Chapter 04
What was that expression? Was he laughing at me?
Just as Sua frowned slightly—
“Ms. Sua? How far did I get?”
Gi-nam brushed a hand awkwardly through his hair while jingling the watch around his wrist, flashing a grin.
“I was talking about something very important. Ah, right. That’s what I was saying.”
His thick lips twitched.
“It feels a little awkward saying this myself, but when I’m in bed—”
“Didn’t you hear? I said he’s impotent.”
“Impot…”
Once again, the low voice cut him off.
Gi-nam, who had been about to boast about the virility of a man in his forties, flushed bright red.
Sua barely managed to hold back her laughter.
Gi-nam glared at the man beside them as though he were ready to throw a punch.
And what’s staring supposed to accomplish?
Ignoring him without a care, Taejo picked up the cigarette pack lying on the table.
He had only stopped by the hotel on business at his father’s request.
He’d barely had a moment to sit alone before an annoying fly had landed nearby, irritating him enough already. Then the conversation from the next table started polluting his ears, making him even more annoyed.
He started to pull out a cigarette before remembering he was trying to quit.
“…Damn it.”
Clicking his tongue, Taejo tossed the pack back onto the table.
At the same time, his eyes met those of the woman at the neighboring table again.
She looked like she was thoroughly amused that he’d interrupted, the corners of her lips curling upward.
Oh? Look at that.
The corner of Taejo’s jaw twitched.
She was sitting there listening to herself being humiliated, yet she acted like it was someone else’s problem—as though she were merely an observer.
His gaze swept over her.
Elegant clothes.
A strikingly beautiful face with an innocent charm.
Eyes far bolder than her appearance suggested.
Why does she look familiar…?
As he continued staring, dumbfounded, she finally pretended not to notice him, lowering the corners of her lips and turning away.
Interesting.
Let’s have a little more fun, then.
Chuckling to himself, Taejo kept his eyes on her as he spoke.
“You don’t even understand what the problem is, do you?”
“…”
Sua blinked twice.
He was looking directly at her.
“You’re completely transparent, you know? Thinking about how you’re going to seduce me and drag me upstairs. That kind of pathetic scheme.”
Did he hear our conversation?
Humiliation surged through her, and she bit down on her lip.
“Yeah, I get it. I know I look incredibly delicious.”
He smirked.
“But when someone tries that kind of cheap trick on me, it just pisses me off.”
“Are… are you talking to me?”
Her voice turned even sweeter as she asked.
“I’d rather smash my own head open than sleep with you.”
He paused deliberately.
“Got it?”
Even though he was clearly talking to the woman across from him, it somehow sounded as if he were asking Sua for agreement.
The man’s gaze lingered on her before shifting back to the woman opposite him.
“You don’t turn me on.”
His tone was firm.
“No reaction whatsoever.”
His long finger shamelessly pointed between his spread legs.
“It won’t stand. So give up.”
“What the hell…”
Gi-nam scoffed.
“This hotel’s gone downhill. It belongs to Taesan Group, doesn’t it? Don’t they care about their guests? Hey!”
He raised his voice.
At the sound, the man’s eyes turned toward him.
Pretending she hadn’t been watching, Sua quickly looked away.
“Did you rent out the whole place? Keep it down. Some of us are trying to have a conversation.”
Gi-nam snapped.
The other man tilted his head.
He slowly looked around the lounge before pointing at himself with a finger he’d just pulled from his pocket.
Me?
He even shrugged his shoulders as if asking exactly that.
“Yes, you. What’s there to brag about? Why are you shouting? We’re having an important conversation, and thanks to you, we can’t even continue!”
The man let out a quiet laugh and folded one long leg over the other.
“…An important conversation?”
Judging from his reaction, he’d heard every word.
As Sua trembled with inexplicable embarrassment, the man rose from his seat.
He only took a single step.
The next moment, he was already standing beside their table.
He was much bigger than she’d expected.
His broad frame blocked the bright lights overhead.
“Go on.”
Hands tucked into his pockets, he nudged Gi-nam’s sofa with the tip of his shoe.
“What were you saying about in bed?”
“W-What?”
“I thought you said it was an important conversation.”
His smile widened.
“It sounded interesting. Please, continue.”
“I…”
Gi-nam stammered helplessly.
The man’s attention shifted toward Sua.
“Your boyfriend?”
Tilting his head, he sneered.
“You don’t seem like someone with such cheap taste.”
Sua’s brow twitched.
“But…”
He suddenly leaned down.
His face stopped only inches from hers.
Sua instinctively leaned back, but there was barely a hand’s breadth between them.
A fresh, subtly sweet scent enveloped her.
His long fingers approached as though they were about to lift her chin, stopping just short.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
His finger traced the air, outlining her eyes, nose, and lips without touching them.
“This face… feels awfully familiar.”
“What the hell are you doing, you cocky little gigolo?”
Gi-nam’s voice rose.
He looked like a hyena stomping its feet while watching a lion steal away its prey.
This blind date is over.
Sua was certain of it.
Still, she didn’t want things escalating any further.
“We’ve never met before.”
She answered calmly.
“That’s strange.”
He frowned.
“My face isn’t exactly the kind people forget.”
The confidence in his tone made it obvious he knew how handsome he was.
“Got a pen?”
Still studying her as though appreciating a painting, he crooked a finger.
“No? Then do you have lipstick? Lend it to me for a second.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
As Sua hesitated at the unexpected request, Gi-nam finally found his voice.
“Shh.”
The man pressed a finger to his lips.
“I’m trying to flirt here.”
His grin widened.
“Don’t interrupt.”
“What?”
Their eyes met.
He winked at Sua.
“So?”
He smiled lazily.
“Should I just leave?”
The expression on his face seemed to say, I’ll help you, so just play along.
Without a word, Sua opened her tote bag, took out her lipstick, and handed it to him.
There was only one reason she complied.
The utterly panicked look on Gi-nam’s face was simply too satisfying.
Well… ending it like this isn’t bad.
She wouldn’t even have to dirty her own hands.
Of course, she’d probably get an earful—or worse—from her father later.
Removing the cap, the man spread out a paper napkin and quickly scribbled across it.
The pale pink lipstick left thick, smudged numbers behind.
“Call me.”
He folded the napkin into her hand.
“I’ll buy you a new lipstick.”
Then he gently closed her fingers around it.
“I guarantee you’ll have a lot more fun hanging out with me than with that guy.”
He patted the back of her hand twice before letting go.
“Even if…”
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
“I’m impotent.”
Laughing under his breath, he waved casually and walked away.
“Babe! Wait!”
The woman who had been with him hurried after him, not forgetting to glare at Sua before leaving.
“What… what the hell was that bastard?”
Gi-nam fumed as though he wanted to chase after him.
Yet he remained firmly planted in his seat, like his hips had been nailed down.
He looked like a frightened dog barking with its tail tucked between its legs.
“So… you’re not actually going to contact him, are you?”
As Sua carefully folded the napkin, Gi-nam stared at her with wide eyes.
He looked as though she’d just covered herself in filth.
“You said sexual compatibility was the most important thing in a marriage, didn’t you?”
Only after putting both the neatly folded napkin and the lipstick he’d left behind into her tote bag did she speak.
“I’m sorry.”
She rose from her seat.
“I don’t think this marriage is going to happen.”
“But… you said you were saving yourself until marriage!”
Gi-nam’s head followed her upward blankly as she stood.
Sua smiled faintly.
“That’s true.”
She bowed politely.
“But that’s not the only thing.”
Looking straight at him, she continued,
“I also believe in staying faithful after marriage.”
“I’m sorry.”
With another courteous bow, she turned and walked away.
Fortunately, Gi-nam seemed too stunned to think about following her.
Sua rode the elevator down and had just stepped outside the hotel’s main entrance when a sleek black sports car pulled up in front of her with a loud roar of its engine.
The driver, sitting in the open-top car despite the middle of winter, was the same man from earlier.
“I almost missed you.”
He grinned, revealing a small dimple beside the left corner of his mouth.
“Get in.”
“Why?”
“To pay you back.”
He smiled.
“For the lipstick.”
“It’s fine.”
She shook her head.
“I had fun. Let’s call it even.”
“You’d be better off getting in.”
His voice remained relaxed as he jerked his chin behind her.
Turning around, Sua spotted Gi-nam glaring at them from the hotel lobby.
He followed me again?
“Since I already stuck my nose into your business,” the man said lazily, “I might as well provide some after-sales service.”
“Can I ask you one thing?”
Sua replied calmly.
He shrugged for her to go ahead.
“Is this… your way of hitting on me?”
“You hope it is?”
“…No.”
“Then it’s not.”
A smile tugged at his lips.
“So get in.”
Sua glanced over her shoulder once more.
Byeon Gi-nam…
or the strange man.
There was only one answer.
“Then… I’ll accept your kindness.”
Walking around the hood of the sports car, she opened the passenger door.
The moment it shut behind her, the car roared to life and sped away.
