Written in the Stars (English Version)

Chapter One: The Council

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."