DRM 10

Episode 10

Han-gyeol was, surprisingly, bold by nature.

Once he decided he had to do something, he was the type to see it through no matter what, and when that happened, it was always straight ahead, no detours.

This boldness probably helped him greatly in film making as well.

Because it’s far more important than one might think for the person at the helm never to waver.

Well, anyway.

So why had he decided this now, of all times…?

“……”

Dasom looked at Han-gyeol with wavering eyes. He already seemed to have made up his mind: I must sleep with Chae Da-som.

His unwavering, straight gaze created an unexpected thrill and tension.

Unable to escape his stare, Dasom could only swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth.

“Why… Why are you suddenly saying this?”

“Why? You can say it, but I can’t?”

“But, Senior…”

She knew she had drunkenly babbled nonsense about him being her muse and pestered him yesterday.

But hadn’t he already refused by simply putting her to sleep?

Besides, earlier he had only mentioned that she bit his lip—anything beyond that, he’d completely glossed over.

So Dasom had assumed Han-gyeol intended to pretend her insane remarks from yesterday never happened.

But now, why bring it up again like this?

“I thought… you were going to pretend it never happened…”

“Pretending it never happened is hard when the spots you bit still hurt.”

“Well, why are they still hurting…?”

“I can’t just let this slide. No matter how I think about it, I’m the one who got hurt.”

Han-gyeol again ran his tongue over his lower lip. Da-som watched, mesmerized. His crimson lips, and his even redder tongue…

That combination, enough to make one instinctively salivate, was exactly why she couldn’t push him away right now.

Actually, she had felt wronged too. Because she couldn’t remember what his lips had tasted like.

How many times today had she been distracted, lost in those luscious lips?

And now, Han-gyeol was saying he’d give her another chance.

A chance to taste not only his lips but other places too.

…How could she possibly push him away now?

“You need to put yourself in my shoes, Dasom Experience how uncomfortable and painful I was yesterday. Only then will you realize how wronged I feel right now.”

“……”

“More than anything, you know what works best on you, right? Teaching you directly through your body.”

Han-gyeol whispered in succession. A whisper that seemed designed to provoke Da-som’s impulses.

Han-gyeol was a devil who knew how to tempt in the sweetest way imaginable.

Dasom bit her lip. Looking down at her, unable to answer easily, Han-gyeol’s eyes narrowed.

He tempted her once more.

“Didn’t you say you wanted your muse?”

“……”

“Try taking him, then. This time, I’ll give you permission.”

At those words, Da-som finally raised her head. Her expression was rather resolute.

But the words that came from her soft-looking lips were not at all what he’d expected.

“C-Can we do it tomorrow?”

“What?”

“Today is just… so, um, c-can I sleep with you tomorrow, Senior!”

“No, Chae Da-som, what are you—”

“Yes or no!”

Dasom inadvertently shrieked. For a moment, all traces of composure vanished from Han-gyeol’s face as he pulled back from her and turned his head away, letting out a small laugh.

A low laugh echoed long through the hallway. Dasom, face flushed red, fumed and glared at him.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this cheerful. Han-gyeol realized anew.

‘This is what Chae Da-som was always like.’

The only person who could completely overturn his mood, no matter how sunken it was.

The only person who could sway and unsettle the man named Han-gyeol as much as she pleased.

Even if she herself was unaware of it.

After laughing for a good while, he nodded, residual amusement still lingering on his face.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. We’ll sleep together tomorrow, then.”

“Promise me!”

Dasom held out her little finger before him. Despite seeming completely flustered, she didn’t miss a beat.

Han-gyeol made an exasperated face but hooked his finger with hers.

Only after they’d firmly sealed it with a thumbprint did their hands separate. Dasom, nibbling on her lip and stealing glances at Han-gyeol’s expression, quickly unlocked her door code and opened it.

“Then, Senior, go home safely!”

It was right next door. What was there to go home safely from?

While Han-gyeol was letting out a snort of laughter, Dasom vanished like a rabbit diving into its burrow.

Snapping back to reality at the sound of the door lock clicking shut, Han-gyeol silently stared at the closed door.

He clenched his fist, trying to hold onto the warmth of her that remained in his hand. But the cool breeze quickly stole it away.

“…How regrettable.”

Five years ago, and now.

It was always like this when he sent Dasom off and was left alone.

…But what exactly was Chae Da-som thinking, saying let’s do it tomorrow? If she didn’t want to, she could have just said no. Did she think he’d get angry about it?

Tapping the nameplate that read 810, Han-gyeol opened the door to the house next door and went inside.

The sunlight streaming through the window and the noisy sounds outside told her that morning had long since passed.

Dasom, showing no intention of getting out of bed, lay there clutching her head.

“Chae Da-som, are you crazy? Why on earth did ‘tomorrow’ come out of your mouth at a time like that? Ahhh!”

Unable to sleep a wink due to self-loathing, Dasom buried her face in her pillow and just screamed. Her face burned so hot.

She hadn’t wanted to seem so foolish in front of Han-gyeol. She’d wanted to act cool and skillful, like a woman who’d received one-night offers plenty of times before!

“But yesterday, I was covered in dust, and I sweated…”

She’d been doing odd jobs at the studio and was dirty all over—it bothered her.

And more than anything…

Her underwear set didn’t even match! And it wasn’t even pretty!

Flustered by those thoughts, the word ‘tomorrow’ had inadvertently popped out.

“How was I supposed to know he’d actually agree?”

If she’d known, she would have mentally prepared herself beforehand. She would have kept her composure better, without panicking.

Dasom covered her face with her hands, looking like she was about to cry.

Maybe Han-gyeol had noticed right away yesterday. ‘Cool’—ha; he probably realized she was completely inexperienced.

‘Senior probably has lots of experience.’

In front of him, who seemed so experienced and skillful, the thought that she’d fumbled around like an idiot made her even more ashamed and embarrassed.

How pathetic must she have looked to him?

Wasn’t his laughter yesterday an expression of that exact feeling? Chewing on the thought, Dasom suddenly felt a surge of heat and threw off the covers, jumping up.

“This won’t do. I have to do something.”

If she just lay sprawled in bed like this, she’d spend the whole day thinking only of Han-gyeol. Dasom tossed off her clothes and stepped into the bathroom.

After a quick shower, after much deliberation, she chose and put on cute lace underwear, threw a knit sweater and a field jacket over it, and cautiously opened the door.

No one was in the hallway, and the most crucial door—811—was firmly shut.

Dasom glanced around warily, pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, and stepped out.

But all her vigilance was for nothing. Before she even reached the first floor, she ran straight into Han-gyeol.

“G-Good morning…”

How exactly are you supposed to greet a one-night stand you’ve agreed to sleep with today? Dasom silently mouthed the question she couldn’t ask anyone, making a face as she hid behind her hood.

Han-gyeol, in contrast, merely gave a casual nod at her greeting, his expression indifferent. No different from usual.

As expected. He’s probably been through this so many times that there’s no awkwardness or clumsiness. Feeling inexplicably deflated, Dasom let out a heavy sigh.

“But what are you doing right now?”

Dasom asked, forcing herself to focus elsewhere to clear her head.

A worker with a ladder at the building entrance was installing something on the ceiling. Han-gyeol seemed to be overseeing the work.

At Da-som’s question, he finally spoke.

“Installing CCTV. Replacing the broken one.”

“Huh? But why suddenly…”

“You said it yourself. That the CCTV was broken but the maintenance fees were still high.”

“Ah.”

Dasom blinked, belatedly recalling what she’d said to Han-gyeol.

Back then, when she’d just found out he’d moved in next door and was flustered.

‘This isn’t even near a station, and there aren’t many convenience facilities around? The soundproofing is bad, it’s noisy at night from car sounds? Security’s not great either. And on top of that, the CCTV is broken but the maintenance fees are unnecessarily high!’

She’d briefly forgotten that she’d blabbed all sorts of complaints right to the building owner’s face.

Dasom was dismayed by the fact that Han-gyeol had remembered her words so clearly.

Why did past Chae Da-som keep doing things that would stick in Han-gyeol’s memory… If only he could forget just one of them…

“I can’t do anything about the station access or convenience facilities, and the soundproofing or noise issues are hard to fix right now, so I’m doing this first.”

If she smacked the back of Han-gyeol’s head, would he forget even a little?

Da-som, who had been entertaining thoughts like that, stopped at his words and widened her eyes.

So right now—rather than holding a grudge—he was trying to fix, one by one, the things she’d complained about?