The Rumors

“Did you bring beer?”

Sara’s hoarse voice startled the man who had his back to her. The man turned and looked up, his face showing doubt with what he saw. Sara shrugged, then walked towards the chest-high parapetーto gaze at the beautiful view of Seoul city at night.

It was quite late, but there was still the sound of a vehicle screeching from beneath them. Sara took a deep breath, ignoring the man who didn’t know what he wanted to do before Sara came. The girl scratched and brushed her beautiful hair, ruining everything her hairdresser had done since this afternoon. Hell, Sara thought. After this she’ll be home and no one will care about how she looks.

“You... Kang Sara, right?” The man joined him at the parapet. The cold air slightly made him shiver. “Kang Sara, who was detained at the police station?”

The brown-haired girl turned her head, looking at the boy deeply. It seems she will never be able to let go of the bad title from her name. It’s really sad.

“Yes. Anyeong.” Sara tilted her head, giving a modest greetingーjust to make small talk. Sara knew who the man was when his face appeared in the moonlight. Park Jin Woo, the main actor who often gets awards for his acting in dramas and movies.

“Wow, that’s rude way for someone older than you. Is it because you’re an ex-prisoner, so you can act as you please? You were born in 87, right?” Jin Woo glared at Sara.

Sarah took a deep breath. She should not have headed to the roof of this building, if it turns out that someone was here first. Especially her messy appearance, Sara was sure that her makeup was messed up by now, of course this man would think it was terrible. The girl pouted. Who cares, I’m not here to charm men.

“So just because you ーPark Jin Woo-ssi is older than me, you are free to judge me, is that so? Oh, she is the Kang Sara who was detained at the police station, abandoned by her fiancé to marry another woman, a girl who doesn’t know herself, often changes lovers . Kang Sara, the Korean diva who can’t even make a man stay with her for more than three years! A crazy girl as cunning as a fox!” Sara glanced at Jin Woo who looked stunned. Sara’s chest rose and fell, filled with emotions she had suppressed for so long. She wasn’t drunk, which made the situation even worse for her.

Jin Woo looked at the girl wearing a floral midi dress with embarrassment. “Heol. I’m just kidding. Sorry, I’m sorry for talking carelessly. Besides, I’m too judgmental if I think you’re a criminal just because you’ve been detained at the police station.” The man’s face turned away from Sara, his hand hitting his own mouth. “You savage mouth! An ignorant mouth!”

Sara snorted, her expression sour. He had taken the wrong step by going to this place ー which he thought would be deserted. At first the girl spent hours crying in the bathroom, then started to get annoyed when lots of drunk people knocked on her cubicle door just to be able to finish their rituals. Then now she met a man who commented on her life scathingly, even though they had just met.

“I’m sorry. It’s a reflex. I just... have a tendency to start chatting when there are people around me. I feel guilty if I ignore someone. And when I see you, for some reason all I remember is... you’re an ex-con. I should have no. Once again, I’m sorry.” Jinwoo lowered his body gracefully.

Sara waved as if to swat away a fly. “Never mind. Forget it,” she said curtly and returned to lap her chin on the parapet. It was really cold, but Sara liked it.

“Why are you here? I thought Kim PD-nim had booked this restaurant just for the crew and artists of ‘Love in the Moonlight’.” The man was standing next to her, shoving a can of beer out of nowhere.

“That’s none of your business either, Sunbaenim,” Sara replied while brushing her hair because it was starting to feel itchy. Sara cursed her hairdresser for using such cheap mousse.

Jinwoo sighed. “Okay, Miss Kang Sara who doesn’t want to be disturbed. Even though I just want to say hello.”

The girl snorted, used to people never speaking well of her. She was already immune to being seen as derision. Both about her failure to date various men, from fellow artists, entrepreneurs to basketball players. Even her love story that ran aground because her fiancé chose to marry another woman was like a steak in front of a hungry media. Sara was almost bored and bored.

“Surely Sunbae has heard rumors about me and is curious, right? Admit it. Didn’t Sunbae know that I was detained at the police station before?” Sara leaned against the wall, then opened the can of beer that her senior had given her.

Jin Woo chuckled and looked embarrassed as if feeling guilty. “Yeah, fine. Rumors about you sure are a lot. But I don’t know you to know if the rumors are true or not. So, I guess of course I want to know the truth. Don’t you think?”

As the man spoke, Sara looked into his eyes. The girl was surprised, because there was absolutely no cynical look or doubt like the other people around her all this time. Jin Woo seemed very sincere and honest. Sara slightly held her breath, afraid to feel drowned in the man’s eyes.

“That’s... that’s right.” Sara looked down, feeling like avoiding Jin Woo’s gaze. “Only Sunbae has noble thoughts like that. Wow. No wonder they nicknamed Sunbae as Korean Sweetheart.”

Jin Woo was silent, not responding to Sara’s words at all. However, his face looked serious listening to all of Sara’s words.

The girl took a breath. “Well, that’s how it is. It seems I’m always having guy problems and no one can solve them.” Sara looked away and downed her beer. “Even though I’ve tried. Who can guarantee that dating for a long time, you will get married? My ex-fiancé only met his future wife for two months and immediately decided to get married. And they are now about to have children.”

Jin Woo’s head nodded, his eyes traced Sara’s face, which looked beautiful even though her mascara was smudged, and her makeup was starting to fade. Her messy long hair made her look even sexier, contrasting with her formal dress. Sara was like the bad girl image he always saw in magazines: beautiful and dangerous.

“That’s right. Dating doesn’t guarantee a relationship that leads to marriage.” Jinwoo agreed. He himself also failed in building relationships with girls.

“How easy it would be if you met and got married right away. All my problems about love will click!” Sarah snapped her fingers. “Finished.”

Then the girl chuckled, amused by the idea. A ridiculous thought that came from a light head from alcohol.

“That’s a great idea.”

Jin Woo’s remark made Sara dumbfounded. How could someone like a man who was almost perfect and had all the husband materials on point agree with her ridiculous idea? Sara looked at the man with a frown.

“No, you’re right, Kang Sara-ssi. It would be better if we only need to meet someone once and marry them. It won’t waste time, it’s effective and efficient,” Jin Woo added enthusiastically.

Sara muttered agreement, though deep down, where in the world could there be such an instant connection. Even matchmakers need time. And none of the men from the matchmaking agency caught her eye. If only a fairy godmother could grant her wish: a prince on a white horse who asked her to dance and marry her after only one night.

“Yeah. I wish I did. Too bad I didn’t,” Sara said with a chuckle.

Suddenly there was a diamond ring held out to his hand. Sara was stunned and glared. “What’s this?”

“The ring. Can’t you see?” replied Jin Woo in a serious tone.

Sara’s hand looked at the ring and sneered, “This? If it’s a ring like this, I can buy it too. In fact, I can afford even many times the price of this. Sunbae underestimate my income?”

Jinwoo rolled his eyes . “That’s not the point. This is the solution to all your problems right?”

Sara’s eyes moved from the ring to the charismatic looking man. “I don’t understand.”

The tall man’s hand grabbed the ring in Sara’s hand, held it out while kneeling. “Kang Sara-ssi, will you marry me?”