Chapter 3
Hold on tight, so it doesn’t slip.
Even as that uniquely resonant, low voice settled over the crown of her head, Junhee couldn’t free herself from the uninvited man’s embrace.
It wasn’t because of any private desire.
It was because, the moment she stepped out of his arms, she would be reduced to Eve in her most primal state.
The problem was the flimsy towel, far too inadequate to cover her slight frame.
“I desperately want to get out of your arms too. But that’s a bit… difficult right now.”
The hand that had been politely suspended in the air moved swiftly, like fingers dancing across piano keys.
At the unfamiliar touch seeping into her bare skin for the first time in her life, Junhee sprang away from his arms as if jolted.
“What are you doing!?”
“Didn’t you come into my arms because you wanted this?”
“Hey!”
“If not, then forget it.”
As Junhee flared up, he raised a hand as if to placate her, smiling faintly as though it were nothing.
That expression felt strangely out of place.
His behavior just moments ago had clearly been that of a sly wolf, yet somehow it felt like a warning.
As if telling her not to throw herself recklessly into a man’s arms.
“Chestnut, want a tip?”
The way he brushed off his own clothes—like someone with a cleanliness obsession, as if shaking off something that shouldn’t have touched him—seemed to prove it.
Wait… he’s not brushing off my traces, is he?
“Women who make the first move lose half their charm.”
“I didn’t make a move—I lunged at you! You came in without a sound, of course I thought you were a thief!”
“That lie is painfully clumsy.”
“Do you know what this is?”
Junhee waved a pink plastic dipper in front of his face as threateningly as she could.
“It’s what I was going to use to smash your head.”
“You were going to attack me with that?”
He twisted one corner of his lips upward, as if he found it utterly amusing.
“You should be grateful your head didn’t get smashed.”
“For that to reach my head, you’d need to grow quite a bit taller.”
Junhee’s pale face flushed red like a ripe apple.
Did he just… insult my height?
That was already her biggest complex!
Forgetting her precarious state for a moment, Junhee heatedly pointed at him.
“This is clearly trespassing! Barging into someone else’s house and then treating me like some kind of pervert—that’s incredibly rude!”
But his attitude as he listened was anything but proper.
Not only did his expression subtly sink, even his trademark faint smile vanished.
“I think you should stop moving.”
“I can move my own body however I want—what does it have to do with you…? That look… what is it?”
Lee Jun’s gaze dropped, fixed intently on something.
She hoped she was wrong, but strangely, the area just below her collarbone felt prickly.
“Don’t tell me you’re looking at—”
Before she could finish, his large hand pressed firmly against that spot.
“Ahh! Y-you pervert! Let go of—your hand right now…!”
“If I let go, you’ll be in serious trouble.”
With a dry voice devoid of amusement, he grabbed her flailing hand with his other hand.
Now even her hand?!
She struggled, trying to pull away, but it was useless.
He tightened his grip and guided her hand to where his had been.
“…?”
“Hold it tight. So it doesn’t slip.”
Her wide eyes trembled violently.
The knot of her towel had nearly come undone.
If not for his quick action, the towel would have already slipped to the floor…
Only then did she realize that the “improper” hand had actually been a proper one, and the embarrassment only deepened.
Unable to do anything, her pale skin flushed entirely red, all she could manage was to fidget her toes.
As her body felt exposed, it was as if her mind had been stripped bare too—she couldn’t think of anything.
After staring at her for a moment, he suddenly took off his jacket.
“Put this on and run.”
With a soft smile curving his eyes, he added,
“Before I misunderstand again and do something.”
Junhee frowned slightly.
Again, that same contradiction. Acting suggestive with his words, yet his eyes not suggestive at all.
A man so puzzling she couldn’t tell which was his true self.
“…Thank you.”
And yet, foolishly, her heart trembled.
As the oversized jacket wrapped around her small body, giving her a sense of security, Junhee dashed to her room as if her feet had sprouted wings.
Finally properly dressed in her room, Junhee muttered softly,
“What’s real?”
Like a wolf, yet like a monk. Like a monk, yet like a wolf. Was this some kind of seduction tactic?
When it felt like he was pulling her in, he pushed her away. When it seemed like he was pushing her away, he tempted her again. A master of push and pull.
“No matter how I look at it, he’s a playboy.”
Then why did I…
“Why did my heart race!?”
Just as she grabbed at her hair in frustration again—
Knock, knock—
At the sudden sound, Junhee frowned. It had to be Kang Lee Jun.
“Why don’t you wait instead of being so annoy—… Uncle?”
Seokhun stood there, the same man who had been unreachable for an entire week, just like Geunseok.
“I dropped by after escorting your grandfather home. You left the house empty for days—he wouldn’t have had anything to eat.”
Over Seokhun’s shoulder, she could see Lee Jun casually chatting with Geunseok as if nothing had happened.
“Oh my, shrimp soy sauce and abalone again? I told you not to bother—and you even brought expensive wild ginseng?”
“Please don’t prepare anything yourself. Let the helper take care of it when they come.”
It didn’t look like the ease of someone who had only visited or spoken a couple of times.
“I’d like to talk with Junhee. May I come in for a moment?”
“Ah, yes!”
Seokhun sat in the desk chair, and Junhee quietly sat on the bed.
But unlike before, she couldn’t joke or act cute with him.
The moment 2 billion won became involved, he was no longer just Seokhun—he was the vice chairman of Haesung Group and her towering creditor.
“Junhee, I heard you’ve been waiting anxiously for your grandfather. Can you tell me why?”
She hesitated briefly, but the answer came easily.
“I wanted to persuade him to shut down Yedam.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t know he borrowed 2 billion won from you.”
“That’s not something you needed to know.”
“If he invested that much and it’s still running at a loss, then the company should be shut down. Who buys traditional crafts these days? It’s like pouring water into a bottomless pot. Carrying on the family business doesn’t put food on the table.”
“Didn’t you consider that he might be worried about the livelihoods of over fifty employees who are like family to him?”
“If he went into 2 billion won of debt for that, hasn’t he already done enough for them? If they criticize him for closing now, then they’re the selfish ones.”
Junhee felt it was deeply unfair.
She knew the company was struggling, which was why she covered her own tuition and never once asked for living expenses.
And yet he borrowed 2 billion won for the employees, pouring money into a losing situation.
For the first time, she even felt resentment toward her grandfather.
“The money from closing Yedam—please take it. And whatever remains…”
Every time she thought about the enormous amount, it felt like her heart would burst under the weight.
“If you just give me enough time, I’ll pay it back. I promise.”
“How much time do you need?”
“Thirty years… or forty?”
Her voice dwindled, her head lowering deeply—
“Junhee.”
With his gentle call, a warm hand rested over her tightly clenched fist.
“It seems Lee Jun frightened you quite a bit, didn’t he?”
When she carefully lifted her head, Seokhun was smiling kindly. For no reason, her eyes welled up.
“I invested that 2 billion because I liked Yedam. I never intended to get it back. Your grandfather did borrow some money from the bank without telling me, but I’ll take care of that too. So don’t worry.”
“He borrowed from the bank too?”
Isn’t that going too far?
As Junhee tried to rise in anger, Seokhun gently seated her again.
“There’s something else I need to tell you. Don’t be too shocked, alright?”
His smile faded as he spoke calmly.
“Your grandfather has dementia. It’s early-stage, so it’s not at a critical point yet.”
At those words, her mind turned completely blank, as if bleached white.
Geunseok had always been far healthier than his age, living such an active life.
She had noticed occasional forgetfulness, but had dismissed it as age.
“…Since when?”
“The diagnosis came a few months ago. I’m not sure when it started.”
“…Hic.”
The stubborn resolve she had been holding onto collapsed along with her tears.
“I’ve already looked into a reputable care facility. I’ll handle everything, so you just keep living as you have been—smiling and doing your best.”
Tears dripped onto the back of her hand.
But Seokhun’s firm grip only made them flow uncontrollably.
“Your grandfather mustn’t find out what you’re doing right now, either. Even a small shock could be dangerous.”
At that, her tears abruptly stopped.
“…You knew?”
Junhee liked alcohol.
She had started bartending after finding a high-paying part-time job by chance.
Making cocktails was fun, and it suited her, so she decided to pursue it as a career.
But she couldn’t tell Geunseok, who was rigid and old-fashioned.
“I’ve been looking after you in your grandfather’s place for over ten years.”
Junhee lowered her head.
She didn’t know what expression to wear, how to look at Seokhun, who had given her endless love without expecting anything in return.
Things far beyond what she could handle alone were pouring down on her like a sudden downpour.
The 2 billion debt. Her grandfather’s dementia. And the fear of being left alone in this world.
“I intend to continue caring for you like my own daughter.”
He crossed a boundary no one else ever had.
“What should I do for you?”
She wanted to help, even a little, however insignificant.
For all the care she had received without conditions.
“Will you marry Lee Jun?”
Her weakened heart pounded violently.
Marriage.
In the end, everything had come full circle.
10 p.m., a cool spring breeze drifted through the outdoor lounge bar “Time” at Baekje Hotel.
Jihyuk spotted Lee Jun entering and raised a hand.
“Kang Lee Jun!”
Fresh off a month-long business trip to China, he returned.
Though he should have been exhausted, Lee Jun sat elegantly on the sofa without a hint of disarray, drawing everyone’s attention.
“The contract for entering the Chinese shopping mall—did it go well?”
“Would I be here if it didn’t?”
“You actually secured that deal in this climate? You’re unbelievable.”
While Korean companies were being pushed out, Lee Jun had secured entry—Jihyuk looked at him like he was a monster.
“But hey, Kang Lee Jun. Are you getting married? The rumors are everywhere.”
Instead of answering, Lee Jun downed a glass of strong vodka in one smooth motion.
“What’s with that reaction? Are you really getting married? And you didn’t even give me a heads-up? Whose daughter is she? Come on, tell me.”
Jihyuk bombarded him with questions, looking hurt, but Lee Jun only smiled.
Marriage… Would he really get married this time?
At first, he had only planned to get the paperwork when he went to the blind date.
But after meeting Baek Junhee, he found the idea of marrying her not entirely bad.
For one simple reason.
“It’s not finalized yet.”
“She obviously likes you. So is it her family that’s against it?”
“The opposite.”
That bold little chestnut who rejected him with her whole body—she was still the same… a child.
Was it because neither of them saw the other romantically?
Yoon Eunseo didn’t come to mind.
“I haven’t gotten an answer from the woman I proposed to yet.”
The noisy surroundings fell silent in an instant.
‘Kang Lee Jun proposed?’
The women’s expressions darkened, while the men’s lit up with interest.
“Tonight’s sales are going to be insane. With Songhwa overseas, all the women who came thinking they had a chance are going to drink like crazy. So what kind of woman is she? Someone delicate and beautiful like your mother?”
Jihyuk’s teasing remark pulled a distant memory from Lee Jun.
His mother—beautiful, but painfully fragile.
—At least you, always be kind and gentle to women.
Her words had etched themselves deeply into his mind.
Because of her, he couldn’t be cruel to women.
He showed manners. He was considerate.
But before any real interest could even grow, it came back to him like a poisoned arrow.
Misunderstandings turned into stalking.
Unrequited love escalated into self-harm to win his affection.
And wounded pride twisted into baseless slander.
So he decided—if he was going to be criticized anyway, it was better to be openly criticized.
He dated cool, no-strings-attached women over and over.
But when his engagement to Yoon Eunseo was arranged, he stopped.
He didn’t want her, fragile like his mother, to wither away.
“Tonight’s on me.”
If there was one thing Kang Lee Jun never missed, it was having fun.
At his bold declaration, the atmosphere flared back to life, attention drifting away from him like dying embers.
Taking the chance, Jihyuk lowered his voice.
“Then what about Cha Songhwa? Are you finally ending things?”
“There’s nothing to end.”
“What? You two weren’t actually dating? Then what were you doing for six years?”
He had simply stayed silent because explaining rumors was a hassle.
And in that silence, Songhwa had become a shield, blocking other women.
That was all.
“Classmates. And sponsor. That’s it.”
“Wait. So you haven’t dated anyone for six years?”
“I’d need someone I actually want to date.”
Jihyuk stared at him in disbelief.
He thought Lee Jun ignored other women because of Songhwa—but that wasn’t even the case.
“You need to go see a doctor! How can a healthy young man go six years without women? That’s definitely a problem!”
Lee Jun brushed him off easily.
There was no problem.
He had simply lost interest.
Lost the nights of deep sleep.
Ever since Yoon Eunseo died.
From the moment they met until their engagement, she had never once faltered.
Always elegant. Noble. Composed.
But that day—when she lunged at him—she had been out of her mind.
—Then let’s just die together! Same day, same place, same time—our souls will be bound!
Coughing up blood, barely able to breathe—
—Even if it’s a lie, just tell me you love me once. Please… look only at me.
Her trembling hand left a bloodstain on his white shirt, as if marking him.
—I won’t give you up, even in death.
What remained in her dying eyes until the very end was a possessiveness bordering on madness.
After that, she came to him every night.
She made every woman’s gaze seem mad.
Every touch felt like a bloodstained brand.
It wasn’t that he hated women.
She had simply made every woman who approached him with desire look like her.
“I’ll set down your cocktails.”
A bright, carbonated voice snapped him back to reality.
“It’s a cocktail with beer—anyone here like beer?”
“This one has white wine—Moscato d’Asti. Who would like it?”
“Do you like vodka? Then try this—B-52, made in pousse-café style. It’s sweet, but very strong.”
She was an exceptionally good bartender.
She didn’t just serve drinks—she added lively, engaging explanations in a pleasant voice, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Wow, no wonder bartenders here are so expensive.”
Even Jihyuk seemed captivated.
“Can you recommend something that suits me?”
“Try Sex on the Beach.”
“Oh my—why?”
The woman’s voice carried anticipation.
“Because you have a beauty that draws the eye, just like its name.”
Cheers erupted at the bold explanation.
But then Jihyuk mischievously redirected the attention.
“Rachel, recommend something that suits this guy too.”
The sound of heels approached Lee Jun.
Click, click—
Slender, pale fingers set down a coffee-colored cocktail before him.
“Your cocktail is… this.”
A hushed wave of reactions burst out.
“Wow, that’s bold.”
“That’s insane.”
“She’s got guts.”
Even Lee Jun’s lowered gaze lifted at once.
The moment their eyes met, his eyelids twitched slightly.
“Didn’t catch that? Should I say it again?”
Her daring eyes met his without hesitation.
“O-r-g-a-s-m.”
The bold lips that enunciated each syllable like staccato—his fingertips remembered their touch.
“…You.”
