Episode 3. The Requirements of a Boyfriend
by 루시엘 · 2026-10-26
Episode 3. The Conditions of a Boyfriend
“Don't forget that it's fake. The moment you genuinely fall in love with that man, this contract will become the most cruel shackle for you.”
“Let's go on a trip together this weekend.”
Seo Do-hyuk said it so nonchalantly.
Yoon Ha-ni stared at him blankly.
It took her a few seconds to understand what she had just heard.
“...A trip?”
“Yes.”
“With whom?”
Do-hyuk slightly raised his eyebrows.
“With me and Yoon Ha-ni.”
“I know that!”
Ha-ni hurriedly waved her hand.
“No, when did we decide to go on a trip? That wasn't in the contract.”
“It states that we can discuss the schedule if a necessary situation arises.”
“That doesn't mean we can go on a trip!”
Do-hyuk organized the documents on the desk.
“Rumors of a romantic relationship have already spread. People will be curious about how long we've been together and what our relationship is like.”
“That’s true….”
“But if we act like we just met yesterday, it will raise suspicion.”
Ha-ni kept her mouth shut.
That was a valid point.
Photos of the two had already spread across the internet.
Some were curious about Ha-ni's identity, while others mentioned Do-hyuk's engagement rumors.
There were even speculations that the two had been in a secret relationship for a long time.
Ha-ni hadn't slept well last night.
What if her face became more widely known?
What would her friends say if they found out about this?
And above all, how long could she keep up this lie?
“But isn't a trip too soon?”
“That's why I'm suggesting it.”
“What?”
Do-hyuk looked directly at Ha-ni.
“Because we need to get to know each other.”
Ha-ni was momentarily at a loss for words.
That statement was not wrong.
The two signed the contract, but they knew almost nothing about each other.
Hani only knew that Dohyeok could not forget his first love.
Dohyeok only knew that Hani needed money and that she worked at a bakery café.
It was far too insufficient to pretend to be lovers.
“Then... where are we going?”
“To Gangneung.”
“Gangneung?”
“We will leave on Saturday morning and return on Sunday.”
Hani bit her lip tightly.
A trip on the weekend.
And alone with a man bound by a contract.
Of course, Dohyeok was handsome.
Objectively speaking, he was quite good-looking.
However, going on a trip with someone handsome was a completely different matter.
Hani looked at him with suspicious eyes.
“Representative.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is there... any other intention you have towards me?”
Dohyeok's expression hardened.
“What intention are you talking about?”
“No, it's just...”
Hani's face turned red.
“You know, like asking for something strange under the pretext of a contractual relationship.”
Dohyeok was silent for a moment.
Then he pushed the contract on the desk towards Hani.
“We will each use our own rooms. The schedule will be shared in advance, and we won't engage in activities we don't want to do. The physical contact regulations specified in the contract will still apply during the trip.”
Hani looked down at the contract.
“...You're really thorough.”
“It's only natural.”
Dohyeok organized the documents again.
“I have no intention of putting you in an uncomfortable situation.”
Hani glanced at him for a moment.
His words sounded sincere.
She finally let out a sigh.
“I understand. I'll go.”
“That's good.”
“But there is a condition.”
Dohyeok raised his head.
“Go ahead.”
“If I say I'm hungry during the trip, we eat right away.”
“...Is that the condition?”
“I get sensitive when I'm hungry.”
“Understood.”
“And we must stop by a café. If I find a delicious dessert shop, we have to go there no matter what.”
“If there are no issues with the schedule.”
“Ah, really!”
Hani hit her chest as if feeling frustrated.
“How did you date, CEO?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Hani closed her mouth.
Oh no.
She made another mistake.
Do-hyuk's expression changed subtly.
Hani hurriedly lowered her head.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ask it that way.”
“It's okay.”
Do-hyuk looked at her for a moment before speaking.
“I wasn't very good at dating.”
Hani blinked in surprise.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then... you might not do well this time either?”
Do-hyuk chuckled softly.
“If Yoon Hani teaches me well, it should be fine.”
Hani froze in place.
What did this man just say while smiling?
To teach him well?
Hani felt her face getting hot and hurriedly stood up.
“Then I will go take care of work!”
“Yoon Hani.”
“Yes?”
“The morning work hasn't even started yet.”
“...Ah.”
Hani slowly sat back down in her chair.
Do-hyuk lowered his head to read the documents.
And in a moment when Hani couldn't see, he smiled very slightly.
Eleven o'clock in the morning.
Hani started her work at the desk set up on one side of the CEO's office.
At first, she was nervous.
When it came to the CEO's office work, she thought she would only handle difficult documents, manage complicated schedules, or do tasks that required specialized knowledge.
But once she actually did it, there were parts that were not much different from the work she did at the previous café.
Organizing schedules.
Printing meeting materials.
Reserving meeting rooms.
Check the documents to be delivered to the client.
However, everything was much more systematic, and a single mistake could lead to a big problem.
“Director, I have organized the materials for the meeting at two o'clock this afternoon.”
Hani placed the documents down.
Do-hyuk nodded as he checked the materials.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Is there anything else you need?”
“Not at the moment.”
Hani returned to her seat.
But a moment later, Do-hyuk called her again.
“Yoon Hani.”
“Yes?”
“Who organized this material?”
Hani's heart sank.
“I did. Is there something wrong?”
Do-hyuk held up a sheet of paper.
“The sales figures are displayed differently.”
Hani hurried over.
“Where?”
Do-hyuk pointed to the relevant section.
Hani checked the materials and her face turned pale.
It was true.
The figures did not match those on another page.
“I’m sorry. I will check again.”
Hani quickly took the materials back.
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
To make a mistake from the first day.
Maybe she shouldn’t have come to this position.
What if Do-hyuk fired her?
That thought filled her mind.
“Yoon Hani.”
Do-hyuk's voice was heard.
“Yes……”
“Why are you so tense?”
Hani couldn't lift her head.
“I made a mistake.”
“Mistakes can happen.”
“But it's the material that you will see……”
“So just fix it.”
Hani slowly lifted her head.
Do-hyuk spoke with a calm expression.
“No one is without mistakes. What’s important is to become someone who doesn’t repeat the same mistake.”
Hani listened to his words and stared at him blankly.
It was warmer than she expected.
It had been different when she made mistakes at her previous job.
Hani was scolded for a long time over a small mistake, and instead of being told not to do that again, she was asked why she couldn't even do something like that properly.
So Hani was afraid of making mistakes.
She was scared of disappointing someone.
But Dohyeok was different.
He pointed out her mistakes without treating Hani as an incompetent person.
“……Thank you.”
Hani said quietly.
Dohyeok looked down at the documents again.
“Please submit the revised materials by the afternoon meeting.”
“Yes!”
Hani took the materials and returned to her seat.
She began to double-check the figures again.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
This time, she examined them carefully to avoid any mistakes.
When it was just past one o'clock in the afternoon, Hani brought the revised materials to Dohyeok.
“Director, I have double-checked.”
Dohyeok looked over the materials.
“Good.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Hani's face brightened.
“That's a relief…….”
She smiled unconsciously.
Dohyeok watched that smile.
It was bright.
He had felt it since the first time they met, but Hani's atmosphere changed every time she smiled.
Even when she forced a smile, she tried to lift the corners of her mouth, and when she was genuinely happy, her eyes lit up first.
However, Hani's face he had seen briefly at the restaurant yesterday was different.
When the topic of Dohyeok's past came up, she didn't ask anything.
Instead, she said she looked sad.
That remark strangely lingered in his mind.
“Yoon Hani.”
“Yes?”
“Have you had lunch?”
Hani blinked.
“Not yet.”
“Why haven't you eaten?”
“I was busy revising the materials.”
Dohyeok checked the time.
Ten minutes past one in the afternoon.
He got up from his seat.
“Let's go have a meal.”
“Yes?”
“I said let's go eat lunch.”
Hani hastily packed her bag.
It was only after she got into the elevator that she regained her composure.
“Representative.”
“Yes.”
“Is it okay for us to eat together?”
Do-hyeok looked at her.
“Why wouldn't it be allowed?”
“Well, you and an employee….”
“There is no rule against having meals with employees.”
“That may be true, but….”
Do-hyeok paused for a moment, looking at her before speaking.
“Yoon-ha-ni.”
“Yes?”
“Right now, think of this as time for a contractual relationship, not work.”
Hani held her breath.
“…Ah.”
Now that she thought about it, the two of them had only been working at the company.
They had decided to have a fake relationship, but had hardly any time to get to know each other.
As Do-hyeok got off the elevator, he said.
“Today, let’s eat what you want.”
Hani hesitated for a moment before breaking into a bright smile.
“Then I want to eat tonkatsu!”
Do-hyeok paused for a moment.
“Tonkatsu?”
“Yes! Crispy tonkatsu, with lots of sauce!”
“…Understood.”
Hani followed him with an excited expression.
Do-hyeok smiled unconsciously as he watched her.
She was a simpler person than he had thought.
She became happy when she ate delicious food, delighted when she received compliments, and tried hard again when someone believed in her.
Perhaps that was why she was more dangerous than he realized.
Once you get used to such a person, at some point, a daily life without that person would feel strange.
Do-hyeok shook his head.
Not yet.
She was just a contractual partner.
On the way back after lunch.
Hani looked down at the small paper bag in her hand.
“What is this?”
Do-hyeok asked.
“Dessert.”
“Are you going to eat dessert after having tonkatsu?”
“Of course.”
Hani answered confidently.
“The stomach for meals and the stomach for dessert are different.”
Do-hyeok looked at her as if he couldn't understand.
Hani opened the envelope and took out a small piece of bread.
It was a bread filled with plenty of white cream cheese.
And on top of it, honey was spread thinly.
Do-hyeok's steps came to a halt.
Hani did not notice that fact.
“This is really delicious. I really love the combination of cream cheese and honey.”
Hani cut the bread in half.
“Would you like to try some?”
Do-hyeok looked at the bread.
White cream cheese.
Golden honey.
A sweet smell he had sensed long ago in someone's kitchen faintly resurfaced in his mind.
He unconsciously reached out his hand but stopped.
“……No.”
Hani tilted her head.
“Why? Do you not like sweet things?”
“That's not it.”
“Then please try it.”
Hani offered a small piece.
“It's really delicious.”
Do-hyeok hesitated for a moment.
And eventually took the bread.
He took a bite.
The soft cream cheese and sweet honey spread in his mouth.
At that moment, Do-hyeok's expression wavered just slightly.
A memory from long ago surfaced.
A rainy afternoon.
A small kitchen.
And a woman who smiled at him.
‘Do-hyeok, try this. It's my favorite.’
She spread cream cheese on a slice of bread and sprinkled honey on it.
‘Isn't it delicious?’
At that time, Do-hyeok had nodded without much thought.
But now he seemed to understand.
Why that woman loved this snack so much.
Why she kept asking him to try it too.
Do-hyeok looked down at the bread in his hand.
Hani cautiously asked.
“……Is it not good?”
Do-hyeok lifted his head.
“No.”
“But why does your expression look like that?”
“What expression are you talking about?”
“You looked like someone who was… sad.”
Do-hyeok couldn't say anything.
Hani felt unnecessarily sorry.
“I'm sorry. Did I say something unnecessary again?”
“No.”
Do-hyeok fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“It's similar to the food someone liked in the past.”
Hani looked at the bread in his hand.
“Your first love?”
Do-hyeok did not answer.
But Hani did not ask any more questions.
She put the remaining bread into the bag.
And she said very quietly.
“That person must have been really nice.”
Do-hyeok turned his head.
“What do you mean?”
“It's when someone you like remembers your preferences. Even the simplest food, they eat it with you.”
Hani laughed.
“I like that kind of thing.”
At those words, Do-hyeok couldn't respond at all.
Simple food.
Remembering someone's preferences.
And sharing a meal together.
He recalled the words of that woman from long ago.
‘Even if we break up someday, remember this taste.’
At that time, he didn't understand what those words meant.
Even now, he couldn't fully grasp it.
But there was one clear fact.
He couldn't forget that taste.
And today, the small piece of bread Hani handed him reopened the door to memories he had kept closed for a long time.
Saturday morning.
Hani had arrived in front of the house ten minutes early for their appointment.
One suitcase.
One small bag.
And a cup of coffee in her hand.
When the black sedan arrived, Hani waved her hand.
“Seo Do-hyeok!”
Do-hyeok got out of the car and took Hani's suitcase.
“Is this all your luggage?”
“Yes. It's a two-day trip, so I don't need much.”
“Did you pack everything you need?”
“Yes!”
“What about your ID?”
“I have it.”
“What about your phone charger?”
“I have it.”
“What about your medicine?”
Hani opened her eyes wide.
“...Representative, I'm not an elementary school student, you know?”
Do-hyeok placed the suitcase in the trunk.
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep checking?”
“It would be troublesome if something is missed.”
Hani chuckled softly.
“You are really meticulous, Representative.”
Dohyeok opened the passenger door for her.
“Get in.”
Hani got into the car.
Not long after the car started, Hani checked her phone.
She had been bothered by a message from an unknown number since yesterday.
Don't you really want to know why that man lost the person he loves?
Who sent it?
Why did they send such a message to her?
What could have happened to Dohyeok?
Hani turned off the screen.
The contract stated that personal privacy would be respected.
There was no reason for her to dig into that person's past.
However, strangely, it was hard to ignore that message.
“Yoon Hani.”
Hani lifted her head at Dohyeok's voice.
“Yes?”
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“It's nothing.”
Dohyeok looked at her for a moment.
“That's another lie.”
Hani bit her lip.
He had an unusual ability to read people's expressions.
“I’m just... a little worried.”
“About what?”
Hani hesitated for a moment.
And eventually, she asked.
“Are you really okay with having a contract relationship with me?”
Dohyeok looked at her.
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Well, you originally chose me to avoid marriage talk. But now photos are spreading, and people are starting to recognize us.”
Hani looked out the window.
“I just wondered if I might be complicating your life unnecessarily.”
Dohyeok did not answer for a while.
Only soft music was playing in the car.
After a long pause, he spoke.
“My life is already complicated.”
Hani looked at him.
Dohyeok continued speaking while facing forward.
“It was like that even before you came.”
Hani couldn't say anything.
“So don't think it got complicated because of you.”
That statement strangely comforted her.
Hani nodded slightly.
“……Yes.”
Do-hyeok looked at her for a moment and added.
“And if you ever feel uncomfortable, just let me know. It's possible to terminate the contract.”
Hani looked at him.