<Chapter 2>
If You Keep Holding Me Like This, It’ll Be Dangerous.
Marriage? Who, with whom?
Junhee questioned her own ears and asked again.
“Don’t tell me… was that just a proposal? I must have heard wrong, right?”
“I think you heard it correctly.”
Her bright, sparkling eyes locked onto Lee Joon’s face.
The Kang Lee Joon standing before her was a man full of contradictions—his face and aura completely at odds.
His appearance was flawless, so perfectly composed that not a single fault could be found.
And yet, there was something languid and seductive about him that drew women in.
It wasn’t something she could clearly define, but it kept pulling her gaze back to him.
“Are you insane?”
“Does proposing to you make me insane?”
“Don’t joke about something like that.”
“Do I look like I have enough time to joke about something like that?”
“Then what, did you fall for me at first sight? Or have you liked me for the past ten years—”
He cut her off sharply.
“Unfortunately, you’re not my type.”
The genuinely regretful look on his face was almost enough to stir maternal instincts.
“Well, that’s good. You’re not my type either, Mr. Kang Lee Joon. Since we’re not each other’s type, we don’t need to get married. That works, right?”
“We still need to get married.”
What is wrong with this man?
“I’m sorry, but I refuse. No matter the reason.”
Especially not someone like you.
“It was nice meeting you.”
Let’s never meet again.
Junhee bowed briefly and rushed toward the exit, only to come to an abrupt halt as if her heels had slammed on invisible brakes.
His tall frame suddenly blocked her path, accompanied by a deep, lingering scent.
“Are you not going to move?”
“I think we should finish our conversation.”
Though it was clearly a threat, his gentle tone sank smoothly into her ears.
“If you really have nothing to say…”
As Junhee stubbornly held her ground, he slowly leaned his upper body toward her.
“I can give you something to say.”
His voice, low and intimate as if tapping lightly against her skin, deepened along with the curve of his smiling eyes.
He hadn’t even touched her, yet her heart pounded so violently it felt like her breath was being squeezed out of her.
“Your grandfather pulled in over two billion won from Haesung into Yedam.”
“…!”
“Aren’t you curious about where that money came from?”
Before Junhee’s eyes, a single fragile sheet of paper fluttered weakly
A private lounge room tucked deep inside the restaurant.
Lee Joon pulled out a chair at the exact moment Junhee bent her knees to sit.
She accepted his gesture awkwardly.
“…Thank you.”
“Shall we start the real conversation now?”
Junhee looked at him with tense eyes. She suddenly understood why people cared about appearances during important negotiations—the man in front of her embodied it completely.
A perfectly tailored luxury suit that fit like a second skin, and smooth black hair gently brushing across his forehead.
His aristocratic features and elegant physique stood out all the more because of it.
Even before the conversation truly began, he was already overwhelming enough to persuade anyone.
Junhee steadied her breathing.
If I just keep my composure, I can get out of this situation first.
“Mr. Seokhun probably only asked you to meet me because of my grandfather. He didn’t have much choice.”
She hadn’t realized it when she was younger, but now she knew all too well.
Seokhun and Lee Joon—father and son—lived in a world far beyond her reach.
Haesung Group, which had rapidly risen into the ranks of major corporations, had firmly established its position in the country.
“So?”
Lee Joon raised an eyebrow, clearly amused to hear what she would say next.
“But you’re not the kind of person who’d get married just because your father told you to.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m quite filial—despite how I look.”
His shameless reply made irritation flare up, and Junhee blurted out without thinking:
“You can’t seriously be trying to marry someone ten years younger than you!”
And only after saying it did she realize—she’d just called herself a child.
Idiot, idiot, idiot!
As she silently berated herself, Lee Joon stared at her with narrowed eyes.
“Twenty-two is old enough, isn’t it? I don’t think you’re bad.”
He clearly said it casually, without much thought.
And yet, her face flushed anyway. She shrank back slightly, slipping into defensive mode.
“W-what do you mean I’m not bad!? I’m not interested, okay? Wake up!”
“…Heh.”
He finally let out a small laugh, his broad shoulders shaking slightly with amusement.
She regretted reacting—but it was too late.
“…Ugh.”
She’d been played by Kang Lee Joon again.
Even though she wasn’t that little kid from ten years ago anymore.
Her lower lip, bitten down in frustration, looked almost pitiful.
As a faint sting spread across it, a shadow fell over her.
“Stop biting it.”
The moment his fingers touched her lips, warmth spread instantly.
She couldn’t tell whether it was the heat from his touch or something rising from within.
But it was hot enough to dry even the moisture on her lips.
“What if you start bleeding?”
The scraped lip throbbed, her pulse spiking violently, and her steady breathing shattered in an instant.
Startled, Junhee slapped his hand away.
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
The lingering scent from his touch seemed to race through her veins straight to her heart.
“I can bite my own lips!”
Even her sharp retort trembled slightly.
My heart is racing. My throat is dry. Why is it so hot?
“I’m a bit weak when it comes to women.”
That’s the opposite. It’s not that you’re weak—you’re the one who makes women weak.
“Chestnut.”
“Don’t call me that—”
“Want me to tell you a way to pay off your debt and avoid the marriage?”
Her ears perked up instantly, the heat from earlier vanishing completely.
“The document your grandfather treasures so much—bring it to me.”
Her eyes widened.
That document had been in the family for generations, practically a treasured heirloom.
But it wasn’t worth two billion won.
“Then I’ll take care of everything.”
At that moment, a female staff member entered with a knock, placing fragrant tea on the table—her gaze fixed on Lee Joon.
At a single subtle glance from him, her face flushed bright red.
Whether the woman left or not, Junhee was already lost in her own thoughts.
Today must be confusing and overwhelming for her.
Lee Joon observed her leisurely.
At first glance, she seemed young—but looking closer, that wasn’t entirely true.
Her lowered eyes were long and delicate, as if painted with a brush.
And not just her eyes.
Her soft, light brown hair looked so smooth it made him want to reach out and touch it.
She’d be even prettier if she grew it longer.
The thought crossed his mind unconsciously, and his gaze deepened, becoming more intent.
Perhaps it was because she had studied traditional dance for so long.
Her posture, sitting upright with her back straight, was elegant, and her subtle, unconscious movements were feminine.
When she acted deliberately, she seemed boyish—but beneath that, she possessed an innate femininity.
Of course, she seemed completely unaware of it.
Baek Junhee was like a wildflower keeping to itself.
Something easily overlooked at first—but once noticed, impossible to ignore.
Who would be the lucky man to claim the beauty and fragrance of that wildflower?
Certainly not him.
Lee Joon slowly rose from his seat.
“I’m not expecting an answer right away, so take your time.”
As his long fingers adjusted his jacket, Junhee found herself staring at them, almost entranced.
Those are the hands that touched my lips…
“Think it over carefully.”
As his fingers brushed across the table, his breath brushed against her ear.
“Call me, kid.”
On the table where his fingers had passed, an elegant business card remained.
Only long after he had left did the anger rise fully to the top of her head.
“I’m never calling you, you jerk!”
No matter what, she would find a way out of this.
She wouldn’t just let herself be pushed around like this.
Junhee crumpled his business card and threw it straight into the trash.
The two elders visited the fortune-teller again.
This time, Geunseok came along, while Seokhun was the client.
It had already been four years since Lee Joon declared independence and began living at a hotel.
He had even stopped seeing his psychiatrist, claiming he was fine.
And he wasn’t the type to lie—even if a knife were at his throat.
But what Manager Park had reported a few days ago told a different story.
He was still suffering from insomnia and nightmares.
Seokhun had even tolerated his relationship with actress Cha Songhwa.
But it turned out to be nothing more than a purely business arrangement.
The son once known as a legendary playboy had turned into something like a monk—and even his once-stable life had begun to crumble.
Ever since Yoon Eunseo’s death.
Modern medicine couldn’t solve it, so Seokhun had no choice but to return here.
“A vengeful maiden spirit is attached to your son. And not just any spirit—a deeply resentful one. You probably know who she is better than I do.”
Seokhun’s face turned pale.
“I don’t care how much it costs—please do something!”
“Among spirits, a maiden ghost is the most dangerous. My charms and rituals won’t work.”
“Please!”
“She died young, leaving behind a man like him. Can you imagine the resentment she carries? He won’t be able to date anyone. Any woman he loves—or who loves him—will be driven to death.”
“He’s my only son!”
Seokhun threw himself to the ground, abandoning all dignity.
Geunseok, seeing him like this for the first time, could only watch with pity.
But suddenly, the shaman turned her attention—not to Seokhun, but to Geunseok.
“Tell me your granddaughter’s fortune again.”
“Why…?”
“Just do it!”
Reluctantly, Geunseok recited Junhee’s fortune.
After a moment, the shaman murmured:
“The man has the destiny of a king—too powerful for his own good. And the woman has a fatal charm stronger than Yang Guifei. Just marry them.”
“…What?”
“…What?”
“She’s too strong. She has the kind of fate that could drain a man dry.”
“Then why my son—”
Thwack.
The sound of her fan snapping shut cut him off.
“Are you not listening? Pair two strong fates together and let them deal with each other. They’ll either become sworn enemies or destined lovers. All or nothing.”
The two men still looked confused.
The shaman clicked her tongue.
“Even if they become enemies, neither of them loses anything. What’s there to hesitate about?”
“What do you mean?”
“She’ll drive away the spirit, so the man loses nothing. And she’ll finally meet a man strong enough to handle her energy, so she’ll live out her natural lifespan. Isn’t that enough?”
“How can my granddaughter drive away a spirit even your rituals can’t?”
“The living always overpower the dead—especially when her energy is stronger than the ghost’s.”
With that, the rustle of her hanbok signaled the end of the conversation
Junhee had declared she would never marry, even knowing it would disappoint her grandfather.
Geunseok had been trying to marry her off as soon as she graduated high school.
It wasn’t just because she was young.
She simply had no interest in marriage—and no confidence in it.
Marriage came with heavy responsibility and obligation.
And she herself was the result of a reckless marriage.
She was born without knowing who her father was, and her mother—faint in her distant childhood memories—hadn’t even recognized her, mumbling incoherently.
Without ever knowing what parental love felt like, she grew up hiding herself, trying not to become a burden to her elderly grandfather.
They say you have to receive love to understand it.
But someone who never even understood what parents were—someone who had never experienced the warmth of a real family—how could she possibly get married?
It was absurd.
“Marriage is absolutely out of the question.”
Especially if the man was Kang Lee Joon.
She recalled their short but intense encounter.
A man who had both wealth and power.
And that wasn’t all.
A face so striking it could make it hard to breathe—and an overwhelmingly seductive presence.
A man with nothing lacking proposing to her meant only one thing—
“He thinks I’m easy. That’s the only explanation.”
Women from good families would never tolerate someone like him.
But she had a two-billion-won debt—making her easy to control.
He probably wanted a quiet young wife he could dominate however he pleased.
And since she was someone his father approved of, it would be killing two birds with one stone.
Her fingers moved quickly as she searched on her phone.
“Just let there be one scandal…”
But no matter how much she searched, nothing.
<Executive Director of Haesung Korea>
Within three years, he had ranked third in the food service industry, with massive annual revenue and nothing but praise in every article.
He had been named the youngest business leader of the year for three consecutive years.
His aggressive business style had turned him into a living legend.
His record was so clean it was almost suspicious.
Just as she was about to give up, her eyes widened.
“…Marriage?”
A blog post from seven years ago.
“The wedding of the century representing corrupt ties between politics and business in Korea.”
But when she clicked it—it had been deleted.
No matter how much she searched afterward, it was as if everything had been wiped clean.
“Why am I going through all this? I should just ask him directly—ahh!”
As she stuffed her phone into her bag, a sudden splash of water poured over her head.
“Oh dear, Junhee! I didn’t see you there!”
The neighbor from upstairs looked down apologetically, holding a blue bucket.
Soaked like a drowned rat, Junhee went inside without even getting angry and headed straight for the bathroom.
Only after finishing her shower did she realize—
She hadn’t brought anything with her.
Wrapping herself in a towel, she cautiously stepped out—
—and froze.
There was movement outside the front door.
It wasn’t Geunseok.
And he wasn’t supposed to be home yet.
Then… a burglar?
Junhee stared at the door.
“If it opens, then it’s not a burglar, so—”
The moment the window behind the curtain slid open, she sprinted back toward the bathroom with all her strength.
But as she tried to lock the door, despair filled her face.
“Grandpa…”
The broken doorknob hadn’t been fixed.
She looked around frantically—her only “weapon” was a pink plastic basin.
Gripping it tightly, she held her breath.
The slow footsteps echoing across the wooden floor had never sounded so terrifying.
“Just try opening that door.”
At that moment, her eyes widened in shock.
The doorknob… was turning.
“Stay calm, Baek Junhee.”
Before you see me naked, I’ll smash your head first.
“I’ll attack first.”
She flung the door open and swung the basin wildly, launching herself forward like a bird.
“Hey, you th—”
…thief.
The moment she saw the man’s elegant figure tilt slightly to avoid her attack, she realized—
This was a mistake.
But it was already too late.
Instead of attacking, she ended up falling straight into his arms.
Deeply.
Far too deeply.
The attacker was Junhee.
The one attacked—was Lee Joon.
Yet the wildly pounding heart between their chests was hers.
Despite the overwhelming difference in their heights, her small body fit perfectly into his broad embrace.
As her nose brushed against his firm chest, his deep scent enveloped her, clouding her senses.
“If you keep holding me like this… it’ll be dangerous.”
