Chapter 4.2

Lee Seop slowly sipped his wine. The taste was quite refined, which seemed accurate since he had been told it was a good vintage. 

“Lee Seop, let’s get another bottle.”

“I’m good.”

Whenever his grade school friends got together, they tended to act like they were children again to some extent, even when they were in their 20s and 30s. The conversation about games and webtoons had been replaced with discussions about real estate and stocks, as well as girlfriends, wives, and babies. And always about money. Talk of high-level information that someone in the political world or someone in their company acting out would often be interjected with a joke. During the conversations, Lee Seop had finished off two glasses already.

As Lee Seop looked at the empty glass, rolling the stem between his fingers, Minseong asked, “Shall we order more wine?” He was eager, having been the one who had bought the last bottle.

“It’s alright, this was good enough.” Sitting his glass down, Lee Seop leaned back into his chair and crossed his long legs.

Minseong frowned at his response. “Okay, but Lee Seop, tell us, are you really not dating anyone? Come on, stop being coy. You know what, you actually should find someone to marry. When will you do that? There has to be someone perfect for you.”

“They don’t exist.”

“Wait, I heard there is one.” Another classmate joined the conversation, drunkenly giggling. “I heard she was from that family… from that Professor’s family. I heard you have a stake in their group.”

“What is that?” Lee Seop spat out sharply. “There is no arrangement with that family. If I’m going to date anyone, it’ll be someone I fall in love with at first sight.”

“Whoa.” The drunk classmate who had brought up Professor Coi’s family pretended to clean out his ears. “Really? This is the first time I’ve ever heard the word love come from your lips in 30 years.”

“Hey, let’s order a drink! To Lee Seop dating! No, champagne!” Another classmate called out.

These classmates had been in love with people ten times over; it was astounding that they would get so excited about someone else’s declaration and wish in love. Lee Seop quickly took a glass of champagne and smirked as they finished the toast. What had they just toasted to? ‘That the purity of the time must now be tainted?’ It was so ridiculous that Lee Seop wanted to cry. Coughing back the childishness, he looked over and narrowed his eyes.

He saw a woman walking from afar with unique movements that Lee Seop knew well. It was so familiar, with her smooth jawline and the long line from her neck to her shoulders. ‘No way.’ Lee Seop looked away and squeezed his eyes shut before glancing back. He saw that the woman had a glamorous aura about her. She wore a short two-piece dress emphasizing her slender body and curves, and her hair was finished with wavy curls. 

‘I must be stressed out… everyone I see is reminding me of Min-kyung…' Lee Seop shook his head and pulled his cell phone out. With this thought, he remembered, so he had to contact her. He had asked her to come to the officetel in Cheongdam-dong on Monday morning, but he was already too tired to go that far. The apartment he had officially moved into after leaving the family home was only 15 minutes from this hotel.

[Deputy Director Kang, tomorrow, pick me up from my apartment for work on Monday morning.] After hitting send, Lee Seop looked up and saw the woman in the two-piece outfit walk closer.

His eyes dropped down to the cell phone the woman was holding. The holder had a white cat on a black background laid out on the back. No… not a cat, a white fox. He recognized the design. As he stared more intently, the woman glanced up at Lee Seop and then walked to sit at a table near them. He looked away quickly as she sat, ‘What the… is that Min-kyung?’ he thought as he watched her more. He saw her look at her cell phone as soon as she sat. She frowned when she read it and started typing, her thumbs moving swiftly. 

[All right, Executive Director.] 

The woman sighed as she put the phone down and pressed the holder with the fox in. ‘So, Kang Min-kyung, is this what you do for fun on the weekends?’ Lee Seop could rip his gaze off her, disbelieving what he saw.

His friends noticed his intensity as he looked at her and tapped him on the shoulder, “That woman looks like she could be a model… So, is that your type? Have you already fallen in love at first sight?”

“No.” He shrugged off their tapping finger.

“Then why are you staring at her like that?”

“She just looks like someone I know.” Still watching her, the woman unconsciously kept popping up and down the fox-faced holder with her index and thumb in an annoyed manner. Still frowning and frustrated, she leaned back and unbuttoned her jacket. Under her jacket, a camisole with a bit of lace revealed itself. She then lifted her arm and ran her hand through her wavy hair.

For some reason, Lee Seop felt his face start to burn up, and his body heat up as he lowered his eyes from the revealed camisole. Lowing his eyes even more didn’t help since as soon as his gaze caught the image of her lower body. Sitting with her legs crossed, her short skirt rode up, exposing her smooth and firm thighs.

Min-kyung focused on the menu as she opened it and inspected the offerings, not noticing his eyes fixated on her. After a minute of intensely reading the full menu, she had made up her mind and motioned to a waiter, “Seoul Night, please.”

It was the seasonal cocktail that Jeong Jong-woo had mentioned; under the title of the cocktail, it was described as ‘A Blue and Cozy Night in Seoul.’ After the waiter acknowledged the order, Min-kyung sat deeply into the chair.

She looked out the lounge window over the blue night sky of Seoul, and the view did feel cozy. Her body, which was already beyond her alcohol limit, felt tired and heavy like she was wading through molasses, and her reactions felt noticeably slower. Even with that, Min-kyung ordered another drink since she was staying at the hotel and was curious about the cocktail.

Kang Min-kyung was famous for only having one drink at any company function. Yet today, she didn’t have to worry about workers being alert and using public transportation. She wanted to feel carefree and spend the evening like anyone else. She planned to have a sip, listen to the live music enveloping the lounge, and then go to her room, remove the layers of magical makeup, and sleep like the dead.

Thinking about that, she focused on her reflection in the window and laughed out of surprise. She did think the makeup was pretty. Now that she focused more, there was a group of five or six men sitting at the table next to hers across a narrow walkway, and they seemed to have been watching her ever since she walked in. She could make out that one man was talking to his companions while looking at her, but she couldn’t hear their conversation over the music.

Now Min-kyung looked over at the man, since she wasn’t wearing glasses or contacts, she couldn’t see his features in detail, everything looked to have a soft lens blur effect. She could see that he was fair-skinned and looked maybe a couple years younger than herself. He was sitting, but she could observe that his legs were long as were his arms. Under his turtleneck, she could make out the outline of his toned shoulder muscles that sloped into his broad and square shoulders. It was the body type that tortured Min-kyung in her mind since it was the same as him, Tae Yi-seop. It must’ve reminded her of him since his text message about tomorrow morning had ruined the complete mood of the evening. 

She wanted to pull her gaze away, but the man’s eyes continued to scan her up and down behind his horn-rimmed glasses. 

‘What is with this man?’ When Min-kyung made eye contact, the man opened his mouth as if he had let out a deep breath. The corner of the man’s lips began to curl up slowly. When she looked at his blurred sneer, she felt something ache in her chest. She wasn’t sure what the feeling was. Her eyes grew wider as she thought he might laugh at her. She wouldn’t be able to handle a throwdown. She was too drunk and tired for it.

Min-kyung smiled at him with one side of her lips and turned her head fully towards the window. She was still worried about the man’s eyes on her, so she leaned back and closed her eyes so as not to think about him.

“Hey, Se-ah?” 

Min-kyung whipped her head around at the sudden call and saw Jeong Jong-woo standing before her table, looking surprised. Behind him, the waiter was waiting to set down her Seoul Night cocktail. Before she had time to speak, Jong-woo sat in the empty chair across from her. “This is the Seoul Night, right? The cocktail that I wanted to buy for you? After we talked in the elevator and said bye earlier, I realized I wanted to have a quick drink before leaving. Even by myself. I also had the Seoul Night.”

“Ah, yes, I had the same thought,” Min-kyung answered slowly as Jong-woo motioned for the waiter to set down her blue cocktail and then ordered more.

“Oh, could you bring us one ‘Purple Rain’ and a ‘Sunset’?” Jong-woo asked with red cheeks. “Reading your column, you had said that you liked to try at least three cocktails to get to know the bar more, so you would order them at once. These are the other seasonal cocktails. They each are a different color, I think you’ll get some inspiration for another article with these. I’m not that good of a drinker; I usually can only have one drink. But since we only had champagne earlier, I still felt okay, so thought I could have a little more…”

‘Oh no.’ Min-kyung had overlooked the fact that Se-ah was always the primary drinker. She bit her tongue slightly, which had already started tingling. She decided she needed to send Jong-woo off quickly; it would be in her best interest in this situation. 

“Let’s try it, then.” Min-kyung clinked her glass with him and drank half the cocktail. The drink was sweet and bitter as she swallowed the cold liquid. She was completely drunk, but she felt like she could endure it. Once she took the elevator from the lounge, her room was only a stone’s throw away. All she had to do was get rid of Jong-woo.

“As expected, you’re enjoying it.” Jong-woo leaned towards her but spoke loudly. 

“It is delicious. The taste is… unique. A bit bitter but pleasant.” Min-kyung’s voice rang in her ears like it echoed. She smiled, and they raised their glasses again. Jong-woo sipped on the drink, not emptying it. ‘Drink faster.’ She willed it; she wanted them to finish and then say it was time to leave, but the cocktail service continued… Purple rain, sunset…

Desperately, Min-kyung spoke, emphasizing the punctuation. “Please. Drink.”

“Oh, I can’t, I’m already too drunk.” Jong-woo waved his hand at her, then encouraged her by pushing forward a drink. “They say Purple Rain is the flavor women prefer. It smells like grape candy.”

“Uhm, really?” She reached out and unconsciously took a sip of the candy-flavored cocktail. “It’s very sweet.” 

“Yes, men have been divided on liking it or not because of its sweetness. Oh, one moment, my phone…” Jong-woo looked at his phone and laughed out loud. “Oh look, it’s Hyunseong. He’s probably calling to check how things are with his cousin.”

“Hyungseong, Hyungseong….” Min-kyung muttered. She rested her elbow on the chair’s armrest, leaned her cheek onto her fist, and looked at Jong-woo to answer the phone.

“Oh, yes, we’re together. Not yet. Huh? We met up late. No, we had dinner and are having a cocktail. I heard she is a cocktail fan, and they have good ones here. She paid for dinner first, so I want to buy her a drink. Yes, and an expensive meal. I need to pay it off in drinks. Haha, yes, I ordered a lot just now.” 

Jong-woo’s voice grew loud and quiet, back and forth like a broken radio. Min-kyung was so drowsy she couldn’t stand it, so she closed her eyes. She opened them when Jong-woo’s voice grew so loud she wished she could reach out and cover his mouth, but her hand wouldn’t move.

“Uh, yes. It seems Se-ah isn’t feeling too well, maybe she drank too much…. I only had two glasses, and I’m even a little drunk…” Jong-woo trailed off as he looked at Min-kyung. “Oh? Coming? In front of the hotel? Okay, okay. Since you’re in the same apartment complex, you should take Se-ah with you.” 

Jong-woo ended the call and looked at Min-kyung concerned. Min-kyung raised the sunset-colored glass. “I’m going to have this and savor it before I leave. So Jong-woo, please go ahead and head home.”

“Drink slowly, I think you’re having a bit too much today.”

“No, no. I’ll drink it fast and then leave. So, let’s drink it in one shot.” Min-kyung pointed to the extra glass of Seoul Night that was still sitting to the left of Jong-woo. “A toast.”

Jong-woo took the glass and made a toast, and with Min-kyung’s urging, tossed it back in one shot, the same as Min-kyung.

“You’re done? Time to go.” Min-kyung fumbled around herself, grabbed her handbag, and then slurred. “Thank you for the cocktails, Jong-woo, I enjoyed them. Please go ahead. I’m going to wash my hands before leaving.”

“Well, Hyunseong is coming to get you. He was on his way home from work.”

“Who?” Min-kyung blinked. She pushed up on the table to stand from her seat, but it felt as if the table was rocking.

Jong-woo caught her as she staggered from the table. “Whoa, hold on a moment….”

“No, no, go ahead, I’m fine by myself…” What did he mean Hyunseong was coming? She needed to get him to go away and get to her hotel room before Hyunseong showed up. Her body was heavy and didn’t move, but her mind was racing. Even her vision felt stretched out, like she was looking through a convex lens. Min-kyung frantically waved her hands, “Go ahead and leave.”

“How could I leave you alone like this? Please come down to the lobby with me.” Jong-woo started sweating as he argued with Min-kyung, but suddenly, a large hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around. The man towered over him, his sharp eyes behind the horn-rimmed glasses tightened. He glared down disgustingly at Jong-woo.

“Who?... Who?”

“Why are you harassing someone who doesn’t like you.”

“Oh no, it’s not like that! I think you are misunderstanding…”

“How am I misunderstanding? I watched it all since you had sat down.” Lee Seop took off his trench coat and pointed at the table he had been sitting at. “I was sitting there for a while.”

Lee Seop had left and walked to the elevator with his friends; feeling uneasy, he quickly pressed the open button before the doors closed and ran back to the lounge. He thought it might be like this. This bastard, sitting down and trapping her, ended up trying to take her somewhere. “I saw it all, sitting down uninvited and forcing people to drink who can’t hold their liquor. What was your plan?” His eyes blazed as he asked.

“No! I’m not a creep, I’m not even a stranger.” Jong-woo opened his wallet and, shaking, tried to pull out a business card. He, too, was quite drunk and now scared that his business card had slipped from his fingers several times. 

Lee Seop scoffed and looked down at him pathetically. He then looked at Min-kyung and lamented. Min-kyung just blinked; her neck was red, but it wasn’t only her neck. He looked down at her unbuttoned jacket to her chest, her bust was still exposed and burning red. He stepped towards her and draped his trenchcoat over her shoulders and chest. Usually, he would’ve put it over the back of her shoulders, but his eyes were almost spinning at the view, so he draped it over her front.

When Lee Seop’s face came closer to hers as he set his coat on her, Min-kyung muttered in a hushed tone, “Hey, over there… How, you’re here, I didn’t recognize…” Her brain, which typically runs smooth, was now soaked in alcohol and ran like a rollercoaster off its track. She could not speak anymore and just opened and shut her mouth like a carp gasping for air. 

Lee Seop frowned as he inspected her face, which grew more and more red in front of him. “Later… Let me explain…” She spoke as her eyes turned red, as if she was getting upset. Min-kyung bit her lip, her wet, glistening lips. They were damp from the cocktails, giving off a sweet scent whenever she opened them. Lee Seop frowned more and took a deep breath in.

‘Hold your tongue…’ Lee Seop thought as if he was going out of his mind… ‘She’s so drunk and can’t even walk. And why is she going out dressed like this? Where is the black suit she wore a thousand times? Her clothes are so tight… Is she insane?” He felt like he would curse; his back shook from holding it in. He felt Jong-woo tap his back and turned to him. “What.”

Jong-woo hesitantly handed Lee Seop his business card and then complained about his mistreatment. “We went on a date and had dinner today. I know her family, so please don’t believe I would do anything shameful. No, no, I’m not that kind of man! You are a stranger who intervened rudely and made assumptions.”

Lee Seop took the business card and held it between his index and middle fingers, reading it, then put it into his pocket without a word.

Jong-woo, whose pride was now hurt, started to become angry. “So then, who the hell are you, interfering like this.”

“Kang Min-kyung is my coworker.”

“Um… yeah? So? Who are you talking about?”

“No, that’s not it.” Min-kyung stepped between the two men, raising both her arms and waving her hands. Her movement caused Lee Seop’s coat to fall to the floor in a bundle. Seeing her mistake, Min-kyung quickly bent down to pick up the jacket, at the same time, Lee Seop knelt to do the same.

Surprised at their syncing, Lee Seop looked over at her. Min-kyung bent forward, unknowingly allowing his eyes to focus deeper down the top of her loose camisole beyond her cleavage to her full chest and a bit of... 

“F*ck.” the curse escaped Lee Seop’s mouth. Although it was almost silent, Min-kyung’s eyes widened, looking at him and reading the words off his lips. “I can see everything…” Lee Seop spoke in a low, quiet voice. It wasn’t intentional to talk low, but he felt as if his throat was tight and swallowed hard.

“Ahh-ah.” Min-kyung, realizing what he said, knelt down, pulling her body more upright. She couldn’t believe this was real, and what he had just said. And looked to close her jacket.

Lee Seop thought it was faster to wrap Min-kyung in his large trench than it would be for her to button her own jacket in her state. As he wrapped her, she started to stand, struggling on her uneasy legs, and stumbled, hitting her forehead into Lee Seop’s chest.

“Ouch, that was hard…”

As she lifted her hand to her forehead, Lee Seop couldn’t take it. He grabbed her under both her shoulders and lifted her up, looking like he was hugging her. With her arms over his, Min-kyung looked up at his face. Her eyes were wide open, sparkling, as her cheeks flushed red and her red lips were agape.

Lee Seop looked at her, holding her steady, and through gritted teeth said, “Deputy Director Kang, if you don’t come to your senses…” 

Min-kyung shook her head as if it would shake her into sobriety. “Haaa…. I could die of embarrassment.” She murmured, speaking into his neck and chin, then lowered her eyes. Her breath was hot and sweet, settling against his bare skin. Heat started rising in Lee Seop wherever her breath touched.

“Whoa, whoa there. Who is Kang Min-kyung, and she is your coworker?” Jong-woo asked, blinking at the two of them with big eyes.

“She’s Se-ah’s best friend and housemate.” He heard the question asked as he entered the space. Hyunseong answered curtly as he turned to the group, looking at Min-kyung, Lee Seop, and Jong-woo each. No surprise was on his face, almost as if he expected Min-kyung to be here.

“Ahh hah, okay… This all is a bit… Even if you are her best friend's coworker, this seems a bit too much.”

“Let me correct myself, I’m not a colleague but her direct supervisor. And I don’t know what you’re talking about, her best friend….” He started to face Jong-woo again.

Min-kyung suddenly grabbed Lee Seop’s hand, which was still steadying her. She held his hand tightly and pulled it close to her. Under the large trench, their hands clung to each other.

‘Well, whu... what,’ Lee Seop felt as though his thoughts were stuttering. Heated and pleading looks rose in her eyes before she broke their gaze, and she cast a pitiful, pleading look toward the particular bastard who had just joined this war. As if responding to her eyes, the man smiled softly and nodded.

“Jong-woo, you look pretty drunk. This must be because it looked like a drunk person was taking away another drunk person. You can call Se-ah later. After hearing all this, I think it would be best for everyone to call it a day. I think even the hotel staff were troubled.”

Jong-woo looked around at the hotel lounge staff, who had been watching everything unfold, and bowed his head. He raised up his hands in surrender and bowed his head again. Scratching the back of his neck, he said goodbye to Min-kyung and Lee Seop. Min-kyung gently let go of Lee Seop’s hand, which she had been latched onto.

“Since Hyunseong is here, I’ll get going. Please reach out, I was so happy when I saw you in the lounge that I overdid it. I’m sorry that this happened…”

Lee Seop raised his chin, tightening his throat, and pressed into Jong-woo with stiff words. “I’d suggest you shut up and just go ahead and leave.” Perhaps it was Lee Seop’s eyes burning into him, or because he was embarrassed by the entire situation, Jong-woo quickly turned around and left.

“Oppa…”

Lee Seop glanced quickly back at Min-kyung  'Oh Pah?’ he thought, perplexed. He promptly unfolded the Kang family tree in his head. ‘Parents, younger sister, and two young twin brothers. There is no older brother. But who are you calling this? That guy?’ Lee Seop scoffed.

The guy called “Oppa” naturally stepped between the two, grabbed Min-Kyung by the shoulders, and lightly shook. “How much did you drink?”

“Three cocktails… in a row.”

“And? You’re way past your limit.”

“And about a glass and a half of champagne.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Don’t you see, because I had to drink like Se-ah.” Min-kyung looked up at the man and smiled, looking relaxed. Her pronunciation was now more slurred and sounded like a babbling toddler.

He sighed at her response. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.” Hyunseong wrapped his arm around Min-kyung’s shoulders with no hesitation.

“No, no way. I’m not going home.” Min-kyung shook her head and stood firm.

“Why?”

“I’m staying here tonight to relax, I got a room…”

“Min-kyung, is Se-ah coming here tonight? You shouldn’t be alone.”

Again, Min-kyung shook her head vigorously, making her dizzy. “No, no, I feel alright, I’m in a better mood. The floor I’m on is just down one on the elevator. See? So you can go home, I can get to my room by myself.” She looked at Lee Seop.

“Okay.” 

‘A room? A hotel room? To relax? What is she talking about to this man while breathing heavily?’ Lee Seop watched the two, his mouth gaping open, confused and annoyed. 

The man focused his gaze to the perturbed Lee Seop and lowered his head slightly. “Are you Executive Director Tae Yi-seop?”

“How…”

“I will formally meet you next time. Anyway, thank you for tonight, even though it wasn’t the situation you thought. I’ll take her from here. Oh, this is the Executive Director’s jacket, right?”

Hyunseong pulled on the trench Min-kyung still wore, trying to remove it. Lee Seop reached his hand in front of him and grasped the collar. He had put so much effort into wrapping her up; why would he take it off?

“Bring the coat tomorrow, Deputy Director.” Lee Seop grabbed the trench opening, pulling it together tightly; Hyunseong was so surprised he didn’t say a word. Lee Seop began buttoning the trench and bowed his head to hers, “He’s not your boyfriend, right?”

Min-kyung, still overwhelmed by everything, did not answer. She just blankly stared at him as he carefully buttoned every single button on the jacket. As he wrapped her up more, his eyes dropped a bit, and he shook his head a couple of times with them closed. As he started to finish buttoning the last at the bottom of the trench, he said, “No, he couldn’t be your boyfriend. No man on the planet would let his girlfriend be alone with his friends like that.”

“That friend…” Hyunseong suddenly intervened. Lee Seop didn’t bother to look up as he knelt, his long legs bent, in front of Min-kyung fastening the last remaining buttons, Hyunseong continued. “... I showed up, not realizing Min-kyung was here. It was a bit of a mix-up.”

Lee Seop laughed. ‘Mix up’? He stood up, muttering so softly no one could hear. Instead of parting, he stood up close to her and adjusted the collar of his coat on her, then held and squeezed Min-kyung’s shaking shoulders and said something softly as his hands drifted down and touched the sleeve cuffs.

Hyunseong, trying to suppress the uncomfortable feelings bubbling up, said in a calm voice, “From now on, I…” Hyunseong approached Lee Seop closely as he turned. He was close enough for their faces to collide, but neither backed off. They stared cooly for a moment, but Hyunseong, unable to bear it anymore, moved beside Min-kyung and put his arm around her shoulder again.

Lee Seop asked, only looking at Min-kyung. “Let’s say there’s been a mix-up, but still, this guy isn’t your boyfriend, right? Kang Min-kyung, is he your boyfriend?”

“No.”

“So why does this man want to take you home or to your hotel room? It’s weird.”

Min-kyung raised her hand to cup her hot cheek, then pulled it away. “Phew…” she said, taking a deep breath. “It’s alright; I can go alone, oppa.” Although she believed it, Min-kyung took a few steps before almost falling and sitting into a chair nearby.

Hyunseong rushed over to her like a lightning bolt, held her shoulders, and lifted her back into a standing position. “See, isn’t it reasonable for you to let me take you?” he asked. Lee Seop became more annoyed with that guy’s politeness but didn’t say anything.

Min-kyung bowed her head deeply. “Sorry. Executive Director tomorrow morning… the apartment… I’ll be there.”

“It’s okay, you don’t need to come.”

“You have a meeting at Songbaekjae tomorrow morning. I sent you a briefing.”

“I’ll go.” After his promise, she started reciting tomorrow morning's schedule. He had to admit. Even at this drunken level, Deputy Director Kang, yes, the TK Ace, was a fucking professional. 

Min-kyung lowered her head once more, then turned and began to walk with Hyunseong’s support. As he watched them, her head tilted and touched the man’s shoulder. It was hard to see how close they were, whether her cheek touched his neck or shoulder, but they were too far away now. 

‘Ah, shit.’ Lee Seop groaned as he stretched his stiff neck to the side before straightening up his stance and pulling his shoulders back.