At that moment, the car turned off the asphalt road onto an unpaved path. The rough ride made Dajeong jostle, and Jaeho held her hand, speaking softly.
“It won’t be long. Just this stretch, and the road gets better.”
He wanted to offer more comfort, but words didn’t come easily. Even simple words like “you’ve grown up well” felt inadequate, something only someone ignorant would say.
Dajeong had not grown up well. Jaeho was well aware of the insomnia and nightmares she often shared on the fan club’s message board.
The children left behind, the survivors, they didn’t grow up well either. So…
Thud!
Suddenly, the car made a loud noise and jerked. Jaeho reflexively stretched out his arm to secure Dajeong’s safety.
“Are you okay?”
The car had tilted entirely towards Dajeong’s side. Jaeho quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and looked at her.
Her eyes, already round, seemed even larger with surprise. Jaeho leaned in closer and asked again.
“Are you okay? Did you get scared? Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Fine? Your face has gone pale.”
“It just startled me because of the loud noise…”
“Wait here. I’ll go check.”
Jaeho got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to inspect it. As expected, the tire was grotesquely twisted and deflated. It was too dark to see clearly, but it looked like it had been completely torn by something.
He searched his pockets for his phone but realized he didn’t have it. Jaeho knocked on the passenger window. Dajeong peeked out.
“Can I have your phone?”
“Ah, I just realized, I think I left my phone back at the lodge. What should we do?”
“Ah… Then can you check my side? My phone should be there. No, I’ll go.”
The unexpected turn of events on their journey added another layer to their already complex evening.
Jaeho returned to his seat and searched for his phone in likely places, but his phone was nowhere to be seen. He seemed to have left it on the sofa while hurriedly grabbing a blanket earlier. It was a troubling situation.
“Looks like we need to call for emergency services.”
“What should we do? Your car must be expensive.”
Jaeho chuckled softly.
“Is that what’s important right now?”
“…”
“The problem is we don’t have any means of communication.”
They fell into silence for a moment. Jaeho quickly surveyed the surrounding terrain. There were no visible buildings or passing cars.
“Sorry… I thought I had my phone.”
Dajeong also looked around.
“Why apologize? I was careless too.”
“…”
“It seems we ran over some sharp metal or farming equipment.”
Their car stood still in the middle of a dark, deserted road, far from the main road and still a long way from their seaside destination – truly in the middle of nowhere.
The sound of crickets filled the air. The sweet ballads playing on the radio contrasted starkly with their situation, making Dajeong laugh.
“Pfft…”
Jaeho watched her with amusement.
“Hahaha… I don’t know. It’s just funny.”
Dajeong kept laughing.
“The situation is just… too perfect.”
Like a scene from a play.
A classic event that newly dating couples would be most flustered by had just unfolded before them.
A soft curve appeared on Jaeho’s lips, too, as he watched Dajeong laugh. Was laughter contagious? His usually sharp and intellectual eyes squinted slightly.
“I can only see your lips even now.”
“!”
“…What? Am I a pervert?”
Dajeong, who had been laughing heartily, looked at Jaeho in disbelief.
“Are you asking me that?”
“Who else is there to ask?”
“Hmm. Seems like it.”
“You think I’m a pervert?”
“Yes.”
Jaeho reached out with his long arm, grabbed the back of Dajeong’s neck, and turned her head towards him. Her laughter gradually faded, replaced by surprise, and then her cheeks flushed.
“Can I?”
“Do what…”
“I want to keep doing it.”
“…”
“Because I’m a pervert.”
His hand that held the back of her neck moved down to her chin, resting just below her lips. Jaeho raised his thumb and gently stroked her lips.
“Wasn’t our apology the other day a bit short?”
Then, audaciously, he parted her lips and slipped a finger inside. Dajeong, with his finger partially in her mouth, looked embarrassed.
His finger moved further in, brushing against the soft mucous membrane. Jaeho withdrew his hand, replacing the now-vacated spot with his warmed lips.
Sweet and dizzying breaths mingled.
“We need to think of a way back…”
Dajeong’s urgent voice was swallowed by him. Despite the need for rational thought in the situation, she kept losing strength in her body. Her lips felt melted. His breath, pressing against her pressed lips, felt like the entire world.
The air inside the car ripened densely. Soft, sultry breaths quickly escalated their breathing. Jaeho was the first to break their lip lock.
“It’s too far to walk. And dangerous.”
“…”
“I remember the way. There’s a lodge not far from here.”
Dajeong’s eyes fluttered.
“Let’s sleep there and go.”
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
