Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
You Deceive
Hyo-jeong nodded towards her phone as she looked at herself in the mirror.
“Yes, yes, Oppa! It’s really fine. I borrowed a taxi from someone my sister knows. I’ll take that.”
At Hyo-jeong’s cheerful words, a soft reply from the man came through the phone. She smiled brightly at the sound of his voice.
“Yes! I’ll do well on the exam without getting nervous!”
At that moment, Jae-hee’s voice could be heard from outside the front door.
“Hyo-jeong, come out now. The uncle is here.”
“Okay, unnie!”
Hyo-jeong then shouted into the phone.
“Even when I was hurt back then... it’s always Kang-joo oppa who remembers and takes care of me. I really appreciate it!”
Hyo-jeong thanked him into the phone and, with a determined expression, stepped out of the front door. Today was the day of the college entrance exam. It was the day she had to pour all her efforts into.
A few days ago, she had made a promise in front of her mom, who was lying motionless, and her sister. She promised she would get good grades, go to a good university, and get a good job. And she would repay her sister, and even more than that, many times over.
At that moment, the eyelashes of her mother, who lay still, had fluttered slightly. Maybe one day, her mom would wake up. The thought made her feel very hopeful. That feeling made her believe she would do well on the exam.
Jae-hee stared blankly out the window.
Was everyone busy because it was the end of the year? She thought she had left work quite late, but the office buildings, packed with tax and accounting firms, were still brightly lit as if it were daytime. For some reason, it felt oddly comforting. It was as if everyone else, like her, was paddling furiously beneath the surface.
Jae-hee was waiting for Min-cheol at a café near his office. She took a sip of her hot Americano when she saw him walk in with a bright face.
“Jae-hee! What’s this? You came to see me? I’m touched.”
“I just... wanted to talk. To hear your voice.”
She had been feeling uneasy about his behavior lately. Plus, she wanted to talk about the constant trouble caused by Manager Kim and Team Leader Jung at work.
The cold wind and the difficulties at work kept reminding her of her mother. The one person who was always on her side, who would comfort her when she complained about her struggles and hug her tightly. Jae-hee thought she was strong, but whenever she realized there was no one she could lean on, sometimes it became hard to stand tall.
“Really? You wanted to hear my voice? You missed me, huh?”
At Min-cheol’s teasing words, Jae-hee nodded.
“Yeah. But Min-cheol, these days at work, there’s this guy, Manager Kim, and-”
She had been about to talk about the strange manager at work who kept picking fights. But Min-cheol interrupted her and started rambling about his own story instead.
“Oh, right. Speaking of work, that reminds me. They gave me an Excel sheet to match the client’s credit data, and I reviewed it, but then they suddenly said it doesn’t match the ledger. You wouldn’t know, but when it comes to the actual ledger, you see...”
Jae-hee stared blankly at Min-cheol’s face. His monologue went on and on. She had wanted to talk about her own frustrations today, too.
As she silently listened to him ramble for what felt like forever, Min-cheol finally smiled brightly, looking refreshed. He seemed relieved after unloading all his complaints onto her.
“I feel better after venting to you, Jae-hee. You’re the best, as always.”
“...”
A hollow laugh escaped her.
“Oh, by the way, wasn’t it the college entrance exam a month ago?”
“Yeah.”
Jae-hee gave a half-hearted nod. Her sister, Hyo-jeong, had taken her college entrance exam long ago. Now that the exams were over, Hyo-jeong was enjoying all the perks with her friends—discounts on movies and restaurants using her exam ticket. Jae-hee found her sister’s excitement adorable and smiled whenever she thought about it.
Jae-hee rested her chin on her hand and stared out the window. Her calm eyes swept over the bare trees shedding their leaves. Winter had arrived. It had been especially cold on the day of the college entrance exam, but now that it was over, the chill had deepened. Even the faces of the people walking by were frozen white from the cold.
Although Min-cheol had forgotten about Hyo-jeong’s exam, Jae-hee didn’t even feel disappointed. How could she feel disappointed when she had never expected anything from him in the first place? The reason she couldn’t bring herself to cut off someone as self-centered and occasionally hurtful as Min-cheol was...
Min-cheol scratched his nose and gave an awkward smile.
“Well, at least that’s a relief. You’ll feel a bit more at ease now.”
“What do you mean?”
Jae-hee, who had been staring blankly outside, turned her gaze toward him.
“I mean, taking care of a student must’ve been tough for you. You’re not her mom, after all. Covering her academy fees, giving her allowance, and worrying about her—it must’ve been exhausting.”
“...”
“She’s not asking you to pay for her tuition, is she? At least for that, she should take out a loan in her own name now.”
Jae-hee tightened her grip on her coffee cup.
“No. I’ll take care of it.”
After their mother’s accident, the only thing left in Jae-hee’s life was Hyo-jeong. Sometimes, she would wake up from dreams of her mother, tears wetting her face. If it hadn’t been for Hyo-jeong sleeping peacefully beside her, Jae-hee might not have been able to endure the harsh reality of her life.
What wouldn’t she do for Hyo-jeong? Even if she gave everything she had, it wouldn’t feel like a loss.
“Jae-hee, you’re being unrealistic. You need to save money now. You can’t keep running after your sister like that. I’m just worried about you.”
“Why do you care about me?”
At Jae-hee’s sharp response, Min-cheol clicked his tongue. Then he leaned forward slightly, giving her a look that said she didn’t understand anything.
“You’re really naive, aren’t you? Why wouldn’t I worry about you? If you want to marry me, you’ll need to save for the wedding. How long are you going to be held back by your sister?”
“...”
Jae-hee was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t respond.
Min-cheol smirked as his eyes darted left to the light and right to the window, as if calculating something in his head.
“I can take care of the house, you know. But we still need to keep up appearances, so you’ll have to handle the furnishings. You’re not incapable—you work at a big company, after all. Plus, there’s my parents’ circle to consider.”
“...”
“Let’s be honest, your background isn’t exactly... desirable. I mean, you’re practically an orphan, and you have a sibling to support. Still, I don’t mind. I don’t think you’re lacking or anything. So, just save up enough to keep up appearances—”
Jae-hee abruptly cut off Min-cheol’s self-indulgent rambling.
“What’s wrong with my background?”
She was beyond disbelief and anger. Marriage? She hadn’t even thought about it, and here he was, bringing it up out of nowhere, only to belittle her.
She already knew the facts. A woman who grew up almost parentless, enduring a desolate life with grit—who would see her as marriage material? But she had never asked for Min-cheol’s opinion on her situation.
“Hey? What’s wrong, Jae-hee? Why are you suddenly lowering your voice like that…?”
“Yeah, I’m poor. So what? Who are you to judge my life? Who do you think you are?”
Her anger was steadily rising. When had she ever begged Min-cheol to marry her? When had she ever given him permission to pity her life, to look down on her like she was pathetic?
If she got angry, Min-cheol would likely think it was just the inferiority complex of someone poor. But even so, she was furious, and her pride was hurt—even if what he said was true.
“When did I ever beg you to marry me? When did I ask you for pity?”
“Jae-hee, no, that’s not it. I didn’t mean it that way. I just said it because I want to marry you.”
Jae-hee let out a bitter laugh. He says he wants to marry her, yet everything he just said had laid bare how he truly saw her, how little he thought of her, even if unconsciously.
Yes, she and Min-cheol were worlds apart. Born into wealth, living his whole life comfortably, someone like Min-cheol could never understand or relate to her life. She didn’t expect him to. She herself couldn’t relate to his life, either.
She had never envied or desired the life of the upper class. And so, she didn’t want pity or sympathy from anyone, either. She held her head high, proud of herself.
“Jung Min-cheol, don’t contact me again.”
Jae-hee calmly drew the line with those words and rose from her seat.
“Jae-hee!”
Startled, Min-cheol quickly jumped up, following her.
Jae-hee ignored his call and walked straight ahead, her eyes fixed forward. But soon, Min-cheol grabbed her wrist firmly, stopping her in her tracks.
“Jae-hee, that’s not what I meant!”
“Let go.”
“You’re fine. Really, you’re fine.”
“……”
For a moment, her gaze wavered.
“You know, Jae-hee. You really know I didn’t mean it like that… You’re fine. You’re really fine…”
Min-cheol’s pleading voice echoed on the street. Jae-hee bit her lip tightly.
“It’s okay, Jae-hee. It’s okay…”
The words he had whispered to her on the day of Hyo-jeong’s accident came rushing back. The gentle reassurance as he stroked her back, the warmth in his voice that had pulled her out of the terrifying and overwhelming reality, comforting her with tender care.
Six months earlier.
Jae-hee was on her way home, timing it to coincide with Hyo-jeong’s return from her academy. At the end of a narrow alley, there was a worn staircase, and halfway down those steps sat their semi-basement home, half-sunken into the ground.
She thought it had been a while since they’d walked home together hand in hand, so she decided to call her. But Hyo-jeong didn’t answer. That was when she first felt uneasy. With a growing sense of foreboding, she quickened her pace. And then, she saw it.
Hyo-jeong, lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs.
The streetlight, which had been flickering for days, had finally gone out. It was hard to see the stairs properly, and it seemed Hyo-jeong had fallen.
“Hyo-jeong!”
Jae-hee, her face gone pale, ran toward her sister as though possessed.
It brought back memories of their mother from years ago. She had been found just like that, lying at the bottom of Chairman Cha’s staircase. And from that moment on, she never moved again, spending the rest of her life as if dead.
“Hyo-jeong, Hyo-jeong. No, no… Hyo-jeong…”
Jae-hee clutched her sister’s hand, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. Her heart pounded wildly. The world itself seemed to shake. Paralyzed by panic, her body trembled violently, her teeth chattering as she fumbled to pull out her phone.
“A call… I need to call someone. A call…”
Her vision blurred with tears. Who, who should she call? Who? Even the number 119, which elementary school children knew, escaped her mind in that moment.
With trembling fingers, she scrolled through her contact list. A familiar name flashed by.
Cha ‘, Executive Director.
And after that, everything seemed to sink beneath the surface of her memory. She thought she might have made a phone call, but even the identity of the person she called was unclear. Later, a doctor explained it as temporary memory loss caused by psychological trauma. After all, she had lost a shoe, her bag, and even her phone in that alley that day.
What she remembered of that day was sparse. Sitting in the dirty alleyway, crying her heart out like a child. And the warmth of someone who comforted her in her fear-stricken state.
“It’s okay, Jae-hee. It’s okay…”
She had heard the soft voice whispering in her ear as she buried herself in the person’s embrace, tears flowing. Each time the large, warm hand stroked her back, a shaky breath of relief escaped her.
“It’s okay…”
Strangely enough, those words of comfort only made her cry harder. The warmth enveloping her felt so unfamiliar, as if it had been far too long since she’d last felt it. And it had been even longer since she had leaned completely on someone else.
How much time had passed? When she came to, Min-cheol was there. He called her name worriedly, leaning over her as she lay on a hospital lobby bench.
“Jae-hee, can you hear me? Yoon Jae-hee!”
Only after he called her name several times did Jae-hee finally lift her dazed gaze. With a blank expression, she asked,
“How’s Hyo-jeong? Is Hyo-jeong okay?”
“I didn’t get a good look, so I’m not sure, but she regained consciousness as soon as we got to the hospital. Right now, she’s undergoing an MRI for a concussion. They’re just doing it as a precaution, but they said there’s nothing serious.”
Only then did she let out a long breath of relief. It was strange that Min-cheol didn’t know much about Hyo-jeong’s condition, but thinking he had stayed by her side instead, she found it understandable.
“It was you…”
“Huh?”
“Min-cheol, it was you…”
My Hyo-jeong… The only blood relative I have left in this world now is Hyo-jeong.
I was terrified that I might lose her too, just like Mom. Hyo-jeong lying there that day, just like Mom did back then, threw me into a chaos that flooded and overwhelmed me.
But Min-cheol came for me. He took care of Hyo-jeong, ensuring she got to the hospital, and stayed by my side, comforting me the whole time. If something had gone wrong with Hyo-jeong at that place, I wouldn’t have survived either. In a way, Min-cheol saved two lives—Hyo-jeong’s and mine.
“Min-cheol, thank you. Thank you, really… thank you…”
Jae-hee could do nothing but cry, repeating those words over and over. Thank you. Thank you.
As he listened, Min-cheol suddenly knelt on the cold hospital floor. Taking her hand in his, he pleaded with her, his voice raw with emotion.
“Jae-hee, if you’re that thankful to me, if you truly are… then can’t you accept me now? I’ll always be by your side, supporting you. I’ve spent years living just for you. So please, can’t you let me in now? Okay?”
In that moment, absurdly, she found herself wanting to believe him.
“Jae-hee, I’ll be your strength.”
Was it that the heart tends to falter when a person is at their weakest? If it was his voice that had comforted her, his caring hands that had embraced her, perhaps it would be okay to give him a piece of her heart.
And so, Jae-hee let Min-cheol take a seat beside her.
Perhaps, deep down, she had been hoping for it. That he would see the loneliness and struggles she had kept bottled up inside, unable to share with anyone else. That even Yoon Jae-hee, who had always tried to appear strong and unyielding, could lean on someone.
That she might find the courage to let herself be vulnerable.
With Min-cheol holding her wrist, Jae-hee closed her eyes. Her tightly shut eyelids trembled faintly.
“Jae-hee, you’re really okay. You’re a good person. I said something I shouldn’t have. But you know how much I care about you, don’t you? Please, forgive me, okay?”
It’s okay. The meaning was entirely different from before, but the words themselves were the same. On that day, too, Min-cheol had told her it was okay. Warmly, gently, making her feel like she could rely on him endlessly.
Ah…
That’s the problem with people like me, who’ve lived with so much emptiness. We can’t forget the warmth that fills those gaps, that eases the loneliness. And because of that, we can’t cut people off cleanly.
And besides…
Besides, Min-cheol is my savior. He’s the one who saved my precious little sister, Hyo-jeong. Even if he wronged me ninety-nine times, that one time he reached out to me in my darkest moment would be enough to forgive it all.
“Okay. Fine. But let go of my arm, Min-cheol. It hurts.”
Her inability to push him away felt pitiful. For the first time in her life, Jae-hee found herself resenting the lonely and unyielding years that had shaped her.
“Wow, your girlfriend is really too much, sunbae. You meant well, but she misunderstood and got mad all on her own. Isn’t that right?”
Park Hanna, Min-cheol’s junior colleague, spoke up. Min-cheol nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
“Exactly. She’s being too much, don’t you think? To someone who’s asking her to marry him, no less.”
Lately, Min-cheol had been confiding his frustrations to Hanna more and more often. He vented about the disappointments and dissatisfaction he felt in his relationship with Jae-hee, and doing so left him feeling at least a little lighter.
Park Hanna. In his opinion, Hanna wasn’t as pretty as Jae-hee, but she seemed to have a kinder heart. Conversations with her were enjoyable, and they got along well, especially because they seemed to understand each other.
“Anyway, the way she turned away so coldly back then—it was scary. Her attitude is like that of a princess, really.”
Min-cheol grumbled, muttering to himself about how she acted like royalty despite having nothing. Hanna’s eyes sparkled as she listened.
“Then why do you keep dating her? Sunbae, it’s not like you’re lacking anything, so why go to such lengths for her?”
At her words, Min-cheol recalled Jae-hee from a few days ago: her graceful eyes gazing out the café window, her clear, luminous pupils that always seemed on the verge of tears.
“Well… She’s really pretty, for one thing. But there’s something about her that’s just… captivating. Her life has been tough—she’s been through a lot. Maybe it’s the way her life’s struggles have given her depth… Sometimes, when she looks at me with those eyes, I feel like I’m being drawn in.”
Hanna, seemingly displeased by his words, bit down on her straw. Unaware of Hanna’s stiffening expression, Min-cheol continued reminiscing about Jae-hee’s face.
“And she’s so quiet and soft-spoken, but occasionally she’s firm and assertive. That kind of balance is really attractive too.”
Hanna, who had been silently listening, suddenly spat out her straw.
“But, sunbae, don’t you find that type a bit scary?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
The light in Min-cheol’s eyes, lost in thoughts of Jae-hee, returned to the present. Hanna, resting her chin in her hand, pouted her lips.
“Poor people, I mean. That kind of person gives off this feeling, like they’re desperately paddling under the surface just to stay afloat. It’s hard to explain, but there’s this peculiar tenacity about them. I find it kind of scary.”
“Tenacity… Yeah, that’s true. Jae-hee does have that. She looks like a gentle herbivore, but sometimes she can be really ruthless. Probably because she grew up tough.”
Min-cheol and Hanna shared a knowing glance, a sense of camaraderie born from their similar privileged upbringings—his father a prominent doctor, her mother a lawyer.
When Min-cheol agreed with her, Hanna finally smiled.
“By the way, sunbae, what are you doing for Christmas? Going on a trip with your girlfriend? You mentioned looking up plane tickets last time, saying you’d take some days off to extend the trip.”
Christmas was fast approaching, and the streets were already brimming with festive cheer. Min-cheol had, with not-so-innocent intentions, suggested a Christmas getaway to Jae-hee. Unsurprisingly, the suggestion had been flatly rejected.
“Don’t even get me started. She said no. Even though I told her I’d cover all the costs, she still said no. She just doesn’t like anything.”
Ugh, it’s so humiliating. Min-cheol grumbled under his breath. Hanna chimed in with a casual suggestion.
“Then you should get back at her, sunbae. If she’s being so standoffish, you should push back sometimes too. Leave her alone on the most important day of the year. Play hard to get.”
“Play hard to get?”
Min-cheol furrowed his brows and rubbed his temples, thinking it over. After a moment, he mumbled to himself, “Now that I think about it, I really have been following her lead too much.”
Jae-hee stopped in the middle of the crowd and asked her phone in disbelief,
“Work? All of a sudden? Why? Today’s a holiday.”
She had planned to meet Min-cheol for Christmas, but now he was saying he suddenly had work. She’d even made a reservation at a very expensive hotel restaurant, intending to treat him big after having relied on him so much before.
On the other end of the line, Min-cheol replied apologetically,
— Something came up.
“Work? What kind of work?”
— It’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t understand even if I explained.
“When will you finish? I’ll wait. Let’s meet, even if it’s for dinner.”
— Huh? Dinner? That’s a bit tricky.
Jae-hee paused for a moment, lost in thought, before nodding in acceptance. He said he was busy—she couldn’t cling to him and beg for his time.
“Got it. There’s nothing we can do, I guess.”
After hanging up the call, Jae-hee started wandering the streets alone. By evening, she planned to go to the hotel restaurant she had reserved, even if she had to go by herself.
Meanwhile, one floor above the hotel restaurant Jae-hee had reserved, in the hotel’s VIP lounge, Kang-joo sat, gazing out the window with a somber expression. Beyond the wall-sized glass pane, the dizzying expanse of Seoul’s cityscape stretched out before him.
The top floor of the building, overlooking Seoul, was relatively quiet despite it being Christmas. Kang-joo stared blankly at the low-hanging clouds. The sky was painted in shades of gray.
“Oppa.”
After gazing at the dark clouds for a long while, he finally turned his head when his name was called.
“Oppa, were you listening to me?”
“No.”
“If you weren’t listening, you should apologize. Why are you acting so confident about it?”
Only then did Kang-joo muster a deliberately kind smile. He asked Si-eun,
“Alright then… what were you saying?”
“Seriously! Pay attention. I was saying we should go skiing in Canada early next year.”
“Sounds fun. Have a good trip.”
Throwing out an indifferent response, Kang-joo gave a half-hearted nod. Si-eun tapped the table lightly with her fist.
“I’m saying we should go together! When Mom comes back to Korea, all four of us—Dad, Mom, you, and I—can go together.”
“The chairman seems to be running late.”
Interrupting her, Kang-joo rested his chin on his hand and turned to look out the window.
Si-eun stared blankly at her older brother’s profile. The way he avoided facing her, the way he referred to their father as “the chairman,” keeping a formal distance—it was his way of firmly rejecting her.
But they were still family. She always felt hurt, unable to break through the solid walls he had built around himself. Of course, even expressing her disappointment felt selfish, so she kept it to herself.
Time stretched on, with Kang-joo gazing outside and Si-eun watching Kang-joo. Ten minutes later, he arrived.
“Dad, you’re late!”
“You’re here.”
Si-eun and Kang-joo both stood to greet the middle-aged man with neatly combed-back hair. It was Cha Byeongjun, the chairman of Seon-gang Group. With Si-eun clinging to his arm, Byeongjun patted Kang-joo on the shoulder.
“It’s been a while. It’s becoming harder for this father to see his own son’s face.”
“My apologies.”
“If you’re sorry, come by the main house more often.”
Kang-joo responded with a faint smile instead of words.
Once seated, the three family members began a lively conversation. At first, Kang-joo pretended to listen, nodding here and there. But as a few dishes were served and Cha Byeongjun and Si-eun’s warm exchange continued, he quietly turned his head back toward the window.
The world outside, celebrating Christmas, seemed filled with joy. Perhaps his family appeared the same—gathered together for a Christmas meal, laughing and chatting, a picture of the perfect royal family.
For a fleeting moment, a smirk tugged at Kang-joo’s lips. He turned back to the conversation, giving just enough replies to feign participation. All the while, he silently wished for this tiresome moment to end quickly.
However,
“So, Dad, when Mom comes back, we’re all going to Canada together, right? You’re really going, aren’t you?”
As Si-eun brought up the trip again, Kang-joo glanced at his wristwatch. Pretending to check the time casually, he suddenly interjected into the warm conversation.
“Chairman, something’s come up, and I need to leave early.”
“What? Oppa? What’s going on?”
Instead of providing a detailed explanation, Kang-joo gave Cha Byeongjun a polite smile.
“Well then, I’ll see you next time.”
The chairman didn’t press for specifics, nor did Kang-joo volunteer any. It seemed an unspoken understanding passed between them.
Without hesitation, Kang-joo left the room. Si-eun pouted, her disappointment evident.
“He’s running away again, Oppa.”
“When did your mom say she’s coming back?”
Ignoring her comment, Cha Byeongjun changed the subject.
“You didn’t talk to Mom? She said she’s arriving on the 30th flight.”
“Do you think Yu Gwanjang has time to tell me anything? She’s busier than I am.”
Just as Kang-joo distanced himself by referring to his father as “Chairman,” the chairman distanced himself by referring to his wife as “Yu Gwanjang.”
Cha Byeongjun’s wife, and Kang-joo’s mother, Yu Young-hYoon, was the director of an art museum. Born as the daughter of Seon-gang Group’s late chairman, she had lived an elegant life, raised in privilege and sophistication.
She had spent more time abroad than at home, often under the pretense of collecting art, and her return this time marked the end of a three-month absence.
“Oppa’s probably not going, Dad.”
“Kang-joo’s not going where?”
“Where else? The trip we’re planning to take.”
“Si-eun, I told you it’s a family trip.”
“What?”
Cha Byeongjun raised his eyes to look at his daughter. His face was unnervingly cold, devoid of warmth, as he mentioned his son.
“It’s a family trip.”
His voice was firm, drawing a line.
Hearing her father’s words, Si-eun fell silent. Deep down, she always felt a faint guilt and sense of debt toward Kang-joo. Seeing her father’s attitude toward him only intensified those feelings.
“But still, Mom’s coming home.”
“Your mother can’t handle it if she has to worry about that boy. For her sake, it’s better to leave things as they are.”
Cutting off Si-eun’s words decisively, Cha Byeongjun shook his head. In the family Cha Byeongjun envisioned, Kang-joo was always thoroughly excluded.
Si-eun sighed and turned to stare out the window. The sky was unusually overcast, as though it might rain at any moment.
“Oppa… will he be okay?”
She couldn’t help but worry because she knew how much Kang-joo hated rainy days. Especially at night. His aversion to rain and darkness likely stemmed from childhood trauma.
Because of that, she always felt like a sinner in front of her brother.
If indifference counts as a sin, then she was guilty of that, too.
Jae-hee swallowed down the unsophisticated thought running through her mind.
“Ridiculously expensive.”
Her reservation at the hotel restaurant was for 7 PM. Since she couldn’t meet Min-cheol and had no idea how to pass the time alone, she impulsively decided to head to the hotel early. She planned to sit in the café for a few hours.
Though the coffee and cake were pricey, the atmosphere was pleasant, and she enjoyed the lavish Christmas decorations.
“This kind of indulgence isn’t so bad.”
That was exactly what she thought—until she saw someone passing by in the hotel.
It was when she pushed aside her nearly finished plate of cake, waiting for 7 o’clock to arrive. In the distance, she saw Min-cheol. Standing alone in the lobby, he was fiddling with a Christmas tree ornament.
Jae-hee squinted, trying to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. But it was definitely him. Min-cheol, who’d claimed he had work, was here. What kind of “work” had brought him here? Leaving her half-finished coffee behind, she gathered her things and stood up.
“Min-cheol-ah.”
She approached and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Min-cheol, startled by the touch, turned around. When he saw her, a silent scream seemed to escape him.
“What are you doing?”
Jae-hee asked innocently.
Had he come after finishing work to grab dinner? He could have at least let her know.
“Jae-hee, why are you… here?”
“Me? It’s Christmas, so I wanted to treat myself to an expensive meal.”
She didn’t have the heart to mention that the reservation was initially for them and that she’d come alone because he’d said he wasn’t free. She didn’t want to burden him.
“Did you come after work? Or is there a meeting here?”
“It’s over. The meeting’s over. Jae-hee, let’s head outside first, okay? Let’s go out. It looks like it might snow. The lights outside are beautiful too. If it snows, it’ll be a white Christmas, don’t you think?”
His face was tense, and his voice, uncharacteristically high-pitched, tumbled over itself. Holding her wrist tightly, he began pulling her along. Stunned, Jae-hee allowed herself to be dragged along, though she hadn’t even put on her coat yet. It wasn’t yet time for her restaurant reservation, so she didn’t mind leaving, but it was the middle of winter outside.
“Wait, let me grab my coat.”
“It’s not that cold outside. You can put it on later, once we’re out, okay?”
His frantic movements suggested urgency. Min-cheol’s escape seemed to be proceeding smoothly—until a voice called out behind them.
“Sunbae! Where are you going?”
The arm gripping Jae-hee’s wrist was now held back by someone else.
It was Jae-hee who turned around, not Min-cheol, whose shoulders shrank visibly. Jae-hee’s gaze landed on the person who had stopped them. And in that instant, something instinctive told her the truth. Her expression hardened, mirroring the stiffness in Min-cheol’s posture.
This was all too obvious.
“Min-cheol-ah, is she someone you know?”
Jae-hee asked, though she already knew.
A bitter laugh slipped out. He’d lied about having work, only to meet another woman here. At a hotel. On Christmas.
Her lips trembled, and a wave of heat rose to her neck. It wasn’t anger—it was betrayal. Or perhaps, more accurately, it was the crumbling of trust.
He had told her to trust him. That he’d be her strength. That everything would be okay.
She had understood his insensitive remarks and even his humiliating pity. He had once dismissed Hyo-jeong as a burden, treating her as an object of scorn. Yet, despite it all, Jae-hee couldn’t bring herself to leave him.
“I’ll always be by your side and give you strength.”
That was what he’d whispered to her.
Those words, spoken so tenderly, had carried her this far. But now, what kind of strength was this? How could this possibly help? How could…
Her eyes burned with helplessness and disappointment. She pried Min-cheol’s hand off her wrist.
“I’m leaving.”
This moment was nothing but a waste of time. What good would listening to his excuses do? The truth was already plain to see, and there was no need to dig deeper and wound herself further.
Panicked, Min-cheol grabbed her hand again as she tried to walk away.
“Jae-hee! I didn’t do anything! I wasn’t planning to! It’s the truth!”
“Min-cheol-ah, let go.”
“She’s just a junior. Really, there’s nothing between us. Don’t misunderstand, Jae-hee. Please, just listen to me…”
Watching their exchange, the other woman’s face flushed with humiliation.
“Sunbae, is she your girlfriend?”
Both Jae-hee and Min-cheol turned their heads simultaneously. The woman folded her arms and continued.
“Hello, Jae-hee-ssi. You’re Yoon Jae-hee, right? I thought so. Sunbae talks about you all the time. So beautiful, but oh-so-poor. Arrogant despite having nothing. A stubborn wall of steel. That’s you, isn’t it?”
Min-cheol’s face turned deathly pale, while Jae-hee’s eyes widened in shock.
Was this how he had described her? Poor, clueless, and overconfident.
Was that what she had been to him all along?
Jae-hee squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before slowly lifting her eyelids. Her trembling gaze, which had seemed on the verge of tears, steadied once again.
“I don’t know who you are, but right now, I’m talking to my boyfriend.”
“Huh?”
“What I’m saying is, this isn’t the time for you to interrupt. We’ll settle our issue here and hand it over to you afterward, so you two can talk then.”
Jae-hee warned with a cold look in her eyes.
A vein popped on Hanna’s neck.
“What? You’re such a trashy—where do you get off…?”
Ignoring Hanna’s words, Min-cheol started yelling at Jae-hee.
“Jae-hee, what are you saying? Hand over who to whom? I’m not going anywhere, I’m not going anywhere!”
Jae-hee bit her lip hard. Her head was pounding. It was humiliating that she couldn’t deny being called trash, she was angry at Min-cheol for creating this mess, and she resented herself for having trusted him.
At that moment, into the suffocating, pitiful situation, a low and calm voice was thrown into the air.
“Jae-hee-ssi, I’ve been looking for you. I’ve been waiting.”
It was Cha Kang-joo.
Kang-joo strode forward and forcefully removed Min-cheol’s hand from Jae-hee’s wrist. As Min-cheol’s hand fell away, a red mark was left on Jae-hee’s wrist.
“Ah, ah! My hand…”
A groan escaped from Min-cheol’s mouth. The rough strength in Kang-joo’s grip was too much for him to handle. How could someone have such strong hands?
Kang-joo dropped Min-cheol’s hand as if tossing it aside and then lightly tapped the glass face of his wristwatch toward Jae-hee.
“Let’s go, Jae-hee-ssi. You’ll be late for your reservation.”
Jae-hee stared at Kang-joo with a puzzled expression. Where was he asking her to go? His words were thrown out so abruptly that it confused her. But soon, she realized—Ah, he’s trying to help me.
Wasn’t he the one who had noticed the tension between her and Manager Kim? He must have happened to see this situation and smartly figured it out. There was no way she could have missed such an observant move, and such a coincidental moment.
Thanks to that, the tears that had been about to spill disappeared. She didn’t know why he had suddenly extended a hand of rescue, but... since he had set the stage, she would have to dance on it. A dance to somewhat recover the pride that Min-cheol had mercilessly trampled on.
“Yes, Executive. Let’s go.”
Min-cheol sharply turned his head and glared at Kang-joo.
What? Executive? Did she just call him Executive? The same Executive she always talked about, the one she brought side dishes to on weekends? Could it really be? Is he that young?
Min-cheol clenched his teeth, scanning Kang-joo as if he wanted to tear him apart. The neat outfit, smooth skin, clean nails, and finely sculpted features—all of it made him uncomfortable. Was this guy really going after innocent Jae-hee now? Really?
Min-cheol’s voice, shaken by shock, echoed.
“Jae-hee, where are you going? You mean a meeting, right? A work meeting, right? That’s what this is, right?”
However, Jae-hee’s answer was ambiguous, contrary to Min-cheol’s hopes.
“Min-cheol, why would you have a meeting with an Executive on a holiday?”
This only made Min-cheol more frustrated. So what does that mean? If it’s not a meeting, then what is it?
Jae-hee pointed toward the elevator.
“Let’s go, Executive. I’ve finished my business.”
“Okay.”
Kang-joo casually agreed, matching her tone. As they walked away, Min-cheol’s voice, filled with rage, pierced the air.
“Where are you going? What are you planning to do?!”
Kang-joo turned his head slightly, not toward Min-cheol but toward Jae-hee, and casually asked.
“Is he your boyfriend, Jae-hee-ssi?”
“No, not anymore.”
At her response, Min-cheol shouted desperately.
“I’m Jae-hee’s boyfriend! What the hell are you planning to do with her?!”
Kang-joo merely turned his head and met Min-cheol’s wild, trembling gaze.
“Why would I need to tell you what we’re doing?”
“What?”
“Whether Jae-hee-ssi and I have a meal here or do something else, it’s none of your business now.”
Min-cheol’s face turned pale. With a faint smile left for Min-cheol and Hanna, Kang-joo walked away.
As soon as they entered the elevator, Jae-hee deeply bowed her waist to Kang-joo. Her heart was racing. The events from earlier, along with his final words, made her pulse quicken.
“To do something else. ‘What we’ are going to do.”
She knew it was a remark made to effectively get back at Min-cheol, but the implication was strange, and her heartbeat quickened with the awkwardness of it.
“I’m sorry, and thank you.”
“What are you sorry for, and what are you thanking me for?”
Kang-joo asked with a slight tilt in his voice. Jae-hee gently touched her red neck. Her back was still a little hunched.
“I’m sorry for involving you in this, Executive, and thank you for saving me from that situation.”
“Well, I don’t understand why you’re apologizing when I was the one who interfered.”
His indifferent reply made Jae-hee look up. Her back straightened slightly.
Kang-joo, who had been casually leaning against the wall of the elevator, was now looking at her. Perhaps feeling the awkwardness of the situation, he ran a white hand over the back of his neck, slightly tilting his elegant chin and allowing his delicate neck to flow into his ear.
“....”
He quickly turned his gaze away.
Ding. The heavy elevator doors opened. They had indeed arrived at the restaurant.
Jae-hee’s expression grew uncomfortable again. The reservation time hadn’t even reached 7 p.m. yet, and the fact that she had dragged him all the way here felt embarrassing.
She nervously fidgeted with her fingers in front of the elevator before impulsively blurting out the words that had been swirling in her mind.
“Um... since you came all the way here, would you like to have dinner with me? Just as a thank you.”
Of course, she regretted it the moment she said it. How could she suggest having dinner together, of all days, on Christmas? She felt utterly ridiculous.
Kang-joo’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised. He hadn’t expected her to make such a proposal. But just as quickly, his expression returned to its usual calmness.
“Sure, then. Let me treat you.”
“Yes... Huh?”
It was Jae-hee who was surprised. Her eyes widened in shock. His acceptance was something she hadn’t expected at all.
The light in the wine glass flickered. After awkwardly taking a sip, Jae-hee asked.
“I saw you in the hotel, so it seemed like you had an appointment. Am I wrong?”
“I had one, but not anymore.”
“Excuse me?”
Kang-joo thought of the two above them—Chairman Cha and Si-eun. If he hadn’t managed to slip away, he would likely be sitting like a puppet in front of Chairman Cha by now.
“Were you supposed to meet with your girlfriend?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Really? I’ve heard many people like you, Executive. It’s Christmas, why aren’t you meeting with anyone?”
Cha Kang-joo had always been this way. Even as a child, he was surrounded by girls with that indifferent expression. That probably hadn’t changed even now. Even someone like Jae-hee, who had long since given up on him, could still be captivated by him.
Though it was a personal question, Kang-joo answered easily.
“You shouldn’t meet anyone on a day like this. It makes them hope too much.”
Ah... Jae-hee put her glass down. So, he doesn’t meet anyone on days like this, to avoid giving them hope... then what about me? I must be excluded entirely.
While she stared at the flickering lamp, the next dish was served. Jae-hee froze for a moment and looked down at her plate. It was lobster. A lobster dish mixed with salmon roe.
When asked to choose between caviar mousseline and lobster, I clearly chose the caviar, so why? Why did it come out wrong?
Suddenly, that day came to mind. At the lakeside restaurant with Min-cheol, the menu had been wrong there too. What did Min-cheol say back then?
“You really seem to have bad luck. Or maybe it’s just bad karma?”
Life can be harsh, and he always said I had bad luck with the little things.
This isn’t really a big deal, though. The menu just changed. I could have easily told the restaurant staff, but the emotions swelling up inside me made me feel unsteady.
My heart was in turmoil. In fact, I had been trying to ignore these emotions, pretending not to care, just pushing them down. Who can stay composed after being betrayed by their boyfriend?
Even though my relationship with Min-cheol wasn’t based on love, we had been friends for three years before we became a couple. That three-year friendship had been betrayed by him.
And that day, the day Hyo-jeong got hurt, even the warm comfort I received was made meaningless.
For the first time in my life, I wanted to lean on someone. I wanted to trust again. I thought he’d be my true ally. Now, I felt like even my life might not be okay anymore.
“It’s okay, Jae-hee...”
Min-cheol, who had comforted me like that, had turned his back.
Maybe I am really an unlucky person. After all, how could he cheat on me on Christmas? And now the menu has changed. Even worse, to something I can’t eat. Even on a busy day, this wouldn’t easily happen at a hotel. Why does my life always turn out like this?
I even felt self-pity. I couldn’t stop my pathetic thoughts, sinking myself deeper.
“I really... must have bad luck.”
I mumbled to myself, bowing my head. The tears I had been holding back seemed ready to spill.
No, I can’t do this in front of the executive.
But even as I tried to hold it in, my eyes kept landing on the plate, soaked in water. How could something as trivial as a menu change make me feel this way?
I was silently biting my lips when a long, neat hand took my plate. I looked up in surprise and saw Kang-joo move the plate from in front of him to in front of me. The dark caviar was neatly placed on top.
“This worked out. I was regretting choosing the lobster, but now I’m glad.”
Kang-joo used his fork to pick up the lobster that had been mine, elegantly taking a bite. After swallowing, he calmly added:
“It’s delicious. I’m lucky because of you, Jae-hee.”
My eyes wavered. They almost welled up with tears.
“Why are you about to cry? Is my face that moving?”
He made the comment with a hint of humor, but his expression remained unchanged. Finally, a breath of a smile leaked from my lips.
He must already know. He must know about the betrayal and sorrow beginning to rise in me. So he’s offering his own form of comfort, pretending not to notice the tears pooling in my eyes.
Ironically, his comfort made the tears I had been holding back spill out. It wasn’t because I was sad. It wasn’t just because of Min-cheol’s betrayal. I didn’t even know why. It was just the act of changing the lobster plate.
Maybe he thinks I’m crying because of my breakup with my boyfriend. But really, I was crying because I found an odd comfort in him.
Just like how I felt my life wasn’t okay because of Min-cheol’s betrayal, it suddenly felt okay again because of his small act of kindness. A spark of life returned.
Does he know? That by simply helping me up when I fell, brushing off the dirt on my clothes, he made the tilted world right again?
My tightly pressed lips hurt. Beneath my lowered head, tears fell steadily. The drops, hanging precariously from my chin, landed on my skirt, leaving small wet spots. I didn’t want him to know how I felt, but my trembling shoulders were giving me away.
“Wait a minute.”
Kang-joo, who had been silently watching me, stood up. He made a call on his phone as he walked outside.
I was left alone. Once I came to my senses, I felt embarrassed and ashamed. I had just been comforted, and now I was crying like a fool. How could I act like this in front of someone I was grateful to?
“Let’s go.”
His low voice rang above me. It seemed like he had returned.
I slowly lifted my head. My tear-streaked face glistened under the lights. Kang-joo’s jaw tightened as he looked at my drenched face.
A firm hand reached out to me.
“Let’s go.”
“...Where?”
Before I even realized, I reached out and asked, my voice still trembling. He tightly grabbed my hand and answered.
“To a place where Jae-hee can cry as much as she wants.”
Meanwhile, in front of the hotel lobby.
Sharp words exchanged between Min-cheol and Hanna.
“What the hell are you doing!”
Unable to control his anger, veins stood out on Min-cheol’s neck.
He couldn’t believe it, couldn’t accept it. Jae-hee—Jae-hee had just abandoned him and gone upstairs with some man. The treasure he had waited for years to obtain, the beautiful trophy, Yoon Jae-hee.
They had even considered marriage, and now, to think their relationship had faltered because of some misunderstanding. He couldn’t believe it. It was all because of Park Hanna, that woman!
Hanna approached Min-cheol and whispered softly.
“At this point, just give up.”
“What? Give up?”
“This misunderstanding is the kind that’s really hard to clear up. Meeting another woman at a hotel on Christmas? Who would forgive that? That’s insane.”
Unable to refute her words, Min-cheol’s anger flared even more. He wanted to blame someone, shift the blame onto another, and erase his overwhelming emotions by attributing them to someone else, but the difficulty of doing so only fueled his rage.
“It’s all your fault! It’s because of you!”
“Why is it my fault? You’re the one who asked me to meet you first.”
“If you hadn’t been talking about playing hard to get or whatever, would I have met you? On a day like this? Do you think I would have left Jae-hee alone just to meet someone like you?”
Hanna’s expression stiffened as if wounded.
She clenched her fists, trembling, glaring at him. “Someone like you,” she thought. How could such an insulting thing be said? He had tried to seduce her just because he had money and was good-looking, and now he was treating her this way.
The two glared at each other, their eyes sharp with hostility. After staring at Min-cheol for a while, Hanna’s nose began to redden and tears gathered in her eyes. Only then did she speak in a venomous tone.
“Do you even know who that executive is?”
“How would I know? I just met him today.”
“Good thing you don’t know. Just give up. He’s not the one for you.”
Min-cheol’s face twisted with rage.
“What does that bastard have to do with anything! Who does he think he is, suddenly intervening? What does he know about Jae-hee! The one who’s known Jae-hee the longest, the one who can save her from her pitiful life—that person is me!”
Min-cheol stomped his foot and shouted, looking almost insane with fury. Hanna stepped back, wiping her tears. Min-cheol muttered, almost to himself.
“There’s no one for Jae-hee but me. I’m the only one she can lean on, the only one who knows her well, the only one who can save her from that poverty. It’s just me.”
Min-cheol started calling Jae-hee again. His trembling hands repeatedly pressed the numbers for “beautiful Jae-hee.”
It’s okay. Even if she’s momentarily charmed by that executive or whatever, it’s fine. In the end, Jae-hee will come back to me. The meeting today wasn’t a big deal. She’s probably upset because I didn’t meet her. She must just want to have a meal with him.
He began dialing Jae-hee’s number frantically again. Of course, Jae-hee had turned off her phone a while ago.
Kang-joo’s coat lightly brushed against the sofa.
Sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, Kang-joo quietly looked up at Jae-hee. Resting his chin on his hand, he observed her. Jae-hee was standing awkwardly in front of the sofa.
“Let’s start.”
“Excuse me?”
“Try crying.”
Kang-joo set the stage for her.
“…….”
Jae-hee only rubbed her eyes under her hot tears. She wondered what was going on. She had been crying ugly tears in the hotel restaurant, and now, when she came to her senses, she was standing in a suite.
Jae-hee awkwardly met Kang-joo’s gaze, who was watching her closely. Who does something like this? Waiting for someone to cry with their chin resting on their hand? But this, too, must be his unique way of offering comfort. Thinking this, a silly laugh escaped her.
“Are you not sad anymore? You were crying so well earlier, what’s going on?”
Jae-hee bit her lip and tried to suppress her laughter. Instead of shedding more tears, she sat down squarely on the sofa, which was at a right angle.
“My tears are all gone, thanks to you, Executive.”
Without saying a word, Kang-joo handed her a tissue.
Jae-hee pressed the tissue against her eyes, where her mascara had smudged, and laughed behind it. The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. The cost of the suite today was probably the most expensive tear fee in the world.
“It seems like you really liked your boyfriend.”
He asked lightly, as if inquiring about a hobby. Jae-hee, lost in thought, stared at her hands resting neatly on her lap.
Did she like him? Had she liked him?
She was sure she had tried to like him. She had tried to repay his sincerity, the years he had spent chasing after her, his support, and his belief in her. But in the end, that didn’t turn into a romantic love, and they couldn’t even align their feelings.
What could she do? Can the heart just move because it wants to?
After thinking for a long time, Jae-hee whispered softly, almost as if confessing.
“I liked him... I liked him a lot...”
Of course, as a friend. But there was no need to explain it like that. Kang-joo’s expression grew cold. Jae-hee, as if seeking redemption, mumbled quietly.
“He was someone I was really grateful for. In a way, he was like a benefactor.”
“......”
“He was the one who stayed by my side when things were tough. I think I wanted to lean on him, that’s why the betrayal hurt so much more.”
She had wanted to lean on him, but she couldn’t. All she received from him were wounds, and yet, she had clung to pointless hopes, keeping him by her side.
Her head naturally drooped again. Her vision started to blur. The person who had set the stage for her to cry earlier was now silently listening to her inner thoughts, and as she began to speak her heart, the tears started flowing again.
It wasn’t that she was sad. The resentment toward Min-cheol had now faded. It was just that she felt no one in the world understood her loneliness and struggles, and she felt like she was left all alone. Even though Min-cheol had never understood her feelings to begin with.
So now, her tears were nothing but ugly self-pity. The deep sense of betrayal was pain she had brought upon herself.
A tear that had clung to her eyelashes dropped with a soft splash. She felt someone’s presence. As she wiped her cheek and looked up, Kang-joo was standing right in front of her. Kneeling on one knee, he quietly gazed at her crying.
His calm and still eyes felt as if they were tearing her apart.
Jae-hee called him carefully.
“…Executive?”
“Do you know?”
But instead, the question came back to her. Jae-hee shook her face, now softened by tears. A faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
“Attacking when the other is vulnerable... it’s really a low thing to do.”
His soft voice seeped into her ears. Kang-joo’s hand touched her cheek. His large, firm palm swept across her heated cheek and wiped away the wet tears.
A shiver ran down Jae-hee’s nape, and fine goosebumps rose. It wasn’t just because of discomfort. It wasn’t rejection either. He was merely wiping away her tears and comforting her, but the gentle touch sent a current of electricity through her body.
The suffocating tension and the tingling shiver, it felt like she had been thrown into a raw, exposed state. Her emotions, which she had hidden so carefully, felt completely laid bare in front of him.
He leaned in gently and kissed her tear-streaked eyes. His sweet voice poured into her ears.
“Trying to comfort someone who’s crying while hitting on them, that’s really a despicable thing.”
His deep voice seemed to melt her heart, as if it were some kind of magical spell. Jae-hee closed her eyes. She felt his tongue lick away the tear that had fallen. The sensation was chilling, and her shoulders instinctively hunched. His lips slowly trailed down her cheek with an unbelievably tender touch.
‘Ah...!’
Her body trembled with an unknown thrill. Jae-hee cautiously opened her eyes. She gazed at Kang-joo’s face, which blurred through her tears, and whispered as if confessing.
“I... I like despicable and vile things.”
The corners of his eyes curved into a faint smile.
‘I like cruel and shameless people, Jae-hee.’
Just like the gentle smile of the young boy who used to look at her.
Kang-joo lowered his face and gently kissed her.
Jae-hee tightly grasped his clothing. She couldn’t believe the warmth that touched her lips. Was she really kissing him? Kang-joo, that man... was it really happening?
Her lips froze in tension. Her body was growing hotter, but it was hard to tell whether the heat was coming from her own body or from Kang-joo’s warmth.
With her body filled with tension, she stumbled and grabbed onto Kang-joo’s clothes tightly. She felt like she needed something to hold onto, to lean on to survive, but she couldn’t embrace him. It was like touching an unattainable, coveted jewel that she couldn’t even dare to reach for.
Kang-joo rubbed his tongue over the gap in her tightly shut lips and took her hand in his. Then, as if soothing her, he guided her hand to wrap around the back of his neck.
Jae-hee’s trembling hands instinctively drew him closer. Their bodies entwined tightly, mirroring the seal of their lips touching for the first time.
Kang-joo placed one hand on her back and the other at the nape of her neck, his fingers gentle as if handling something fragile that could easily crumble away.
Goosebumps spread across Jae-hee’s forearms. As he slowly sucked on her lips, massaging them with soft pressure, she involuntarily curled her toes. Her body, once rigid like a wooden block, began to melt under his touch.
Kang-joo tilted her face upward, plunging his tongue deep into her mouth.
“Uhhn...” A barely audible moan escaped from between her lips.
Kang-joo’s tongue smoothly invaded her mouth. The hot mass of flesh explored inside her, stirring sensually as it moved. Slowly, Jae-hee’s body began to tilt backward. The weight of his large frame felt strangely comforting against her.
Their kiss had started tenderly, like gentle coaxing, but gradually intensified over time. He thrust his entire tongue into her mouth, plundering hungrily until she could barely catch her breath. As he laid her back on the sofa, Kang-joo untied his tie and tossed it aside.
Mounting Jae-hee, he lifted her skirt up high enough to wedge one knee between her legs. With each forceful suck on her lips—his tongue swirling around hers—a wet sound echoed audibly in the room. Their ragged breathing intertwined rapidly.
“Mmm... mmn...” He swallowed every moan she let out as he hastily unbuttoned his shirt. Whenever their lips parted slightly, he would grab her face again, plunging his tongue deep into her mouth with desperation. His tongue entwined wildly around hers while his teeth bit down gently on her lips, sucking and licking until it bordered on pain—as if her mouth were his lifeline in this moment of need.
Jae-hee was utterly lost in the experience. The intense, almost violent kisses felt both unfamiliar and electrifying. It was like being tossed between raging flames—both terrifying and exhilarating.
As Kang-joo pressed his lower body against hers, his growing arousal painfully rubbed against her through their clothes. Despite having no prior intimate encounters with men—not even a kiss—she understood all too well what was happening beneath those fabric layers. This knowledge only intensified her desire further.
It was as if she were facing him for the first time. The usually composed and tranquil man had suddenly become intense, pushing her boundaries in ways no one could have predicted. Who would have thought such passion simmered beneath his surface?
Despite it being just a kiss, her body buckled with dizziness, unsure how to react. As she raised her trembling hands, they brushed against the firm shoulders exposed by his half-unbuttoned shirt. His skin felt solid and scalding hot beneath her palms—the heat seemed to radiate through their contact.
Their clothes became entangled: Kang-joo’s shirt disheveled, Jae-hee’s skirt askew. He spread her legs apart, reaching under her skirt with eager hands. Beneath the fabric that had ridden up, her sheer stockings were fully revealed. With a forceful grip, he grabbed the elastic band at the waist of her stockings, ready to pull them down at any moment.
In an instant, both her stockings and underwear slid smoothly off together.
“Ugh...!”
Jae-hee hastily withdrew her hands from Kang-joo’s chest and clutched at his firm biceps with a restraining gesture. She couldn’t open her mouth to protest—the rough assault of his tongue inside her left her voiceless. It was less a sign of refusal than an instinctive reaction; she felt an overwhelming urge to flee this dizzying sensation that she had never experienced before.
As Jae-hee’s trembling fingers sought purchase on his wrist, Kang-joo stilled his movements as well. His probing tongue now gently caressed her inner walls, while both stockings and underwear hung precariously near her thighs.
“Mmmngh...”
A kiss followed, so intense it seemed like they might melt together. As if compensating for their earlier ferocity, he tenderly licked along the roof of her mouth, sucking softly on her tongue in a soothing motion. The hand between her legs also gradually retreated, its presence fading away.
Slowly, their lips parted. With a soft smacking sound, their entwined tongues untangled. Jae-hee opened her eyes gradually to meet those of the man now seated atop her.
Their gazes locked across his ragged breaths. His pitch-black pupils still held traces of the passion they’d shared moments ago—a heat that couldn’t be entirely extinguished. Unable to bear it any longer, Jae-hee closed her eyes once more. She simply couldn’t handle Kang-joo’s intense stare anymore.
Kang-joo gently kissed her eyelids. “Do you still think about him?”
His warm lips brushed against hers like delicate petals as he whispered softly along her cheekbone down to her jawline. “Your tears have stopped flowing.”
Jae-hee remained silent for a moment. By then, Kang-joo had already buried his face at the nape of her neck. His hand gripped her tender chin firmly; with a slight tilt upwards, he exposed the vulnerable area beneath her ear. Initially gentle kisses on her smooth skin quickly turned rougher, his suction growing stronger until...
“Ah...! Mmm.” Jae-hee’s senses tingled as she tilted her chin upward. Kang-joo was nipping at the back of her neck, his mouth moving hungrily against her skin. Even after leaving a visible mark from her moans, he lowered his face and gripped her waist firmly.
His strong grip lifted Jae-hee slightly off the ground. Without hesitation, Kang-joo pushed his face beneath her skirt. The stockings clinging to her thighs were already halfway torn by his forceful hands.
“Oh God, Executive Director...!”
There was no chance for Jae-hee to protest. Kang-joo bared her legs with one sweep, tearing away the stockings and underwear before pressing his lips to the inside of her thigh.
“Ahh...!” In desperation, Jae-hee tried to push him aside between her legs. But Kang-joo’s solid shoulders didn’t yield even under her frantic efforts.
His tongue gently licked her sensitive skin. Each time it glides over her inner’s thigh, Jae-hee’s leg trembled uncontrollably. She could feel his warm breath against her moist folds—so close she was sure he’d see everything if he just turned slightly.
Kang-joo’s tongue slowly traced down her thigh. It lapped at the accumulated wetness, drawing it out inch by inch. If he were to tilt his head even a fraction, he would catch sight of her flushed intimate area. The thought made Jae-hee feel so embarrassed that tears threatened to spill over. This was her first time spreading her legs for a man while lying naked before him—and revealing every detail of her aroused self to none other than Kang-joo himself.
His lips were perilously close to her pussy now. A mere twitch of his face and they’d be touching. Yet instead of turning towards her most intimate flesh, he continued tenderly licking along her inner thigh.
“Ah... Executive Director, wait—”
She tried to pull her thigh away, but his grip was like a vice—so tight she couldn’t even twitch despite straining against it. His moist tongue licked along the inner part of her leg.
“Ah!”
Every time that warm, smooth sensation glided over her skin, Jae-hee’s thigh trembled uncontrollably. When he drew back with a loud suck, she instinctively lifted her chin; when he bit down hard enough to leave marks, she involuntarily tensed her lower abdomen.
“It tickles... mmf... Yes.”
She could feel her intimate area growing increasingly damp. Even without direct contact from his lips, her pussy quivered restlessly, clenching spasmodically as if electrified by pleasure alone.
Jae-hee feared Kang-joo might turn and meet her lewd gaze head-on. Yet this fear was matched equally by her disappointment at not seeing him do so—a strange feeling, akin to an intense thirst she couldn’t quench.
“Ahh!” She let out a soft moan, caught between desire and apprehension.
A wave of painful pleasure coursed through her body. Kang-joo had sucked on Jae-hee’s tender skin long enough to leave a love bite before slowly releasing his hold and gently rubbing at the mark he’d made.
Jae-hee covered her face with both hands, unable to bear looking at him. Her limp body was completely exposed below as she panted heavily, each breath scattering across her palms like hot gusts of wind.
Kang-joo’s gaze fell upon Jae-hee’s disheveled appearance. He stared first at her flushed pussy, engorged from arousal, then shifted his focus to the back of her hand covering her face. Even her delicate fingers were tinged red by desire.
Suppressing the urge to lick between those slender digits, Kang-joo quietly addressed her:
“Jae-hee-ssi.”
“......”
“Don’t you want me to see you?” His voice cracked roughly at the end.
He forcefully pulled away Jae-hee’s hand from her face, revealing her unadorned visage completely. Her cheeks were flushed like ripe peaches—a mix of excitement, anxiety, bewilderment, and embarrassment all tangled together.
Kang-joo gazed down at her tear-filled eyes and whispered calmly:
“Don’t dwell on what happened before. From now on, neither sleeping with you nor going down on you will be options for that bastard.”
Google Sites
Report abuse