To Our Pure Little Beauty

Chapter 7

Before entering the banquet hall, Jungkook  who had been walking ahead of me suddenly stopped and walked a few paces back to stand by my side. He bent his elbow and looked at me as though he was offering it.

I looked back at him suspiciously, “Do we have to strike a pose? Who’s taking the pictures for us?”

He glared at me so I quickly laughed it out with my eyes squinting into slits, “I’m just joking with you.”

After I was done talking, I slipped my hand into the crook of his arm, and lightly held unto it, “There’s a thing in the movies where everyone has to be arm-in-arm when making an entrance.”

I looked at my hand that was clutching on his black suit when all of a sudden, a knot seemed to form in my chest, I couldn’t help but grasp his arm firmly. He bent his head to look at me, and said softly as if trying to gently calm me, “Go look around as if you’re just watching a movie.”

I looked around the banquet hall. A large crystal chandelier was hanging down from the ceiling, twinkling in a multitude of brilliant lights and vibrant colours. Under the chandelier were wandering men and women with wine glasses looking all lively. Long tables were covered in tablecloths the colour of champagne, and filled with food which could make one’s mouth water. This was definitely a movie about gourmet.

“Lisa, don’t just look at the food, smile.” Jungkook suddenly bent over and whispered quite close to my ear, his hot breath tickling it. I couldn’t help but shot him a glare.

“Smile.” He said once again.

I followed his line of sight — a group of people were slowly walking towards us, all the while crowding around a small, familiar-looking old man.

Jungkook half dragged me towards them. I asked him through the forced smile plastered on my face, “Which one is your patient?”

“That old man in the middle.”

When I looked at said man, he was rather beaming in the pink of health, and doesn’t look like someone who just recovered from a serious illness so I asked again, “What’s his illness?”

“Heart disease.”

Jungkook was just about done with his reply when we’ve finally reached them.

They greeted each other with a simple handshake, I heard Jungkook calling him Secretary Kim and it dawned on me where the feeling of familiarity came from —  I’ve seen him in the local news, and moreover, I’ve seen him a couple of times. The fact that I watch the local news no more than ten times an entire year, his appearance in them was certainly very high then. It would be nice if we’re introduced, after all, he’s a very sought-after member of the ruling class of society.

Secretary Kim was all smiles, looking at me, “Is this Little Jeon’s girlfriend?”

I shot a quick look at Jungkook and thought to myself if I should send the Buddha to the furthest of West*, I put on a smile and nodded, “Hello, my name is Lisa Manoban.”

(T/N: Sending the Buddha to the West is a proverb meaning if you’re helping someone then help them till the end, not backing out halfway.)

Secretary Kim also nodded. Men of this age looked rather kind, when he would smile his appearance looked like that of a mere mortal who finally achieved immortality through cultivation, “Miss Lisa looks really beautiful, indeed a talented man and a beautiful woman. I was actually thinking of introducing my granddaughter to Little Jeon, it seems like my granddaughter doesn’t have enough luck.” 

I don’t know what to answer to that, so I just smiled apologetically. Jungkook decided to tackle on the subject himself, “Secretary Kim’s favor and high regards, I dare not make presumptions.”