DYMD 13

Chapter 13

Fortunately, there was no sign of anyone nearby.
But her heart was still pounding loudly.

“Mr. Nam Dohyun, are you out of your mind? What if someone hears you say something like that?”

When she glanced around nervously, Dohyun lowered the hand covering his mouth and spoke calmly.

“Why? It’s not a crime for a young man and woman to spend a night together.”

The way he so casually said the word slept together left Yeonha speechless again.

“It’s not a crime, but it’s not something to go around telling people either.”

When she scolded him firmly, Dohyun’s gaze settled into a quieter tone.

“Do you… regret it?”

His low, cautious voice strangely echoed in her mind.

Did she regret it?

Of course she did.

In her thirty-three years of life, she had never done something so reckless until last night.

No matter how much she tried to justify it, she couldn’t accept the fact that she had done such a thing with Nam Dohyun—the very man she had tried hardest to avoid.

That was exactly why the man named Nam Dohyun unsettled her.

In just a few days, he had shattered the principle she had guarded for 33 years.

“Last night… was a mistake. So, please, let’s pretend it never happened.”

To protect herself, Yeonha spoke words she didn’t even believe. And just like that, the warmth in Dohyun’s gentle gaze turned cold.

“A mistake?”

“Yes.”

Though she said it, her conscience stung.

“That’s odd. You seemed to enjoy it quite a bit last night.”

“M–Me? When?”

“You don’t remember? Crying under me, begging me to—”

“Are you crazy?!”

Yeonha, horrified, clamped her hand over his mouth again. Dohyun calmly pulled her hand down and added,

“It wasn’t a mistake for me. So don’t think about erasing it.”

His gaze was firm, his tone resolute. He didn’t look like someone who would back down easily.

Yeonha felt as if she had stepped on a landmine.

“…Do you go around using things like this to blackmail people?”

“No, I’m not that kind of person.”

“Then… what exactly do you want me to do?”

“I’m interested in you, Team Leader.”

At his straightforward confession, Yeonha squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again.

And there, in his jet-black eyes, she saw herself reflected fully.

“So?”

“I want to date you seriously.”

She had already sensed Dohyun’s interest in her. He hadn’t been in Korea long, didn’t know many people, and was probably lonely. So he had latched onto the person closest to him—her. But once he met more people, his feelings would quickly fade.

“You’re more naïve than I thought. Just because we slept together, you want to start dating? Sorry, but I don’t have any intention of doing that.”

“Why? Was I not good enough last night?”

His blunt, unfiltered question sent heat rushing to her ears.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t good—it was the opposite. He had been too good. For the first time in her life, she had experienced wave after wave of pleasure she hadn’t known was possible. The memories replayed all day in her head, leaving her thighs hot and her focus shattered.

But her silence only made him narrow his brows, as if taking it as confirmation.

“That can’t be right.”

His quiet murmur carried the weight of disbelief.

“Anyway, I don’t want to date, so let’s leave it at that.”

Deciding that further conversation was pointless, Yeonha turned away, heading for the emergency exit.

But before her hand reached the door handle, Dohyun caught her arm.

“Just once… please give me another chance.”

“What?”

“I promise I can satisfy you.”

The determination in his expression made her falter.

She had thought if she feigned indifference, he would give up. Instead, she had only provoked him.

To clear the misunderstanding, Yeonha met his gaze directly.

“It’s not that you weren’t good, Dohyun. I just… don’t intend to date anyone.”

“Is it because of that man from yesterday?”

A beat of silence.

“…Yes.”

Though her feelings had already ended, she didn’t bother denying it.

After all, it was Son Kyungjin who had made her disillusioned with workplace romance. And more than that—unless Dohyun heard this, he wasn’t going to back down.

At her words, Dohyun’s eyes wavered briefly.

“Do you still… love him?”

“Whether I love him or not—that has nothing to do with you, Mr. Nam. I’ll be going now.”

Yeonha spoke firmly and turned away.

But once again, Dohyun stopped her, this time with an outrageous suggestion.

“If you don’t want something serious… then let’s keep it casual.”

“…What did you just say?”

When Yeonha frowned, Dohyun tilted his head slightly and continued,

“We can drink together when you want to, sleep together when you feel like it, or when you’re lonely or bored, just call me. I’ll come anytime.”

“What on earth…”

“All I mean is—I’d rather be near you, even like that. So use me. I’ll let you.”

“…Why would you go that far?”

“I told you. Because I’m interested in you.”

His eyes didn’t waver, his voice steady.

Yeonha couldn’t understand him at all.

He was younger, handsome, talented—so why her?

Was it just that he’d enjoyed sleeping with her?

But she quickly shook her head. That couldn’t be it. She hadn’t even been able to properly keep up with him last night.

What on earth was this man thinking?

“I appreciate the interest, but I’ll have to refuse.”

“Just try using me a few times. I’m not the kind of man you can just use once and toss away.”

The confidence in his tone showed that he knew exactly how desirable he was.

If it had been any other man, she would have thought him arrogant. But annoyingly enough, he wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t even refute him.

“That’s exactly my point. Why waste yourself… on me? There must be plenty of people who like you, Dohyun.”

Honestly, he could crook his finger and dozens of women in the company would flock to him. Whenever the female employees gathered, the topic was always Nam Dohyun.

But Dohyun stared at her intensely, as if none of that mattered.

“The only person I want to be used by… is you.”

“Mr. Nam—”

“I won’t cling.”

His soft yet resolute interruption cut her off.

“And I’ll never make it obvious at work.”

“Dohyun.”

“There’s nothing complicated about it. Just think of me as a pet dog. I’ll keep you company whenever you’re lonely or bored. How about it?”

Absurd. A pet dog? What kind of dog was this big?

But then, out of nowhere, an image popped into her mind—a black Labrador, ears half-flopped, wagging its tail as it looked up at her. And it matched him far too perfectly.

Her face flamed red.

“You just imagined it, didn’t you?”

“N–No!”

“Then why is your face red?”

When he narrowed his eyes playfully, Yeonha, desperate to divert his attention, blurted out,

“What if I try it… and it doesn’t work out? Then what?”

“Then I’ll back off cleanly.”

To her surprise, his tone was light, almost casual. He even flashed a smile, as if to show he wasn’t the clingy type.

She still couldn’t understand why he was going this far…

But truthfully, she didn’t stand to lose anything.

Ever since her broken engagement with Kyungjin, she had kept men at arm’s length.

That didn’t mean she hadn’t been lonely.

Sometimes, when a blind date was suggested, she’d think about trying. But fear of being hurt again always stopped her.

But Dohyun… this was different.

This wasn’t dating.

No obligation to contact him, no responsibility to meet him.

If she didn’t want to, she could avoid him. If she wanted to, she could call him.

And above all, if the one keeping her company was Nam Dohyun—who could satisfy both her heart and her body…

The only problem was that he worked at the same company. If not for that, she might have already agreed.

“I’m not asking you to decide right now.”

As if reading her hesitation, he added,

“Think about it carefully, and tell me later.”

Rationally, she knew she should reject him firmly here and now.

Repeating the same mistake—that was exactly what she despised most.

But the moment her eyes met Dohyun’s steady gaze, her lips betrayed her.

“…All right.”

The radiant smile that bloomed across his face made her chest ache once again.