BUP 05

chapter 05

Taeheon’s consciousness was clear. Yet he pretended to be asleep, wanting to turn a blind eye to Eunse trying to escape.

It was still too early for public transport, so she would take a taxi.

Should he dash out after her? Or perhaps hold her back until she went downstairs?

He had said he would ignore her, but his mind raced so wildly that he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it.

Taeheon sat up and reached for the phone on the table. Pressing the buttons, he connected to the concierge.

“A woman in a black padded jacket will be going downstairs. Get the taxi driver’s contact information and charge double the fare… Just say it’s part of the Prudential guest service, make up whatever you need.”

After finishing the call, he picked up the remote and pressed a button. With a soft buzzing, the front curtains opened.

Through the wide glass window, Taeheon stared at the dark cityscape. For a moment, he rested his forehead on his hand and laughed again.

They say that when sitting, people want to lie down, and when lying down, they want to sleep.

At first, he had attended just to see her face. He planned to pay and leave immediately, but couldn’t refuse the HR director’s request and ended up sitting.

He didn’t want to leave her behind in what would surely be a drunken party, and he disliked having her sit among those strict colleagues even more.

After the dinner gathering, he lingered, pretending he still had things to discuss with Director Ki.

That’s when he overheard the employees’ conversation by chance:

“The new secretary, today I’m going to take her down somehow.”

When he followed the chuckling Assistant Manager Ju, the situation escalated. He had wanted to toss the troublemaker to the floor, eyes spinning, but managed to restrain himself.

Supporting the staggering Han Eunse, he felt a momentary pang of reality hitting him.

The excuse of the night being dangerous was absurd—Gangnam in the middle of the city, full of CCTV, bustling during year-end celebrations.

Heading to her room, front bulging unnaturally, he wondered how he was different from that damn guy earlier.

So he had only intended to make sure she got inside and leave promptly.

He didn’t expect to collapse so quickly. Until he cut off that wicked desire all at once.

“Don’t go, CEO.”

Such a sweet plea could melt even a stone statue.

His reason had long since evaporated, leaving only a boiling, desperate affection—or rather, his rampant instincts.

“I don’t have contraception.”

If he said he’d wait, she’d immediately run off to buy some.

He realized something was strange when one secretary smiled again, a little longer this time, her delicate lips stretching unnaturally.

“It’s okay. We can just… do it.”

Now even with a lisp. Even if he hadn’t noticed before, he had watched her for nearly a year.

Startled by such uncharacteristic words from Eunse, he furrowed his brows.

“After all, it’s a dream. It’s just a dream… so let’s do it.”

It was as if icy water had been dumped over him.

Damn it. Taking advantage of a drunk person… The disgust wasn’t directed at Eunse, but at himself, and he froze.

Then, from Eunse’s lips came an unexpected confession.

“I like you, CEO.”

She had liked Yoon Taeheon for a long time. Even if it were a dream, she wished it would last forever.

Even after Eunse fell asleep, Taeheon couldn’t move for a while.

Wasn’t the dream supposed to be Eunse’s, not his?

If so, he wanted it to not end.

A feeling he couldn’t describe throbbed in his chest all night.

He truly adored this woman.

He had seen countless more beautiful, more alluring women, but since the first time she had captured his heart, it had always been her.

The moment he heard her say she liked him, the overwhelming joy—the first he had ever felt in thirty years—was something Taeheon knew he would never forget.

Coming to work, Eunse’s condition was disastrous.

Dark circles under her tired eyes. Her pale complexion looked even worse, revealing her suffering from a hangover.

“Shouldn’t you leave early?”

Even her neighbor, Secretary Song, asked worriedly.

“I’m fine… no.”

Eunse shook her head. Outwardly, she tried to appear nonchalant with a slight smile, but inside she was crumbling by the second.

Not her stomach—her heart.

The reason she looked as pale as if she were about to faint was the memories from last night. Normally, there should have been a blackout, but everything was vivid, like a waking dream.

She was insane. How could she have behaved like that in front of the CEO?

She wanted to bite her tongue and die.

What she had done to Taeheon yesterday was rude beyond any excuse. And that was the mild part.

She had begged him not to leave, held him, kissed him, and removed clothes. Eunse shivered.

The scariest part was that, since coming to work, Taeheon had made no contact.

From morning, it felt like she was sitting on pins and needles—like a condemned prisoner awaiting her death.

Grabbing her head, she groaned. Suddenly, a notification from the office messenger rang.

Go to the break room and rest a bit. If anyone asks, I’ll cover for you.

It was from Secretary Song.

Not long ago, Song had suffered a huge setback from a work mistake, and while everyone ignored him, Eunse stayed late helping silently.

Since then, Song’s attitude toward her had softened—just like today.

I’m fine.

Eunse hastily deleted the message mid-typing.

“It’s okay, CEO. Just do it.”

Even thinking about saying ‘it’s okay’ made her cringe.

She decided to step out for some cold air.

But the moment she entered the corridor, she immediately regretted her decision.

Like seeing a ghost, a large shadow loomed at the end of the hallway.

“Secretary Han.”

The face she had seen in front of the suite last night, colder than before.

“Follow me.”

Sighing at Taeheon’s coldly passing figure, Eunse obeyed.

Click.

The heavy door closed.

Taeheon turned and leaned against the door with his arms raised.

Leaning against him, Eunse ended up almost in the same position as last night.

The only difference: she wasn’t wrapping her arms around his neck this time. And this situation, never imagined even in a dream, was real.

Taeheon said nothing. He merely tilted his head and looked down softly. Eunse shivered, unable to lift her face.

Finally, he spoke quietly.

“Judging by your expression, you remember. Last night.”

“I-I’m sorry about yesterday…”

“You know, Secretary Han, that saying sorry isn’t enough.”

Eunse tightly closed her eyes at his chilly words. He was right—it couldn’t be resolved with an apology.

“Yesterday I drank too much…”

“Drank too much, huh?”

She blinked, nodding timidly. But Taeheon’s next words made her shrink further.

“When drunk, do you usually… grab any man and ask him to undress?”

“N-no! That’s not it, CEO! It’s a misunderstanding!”

Eunse waved her hands frantically. If it weren’t for Taeheon, none of yesterday would have happened.

She couldn’t admit the truth either—that she had liked him for a long time and mistook it as a dream.

Better that she had been a drunk, groping her superior—it would have been easier to confess that, but not the truth.

“There’s no misunderstanding. The person who experienced it sober is right here.”

Taeheon pointed to his chest. His long fingers brushed against the front of his shirt, conjuring the contours that had been revealed last night.

Eunse, unsure where to look, panicked. Taeheon just found her adorable.

She should have hidden her feelings, but instead, they were so transparent.

Suppressing a smile, Taeheon lowered his voice intentionally.

“So, about yesterday… how do you plan to take responsibility?”

“Re-responsibility?”

Her small face immediately turned tearful.

Honestly, Taeheon hadn’t intended to press her so hard. But her face, constantly turning pale then red, provoked his mischievous side.

Especially since Eunse had been fairly drunk last night.

He wanted to hear it again, sober this time, to know if she truly liked him.

“If responsibility….”

After some hesitation, Eunse finally lifted her head, as if resolved.