NSTAR - 31

Slowly, ever so cautiously.

With both hands clasped under her chin, Joo-eun tiptoed forward like a squirrel emerging from its burrow.

Peeking out with wide eyes, the squirrel—Joo-eun—checked on her sleeping friend before darting into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

Only then did she let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Phew… That was exhausting. If Director Min-hyuk had caught me sleeping in his room, he would’ve thrown such a fit. I’ll hurry up, take a shower, and pretend I slept here all along… Oh no!”

She gasped at her reflection in the mirror and instinctively stepped back.

Tentatively touching her hair and cheeks, disbelief washed over her.

“What happened to my hair?”

She vaguely remembered him gazing down at her with an expression that screamed adoration as he gently smoothed her hair.

But now, looking at the tangled mess atop her head, there was no trace of anything remotely adorable.

“And why is my shirt…?”

Her blouse was gaping open, revealing far more cleavage than she cared to show. Frantically pulling it together, a fleeting image of his face crossed her mind.

No. That couldn’t have happened.

Though she hadn’t known him for long, she was certain he wasn’t the kind of man who would sneakily unbutton a woman’s shirt while she slept.

By now, she trusted him deeply.

“Song Joo-eun, listen to yourself. No more alcohol. Ever. Got it? Never again. Ugh…”

Even as she muttered these words to her reflection, she knew they were promises she might not keep.

After finishing her shower, Joo-eun sat at the vanity, towel-drying her damp hair.

Only now did the full view of the room come into focus through the mirror. She turned her head slowly, taking in every detail.

This was supposedly the largest guest room, but it looked bigger than her entire apartment.

“There’s a difference between ‘a little bigger’ and ‘ridiculously extravagant.’ This isn’t even envy-worthy anymore… just sad.”

A bittersweet feeling crept over her.

“But wait, if there’s a vanity here, does that mean female guests visit often?”

The thought made her lips purse unconsciously.

“The fact that it’s spotless means someone must’ve used it recently. Figures.”

Not wanting to dwell on it, she tousled her hair one last time and picked up the hairdryer.

But when she caught sight of Se-young still sound asleep in the mirror, she hesitated to press the power button.

Se-young worked tirelessly—weekdays at the office, weekends at her father’s chicken shop. Hoping her friend could rest a little longer, Joo-eun set the hairdryer back down.

“It’ll dry quickly anyway. Let’s skip it.”

After giving her damp hair a rough pat-down, Joo-eun quietly slipped out of the room.

Now, where was the kitchen again?

The house was so enormous that navigating it still felt daunting.

That was probably why she’d ended up in the wrong room last night.

But what was that smell?

Following the mouthwatering aroma wafting through the air, Joo-eun quickly located the kitchen. Her eyes widened as she alternated between staring at the table and Min-hyuk.

“What’s all this…?”

“Did you wake up?”

Min-hyuk, standing by the sink in perfectly wrinkle-free workout attire, turned to greet her.

On the table sat steaming bowls of rice and soup, their presentation making her mouth water instantly.

“I stopped by a nearby hangover soup place. It’s delicious—I’m sure you’ll like it. It’s where Jang Wook always goes after drinking.”

“But I was going to make breakfast…”

“I only want to eat what you cook for me. For today, let’s settle with what I brought.”

He grinned mischievously as he placed freshly transferred side dishes onto the table.

“Then I’ll go wake Se-young. Will you wake Secretary Byun?”

Instead of answering, Min-hyuk simply stared at her intently.

His suddenly intense gaze made her cheeks flush hot.

“Director…?”

“The clothes suit you well.”

“Ah… Thank you for lending them to me. I’ll wash them as soon as I get home and return them on Monday.”

She wore one of his smallest T-shirts paired with shorts, yet they still hung loosely on her frame, almost comically oversized.

To Min-hyuk, however, even this awkward ensemble somehow looked incredibly sexy on her.

For instance, imagining her wearing just the T-shirt…

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Joo-eun fidgeted awkwardly with her clothes, trying to hide her discomfort.

Min-hyuk approached and lightly tugged her wrist.

“Come here for a moment before the others wake up.”

“W-why all of a sudden…?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t bite. If I wanted to, I would’ve done it already last night.”

What kind of terrifying joke was that?

Before she could fully process her shock, he led her into the dressing room.

“Sit down.”

Gently pressing on her shoulders, he guided her onto a chair.

In the mirror, she saw him holding the hairdryer behind her.

Vroooom—

The loud rush of warm air sent her hair flying in all directions.

“Ah, I can do it myself! Let me handle it.”

“Just stay still. I’ve always wanted to try this.”

“B-but—”

“People pay money for this, you know. Just think of it as a free service and let me handle it.”

His long fingers diligently worked through her tangled locks, lifting strands carefully.

At first, Joo-eun flinched repeatedly, feeling self-conscious. But eventually, she surrendered, letting him take control of her hair.

Secretly, it felt nice.

She had expected his large hands to be clumsy, but instead, he handled her hair delicately, ensuring no strands fell onto her face as he blew warm air gently across her scalp. The sensation was oddly soothing.

If she didn’t snap out of it soon, she feared she might close her eyes and fully succumb to the moment.

Just as her body began to relax, Joo-eun forced herself awake and spoke.

“Hmm. Just dry it roughly, please.”

“This isn’t easy. It’s my first time doing this.”

Everything seemed to be a first for this man.

Rainbow girlfriend Monday through Sunday—where exactly was she hiding while he kept experiencing so many “firsts” with her?

Before he could finish, Joo-eun stood up abruptly.

“The soup will get cold. I’ll go wake Se-young.”

“One moment.”

He aimed the hairdryer at her bangs, blowing warm air onto her forehead.

The gentle heat caused her large eyes to flutter closed involuntarily.

Seeing her sit there with her eyes shut, murmuring “I said roughly is fine…” was too cute for Min-hyuk to resist. He chuckled softly.

It wasn’t really about drying her bangs—it was an excuse to admire her sitting there with her eyes closed.

As soon as he turned off the dryer, he leaned in and lightly kissed her lips.

“…!”

Joo-eun’s eyes flew open, glaring at him indignantly. Without missing a beat, he turned the dryer back on.

“Alright, alright. I won’t do it again. Just finishing your bangs.”

When she closed her eyes again in resignation, another soft kiss landed on her lips.

“You said you wouldn’t!”

“That’s what I meant—I finished your bangs and then did it.”

Annoyed by his teasing smile, Joo-eun snatched the hairdryer from him and switched it off.

“…Are you mad?”

Placing the dryer down, she shot him a sharp glare.

“Do I look like someone who gets angry easily? I’m not that kind of woman.”

“I’ve never thought of you as easy. Not once.”

“So why do you keep sneaking kisses without permission? First in the storage room, now this…”

“…”

“Hmm. Your words and actions don’t match at all. I can’t trust you. The soup’s getting cold—we should eat.”

With that, she turned and walked out coldly. Min-hyuk quickly followed behind her.

“Fine, I’m sorry. I won’t do anything without permission again. But in the storage room, I clearly warned you not to say that name, and you provoked me…”

“What do you mean, provoked you? Why are we starting the morning with such suggestive talk?”

Jang Wook, slurping bean sprouts from a bowl of soup while sporting bedhead, chimed in.

“Yeah, what’s with all the innuendos? We’re supposed to be eating breakfast, not flirting. Hurry up and finish so we can leave.”

How much had they overheard? Joo-eun’s face turned beet red.

“N-no, it’s not like that… Did you sleep well? You too, Secretary Byun?”

“Of course! Thanks to you, I got to enjoy some expensive wine and feel great this morning. Haha.”

Amused by Jang Wook’s antics, Min-hyuk shook his head and took his seat. He casually pulled out a chair for her to sit beside him.

Hesitant, Joo-eun reluctantly settled into the seat next to him.

Watching the two seated side by side, Se-young gave Min-hyuk an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

“This is really good! Did you buy it from somewhere?”

“It’s delicious, right? It’s my discovery—a hidden gem!”

Though Joo-eun had asked Min-hyuk, Jang Wook answered instead, boasting as if he’d found the place himself.

“Oh, so it’s not a famous restaurant but something Secretary Byun discovered?”

“That’s right! After getting frustrated because of her, I drank at the convenience store across the street until my stomach hurt, then stumbled into this random place—and boom, jackpot!”

“Oh my. Pain brings maturity, doesn’t it?”

“Wow, what a fresh way to put it.”

“We should visit sometime—it’ll taste even better in person. Let’s go next time.”

“We could go now if you want.”

Min-hyuk muttered under his breath, prompting Joo-eun to nudge him subtly.

Ignoring them, Se-young and Jang Wook were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

“While we’re on the topic, how about this Thursday?”

“Sounds good!”

Why were these two flirting over hangover soup in someone else’s house? Min-hyuk glared at Jang Wook, visibly displeased.

Pretending not to notice, Jang Wook turned toward Se-young and continued eating.

Clearing his throat unnecessarily, Min-hyuk glanced sideways at Joo-eun and leaned closer.

“Forgive me. Let’s eat and enjoy ourselves.”

Truthfully, she hadn’t been all that upset. She’d just been pretending to stay mad because watching him squirm was amusing.

“…Okay.”

Awkwardly responding, Joo-eun lifted a spoonful of soup to her lips.

Pain brings maturity, huh? Whatever that meant, the soup was undeniably delicious.

The lighthearted banter was enjoyable, the food was tasty, and most importantly…

Starting the morning with him felt wonderful.

Had she experienced such a happy morning recently?

The happier she felt, the more her anxious nature tried to creep in. But for now… just for a little while, wasn’t it okay? She reassured herself.

Though the happiness she had to convince herself to accept felt somewhat bittersweet, it was still good.

This perfect morning, which felt like it had always belonged to her, was blissful.

Only after Joo-eun laughed aloud did Min-hyuk relax and join the conversation fully.

Somehow, the four of them grew even closer than the night before, their chatter weaving seamlessly through the Sunday morning light.

Perhaps this happiness came at a cost.

Monday rolled around again, bringing with it a deep trial for Joo-eun.

“What? You want me to attend this meeting…?”

It was an unexpected and utterly absurd request.