IT - 10

10. “Try Eating First”

Tae-ha paused his steps toward the parking lot to observe the two of them. Eun-ho had been exceptionally skilled at pushing his anger to its limits since earlier.

“Still, it’s too late to take the bus now.”

Eun-ho was silently blaming himself for drinking carelessly without realizing Ji-soo would leave early. He had wanted to drive her home.

“I’m really fine. I only had one glass of beer. Team Leader, you drink a little more and head home safely.”

“Alright then. I’ll contact you tomorrow. Take care, Ji-soo.”

“Thank you, have a safe trip home.”

As their farewells dragged on, Tae-ha’s handsome face twisted into a menacing scowl. So they were still planning to meet tomorrow?

Ji-soo, who had turned to hurry toward the parking lot, suddenly froze in her tracks. Under Tae-ha’s piercing glare, her shoulders instinctively hunched. She had assumed he was already waiting in the car, but instead, he stood there with a cold expression, blocking her path.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

Her plump lips trembled uncontrollably as if she couldn’t even close them properly. What did he expect her to say in this state?

“Here?”

“Huh?”

After scrutinizing her delicate features, Tae-ha impulsively grabbed Ji-soo’s hand. It struck him as oddly fascinating how such frail hands—half the size of his own—could work so diligently and live such a busy life.

The car carrying the two of them sliced through the city night and entered the driveway of Hera Hotel. Perched on the mountainside, the hotel remained chilly even as summer began to settle in.

A quiet, damp darkness enveloped Ji-soo as she stepped out of the car. Shivering from the cold, she instinctively pulled her shoulders inward. Tae-ha removed his jacket and draped it around her.

Feeling the biting chill up to her chin, Ji-soo hurriedly sought warmth. When she came to her senses, she found herself inside a hotel room. Tae-ha placed a warm cup in front of her, still trembling slightly.

At the peak of the deepest part of the night, Ji-soo wasn’t naive enough to not understand what might happen next between a man and a woman in a hotel room. With the warmth of the cup pressed against her lips, she sat across from Tae-ha, meeting his steady gaze.

His silence wasn’t born out of hesitation or stalling—it was clear he was savoring the suffocating tension. Seeing the mischievous smirk lingering on his face, Ji-soo confirmed her suspicions.

“Are you angry with me?”

“Do I look like it?”

Ji-soo averted her gaze, which had been fixed on him. As she tried to recall any wrongdoing, she shook her head. She couldn’t fathom why he was upset.

Was it during the dinner party? No, he had been in a foul mood even before that, back in the company lounge.

Tae-ha ran his fingers through his hair, loosening his tie as he sat down on the sofa. Crossing his long legs, he flicked them casually and flashed a faint smile.

“So…”

Detecting the warning bells ringing in her mind, Ji-soo steadied her breathing. If she didn’t want to be helplessly drawn into his playful trap, she needed to tread carefully.

“How many people are you currently seeing?”

It wasn’t genuine curiosity—it was a setup, an invitation for her to spill everything.

“I don’t know. I haven’t counted or met anyone.”

Ji-soo muttered softly, trying desperately to conceal the lie. Even the falsehoods slipping from her own lips now felt unbearable to hear.

“Include me in that count.”

“What?”

This was the first time Ji-soo had raised her voice louder than Tae-ha’s. Her stunned expression, frozen in bewilderment, made him feel satisfied with his timing.

“I’m willing to respect Han Ji-soo’s impure tastes.”

She was at a loss for words. How could she respond to someone like Tae-ha, who likely assumed she had as much experience as the men she supposedly dated? But she couldn’t reveal the truth now—that she had fabricated these stories to hide her decade-long unrequited love for him. How could she possibly broach that topic?

Just as her tangled thoughts threatened to pull her into an abyss, Tae-ha’s next words cleanly severed them.

“I want to sleep with you. That’s why I brought you here.”

Once again, Ji-soo blinked slowly, her large eyes fluttering in a daze. The subtle shadows cast by her long lashes swayed with each blink; otherwise, she might have been mistaken for a beautiful statue.

If there were a sculpture or doll resembling Han Ji-soo, Tae-ha felt he’d buy it no matter the cost—he was utterly, maddeningly obsessed.

“It’s… unsettling. To say such things so bluntly…”

Ji-soo stumbled over her words, swallowing the rest timidly.

“What did the other guys say? Give me some examples. I’ll rephrase it in a way you like.”

The aroused male sitting across from her, desperate to have her, discarded his pride and blurted out whatever came to mind.

“You’re my superior, and we still have to face each other at work. I dislike mixing personal and professional relationships. I’ll decline your proposal.”

“Haven’t you been putting on an excellent performance until now?”

Could it be? Did he figure out that I’ve loved him for so long? Surely not. Her heart raced like a criminal passing by a police station.

“Did you forget? Who was it that stormed into my office the day after we kissed in the car and drew a cold, hard line?”

Recalling that day made Ji-soo’s mouth feel dry. As her red lips quivered, Tae-ha’s eyebrows twitched upward.

“Do you really need to reject me so seriously right now? Don’t embarrass me.”

There was not a trace of embarrassment on Tae-ha’s face, despite his words. He unfolded his long legs and rose leisurely.

“You said it’s comfortable and good to meet people freely and diversely, right? Why wouldn’t I be included in your list of partners?”

Was this what the devil looked like when tempting someone? Ji-soo trembled her frail shoulders as she gazed up at Tae-ha, his face burning with desire. When their lips were close enough to touch, she realized she could no longer push him away.

“Try it tonight and decide afterward. Don’t you want to know how good I can be?”

His large hand caressed her face softly yet persistently, as if marking his territory. His firm thumb pressed gently against her trembling eyelids, flushed cheeks, and moist lips.

“You, sobbing beneath me on that rainy night—how drenched you were. For some reason, I just can’t seem to forget.”

At this point, it didn’t matter whether it was him who was hot or her who was tense. As Ji-soo opened her half-lidded eyes, the finger tracing her lips pushed inside. His thumb, which had been sweeping across her wet mucous membranes, poked lightly at her moistened lips.

Tae-ha kissed her cheek and lips while his fingers remained inside her mouth. Pulling back slightly, he admired Ji-soo, now beautifully soaked with his essence.

“Han Ji-soo. If you don’t like it after we’re done, then you can throw me away.”

The hand that had been teasing her lips moved down to her chin and neck. Tae-ha’s gaze lingered on her slender body, mismatched with her voluptuous chest, as he gripped the front of her blouse.

“You can return me later, but for now, try tasting me. And before that, I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

Before Ji-soo could respond, his hot lips pressed against hers.

His soft lips enveloped hers gently, and their tongues entwined as one. His large hands cradled her small face, pulling her wriggling body flush against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer.

Even as they walked toward the bedroom, their exploring lips never stopped. Each time he thrust deep inside her mouth and withdrew, Tae-ha tugged at her tender flesh.

“Hnn...”

From the moment he first saw her until now, Ji-soo had become a chaotic blend of Tae-ha’s desires—sweet and intoxicating. Her face was sweet to look at, her scent was sweet to inhale, and her skin was sweet to taste.

His hot breath traveled from her jaw to her neck and down to her chest. The thin layers of clothing fell limply around the bed with faint rustling sounds.

When the final barrier shielding her beautiful, translucent body was removed, Ji-soo squeezed her eyes shut and clung to Tae-ha’s embrace. Her shy movements were so endearing that simply holding her felt satisfying—though the beast raging between his legs vehemently disagreed.

“You’re beautiful.”

Tae-ha’s hand, which had been teasing her waist, now grasped her full curves. He marveled at how her fragile frame concealed such delightful roundness, feeling her softness on the verge of bursting within his firm grip.

Everything about Ji-soo that touched his lips was achingly sweet. Like someone who had lost their sense of taste, Tae-ha savored her slowly, sinking deeper into her sweetness.

“And delicious.”

With Ji-soo pinned between his arms, he lowered his gaze. Every heated moan she exhaled and every shaky inhale caused her delicate body to quiver as though it might break.

Tae-ha spread her tightly clenched knees apart, wrapping one leg around his waist. Startled, Ji-soo grabbed his wrist, her neatly trimmed nails digging into his forearm.

Ji-soo trembled violently, her body rigid with tension. Had he pushed her too hard? Though his desire had swelled to the brink of explosion, seeing her nervousness calmed his urge to delve further.

“Are you okay?”

Or perhaps she always acted this shy with other men in bed. The thought that others might have experienced the same overwhelming desire for her sent blood rushing to his groin.

As Tae-ha pulled his lower body back slightly, Ji-soo suddenly grabbed his waist and pulled him closer.

“Do it. I’m fine. I want to finish this too.”

Tae-ha’s eyes blazed as he took in her desire-drenched form. He thrust himself forcefully into her most intimate place. Her soft body clung tightly to his muscular frame. Without missing a beat, he began moving his hips, and Ji-soo clung to him, tightening around the fierce stimulation driving into her.

She couldn’t comprehend the situation at all. Everything had crashed upon her like an unexpected accident.

Tae-ha had returned early from his business trip, joined the dinner party, and brought her to the hotel despite his inexplicable anger. By the time she came to her senses, her red lips were being fiercely devoured by his.

“If there’s anything you particularly dislike or like, tell me.”

“I like kissing.”

The soft, warm tingling sensation made her feel as though her entire body was melting. She wanted him desperately. This time, she spoke boldly without retreating, her trembling hands clutching the collar of his shirt.