Ch.146146. I’ll Prove It

“…You want me to prove that?”

“Yes, prove it.”

I couldn’t help but ask again and swallowed hard. Even if you ask me to prove your charm, I’m not sure how I should go about proving it.

If I could just show you what’s in my heart, it would be simple, because then you’d know how attractive I think you are. But since that’s realistically impossible, I need to find another way.

…But how? I can’t exactly give a detailed explanation of what parts of you captivate my heart and in what way.

I’m not saying this because of what Hwa Nabi just said, but if I were to say something like “your long legs stretching below your shorts look good”—that would only cause more misunderstandings. It sounds kind of perverse.

While I was trying to seriously think about it, the scene on the screen changed. The main couple, who had been madly in love just this morning, were now arguing over a small misunderstanding. It’s the conflict escalation scene that’s essential in every romance movie.

[Hey, why can’t you explain? Why were you photographed coming out of a hotel with another woman?]

[No, it’s not like that! We really just had dinner for business reasons. Nothing else happened.]

[You expect me to believe that? Put yourself in my shoes. If I came out of a hotel with another man, would you believe that explanation?]

[Well…]

When the female lead presses him hard, the male lead’s face changes to look like a rain-soaked puppy. So that’s what it is. The big dog male lead that women go crazy for. I didn’t really understand what that term meant before, but seeing it with my own eyes, I get it now.

“Are you looking at someone else right now?”

I snapped back to reality from my wandering thoughts. In front of me was Hwa Nabi, annoyed at some strange point. This isn’t the time to be casually watching a movie when I haven’t even appeased her.

“No, I was just thinking for a moment.”

“What were you suddenly thinking about?”

“Well…”

Perhaps because I was at a loss for words, the male lead’s dialogue I’d just heard came out of my mouth. I was trying to buy some time to think slowly, but the conflict on screen began to intensify.

The male lead who couldn’t be honest due to certain circumstances, and the female lead whose suspicions only grew deeper seeing his behavior. Just when I thought something was bound to happen from listening to the main couple’s conversation—

—BANG!

Suddenly, there was the sound of someone slamming the table and standing up. Both Hwa Nabi and I, distracted by other things, were startled and turned toward the screen simultaneously.

[It’s you that I like. Not anyone else.]

The male lead on screen, with a stern expression, brought his face close to the female lead’s. Startled, the female lead fumbled with her words before finally managing to say something.

[How am I supposed to believe that?]

[Then, should I prove it to you?]

There’s that word “prove” again. Since the dialogue between the actors on screen coincidentally resembled the flow of our conversation, I perked up my ears.

In response to the male lead’s question, the female lead folds her arms and snorts. As if saying “go ahead and try,” her attitude seems to provoke the male lead, who smiles fiercely.

[Just so you know, I’m not responsible for what happens next.]

I wonder how exactly he plans to prove his love. I kept watching to get some reference, and was genuinely shocked.

[What? What do you mean—mmph.]

The conversation between the two leads was taking place in a hotel restaurant on the first floor, and the male lead suddenly kissed the female lead.

It’s probably only possible in a movie… but that’s a really bold move, isn’t it? The reactions of the surrounding characters in the film aren’t much different from mine. They murmur about the main characters engaging in public displays of affection regardless of who’s around, and some even take out their phones to record it.

[…Do you believe me now?]

The male lead steps back after a long kiss. And as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, muttering lowly, the female lead’s face gradually turns red as she watches him.

[What if people saw us…?]

Saw? They definitely saw. They were even recording. In a few days, the video will probably be circulating on all kinds of social media with the title “Hotel Kiss Couple.” Despite my concerns, the male lead maintained a consistently calm face.

[So what if they see? I’d rather they spread rumors. That you’re my woman. Then that person will give up on their own.]

[That person?]

A word that seems like an important foreshadowing slipped out. The male lead realizes his slip of the tongue too late and tries to brush it off, but it’s already been heard. The female lead, noticing something suspicious, presses him, and he opens his mouth with a resigned look.

[Well, actually…]

“So, what were you thinking about?”

Just as I was about to get immersed in the movie as the hidden backstory was about to be revealed, Hwa Nabi tugged at the hem of my shirt. The topic of conversation was what we were about to discuss earlier. As I was about to speak, I glanced at Hwa Nabi’s face.

Though her lips were tightly sealed, the twitching at the corners of her mouth showed she was expecting something.

“A way to prove it.”

“A way?”

“Yeah, I was thinking about how I could prove it. I gave it some thought.”

Kissing in front of other customers is too difficult. Only people with thick skin can do something like that.

“You thought about it, and then what?”

“I found a good method.”

“…What is it?”

To Hwa Nabi, who asked half-doubtingly, I answered with a quiet smile.

“I’ll prove it to you.”

***

As soon as the movie ended, he said he had something to do and disappeared, only to reappear without warning. Then he immediately took my hand and led me somewhere.

Half-dragged along, I asked where we were going, but he didn’t answer and just kept walking silently. The place where he finally stopped was.

“…Isn’t this a hotel?”

It was in front of a large building with a classical roof, a hotel with various facilities.

No, I was wondering where we were suddenly going… but a hotel? Feeling a bit bewildered, I turned and asked, and he nodded as if there was nothing strange about it.

“Yes, it belongs to our group.”

“Han-Wi Group runs hotels too?”

I didn’t know that. When I asked in confusion, he grinned and looked at me.

“We acquired it recently for employee welfare. Summer’s coming soon, right? It’s a hotel, but there’s a lot inside. There’s a spa, accommodations—it’s perfect for relaxing.”

“You bought this entire building for employee welfare…?”

How much did that cost? The amount must be beyond imagination, and my jaw dropped. As I tried to estimate the figure in my head, he nudged my shoulder.

“Well, shall we go in?”

Since we were already here, I followed him in as he suggested. Inside the building were various facilities for mental and physical relaxation, including bathing facilities, beauty facilities, and massage facilities.

The first place he took me, still holding my hand, was the massage room on the second floor. It was a pleasant place with fragrant aroma oil wafting from the entrance.

“Here, change your clothes first.”

“W-why change clothes?”

“Why? To get a massage. They say the masseuses here have amazing hands. According to employees who’ve experienced it, it’s like heaven.”

Well, certainly, getting a massage while smelling such a nice scent would be heavenly… but why did he bring me here suddenly? Even as I changed into a massage gown, that question lingered.

“…What is this really about?”

Is this what he meant by proving it? But why prove it while getting a massage? No matter how much I questioned myself in the mirror, there was no answer.

The more I pondered, the more questions piled up. After sighing deeply, I left the changing room. He had already changed and was waiting for me.

“You’re a bit late.”

“Ah, yes. I had some things to think about…”

As I answered casually, I glanced at his attire. A massage gown with the waist tie tightly fastened. But perhaps because the garment itself was slightly oversized, his collarbone was slightly exposed below his neck.

I found myself staring at that part before quickly averting my gaze.

“Want to look more?”

He smiled mischievously as he leaned against the wall. Pulling at the front of his massage gown with his index finger to show his collarbone, it seemed he had noticed me looking.

“No thanks. What good would it do me to see your body?”

“Is that so? Then never mind.”

Though I responded somewhat sharply, he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to like my reaction. He smiled at me as I crossed my arms.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Just because I’m happy.”

“…What’s making you happy?”

“Being like this with you.”

…I almost fell for it for a moment. Launching a surprise attack when I’m already troubled? My heart felt like it dropped, and as I was trying to compose myself, his crescent-shaped eyebrows came closer.

“Hwa Nabi.”

With gentle and affectionate eyes, he flashed an incredibly charming eye-smile and lightly took my hand. Without waiting for a response, he continued.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I’d prove your charm to you.”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with this…?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

He interrupted, taking a short breath.

“How can I prove your charm?”

“……”

In truth, I knew it was an unreasonable request. After all, why should someone else prove my charm? Despite knowing this, I said it partly out of emotion.

Since it wasn’t something I said after deep thought, I was planning to pretend to be convinced if he played along. If he initiated a kiss, I would have let it slide.

…But why are his eyes so serious?

“My conclusion is this.”

He looked around. Though “around” here just means the massage room waiting area, but anyway.

“Your conclusion is a massage?”

“No, something more impressive.”

“Something more impressive?”

“I rented this entire building for today.”

“…What? You rented what?”

“You know, like in dramas. When the male lead, captivated by the female lead’s charm, spends a ton of money. Doesn’t that mean the woman is charming? So I’m making that kind of investment.”

‘Though saying “investment” makes it sound a bit strange, you get what I mean, right?’ He added something, but it didn’t register in my ears at all.

“No, Siwoo! That’s not the point. That was just something I said, and because of that, you rented this place for a day? How much money did you spend…”

He stopped my lips with his index finger as I was about to snap at him. And then, with a confident smile, he said:

“I have a lot of money. More than you think.”

“……”

“So, just enjoy it.”

…That was such a rich young master thing to say.