Chapter 1
How did it end up like this again?
Why on earth am I in Yun Tae-jun’s arms once more?
“Haa…”
The pleasure rising from the tips of my feet stirred my entire body, and before my eyes, the unfamiliar yet familiar stimulating sensation made everything flash white repeatedly.
Heat coursed up my spine as if I’d been set on fire, and ecstasy rose to the crown of my head.
I wasn’t in my right mind—it felt like if I stayed like this any longer, I’d lose all reason.
“Hng… Stop… haa…”
My voice, laced with searing heat, sounded lewd, as if it didn’t belong to me.
It felt like my body was about to break apart, like I couldn’t bear it any longer.
But then Tae-jun would dig deeper, awakening unfamiliar sensations, and I’d burn up all over again.
Because he knew all too well where Ji-an was most sensitive.
Ten years ago, I thought that day would be the last.
Yet tonight, we were already in the middle of our fifth time on this bed.
“Liar.”
“Hngh.”
Because of Tae-jun thrusting so fiercely, Ji-an had no choice but to tightly grip the innocent bedsheets.
“When you want it this badly…”
“…Please.”
“Was Seo Ji-an always this kind of lewd woman? Who made you like this?”
“Hnngh.”
The large hand wrapped around her waist held Ji-an in place, preventing her from escaping anywhere.
The increasingly intense act was clearly more than she could handle, yet she didn’t want to avoid it. She left everything to Tae-jun, and now she was in a state where she could do nothing at all.
As the shaking of her body quickened and reason fled, she felt Tae-jun only through instinct.
Just as she thought she wouldn’t mind dying, her entire body, which had felt like it was floating in the air, crashed down to the ground.
It was the climax.
Ji-an, who had nearly cried from the dizzying pleasure that had yet to subside, opened her tear-filled eyes and saw Tae-jun looking down at her.
His eyes, as he exhaled ragged breaths, were utterly cold.
“Seo Ji-an. So you really are the kind of woman who can spread her legs for any man, without any feelings involved?”
“Why do you keep saying things like that…”
“Even with this, you still pretend not to know.”
Tae-jun cut off Ji-an’s words and traced the long scar between her collarbone and the middle of her chest.
His jet-black pupils locked onto Ji-an, and as his thumb brushed up along the scar, Ji-an felt a dull heat rise in her lower abdomen once more.
It was mortifying, unbearable, to be reacting to Tae-jun as he looked down at her with contempt-filled eyes.
But again, there was nothing Ji-an could do.
“You promised you wouldn’t bring that story up again.”
“So you’re still not going to admit it?”
“I don’t know anything about it.”
“Ha, Seo Ji-an. You’re still as good at lying as ever.”
Ji-an’s insides burned as if set on fire.
The heat spreading through her whole body made her toes curl involuntarily.
“If we keep doing this, the day will come when you open your own mouth.”
Tae-jun thrust into Ji-an as if he wasn’t tired at all, just like the first time they had been together.
‘Your lips are so hot.’
An intensely vivid first experience.
The terrifyingly pouring rain, so loud that no matter how much she cried out, it couldn’t escape outside.
The memory of that day, which only grew clearer the more she tried to forget.
‘Tae-jun oppa. I feel weird.’
She had never wanted to create such a situation again.
But in the end, Ji-an was once again beneath Tae-jun.
No matter how much she struggled, there seemed to be no way to escape this man.
Dark storm clouds covered the once-clear sky.
The surroundings began to darken, and then thick raindrops started pouring down.
Shooooo.
The loud pounding on the windows made the heads of the employees in Seonwoo Group’s Overseas Sales Department turn toward the glass simultaneously.
“Oh my. Look at that rain. And it’s almost lunchtime.”
Tsk. Team leader Mi-jin clicked her tongue and opened the front of her cardigan.
She took off her silver-rimmed glasses, set them on her desk, and craned her neck.
“Seo Ji-an-ssi. Come here for a moment.”
She crooked her finger toward Ji-an.
It wasn’t a particularly pleasant gesture, but Ji-an decided not to read into it.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“Since it’s raining so hard, it’s best to eat lunch in the office.”
Mi-jin slipped the corporate card between her index and middle fingers and waved it in front of Ji-an.
She was telling her to go buy lunch.
Being treated like a personal assistant by Mi-jin didn’t sit well with Ji-an, but she kept her mouth shut and took the card.
As if they had been waiting, several team members added their orders.
“I’ll have the Italian BMT! On honey oat bread, with American cheese, and all the veggies except pickles. Sauces: sweet onion and sweet chili.”
“I want a hamburger. Ji-an-ssi, you know the burger place across from the sandwich shop? Get me my usual from there. Oh! And coffee—a hot latte from the cafe in the back alley.”
“Yes, I’ll be back.”
Ji-an grabbed an umbrella and left the office.
Clack, clack. The sound of her heels on the hallway floor sounded especially melancholy.
“Phew.”
Ji-an, who had been forcing a smile, finally let out a sigh only after standing in front of the elevator.
A few months ago, Ji-an had been promoted to Assistant Manager by special merit, not long after becoming a Section Chief thanks to her recognized work abilities.
Mi-jin had changed starting that day.
Before, the team had been known as a harmonious one, praised by upper management.
But suddenly, Mi-jin started dividing the team members, making everyone uncomfortable.
At first, it seemed like they had no choice but to follow Mi-jin, their team leader, but now it seemed like the other team members were even enjoying the situation.
“It’s not like they’re children who can’t tell right from wrong.”
They’re grown adults—what are they doing acting so childishly?
After muttering to herself, Ji-an turned her gaze to the sky, which was now pouring even harder than before.
Looking up at the sky, which looked like black paint had been spilled across it…
A terrible memory popped into her head.
‘Your lips are so hot.’
The memory of that day, which resurfaced like clockwork whenever it rained.
The feel of his body—solid as a rock, hot as a flame—as it pressed against her was still vivid.
So intense that she could still feel heat in those very places.
‘Why is this… again…’
She didn’t want to remember it, but it was firmly lodged in her mind, refusing to dissipate.
If it had ended there, she might have tried to package it as a good memory, but…
‘You’re disgusting.’
That one, far more distinct word made Ji-an shrink back.
Cursing the damned rain for dredging up the memory, Ji-an bit her lip.
Just then, the sound of heels approached from behind and stopped.
“Assistant Manager Seo. Let’s go together.”
“Why did you come out? I could have gone alone.”
It was Section Chief Kim Ju-hye.
Though they had started at different times, the two had been fairly close as fellow Section Chiefs.
But after Ji-an’s special promotion, Ju-hye, who should have been next in line for the Assistant Manager position, got passed over, and their relationship became awkward.
Or maybe it was just Ji-an’s imagination, because Ju-hye’s behavior hadn’t changed much from before.
She was the only team member not swayed by Team Leader Mi-jin’s words and still looked after Ji-an as before—so much so that it made Ji-an feel rather guilty.
“What’s with bossing you around to run lunch errands? And with such specific orders?”
Ju-hye shook her head, clicked her tongue, and continued.
“And with the rain coming down like that outside, how are you supposed to carry all that food by yourself?”
Ju-hye tsk-tsk-ed.
Grateful to Ju-hye for saying such things on her behalf, Ji-an gave an awkward smile.
“Thank you.”
Hearing that, Ju-hye waved both her hands frantically.
“I didn’t come along to hear that. But it seems like Team Leader really has it out for you, Assistant Manager Seo. The way she acts…”
Since Ju-hye was the only colleague she could talk to, the conversation flowed naturally.
The two shared one umbrella, braved the heavy rain together, bought the lunch orders, and returned to the company.
As soon as they reached the entrance, Ju-hye took the shopping bags from Ji-an’s hands.
When Ji-an’s eyes went wide as if to ask why, Ju-hye, her hands full, pointed with her chin toward Ji-an’s shoulder.
“Your shoulder is soaking wet. I’ll take the food to the break room, so go to the bathroom and wipe off the rainwater.”
“Oh my, you’re right.”
How wet could it be?
Thinking that, she turned her head and immediately saw her drenched shoulder.
“It’s a white shirt—what if your underwear shows? Better check now.”
Ji-an immediately agreed with Ju-hye.
“Then at least ride the elevator up with me.”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
The elevator soon reached the 11th floor, where their office was located.
Ju-hye headed to the break room with the purchased items, and Ji-an walked toward the restroom.
‘This is why I hate the rain.’
On days like this, as always, everything gets blamed on the rain.
And then I end up thinking again about the face of the man who made me this way.
The man who gave me a night I could never forget.
“Haa…”
A sigh escaped Ji-an’s lips on its own.
Deciding it would be better to go back to the office and focus on work to erase the distracting thoughts that kept surfacing, she quickened her pace.
“What? Why are your hands empty?”
But of all times, she ran into Team Leader Mi-jin right in front of the restroom door.
If she had walked at her normal speed, this wouldn’t have happened.
Ji-an regretted having hurried for no reason.
“My clothes got wet, so Ju-hye-ssi took the food. I’ll just wipe off the rainwater and be right there.”
As always, Ji-an answered politely, trying not to cause any problems.
“So that’s where she went—she followed Seo Ji-an-ssi. Ha, honestly. Ju-hye-ssi must have no pride. Still clinging to you.”
But Mi-jin didn’t even pretend to listen to Ji-an, just grumbled.
Then, as if displeased, she rolled her eyes and stared intently at something.
Ji-an brushed the back of her neck, where she felt that gaze, and raised her eyebrows.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
“Is that a hickey?”
“Excuse me? A hickey? Why would I have something like that?!”
Ji-an was startled and shot back.
But again, Mi-jin just said what she wanted to say.
“Don’t you have any shame, Ji-an-ssi? I mean, it’s your business, but you should cover those things up!”
“Excuse me?”
“I doubt you want to go around announcing to everyone that you slept with a man.”
“Team Leader. Don’t you think you’re going too far?”
When Ji-an’s voice grew louder in disbelief, Mi-jin shook her head.
“Things have been strange ever since your special promotion.”
“Why are you treating me like this?”
Ji-an thought she understood what Mi-jin was trying to say.
Suddenly, her pent-up hurt burst out.
She thought she had endured well so far, but now Mi-jin had clearly crossed the line.
She felt like she might burst into tears, but she absolutely didn’t want to show Mi-jin her tears, so she clenched her jaw and stood there.
Mi-jin, arms crossed, took a step closer to Ji-an and spoke.
“Since it’s just us, I’ll ask you straight.”
“….”
“Ji-an-ssi, you’re not doing anything improper, are you?”
