Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
30. Let’s Sleep Together, Us
30. Let’s Sleep Together, Us
Even though Dan-jung had rationalized that the emergency exit was deserted, she was still flustered by the kiss they shared in broad daylight — and outside, no less.
“Boss, this is... it’s outside.”
Dan-jung pushed Min-hyuk’s chest away with difficulty as his lips sought hers.
“There’s no one here.”
Min-hyuk, showing no intention of backing off, leaned in again for another kiss.
If he couldn’t sleep with her, at least a kiss might help quell some of his desire.
“But still... it’s embarrassing.”
Because of Dan-jung’s earnest tone, Min-hyuk reluctantly pulled away from her.
But he couldn’t deny the lingering regret.
“Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
Min-hyuk wanted to spend more time with Dan-jung.
“I’m sorry, but I have a friend who’s going through a tough time. I need to stay with her today.”
Dan-jung didn’t feel right leaving Jin-hee, who was drowning in sadness.
Of course, Dan-jung also wanted to be with Min-hyuk, but she couldn’t ignore her struggling friend.
“It’s a shame, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Min-hyuk slowly released his hold on Dan-jung’s waist.
At that moment, a shadow of fear crept into Dan-jung’s mind.
She was afraid Min-hyuk would leave her like her ex-boyfriends, just as Jin-hee’s husband had left her.
But no matter what anyone said, Dan-jung didn’t want to lose Min-hyuk. For the first time, she felt determined to hold onto a man.
“I’ll come over after my friend falls asleep.”
“?!”
Min-hyuk looked at Dan-jung silently, not understanding what she meant.
“Let’s sleep together, us.”
“...”
Caught off guard by Dan-jung’s sudden words, Min-hyuk lost his voice for a moment.
But he wasn’t about to let this unexpected opportunity slip away.
“If that’s the case, I’ll wait until your friend falls asleep.”
Min-hyuk’s heart started racing involuntarily, and without realizing it, he gazed at Dan-jung with a bewitching look.
‘I’ve gone crazy! Seriously.’
Feeling Min-hyuk’s intense gaze, Dan-jung finally realized what she had just said.
But it was too late to take back her words now.
Well, she did promise. She’d just have to sleep next to him — nothing more.
Dan-jung decided to take the easy way out because she saw no other option.
“Yes, see you later then. Oh! And next time, please call me before you come over.”
Before parting ways with Min-hyuk, Dan-jung didn’t forget to remind him.
She had been frustrated by his habit of showing up unannounced, and seeing other women pass by only added fuel to her irritation.
“I’m sorry. Did I upset you by coming over suddenly?”
“No, it’s not that... but because you came without warning, I ended up looking like this.”
“What do you mean ‘like this’?”
“Disheveled? I need to put some effort into looking pretty.”
“Choi Dan-jung, you’re already beautiful just the way you are.”
“Wow! You must really be smitten.”
“It seems that way.”
Min-hyuk responded seriously, not batting an eye.
Dan-jung shook her head at his sincerity, but deep down, she felt good about it.
________________________________________
Worried about leaving Jin-hee alone, Dan-jung hurriedly sent Min-hyuk off and returned home.
“You’re back already?”
Jin-hee, surprised to see Dan-jung return less than 30 minutes after leaving, asked.
But it wasn’t lost on Jin-hee that Dan-jung had rushed back because of her.
“I just said what I needed to say and left.”
“Why didn’t you just call instead of coming all the way here?”
“Yeah, you’re right... He must be an action-oriented guy.”
“Hmm... Seems like it.”
Jin-hee nodded, recalling how Min-hyuk had visited multiple times.
“How are you feeling?”
“I miss Ha-yeon.”
“Aren’t you going to bring Ha-yeon back?”
“I don’t know. The thought of raising a child alone scares me, but how can I live without Ha-yeon?”
“Ah...”
Dan-jung understood Jin-hee’s feelings.
She herself missed Jin-hee after just a few days — how much worse must it be for a mother?
“Should we drink during the day?”
“Will it be okay?”
“With Ha-yeon not around, why not?”
Jin-hee just wanted to drink and forget her pain.
“Alright! Let’s go. But let’s get all dressed up first.”
Dan-jung wanted to lift Jin-hee’s spirits. Ever since having her baby, Jin-hee had stopped caring about her appearance, always wearing loose clothes.
In truth, Dan-jung missed the radiant friend she once knew in college.
“Let’s just buy soju from the convenience store and drink at home.”
“Hey! Get up. Today, this big sister is treating you to the full package. Let’s go to the salon, get our hair done, and go shopping.”
“Forget it. It costs money.”
“Look at me! I’m marrying into a chaebol family. Do you think I can’t even afford to treat my friend?”
Dan-jung exaggerated her wealth to make sure Jin-hee didn’t feel burdened.
“Alright, fine. Let me enjoy the perks of being treated by a future madam.”
Recognizing Dan-jung’s kind intentions, Jin-hee pretended to perk up and stood up energetically.
This was her first outing in a long while.
“I should have gone to the salon earlier.”
Getting her hair styled made Jin-hee feel slightly better, as if her gloom was lifting.
It didn’t take long, and she wondered why she hadn’t done it sooner.
And with new clothes on, she felt somewhat decent again.
“You look like a young girl. No one would guess you’re a mother.”
Seeing Jin-hee transform back into her former self filled Dan-jung with pride.
“Thank you.”
Jin-hee teared up, realizing how her friend, who had scrimped and saved, was now generously treating her.
“Why are you crying again? I spent money so you wouldn’t cry.”
“I’m sorry. If my husband were half the person you are, I wouldn’t have divorced him.”
“Forget about that jerk! Dump the old car and get a new one!”
“Sob... Just you wait and see! I won’t crumble here! I’ll earn money and bring Ha-yeon back. I’ll raise my baby myself!”
Thanks to Dan-jung, Jin-hee regained her confidence and resolved not to wallow anymore.
She was a mother. Ha-yeon’s mother!
“Great! Let’s go. Tonight, we’re drinking till we drop!”
Dan-jung shouted cheerfully as she dragged Jin-hee toward the bar.
________________________________________
Min-hyuk, waiting for Dan-jung, felt like every minute stretched into an hour, and every hour into a day.
Even after reading an entire book and cooking dinner, it was barely 7 p.m.
Unable to focus on anything else, Min-hyuk turned on the TV — something he rarely did.
He wanted to distract himself and let time pass mindlessly.
A daily drama happened to be airing.
It was the first time Min-hyuk watched a drama as an adult.
As a child, he occasionally watched dramas to study emotions, but they only confused him and gave him headaches, so he stopped.
But now, Min-hyuk found himself deeply engrossed in the drama.
He even pondered why the female lead looked so happy.
Immersed in the show, time flew by, and night fell.
Finally, it was 11 p.m., but Dan-jung hadn’t arrived.
Feeling like he had aged overnight, Min-hyuk couldn’t wait any longer and called Dan-jung.
It was late, and he considered picking her up himself.
He also remembered her request to call before visiting.
“Ms. Choi Dan-jung? Are you not coming?”
-Oh! It’s Mr. Lee Min-hyuk. Min-hyuk, do you miss me? Is that why you called?
Even over the phone, Dan-jung sounded heavily intoxicated.
“Where are you right now, Ms. Choi?”
-Why do you keep calling me “Ms. Choi, Ms. Choi!” Can’t you just call me “Dan-jung”? Every time you call me “Ms. Choi,” I can’t bring myself to call you “Min-hyuk .” I want to call you “Min-hyuk~.”
Hearing Dan-jung’s drunken antics worried Min-hyuk, and he couldn’t sit still any longer.
With the wedding approaching, he couldn’t afford any mishaps.
“Alright, I’ll call you Dan-jung~. So where are you?”
-Nope, I won’t tell you. But if you call me “Dan-jung~,” I’ll tell you.
“Phew... Da... Dan-jung.”
Desperate, Min-hyuk sighed deeply and forced out her name.
On the other end of the line, Dan-jung burst into giggles.
-We’re at the pub on top of my neighborhood!
With a clue about Dan-jung’s location, Min-hyuk sprang to his feet and called a taxi.
________________________________________
Waiting for the taxi, Min-hyuk felt a heavy pressure in his chest and a splitting headache.
The thought of his bride-to-be getting drunk and staying out late made him uneasy.
Min-hyuk was growing increasingly frustrated with Dan-jung’s behavior, which constantly made him anxious.
He planned to sternly remind her to be careful before their wedding when he saw her.
No, Min-hyuk changed his mind. He decided to bring her straight to his place immediately.
He couldn’t relax knowing Dan-jung, the source of his headaches, was out there.
“The pub on top of her neighborhood...”
Arriving in Dan-jung’s neighborhood, Min-hyuk recalled her words and tried to deduce where she might be.
But her neighborhood consisted of flat, straight roads without any hills.
Perhaps she meant a pub on the top floor of a building... Min-hyuk scanned the area and rushed toward where he thought she might be.
After searching two rooftop pubs, he finally found Dan-jung.
But the moment Min-hyuk spotted her, his face hardened.
“Hey... Want to hang out with us?”
Unfamiliar men at the neighboring table were hitting on her.
“No thanks~ I don’t want to.”
“C’mon, join us. There are two of you, and two of us.”
“I’m getting married this week.”
“Wow, congratulations! Then let’s have one last party tonight.”
“No thanks!”
Though drunk, Dan-jung firmly rejected their advances.
However, Jin-hee beside her kept giggling.
It had been a while since she’d been hit on, and oddly, it didn’t bother her.
“Hey! Why are you laughing?”
“Sorry~ but it’s funny.”
“Hehe~ hahaha.”
Influenced by Jin-hee’s laughter, Dan-jung started giggling uncontrollably.
“Tsk!”
Min-hyuk approached Dan-jung, who was smiling brightly despite the strangers around her.
“Ms. Choi Dan-jung!”
Standing in front of Dan-jung, whose eyes were half-glazed from alcohol, Min-hyuk called her name sharply, clearly annoyed.
The men sitting with Dan-jung quickly retreated upon seeing Min-hyuk, intimidated by his presence.
They could tell just by looking that they were no match for him.
“Oh? Boss! What are you doing here? Did you come because you missed me?”
“Wow~ Dan-jung’s lucky. Someone came to pick her up.”
Sighing deeply at the sight of the two drunk women, Min-hyuk felt a headache coming on.
Not only had she been hit on, but she was also completely wasted.
“Oops! I forgot we were supposed to sleep together tonight...”
“Hey! That’s not something you say in front of a divorcée!”
“Oh, right. Sorry, sorry. Sob~ Friend, I’m so sorry for being happy while you’re not. But you need to forget that jerk and find happiness soon, okay?”
“Sob... Just you wait. I’ll be happier than that jerk ever was.”
“That’s right. That’s the spirit.”
Dan-jung and Jin-hee laughed and cried alternately, trading drunken banter.
Watching them, Min-hyuk decided it was time to take them home.
Google Sites
Report abuse