“Can’t you stay the night?”

At Se-hee’s single sentence, he felt his firm back tense. After a brief silence, Kang-joon, who had turned away, pulled Se-hee back into his embrace as she began to retreat.

“Do you know what kind of things I might do? Do you realize you just made a very dangerous statement?”

His low whisper and steady gaze made her heart pound. Se-hee swallowed hard, neither averting her gaze nor denying it, and Kang-joon narrowed his eyes.

“Or, does that mean you trust me that much?”

“You wouldn’t do anything I dislike, Mr. Kang-joon, would you? I’m not so foolish as to say that without some trust.”

“I don’t particularly welcome this kind of trust.”

Kang-joon muttered, then continued, his gaze fixed on Se-hee.

“You’re subtly warning me not to do anything foolish because you trust me, right? Isn’t that it?”

Answer me quickly. As Kang-joon pressed with his eyes, Se-hee calmly retorted.

“Trust is trust, but who said I told you not to do anything foolish?”

Kang-joon looked momentarily blank, as if caught off guard.

“Did you mean what you just said?”

His voice grew even lower and huskier, brimming with a dense sensuality. Se-hee could imagine what this man’s eyes must look like, given how his voice sounded. So much so that she couldn’t bring herself to look at his face.

“You said there were only seven months left, and to be honest about my feelings for you.”

“...”

“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m a woman who keeps her promises perfectly too.”

It was Se-hee’s honest sentiment. For seven months, while Freya, in her womb, shared everything with her. She just wanted to smile and be happy without any worries or concerns. And she wanted this man to be in every moment of that happiness.

“You little enchantress.”

At Kang-joon’s low murmur, Se-hee lifted her head.

“What’s an enchantress?”

“A vixen plus a witch.”

“...Surely not me? Why me?”

Kang-joon couldn’t tear his gaze away from Se-hee, who asked with an innocent expression despite her provocative words. He wondered if she truly didn’t realize it herself. When Kang-joon didn’t answer immediately, Se-hee, still in his arms, asked again.

“Are you staying the night tonight? Or are you leaving?”

After testing his patience to its limits, she spoke with an annoying primness. When she hid her true feelings, she hid them perfectly, but when she was honest, she was so honest it could make a person lose their mind. When she was cold, she was so chillingly aloof it pierced the heart, but when she was hot, she was hot enough to burn his heart black. How can I not be crazy about you? Such a thought even crossed his mind. Will there ever be a time, before I die, when I will refuse this woman’s request?

“If I go in there, I might do something improper. If that’s okay, then let me stay.”

“...”

“It means the wild, seductive tiger might be unleashed.”

So please, don’t let the wild, seductive tiger into your house. Don’t tempt me. But Se-hee, oblivious to Kang-joon’s internal torment, answered immediately without a moment’s hesitation.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of adjusting the level of ‘improper’ myself.”

Kang-joon sighed lightly as he followed Joo Se-hee, who turned around gracefully, into the house. Haa, Joo Se-hee. I’m not confident. *** In truth, Se-hee had wanted to eat the grapefruit sorbet she had at the hotel restaurant. But as if they had telepathy, Kang-joon really bought sorbet. She put the sorbet in the freezer to save it and started eating the mango shaved ice first.

“The mango shaved ice is good too.”

The sound of water from the living room bathroom stopped, and Se-hee, sitting on the sofa, looked towards the bathroom. The door opened, and light steam drifted out like mist as Kang-joon walked out. His hair was wet and looked darker, his exquisite face was damp, and his upper body was sculpted with impressive muscles. Even the towel precariously wrapped around his hips. Se-hee gazed at his sexy form, losing herself for a moment as if her sense of reality had vanished. Her heart pounded as if it had risen to the top of her head. It made her wonder if she had made a mistake by asking him to stay. Se-hee belatedly came to her senses and quickly averted her flushed face. Kang-joon chuckled as he slowly walked towards her.

“After seeing everything already, why are you suddenly shy?”

You’re the one who’s undressed, so why am I the one who’s embarrassed again? Wouldn’t it hurt you to pretend not to notice sometimes? Se-hee glared at the annoying Kang-joon and retorted sharply.

“Just because I’ve seen everything doesn’t mean I can’t be embarrassed, does it? How can you come out like that, half-naked?”

You don’t know because it’s your body. But I’m the one looking at you. How can I look at this body... with a clear head?

“Hmm, because I don’t have a change of clothes?”

Kang-joon, who had approached right in front of her, chuckled and answered slyly.

“That’s why I told you to wait until my change of clothes arrived before showering.”

“I can’t contaminate your space with a body that’s been outside for so long. Just bear with me for 10 minutes until my clothes arrive.”

Brushing his wet hair back with a languid hand, Kang-joon looked at the mango shaved ice.

“Is the mango shaved ice edible?”

“It’s not as good as the sorbet, but the shaved ice is delicious too. It’s cool and sweet.”

As Se-hee answered Kang-joon, she put another spoonful of mango shaved ice into her mouth.

“I’m curious about the taste too.”

“Then you should have a bite too, Mr. Kang-joon...!”

Se-hee’s eyes widened as she held out a spoonful of mango shaved ice. Kang-joon bent down and lifted Se-hee’s chin with his long fingertips.

________________________________________

It happened in an instant. Something soft and smooth entered her defenselessly parted mouth, swirled around, and then pulled out. In Se-hee’s frozen vision, Kang-joon slowly straightened up.

“I don’t like things that are too cold.”

Kang-joon, speaking with a hint of amusement in his eyes, was chewing on something in his mouth. She really didn’t want to think about it, but it was clearly the mango that had just been in her mouth.

“How can you eat something so dirty?”

“I don’t find it dirty at all.”

His black eyes, carrying a soft warmth, slowly scanned Se-hee from head to toe. Even Se-hee’s mind became racy at the man’s suggestive gaze, which was more provocative than his previous action. Se-hee quickly averted her gaze and muttered to herself. Are chaebols normally this shameless and unashamed? This time too, the embarrassment was entirely Se-hee’s. She hoped Freya wouldn’t take after him in this regard. She needed to care about what people thought to do well in society, after all.

“You’re not thinking that shaved ice is me and stabbing it, are you?”

At Kang-joon’s relaxed voice, Se-hee finally realized. She had been fiercely stabbing the shaved ice with her spoon. Kang-joon sat down naturally beside her and took the spoon from her hand.

“If you eat too much at once, you’ll catch a cold, so eat little by little.”

Kang-joon scooped about a third of the amount Se-hee had been eating with the spoon and brought it to her mouth. Se-hee reluctantly accepted it, her gaze constantly drifting downwards. She wondered if the towel, which didn’t have velcro, might come undone. Should she just check if it was properly secured so it wouldn’t slip? The moment her eyes meticulously traced the towel wrapped around his dizzying hips.

“Stop looking if you don’t want to see something more explicit.”

At Kang-joon’s voice, which slowly vibrated in her eardrums, Se-hee slowly lifted her gaze. She understood what Kang-joon had misunderstood and quickly replied.

“I wasn’t looking with bad intentions. I was checking if it was secured properly. It shouldn’t slip down, should it?”

“What if it slips down? I’m confident and proud.”

What on earth was he confident and proud about? So did that mean she wasn’t confident and proud? Se-hee glared at him in disbelief, and this time, Kang-joon laughed out loud. Se-hee, who had been staring blankly, not understanding the humor, eventually burst out laughing too. Only after seeing Se-hee’s smile did Kang-joon’s face lose its amusement as he asked.

“Now tell me, what made my Joo Se-hee uneasy?”

“You noticed that?”

“Let’s just say it’s the power of love.”

Se-hee pondered how to answer. Rather than feeling uneasy, she just wanted to be with Kang-joon today. When she was with Kang-joon, she didn’t have distracting thoughts. It was one of Kang-joon’s many charms. Making her focus only on him, without distraction.

“Is it perhaps because of tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting?”

“It would be a lie to say I’m not bothered, wouldn’t it?”

She had intentionally received a 5% share from Madam Jo. Nevertheless, Madam Jo’s stake as the largest shareholder was still overwhelmingly dominant.

“No shareholder would refuse a capable talent who even provides record-high special dividends. Especially the minor shareholders, they’ll welcome it even more. And Director Kang’s power on the board is overwhelming.”

Instead of vaguely saying it would be okay, Kang-joon meticulously explained the reasons. Perhaps this was why she had held onto Kang-joon today. Could it be that she needed someone to comfortably discuss common topics with? More precisely, someone with whom she could have a good conversation. Especially, Kang-joon’s words somehow felt more trustworthy and reassuring. Because Seo Kang-joon was always right.

“You never know. Aunt might have sweet-talked and persuaded quite a few minor shareholders.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

But Kang-joon chuckled. She looked at him, not understanding why he was laughing, and Kang-joon leisurely explained.

“I approached your aunt and reassured her so she couldn’t do that. She probably just found out today that I’m the major shareholder with 14%, so she’s probably fuming right about now. It’s a kind of smoke screen operation, you could say.”

Se-hee was astonished by Kang-joon’s foresight, which seemed to see into the future. She felt grateful enough to cry, and also sorry. She was already overwhelmed just thinking about herself. Why did he always remember her? It was a moment where she keenly felt the disparity in their love for each other.

“Mr. Kang-joon, when on earth did you plan all this?”

“It’s a secret.”

“...I’m curious.”

“Still no. If you knew, you’d probably call me a stalker with an intense obsession.”

“Such a wonderful and perfect stalker would be welcomed with open arms, wouldn’t they?”

As soon as her words ended, Kang-joon subtly leaned his upper body towards Se-hee.

“Then give me a warm welcome.”

Their gazes, deeply intertwined at breathing distance, were soft yet 뜨겁다 (hot/burning). Her heart ached as Kang-joon’s gaze penetrated it. The intense, almost burning sensation that was deeply conveyed, and this man’s earnest sincerity that surged like a tidal wave. Se-hee hesitated for a moment, then reached out and put her arms around Kang-joon’s neck. She hugged him tightly and whispered her true feelings.

“Thank you, Mr. Kang-joon.”

Thank you. In this moment, those were the words she wanted to say to Kang-joon more than “I love you.” Thank you for coming back to me, for still loving me, for being by my side now.

“Honestly, I was prepared to stay up all night tonight. But thanks to you, Mr. Kang-joon, I think I can sleep soundly.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Kang-joon looked at Se-hee, who seemed genuinely at peace, with gentle eyes. Joo Se-hee was following his predictions. Being honest about her feelings, letting him into her home. He had expected at least a month before she would allow him into the house. The start was good, but this was far from enough. Joo Se-hee needed to relax and become more defenseless. Only then could he burrow deeper into her softened heart. So deep that she wouldn’t be able to pull him out when she came to her senses. Until then, his true objective must not be discovered. The moment she realized, Joo Se-hee would try to escape again. How did he even find her and get here? Just then, the doorbell rang.

“That’s probably the person Manager Yoon sent.”

Kang-joon opened the front door, received the clothes and shopping bag, and then calmly sat back down on the sofa. Now, it was time to begin phase two. Project name: Operation Take Over Joo Se-hee’s Bed.

“Let’s go to bed early today for tomorrow.”

“Already?”

Se-hee looked at the time in surprise. It was only 9 PM, so it made sense.

“You sleep in the bedroom, Ms. Se-hee. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Don’t worry, I don’t need a pillow or blanket.”

He knew it was childish, but it was his own meticulously planned, last-minute strategy. Knowing Joo Se-hee would respond strongly if he pushed strongly, but would approach him if he gently retreated. If he asked her to sleep in the bed with him, she would clearly say no. Se-hee slowly blinked, looking hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but was struggling. Kang-joon, pretending not to notice Se-hee’s obvious internal conflict, casually bid her goodnight.

“Good night, Ms. Se-hee.”

If she lies in bed when she’s not sleepy, she’ll probably think about me in the living room. She’ll come looking for me again.

“...You too, Mr. Kang-joon.”

Seeing Se-hee’s obvious reluctance to get up, Kang-joon held back his laughter and desperately wished. Just as you invited me into this house first, I hope you invite me into your bed too.