave! I’ll even refund your drink.”
Trying to buy me off with just a 600,000 won bottle of liquor.
“Are you sure I can just sit for 10 minutes and leave if I want to?”
“Absolutely, absolutely.”
“Then bring it out now.”
“Yes, yes! Right here!”
That’s about 60,000 won per minute…
It was too much money to refuse.
———
VIP Room.
The spacious room could easily accommodate 20 people, and it had its own private restroom.
The soundproofing was excellent, so you couldn’t hear the loud beats from the first floor at all.
If desired, you could turn on the speakers to bring the sound in.
Three women were sitting around the table, smoking cigarettes.
They were covered head to toe in luxury brands and wore heavy makeup.
They looked to be in their mid-20s.
“Why are the guys these days like this? I can’t find any good-looking ones.”
“That’s just how Gangnam clubs are. The handsome guys only stay for about 10 or 20 minutes before they meet someone and leave.”
“That’s why I suggested we go to a host bar instead. Clubs are basically platforms where rich guys come to pick up girls.”
“Oh, no way. Those places feel gross.”
“Well, it’s worth trying at least once, right?”
The women occasionally glanced down at the first floor while chatting idly.
“With Chae Song-hee going to the U.S., when will the three of us get together like this again? I’m telling you, we should at least try a host bar once.”
“No thanks. It sounds boring.”
“I’m just saying, we should try it out. Who knows when you’ll come back after going to the U.S.?”
“If someone heard you, they’d think I was going into exile. I’ll be back every two or three months, so just be ready to clear your schedules.”
“If you come back that often, won’t your dad break your legs?”
“Well, then he shouldn’t send me in the first place. It’s not like I want to go. He’s threatening me with his will, so I have no choice.”
The three women were daughters of wealthy families.
They were all quite beautiful, so they had very high standards for men and were used to having men fawn over them.
“Jang MD was hyping up some big catch today, saying we should look forward to it, but there’s nothing special.”
“Big catch, my ass.”
“But Jang MD doesn’t usually talk nonsense. The guys he brought last time weren’t bad.”
“Oh, you mean those guys who claimed to be models? I didn’t like them—they were too dumb.”
“Get a grip. Why would good-looking and smart guys come to a place like this?”
Bang!
The door swung open, and Jang MD walked in with confidence.
“Ladies! Sorry for the wait! I had a really hard time bringing him here! Sir, please come in!”
A man walked in, and it was as if his appearance was radiating light.
The three women froze with the same expressions on their faces, like baby birds seeing their mother for the first time.
They were overwhelmed by the shock of a new world opening up before them.
*Cough! Cough!*
At that moment, the incredibly handsome man covered his face with his wrist and let out a shallow cough.
“The smoke is really thick. I think I’ll just leave. I don’t smoke, you see.”
The three women moved quickly in unison.
In synchronized movements, they stubbed out their cigarettes in the ashtray and poured expensive liquor.
“We put them out! Please come in!”
“There’s still too much smoke; it’s hard to breathe. Enjoy your time without me—”
“MD oppa! Get us a fresh room without any smoke! Clear all this up and bring new drinks!”
“Hey, hey! Get up, get up!”
“Oh, Park Min-ha. Didn’t I tell you to quit smoking?”
“What are you talking about? Kim Ga-eul, you smoked the most.”
The women grabbed their bags and stood up, moving swiftly like well-trained soldiers.
“Alright, sir. This way, please. I’ll guide you to a fresh room with clean air.”
“There was still a lot of alcohol left. Is this okay?”
“Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. If you leave now, I’m in big trouble. Those ladies will kill me.”
“They look young, though.”
The three women following behind giggled silently to themselves.
“Hey, we look young.”
“He’s so handsome. I can’t stand it.”
“What’s Chae Song-hee going to do now?”
“I’ve claimed him, so don’t touch him.”
“What are you talking about? You’re going to the U.S.”
“I’ll stay in Korea even if I have to throw myself in front of my dad.”
“Wow, I’ve never seen a face like that. Those so-called models from last time were just ugly in comparison.”
“Is he a rookie celebrity?”
———
After moving to the new room and sitting down, the women kept glancing at Lee Chang-woo with giggly smiles.
With the three women’s eyes all focused on him, he looked around awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.
His innocent-looking demeanor only made him more appealing to them.
“Wow. He’s really handsome.”
‘He’s not pretending to be innocent on purpose, is he? There’s no reason for him to with that face.’
‘It feels like he might have just come to the club alone out of curiosity.’
‘How old do you think he is? He looks young.’
‘He said we look young, so maybe he thinks we’re around 20, and he’s in his early 20s himself?’
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Jang MD was clearly in high spirits, his shoulders moving to the rhythm. He was unable to contain his excitement. He brought in a large tray filled with various fruits.
Seeing two bottles of alcohol, Lee Chang-woo was startled.
“Wow, Royal Salute 38-year? This costs over a million won even at liquor stores! How much does it cost here?”
“Oh sir, you know your stuff.”
“Are you really into alcohol?”
“Not really, it’s just that my academic advisor was very fond of the 38-year. So whenever there was a rumor about a place selling it cheaply, we’d rush over and clear it out. Brings back a lot of memories.”
“Oh, are you a college student?”
“No, I was a graduate student.”
“Oh, you must have been quite the scholar.”
The three women thought, ‘So he’s older than he looks?’ He seemed like he was in his early 20s just by looking at him.
But that didn’t matter at all.
In fact…
‘Even better.’
‘That’s actually better.’
‘If he looks that young, I hope he’s older.’