The Relationship Agreement

Chapter 8: An Event, A Cousin and A Rival

Jiwook sipped his hot drink and leaned back in the cosy cafe booth.

"We're having a family thing tonight in the guest house, and I want you to come, Ava," he said with a smile.

Avalyn raised an eyebrow. "It's a family event, Jiwook. Why would I want to come?"

Jiwook's expression turned serious. "Did you even read our contract, Ava?'"

Avalyn hesitated for a moment before replying, "Uh, kinda."

"Until the contract is done, you gotta show up to all family stuff," Jiwook replied firmly.

Avalyn couldn't help but roll her eyes in disbelief.

"Who says?" she retorted, her tone laced with scepticism.

Jiwook's expression hardened as he replied sternly, "The contract, Avalyn. We gotta do what it says."

Avalyn's decision to sign the contract with the current conditions was met with regret when she realized the cold reception she would receive from Jiwook's family. She had initially agreed to assist Jiwook in acquiring his father's company by maintaining a low profile, but Jiwook had other plans for her.

He was concerned that Avalyn would be viewed as an outsider when introduced to his extended family and wished to avoid such an outcome. Despite her desire to help, Avalyn found herself isolated and alone in this situation, overwhelmed by the weight of her involvement.

Avalyn wasn't thrilled when Jiwook asked her to come to his family gathering. "Honestly, I don't want to go, Jiwook. I'm not in the mood to get the cold shoulder again from your family," she told him.

But Jiwook was calm and polite as he tried to convince her. "I get it, but I don't want them to think it's some kind of setup from my dad. Can you help me out, Ava?"

Avalyn took a moment to think, then made a deal with Jiwook. "Promise me this is the last time, and I'll go."

Jiwook was confident he could make that promise. "That's not really fair, Ava, but I swear you'll be taken care of."

Avalyn wasn't impressed. "Taken care of? Am I a dog, Jiwook?" she snapped back at him.

Jiwook tried to stay calm. "I promise, Ava, no one will treat you badly," he declared, taking a deep breath.

Avalyn gave him a smirk in response, clearly unconvinced. She knew Jiwook well enough to understand that he wouldn't go out of his way to protect her. Still, she couldn't deny that the thought of having Jiwook as an ally was somewhat comforting.

After all, the sooner Jiwook took over his father's company, the less time she would have to spend with him.

Avalyn excused herself and went to the bathroom to wash her hands. As she was lathering up, her phone rang. She left it on the table, assuming that Jiwook wouldn't snoop around.

However, Jiwook couldn't resist the temptation and picked up the phone. His eyes rolled in annoyance when he saw that Do Kyung Seok was the one calling her.

He cleared his throat and picked up Avalyn's phone.

Kyung Seok was worried when he called Jiwook. He wanted to talk to Avalyn urgently. Jiwook knew his little brother always made a big deal out of everything, so he was a bit annoyed. He answered the phone, but told Kyung Seok that Avalyn was busy and jokingly said he could hit her up "like never."

As Avalyn approached their table, Jiwook abruptly ended his call with Do Kyung Seok and placed her phone back exactly where he had picked it up from.

He greeted her with a smile as she took her seat, but couldn't help but feel uneasy about the missed call. Avalyn reciprocated the smile but wiped her hand nervously on the tissue paper provided with her drink.

Jiwook couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as Do Kyung Seok called Avalyn again. He took a deep breath and glanced in her direction, hoping that she wouldn't notice the phone vibrating on the table and answer the call.

Despite his hopes, Avalyn soon realized her phone was vibrating and answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Ava, it's me Kyung Seok... Did Hyung tell you about the party yet?" Do Kyung Seok ask Avalyn inquisitively.

Avalyn's eyes met Jiwook's, who was visibly nervous. "Yes, just a while ago," she replied, trying to sound reassuring.

As she was about to ask him something, Do Kyung Seok's voice echoed from her phone, "My cousins are coming over for the... gathering but Hyung doesn't know about this."

Avalyn raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Why aren't you telling him about this? Will it be a problem for me?" she asked, curious to know more.

Jiwook's eyes remained fixed on Avalyn, his expression fraught with unease. He couldn't help but wonder if she was aware that he had purposely ignored Do Kyung Seok's repeated attempts to reach him. Avalyn drew in a deep breath before casting a nonchalant glance in Jiwook's direction. It was clear to her that Kyung Seok's calls had gone unanswered, and she knew that Jiwook was aware of them.

Do Kyung Seok's voice was filled with tension as he spoke to Avalyn over the phone.

"It's not a problem for you, but it will be a huge problem for Hyung," he said urgently.

Avalyn's curiosity was raised, "Why's that?" she asked.

"Hyung's got a major rival in our family - our first cousin. He'll be at the gathering tonight, Ava. He's always been envious of Jiwook and calls him the golden boy of the family. If he finds out that Hyung's relationship with you is just for show, it'll be the perfect opportunity for my cousin to embarrass him," Do Kyung Seok explained, the worry in his voice palpable.

Avalyn hesitated for a moment before whispering into her phone. "So, you want me to help out, right? What do you need me to do?"

"Yes, Ava. This is important to Hyung. If he doesn't look good in front of my cousin, he'll be devastated. Hyung's got a lot of pride, and I don't want him to suffer any more than he already has," Do Kyung Seok replied earnestly.

Avalyn sighed but nodded her head. She knew how much this meant to Jiwook, and she didn't want to let him down.

"Okay, I'll do what I can," she promised.

Jiwook felt his cheeks burning with anger as Avalyn smirked at him and made a snarky comment about his intelligence in front of his brother, Do Kyung Seok. He knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he didn't appreciate Avalyn's teasing.

However, Do Kyung Seok found it hilarious and couldn't stop laughing. Avalyn, still grinning, offered to help Jiwook out, but she also warned him that it might not work. Despite feeling annoyed, Jiwook couldn't help but feel a bit curious about what Avalyn had in mind.

Avalyn leaned back in her chair, placing her phone on the table with a calm and collected demeanour. Her hot drink in front of her had cooled down a bit, but she took a sip anyway. She knew that Jiwook was eager to learn what Do Kyung Seok had said about him on the phone just a short while ago.

Despite her curiosity, she intentionally kept a poker face and acted nonchalantly in front of Jiwook. To her surprise, Jiwook did not press her to reveal the details of their conversation over the phone.

"Can we leave now? I don't want to get stuck in traffic," Jiwook said as he casually stood up from his seat.

As she rose from the table, she savoured the final sip of her steaming beverage before reaching for her phone. It was then that she suddenly remembered that she had neglected to bring a change of clothes for the upcoming occasion.

While Jiwook was paying at the cashier, Avalyn asked him, "Can we go back to my house first?" with a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Why would we do that?" Jiwook replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Avalyn felt irritated and rolled her eyes, "I didn't bring any clothes with me for the event later. I cannot be seen like this, Jiwook. It's important."

Jiwook put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, "Don't worry, Avalyn. I've thought of everything. You're going to look stunning tonight."