An Instinctive Proposal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 37
While Yeon Woo’s flustered face turned crimson, Tae Han approached, holding popcorn and cola in both hands.
“What’s wrong? Is there an issue with the tickets?”
Seeing her frozen in embarrassment, he tilted his head as if puzzled and leaned in to check the tickets.
“Oh, no. There’s no problem.”
For some reason, Yeon Woo felt too shy to show him the movie title and flipped the ticket over.
Tae Han wore a confused expression, seeming genuinely unaware of anything unusual.
“Or did I book the wrong seats?”
“No, it really is the number one movie on the charts right now.”
Yeon Woo gave an awkward smile.
She had wanted to see “Our Relationship” because it was made by a world-famous director.
Even Yeon Woo, who normally had little interest in films, couldn’t ignore the universal acclaim for its artistic merit and buzz.
The only catch—it was rumored that couples kept rewatching it precisely because its love scenes were beyond imagination.
She never dreamed she’d be watching a film like this with Tae Han, and cold sweat trickled down her spine.
But soon, she steeled her resolve.
She decided to treat this as a chance to finally see the movie she’d wanted to watch.
After all, both she and Tae Han were adults—there was nothing wrong with watching a slightly spicy film!
“Then let’s go in—it’s time.”
Having firmly made up her mind, Yeon Woo marched ahead with determined confidence.
However, Yeon Woo’s bold momentum quickly crumbled.
As the pre-show ads played, the two sat side by side, eating popcorn.
The popcorn, recommended by a theater staff member, was half caramel, half cheese—Yeon Woo’s absolute favorite—and the perfect balance of sweet and savory was heavenly.
Yet she couldn’t even murmur how delicious it was.
“Looks like Director Kim really planned this for today.”
Of all things, they’d gotten couple seats.
It was her first time sitting pressed tightly next to him in such a private space, with no armrest between them and only a flimsy divider for separation.
If only it ended there—but hearing couples all around them kissing loudly, Yeon Woo earnestly hoped the movie would just start already.
Since when did movie theaters become so open and intimate?
She glanced sideways at Tae Han, who sat perilously close—almost, but not quite, touching her shoulder—and swallowed a piece of popcorn.
“The popcorn… is really good.”
But Tae Han said nothing, only continuing to chew.
Her attempt to lighten the awkward atmosphere was instantly silenced by his quietness.
Like first-time viewers of movie ads, the two simply stared silently at the screen.
Then, suddenly feeling her throat dry, Yeon Woo fumbled for a straw and brought it to her lips.
“The clerk recommended this set since we’re sharing.”
Of all things, he’d bought the couple set—just one giant cola with two straws.
For a moment, she was stunned by the sight of the yellow and blue straws poking side by side into the cup, but she quickly adjusted.
“Should I go buy another drink?”
Perhaps she’d eaten too quickly just to distract herself from the embarrassment.
A moment later, Tae Han lightly shook the empty popcorn tub and asked,
“No, this was plenty.”
Now feeling awkward again, Yeon Woo finally brushed off her hands and wiped away cheese crumbs with a napkin.
But without chewing to distract her, the sound of couples kissing around her became even more vivid and intrusive.
Just as she reached for the cola again to do something—anything—to ease her nerves,
her fingertips brushed something warm.
Instinctively recognizing it as Tae Han’s hand, she jerked back—only for him to lift the cup and press the straw to her lips.
“Uh, that’s my straw…”
Tae Han paused mid-sip, glanced down at the straw, and asked blandly,
“Really?”
“It’s the yellow one.”
“I didn’t know.”
His expression was so nonchalant, as if he truly hadn’t known, almost innocent.
“How could you not notice? They’re different colors.”
“It’s too dark to tell.”
She supposed that was fair if you weren’t paying close attention to the colors, so Yeon Woo closed her mouth.
Still, her face wouldn’t cool down, heated by the surrounding atmosphere.
She wasn’t some teenage girl—what was the big deal about lips touching the same straw?
She silently told herself to stop overthinking him.
Finally, the movie began.
It opened on a cozy alley lined with townhouses, with the female lead walking home carrying groceries.
Though previously unknown, the actress was now gaining recognition through this film, and her gentle, pure aura fit the role perfectly.
Thinking the serene mood of the film suited her well, Yeon Woo stole a glance at Tae Han beside her.
His profile, focused intently on the screen, looked strikingly handsome—
so much so that for two hours, she found herself wanting to watch his face more than the movie itself.
Suddenly, Tae Han turned his head and looked directly at Yeon Woo.
The moment their eyes met, she flinched visibly and instinctively reached for the cola—
only to accidentally grope his thigh instead.
‘Ah!’
She swiftly corrected her hand’s direction, grabbed the cup, and hastily put the straw to her lips.
‘Am I going crazy?’
The firm yet warm sensation on her fingertips wouldn’t fade.
…But then, the feeling of the straw against her lips seemed oddly unfamiliar.
Just as she was too afraid to even check the straw’s color,
“Isn’t that my straw?”
Tae Han’s low voice slipped into her ears.
Yeon Woo yanked her lips away as if burned and checked—the straw was unmistakably blue, even in the dim light.
“I—I’m so sorry.”
Her whispered apology came from a face now burning beyond redemption.
Meanwhile, the film cut to a new scene—the heroine trudging up a staircase.
For a fleeting moment, Yeon Woo thought it resembled her family home in Cheonan—
when suddenly, the front door swung open and a man’s hand shot out.
He pulled the woman inside and immediately pressed his lips to hers, and then…
‘Hey! Didn’t we agree to wait for the “spicy” part until after we started dating?’
She’d never expected such a passionate scene right from the start, leaving her flustered.
-Waited for you. Come quick.
The male lead’s whiny line sent shivers down her spine.
For a moment, Yeon Woo forgot her embarrassment, her eyes lingering on the tightly entwined couple.
Even knowing it was just acting, she was stirred by the mix of comfort, intimacy, and heat radiating between them.
Memories she’d forcibly suppressed resurfaced—her one night with Tae Han.
Had they looked like the couple on screen?
She couldn’t quite recall. She remembered intense heat, but not comfort or ease—
only roughness, overwhelming force, and a torrent she couldn’t control.
Yet later, she’d drifted into deep sleep, feeling protected.
That’s why she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the couple on screen.
Meanwhile, Tae Han’s gaze wasn’t on the movie—but on Yeon Woo.
He found it quietly amusing to watch her surprised reactions to the love scenes from the very beginning.
In the semi-darkness—just enough light from the screen to barely make out faces—Yeon Woo still glowed.
Tae Han’s eyes narrowed slightly in realization.
Had Seo Yeon Woo always been this beautiful?
He knew her eyes were large, but now they sparkled like precious gems.
He couldn’t look away—from how her eyelashes fluttered, shielding and then revealing her trembling pupils.
He watched her for a very long time.
For the first time, a strange feeling welled up inside him.
By the time the movie ended, it was deep into the night.
Yeon Woo got into Tae Han’s car without refusing his offer to drive her home and stayed silent, caught in the lingering emotion of the film.
True to its acclaim, the movie had left a deep impression on her.
As rumored, the explosive love scenes in the second half were so intense they felt almost out-of-body—but she thought it beautifully portrayed what mature love truly meant.
The night view at the film’s ending looked just like the scenery she was seeing now.
“Thank you for the movie.”
Tae Han, gripping the steering wheel, briefly met her eyes at her belated thanks.
“Did you enjoy it? You seemed really focused.”
“Yes. Now I understand why it’s so popular. How about you, sir?”
Tae Han was silent for a moment before answering as he turned the wheel at an intersection.
“Same here.”
Truthfully, Tae Han couldn’t recall much of the movie’s plot.
All that remained vivid—so vivid it might haunt his dreams—was Seo Yeon Woo’s face as she watched it.
Every expression: frowning, tearing up, laughing broadly, furrowing her brow—each was crystal clear in his mind.
It was wonderful.
And beautiful.
He realized his current emotional state was unlike his usual self—but he felt powerless to change it.
This was a first.
Though his body had always moved before his mind when it came to Yeon Woo, this was the first time merely looking at her face made his heart ache with such intensity.
Where exactly was this feeling coming from?
And so, each lost in their own thoughts, they fell into silence.
“Thank you for the ride.”
Thanks to the late hour, they arrived at Yeon Woo’s place in no time.
As she opened the door to leave after her thanks, Tae Han caught her wrist.
“Wait.”
She turned to find him watching her, one hand resting on the steering wheel.
“About what I said earlier… do you need time to think it over?”
Yeon Woo immediately knew what he meant.
She gave a faint smile.
“No. I already know my answer—I just couldn’t say it earlier because I was too flustered.”
“What is it? Don’t tell me you’re rejecting me.”
“Yes.”
Tae Han frowned, genuinely unable to understand.
“Even after everything I said—you still won’t change your mind, Secretary Seo?”
“What exactly did you say?”
“I told you that night—that I was serious.”
Those beautiful, gem-like eyes held him steadily.
“I came on this date with special feelings.”
Her clear eyes, dyed in shifting hues by the ambient light, gazed directly at him.
Tae Han was both moved and frustrated by how deeply that look affected him.
“Sir… how much did you really think about it today?”
An unexpected question reached his ears.
“What do you mean?”
“If you don’t even understand my question, then you haven’t thought about it at all.”
His brow twitched at her gentle but firm smile, and Yeon Woo continued softly yet firmly,
“I’m going to marry a man who loves me.”
“…”
“This isn’t a lie—it’s the truth.”
Having just watched a film so steeped in love, Yeon Woo felt more strongly than ever that she never wanted to be a wife who only pined for her husband.
After saying she’d see him tomorrow, Yeon Woo quickly opened the passenger door and stepped out.
Tae Han remained frozen in place, watching her leave.
“Love…?”
In that moment, a word that had never existed in his life rolled into his heart and settled there with a quiet thud.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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aah, serim really messed up.
claimed to know everything but in reality know nothing.
allergic reaction could be really dangerous.