Chapter 8
A gentle breeze swept across the rooftop garden.
Seung-ah tucked back her fluttering brown hair. Tae-jun, watching her for a moment as if admiring her, suddenly asked:
“Are you acquainted with Louis Han?”
What kind of question was that…
She thought he would press her further about the branch manager’s sudden descent to the sales floor—like an ambush—but instead, he brought up something unexpected.
Tae-jun continued right away:
“It just seemed that way. In the lobby, he went straight to you and greeted you like he knew you.”
“Well, I was acting head on behalf of the department head.”
At the time, even Yu-jin didn’t know she was part of the management division. She had said it just to smooth things over.
“Even in the store, it felt like you two were close.”
“What exactly made you think that?”
She couldn’t imagine why he was suspicious. Everyone present had seen Yu-jin inspecting defective products like a machine—he hadn’t shown a hint of familiarity.
“I don’t know. I’m just sharp, that’s all. In the stockroom, I even saw him signaling to you with his eyes.”
Really? She hadn’t caught every one of Yu-jin’s expressions, so there was no way to know what Tae-jun had seen.
“Aren’t you reading too much into things? Stop being exhausting.”
Her firm words seemed to make him drop it.
“Fine then. Keep your lunch hour open.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why? Let’s eat together.”
Again, a why nearly shot up her throat. Why would she eat with him of all people?
Her expression must have been grim, because Tae-jun clicked his tongue.
“After all we’ve been through together, you can’t even share one meal with me?”
“How can you be so shameless? After what you did to me, you dare bring up having lunch?”
“Don’t be like that. We’ll be seeing each other at work anyway. Why make things awkward every time? Can’t you treat me like an old friend?”
It was absurd. How could he act so nonchalant?
“Why on earth would I be friends with a cheating bastard?”
Tae-jun rubbed his brow and sighed deeply, as though tired of dealing with a stubborn child.
“See, this is why you’re exhausting.”
“What?”
“You’re completely inflexible.”
Slap!
With a sharp sound, his head snapped to the side.
Shaking out her hand, Seung-ah turned on her heel. Tae-jun muttered bitterly:
“Your temper’s still the same.”
There was no reason to listen further. She headed for the rooftop door.
As she left, he called after her:
“That’s how men are. If a woman’s too devoted, staring only at him, it feels burdensome and he grows tired of her. Seung-ah, I’m telling you this for your sake. You’ve never been with anyone but me, right?”
Bang!
She shoved the door open to storm inside—only to freeze. Yu-jin was standing right there.
Seung-ah quickly sidestepped him and hurried away. She sensed him shifting, as if to turn toward her, but she left in haste.
By the time she was leaving work, a light rain was falling.
“Days like this call for pajeon and makgeolli. Seung-ah, you had a rough day—want a drink?”
“I’m tired. I’m just going straight home.”
At her refusal, Mi-yeon twitched her eyebrows mischievously.
“Right, because you’ve got eye-candy waiting for you at home.”
She still spoke highly of Yu-jin. And really—he was a man who lacked nothing: good looks, ability, everything.
Mi-yeon went off with the staff to Wang Toad Seafood Pancake, while Seung-ah headed home alone.
The damp rain clung to her shoes unpleasantly. Her body and mind sagged, worn out from having dealt with that trash on the rooftop.
After showering, she ran into Yu-jin.
Sitting on the sofa beneath soft music, he looked up at her calmly.
“On my first day here, I found Tae-jun’s wedding invitation in front of the door.”
“My friend must have dropped it.”
“I didn’t know you two had that kind of relationship. I only went up to the rooftop for some air.”
So he heard everything back then.
He’d been right at the door—it was only natural.
Yu-jin approached, offering her a glass of wine as though to comfort her.
The red wine’s aroma was tempting, but Seung-ah set the glass down untouched. If she started drinking in this mood, she wouldn’t be able to stop.
“He must have thought I was easy because I only ever looked at him.”
Her voice came out low.
“He was the same even while we were dating.”
Even when caught cheating, Tae-jun tried to wriggle out by acting like a teacher, claiming superiority. Shameless.
How pathetic, to think she’d fall for such tricks.
“The only thing Tae-jun said that I can’t refute is that I’ve never been with any man but him.”
Indeed, he’d been her one and only.
Back then, he’d said he liked that about her. Now, he said it bored him, using it as an excuse to lecture her—disgust welled up.
Yu-jin tilted his head, studying her face.
“You’re not crying.”
“Because I’m not that weak.”
“No—I mean, you’d probably look beautiful even if you did cry.”
She shot him a glare.
“Showing up in just a robe with a wine glass in hand—are you deliberately trying to seduce me?”
“I just want to make everything Tae-jun said meaningless. He claimed you’ve only ever been with him. What if you tried being with someone else?”
“You mean… you?”
Yu-jin smiled faintly.
“You can use my name. We’re at home.”
“Han Yu-jin, are you drunk?”
“Not at all.”
He set down his half-full glass. His pale, slender fingers brushed her cheek.
“I’m confident I can kiss better than Tae-jun.”
The boldness sounded so like him that her lips almost curved up on their own.
“Since when were we like this…? We barely know each other.”
“Which is what makes it thrilling.”
He lowered his head. The tip of his nose brushed her damp hair.
“But I’d like to know you better.”
Then he drew in a breath. She had used rosemary shampoo—perhaps just as she’d noticed his scent before, he too was aware of hers.
His large hand slid gently to the back of her neck, brushing her hair aside. In his dark pupils, she glimpsed hidden desire.
Afraid to meet his eyes, she closed hers.
Yu-jin’s lips pressed against hers, soft but insistent, nudging for her to open.
When she did, his tongue slipped inside instantly. Hers recoiled shyly.
He teased her palate lightly, coaxing a sound from her throat.
“Mmm…”
The delicate stimulation drew more. He angled deeper, leaving her no escape, entwining his tongue with practiced ease.
Heat pooled, their mingled saliva searing. Only after thoroughly tasting her did he finally retreat.
“Ah…”
A faintly regretful moan escaped.
Yu-jin kissed her again, firmly sealing her lips.
“How was that?”
Her face burned. She had never lived like this—kissing a man she’d known for only a few days.
Could she really use him to take revenge on Tae-jun like this?
Doubt flickered, but she didn’t want to stop.
“I don’t know yet… not really.”
“Not yet?”
His eyes narrowed playfully.
“Then we should keep going.”
He pulled her tightly into his arms, pressing their bodies together. She felt the solid outline between his legs.
Before she could react, his lips captured hers again, sucking her tongue as if parched.
The lewd sound of wet flesh rubbing echoed.
Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and he gave a pleased growl deep in his throat.
His brows furrowed, veins standing on his forehead, as if desire itself was tightening in him. He devoured her deeper still, refusing to let her retreat.
His hand swept down her spine—from nape, past back and waist, to just above her firm hips. The sharp surge of sensation made her thighs press together.
“Ha… hhh…”
When she finally managed a breath, she whispered faintly:
“Have you fallen for me?”
His cheeks, too, were flushed. With a dangerously alluring expression, he replied:
“There’s no rule saying it has to be someone you’re dating.”
Could something like this happen even without being lovers? It felt wrong—but perversely, that only heightened the thrill.
Softly, she asked:
“Are we doing this here?”
His eyes narrowed. Sliding an arm under her, he lifted her effortlessly and strode toward the bedroom.
Her bare legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.
He laid her gently on the sheets, then buried his face in her neck.
Grinding against her between her thighs, the heat in her belly threatened to burst.
Her thin shirt and dolphin shorts slipped off with no resistance.
Under the dim light, her full curves were revealed. Overwhelmed by his heated gaze, she turned her head. His scent rose from the sheets, fogging her mind.
“Don’t close your eyes.”
Undoing his belt, the robe fell from his shoulders at last.
The sight of his body was at once sinful and noble, stirring conflicting sensations.
Yu-jin guided her hand over him. His body was unlike hers, unlike the man she’d known before—hard, yet smooth as silk.
As if entranced, she caressed him. He brushed her cheek with a kiss.
His hand trailed down her thigh, tugging her knee outward.
“Even here… you’re beautiful.”
His dark gaze made her whole body flush. His fingers found her damp heat.
“Ah—hurry…”
Her desperate voice made him groan as though holding back.
“You need to be ready. You don’t like pain, do you?”
Gently, yet without hesitation, he entered.
