Is This All You Want? (annyeongz version)

Chapter 13

Karina was right.

The men are nice. Much nicer than what she was used to.

It started with Deoksu. He's got a taste for high fashion and an even better taste in men. While Wonyoung had initially disliked the idea of tricking his whole family into thinking that he is definitely straight and that he definitely doesn't have a boyfriend with whom he has shared a loving relationship of five years, she thought, well, she had spent many years and will continue to spend the rest of her life keeping her secrets from her own family. Wonyoung shouldn't judge. She just shows up to all these family events in their palace-like home or five-star hotels and acts like the perfect girlfriend. He's not particularly obvious. He's just a regular, good-looking, cleancut heir of a big chaebol business that Wonyoung doesn't know much about. But with her general keenness of people's behaviors and reactions, she can tell. Oh , she can tell. His parents already know and are just waiting for him to come out. They pressure him by asking things like their plans to get married or have kids or things about joint accounts. Wonyoung tells him that his parents seem very open about these matters. They even mentioned they love Elton John's music, not that it really mattered. Can You Feel the Love Tonight ? A classic. But he insists that they keep the act together. He's still trying to make a name for himself by building a business of his own rather than relying on his parents and Wonyoung respects that. He gives her the best gifts and fanciest clothes, so Wonyoung can't complain.

Then there's Kyungmo. He's a quiet guy, financial adviser of some reputable firm. Wonyoung thinks he's just lonely or overly shy or both. Even Wonyoung offered to sleep with him. Not out of pity or anything. He's a very handsome man and he could get any girl he wants. Wonyoung knows. She's seen them eyeing him and scowling at her when they're together. But he declined the offer, saying something about respect and he wouldn't want to pay for that. He even teaches Wonyoung lessons on how to play in the stock market. Wonyoung asks why he doesn't just find a nice girl, make her his wife and all that. He shrugs. Marriage is the product of capitalism . And so are children. He prefers this honjok lifestyle of being single and independent. It's not very strange for people their age to do so, Wonyoung thinks, but what is strange is that a man would operate this way. She usually finds women living that lifestyle more. You know, because of the history of women being pegged as child-bearers and that the ultimate goal of a woman should be to raise a family and all that nonsense. So, it's interesting that Kyungmo lives this way and, well, agrees with Wonyoung and that this backwards-thinking country needs to make changes. But he hires Wonyoung anyway. Because despite being all about honjok -ism, he's still a social being, human as he is, and he does enjoy Wonyoung's wit and humor and occasional flirtatious tendencies that no other woman can match. The man also manages to double Wonyoung's investments in the stock market, and Wonyoung can't complain.

But, of course, there are also reasonably wealthy men who just want to have a good time. Sometimes they're young and rich like Deoksu and Kyungmo. Sometimes, they're older and richer like Myunghoon. He's a divorcee, owner of some big fishing business. He's a nice-looking man in his early forties. Not that Wonyoung is into older men, but she'll make an exception. When Wonyoung asks why he divorced his wife, he cringes. They'd just fallen out of love. It's a generic excuse. Wonyoung thinks she's failed as a psychologist and as everyone's friendly neighborhood, unlicensed psychiatrist since she can't get her client to open up. But when Wonyoung asks why he doesn't date anyone seriously, seeing as how he's still young and has the looks, he cringes too. Commitment issues. And a whole can of worms opens up about his childhood trauma and they slowly work through it. But while his fear of commitment is there, he's glad Wonyoung's around. With her, everything is simple. He doesn't need to promise forever, and Wonyoung can't complain.

There are a few men and women here and there who come and go. None of whom really leave an impact on Wonyoung. So, when they tell her they wish to stop seeing her for reasons like they met someone or she's not what they're looking for, she doesn't take it personally. She's not for everyone.