NT - 5

The arm Seo Hae-seung had wrapped around her waist didn’t budge, no matter how much she struggled. It was an unyielding restraint. She had never imagined encountering his masculine side in such a horrifying and despairing situation—something so different from the man she thought she knew. Hae-soo’s mind clouded over completely, drowning in a sea of blackness.

The hallway she had fled down earlier had felt endless, but ironically, being dragged back now seemed to take no more than the blink of an eye.  

“Hae-seung...”  

The sound of the door closing sent chills crawling up her nape. Her body, writhing in a desperate attempt to break free, was pushed against the wall. Hae-soo cringed as Seo Hae-seung buried his face into her neck, sucking on her delicate skin. What should she do? What could she do? Her eyes rolled frantically, overwhelmed by waves of fear that gnawed at her resolve.  

Meanwhile, the hand that had been sliding along her waist descended lower, slipping beneath her school uniform skirt. A jolt of revulsion shot through her spine like lightning.  

“Hae-seung...! Please, stop...!”  

She couldn’t understand it. Just yesterday—or even earlier today, during the graduation ceremony—he had been the same person she’d known for years. So why was he suddenly acting like a complete stranger, treating her with such merciless brutality? The reality refused to sink in, crashing over her like an icy storm.  

Determined not to let this continue, Hae-soo mustered all her strength to push against his chest. But Seo Hae-seung didn’t budge. Instead, he slid his tongue persistently along her nape while lifting her squirming body off the ground.  

“Let’s move to the bed.”  

The simple statement made her heart plummet. Whatever tiny shred of hope she had left shattered into pieces.  

With her legs dangling in the air, Hae-soo thrashed wildly, shoving his shoulder hard enough to make a sound and clawing at his arms. Yet Seo Hae-seung remained unfazed, striding into the bedroom and placing her onto the bed without so much as blinking. As soon as she landed, Hae-soo scrambled upright and retreated toward the headboard, trembling. Her face was rigid with tension, her wariness rippling like waves.  

Hovering over her, Seo Hae-seung climbed onto the bed, resting one knee on the mattress as he began unbuttoning his shirt with an unsettling calmness. Each unfamiliar sign from this man who once seemed so predictable shook her sanity to its core.  

“Hae-seung, why are you doing this? You… I want to leave. Let me go.”  

“If I let you go?”  

“What…?”  

“Are you going to run back to that thug?”  

Hae-soo stared into his eyes, feeling an abyss of incomprehension. Those irises, flickering with manic intensity, were nothing like the eyes she knew. It was as if Seo Hae-seung’s appearance remained unchanged, but another soul had taken residence within him—a presence that evoked an indescribable terror. Her heart felt as though it were being stained pitch-black with anxiety. She shook her head violently.  

“No, no! I won’t go…!”  

“I already knew about your debt. I was preparing to pay it off for you… but how could you stab me in the back like this? I never imagined you’d stoop so low as to sleep with that gangster scum.”  

“Hae-seung, please…”  

“Hae-soo, you hurt me so deeply.”  

Shrugging off his unbuttoned shirt, Seo Hae-seung climbed fully onto the bed. The distinctive creaking of the springs grated against her ears, echoing the erratic pounding in her chest. Desperate, Hae-soo grabbed a nearby pillow and held it up between them, trying to create some semblance of a barrier. With a frown, Seo Hae-seung snatched the pillow and flung it across the room. The sound of it hitting the wall and falling to the floor reverberated painfully loud in the tense silence.  

Their bodies collided again. Seo Hae-seung slowly licked her sharp jawline like a cat savoring its prey.  

“All this time, I endured it with such patience…”  

“A-ah, wait, just a moment—”  

The wet warmth of his tongue against her skin sent shivers crawling across her flesh. It felt grotesque, like some hideous monster violating her body.  

“To spread your legs for someone like him…”  

His voice dropped to a chilling murmur, tearing ruthlessly into her psyche. The nightmare she had tried so desperately to bury—the shame she had hoped to avoid confronting—was now laid bare before her. He hadn’t brushed it off lightly; he had been harboring this pain all along.  

“You know something? I’ve always wanted this with you.”  

Seo Hae-seung sucked gently on the soft skin beneath her neck before releasing it, rubbing his nose against her as if inhaling her scent.  

“I’ve dreamed of rolling around with you every single day.”  

He pulled her thighs apart and pinned her down onto the bed. Climbing atop her, he dominated her field of vision entirely, leaving her no escape.

Hae-soo swallowed hard as she felt Seo Hae-seung’s fingers gently stroking the line where her neck met her shoulder. The touch was slow and deliberate, like someone carefully handling a precious artifact, yet it felt as though a finely sharpened blade were resting atop her skin. The tension of knowing that any attempt to escape would result in merciless harm refused to subside.

Hae-soo raised her trembling eyes slightly. The face that usually teased her with playful ease now sent shivers down her spine, resembling something monstrous—like a demon. This dynamic between them was something she had never, not even once, anticipated in their relationship.

“When you had short hair… I used to pretend to sleep just so I could sneak glances at you.”  

“...”  

“The curve of your neck when your hair fell back was so beautiful... Do you know that, Hae-soo?”  

“N-no, I don’t…”  

For some reason, the heat radiating from Seo Hae-seung’s hands clashed painfully with the cold sensation of the necklace he had placed around her neck earlier. She was caught in a whirlpool of confusion, while dread and anxiety surged within her like an endless, dark tide. And as if to confirm that her fears weren’t unfounded, Seo Hae-seung’s palm slowly tightened around her throat.

As his movements grew slower, her pupils dilated, clouded over with fear.  

“But I endured it all. Do you know why?”  

“Ugh, Hae—”  

“You said you didn’t like pain, so...”  

“Hae-seung, ah!”  

The fingers wrapped around her slender neck like chains began to exert pressure. Hae-soo’s hands, which had been aimlessly wandering over the sheets, desperately clutched at his forearms. But no matter how much she pushed or resisted, his grip showed no signs of loosening. On the contrary, it only grew tighter. Her lower body writhed uncontrollably beneath him, struggling against his weight.

And then, the moment one of Seo Hae-seung’s fingers pressed fully against her windpipe, her thrashing intensified.  

“Uh, Hae, Hae—!”  

Her airway constricted under the external pressure, making it impossible to breathe. Hae-soo’s face paled as her lungs screamed for oxygen. Even as she dug her nails sharply into his bulging arm, the outcome remained unchanged. There was no escaping this snare; there was no way out of his iron grip.

“I waited patiently, enduring everything for you.”  

“Hhh, huuh, hae, ah, suh, bre—!”  

Can’t breathe, can’t breathe, can’t breathe, can’t breathe.  

The unfinished plea hovered emptily on the tip of her tongue. Under the suffocating assault, her eyes burned hot with unshed tears. Seo Hae-seung watched as her tear-soaked eyelashes quivered, feeling his own arousal grow heavier by the second.

He had always wanted to hold her like this—at least once. Yet, when it came to Hae-soo, he had buried these desires deep inside, hiding them away behind the guise of affection. He had suppressed them ruthlessly, ensuring they never saw the light of day. It was all because of her—the way she looked at him, the way she cared for him—that he had kept this cruel streak hidden.

Once, after causing trouble with friends, he had been beaten by his father with a golf club. Unfortunately, the head of the club had struck his cheek directly, leaving a vivid bruise the next day.  

He remembered clearly how shocked Hae-soo had been when she saw his swollen face—it felt like it had happened just yesterday. As she treated him in the nurse’s office, Hae-soo often furrowed her brow as though she herself were in pain. Her worried gaze never left him. Beyond that, her soft apology before touching his wound—”Sorry”—and her hesitant, careful hands made him feel something subtle but profound.

“Do you dislike pain?”  

That question slipped out suddenly as he obediently allowed her to tend to him.  

Born into privilege, surrounded by wealth from a young age, Seo Hae-seung had lived a life vastly different from others. With countless opportunities and abundant resources at his disposal, he had discovered his sexual preferences earlier than most.  

At his question, Hae-soo turned to look at him curiously, closing the ointment tube.  

“Are there people who enjoy pain?”  

That single sentence—a clear rhetorical question implying there could be no other answer—became a shackle binding his desires tightly. Beneath the weight of that response, a strong sense of crisis washed over him: he couldn’t let Hae-soo discover this side of him.

Under that looming dread, the memory of his father’s face during the incident flickered through his mind like a ghostly afterimage. Imagining Hae-soo’s gentle gaze turning into one of contempt and disgust—just like his father’s—left a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew it was the natural reaction most people would have toward his inclinations. Comparing himself to Hae-soo only inflated his sense of crisis, like a balloon swelling with each gust of wind.

He wished Hae-soo wouldn’t look at him that way.

Because of this, Seo Hae-seung had vowed over and over again to suppress his darker inclinations. If Hae-soo disliked pain, he was determined to completely conceal that side of himself. While inflicting pain and watching others bleed could heighten his arousal during sex, he believed it wasn’t essential—sex could still be satisfying without it. To him, his preferences were merely about how deeply he could immerse himself in the act.

Every time he saw Hae-soo’s pale nape, or the long, elegant line of her neck exposed when the wind blew or she tucked her hair behind her ear, an insidious desire would rise within him—a hunger he constantly fought to suppress. Even after reuniting with her, this resolve remained unchanged.

Or so he thought.  

“Ha... Seung... hng, th-that...”  

Like a mirage, a scene he had only ever witnessed in dreams was now unfolding before his very eyes.  

The sight of Hae-soo choking under his grip, tears streaming down her face as she gasped for air—it was nothing short of a fantasy. His retinas seemed drenched in an overwhelming ecstasy, as if they were drunk on the vision. He had crossed a line, and there was no turning back. A chilling thrill shot through the base of his skull, electrifying yet horrifying.  

And yet, separate from that chill, a current of arousal surged uncontrollably in his gut.  

A coiled desire that had lain dormant like a snake in his core writhed violently to life. The realization that this delusion—this taboo dream—was now real caused the last remnants of his rationality to crumble like sandcastles washed away by the tide. Broken, scattered, fractured, his primal instincts emerged raw and unfiltered.  

Without realizing it, Seo Hae-seung pressed his lips to Hae-soo’s tear-soaked cheek. As he leaned his upper body closer, his lower body followed suit. Hae-soo, trembling with fear from the suffocation, froze like stone as she felt the heavy presence pressing against the inside of her thigh.  

She knew exactly what it was. So… was he really getting aroused while choking her? The shock of it went beyond mere astonishment or disbelief. It was an indescribable feeling—as though she had glimpsed the darkest, most hidden recesses of another human being. And that terrible discovery plunged her straight into a pit of despair.  

“Hah...!”  

The crushing grip on her throat loosened slightly. Gulping down the rushing air greedily, Hae-soo erupted into a series of violent coughs. Though his hand had already left her neck, the lingering sensation clung to her like a phantom. Distracted by the aftermath, she didn’t notice when the buttons of her skirt were undone, nor when his hand forced its way between her legs. By the time she realized, Seo Hae-seung’s fingers had already pushed aside her underwear and invaded her dry folds. Her spine stiffened, rigid with a mix of tension and dread.  

“Why aren’t you wet?”  

Her face, flushed a peachy hue against her pale skin, looked almost delicate—too innocent to belong to someone committing such vulgar acts. Yet here he was, feigning disappointment as he murmured. Through her blurred, tear-soaked vision, Hae-soo shook her head weakly. No, stop, take your hand out. Her hoarse voice, broken as if her vocal cords had been severed, carried the lingering echoes of trauma too deep to fade.  

Seo Hae-seung forcibly spread her resisting legs wider. Tearing at her stockings and pushing aside her panties, he roughly explored her dry entrance.  

“Hae-soo.”  

“Hnn... ugh...”  

“Why aren’t you wet?”  

A sense of urgency, as if someone were chasing him from behind, struck the back of his head like a hammer blow. He was desperate. His own arousal had reached its peak, straining against the fabric of his pants, yet Hae-soo remained unresponsive—crying instead of aroused. The disparity tore at what little remained of his sanity, making him even more brutal.  

Especially with yesterday’s memory still vivid in his mind.  

“When you were with that thug—”  

“A-ah, ngh! W-wait, pl-please...!”  

“You were so wet then, dripping... but why aren’t you wet with me? It makes me sad.”  

The same fingers that had brutally pressed against her throat moments ago now invaded her unwilling body. Hae-soo bit down hard on her lower lip as he forced apart her dry, resistant entrance. Afterward, Seo Hae-seung traced her trembling lips with his hand before thrusting his tongue into her mouth without hesitation. The movement was rough, violating her sensitive membranes with unbearable intensity. Overwhelmed by the relentless intrusion, Hae-soo’s body convulsed involuntarily. Amidst this, another long finger pushed deeper inside her.  

“Hae... Seung, p-please... take it out...”  

“Why?”  

“If you take it out now, I’ll pretend none of this happened... please...”  

Through the brief gap where their lips parted, she pleaded desperately. Seo Hae-seung stared closely at her tear-streaked face, her words soaked in sorrow. She couldn’t meet his gaze, trembling like a cornered animal facing a predator. Her vulnerability stirred in him both pity and a strange, destructive urge—to shatter her completely.  

He bit down on her pale, quivering cheek, his voice low and humid with lust.  

“Pretend none of this happened?”  

“Hnnn...”

“Why should I pretend it didn’t happen?”  

“Ngh, ugh...”  

“You need to feel exactly where my fingers are right now.”  

Seo Hae-seung scraped the inner walls with two fully inserted fingers, raking them roughly. The wet, narrow passage clung to the intruding digits as if acutely aware of their presence. Sensing her body’s reaction, Seo Hae-seung curled his lips into a smirk. The dimples that formed sent tremors through Hae-soo’s already shaken gaze.  

“Look how tightly you’re squeezing.”  

I bet it would feel amazing to thrust in.  

Each breath Seo Hae-seung exhaled stirred something unbearable deep within her. Hae-soo swallowed hard, tasting faint traces of blood in her saliva, and weakly pushed against his shoulder.  

“Aaah!”  

Her feeble attempts to resist clearly displeased him. Without warning, he jabbed his fingers upward with force. The walls that had been reluctantly accommodating his intrusion suddenly clenched down with an almost painful intensity, as though trying to crush the invading fingers. A cruel smile spread across Seo Hae-seung’s face, accentuated by his dimples.  

“Is this the spot?”  

“Ugh, no, stop, please, wait...!”  

“Bingo.”  

As if delighted by his discovery, Seo Hae-seung repeatedly prodded the sensitive area. The once-dry passage, subjected to relentless violation, began to secrete sticky moisture. Taking advantage of the slickness, he added another finger, stretching her wider. The three fingers moving inside her in different directions felt grotesquely vivid.  

Hae-soo buried her tear-streaked face into the pillow, her expression drenched in despair. No matter how much she twisted her body, the fingers penetrating her followed every movement, grinding against her insides. They slid out smoothly only to thrust back in violently, churning her insides with brutal force.  

“Don’t pretend this isn’t happening.”  

“Hnn, huu... aaah!”  

“We’re going to have sex today.”  

“Haa, Hae-seung, ngh, ah... aaah!”  

“You’re not leaving here.”  

With one hand still violating her, Seo Hae-seung used the other to hastily undo his pants. His engorged erection, which had been straining against the fabric since he choked her, sprang free, throbbing menacingly. Veins bulged along its length, resembling a weapon more than anything human. He smeared the pre-cum leaking from the tip along the shaft and quickly positioned himself.  

Hae-soo’s mind snapped back to reality when the three prying fingers were withdrawn, replaced by something blunt pressing and rubbing against her entrance. A chilling jolt shot through her brain.  

“Seo Hae-, Hae-seung...”  

Before she could finish pleading, something thick and unyielding forced its way into her tight opening.  

“Ahhk!”  

Her head lolled back, thighs tensing involuntarily. Seo Hae-seung let out a guttural sigh at the sensation of her impossibly tight grip—far tighter than when his fingers had explored her. The tears welling up in Hae-soo’s eyes spilled over again in torrents.  

Seo Hae-seung began tearing away at her clothes, stripping her piece by piece. When he finally pulled her bra up and her breasts spilled out, full and round, they looked tantalizing enough to make anyone salivate. He stared, entranced, at her chest—so voluptuous compared to her otherwise slender limbs, which he had touched often before.  

“To be honest, I’m surprised… Were your breasts always this big?”  

“Hnn...”  

“If I’d known, I would’ve groped them sooner. Hell, if I’d realized earlier, I would’ve dragged you to the music room or the nurse’s office every day just to fondle them…”  

The music room and nurse’s office—places where they had occasionally spent time together during school before he went abroad—now took on a sinister meaning in his words.  

Perhaps it wasn’t just those places. Maybe he would’ve pulled her into the bathroom during class too, starting with innocent touches but escalating to pinching her nipples, licking them, sucking on them until they swelled so much she couldn’t wear her uniform anymore.  

Now, regrets flooded his mind. If only he had known some worthless bastard would defile An Hae-soo first, he would’ve claimed her then and there. Not just her breasts—but every inch of her, marking her entirely with his essence… This dark undercurrent of thoughts bled through his words. Hae-soo shuddered violently, feeling the filth seeping into even the memories he dredged up.  

As if someone had pressed down on the back of her head, she instinctively collapsed forward, taking one nipple fully into her mouth. “Aaah...!” Her moan spiked sharply. Seo Hae-seung flicked the tip of his tongue over the puckered skin of her areola, simulating a drilling motion, adding electric shocks of stimulation. As Hae-soo’s struggles intensified and she began pounding on him with all her might, Seo Hae-seung grabbed her school uniform tie from beneath the bed and used it to tightly bind her wrists together.

“Stay still.”  

“Hae-seung, please... ngh, can’t we stop...? Please? It hurts, ah, ugh...”  

Even her tear-soaked pleas fell on deaf ears as Seo Hae-seung forced her tightly clenched thighs apart. In doing so, she was met with the sight of his thick, dark-haired erection forcing its way into her, stretching her painfully wide. Though her body had already registered the shock, seeing it with her own eyes made her heart shatter further. The fragments of her broken spirit crumbled into messy shards, spilling out as sticky tears.  

And it only worsened when Seo Hae-seung began thrusting violently into her, gripping her throat just as tightly as he had before penetration. Once again, her airway was constricted, and her vision blurred as pressure built unbearably in her head. Hae-soo summoned every ounce of strength to resist, though it felt futile against the repeated waves of hell crashing over her.  

“Hae-soo. This... hah, feels so good, you know?”  

“Hnn, ngh, ugh, ugh...!”  

“When I choke you... and then let go right before climax, it’s supposed to feel amazing. Women scream, squirt... some even get addicted to this kind of thing...”  

With both arms bound, she had no means left to push him away. Her unfocused eyes wandered helplessly through the air, searching for something—anything—to cling to. But it was useless. Even catching a glimpse of the madness flickering in Seo Hae-seung’s pupils seemed to steal what little breath she had left. The pressure on her throat tightened once more, cutting off her airway.  

“So... I’ll make you feel good.”  

His voice pierced her ears like a distant echo. Her calves trembled uncontrollably on either side of his hips, as if she were on the verge of death. With her upper body completely restrained, her lower body writhed in desperate resistance. Her feet scraped frantically against the pristine sheets. Yet no matter how long she struggled, Seo Hae-seung showed no intention of stopping. In the end, Hae-soo gave up all thought, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.  

Before darkness claimed her vision, the faint image of Seo Hae-seung’s once-charming dimples lingered grotesquely in her mind.  

────────────  

Like a switch being flipped, consciousness snapped back to her.  

Hae-soo blinked slowly, her entire body weighed down by excruciating pain. Where was she? Memories came in fragmented bursts, as if her mind had been shredded by sharp blades. Even the simple act of rolling her eyes felt like an immense effort. She tried to lift her torso, but the slightest movement sent the world spinning. Her awareness felt submerged deep underwater, muddled and distant.  

Sitting on the bed, Hae-soo surveyed her surroundings. The familiar yet horrifying scene triggered a floodgate of memories, crashing down on her all at once.  

She held her breath, listening intently. There was no sign of anyone else nearby. It seemed she was alone in the hotel room. Realizing this, she bolted upright—but immediately staggered as dizziness overwhelmed her. Barely managing to steady herself, she began searching frantically for her clothes.  

It didn’t take long to find the tattered remains of her school uniform beneath the bed. A wave of despair washed over her chest, but there was no time to dwell on it. Hae-soo opened the wardrobe in the corner of the room. Fortunately, Seo Hae-seung’s clothes were inside. As she rummaged through them, her gaze caught the mirror attached to the wardrobe door—and she flinched.  

“...Hah.”  

Even in the dim lighting, the bruises covering her neck and collarbone were unmistakable.  

Seo Hae-seung hadn’t let up on that area even once during the ordeal. The memory of his relentless assault surged back like bile rising in her throat. And there, dangling from her neck, the necklace’s gemstone glimmered mockingly, as if hiding the evidence of his violence.  

Hae-soo swallowed hard against the nausea roiling in her empty stomach and forced herself to pull out the clothes. Thankfully, her bag was also tucked underneath. She checked its contents quickly, clutching it tightly despite her trembling hands and spinning head. She couldn’t afford to stop now. The compulsion to escape this place consumed her entirely.  

After hurriedly dressing, she approached the door and reached for the clasp of the necklace. Her fingers fumbled repeatedly, unable to undo it. Prioritizing her escape, she closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself, then carefully opened the door.  

The hallway was silent. Hae-soo closed the door behind her and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. It was soaked with sweat. When she pressed her palm to her forehead, the abnormal heat radiating from her skin alarmed her. She wiped away the cold sweat roughly with her sleeve and hurried toward the elevator—but hesitated. What if she ran into Seo Hae-seung? Instead, she opted for the emergency staircase.  

Each step sent a dull throb pounding through her skull, as if someone were striking the back of her head. Clenching her teeth, she endured until she finally reached the first floor. The creak of the door opening echoed eerily in the quiet lobby. To her relief, the hotel lobby appeared blissfully unaware of the nightmare that had unfolded on the top floor the night before. Hae-soo hastily smoothed her tangled hair and rushed toward the entrance.  

Just as she stepped outside, she managed to flag down a waiting taxi.  

“Where to?” the driver asked.  

At that exact moment—  

“Huh?”  

Through the taxi’s windshield, she spotted a luxury car speeding toward them.

Even as the car seemed to be slowing down, it didn’t stop—instead, it surged forward mercilessly toward the taxi Hae-soo had just entered. Startled, Hae-soo clutched the door handle tightly. Just then, a screeching sound of tires grinding against asphalt filled the air, and the vehicle came to an abrupt halt.

The driver’s door flung open, and Seo Hae-seung stepped out. Hae-soo’s heart pounded violently in her chest.  

“Please, just go!”  

“Huh?”  

“Please, hurry… drive, please!”  

The taxi driver, moved by Hae-soo’s desperate plea, instinctively shifted gears to leave. But men dressed in suits—hotel staff or perhaps bodyguards—began blocking the taxi’s path, stepping in front of it from various directions. Amidst this chaos, Seo Hae-seung reached the backseat where Hae-soo sat without any difficulty.  

The car door swung open, letting in a rush of cold air that seemed to freeze Hae-soo in place.  

“Get out.”  

Seo Hae-seung pulled her out of the taxi and leaned toward the driver with a polite smile. “I’m sorry, we’re not taking the ride,” he said, his face radiating an innocent charm. The casual ease with which he handled the situation made it seem like there was nothing unusual about dragging Hae-soo away.  

As soon as the taxi door closed, Hae-soo wrenched herself free from his grip and bolted forward. But her weakened body betrayed her, and she was quickly caught again.  

“Let me go! Let me go… Seo Hae-seung, let me go!”  

Her voice cracked loudly under the strain, her vocal cords completely worn out from the abuse they endured throughout the night. Ironically, this drew attention from passersby, which might have been exactly what she needed.  

Seo Hae-seung glanced around awkwardly before steering her away from the hotel’s main entrance and toward a quieter side exit. In this secluded area, there was no need to be cautious of prying eyes. Effortlessly restraining her, he led her back to the hotel room. The slow closing of the hotel door was etched deeply into Hae-soo’s wide, fearful eyes.  

The same situation as last night—the fear that the same agony might repeat itself—sent uncontrollable tremors coursing through her body.  

“When did you wake up? I was surprised when I saw you were gone.”  

Seo Hae-seung spoke casually, as if nothing had happened, but his words only deepened her revulsion. Hae-soo pressed herself flat against the wall, unable to relax even for a moment in this suffocating space. Unlike her rigid posture, Seo Hae-seung moved freely, removing his coat as though unbothered by the tension. He approached her, now cornered like prey.  

His fingers brushed her long hair, tucking it neatly behind her ear. Though the gesture appeared gentle, she now knew it was merely a facade—a mask hiding something far darker. His warm brown eyes slid down to her neck, causing her stomach to churn with disgust.  

“You’re wearing my clothes?”  

What once felt like harmless attention from a friend now reeked of raw lust, slick and oily. Overwhelmed by dizziness that refused to fade, Hae-soo squeezed her eyes shut and reopened them slowly. Her throat burned as though thorns had been embedded within.  

“What were you planning to do in those clothes?”  

Seo Hae-seung took another step closer. His tall frame cast a long shadow over her trembling body. With the wall at her back, she couldn’t retreat any further. Even this spot, the safest part of the room in her mind, suddenly felt perilously fragile—ready to swallow her whole if he so desired. A wave of sorrow swelled in her chest.  

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Seo Hae-seung tilted her chin upward to meet his gaze.  

“Where were you trying to go?”  

“...”  

“To that guy?”  

His lips grazed lightly over hers before sliding down to her bruised neck. Even the slightest touch sent sharp pain shooting through her nerves. Her eyes crinkled in discomfort, and she twisted her waist instinctively to escape the agony. But the more she struggled, the more persistently he clung to her.  

“Were you going to him? Hmm? Hae-soo?”  

Though his tone was tender, his actions—lingering over the grotesquely bruised marks on her neck—were anything but kind. They were menacing, suffused with threat. Hae-soo’s fingertips twitched involuntarily. Memories of the previous night flooded back like water leaking through cracks: the suffocating pain, the unwanted penetration, the gasping breaths she couldn’t control.  

The realization that it could all happen again bleached her mind blank. It felt as though someone had forced her mouth open and shoved raw terror down her throat. She shuddered uncontrollably, shaking her head in denial.  

“No, no... I wasn’t going anywhere...”  

“Then where?”  

It wasn’t hard to guess who Seo Hae-seung was referring to.

It must be Lee Ho-beom.  

Throughout the night of forced sex, Seo Hae-seung had fixated on Lee Ho-beom. It was hard to believe how calm he had seemed during the graduation ceremony—it was almost suspicious. That’s how sensitive Seo Hae-seung was about Lee Ho-beom. Her instincts screamed at her not to give him any reason to suspect a connection between her and Lee Ho-beom. She scrambled through her thoughts like someone pounding away with a hammer, trying to come up with an excuse.  

She needed a plausible lie—something unrelated to Lee Ho-beom that would still sound convincing. Given how well Seo Hae-seung knew her, it was tricky. The old excuses involving her nonexistent parents wouldn’t work anymore, and claiming she was going home would only lead him back to Lee Ho-beom. In the end, there was only one thing left she could use.  

“A-ah, it’s because of my part-time job.”  

“What?”  

“I wasn’t going to see him… I swear.”  

Her voice trembled uncontrollably at the end, betraying her fear. It was a flimsy excuse, but it was all she had. Seo Hae-seung knew her too well for anything more elaborate to work.  

“I’m serious. I really wasn’t going to meet him.”  

She was terrified.  

The raw emotion boiling inside her spilled out unbidden, cracking her voice.  

“I’m telling the truth…”  

Seo Hae-seung’s silence felt like a bruise spreading across her insides. The dam holding back her emotions crumbled far too easily under the weight of this overwhelming situation. The pale waves of her feelings grew harder to suppress as time passed. In a life where joy had become scarce, sorrow began to flood in, casting obstacles before her eyes.  

And so, once again, tears welled up against her will, spilling over in pitiful sobs.  

Seo Hae-seung stared down at Hae-soo as she suddenly broke into sobs, then slowly leaned his upper body toward her. Even the simple act of pressing their foreheads together made Hae-soo recoil violently, as if startled by something shocking.  

“Why do you have such a high fever?”  

“...”  

“No wonder you were talking nonsense...”  

Seo Hae-seung gently lifted Hae-soo, who was struggling to regain her composure. The sudden movement made her dizziness worse, and hot breaths escaped her parted lips. Breathing itself felt like a burden now. Through her spinning vision, she caught sight of the hotel room door closing. She instinctively reached out toward it but stopped herself, fearing what might happen if Seo Hae-seung noticed. Her gaze wandered aimlessly, drifting downward until it collapsed entirely.  

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A hazy lethargy pressed down on her clouded mind. Accompanying chills scraped against her limbs, reminiscent of severe flu symptoms. Her dry, cracked lips parted slightly as ragged breaths signaled her return to consciousness. All that escaped from between them were scorching exhales.  

Hae-soo flinched at the touch of a hand stroking her forehead. Rolling her eyes even slightly took immense effort. Her blurry vision filled with indistinct shapes, leaving her in a daze.  

The cool sensation persisted, brushing over her sweat-drenched forehead.  

“Are you awake?”  

A familiar voice tapped lightly against her weary consciousness. Hae-soo blinked her unfocused eyes a few times. Slowly, her surroundings came into sharper focus, revealing Seo Hae-seung sitting beside her. His caring gaze and intimate smile were exactly as she remembered them. The dimples carved deeply into his cheeks seemed to bring sunlight into this otherwise bleak room.  

Clunk.  

Something shifted above her forehead.  

“It’s an ice pack. Your fever hasn’t gone down as much as I hoped. You’ve been asleep all day.”  

His gentle tone tickled her eardrums softly. Yet, processing it left her feeling as though she’d fallen victim to some cruel prank. Of course, none of this could be real. She must be having a nightmare brought on by her weakened state. How could Seo Hae-seung, who was now diligently cooling her fever with an ice pack, possibly be responsible for the throbbing pain in her neck or the deep muscle aches coursing through her body? Those symptoms surely stemmed from a bad case of the flu.  

“Are you in a lot of pain?”  

Seo Hae-seung stretched out the hand not holding the ice pack toward something nearby. Her gaze followed naturally, as if tethered to his movements. A hospital-style IV pole stood there. Had he called a doctor? Her condition must have been worse than she thought. His long, elegant fingers—hands that looked like they’d never known hardship—adjusted the IV line delicately. Once done, his hand slid smoothly away. Her eyes remained locked onto his every move.  

And when that hand carelessly lifted her shirt and slipped inside, Hae-soo felt as though someone had grabbed the back of her head and shaken her violently in shock.

“Shall I take off your clothes?”  

It’s a dream. It has to be a dream.  

This can’t be real.  

Right now, Seo Hae-seung was casually stroking Hae-soo’s chest, gently kneading her soft, swollen breasts. The touch jolted her nerves taut, stiffening them like wires. A chill unlike the feverish heat washed over her bare skin.  

“Hae-seung...”  

“Hmm?”  

“Why... why are you...”  

“What about it?”  

Something fierce flickered in Seo Hae-seung’s dark pupils. Hae-soo’s nape chilled as goosebumps prickled across her skin, an involuntary reaction to the sensation.  

“You’ve already let me suck and fondle you—why act shy now?”  

The ice pack clattered to the floor as he tossed it aside. His other hand joined in lifting her shirt, leaving no time for resistance before both of his large hands invaded. Fingers that had been cold from holding the ice pack now twisted her nipple harshly.  

“Ah...!”  

“Your nipples are so cute... I’ve never seen such a pretty shade of pink.”  

“Hae-seung...!”  

“Mm, I’m right here.”  

The feel of her abundant flesh spilling between his fingers stimulated him further. Despite her delicate face, her body was undeniably voluptuous—just squeezing lightly caused the soft mounds to bulge between his fingers. If she weren’t in pain, he might have slapped them teasingly, making them bounce up and down. The mere thought sent a dizzying wave of arousal rushing down his spine.  

“Later, I think I’ll attach nipple clamps with bells on them. They’ll jingle every time I play with them... or maybe a vibrator. But those make you too sensitive—later, even brushing against them would make you come.”  

“Hnn...!”  

“The nipples might discolor... but they’re so pretty now, I think I’ll just use my hands for now.”  

The thick, crimson bud of her nipple squished between his fingers, sending electric shocks rippling through her breast. Pain aside, a strange shiver unmistakably bloomed within her. Hae-soo swallowed hard, gripping his forearm tightly.  

He leaned closer, gazing down at her face as if trying to deny something. Her flushed cheeks, reddened by fever, looked sickly pale, evoking pity—or even sorrow—in most people. But not in Seo Hae-seung. To him, another’s suffering only fueled his dizzying impulses.  

His gaze slid lower, landing on the fresh bruises mottling her neck.  

“You’re beautiful, Hae-soo...”  

Lost in the delirious ecstasy swirling in his mind, he succumbed helplessly.  

From the moment he began touching her, his erection had steadily grown, betraying his attempts to suppress it. Pressing the outline of his massive form against her trembling inner thighs, he rubbed himself against her fragile body. She flinched as if burned by the heavy, intrusive contact. Her slender frame began to tremble uncontrollably.  

Seo Hae-seung loomed over her, covering her curled-up form as she desperately tried to evade his touch. Beneath the guise of tenderness, his hands moved with ruthless precision, slipping into her lower garments without hesitation. Without bothering to explore elsewhere, his fingers immediately sought out her most intimate spot. The sensation of her opening slowly under his probing digits tore through her fever-drenched mind, ravaging what little composure she had left. Tears streamed down her eyelids as they fluttered rapidly.  

No matter how hard she tried to deny it, reality refused to change.  

Her kind friend was gone.  

There was no trace of him left.