Your Girlfriend Was Amazing

What Kind of Social Gathering Is This? This Is Totally That Thing

In a dimly lit room, a solitary computer served as the sole beacon, illuminating the space. Seated on the couch with an air of arrogance, a man sprawled with his legs wide apart. He had intended to cross them, but his chunky thighs made it quite the awkward feat.

"Devil Chaos Ultra King, how did the approach to Minsoo go?"

"That… well…"

"What? It failed? How did that happen? My plan should have been foolproof!"

"That… that's…"

"I see… so that's how it turned out… because of Minsoo's excessive foresight in obtaining both Jin and Li. It's the outcome of his overly keen insight… I want to debut him in a new light at this social gathering…"

"I-I had the clothes delivered . I even got a confirmation from the delivery man. You probably don't need to stress over fashion concerns."

"Hmm…"

Initially, he had planned to dish out various tips not just on attire, but also on how to schmooze your way to popularity in social circles. This get-together was particularly crucial, as they were tackling it with a fresh approach. But right from the get-go, this plan had gone off the rails.

"I heard Melanie will also be among the attendees at this gathering."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Recently, Melanie and Minsoo's relationship seems… a bit different… you could say they've grown somewhat closer… the texting frequency has shot up… it also means there's no woman who can resist Minsoo's assertive advances."

"Hehe… yes… but there's something troubling."

"What is it?"

"Recently, even at Noble, Minsoo's behavior has been a bit… like that. It seems he's become too much of a meme with the ‘Minsoo's Wail' going viral worldwide. Even in overseas communities, whenever something sad happens, they all use that meme. If this continues, it could tarnish his reputation… and because of that influence, Minsoo's face is starting to be seen as ‘funny.'"

"Cut to the chase!"

"I'm worried that other Noble members might mockingly laugh just by glimpsing Minsoo's face."

"Hmm…"

That was a conundrum even the double-chinned man couldn't crack. What's more, with recent footage of Minsoo passing out while clearing the gate, ‘Fainting Minsoo' had also turned into a meme. He couldn't forgive those exploiting Minsoo's good looks for such things, but there were too many of them.

"Well, nothing we can do about it. It's a shame Minsoo's handsome face isn't enough to reel in the ladies, but I have faith in his splendid eloquence."

"What you're saying…!"

"Right… This time, we'll have to go with the mask-wearing concept. You catch my drift?"

"Yes, I'll prepare accordingly!"

The hefty man and the Devil Chaos Ultra King's dialogue wrapped up in that manner.

As always, there was just one voice.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Restaurant Ato.

With a waitlist stretching for a year and an exclusive booking policy, this place isn't just your run-of-the-mill joint; it's the epitome of fine dining. Apart from the two VIPs, the place was deserted.

"So, how do you like it here?"

"Why is it empty? Did you rent out the whole place?"

"Obviously. When I'm dining with you, why would I need to see other faces around?"

"Fair point…"

Melanie radiated the aura of opulence. Her noble bearing, grace, and posture were impeccably refined.

"The ambiance is nice here, and the food's refreshingly clean and simple, which I like."

"Nice. Can I swing by without a booking, dropping your name later?"

"Oh, Baek Taeyang, I think you can just waltz in without a reservation."

We sat facing each other and chatted away. As the conversation tapered off, I slyly tossed a breadcrumb before diving into the meat of it.

"Anyway, I thought at gatherings among the rich, everyone wears formal attire, right? Apparently not?"

In my mind, gatherings among the wealthy conjured images of opulent chandeliers casting a lavish glow, while waiters gracefully floated about, offering trays of champagne. The attendees, adorned in designer dresses or tailored suits, would compete for the attention of the most influential figures in the room.

My mental image of high society events clashed with Melanie's attire. Rather than the expected elegance, her outfit mirrored the casual chic seen on girls hitting up Hongdae or Gangnam for a night out. The difference? Hers exuded luxury even from a distance, taking it up a notch.

"Oh, that's… well, it's very different from what you think. The atmosphere will be really laid-back."

"Really? That's interesting. I'm looking forward to it. But if it's mainly for the born awakened, is So Yoomin coming too?"

As soon as Yoomin's name was mentioned, Melanie gave me a piercing look. She frowned, her expression similar to the ‘ㅡㅡ' she sent over text.

She then furrowed her brow and spoke up, "Why? Why are you curious about that?"

"Just wondering if Yoomin, being a born awakened, is also attending."

"No, as you know, So Yoomin's main skill is so weak that even Noble doesn't bother inviting her out of courtesy. In fact, she has never really liked this sort of thing."

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Yoomin's attendance had been my primary concern. Among the born awakened, particularly those with passive skills, their presence is highly significant. If she caught sight of me with Melanie, it might stir up trouble.

In this murky scenario, attempting to placate her or ignore her would both be dicey. So, her absence is definitely a blessing.

"Oh, really? She's not coming, huh…"

"While I'm right here, you're busy speculating about someone else showing up and crashing the party?" Melanie leaned in, resting her hand on the table.

Given the context, it made sense, but it was all a big misunderstanding.

"That's not it. Minsoo and Yoomin have a bit of a thing going on. But it gets weird when they meet, so there's that."

"Is that all?"

"What?"

"I didn't ask to hear about that."

Did I reveal too much?

Melanie's ability to grasp the situation, probably from her extensive social interactions, was impressive. How do I even think of connecting this woman with Minsoo? No matter how I sliced it, I couldn't wrap my head around Mr. Double Chin's dating schemes.

"I want to join the social gathering too."

"Hmm…"

"Can I?"

"Well… bringing a partner isn't unheard of… but I'm worried about your high profile. I'd suggest a disguise, but, Baek Taeyang, your physique is…"

This is definitely a sticky situation. Having too stellar a physique can be problematic.

I'm not exactly towering, but my physique is extraordinary. Tanned skin, white hair, and an uncanny knack for rocking any attire. Whatever I wear accentuates my chiseled physique. But wait, there's more – there's a huge bulge in my left thigh that curved slightly when I slip on pants.

Surely a problem.

Even with a disguise, only my face and hair color can change, not my bone structure. And from Melanie's brief rundown of Noble, it's clear they're an exclusive bunch. They see the born awakened as royalty and the acquired awakened as mere peons.

Seeing someone like me, who's treated as a new giant among the acquired awakened, in a group that views the born awakened as royalty and the acquired awakened as underlings? That won't end well. They might just block my entrance ahead of time to prevent any mishaps.

"Baek Taeyang, I'm afraid you can't—"

Ping!

Melanie's phone chimed, and her eyes widened as she checked it.

"Never mind. It looks like we're good to go. They're throwing a masked party this time… Maybe if you dye your hair and come as my hired bodyguard from overseas, that could work."

"All of a sudden? That's quite the abrupt change."

"Yeah, the Noble Chairman's always been a bit whimsical, but he's never made such a drastic change… Hm… I don't understand why."

"Maybe because Minsoo's also attending."

"Kim Minsoo was already planning to attend. There's a lot more information there than you'd think. So even though I'm not a member of Noble, there are a lot of people who attend their events. I'm one of them."

The pieces were starting to fall into place. At this rate, I might as well beg for an invite to the Noble party. Given the circumstances, there's no way I'm passing this up.

"So, what color should I dye my hair then?"

Now it's just a question of what hue to go for.

"But I've been curious for a while now, is your white hair natural?"

"I suppose so…"

I don't know much about Baek Taeyang. But with a name like his, which literally translates to "white sun," isn't it logical to assume so?

"Can Koreans naturally have white hair? Without dye…?"

"I'm not sure either."

"Hmm… I'm curious. I feel like there's something secretive about you, Baek Taeyang."

"Alright, let's just wrap up dinner. But when's this party again?"

"At nine o'clock."

Nine o'clock? It's only one-thirty now?

Melanie had made it clear she was dressing up for the gathering event, but the gathering time and the current time were worlds apart.

"You're decked out for a party at nine, and it's barely past one? Seriously? While we're just grabbing lunch?"

So, I brought it up, and her face turned beet red with embarrassment.

After stumbling over her words for a while, she finally blurted out, "T-That… could happen! What's wrong with that? Maybe I just prepared early!"

"Relax, I was just curious. You don't have to be so defensive. Yes, I get it."

"F-Forget it! You're so annoying… S-Stupid!"

"Melanie, thanks for taking me to the party."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Sure…" Melanie continued to stuff food into her cheeks like an inflated hamster. Seeing her squirming to get out of the situation, I couldn't help but crack a smile.

So it's not that formal… with a mask… No need for a wardrobe overhaul.

Not having to fret about the dress code was a real weight off my shoulders. Now, it's just a matter of choosing the hair color for the dye job, but let's face it, that's pretty much decided.

Is it time to go from White Sun to Golden Sun?

It's time for the reigning monarch of the NTR world to make his entrance.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

After lunch with Melanie, chatting about this and that, and even doing some weapon testing, time flew by. After bleaching my hair blonde and slipping on a mask, I stuck close to her.

"You absolutely can't slip up. People here are sharp… try to act naturally."

"I know, I'm not that stupid."

As we chatted, a guy who looked like security glanced our way and nodded.

"You may enter."

Even though Melanie was masked up and would usually need proper ID, it seemed she was recognized, probably due to her distinctive grace.

We waltzed in without a hitch, and I started taking in the scene, rolling my eyes.

What the…?

Stepping into the Noble social scene left me dumbfounded.

This is just…

The reality behind Mr. Double Chin's masked social shindig.

It's like stepping into a Korean-style bar.

It was a spot-on mirror of the lively atmosphere of a typical Korean watering hole—where strangers mingle and booze—in the heart of the city.