Gaeun Cha

**Gaeun Cha** is the female protagonist of the Date First, Love Later series. She is a student from the Screenwriting Department and Jaerim Lee's pretend girlfriend.

## Appearance

Gaeun is an attractive young woman with a slender figure and an above average height. She has long black, slightly wavy, hair that falls to her chest, black eyes and a fair, clear complexion. She dresses quite plainly, choosing muted or neutral colors and wears a pair of black glasses as she works or studies.

## History

Not much is known about Gaeun's past, except for the fact that there was an incident three years prior to the start of the series that involved her past boyfriend and she has been unable to get over it. She took a semester off during her sophomore year, presumably due to the incident.

## Synopsis

### Episode 1 - 10

Gaeun is asked out by an upperclassman after class. She firmly tells him that she has a boyfriend and he jokingly tells her he knows, because he is her boyfriend. She is not amused and makes to leave. He follows her but she slams the door in his face. Outside the classroom, Gaeun grows frustrated with her situation and wonders how long she will have to put up with his unwanted advances.

Later that day, in a bar together with other students of the Screenwriting Department, Gaeun is about to leave when her friend Seulgi Do begs her to stay and she relents. Knowing her situation, Seulgi suggests that she should pretend to date someone. Gaeun admits that she had considered it but had no male friends to help her. As the two are talking, music plays out loud and everyone in the bar witnesses Byeonguk with a cake in his hands, walking to the group's table while belting the lyrics to a love song. Gauen and the rest of the students are appalled by his stunt.

Finishing his serenade, Byeonguk kneels in front of Gaeun and officially asks her to be his girlfriend. She is about to reject him when he tells her not to keep him waiting and suddenly tries to kiss her. Furious, Gaeun yells at him and slams a shot glass in his face. She tells him to stop being selfish. He retaliates by saying she is the one being selfish since she keeps trying to make him jealous with a boyfriend she does not have. She denies it, but he provokes her, saying he will apologize if she really does have a boyfriend. Gaeun is at a loss of words before Seulgi proclaims that she does have a boyfriend and points to the group sitting at the table across from theirs. Gaeun is nervous as people start whispering, but the young man who Seulgi is pointing at catches her eye as he mouths to her, *"Want me to help you?"*

Byeonguk furiously asks Gaeun if she really is dating Jaerim and she coldly tells him to believe what he wants as it truthfully has nothing to do with him. She firmly rejects his earlier confession and says that she will never go out with him before leaving the bar with Seulgi chasing after her. The next day, Seulgi apologizes for causing more trouble and Gaeun reluctantly forgives her, making her promise not to repeat such lies. Before parting ways, Seulgi asks her if she really has no connection to Jaerim, telling her that he said he was her boyfriend after she had left.

In the library, she is interrupted as she is working with a tap and someone asking if the seat next to her is taken, she turns her head to see Jaerim standing next to her with a smiled and freezes. He sits down and asks if she knows who he is, Gaeun tries to deny it but is caught when she accidentally types his name on her document. Embarrassed, she tells him to say what he wants and he asks if they can talk in private. He informs her that he had told the students in the bar that he was her boyfriend and suggests they pretend to date, saying that she needed his help to make the upperclassman stop bothering her.

She asks what he gets out of the relationship, but he refuses to share and Gaeun is quick to walk off without agreeing to the deal. He goes after her and confesses he wants to stop the rumors going around about him. He tells her that people think he is gay and asks her to go out with him so they can help each other. Gaeun says she will think about it. Later on, Seulgi notices that Gaeun is not listening to her and walks them to a vending machine so Gaeun can get a drink to wake her up. Byeonguk then appears behind them and taunts Gaeun, saying it was as a shame she had to buy her own drink as he would always buy her one instead. She tells him off, saying she had never accepted anything he had tried to give her.

Gaeun continues to rebuke him and in anger, Byeonguk brings up *the incident from three years ago* and chills run down her spine. She tries to ignore his words and calm herself when Jaerim walks up behind her and chooses a drink for her while affectionately calling her *"babe".* Seeing her chance to get rid of her stalker, Gaeun plays along and Jaerim continues the act by holding her hand. Byeonguk angrily accuses them of putting on an act to make him jealous, but Jaerim denies it while getting close to Gaeun and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Byeonguk continues to make a scene before being told off by another student and noticing people whispering about him.

He tells Gaeun that she will regret going out with Jaerim, but she quickly says she wont and the two make to leave. Byeonguk stops them, saying that he will leave first as he does not want to see Gaeun turn her back to him. The two of them are appalled as he leaves.

## Relationships

### Jaerim Lee

Jaerim is a year younger than Gaeun and is her fake boyfriend. He is the one who proposes a fake relationship as a way to help each other, Gaeun with Byeonguk and Jaerim with his rumor.

### Seulgi Do

Seulgi is Gaeun's friend from the Screenwriting Department who she confides in about her fake relationship and later, her growing feelings for Jaerim.

### Byeonguk

Byeonguk is an upperclassman of the same department who harasses Gaeun under the guise of a crush. He is persistent in his pursuit of Gaeun's affection and does not acknowledge her rejections, insisting she is merely playing hard to get. Gaeun loathes his attention and is desperate to get him off her back, even agreeing to Jaerim's fake relationship to do so.

## Trivia

* According to the 100 Questions list:
	+ Her shoe size is 6.5.
	+ She is a light sleeper and if she misses her bedtime she will stay up all night.
* According to the same list, her favorites are:
	+ Favorite season: Winter
	+ Favorite food: Seafood (Especially salmon)
	+ Favorite flower: Garlic flower