🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 12
As an unfamiliar sensation spread through her body, so overwhelming it took her breath away, her back arched upward.
He firmly supported her curved waist and reached for the zipper. Instinctively, Yeon-ha grabbed his hand.
Instead of forcing her skirt down, he locked eyes with her and rained kisses upon her. As her tongue melted into the sweet kiss, the strength in her hand holding the zipper slowly faded.
Not missing the moment, he quickly parted her and drank her sweetness greedily.
Behind her closed eyes, sparks flashed. Her excited moans turned into whimpers, her entire body tingling as if electricity surged through her veins.
Watching her body flushed with heat, he slowly straightened his upper body.
“Don’t be afraid. If you want me to stop, I’ll stop right away.”
His gentle voice made Yeon-ha nod slowly.
Though tension still lingered, strangely, part of her heart eased.
His lips enveloped hers with such care, like he was holding a delicate glass.
Their breaths mingled, heat seeped into each other, their body temperatures becoming one.
As if it had been that way since the beginning of time.
The heat filling the room swelled to its peak, then exploded inside her.
He held her tightly as she poured out her burning passion.
Like film reels flashing too fast, the vivid memories of the heated night made Yeon-ha cover her face with both hands, her cheeks blazing red.
She couldn’t believe she had done such a thing with Nam Do-hyun.
How could she have been so reckless?
Even if Son Kyung-jin had upset her, even if she’d been drunk and lost her judgment—
She had never even done a one-night stand in her younger, more impulsive days. And yet she had crossed the line with someone she should never have gotten involved with.
The realization filled her with despair.
She had always prided herself on being rational, which made the shock cut deeper.
It was the damn alcohol’s fault.
If she hadn’t been drinking, she never would have gotten entangled with Nam Do-hyun.
Forcing herself to blame it on the alcohol to soothe her mind, Yeon-ha suddenly realized—he wasn’t in the room.
Where did that man go…?
Looking around, she noticed the neatly arranged apartment and came to two realizations.
The clothes he had so hastily stripped from her last night were now carefully folded on the nightstand—proof that he was neat by nature and probably experienced at one-night stands.
And the fact that he had left quietly before she woke up—clearly, he knew how to avoid awkward mornings.
She would have made the same choice if she’d woken up first.
Last night was just a one-time accident.
He must have thought the same—that’s why he disappeared without a word.
Thinking that way, the heaviness on her heart eased just a little.
Stretching, she slowly got up. But the moment she glanced at the clock, she screamed.
The hands were pointing toward 9 o’clock.
“Oh no, I’m screwed…!”
Leaping out of bed, Yeon-ha stumbled as a sharp ache pulsed between her legs. She bent over, grimacing.
The aftermath of her night with Nam Do-hyun.
She hadn’t noticed while sitting, but once she moved, the dull, lingering sensation crawled back.
It almost felt like he was still inside her.
Grinding her teeth, she pressed her thighs together and headed for the bathroom.
Without even looking in the mirror, she splashed her face with cold water, threw on the first clothes she could grab, and rushed out the door.
At thirty-three, it was her very first one-night stand.
Standing at the door of the design office, Yeon-ha pushed back her messy hair and steadied her breathing. Then, bracing herself, she walked in.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
Her apology made Jin Myung-hee, the head of the design team, peer at her over the rim of her glasses.
“Team Leader Seo, what’s this? You’re late? Something happen?”
“I overslept.”
“You? The one who never even sleeps? Strange.”
“I guess so.”
Yeon-ha brushed it off and tried to sit down quietly.
But just then, Kim Mi-sun, another team leader, spoke up from behind her.
“Team Leader Seo, didn’t go home last night, did you?”
“What?”
“You’re wearing the same clothes as yesterday.”
Embarrassment flashed across Yeon-ha’s face. In her rush, she hadn’t even thought about changing clothes. She hadn’t had the time—or the mind—for it.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve got a man?”
“No.”
“Then that’s even more suspicious. A woman who claims she doesn’t have a boyfriend stays out all night?”
“Team Leader Kim, please watch what you say.”
Yeon-ha’s stern tone made Kim Mi-sun pout.
“If it’s not true, why so serious? You’re just making yourself look guilty.”
Yeon-ha bit back the words—Mind your own business, please—and swallowed them.
Kim Mi-sun wasn’t the type to listen. If anything, she’d latch on harder.
And besides, she had always seen Yeon-ha as a thorn in her side.
Though both were team leaders, Kim Mi-sun was older and had been in the company longer.
At thirty-eight, she should have been promoted to department head, but she was still stuck as a team leader. Meanwhile, Yeon-ha had risen quickly compared to her peers.
Having a much younger junior suddenly working on the same level as her had grated on Mi-sun ever since. She picked fights whenever she could.
Yeon-ha usually held her tongue to avoid conflict, but even that restraint seemed to irritate Mi-sun further.
The whole morning vanished as Yeon-ha worked through the QC reports from the day before.
By 12:30, she jumped up from her seat. Her stomach, unsettled since morning, now ached from the acid.
Normally, she would have gone to lunch with Jin-young, but since her colleague was on leave today, she had to go alone.
On her way to the elevator, she froze.
That familiar tall figure, broad shoulders, long limbs—Nam Do-hyun stood out even from a distance.
Yeon-ha instinctively turned away and headed for the emergency stairs instead.
This morning, she had decided last night was nothing more than a passing accident. But her body betrayed her.
Her mind told her to greet him calmly, to act as if nothing had happened. But her body’s instinct was to run.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heart pounded like it was sprinting, proof she wasn’t ready to face him.
Calm down, Seo Yeon-ha. He’s just a one-night stand. Nothing more, nothing less. Don’t let him sway you. Be cold. If you show weakness, it’s over.
She had just steeled herself with that thought when someone grabbed her arm from behind.
“Ah!”
Startled, Yeon-ha shrieked and struggled, losing her balance on the stair. But a strong arm caught her waist.
“Are you okay?”
A low, gentle voice sounded above her head. Opening her tightly shut eyes, she found Nam Do-hyun looking down at her with worried eyes.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Could you… let me stand up first?”
At her request, he slowly straightened, pulling her upright with him.
“Thanks.”
Yeon-ha quickly stepped back out of his arms. Her deliberate distance made his well-shaped brows furrow slightly.
“Were you… running away from me?”
“Of course not. There were too many people at the elevator, so I just decided to take the stairs.”
“Really?”
His eyes narrowed, probing, as if testing her.
“Then I’ll walk with you.”
“No! I’ll go alone.”
She thrust her hand out like a barricade to stop him from following.
His brows twitched.
“Are you mad?”
“Why would I be?”
“Because I left first this morning. I thought maybe that upset you.”
“No!”
Her denial came too fast, making it sound even more suspicious. He added quickly:
“Actually… I tried waking you a few times, but you were sleeping so deeply. So—”
“Mmph!”
Panicking, Yeon-ha slapped a hand over his mouth, glancing nervously up and down the stairwell.
