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[Soo-bin, do you want to take on a tutoring job?]
[Someone my brother knows through a few connections is looking for a tutor. Didn’t you say you got your student into Korea University last year?]
[He’s the same age as you, and he needs tutoring for the college entrance exam.]
[What do you think? Want to do it?]
At first, Soo-bin was indifferent.
She was already handling two tutoring jobs, which were more than enough, and she didn’t need to take on another if she wanted to manage her schedule properly. But the next message that arrived was enough to make her eyes widen in shock.
[If you teach English and Math twice a week, they’ll pay you 5 million won a month.]
Soo-bin had to rub her eyes furiously, right in the middle of a lecture.
Did I read that number wrong?
Not 500,000 but 5 million…?
Or maybe they sent the message by mistake?
No matter how much she blinked, the digits on the screen didn’t change. She even waited for a moment, expecting a correction, but no such message came.
Soo-bin’s heart pounded.
Five million won a month. Even if she combined all her current tutoring jobs, she wouldn’t come close to that amount.
In the end, she clenched her phone tightly and quietly slipped out of the lecture hall. For someone who struggled fiercely to maintain her top academic standing, it was a bold move.
“Is this for real? They’re really offering 5 million?”
— Yeah, I told you.
“What kind of person is this even for…?”
— I’m just passing along the message, so I don’t know the details. Oh, and I didn’t mention this in the text, but if the student does well on the exam, they’ll add another 10 million as a bonus.
It felt as if absurd amounts of money were fluttering through the air like play money.
The numbers sounded so unreal that she couldn’t quite wrap her head around them. Soo-bin’s mouth hung open in disbelief before she quickly swallowed.
“D-Did you send this offer to anyone else?”
— No, not yet. If you can’t do it, I’ll find someone else.
“No, no! I’ll do it. Let me take it!”
Her friend on the other end agreed, saying they’d get back to her soon.
The next day, Soo-bin received two text messages on her phone.
[Here’s the address. Call this number when you arrive.]
A neatly written address was followed by an 11-digit phone number.
The moment she checked the location, Soo-bin’s face twisted in an I knew it expression.
‘Of course, a rich kid.’
The given address was in one of the most luxurious apartment complexes in the city, situated along a pristine riverside. Even in Seoul, only a select few could dream of affording a home there.
It seemed like the child of a well-off family had probably messed around too much and was now scrambling to prepare for college.
After taking a bus to the apartment complex, Soo-bin lingered at the entrance before calling the number from the text.
“Hello, I’m here for the tutoring. I was told to call this number when I arrived…”
The rough voice that answered first startled her.
Then, the abrupt way the call was cut off mid-sentence stunned her a second time.
Soo-bin just stared blankly at her phone in disbelief.
She was debating whether to call again when—
“Miss Hwang Soo-bin?”
“Ahh!”
Soo-bin shrieked and jumped in fright.
A towering man had appeared behind her.
The sheer size of his body radiated an intimidating presence, making her instinctively shrink back in fear. It took her a moment to register that the name he had just spoken was hers.
“Oh, uh… yes. That’s me.”
“Follow me.”
The man spoke curtly, cutting straight to the point before turning to walk ahead.
Gripping the straps of her bag tightly, Soo-bin hesitantly trailed behind him, keeping her guard up.
Why does he have a scar on his face…? What kind of person is he? A gangster, maybe?
The ominous air around him, combined with his all-black suit, only fueled her suspicion.
With every step, the unease growing inside her ballooned.
After a series of thorough security checks, the man led her to the lobby, then into the elevator.
Soo-bin desperately wanted to turn and run.
But the moment their eyes met, her courage shrank to the size of a pea.
Without a single word of protest, she stepped into the elevator.
As they ascended toward the top floor, it felt like she was heading straight into hell.
Her heart pounded with an unsettling rhythm.
‘Damn… should I have turned this down?’
Once the doubt crept in, she couldn’t stop it.
Now that she thought about it, wasn’t it weird to offer so much money just for tutoring?
Wait… could this be some kind of human trafficking scheme?
No, that’s ridiculous—it’s the middle of the day.
But does broad daylight really matter? I’m already inside the building!
As her mind spun with paranoia, a chime sounded.
The elevator had reached the top floor.
Soo-bin clenched her grip on her bag strap even tighter.
She had no hope of winning in a fight, but if she kicked him where it hurt, she might stand a chance.
Yeah, that’s it. That’s a guy’s weak spot.
Soo-bin shifted her weight, preparing to strike between his legs if necessary.
The man, completely unaware of her thoughts, walked forward and opened the door at the end of the long hallway. Holding the doorknob open, he gestured with his chin for her to enter.
Like hell, I’m going in there!
That was what she wanted to say, but the sheer intensity in his eyes kept her from uttering a single word. Instead, she hesitantly stepped forward.
“P-pardon me.”
As soon as she stepped inside, the door behind her slammed shut. She flinched at the sound, her shoulders jerking up as she quickly scanned the surroundings. The unsettling silence scraped against her nerves like a blade. It was too quiet for anything sinister to be happening, yet the stillness itself made her uneasy.
Since she had already come this far and had no way of backing out, she figured she might as well keep moving forward. Hesitantly, she bent down to take off her shoes.
That was when she heard it.
The sound of light footsteps approaching from a distance. The soft scuff of slippers against the sleek marble floor. Someone was coming closer.
She hurried to finish removing her shoes and compose herself, but before she could do so, the source of the footsteps emerged.
For a moment, Soo-bin forgot to breathe.
Then, realizing her own reaction, she let out a small, startled gasp before quickly regaining her composure.
“Uh, I’m here for the tutoring….”
“Oh, yes. I was informed earlier. Please, come in.”
The person’s response reassured her. At least this really was a tutoring session.
Soo-bin let out a silent sigh of relief and fully stepped onto the marble floor. But what truly caught her off guard, even more than the luxurious setting, was the person standing before her.
She had never seen someone so doll-like.
Even the most beautiful senior in her entire department, the one who was practically a legend for her looks, couldn’t compare to this girl. Every single feature was flawless. Her porcelain skin was free of blemishes, and her delicate yet perfectly symmetrical facial features were arranged as if crafted by an artist. The long, elegant curve of her neck was reminiscent of a graceful deer.
Then, her gaze drifted to the sheer size of the penthouse.
Soo-bin had expected luxury when she realized they were at the top floor, but this exceeded even her wildest imagination.
A modern chandelier hung from a ceiling so high it felt like an entire house could fit inside. The marble floors gleamed under the sunlight pouring in from the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. Every piece of furniture was clearly top-of-the-line, the kind that only the ultra-wealthy could afford.
This wasn’t just a rich family’s home. This was on another level.
“Please, have a seat.”
The girl led her to a spacious living room, where sunlight flooded in through the enormous windows. Finding the brightness a bit excessive, she grabbed a remote and closed the blinds slightly, dimming the room to a cozy warmth.
“I’m Ahn Hae-soo. I look forward to working with you.”
“Oh! Uh, I’m Hwang Soo-bin. Nice to meet you.”
Soo-bin had been told they were the same age, but Hae-soo’s formal speech and refined demeanor made her instinctively match that politeness.
Hae-soo cast a quiet glance at her. Soo-bin, still struggling to process the surreal environment, quickly snapped back to reality under that gaze.
“I heard we’ll be doing English and Math, twice a week, for the college entrance exam.”
“Yes.”
“So, I brought some materials.”
Soo-bin unzipped her bag, revealing a pile of study booklets and writing utensils. The previously empty table was soon cluttered with papers.
“Let’s start with this. Can you try solving these? I always do a quick assessment first to check the student’s foundation.”
Typically, she would have gotten some background information from the student’s parents—grades, rankings, and so on. But this tutoring arrangement was completely different.
She had been given no details whatsoever.
It was as if, for this particular tutoring job, the teacher was the one expected to prove their worth instead of the student.
In any other situation, she would have found it odd and refused. But the outrageous pay had sealed her decision. Soo-bin had realized, once again, that she was a complete slave to capitalism.
Hae-soo nodded and picked up a mechanical pencil.
As an awkward silence settled in, she quickly focused on the test. Soo-bin, not wanting to disturb her, took the chance to quietly observe the room.
But her attention naturally drifted back to the girl beside her.
With nothing but a simple dress draped over her slim frame, Hae-soo had a striking presence. Her unblemished skin and meticulously arranged features were mesmerizing. Every detail, from the elegant arch of her neck to the delicate curve of her eyelashes, was almost unreal.
Living in such a luxurious home and having a face like that… life must be easy for her.
“…Ah.”
Sensing the persistent gaze, Hae-soo looked up from her test. She lightly touched her cheek with the back of her finger, as if checking for a smudge.
Realizing she had been staring, Soo-bin quickly shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she muttered, forcing her gaze elsewhere.
And then—
Grrrrrowl.
A loud stomach growl echoed through the air.
Hae-soo blinked, her eyes widening slightly as she paused in the middle of writing an equation.
Soo-bin’s entire face turned red. She immediately wrapped her arms around her stomach.
“I—I was in a rush and didn’t have time to eat before coming here… Sorry.”
She let out an awkward laugh, but Hae-soo didn’t smile in return. Instead, her gaze dropped to where Soo-bin’s hands clutched her stomach.
The silence stretched uncomfortably.
Then, Hae-soo calmly set down her mechanical pencil.
“Would you like a snack?”
“Oh, no, I’m fine—”
“No, wait here. Just a moment.”
Despite Soo-bin’s protests, Hae-soo got up and swiftly disappeared toward the kitchen. Following after her just to stop her felt a bit excessive, so Soo-bin hesitated before settling back down. To be honest, she was starving. She had scheduled her time so tightly to avoid being late on the first day, fearing she’d make a bad impression and lose such a well-paying tutoring job.
She’s not only pretty but kind, too…
Mulling over that thought, Soo-bin took out her phone from her pocket. She was in the middle of checking the various messages she had received when she suddenly heard a noise from the end of the hallway. It sounded like someone pressing the door lock button. Soo-bin’s eyes widened.
The door opened and then closed again, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps brushing against her ears. Unlike Hae-soo’s light and graceful steps earlier, these footsteps carried a sense of carelessness and brute force.
Soon, the man made his presence known in the living room where Soo-bin sat, towering like a mountain.
“Uh…”
The atmosphere in the house hadn’t felt particularly heavy before. However, his entrance shattered the subtle tranquility that had lingered in the air, as if challenging its very existence. His presence alone was overwhelming.
Like the man who had brought Soo-bin here earlier, he was dressed in a neatly tailored suit. Soo-bin’s gaze traced the length of his impossibly long legs, moved up to his broad, well-built upper body, and finally landed on his face.
A faint yet distinct scar ran along his cheek. Almost at the same moment, the man frowned. That minor shift in expression alone made Soo-bin instinctively hold her breath.
He studied the frozen Soo-bin with a questioning look before, after a beat, muttering, “Ah, the tutor.” He then ran a hand through his hair and looked around as if searching for someone. A moment later, he turned and walked toward the kitchen where the sounds were coming from.
Just like that, he disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.
Only after the man—who had dominated the air of the living room with his sheer presence—was gone did Soo-bin realize she had been holding her breath. The intensity he radiated was something completely beyond her comprehension.
[I’m tutoring now, the one you introduced me to, but some guy just came in. I think he’s the one who arranged the tutoring.]
Exhaling a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, Soo-bin quickly messaged her friend, reporting the impression she had gathered from just a brief encounter.
A reply came almost immediately.
[Really? What’s he like? Does he look rich?]
That, she wasn’t sure about.
No, rather than his wealth, what struck her more was the sheer presence he carried, something untouchable and overwhelming.
[Not sure, but he’s huge.]
[Also, kind of scary-looking… but insanely handsome.]
Hearing some commotion coming from the kitchen, Soo-bin hastily sent the text and put her phone away. Not long after, the man reappeared in the living room.
Just moments ago, he had been perfectly put together—tie neatly fastened, shirt buttoned up to the top. But in the short time he had been gone, something had clearly happened. His tie now dangled loosely from his fingers, and a couple of the top buttons of his dress shirt were undone.
Without sparing a glance in Soo-bin’s direction, he disappeared once more into the hallway.
“Sorry for the wait.”
Not long after, Hae-soo returned.
She carried a tray neatly arranged with cookies and what appeared to be a fruit-flavored drink. Soo-bin thanked her and reached out to take the tray, but then hesitated.
Her eyes had landed on a spot she hadn’t noticed before—Hae-soo’s exposed neckline just above the edge of her dress. The closer proximity, as she leaned in to pass the tray, revealed what had been hidden before.
A fresh, deep kiss mark was imprinted on her pale, flawless skin.
“...Is something wrong?”
“Huh? Oh, no. It’s nothing.”
Snapping out of it, Soo-bin quickly took the tray. Hae-soo simply instructed her to eat and then picked up her mechanical pencil again. As she focused on her work, Soo-bin absentmindedly nibbled on a chocolate chip cookie, her thoughts drifting.
No matter how she looked at it…
Yeah… that’s definitely what it is…
They’re, uh… you know… that kind of relationship…
Soo-bin wasn’t sure whether to praise or curse her own sharp intuition in moments like these. Instead, she just sipped on the refreshing fruit drink.
“Here, I finished.”
“Okay. Let me see.”
So… it’s not a parent?
Then… are they living together?
The thought of Hae-soo’s composed and elegant demeanor clashed slightly with this possible lifestyle, sending a flurry of scattered thoughts through Soo-bin’s mind. This, in turn, caused her to take a little longer than usual to grade the test. Once she finished, she assessed the results—it was better than expected.
“We’ll start lessons next week. I’ll pick out the necessary workbooks, so you don’t need to prepare anything yourself.”
“Alright.”
“And, I don’t think I’ve gotten your number yet…”
Soo-bin pulled out her phone from her pocket and held it out. She did so thoughtlessly at first, then suddenly hesitated. Considering how secretive everything had been before this meeting, was she making a mistake?
But Hae-soo didn’t seem to mind. She took the phone without hesitation and entered her number. Watching her do so with such ease, Soo-bin’s lips parted involuntarily.
“Hey, I heard we’re the same age.”
“…….”
“Should we just drop the formalities? Using honorifics feels kind of awkward.”
Since entering university, Soo-bin had attended countless rowdy drinking parties, where by the next day, everyone had somehow become best friends. That made offering this suggestion in complete sobriety feel strangely awkward. Even though Soo-bin wasn’t bad at socializing, there was a bit of hesitation. But after a short pause, Hae-soo smiled and said, “Sure.”
Damn, even her smile is pretty.
Feeling a bit insignificant for no reason, Soo-bin grabbed the bag that had been set aside.
“See you next week, then.”
“Yeah, take care on your way back.”
As Soo-bin put on her shoes and straightened up, she unconsciously glanced toward the inner hallway. The other person living in this house suddenly came to mind. Even though their encounter had been brief, the man’s overwhelming presence still lingered at the edge of her thoughts.
Soo-bin stabbed the front of her cake with a fork. The beautifully decorated cake, something you’d expect to see in a café, was squashed under the pressure. Even as she brought the piece to her mouth, her gaze remained fixed elsewhere.
“Are you seriously planning to spend all night on that one problem? If you keep getting stuck like that, you’re just wasting time… Oh.”
Hae-soo, who had been biting the tip of her mechanical pencil and glaring at the problem as if it were her mortal enemy, looked up and made a slightly deflated expression at the scolding. Realizing her words had been too harsh, Soo-bin scratched her cheek awkwardly. She had been too focused on eating the cake and let her words slip out without thinking.
“Most of the students I’ve tutored before were guys. If I didn’t talk to them like this, they wouldn’t take me seriously. A lot of them were real troublemakers.”
“It’s fine. You’re not wrong.”
“Well, anyway, that’s why you’re taking lessons, right? Look here. In this type of passage, you might get tripped up by specific words, so…”
Soo-bin took the mechanical pencil from Hae-soo and marked various parts of the passage. Having tutored many students before, she shared some tips she had picked up over time. Hae-soo quickly switched to attentive mode, nodding along. She was an ideal student—responsive and engaged. How did I end up talking to her like she was one of those delinquent boys? Soo-bin felt a little guilty.
All in all, she was really enjoying tutoring Hae-soo.
After dealing with so many rebellious students who seemed to treat tutoring as a game of “How to Make the Teacher Lose Their Mind,” teaching someone like Hae-soo felt like heaven. Not to mention, Hae-soo had been preparing snacks for Soo-bin ever since their first session. One time, feeling guilty about making Hae-soo spend money and time on her, Soo-bin tried to refuse, but Hae-soo had simply said:
“Oh, it’s not like that. Someone else buys them for me… I always end up with too much, so I just share. You don’t have to feel burdened.”
Hearing that, Soo-bin had no reason to keep refusing.
“You must have done a lot of tutoring before.”
As they wrapped up for the day and Hae-soo closed her workbook, she suddenly spoke.
“Yeah, a decent amount. My family isn’t well off, so I started tutoring to earn some pocket money.”
“I see… That’s impressive.”
“Huh?”
“We’re the same age, but I think it’s really cool. You’re managing university and tutoring at the same time.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment, Soo-bin scratched the back of her head. It had been a while since she’d received such a sincere and straightforward compliment, making her feel oddly bashful. Wanting to change the topic, she shifted the conversation.
“By the way, Hae-soo, is there anything you want to do in college?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Since you’re entering late, I figured you might have a lot of things you want to try out. No?”
“Hmm…”
Hae-soo seemed caught off guard by the question, as if she had never really thought about it before. Seeing her deep in thought, Soo-bin quickly threw out some suggestions.
“Like, group blind dates?”
“Group blind dates?”
“Yeah, you know, where different departments meet up.”
“Oh, right.”
“I bet you’d get tons of invitations once you start school.”
There’s no way people would leave her alone…
Soo-bin spoke as if it were an undeniable fact, but Hae-soo just smiled and let the comment pass.
“Other than that, there are lots of drinking parties too… Oh, speaking of which, what major are you aiming for?”
Now that she thought about it, there were some puzzling things about this tutoring job. Most of the mysteries had been resolved after meeting Hae-soo in person, but a few lingering questions remained. One of them was her intended major. Usually, when someone gets a tutor for college entrance exams, they have a specific university and department in mind.
But in Hae-soo’s case, that was never mentioned.
Looking back, even the promised ₩10 million bonus wasn’t tied to “getting into a certain university or department”—it was just “as long as she does well on the exam.”
“The major doesn’t really matter.”
For someone paying a fortune for tutoring, her answer was surprisingly indifferent.
“Uh… really?”
“Yeah. It’s not about getting a job or anything. I just want to study something I’m interested in.”
As Hae-soo spoke, for a brief moment, a shadow passed over her expression.
Strangely enough, Soo-bin was suddenly reminded of the man she had encountered on the first day of tutoring.
Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen him since.
Maybe that day was just an exception. Most of her time here was spent alone with Hae-soo, just the two of them, focused on studying.
“Oh, I should get going.”
Checking her wristwatch, Soo-bin got up from her seat. Hae-soo naturally followed her to the entrance. It was a small thing, but Soo-bin liked it. Unlike those guys who didn’t care whether she came or went, Hae-soo made sure to see her off after every tutoring session. She wasn’t some little puppy or anything, but despite her calm demeanor, there was something undeniably endearing about her actions.
“Where’s my phone?”
After putting on her shoes, Soo-bin patted her pockets and mumbled to herself. Seeing this, Hae-soo walked over to the living room and returned shortly after.
“Here. It was under the sofa.”
“Thanks! I almost had to come back for it.”
As Hae-soo handed over the phone, she took a moment to glance at it before commenting,
“The case is pretty.”
“Hm? Oh, this?”
Soo-bin mentioned the title of a movie and asked if Hae-soo had heard of it. Though not particularly interested in films, even Hae-soo had at least heard of this one.
“Yeah, I know it.”
“It’s my all-time favorite movie. I had this custom-made on a site.”
Slipping the phone into her pocket, Soo-bin turned toward the door but then looked back.
“I know you’ll take care of yourself, but… don’t overdo it with studying. Just because you’re preparing for the exam doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take breaks. Managing your condition is important, got it? Oh, and this movie is really good, so if you have time, give it a watch. There are two in the series.”
“Okay, I’ll check it out.”
Hae-soo nodded as if she had just received homework, making Soo-bin laugh.
“I watched that movie you mentioned.”
A few weeks later, while opening her workbook, Hae-soo casually mentioned it. Soo-bin, who had been sorting through practice test papers to hand over, tilted her head before realizing what Hae-soo was referring to.
“Oh, really? How was it?”
“It was fun. Even though there were two movies, I wasn’t bored at all—I stayed up all night watching them.”
“Right? I’ve rewatched them so many times and never got tired of them.”
Flipping through the test papers, Soo-bin suddenly had a thought and asked,
“By the way, did you watch them alone?”
“Huh?”
“There are some pretty intense bed scenes in that movie. I couldn’t even watch it with my friends because it was too embarrassing.”
The question slipped out unintentionally after hearing that Hae-soo had stayed up watching it. If she remembered correctly, the movie had some rather explicit scenes—enough to make one feel self-conscious even when watching alone.
Based on what Soo-bin had observed, Hae-soo lived with someone. If she had watched the movie late at night, then wouldn’t that tall guy she met before have been around?
Hae-soo hesitated for a moment before slightly furrowing her brows, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
“Yeah… it was intense.”
Then, she let out a small sigh.
Seeing her reaction, Soo-bin laughed and lightly tapped Hae-soo’s shoulder.
After some small talk, they refocused and resumed the tutoring session. It wasn’t until nearly two hours later, just as their session was wrapping up, that Hae-soo’s phone started buzzing. Soo-bin remained quiet, sensing it was a private conversation.
“…Yeah, I’m in the middle of my tutoring session.”
“…Stop asking, I’m fine.”
“Are you… coming home late tonight?”
“It’s okay, I can eat alone… Huh? Oh, my tutor?”
After briefly conversing with the person on the other end, Hae-soo pulled the phone away from her ear and turned to Soo-bin.
“Soo-bin, do you have any plans after this?”
“Hm? Why?”
“Do you want to have dinner with me?”
“Well… sure. I don’t mind staying to eat.”
Hae-soo nodded, then spoke into the phone, “Alright, send over enough for two.”
After a brief exchange, the call ended, and about 30 minutes later, the doorbell rang. Hae-soo went to answer it and returned with a bag of takeout in her hands.
“Oh, by the way, after you mentioned it, I looked it up—the new sequel for that movie is coming out soon.”
Taking the disposable chopsticks Hae-soo handed her, Soo-bin narrowed her eyes.
“Hm… would it be okay if I asked you to go see it with me?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, we did meet through tutoring, so wouldn’t it seem like I’m just asking you to hang out instead of study…?”
She pressed her fingers against her temples as if she were deep in thought over a life-altering dilemma. Amused, Hae-soo smiled and shrugged before responding.
“Why not? Like you said, taking a break is important too. Let’s go watch it.”
That day, they sat side by side and coordinated their schedules. Soo-bin still felt a tiny bit of hesitation about whether this was appropriate as a tutor, but seeing how excited Hae-soo seemed as they talked, she couldn’t help but grin and think, Why not just go with it?
The movie’s release day arrived in no time.
Soo-bin had expected it, but the level of attention they drew exceeded her expectations. The moment they entered the theater, whether sitting in the waiting area or standing in line to order snacks, every guy glanced at the girl beside her. It was so blatant it was impossible to ignore.
Meanwhile, Hae-soo was too engrossed in checking out the movie poster to notice the stares.
Well, even as a fellow girl, I can tell she’s gorgeous, so of course guys would stare…
Thinking she needed to stay alert, Soo-bin stuck closely to Hae-soo’s side. Unaware of her thoughts, Hae-soo casually asked.
“Want some popcorn?”
“Sure.”
Since Soo-bin had paid for the movie tickets, Hae-soo insisted on covering the snacks, pulling out her wallet and presenting a black credit card. It caught Soo-bin’s attention since those weren’t commonly used.
As soon as the cashier handed over the large popcorn tub and sodas, Hae-soo found her hands completely full and awkwardly looked down at the wallet she had set on the counter.
“Ah, my hands are full…”
“Need me to hold it? I can put it in my bag.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Despite choosing a late-night showing to avoid crowds, the theater was still bustling, likely due to the pleasant weather. Hae-soo, hugging the giant popcorn tub, trailed closely behind Soo-bin.
Along the way, she was stopped several times—each time by men asking for her number.
What shocked Soo-bin was Hae-soo’s reaction.
The normally amiable girl, who was always polite to Soo-bin, stared blankly at the men and walked away without a word.
Embarrassed, the rejected men either hurried off or muttered insults under their breath about how she was rude just because she was pretty.
Soo-bin didn’t intervene, because from the exhaustion evident on Hae-soo’s face, she seemed utterly fed up.
Through tutoring, Soo-bin had sensed that Hae-soo carried some deep-seated wounds she never openly discussed. She had a feeling that whatever had delayed her from taking the college entrance exam on time was tied to those unspoken troubles.
When the movie ended, the night sky was pitch black.
Checking her phone, Hae-soo excused herself to take a call. Soo-bin nodded and held the elevator door open, and soon after, Hae-soo returned.
Calculating the bus schedule in her head, Soo-bin asked.
“I’m taking the bus home. What about you?”
“Ah, someone’s picking me up.”
Soo-bin immediately guessed who that someone was.
As they stepped into the elevator, Hae-soo continued.
“It’s late. Do you want a ride?”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
The mere thought of sitting in the same car with that man made her uneasy.
Though Hae-soo hesitated as if she had more to say, she simply nodded.
As Soo-bin made her way toward the bus stop, she suddenly remembered—Hae-soo’s wallet was still in her bag.
Thinking she might still be in the parking lot, Soo-bin headed there.
Under the dim lighting, she spotted a familiar figure.
“Hae—”
The name froze on her lips as she saw the man standing with her.
Soo-bin instinctively ducked behind a pillar.
The man leaned in, brushing his lips against Hae-soo’s cheek. Then, suddenly, he grabbed her by the back of the head, pulling her into a deep kiss.
“……!”
It was at that exact moment that Soo-bin’s eyes met the man’s.
The man, as if he had known all along that someone was hiding behind the pillar, showed not the slightest sign of surprise. His unwavering pupils had a way of making a person freeze in place.
Without a hint of interest, he turned his gaze away just as easily. He pulled Hae-soo’s hand toward him, guiding it to caress his jaw and cheek before pressing his lips against it. The way he rubbed himself against her, as though he were a dark-furred beast desperate to mark her with his scent, was almost unsettling.
After pulling her captive hand closer for another kiss, he finally opened the passenger door and ushered her inside. As he circled around the hood to reach the driver’s seat, he cast one last glance toward the pillar.
Then, he smirked.
There was an unmistakable arrogance and composure in his demeanor, as if he had already seen through everything—even Soo-bin’s identity.
In the blink of an eye, the man’s car, carrying Hae-soo, sped out of the parking lot. Yet, even after they had disappeared from sight, Soo-bin remained frozen in place.
It felt as though she had been bewitched by the wicked night.
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