LUST - 7

Her mind was a mess. It felt like she was standing in the middle of a raging storm.

She thought she had gotten into an approaching taxi, but when she came to her senses, she was in front of Cha Yeon-seok’s company. They had agreed to have dinner together, but she was a little late than expected. He had said he would be late today, so he must still be in the office. She didn’t know why she had come here when nothing in her head was organized.

Na-yeon hesitated for a long time, just staring at the speed dial, before finally pressing the number firmly.

“Ah, Director. It’s me, Na-yeon.”

She could faintly hear men’s voices from the other end of the line. Voices murmuring in the background like a faint undercurrent.

Was he in a meeting?

“I’m in front of the company...”

• Come up to the 16th floor.

Yes, she quietly replied and stared at the disconnected phone when a dark figure of a man walked towards her from the lobby. Only after looking at the black screen of her phone did she realize that this was the man Yeon-seok had sent for her.

She followed the man into the elevator. For some reason, the company felt intimidating. Marble walls, men in dark suits instantly recognizing outsiders and glancing at her. Fearing they might harm her, she stood close behind the man who was escorting her to the 16th floor.

Only after arriving in front of the 16th floor did Na-yeon release the tension that had been gripping her so tightly that she was sweating. It was because she had spotted a familiar face. Seong-shik was standing guard in front of the door.

She approached him and bowed politely, but unlike Seong-shik, he didn’t furrow his brow or curse at her. He seemed to wait for instructions for a moment before knocking and opening the door, then leading her inside the office. Na-yeon, who had been blankly watching him bow and leave the office, turned her head towards Yeon-seok, who was sitting in the main seat and looking at her.

Several buttons of his shirt, which he always kept fastened to the top, were undone. She quietly watched the tie hanging loosely from below his neck when he stubbed out the cigarette he had been smoking.

“You look out of breath.”

His voice was as low as the slowly spreading cigarette smoke. Come to think of it, even Seong-shik at the office entrance had a bad aura.

“...I just walked a bit fast. I’m sorry I’m late when you’re busy. I came too late.”

“What were you doing that made you late?”

“Ah... I was cleaning up at the pharmacy.”

Ha Tae-min’s crying voice echoed in her head. She fiddled with the wrist he had held.

“Are you bored?”

“Yes?”

“If you’re bored, shall I show you something interesting?”

As she tried to hide her slightly trembling hands, he tapped his knee. Was he telling her to come? With the sofa on both sides of him completely empty, he specifically instructed her to come onto his lap.

It wasn’t like this was going to be a one- or two-day thing anyway. Maybe it was because she had just met Tae-min, but she couldn’t easily bring herself to go to him.

What was this? Was she really wavering because of Ha Tae-min, or was it guilt? But were they in a relationship where she should feel guilty? They weren’t lovers, just... what were they? What was their relationship? Why did she feel guilty towards Yeon-seok? Why did it feel like they were lovers, and why did she feel self-loathing when she met his eyes?

He casually opened Na-yeon’s coat as if telling her to take it off.

“Come here after taking off your pants.”

His voice was lower than usual, and the back of her neck stiffened. His piercing gaze was sharp. It was a completely different tone from when he had told her to take off even her panties and lie down in the bathroom before. A frozen chill, similar to the day she had met him at the bar. From Seong-shik at the office entrance, she could feel a bad atmosphere all over her body. Had something happened?

Na-yeon took off her brown coat and neatly placed it on the sofa, then put her slacks on top of it. Cool air touched her bare legs.

“Come here after taking off your panties too.”

“My underwear... too?”

She had taken off her panties in front of him dozens of times, but since this was a different place, she hesitated to take off even her panties. However, she had no choice but to take them off at his urging, his gaze like a whip. When she was far away, his cigarette smell was strong, but up close, she could smell his cologne.

Na-yeon climbed onto his lap, her lower body completely bare. Naturally, she sat with her buttocks against his thighs and supported herself. Her legs spread embarrassingly wide, and at the same time, she felt her hole slightly open.

Two of his fingers, which had been just looking down at her, suddenly plunged deep inside without warning.

“Aahng!”

She grabbed his shoulders. Even while stirring inside her, his thumb rubbed her clit, skillfully making her release fluids. He pushed his entire knuckles inside and pumped, closely observing Na-yeon’s reaction. Due to the sudden insertion, her still-untouched vagina was overwhelmed by even his two fingers. He abruptly pulled his fingers out.

“Doesn’t seem like you’ve gotten a taste for another guy’s cock yet.”

Without the energy to hear what he was muttering, she leaned her face against Yeon-seok’s chest.

Only after he hugged Na-yeon’s hips, lifted her up, and positioned her as he wanted did he pick up the phone on his right. Judging by the fact that he was using an office phone, it seemed the person was inside the company.

“Bring him in.”

Who was he telling them to bring in? She pressed down on his arm, and her eyes met Yeon-seok’s. His cold eyes didn’t move. In an instant, her mouth felt parched.

Two men entered after opening the door. One seemed to be the person who had answered the phone, and the other, pushed in by the first, had his hands tied and his lower body completely naked.

Na-yeon frantically reached for something to cover herself, but Yeon-seok stopped her. The only place to hide was in his arms. Na-yeon hugged his chest tightly, trying to shield at least her front from the intruders’ view.

Yeon-seok lightly sucked the fluids from his fingers and then pulled Na-yeon’s buttocks closer to him.

“Ah, please make it so they can’t see my butt.”

“It’s okay. He’s going to die soon anyway.”

“Still, there are two of them...”

“Then shall we kill him too?”

He frowned as if seriously considering it, then flicked Na-yeon’s forehead, who looked like she was about to cry, saying it was a joke.

As he reached for the door, Seong-shik, who had been standing in front of it, approached and handed Yeon-seok his coat. Seong-shik had been watching too. Since when? She didn’t know. Na-yeon was dumbfounded. Yeon-seok used his coat to cover Na-yeon’s buttocks. Now, only Yeon-seok could see her exposed body.

Only then did Na-yeon detach her tightly pressed body from his.

“Take a good look. At him.”

Yeon-seok subtly turned his head towards the man he had gestured to.

A man stood there with torn lips and dark bruises, his eyelids swollen. He wasn’t bound, but his mouth couldn’t speak anymore, and his hands were already ruined and unusable. Marks like those from being tied with chains were vivid on the staggering man’s ankles.

“I preserved his appearance as much as possible to show you.”

“Yes?”

“Keep watching closely.”

At Yeon-seok’s signal, a large man standing next to the bruised man instantly pointed a gun at the man’s head.

Na-yeon was startled and grabbed Yeon-seok’s shoulder tightly. She had seen it in movies before. A gun with a silencer attached, making the barrel longer.

“Why, why!”

“A gun is a thank you. Do you know what that bastard has to say when a gun is pointed at him?”

The man, without changing his expression, tilted his head to the side and licked his red lips with his tongue.

“Thank you for killing me with a gun.”

“...Director, Yeon-seok-ssi.”

“I’m even specially not using a knife, just in case you get scared.”

Na-yeon quickly turned her head away. She hugged Yeon-seok’s shoulder and buried her face in his collarbone.

“Why, are you scared?”

“......”

“Don’t be like that, just watch. Seong-shik had a hard time keeping him alive and bringing him here.”

Na-yeon buried her face in his collarbone and just breathed roughly.

“Turns out he was a spy who sneaked in to steal some information, thinking this project was lucrative. Don’t look at him so pitifully. When he got caught, he killed one of my men and tried to run. He hit a kid with his car, and the kid’s face was unrecognizable. But if the end is a bullet, he should be grateful and lick my shoes. Don’t you think?”

Was that why he hadn’t come home all day without a word?

Na-yeon hugged his neck with all her might and turned her back as much as possible to the man with the gun pointed at him.

“Do you know why he’s dying?”

“......”

“Because he stabbed me in the back. He dared to play with me, Na-yeon-ah.”

Her heart pounded as if it would burst. Tears poured out for no reason. She was so scared that her whole body trembled, but ironically, this man was the only one she could rely on here.

“Look, quickly. I said look!”

With her eyes almost closed, she glanced at the man. His face wasn’t one that wanted to beg for his life, but it was full of fear. Even though his eyes were swollen shut with bruises, she could tell just by his expression.

She heard the heavy gunshot sound unique to a silenced gun. Several bullets were fired at the man’s head. It was ruthless. Even as her heart raced madly, his heartbeat didn’t change.

Na-yeon didn’t even properly see the man fall before burying her face in Yeon-seok’s collarbone again. No matter how many ugly things she had seen, this was the first time she had seen someone die right in front of her. She couldn’t stay sane any longer. Her mind became hazy. She was as limp and still as a sloth.

________________________________________

Na-yeon, who had been lying limply on the bed, woke up without even enjoying her Sunday nap. She remembered leaving the office almost being carried by him. She had kept her eyes closed as if dead until he laid her on the bed and went to shower. She felt him brush her and his hair back.

She thought of Yeon-seok’s retreating figure as he left early in the morning. Na-yeon, who hadn’t been able to sleep until dawn and had been counting stars, rubbed her eyes and sat up.

As always, she wasn’t wearing underwear when she slept. No, actually, after coming to this house, she had been self-conscious and had started wearing panties to sleep, even though it was her usual habit not to. But somehow he knew and had taken them off, telling her to be comfortable as usual.

Thanks to that, the only thing she was wearing was a soft nightgown she had had since her old house, and even that had ridden up, exposing her lower body. Na-yeon pulled down the nightgown and saw several bills placed on the console. An excessive amount of money was always on the console. Of course, the person who had put it there for her to use was Cha Yeon-seok.

Money was good to have, but she didn’t need an excessive amount. If she could just settle down at work and have a place to stay, that would be enough. Money wasn’t a necessary and sufficient condition.

Maybe it wasn’t this house she needed, but his side. Maybe she had chosen to stay by his side because she was lonely and wanted to erase the traces of her ex-boyfriend. What had she dared to do with that man whom no one could easily approach?

Should she have just rented a motel room or a studio apartment from the beginning and paid the monthly rent? It was a belated worry now.

Should she have ended things with Cha Yeon-seok after a few amusements? She had definitely enjoyed it too. She liked mixing her body with his, and she had taken off her clothes and spread her legs herself several times. It was also true that she had sought his help, craving the maddening thrill that moment gave her. But why these thoughts now?

He was a powerful figure in an organization that controlled South Korea. It wasn’t that she had overlooked who he was... Her head just ached. The bullet that had pierced the man’s head, the body that had slumped over. She couldn’t easily fall asleep, remembering yesterday’s events.

Na-yeon climbed back into bed and lay down. She fell into a sleepless sleep until Mina called.

“Oh, Na-yeon-ah! Here I am!”

It was her first time back at school in three weeks. Mina had called her, saying there was a graduation party at the pub in front of the school. She had slept like she was collapsed on the bed all morning and only went out in the afternoon.

Na-yeon’s classmates who had graduated this time were really letting loose, using the party as an excuse. Sang-yoon was there too. He wasn’t a graduate, but it seemed Sang-yoon had been called out like Na-yeon. She had often heard news about him from Mina. Sang-yoon’s contact had clearly decreased after she had rejected his confession. Na-yeon knew that he was being considerate because he knew she was uncomfortable around him.

“Oh, Na-yeon-ah.”

She approached Sang-yoon, who awkwardly waved his hand, and sat in the seat he offered. Sang-yoon probably knew that Tae-min had come to see her. After all, Sang-yoon was the one who had told Tae-min the pharmacy where she worked.

He probably clung to Sang-yoon, saying it was his last chance. Sang-yoon had watched Na-yeon struggling because she couldn’t forget him, so he probably couldn’t refuse. She roughly guessed that.

“Senior, it’s been a while.”

“Yeah. I heard you got a job at a pharmacy. Is it manageable?”

“I’m still in the learning phase. Well.”

Only superficial words that could be exchanged between seniors and juniors came and went. No one dared to bring up Tae-min first, but then Tae-min’s story was heard from the table right next to them.

“By the way, do you know that Senior Tae-min came back to Korea?”

She had forgotten that Ha Tae-min was a famous figure at school. The man, known as the face of the pharmacy department, was so popular that he received confessions several times a month.

“I heard he got into M Pharmaceuticals. I thought he would naturally become a professor since he’s from a professor’s family, but I didn’t know he would get a job at a big company.”

“I saw him at the assistant’s office a while ago too, and he was still handsome.”

“He broke up with Na-yeon, right?”

“When did they break up? I think he went to America after they broke up?”

“Hey, even if it’s like that between you guys, not in front of Na-yeon.”

At Mina’s cue, the others finally turned their gazes to Na-yeon’s table. Sang-yoon’s expression rapidly hardened.

“Ah, sorry.”

“...It’s okay. It’s all in the past anyway.”

Ha Tae-min had been a celebrity even when they were in school, so she had been the subject of gossip a lot back then anyway. This was nothing.

“Hey. Isn’t that... Senior Tae-min over there?”

At someone’s casual remark, the pub instantly became chaotic. Ha Tae-min walked in, waving his hand with a smiling face.

Na-yeon tried to ignore Tae-min, who was sitting far away, and just kept drinking her beer. She wasn’t planning on staying long anyway. She would just finish this and leave. She thought that as she looked at her almost empty beer glass in the cheerful atmosphere.

She could feel Tae-min’s subtle gaze glancing at her. The more she felt it, the faster she emptied her glass.

Sang-yoon asked from beside her if she was okay, and she nodded with a slightly hazy mind.

“I’ll take you home. Let’s go.”

“No, Senior. I’m fine. I’m not drunk.”

Sang-yoon, who just smiled without saying anything, had clearly noticed Tae-min’s gaze as well.

“Then I’ll go first. Please tell Mina I left ahead.”

Na-yeon smiled faintly, watching Mina, who was drinking and playing wildly. Maybe she was enjoying her last time hanging out with friends before entering society. Mina was busy continuously tilting her glass.

She nodded again to the question of whether she could really go alone and left the pub. A chilly breeze entered her nose, and only then did she feel a little more awake.

She was rummaging through her coat pockets and bag to see if she had forgotten anything when a white car stopped in front of her.

“Na-yeon-ah, get in.”

Tae-min smiled as if nothing had happened, got out of the driver’s seat, and opened the passenger door for her.

“Congratulations on getting the job at the pharmacy, even though it’s late. And congratulations on graduating.”

“Move. I want to go home.”

“Yeah. So get in. I’ll take you home.”

“There were a lot of drunk people inside. Take them home.”

She walked past him, looking towards the subway station. Her feet hurt because she had foolishly worn shoes she wasn’t used to. She wasn’t the type for shoes and had barely worn them a few times in her life. The shoes she had bought to feel like a working woman didn’t fit her feet after all.

Na-yeon stopped walking and looked down at the coat she was wearing. It was the first job gift Yeon-seok had bought for her, noticing she had bought shoes for the first time after entering society. He had ignored her protests, waving her off, and had thrown various clothes into the back seat as if tossing them.

“Song Na-yeon.”

Tae-min, who had approached unnoticed, grabbed her hand. It was a different touch from Cha Yeon-seok’s. She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip tightened.

“I know you won’t get over your anger all at once. I was prepared for this much.”

“I want to go home and rest. Please let go.”

“Yeah. Let’s go home. I’ll take you.”

“I can’t go home with you, oppa.” “...Na-yeon-ah.” “I live with someone. No matter what, how can I bring my ex-boyfriend to the house I share? Don’t you think?”

Was it the alcohol? A headache was coming, and drowsiness clouded her eyes. She shook off his hand and walked unsteadily towards the subway station, but Tae-min blocked her path with a frightening look.

“What are you doing?” “You couldn’t forget me until just a few months ago. When I called, you knew it was me but you still answered. We both knew what that meant, didn’t we? But in such a short time, your heart has changed? Is it because of that bastard?” “Mi-joo unnie’s words were helpful after all.” “What did you say?” “Let go of me.” “You, come with me.”

He grabbed her wrist roughly and dragged her to the car. Her heel scraped against the asphalt as if it would break. Resistance was futile. He held her resisting hand and pushed her into the passenger seat. The car passed by glittering signs and entered pitch-black darkness.

“Where are you going, anyway? Let me out.”

He made a call on his phone. “Yes, it’s a motel. I know a guest in room 103 there. Could you possibly connect me?”

Room 103 was Mi-joo unnie’s room.

“Oppa, what are you doing right now?” “Mi-joo-ssi, it’s me, Ha Tae-min. Is Na-yeon living there right now?”

• What gives you the right to call here, you shameless bastard? Na-yeon left with a drop-dead gorgeous man. Her life has blossomed. So don’t ever call again. Don’t look for our Na-yeon! You son of a bitch!

Mi-joo’s thunderous curses echoed even through the phone. After a barrage of insults, Mi-joo hung up.

“Stop the car. I said stop it, stop it, you bastard!”

Thump, thump, she hit his shoulder. The car was parked in a garage made of thick walls like a fortress. Instinctively, she knew where this was. This was his house. His luxurious house, incomparable to a motel.

Na-yeon glanced sideways at the firmly closed front door. His hand pouring coffee was trembling.

He brewed two fragrant cups of coffee, saying they should sober up first and then talk. She had been sober for a long time. He must not have drunk since he was driving.

Na-yeon reached for her coat, looking for her phone. The last time she had checked her phone and wallet was in her bag. She remembered leaving her bag in his car when she was almost dragged out. A sigh escaped her lips.

“Okay. I’ll be honest. It’s true that I had a hard time missing you while you were gone. Then I met that man, and I’m doing well now. Like a lie, the time I spend thinking about you has decreased, and I’m happy for the first time in a while. I’m happy.”

She had finally confessed and let it all out. If the words she had spoken until now were close to self-hypnosis, this time it was the truth.

“What kind of person is he?” “It’s none of your business.” “If he’s such a great guy that your life has blossomed, is he even the son of a conglomerate?” “Yes. He’s an amazing person. Someone you can’t even compare to. So please, let’s stop now.”

He ran a hand over his forehead. He fiddled with his lips, at a loss for what to do.

“Were you such a gold digger? Were you angry because I didn’t marry you? So, you caught a rich guy somehow. Good for you, Song Na-yeon. Did you use your body? Is he crazy about your body? Does he like your killer big breasts? Does he say your waist movements are extraordinary?” “...Shut up.” “Why? Since you caught a rich guy, you must have been shaking it day and night. Isn’t that why you caught that rich guy?”

Just a few days ago, she had wavered at the sight of her first love, who had appeared without warning. The thought of trying to get back together with him wasn’t entirely absent, to be honest. Even though she had mixed her body with Cha Yeon-seok day and night, the thought of wavering for the returned Ha Tae-min and going back hadn’t been something she had never considered.

It was a ridiculous thought, and she quickly came to her senses, but she felt self-loathing just for having wavered for a moment. But now, even that tiny bit of lingering feeling had been completely cleared up.

“Who made me like this? I’m leaving. Don’t look for me anymore. I’ll consider my bag lost. You don’t have to return it.”

She left the untouched coffee and quickly walked towards the front door. The moment she grabbed the doorknob, her waist was pulled back. In an instant, her body fell onto the living room floor. As the rug on the floor touched her back, her knit dress rode up.

His hand frantically tore her stockings. Riiip, the sound of the stockings tearing echoed. Her head hit the living room floor as she fell, and she felt dizzy. The sweet sex she had had with him in the past felt like a lie, and she couldn’t remember any of it. Only the present him, roughly touching her body and taking off her clothes, existed.

“No. Let go!” “Even if I die, I can’t give you to that man. Do you understand? Whether he’s a tycoon or a director, I can’t let you go.”

Na-yeon, her panties also taken off, was shoved into a corner. She kicked him as he thrust his head into her dress. Then his damp breath stuck to her cheek from below.

She turned her head several times, avoiding his attempted kiss. It was a familiar yet strange breath. It was unfamiliar. This hand touching her body, the man’s breath, everything felt unfamiliar. It was a touch she had waited for so long, yet it felt so strangely unfamiliar that it brought tears to her eyes.

She hated the smell of someone else, not Cha Yeon-seok’s scent. In her blurry vision, she saw her coat lying sprawled out. It was the coat Yeon-seok had insisted on buying her for her first day of work so she wouldn’t feel inferior to the other pharmacists. She didn’t want to do anything anymore without him, neither kiss nor sex. It was a realization that came far too late.

“...Director... Director-nim.”

Tears flowed. She covered her tear-streaked eyes with both hands. He, who had been just breathing roughly, raised his head.

“Don’t say that name. Don’t.”

Tae-min sobbed, his voice sounding hurt.

“We loved each other. It’s a lie. You still only have me, right? Right, Na-yeon-ah?”

What went wrong, and where? She felt pathetic at her own powerlessness, only able to helplessly shed tears. She wanted to disappear anywhere. Whether it was sinking into the ground or soaring into the sky, she wanted to close her eyes and vanish.

In her flickering vision, a strong flash suddenly blinded her. Her head throbbed on one side, probably from the impact of the fall earlier. She tried to open her eyes to regain her senses, but at that moment, with a thud, Tae-min collapsed onto her body. At the same time, Na-yeon, unable to overcome the dizziness, also fainted.