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Chapter 8
Charge Me Up
Where on earth did this woman’s limits lie? Yesterday it was kissing, today it was dating—would she ask to get married tomorrow?
Utterly dumbfounded, Ho-rang stood there with his mouth agape like a video buffering after an internet disconnection, before barely managing to ask:
“W-What do you want us to do?”
“Date.”
“Are you crazy?”
“I’m perfectly sane.”
“Then why date? Do you love me or something?”
“I’m not someone who falls in love easily.”
“Then do you like me?”
“You’re not really my type either.”
“Then are you interested in me?”
“I hate guys with nasty tempers. I like gentle, polite types with good manners.”
Having never felt inferior or rejected anywhere in his entire life, Ho-rang found it utterly absurd and insulting to be turned down—and three times in a single breath, no less! Still, he bit back his anger and pressed on:
“You don’t love me, you don’t like me, and you’re not even interested in me… so why on earth are you asking to date?”
“Who said anything about doing it for real?”
Because she asked so nonchalantly with her eyes curving into sweet crescents, Ho-rang was left entirely speechbound.
“Let’s do a contract relationship. Just until your re-operation—for exactly three months.”
When Ho-rang stared at her as if a massive question mark were floating above his head, Bo-bae offered a further explanation:
“You need me until your re-operation, and I need your help to write my script. But Mr. Baek Ho-rang doesn’t have a girlfriend, right? So I’ll stand in as your substitute girlfriend, and in return, show me—a chaebol’s dating flex!”
Even after hearing the explanation, Ho-rang couldn’t readily process her words. Through reviewing countlessly many drama scripts, he was plenty familiar with contract dating and contract marriages, but to think it would happen in real life—and to him, of all people!
He had always dismissed such arrangements as pure fiction that could never happen between two people devoid of mutual feelings or attraction, so he felt as though he had been struck hard on the back of the head.
Seeing him blink stupidly in sheer shock without offering an answer, Bo-bae smiled brightly and said:
“I’ll give you plenty of time to think it over.”
“…”
“Don’t worry too much—we have to stay together until we get discharged anyway.”
Watching Bo-bae slyly tap her wrist before stepping out of the hospital room, Ho-rang felt the reality sink in with absolute clarity:
Not only was that woman holding his lifeline in her hands, she was actively shaking it to her tune.
“Is that woman really the only way?”
After agonizing over the situation by himself, Ho-rang ultimately sought out Professor Kwak.
He couldn’t just let himself be dragged around by a woman whose identity wasn’t even properly verified. He had to find another way.
“There is no other way.”
However, Professor Kwak was firm.
“Don’t just say there isn’t one, please find another—”
“I mobilized every resource available to investigate, and I’m still keeping my eyes peeled searching as we speak.”
“…”
“Right now, Patient Na Bo-bae is the only one who can make your heart beat.”
It wasn’t as if Ho-rang didn’t know this—he had verified it with his own eyes, after all.
He simply wanted to deny it. He wanted to believe there was another way to survive besides that woman. He refused to accept that Na Bo-bae, of all people, was his sole lifeline.
“Why? Is she refusing to cooperate? Did Patient Na Bo-bae say she won’t help?”
“No. If anything, she’s trying to help too proactively, and that’s the problem.”
“Isn’t that a good thing, then?”
At Professor Kwak’s response, Ho-rang let out a powerless snort.
If only she hadn’t babbled about ‘give and take’ and ‘something given for something taken’ when they first met, none of this would have happened.
Being the quick study she was, Bo-bae was offering her proactive help only on the condition of a price—and an absurd price like a contract relationship, no less.
“What on earth is the problem?”
At Professor Kwak’s question, Ho-rang exhaled a deep sigh and answered weakly:
“She says she’ll act as my auxiliary battery, but wants us to date in exchange.”
“What?”
Startled by Ho-rang’s words, Professor Kwak blinked for a second before bursting into a booming laugh.
“Ha ha ha! I thought Patient Na Bo-bae was a harmless little deer, but she turns out to be a dragon! A dragon that catches the tiger, Baek Ho-rang!”
“Does this sound funny to you right now?”
“Should I be sad, then? Want me to cry?”
Ho-rang glared at Professor Kwak, who was laughing to the point of tears, and let out a heavy sigh.
Here he was on the brink of death, and a medical doctor was deriving entertainment from it!
“Why not take this opportunity to date someone for once?”
To make matters worse, the professor even added fuel to the fire.
“Did I mishear you just now?”
“I heard these days if you’re a virgin until twenty-five, you’re called a wizard. That makes you Gandalf.”
“Please cut back on your internet usage.”
“Unless your hobby is letting people make up weird rumors about you, just give dating a try.”
Ho-rang was well aware that wild rumors surrounded him.
Because he had never dated anyone—let alone flirted—even at thirty-two, gossiping people manufactured terrifying rumors.
CEO Baek Ho-rang is actually a regular at gay clubs. No, actually he craves women like crazy and is an Energizer bunny—he’s super strong and lasts forever. Actually, he has a hidden child. He has local wives and kids in every country across the globe…
All he had done was work hard, so why were such outlandish rumors circulating?
However, Ho-rang never gave a damn about what others said. Unless a rumor directly impacted the company’s stock price, he responded with complete indifference. Perhaps his silence had only fed the rumors further, but still.
“Forget about that. Is there any other information that could help my heart?”
When Ho-rang touched his left chest and asked, Professor Kwak wiped the smile from his face and spoke in a serious tone:
“This isn’t verified for certain, but…”
“Please tell me anything.”
“I think the distance between you and Patient Na Bo-bae directly impacts the battery’s charging speed.”
“Distance?”
“If you fall beyond a certain distance from Patient Na Bo-bae, it stops charging. But conversely, if you get closer than a certain distance, it seems to charge much faster. There appears to be a specific rule or formula at play…”
As Professor Kwak trailed off, Ho-rang fell into thought.
He knew firsthand that falling beyond a certain distance halted the charging process. But getting closer made it charge faster?
Involuntarily, Ho-rang checked his smartwatch. The battery reading was now at 40%!
“When did it charge up this much?”
It had only been an hour since it plummeted to 9% and he stayed near Bo-bae. When had it charged all the way up to 40%?
Puzzled, Ho-rang asked:
“What was the remaining battery level when I first woke up in the room?”
“Around 1 to 2 percent.”
“And how long was I with that woman?”
“She stayed by your side until you woke up from anesthesia, so about three hours?”
It was bizarre. When they were together for three hours, the battery only charged by about 10%, yet it had jumped by 30% in a single hour just now?
When had it charged so rapidly?
Don’t tell me… back then…?
In an instant, the kiss he shared with Bo-bae on the rooftop flashed through his mind.
If Professor Kwak’s hypothesis held true—that distance between him and Bo-bae directly affected the charging rate—the only thing that could explain the sudden surge in battery level was that kiss. After all, no distance could possibly be closer than that.
“What’s wrong? Did something come to mind?”
“I need to go.”
“Where?”
“I have something to verify.”
Stepping out, Ho-rang headed straight back to the hospital suite.
To prove Professor Kwak’s hypothesis, he needed Bo-bae.
And physical contact with her.
The hospital suite was empty.
He checked the rooftop as well, but Bo-bae wasn’t there either.
Where on earth could she have gone in this massive hospital?
Ho-rang checked everywhere Bo-bae might go—the main lobby, the walking trails—yet she was nowhere to be found.
“Where did she go?!”
Fortunately, his battery level was currently sufficient, but not knowing where Bo-bae was made him deeply anxious.
The sudden fear that his battery might suddenly drain—or plummet below 10% again like earlier—sent a wave of panic crashing over him.
Anxious, Ho-rang quickened his steps. As he scoured the surroundings searching frantically for her, a familiar voice drifted into his ears from somewhere nearby:
“Should I eat seolleongtang? Or pasta? No, I should get tteokbokki, fried food, and sundae for the first time in forever! Dipping crispy squid fritters into spicy tteokbokki sauce… Mmm, that sounds delicious!”
It was Bo-bae. She was staring at the food models displayed outside the food court, practically drooling. Just as she wore a blissfully happy expression, she suddenly turned gloomy and lightly tapped her own head with her fist:
“Ah, right! I just had an appendectomy! Stupid me, I’m supposed to be fasting—why did I even walk over to the food court? Ugh, habits really are terrifying. How did my feet naturally wander all the way to the food court on their own?”
The moment Ho-rang saw her, a sigh of relief escaped his lips before he even realized it.
Finding her brought immense peace to his mind. He felt safe again. His wildly racing heart quickly regained its steady rhythm, and the cold sweat running down his spine dried up.
Approaching Bo-bae, Ho-rang called out:
“What are you doing here? I was looking all over for you.”
Hearing his nonchalant words, she turned around with a bright, innocent expression on her face—making him look like the anxious one.
“You were looking for me? Why?”
“Who said I was looking for you?”
“You just said it! You said you were looking all over for me. Why were you searching for me?”
Though he had literally scoured the entire hospital to find her, seeing her smug ‘I knew it’ look made him refuse to answer honestly.
“I wasn’t. Why would I look for you?”
“You really weren’t looking for me?”
“I really wasn’t.”
“Is that so? Whatever then.”
Bo-bae coolly turned around and started walking away.
Once a bit of distance grew between them, Ho-rang kept his eye on his smartwatch and quietly trailed behind her.
The current battery level was 40%, and his distance from Bo-bae was about 2 meters. This distance didn’t seem to have much impact on the charging speed.
To test Professor Kwak’s hypothesis, he needed to close the gap between them further.
Ho-rang sped up slightly to move closer to her side. Though he got fairly close, the battery level remained motionless. Just as he was about to press even closer for a clear verification—
“Do you have something to say to me?”
Bo-bae suddenly halted her steps and whipped around!
“W-What do you mean, something to say?!”
Startled, Ho-rang stumbled over his words, prompting Bo-bae to flash a sweet smile.
“Are you saying you’ll accept my proposal? That you’ll date me?”
“No, I am not! Why on earth would I date you?!”
“Then why do you keep following me around?”
“Who’s following who?! I’m just walking my own way!”
At Ho-rang’s defensive answer, Bo-bae narrowed her eyes with suspicion.
He was trailing right behind her like a puppy desperate to use the restroom, clearly looking like he had something to say—yet he kept stubbornly denying it, leaving her unable to figure out what his deal was.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Are you sure you weren’t following me?”
“I said I wasn’t!”
When Ho-rang flatly denied it again, Bo-bae turned on her heel with an ‘ah, sure’ expression. Then, she suddenly began sprinting off somewhere!
“Damn it!”
Ho-rang quickly gave chase and followed her through a door, only to—
“Eek! Good heavens! Why is a man barging in here?!”
An older woman glared at Ho-rang with fierce, angry eyes.
Looking at his surroundings, Ho-rang realized he had stepped straight into the women’s restroom—and that he had been utterly played by Bo-bae.
“I-I’m so sorry!”
After bowing his head in apology to the woman, he scrambled back outside.
A moment later, Bo-bae peeked her head out from around the corner and smirked:
“See? You were following me.”
Her giggling demeanor was so delightfully irritating that Ho-rang felt like biting her right then and there.
Crushing her with his sharpest canine tooth!
Back in the hospital suite, Bo-bae sat on the edge of the bed and spoke up:
“Be honest. Why were you following me?”
“I told you I wasn’t.”
“If you weren’t following me, why would a grown man walk into the women’s restroom?”
Ugh, if only she weren’t so quick-witted.
Watching Bo-bae tease and needle him, Ho-rang felt his blood pressure rising.
“You followed me because you were scared, right?”
“What?”
“You were terrified your battery would drain, so you chased after me. Am I right?”
“Scared? Who?”
“Why don’t we just date, then?”
“What?”
Ho-rang’s eyebrows twitched.
“If you say yes, Mr. Baek Ho-rang, I’ll make sure your battery never drains by keeping it fully charged at 100%. So stop playing hard to get and let’s date.”
In his whole life, he had never met a woman this pushy and unstoppable.
It wasn’t as if women hadn’t approached him before. But those were either shy confessions or subtle, seductive flirtations—never had anyone pushed him around with such wild, raw assertiveness.
Looking at Bo-bae charging ahead without hesitation, Ho-rang thought:
This woman… is completely serious.
If that was the case, then he needed to treat this seriously as well.
Rising from the sofa, Ho-rang walked slowly toward Bo-bae.
One step, then another. Exceedingly slow.
“Can you handle it?”
“H-Handle what?”
As the playful atmosphere instantly shifted into something thick and charged, a nervous Bo-bae stumbled over her words.
“Once I start something, I’m the type of guy who sees it through to the absolute end.”
“The… end?”
In Baek Ho-rang’s life, the phrase ‘half-baked’ did not exist.
Whether it succeeded or failed completely, once he started something, he saw it through to the end.
When Taeseong Group—which had only operated hotels and resorts—first opened a shopping center, everyone opposed it, claiming it would fail. Yet Ho-rang stubbornly pushed through to the end: the end that brought success.
Because he had never dated anyone despite being over thirty, he didn’t know where the end of a romantic relationship lay, but Ho-rang was certain of one thing.
“If we start, I won’t settle for just holding hands like some boring kids, you know.”
Because Ho-rang approached too close, his thigh brushed against Bo-bae’s knees.
Startled, Bo-bae retreated onto the bed to get away from him. But Ho-rang didn’t stop, continuing his approach like a tiger growling before a delicious prey.
“Are you still okay with that?”
“W-With what?”
Just moments ago, Bo-bae had been boldly provoking him, but the tables had turned 180 degrees. Bo-bae was fleeing, and Ho-rang was pursuing her.
“You’re the one who asked to date.”
“S-So what?”
Because Ho-rang pressed in far too close, a startled Bo-bae lost her balance and fell backward onto the bed.
Before she could even feel the soft texture of the duvet, Ho-rang slowly hovered over her body.
“We aren’t children, after all.”
Reflected in Bo-bae’s wildly trembling eyes—as if an earthquake had struck—was the face of a hungry predator. But Ho-rang didn’t care and leaned in even closer toward her.
Having never been this close to a man in her life, Bo-bae felt her heart pounding so hard it was overwhelming.
Clutching the duvet tightly in her delicate hands to suppress her tremors, his hot breath settled softly against her ear.
“Even if it’s a contract relationship…”
As Bo-bae looked up at him with trembling eyes, a slow, dangerous smile curved on his lips as he continued:
“If we’re adults, shouldn’t we date like adults?”
