🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 17
Time flew by, and it was finally time to leave work.
“Finally, freedom.”
For once, Somang was looking forward to leaving with Hangyeol. She had so much she wanted to say.
Starting with telling him that they should stop carpooling, she also had to reveal her relationship with Minchan. With that in mind, she climbed into the passenger seat with lighter steps than usual.
She was deep in thought, wondering how to begin without shocking him.
“Somang.”
Without warning, Hangyeol’s face was right in front of her.
His gaze was fixed on her face, and it seemed like nothing else existed for him in that moment.
“Th…that…we can’t…kiss anymore.”
Startled, Somang covered her lips with her palm. But his head wasn’t moving toward her—it was beside her.
“You weren’t wearing your seatbelt.”
Crazy. Absolutely crazy!
How foolish must she have looked? Or did it look like she was expecting a kiss?
Somang tried to hide the turmoil in her heart and acted casual.
“I noticed too, so I was about to say something.”
“Kiss?”
“Oh, the seatbelt!”
She snatched the buckle from Hangyeol’s hand and clicked it in with a loud snap.
“Somang, what I did wasn’t a kiss.”
“I know! It was a mistake.”
“Not even that.”
Hangyeol slowly moistened his lips with his tongue.
It was so tantalizing that Somang couldn’t help but stare, but then his lips narrowed slightly.
“We just touched lips. That’s not a kiss.”
“…….”
“A real kiss involves the tongue—”
“St-stop! You don’t need to explain!”
Somang covered her ears with her hands. At twenty-nine, she knew the difference between a kiss and a peck. She understood it wasn’t a real kiss, so why did he have to explain?
Hangyeol was dangerous.
This wouldn’t do.
Now was the time to speak. Now that they were dating, she had to tell him to stop carpooling and stop these sorts of gestures.
Somang closed her eyes tightly and then opened them, gathering her courage.
“Oppa, I’m da—”
“Get down. Let’s eat first.”
Her bold declaration collapsed in front of the Michelin pasta restaurant.
Now, they were sitting naturally across from each other, sharing takeout ice cream. The day had flowed by quietly, like water.
It was time to speak.
“Oppa, I have something to say.”
Somang placed her pink spoon down with resolve.
Seeing his curious expression, her lips twitched slightly.
“What is it?”
“I’m dating. So…we need some distance.”
“Distance?”
“I think we’re too close right now. I mean, the seatbelt thing in the car…let’s stop that kind of stuff.”
Well, she wouldn’t be riding in his car to work anymore anyway. She said it softly but firmly, raising her chin to gauge his reaction.
Would he sigh in irritation, or snap in anger? Maybe even cry?
If he cried, she’d play the fake dating game dramatically for a week, just enough to make the tears dry.
But…
“Really? You’re seeing Park Minchan?”
“Ah, aren’t you surprised?”
Somang was taken aback by his calm reaction.
He didn’t furrow his brows, his expression didn’t twist, and he didn’t breathe out angrily. He just handed her the colorful ice cream cup so she could eat more comfortably.
Flustered, Somang blinked and stared at the cup that had spun halfway around.
“I told you in the car this morning. I’m going to see Park Minchan first. You just want to see if you feel fluttered when I’m with another man, right?”
Well…kind of.
But was this really a time to act so calm?
He said he liked her, he said he wanted to marry her!
Shouldn’t she be clinging to him, saying she’d do better and begging him not to date?
She kept shoveling ice cream into her mouth, but her mind wasn’t cooling down.
As she studied Hangyeol’s face while eating ice cream absentmindedly, a sharp pain struck her stomach.
“Ugh.”
It felt like a wet towel was being wrung inside her, and she collapsed to the floor.
“Somang!”
“O-Oppa…my st-stomach.”
She curled up and rolled on the floor like a shrimp.
“What’s wrong? Where does it hurt? Do we need to go to the hospital? Can you move?”
Finally, she saw the face she wanted to see.
His brows were furrowed, his neat hair slightly messy, and his pale face looked even paler.
Silly me. If this had happened earlier, I would have only eaten a little ice cream.
Sweating coldly, Somang hugged her frozen, flat stomach.
Her slowly closing eyes saw nothing but darkness.
Club Leo
From early evening, the dark interior flashed with colorful neon lights.
In the innermost room, “Number 7,” the ceiling was mirrored, and red velvet sofas surrounded the space, large enough for fifty people.
“Many of you haven’t met before, right? Say hi. They’re valuable members who come every time we’re in Korea.”
The leader of the gathering, Kim Jeonggi—the eldest son of a likely presidential candidate—introduced Jongmin.
A young woman approached and sat next to Jongmin, who was in the most prominent seat.
“Oppa, you’re the heir of Clover Electronics?”
The unfamiliar woman was an aspiring actress who gained fame on a recently concluded dating show.
“Yes. Do you want me to sponsor you too?”
Jongmin’s sticky gaze lingered as he placed his hand on her thigh.
As expected, she didn’t move his hand but placed her smaller hand on top of his.
“But my friend works at that company. Is the rumor about the illegitimate child true?”
The others drinking together turned their attention to this.
Kim Jeonggi leaned in with interest.
“Jongmin, weren’t you an only child?”
Not wanting to discuss unpleasant topics, Jongmin downed his shot in one gulp.
He wiped the gold liquid from the corner of his lips with the back of his hand and exhaled.
“I’m an only child. But if you count children born outside as family, that’s different. Oh, then your family might grow too.”
Jongmin laughed while bringing up Jeonggi’s family gossip, and Jeonggi responded calmly.
“Don’t go too far. What if it sparks a succession battle?”
We’re both pretty meaningless aside from bloodlines, so let’s be moderate. Reading Jeonggi’s expression, Jongmin’s eyes reddened.
His hand holding the glass shook as if it might crush it.
This is really annoying.
Unable to contain his anger, Jongmin finally threw the glass hard.
Clang!
“Kyaah!”
“I’m leaving.”
Jongmin tapped his shoulder as he stood.
“Let’s not touch each other’s family, okay?”
Rubbing his hollow eye socket, he opened the heavy door and shouted outside.
“Ughhh!”
He knew better than anyone that he was inferior to Yuhan-gyeol in every way.
He thought his mother’s death would weaken his resolve, but it only made him calmer. He had no clue what Yuhan-gyeol was thinking.
A chilling premonition rose: the woman’s death was cornering not Hangyeol, but himself.
Back at Home
Slowly, she opened her eyes. The fluorescent lights were the first thing she noticed.
As the living room light disappeared from her sight, Hangyeol’s dark hair filled her vision.
“Feeling a bit better now?”
Even looking up from below, he showed no embarrassment.
Smooth jawline, straight forehead, prominent nose, porcelain-like skin…her brain struggled to process the situation while imprinting his sculpted features.
“Somang, this isn’t good. Let’s go to the hospital.”
Hangyeol thought she was still in pain.
“I’m fine now.”
Truly, she was.
The crushing pain in her stomach had vanished, leaving a warm, comforting weight.
And the solid thigh supporting her head…
Am I getting a lap pillow right now?
