Cunning and Evil

CHASING PAVEMENTS

It took the media exactly two weeks to know.

Seri almost spit out her precious coffee when she saw the headline in the entertainment section page that morning. There was a massive photo of Ri Jeong Hyeok, calling him Korea's most eligible bachelor.

"You stupid man," She ironically shook her head in utmost disapproval. She can't decide what to feel about the news. As a stateswoman and a co-party member, she knew that this was a double-edged sword for Ri Jeong Hyeok.

Statesmen like him needed to have an image of stability— he could've chosen to become a family man or a devoted lover.

Seri smirked. As a rival, she knew so well this could affect his approval ratings.

It was a slow morning, and so she took her time scrolling more on the entertainment section.

She stopped when she saw a picture of Seo Dan, and she was being mocked for her bridal advertisement that was just released a few weeks back.

The groomless bride, they called her.

The Assemblywoman was never fond of Dan, and recently the latter even tried to drag her to the mud, but no woman deserves to be in the middle of a national gossip like this. The misogyny and double standard in Korea is disgusting— It is appalling to the highest extent and it makes her sick.

Especially since she became the center of it, in numerous cases in the past.

When she was being outspoken on certain issues, she was called a nosy bitch.

When Ri Jeong Hyeok was doing the same thing, he was described as an eloquent statesman.

Disgusting.

***

Seri wore her lucky white blazer.

The Agrarian Reform bill will be presented by the agriculture standing committee, and will then be examined by the plenary today.

A big day for her, and by extension, to the son of a bitch who co-authored her bill.

"Remind me," Yoon Seri tapped her Chief of Staff's arm, "Why did I even let Ri Jeong Hyeok in on this? Should I just drop him?"

"Because he has connections in the executive that we needed, Miss Yoon." Mr. Hong replied as he opened the door to the hall for his boss, "We can't just drop him. We need the full support of the Executive and Legislative to promulgate this as soon as possible."

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes, Seri hates that her Chief of Staff is always right.

Representative Ri Jeong Hyeok was already seated on the chair beside hers when she arrived at the hall. She shot him an inquisitive look, but he just nodded curtly.

"Uh, why are you here?" The National Assembly has designated seating for its representatives, and that was something that she had actually thanked the rules for.

"I'll sit here." He replied, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Why?"

"So we can jointly answer them when they have questions about the bill, Representative Yoon. What else?"

"I don't need you here, Representative Ri. I can do all this on my own."

The assemblyman also made no move to switch sweats.

"This bill is ours. My name remains there, the same way I'll remain here beside you." The assemblyman only looked at her, emotionless. "—you, the main author of this bill, of course."