Chapter 1
Xean’s Point of View
“God, it’s too hot!” Council JC complained. He’s sitting at the office table next to mine. He’s the Head of the Physical Examination of our newly hired husbands. Hired husbands, you ask? Affirmative. The name’s Xean Olivar and I work as the Head of the Legal Department of RnJ Services and its affiliated businesses. It’s a private company that offers women of high-status services mainly of hiring men to pretend as their husbands. It’s simply a human rental services company but mainly focuses on hired husbands.
You might be asking; will women really hire men? The answer is, yes. It might sound crazy but I encountered a lot of reasons why. Before joining RnJ, I was a lawyer. A defense lawyer to be exact but... I grew a bit tired of it. I mean... doing the same thing for years doesn’t give me the spark anymore. Years ago, Johnny and Ricardo, the owners of RnJ personally asked me if I wanted to join the company. They offered me a salary that I can’t really resist. They offered me an amount more than a patent lawyer receives. And considering the responsibilities I need to fulfill in the company, it’s actually a win-win situation for me. I accepted the offer and the rest was history. “Do we really need to wear these?” Council JC continued to complain. Seriously, I’m getting tired of this guy. He complains a lot, and sleeps a lot. We are expecting a newly hired husband from South Korea, and we are wearing their traditional clothes to make him feel home and welcomed.
“Just turn the air-conditioner on,” I suggested. “Just bear with it. This will just take more or less an hour.”
“Seriously, you’re always like this whenever we have a new recruit. You’re going the extra mile.”
“Sorry but I can’t help it. I’m gay, and I’m always extra,” I replied as I pinpoint my mermaid dyed hair, rolling my eyes.
“Geez,” he muttered. I watched him pick up the remote control and turned on the AC. The room started to cool down. I looked at my left side. Council Nathan, the Head of the Psychological and Economic Assessment Department, is busy with his computer. He has his own shipping company which sells mostly crops and vegetables. He’s addicted to corn and we always seeing him eat that. He’s a man of few words and I really wish Council JC to become one. He’s like an old menopausal man who always nags. “You’re always flirty when we have a hired husband with small eyes.”
“I’m not flirty,” I argued. “Can you just stay quiet in your corner and work?”
We fell into silence as the three of us inside our large office started to do our jobs. I started to look at the profiles of the new hired husbands given by the agents. Each one of them are fine specimens indeed. I can’t believe such people exist. Our attention was caught when someone knocked at the double door. When it opened, it revealed the handsome Korean man which we just recruited. I heard today was the day that he will arrive in the Philippines that’s why we wore something for him. It’s of course, an idea of mine.
“I was told to talk to Council JC,” he said with his deep voice.
“Nice bedroom voice,” I said unknowingly, entranced by the man in front of us.
“Sorry?′
“Oh,” I quickly snapped out of it. “You’re looking for this guy,” I replied, pointing at JC’s direction.
“Can you understand and speak Filipino?” JC asked him.
“Sorry but I can’t,” the Korean man replied. I quickly took a look at his profile. His name is Park Jaewon, and he owns an idol training agency in South Korea. He accepted to become a hired husband in hopes of getting an investment for RnJ. “I can only speak English and Korean.”
“Oh, Korean,” JC repeated as he glances at me but I was to occupied by Jaewon’s presence to actually notice him. “Hey, Council Xean! Are you with us?” asked by a familiar voice as I stare at the newly recruited hired husband in front of us. I glared at JC who’s wearing his foxlike smile. “Here you again, you always daydream whenever you see a handsome man.”
“Oh, that’s the main reason I don’t daydream whenever I face you,” I replied.
“What the hell does that mean?!” He violently reacted. I just shrugged in response. “Let me remind you that he’s not your ex.”
Seriously, this guy! “Is it a sin to daydream?”
Jaewon loudly cleared his throat which made our argument put into a sudden halt.
“Anyway, I’ll be giving you this,” JC said as he pulls one of his drawers and took out a handout. He gave that to Jaewon who immediately scanned the paper. “That’s the list of trainings you should undergo. You have to talk to Council Xean here for legal matters and Council Nathan over the other side for your psychological tests. And of course, La Diva for your seduction classes.”
“Seduction classes?”
“Yeah, that’s one of your trainings.”
“Okay,” he unsurely replied.
"Jaewon-a, ilioseyo (Come here),” I called. He was shocked to hear me speaking his native language. I know how to speak at least seven including Korean, Spanish, and French. He approached my office desk.
“Are you Korean?” he asked me, still shocked.
“No, I’m Filipino,” I clarified as I laugh softly. “But I can speak a lot of languages. Have a seat, first.”
He sat in front at the chair in front of me. I could see that he’s becoming a bit comfortable with us. I smiled at him. He reminds me of someone I used to know.
“I’m in charge of all the legal matters here at RnJ,” I told him. “And based from your contract, you have to complete four contracts.” I pulled the drawer near me and pulled a thick book. I placed it in front of him.
"Igeon mweobnika (What is this?)?” he asked me as he picked up the manual, and then took a peek of some of the pages.
“That’s the RnJ Husband Rulebook,” I explained. “You need to read that.”
He winced upon hearing what I’ve said.
“Is there a shorter version? Or even just a summary?” he queried. “It would take me forever to read this.”
“You know what? You’re not the first hired husband who asked me that,” I replied. I placed two sheets of paper in front of him. “Here. I also translated it already in Korean.”
“Thanks.”
“Piece of advice,” I said next. “Just like what I have been telling the others, if you really wanted to fish your contract... Never fall in love. Control your feelings. That’s all about what the rules are.”
“You can go to Council Nathan,” I told him as I point at the guy on the far edge, next to JC. “Then, come back here and I’ll give you a tour around the head office.”
He nodded before approaching Nathan. I picked up a blue folder between the stocks of other folders on my table and opened it. I reviewed each one’s contents. Soon enough, Jaewon came back.
“Before we start our mini-tour,” I said. “and before I could forget, I need to give you your husband profile. I guess one of the agents already informed you about the fake identity that you will be using while you work with us.” He nodded as a confirmation. “Park Jaewon. You will be known as Lee Taehoon. And your English name is Steve. Steve Lee. When you’re not serving as a hired husband, you need to report in the travel and tours agency of RnJ.”
“What will I do there?” he asked me next.
“Teach the agents your language, assist your fellow Korean men and give them a tour around the Philippines,” I explained. He sighed and then, nodded. “Well, Steve Lee. Kaja (Let’s go)!”
We both stood up and left the office, and proceeded with the short tour around the Head Office. We walked past the hallway leading to a huge double door entrance. I opened the doors and we both marveled by the Greco-Roman styled opera house.
“What is this place?” he asked me.
“This is the Domain of Lust,” I replied.
“For what?”
“Bidding of hired husbands.”
This is how my work goes in RnJ. I usually greet the new recruits, explain to them what they should and should not do, and then, give them a quick tour around the head office. But my job in the company doesn’t stop there. My vital duties and responsibilities lie when I give the hired husbands their contracts. I have the responsibility to punish the rulebreakers and it’s not a piece of cake especially when I’m already friends with the hired husband who broke the rules.
Love is strange. These men enter our office so confidently that they won’t fall in love nor will break any rule. However, almost all of them end up eating those words.
