Right next to her, Eun Woo was looking at her.

Despite the pitch-black night and the heavy rain blocking any light from outside, his eyes sparkled as if lit by some leaked light.

“You said you’d fulfill a request for me earlier today, didn’t you?”

“Yes…”

His voice was deep and steady. His unwavering eyes seemed so close that their noses might touch at any moment. Seol Hee wanted to move back, but she feared that any hasty movement might bring them even closer, so she remained still.

What could he possibly ask for at this moment?

“What is it?”

“Just answer me honestly.”

“Yes.”

“What am I to you, Seol Hee?”

His question widened her eyes.

She hadn’t expected such a question and blinked silently.

“To me, Professor Oak?”

“Yes, am I more than just a work superior to you, Seol Hee?”

Technically, they were dating.

But what to say when asked if he meant anything more to her?

“A boyfriend… aren’t you?”

“I know I’m a man.”

His lips curled up.

“You let me into your room so easily. What if I did something?”

“…”

“Am I the only one feeling this tense?”

He reached out and gently brushed Seol Hee’s hair. Whether intentional or not, his fingers slowly trailed down to her neck.

A tingling sensation passed through her.

Eun Woo spoke again.

“It’s only me who wants to touch…”

“Ah… probably not?”

“If it’s not, then it’s not. If it is, it is. What’s with ‘probably not’?”

“To me, you’re… Oak Eun Woo.”

Dissatisfied with her answer, he slowly closed and then opened his eyes.

“The troublesome veterinarian, Oak Eun Woo?”

“That’s correct, but…”

His round eyes under long lashes shone as they looked at her. His masculine jawline led to a pronounced Adam’s apple moving up and down.

He swallowed, looking incredibly sensual.

His muscular arm, honed by exercise, quivered with each movement close to Seol Hee’s body.

“Professor Oak… just being this close makes it feel like you could grab and shatter my heart.”

At her words, he frowned.

“A kind of tension, or expectation, when letting you into the same room to talk?”

“What does that mean?”

Seol Hee opened and closed her eyes.

They hadn’t been dating long. Her feelings hadn’t fully matured. She knew it was crazy to say such things.

Maybe it was too soon.

“You are a man to me, Eun Woo.”

For the first time, she said his name out loud.

Even after they started dating, wherever they went, she called him “Professor Oak” or “Sir.” Once, he asked her to call him by his name, but she was too shy.

But now, it just slipped out.

His name was beautiful.

‘Eun Woo’ wasn’t a unique or extraordinary name, but saying it felt really good. Maybe it was because she liked the man in front of her so much.

As she called his name, he inhaled deeply. His long eyelashes cast a shadow.

“Say it again.”

“…”

“My name, one more time.”

“Eun Woo.”

“I don’t really like my name much.”
He recited calmly.

“Seol Hee, the way you say my name, it sounds so nice.”

Really nice.

Then he breathed a hot breath into Seol Hee’s ear, making her earlobes tingle unbearably.

Perhaps since the day he confessed to her, or maybe since the first day their lips met, Eun Woo had been more than just a man to her.

Even now…

Even now, his lips, tantalizingly close yet not touching, drove her crazy. They were so close that their noses almost brushed against each other, and his gaze seemed to melt her lips.

Knowing all too well what his lips felt like, her heart fluttered in anticipation.

However, Eun Woo didn’t move. It seemed like he was waiting for Seol Hee to be fully ready.

He extended his other hand and placed it on Seol Hee’s shoulder. But he didn’t come any closer or pull her in, just gazed directly into her face.

I want to touch…

Ultimately, it was Seol Hee who couldn’t resist any longer.

Suddenly, she lifted her chin.

This decreased the distance between them, and their hot lips finally met.

The moment their sweet, melting lips touched, the hand that was on Seol Hee’s shoulder gripped her tighter. Not painfully, but his fingers clearly pressed into her flesh.

“Uh…”

Surprised by Seol Hee’s sudden kiss, Eun Woo’s eyes widened slightly.

This wasn’t her intention.

Today, a typhoon hit Jeju, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. A tree fell, making it impossible to sleep in his room.

That’s why she had called him into her room, but…

It didn’t matter anymore. She wanted to be closer. That was the only thought occupying Seol Hee’s mind.

Eun Woo opened his eyes wide for a moment, then slowly closed them. With the hand that had been around her shoulder, he now held her in his embrace.

Her soft body was pressed against his firm chest. As Seol Hee’s lips parted slightly for breath, he explored her mouth roughly.

“Uh…”

A sound that was somewhere between a breath and a moan slipped through Seol Hee’s teeth. His fingers slowly traced her neckline, then wrapped around the back of her head.

His large, strong, manly hand.

It sent tingling sensations all over her body.

His body, his lips were soft. Initially exploring her gently, he gradually quickened his pace.