NT - 9

Hae-soo adjusted the curtains just enough to let in some sunlight when the voice of a news anchor caught her attention.  

“[...The bold restructuring of wealth and governance announced by Seo Mu-won, director of Sungjo Group, has become a hot topic. This move reflects his role as an innovative entrepreneur that modern times demand...]”

On the massive TV screen—comparable in size to those found in movie theaters—the man who entered her bedroom every night now appeared. Hae-soo stared at the scene, entranced, before tying back the curtains with a tie-back and settling onto the sofa.  

The man on the rectangular screen exuded elegance, reminiscent of a swan gliding across water. He remained as beautiful and untouchable as a meticulously carved statue. Even through the screen, his unapproachable aura was palpable.  

But Hae-soo knew this wasn’t the full picture.  

She had witnessed far too many moments of him undone, unraveled.  

Tonight would be no exception—it would only prove how their intimacy deepened with each passing night.  

Like climbing stairs, the intensity of their foreplay grew thicker with time.  

Seo Mu-won was a man who cleanly separated work from personal life, just as his first impression suggested. During the day, there was no trace of sexual desire; he avoided all contact with her entirely. But at night, when the world was swallowed by darkness, he approached without hesitation. Perhaps because the boundary between these two sides was so starkly defined, Hae-soo often felt as though they were sneaking around, indulging in forbidden acts under the cover of night.  

And yet, here he was again, rushing into her room like a man possessed, lips colliding with hers almost immediately. Gone was the composed figure she saw elsewhere, replaced by someone eager and insistent.  

He untied the neatly knotted sash of her robe and slid his hands over her smooth calves. The supple flesh clung to his palm, sending a throbbing sensation straight to her core. Wrapping her slender legs around his waist, he pressed his heavy lower abdomen against her, grinding slowly. Her naked body arched provocatively, tracing delicate curves.  

“It seems you’ve gotten more skilled at pleasuring yourself.”  

Noticing her subtle hip movements, Seo Mu-won teased her mischievously. Embarrassed, Hae-soo turned her head away, but he slid his lips along her jawline and nibbled on her earlobe.  

“Ah...”  

“Does it feel good here?”  

“It’s... ticklish.”  

Despite her words, every time he licked her plump earlobe, her body twitched—an undeniable sign of arousal. After teasing her ear for a moment, he raised his torso slightly.  

Hae-soo gazed up at him with dazed, unfocused eyes.  

For the first time, instead of wearing a shirt and pants, he wore only a thin robe like hers, loosely tied. Unfastening the knot, the silk fabric slid smoothly off his shoulders, revealing his toned upper body. Though his skin was as pale as porcelain, his tightly packed muscles gave him an air of strength rather than fragility.  

Though it had been over a month since he began visiting her bedroom, this was the first time she’d seen him fully undressed.  

“Hnn...”  

The sensation of someone’s solid frame pressing down on her limbs with weight was startlingly familiar after so long. Seo Mu-won retrieved a pillow from the corner, placed it under her head, and leaned in to kiss her deeply.  

Their bodies intertwined fervently, creating chaos. Below, their groins rubbed together, barely concealed by the folds of her robe, while above, their lips repeatedly met and parted.  

“So... hnn, you’re getting used to it, I see.”  

“To what?”  

“The kissing... You seem to do it often now.”  

Their intermittent conversation during pauses in the kisses echoed erotically in her ears.  

“I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to your saliva, An Hae-soo.”  

With a natural ease, Seo Mu-won made such remarks while nibbling on her lower lip.  

“Do you think... hnn, there’s... any effect?”  

Even forming a single coherent sentence was difficult, given how he refused to stop moving his tongue skillfully whenever she tried to speak. Laughing softly, he scraped the underside of her tongue, slick with saliva, without hesitation.  

“Well... If I think of it as yours, it’s bearable.”  

“...”  

“But if I imagine it belongs to someone else, I feel like cutting out my own tongue.”  

Hae-soo’s eyes widened slightly as she lay there, offering him her tongue. Smiling as if finding her wide-eyed expression endearing, Seo Mu-won firmly grasped one side of her buttocks. Her short moan of “Ah...” was promptly swallowed by him.  

“So... haa, does that mean... hnn, the treatment is working?”  

Seo Mu-won’s face slowly descended. Perhaps because he was completely naked tonight, the usual restrained contact near her lips intensified. His well-groomed hair, damp from washing, lightly brushed against her collarbone as he nuzzled his sharp nose against her round breast.  

“I never imagined myself being like this with anyone else, so I suppose it’s quite a leap forward.”  

Indeed, it was.  

Considering how meticulously he once inspected even a single dish at a restaurant, seeing him now, disheveled and engaging in such uninhibited behavior with her, could indeed be considered progress. With curiosity, he flicked his tongue over the nipple he had been pressing with his nose.  

“Huu...”  

A shiver ran down her spine, and her toes tingled as Hae-soo’s upper body curved gracefully.

Seo Mu-won wasted no time, latching onto her nipple like a newborn suckling for the first time. His lips tightened around the sensitive bud, rolling it between his teeth and sucking with an intensity that bordered on possessive. Hae-soo squirmed beneath him, her thighs clenching and releasing as she gripped his hair tightly. The sensation of wet heat pooling between her legs grew unbearable. With one last forceful pull, he raised his head.

“An Hae-soo, did you buy any underwear?”

“Huh? Suddenly asking about that—”

His hands kneaded her breasts without restraint, the plump flesh spilling out between his fingers. 

“I didn’t realize your breasts were this big. Is there even a size that fits properly?”  

This teasing was different from Lee Ho-beom’s, yet equally unsettling. Hae-soo’s face flushed deeply. She had already purchased lingerie through his dedicated shopper—it was impossible that he hadn’t received the report. His intentions behind such a question were glaringly obvious.  

When she remained silent, too embarrassed to respond, Seo Mu-won didn’t seem particularly invested in hearing an answer. Rising lightly, he stepped away from the bed before pulling her toward him. Her buttocks pressed against the edge of the mattress, and her legs spread wide open.

Before she could fully process the sudden shift into such an explicit position, Seo Mu-won discarded the robe that had barely concealed her lower abdomen until now.  

Hae-soo’s gaze naturally dropped downward. As if eager to satisfy her unspoken curiosity, he stroked his erection, veins bulging prominently along its length. Though she had seen enough of male anatomy during encounters with the other two men, Seo Mu-won’s member stood apart in striking ways. Unlike their darker or reddish hues, his shaft was lighter, almost pale, while the glans gleamed with a ripe peach-like hue, standing perfectly straight without any curve or twist. Even his phallus seemed to reflect his meticulous nature.  

“Tighten your thighs.”  

With one hand gripping both her ankles, he positioned himself snugly between her soft, milky thighs. The girth and size were extraordinary; even slight movements caused the tip to peek out from the other side. He began thrusting slowly, using the crevice of her thighs as if it were a makeshift vagina. His swollen testicles slapped rhythmically against her pristine buttocks, heavy with pent-up semen.  

“Hnnn...!”  

Though there was no penetration, the direct pressure against her lower abdomen made it feel as though they were truly having sex. Hae-soo stared blankly at the flushed glans oozing clear pre-cum. So much saliva dripped from his arousal that her inner thighs became slick where they rubbed against him.  

Seo Mu-won’s pupils shimmered under the light, scanning her expression. Each time he pushed his rigid erection forward, her ample breasts swayed voluptuously. The nipples he had briefly sucked earlier were now engorged with blood, standing stiffly upright, sending sharp waves of heat coursing through her groin.  

“Why did my brother only bother with your neck…?”  

Shifting his weight, Seo Mu-won draped her legs over one shoulder and leaned down. Without hesitation, he devoured the reddened mound of flesh, sucking greedily as if trying to swallow it whole.  

“Mmmph!”  

The moment he bit down and licked voraciously at one breast, Hae-soo let out a high-pitched cry. His broad tongue flattened against her skin, lapping relentlessly until her breasts quivered. In a hoarse murmur, he muttered:  

“I must have been too busy sucking these to notice anything else.”  

True to his words, he continued tormenting her nipples until the skin turned fiery red. The suction was so intense it stung, but the accompanying pleasure was undeniable.  

Gasping for breath, Hae-soo clutched his shoulders, drenched in sweat. Despite his focus on her chest, he never stopped grinding his hips between her thighs, coaxing himself closer to release.  

Suddenly, he pulled back from her breast and spread her thighs wider. Wrapping one hand around his throbbing shaft, he used the other to press two fingers deep into her dripping entrance.  

“Ah!”  

Before she could catch her breath, another finger joined the first. He ruthlessly explored her slick insides, watching her intently as he pleasured himself.  

“Mmm, ah, ahh...”  

Seeing how her body responded, squirting fluid uncontrollably, he quickened his pace, pistoning his fingers deeper. The walls of her channel clung tightly to his digits, coating them in slippery wetness. The sight sent his self-control spiraling; his other hand pumped furiously at his erection. The mingling sensations blurred his revulsion toward bodily fluids, overwhelming him instead with raw lust.  

“Ahhhk... Mmm!”  

When he finally withdrew his fingers, Hae-soo tensed her entire body. A flood of arousal gushed out, splattering like spilled liquid. Eyes blazing, he watched the stream pour onto his feet, quickening the pace of his handjob.  

Soon, a low groan escaped him as his shaft swelled further. Milky-white semen erupted from the tip, spurting powerfully across her thighs, groin, and everywhere in between, leaving sticky trails in its wake.  

Afterward, Seo Mu-won carefully laid the exhausted Hae-soo down before heading to the bathroom. The faint sound of running water reached her ears, and moments later, he returned with a damp towel. Watching him meticulously clean the traces of his ejaculation, Hae-soo couldn’t help but chuckle softly.  

“Why are you laughing?”  

Perhaps assuming she’d be disgusted by the mess, given his germaphobia, his thoroughness struck her as amusing. Exhausted, all she wanted was to collapse, making his diligence seem even more exaggerated. Not wanting to explain herself directly, she simply replied, “Just because.”  

As he continued wiping her down, Hae-soo murmured casually:  

“I saw you on TV today.”  

Seo Mu-won paused mid-motion, lifting his head to stare at her intently. Uncertain if she’d said something wrong, Hae-soo blinked nervously.  

“Why are you looking at me like that?”  

“It’s surprising,” he admitted.  

“...”  

“I thought you had no interest in me whatsoever.”

It was an unexpected remark. At first glance, it almost sounded like a petulant complaint. The novelty of it stirred Hae-soo’s drowsy mind, bringing her back to clarity.  

“Not to the extent of having zero interest...”  

She offered this half-hearted clarification, prompting Seo Mu-won to twist one corner of his lips into what resembled a faint sneer.  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes.”  

“Then do you remember where we first met?”  

The question came abruptly. Hae-soo felt the towel slowly glide across her lower abdomen as she opened her mouth to respond.  

“The anniversary celebration...”  

Her soft voice caused his movements to pause.  

“I don’t recall which company hosted it. I just remember it was an anniversary event held at a hotel...”  

“...And didn’t my father introduce me to you then? Wasn’t that the first time?”  

Though years had passed, certain fragments of the memory remained surprisingly vivid.  

“Hae-soo, over there—that man is Director Seo of Sungjo Group.”  

Her father had raised his champagne glass toward the air, and within its bubbling amber liquid, this man had appeared. Even amidst the effervescence, his dignity and poise were unmistakable. In the crowded venue, the distinction between dominator and dominated was clear—and he was undoubtedly the former. Surrounded by many, he exuded authority. Her father harbored ambitious plans to win his favor and secure investment for their struggling business.  

“Good evening, Director Seo.”  

Standing politely behind her father, she observed him. His appearance evoked the image of a meticulously crafted statue—beautiful yet aloof, and therefore cold.  

Seo Mu-won conversed with her father before finally casting a brief glance in her direction. Sensing this, her father immediately pushed her forward.  

“This is—”  

“Pleased to meet you. My name is An Hae-soo.”  

Yes… that was indeed their first encounter, as far as Hae-soo remembered.  

Seo Mu-won’s gaze slicing through the bedroom air was enigmatic—rippling deeply yet crumbling shallowly all at once. Instead of responding, he busied himself finishing the task of wiping her down. With a final swipe along her calf, the towel was pulled away.  

Around that time, Seo Mu-won placed a hand near her pillow.  

“That’s correct.”  

“...”  

“You remembered.”  

His concise reply left her wondering if there had been any error in her recollection. The tension she had unconsciously carried dissipated like melting frost. As usual, Seo Mu-won had a way of creating odd moments of suspense.  

He slowly traced her jawline and gently stroked her slender neck.  

“I heard you visited the hospital recently.”  

“Yes.”  

“It seems you’ve nearly healed.”  

True to his words, the once-vivid bruise on her neck had faded significantly, thanks to frequent cold compresses as advised by the doctor. With spring approaching and lighter clothing becoming necessary, this recovery was fortunate indeed.  

She had assumed he showed no particular concern about her injury since he rarely mentioned it—but apparently, she was mistaken. Thinking back, he had arranged for medical care through his secretary right from the start. Clearly, he paid more attention to her well-being than strictly necessary.  

“Thanks to you, Director Seo.”  

The fingers gliding down her now-faded neck stilled. The bedroom, devoid of any lighting, was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to distinguish objects. Yet, strangely, his face was clearly visible in the fleeting moment after her words escaped. His expression was complex, layered with emotions that seemed incongruous with the man born at the pinnacle of the social pyramid—a life presumably free of obstacles. That look of helplessness, as though he’d hit a dead end, captivated her gaze.  

Without averting his eyes, Seo Mu-won met her stare before slightly lowering his head. His tongue slipped smoothly between their parted lips, intertwining without hesitation. He no longer displayed aversion to physical contact with her. However, his breaths felt heavier, perhaps reflecting the complexity of his emotions.  

“What kind of person is your brother?”  

During their school uniform-clad childhood, Hae-soo had once posed this question to Seo Hae-seung.  

There hadn’t been any specific reason. It was simply the destination reached after following the meandering flow of conversation topics. She already knew who his brother was—it was impossible not to. They had met before.  

The stern impression he gave off, reminiscent of someone cold-blooded, lingered in her mind. Her curiosity wasn’t about his public persona but rather about knowing him as a friend’s family member—as Seo Hae-seung’s older brother.  

“My brother?”  

“Yeah.”  

“Haven’t you met him before?”

“I did meet him. I even greeted him at that event... but that was all.”  

Seo Hae-seung had rubbed his chin thoughtfully, lost in contemplation.  

“I don’t really know.”  

“Don’t know?”  

“He’s my brother, sure, but there are more times when I can’t figure him out than when I can.”  

The dryness of his response, delivered with a faint smile, made Hae-soo chuckle awkwardly.  

“What kind of answer is that?”  

“But it’s true. I have no idea what goes on in his head. He works all the time... it’s like he’s some kind of machine.”  

Seo Hae-seung’s description of his brother seemed unique yet oddly familiar—a life unwilling to let anyone, not even family, get too close.  

“...”  

Hae-soo’s eyes snapped open.  

She had been sleeping so deeply she had drifted into a dream, only to be jolted awake by the sound of a ringing phone. Pushing back her tousled hair as she sat up, the blanket slid off her body. A sudden sense of emptiness washed over her, and looking down, she realized she was completely naked. The memory of Seo Mu-won carefully wiping her body the night before came rushing back. Glancing around, her gaze landed on the neatly folded robe placed on the chair beside the bed, and she couldn’t help but laugh again. Despite being in the privacy of the bedroom late at night, he had meticulously folded even the robe that had slipped off her like shed skin before leaving.  

As she rummaged through her clothes to get dressed, the phone stopped ringing. Checking the screen belatedly, Hae-soo blinked in surprise.  

[Director Seo Mu-won]  

The name saved by Secretary Han floated on the screen. It was the first time he had called her, so worried something might be wrong, she quickly hit the redial button.  

“Hello?”  

“What were you doing that you took so long to answer?”  

“Ah... um...”  

Hae-soo hesitated, scratching her head. She couldn’t bring herself to admit she had just woken up in front of someone as industrious as him. The time displayed on her phone was well past noon, making her feel even more self-conscious.  

“I was busy with something else.”  

“Something else? Like what?”  

“Just... eating, showering...”  

“Really? That’s strange. The housekeeper said you hadn’t come downstairs at all today.”  

“How do you know that? Did you contact her?”  

“She called me, worried you might be unwell since you hadn’t come down even after morning passed.”  

His thoroughness left her no choice but to confess.  

“Well, actually, I just woke up...”  

“I know. The housekeeper checked your room earlier and told me.”  

Knowing full well she had been asleep, his question felt oddly mischievous. This man had peculiar quirks in unexpected places.  

“Did you look outside?”  

“Outside?”  

With the phone still pressed to her ear, Hae-soo walked toward the curtains. The weather had grown slightly warmer, and a gentle breeze fluttered the thin fabric near the open window. As she pushed the curtains aside, something breathtaking came into view.  

“Ah...”  

The cherry blossoms, which had shown subtle signs of blooming just days ago, had burst into full bloom overnight. The trees adorned the lush garden like symbols of spring itself.  

“I just saw it now. The cherry blossoms... they’re all in bloom.”  

“Let’s have dinner together tonight, outside.”  

It was an unexpected invitation.  

Hae-soo suddenly recalled the smile she had seen on Seo Mu-won’s face the previous night—a soft curve that momentarily melted his icy, sharp demeanor.  

“Wear something light today.”  

“Light?”  

“Something that doesn’t cover your neck.”  

Hae-soo froze mid-step as she turned away from the window.  

“I thought you’d be able to wear that now.”  

For some reason, his words stirred something within her.  

“Okay, I will.”  

After replying succinctly and hanging up, she stepped into the bathroom. Her upper body reflected in the smooth mirror. True to his assumption, the area around her neck had healed enough for her to confidently wear clothes that exposed her collarbone. The wound inflicted by Seo Hae-seung had healed under Seo Mu-won’s attentive care. Though it painted an odd picture, strangely, it didn’t feel uncomfortable.  

Perhaps because she had prepared quickly, or perhaps because his work wasn’t finished yet, Hae-soo found herself heading to Sungjo Group’s headquarters. The towering building reached skyward like the biblical Tower of Babel, piercing the heavens.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting after I called you here.”  

“No, it’s fine. Please take your time with work.”  

“If you’re curious, feel free to look around the office while you wait.”  

With those words, Seo Mu-won returned his focus to the documents before him. Hae-soo, seated on a leather sofa per Secretary Han’s guidance, set down her teacup and glanced around curiously.  

His office gave off a similar vibe to his residence—vast and expansive, far beyond what one might expect for a single person’s private use. Every item, whether decorative or functional, seemed meticulously placed, exuding an air of opulence.  

Sipping the tea Secretary Han had served, Hae-soo quietly passed the time. However, boredom soon crept in, prompting her to rise cautiously, careful not to disturb him. She moved toward the floor-to-ceiling windows bathed in sunlight. True to its nearly 40th-floor height, the urban landscape stretched out below like a miniature model.  

As evening approached, the horizon brimming with tiny buildings was painted over by deep, undulating shades of red from the setting sun. Standing in the high-rise, she felt as though she were floating weightlessly in the sky.  

Hae-soo pressed her palm against the immaculately clean glass, so transparent it seemed invisible. Though aware of the barrier, the dizzying sensation of potentially losing balance and plummeting if she misstepped sent a shiver through her.  

“…Ah.”  

Glancing up absently from the sunset, she noticed the reflection of light behind her shoulder—a moment later realizing that Seo Mu-won, who had been engrossed in paperwork at his desk just moments ago, now stood close behind her.  

Without allowing her to turn around, he slipped his hand beneath the hem of her knee-length dress.  

“Weren’t you working?”  

“I was, but seeing someone fidgeting in front of me made me hard.”  

The hand gliding along her inner thigh was shockingly brazen, completely at odds with the man who had been handling business matters so professionally just moments earlier. The coldness of his metal watchband grazing her skin caused her lower abdomen to quiver involuntarily. Meanwhile, the other hand that had been firmly supporting her waist moved forward to unbutton her dress one by one.  

“Director Seo, what if someone comes in…?”  

“I don’t employ staff foolish enough to barge in without being summoned.”  

His deep voice left no room for argument, pressing firmly against her eardrums. His hands gently slid the dress off her petite frame, catching it before it hit the floor and tossing it onto a nearby chair.  

Though he had stripped her bare in an instant, his hands showed no sign of satisfaction, instead fiddling with the clasp of her bra. As the seams loosened, the flesh constrained by the underwire spilled out heavily. The reflective glass pane hazily mirrored her indecent state, causing Hae-soo’s ears to redden.  

“Still, this isn’t the place…”  

“Aren’t you tired of only doing it in the bedroom every night?”  

“I was getting a bit bored,” he added bluntly, cupping her breasts fully with both hands. The soft, pillowy flesh was kneaded and squished between his thick fingers like mochi rice cakes. Spreading his four fingers like a net over her breasts, he used his thumb to gently roll her nipple.  

“Hnn… I’m fine, really… hnn…”  

Her nipples, still slightly swollen from his relentless attention the previous night, twitched sensitively under his touch, sending jolts of electricity straight to her core. Hae-soo swayed unsteadily but managed to stay upright thanks to the sturdy support of the man behind her. However, leaning into him only further trapped her breasts in his grasp, rendering them helpless captives.  

“Are you sure?”  

“Hnn…”  

“It seems your nipples have other ideas…”  

He smirked, noticing how the nub caught between his fingers gradually hardened and grew firmer.  

Seo Mu-won rhythmically massaged her entire breast, squeezing them until they seemed ready to overflow with milk. His touch was childishly innocent yet maddeningly deliberate, occasionally scraping her sensitive peaks in ways that defied description.  

Overwhelmed by the fiery sensations, Hae-soo gasped, tilting her chin upward. Just as the back of her head touched his broad chest, Seo Mu-won leaned down to capture her lips, sucking on them as if devouring a delectable treat.  

“Are you wet?”  

Pulling back slightly, he asked, his meaning all too clear. Unable to meet his gaze, Hae-soo avoided answering.  

Taking her silence as permission, Seo Mu-won scooped her up and carried her to his desk. The massive executive desk, akin to three regular desks combined, was neatly arranged with documents and office supplies.  

He swept them aside carelessly and seated her on the surface. Startled by the cold touch against her buttocks, she soon became distracted as he slowly peeled off her panties, leaving her mind blank.  

Her knees, attempting to remain modestly closed, quickly succumbed to his firm grip. Her legs spread wide, lacking any semblance of decorum, causing her upper body to wobble until her back rested fully on the desk. Seo Mu-won gazed hungrily between her thighs. There were moments when his movements slowed—perhaps revealing glimpses of his innate confidence, knowing he could take his time to savor whatever he desired.  

During those moments, Hae-soo acutely felt every detail: what they were doing, where his eyes lingered.  

“You’re wet.”  

“…”  

“Squirming…”  

With a tight jaw and furrowed brows, he whispered provocatively, as if critiquing a piece of art. His words resonated deeply within her chest. He rolled his tongue slowly, the contours of his cheeks shifting as if licking the inside of his mouth. Then…  

“Haa…”

Seo Mu-won spat the saliva he had gathered in his mouth onto Hae-soo’s exposed entrance. The slow parting of his lips, the glimpse of his wet tongue peeking through, and the lazy yet vulgar act of letting saliva drip down—all of it felt strangely, intensely carnal. It was an uncharacteristic display of disorder from a man who was so meticulous about cleanliness that he suffered from germaphobia.  

“Ah...!”  

Perhaps because of this, the sensation of something sticky landing on her wriggling opening and clinging to it felt overwhelmingly vivid. As her body instinctively curled inward, Seo Mu-won tightened his grip on the back of her knees to prevent her from pulling away.  

“I must really be losing my mind.”  

“Hnn... mmph...”  

“The fact that it doesn’t even feel dirty anymore is proof of that.”  

Her glistening entrance puckered as it greedily lapped up his saliva, stirring more desire than revulsion.  

He had always harbored a crude urge to lick that small, round opening. But until now, a single pillar of reason—his self-control—had held him back. The problem was that even that last shred of rationality seemed to be crumbling, tempting him to bury his face between her legs and suck voraciously.  

The moment he decided there was no reason to hesitate, he lowered his face toward her intimate flesh.  

“Gasping!”  

His broad tongue traced a long path from her perineum to her prominent clitoris. Hae-soo’s hips twitched violently, squirming restlessly on the desk. Seo Mu-won gripped her writhing pelvis firmly and began rubbing her dripping entrance in slow, deliberate circles.  

True to his expectations, her hole responded eagerly, its velvety folds welcoming his tongue with greedy enthusiasm. He licked persistently, flattening the layered ridges slick with her arousal, causing her thighs to tremble uncontrollably.  

“Ahh, hnn, aaah...!”  

With pupils dilated and unfocused, she stared at the high ceiling while clutching the man’s hair buried between her thighs. She couldn’t comprehend how they had ended up like this. The man who had invited her for dinner, who had always maintained such a strict division between work and personal matters, who had never revealed such raw lust outside the bedroom, was now shamelessly devouring her in his office after stripping her bare.  

It was all the more bewildering because it was Seo Mu-won. A man who could kiss without hesitation but had previously only inserted fingers into her dripping core, seemingly bound by some invisible limit. Though he hadn’t explicitly said so, it was clear he too had hit his breaking point. For the first time, he was suppressing his aversion to push past his boundaries and indulge his desires.  

In other words, another barrier had been shattered.  

“Ah, ah, Director Seo...!”  

It was hard to believe this was the same man who had only used his hands until now. His tongue moved greedily, sliding over her plump labia and mashing her sensitive spots with relentless fervor. Her lower abdomen was mercilessly ravaged by waves of pleasure, leaving no inch untouched. Every hair on her body stood on end, electrified by the overwhelming sensations.  

By now, she had completely forgotten they were in a space where anyone could walk in. She tugged at his hair, pulling his face deeper between her legs. Her buttocks hovered slightly, rocking back and forth, while her breasts swayed and her erect nipples quivered wildly. To any observer, her movements would have appeared shockingly lewd.  

He drank in her flowing juices as if they were ambrosia, then thrust his tongue deep inside her as though desperate to swallow the source of her excitement itself. Hae-soo’s thighs spread wider, allowing his drenched tongue to swirl provocatively within her slick folds.  

“Hnnng... mmm... ahh...!”  

The wet sounds of his tongue working echoed in her ears. Hae-soo writhed, emitting soft cries akin to those of a wounded animal. Though she knew she should stifle her moans for the sake of the secretary outside, she couldn’t help herself. Strangely, the realization that Seo Mu-won had broken yet another boundary fueled an odd surge of heightened arousal.  

Then, finally, the moment came when he plunged his tongue deep inside her.  

“Haaak...!”  

Hae-soo squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as though her brain was contracting from the dizzying intensity. After being teased relentlessly, the remaining arousal burst forth in a sudden gush. Surprisingly, Seo Mu-won showed remarkable adaptability, not pulling away but instead licking up every last drop. Only after thoroughly savoring her did he slowly lift his head, a thin silver thread stretching between her sex and his lips.  

Exhausted and limp, Hae-soo noticed how unusually glossy his lips looked. Hastily raising her upper body, she reached out to clumsily wipe his mouth. Seo Mu-won caught her hand before she could finish. Before she could protest, he pressed his lips against hers.  

Realizing the peculiar taste lingering on his lips, Hae-soo turned her head to avoid the kiss.  

“Don’t.”  

“Why not?”  

“...”  

Unable to voice her discomfort, Hae-soo simply rolled her eyes. Seo Mu-won gazed down at her before pressing his lips firmly against her cheek with a soft sigh.  

“Because it tastes like you, An Hae-soo?”  

“Mmph...”  

“I swallowed it despite my germaphobia. Why are you being so picky?”  

She wanted to argue that this wasn’t about being picky—it was something else entirely—but before she could, the intercom buzzed sharply, slicing through the humid air. Startled, Hae-soo flinched as Seo Mu-won rubbed his lips against her cheek and pressed the blinking red button.  

[Director Seo, President Lee from Daeyoung Construction has arrived.]  

“...Ah.”  

Seo Mu-won reacted a beat later. Glancing briefly at Hae-soo, he spoke into the intercom.  

“Tell him to wait a moment.”  

[Yes, sir.]  

The red light blinked off, leaving the room silent once more.

Seo Mu-won retrieved Hae-soo’s bra and panties from the floor and began helping her dress. Too embarrassed to meet his gaze, she kept her head bowed as she fumbled with the garments. The reality of what they had just done in this private office hit her hard, making it impossible to look him in the eye.

“I completely forgot about my dinner appointment tonight.”

Hae-soo had vaguely sensed as much when the secretary’s report came through the intercom moments ago.

“I must have misplaced my focus... Seeing the cherry blossoms earlier made me call you without thinking.”

Hae-soo’s eyes widened as he nonchalantly uttered such an awkwardly sentimental remark. Now that she thought about it, he had randomly asked if she’d looked outside during their phone call. Had he called just to mention the blossoms all along?

She couldn’t help but chuckle at how seriously he berated himself over a simple scheduling conflict.

“I’m fine with it.”

Though their plans had been unilaterally canceled, she didn’t feel upset. In fact, the lingering afterglow left her feeling languid and relaxed. Her trembling fingers struggled to button up her dress—a testament to her state. Just as Seo Mu-won reached out to help, the door to his office swung open abruptly.

“...”

They hadn’t fully restored their composure yet. Hae-soo hastily tugged down her skirt, which had ridden up to expose her thighs, and clutched at the unbuttoned front of her dress. Seo Mu-won’s gaze slid past her shoulder toward the intruder.

Finally exhaling deeply, he straightened his posture.

“What is the matter?”

“What do you mean, ‘what is the matter’? You’re the one who always preaches about keeping time, and here you are, nowhere to be found when our meeting was supposed to start. So I decided to come see for myself.”

Hae-soo’s hands froze mid-buttoning.

“Hah, really. Making others wait until their necks ache while you’re having fun with some woman, huh?”

The mocking tone pierced her ears like needles, freezing her heart in place.

This shouldn’t be happening.

No, this voice shouldn’t exist here.

“Do you have a thing for this? Sneaking women into your office for a quick romp?”

Her head turned involuntarily, as if compelled by an invisible force. Denial surged within her, desperate to confirm that this wasn’t real—that the person before her couldn’t possibly be who she thought.

“This kind of scandal would never be believed even if I told anyone...”

But the moment her eyes landed on the figure standing there, that fragile hope shattered irreparably. The crude smirk twisting his lips belonged unmistakably to the man now locking eyes with her, his expression slowly hardening.

“‘Let’s live together.’”

A memory overlapped with the present, chilling her mind with its ghostly echo.

“That’s not what this is.”

“...”

“I made a mistake. I forgot I had a dinner appointment with President Lee and mistakenly scheduled another meal with this person as well.”

In the suffocating silence born from the brief exchange of glances between two people, Seo Mu-won alone remained composed. He calmly finished buttoning Hae-soo’s dress, his gentle movements restoring some semblance of order. As soon as he withdrew his hands, she scrambled off the desk in a fluster.

Though he had long since turned away, the sharpness of his gaze still lingered vividly on her skin.

“Director Seo, I should probably leave...”

“Then let’s all go together for dinner.”

Her halting words were cut short by his suddenly serious tone, devoid of any trace of earlier playfulness.

“It’s just a meal. What harm could come from adding one more person? Isn’t that right, Director Seo?”

As expected, Lee Ho-beom’s piercing stare remained fixed solely on her.

Hae-soo faced him, her face undoubtedly drained of color. Sensing Seo Mu-won glance at her from the side, she forced herself to smile as though nothing were amiss.

“Are you sure that’s alright?”

Her tongue writhed with unspoken words, her mind a chaotic swirl. She wanted to flee immediately. Though only two people stood before her, Lee Ho-beom’s relentless gaze felt like arrows aimed directly at her, fueling an irresistible urge to escape.

But at the same time, that very ferocity rooted her to the spot, preventing her from running.

“You said no other man exists, didn’t you?”

Having denied Seo Mu-won’s question, Lee Ho-beom represented a catastrophic variable in her life. If he chose to twist things during his absence, Seo Mu-won’s deal with her would crumble spectacularly. Had she not encountered Lee Ho-beom today, had her current position not been exposed, she wouldn’t have felt such paralyzing fear and anxiety. But now, having met him...

“...Yes.”

Her answer was inevitable.