An Instinctive Proposal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
Yeon Woo’s eyes widened at the unimaginable proposal.
The two people’s gazes collided hotly.
“Secretary Seo.”
“…Yes, President.”
“Do you know you’re pretty?”
It felt like her heart had dropped all the way to her navel.
Yeon Woo stared at Tae Han in front of her, feeling as if she were dreaming.
A chilling intuition swept down her entire body.
That if she gave in to Tae Han in this moment, it could lead to something extremely dangerous.
That she might end up loving him far too deeply, and unable to bear that depth, she could throw herself into a pit of fire at any moment.
“That’s why you sometimes get on my nerves.”
Yet Yeon Woo couldn’t bring herself to shake off Tae Han’s hand gripping the back of her neck.
It wasn’t submission born from hierarchy. She herself didn’t want to escape his touch.
Tae Han had never once properly looked at her until now.
Even when she reported, his eyes stayed only on documents or the monitor, and when she greeted him, he never bothered to nod properly.
But those chance moments when their eyes met, those glances that brushed past like the wind.
Those things had piled up one by one, forming a mass.
And the fact that this experience wasn’t hers alone felt unbelievable.
“Don’t you like it?”
After suddenly trying to kiss her, Tae Han demanded an answer from Yeon Woo, whose mind had gone completely blank from shock.
Asking if she didn’t like it.
If he asked like that, what answer could she possibly give?
Among the countless words associated with Ki Tae Han, “dislike” simply didn’t exist.
Even if she regretted it later—or even one minute from now—she had not a single speck of will to push him away.
“I…”
Yeon Woo gasped for air like a goldfish pulled out of its tank. Otherwise, she felt she wouldn’t be able to control these overwhelming emotions.
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, President.”
Even hidden in darkness, her flushed expression must be completely visible in his eyes.
“If you’re doing this out of curiosity, please don’t.”
“Is my curiosity bad for you?”
Only after he asked did Yeon Woo realize she couldn’t answer. There was only one possible response.
It wasn’t curiosity for her.
Unlike Tae Han, who would cool off once his curiosity was satisfied, hers would be something she kept and carried for life.
“So you do like me.”
Tae Han smiled silently. She didn’t know what the smile meant, but Yeon Woo’s heart began pounding wildly.
“I’m going to kiss you.”
“N—”
Even though she was already hurt, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. It wasn’t because she feared falling out of favor with her boss.
A kiss with Ki Tae Han.
Something she had never dared imagine even for a moment while secretly loving him.
Her hesitation dragged on without finishing her words. Tae Han, who had been locking eyes with her up close, began to change the look in his eyes.
“If you don’t want it, push me away.”
In an instant, he closed the distance and grabbed the strands of hair flowing down her cheek.
“Presi—!”
Before she could even finish calling him, her lips were sealed.
Yeon Woo had no choice but to surrender her lips defenselessly.
Tae Han’s strength was overwhelming. With just a simple, light touch, he made it impossible for her to move.
Yet that fleeting sensation was so sweet and arousing it made her hair stand on end, and her knees threatened to buckle right then and there.
“Ah!”
When her body flinched, Tae Han pulled her by the nape again without hesitation and kissed her deeper.
Like someone suffering from severe thirst desperately replenishing water, he urgently sucked on her lips and explored every corner of her mouth.
For Yeon Woo, who had lived without knowing men while raising a child alone with Sun Ok, it was a shocking sensation.
But she didn’t want to push him away or hesitate.
The bitter taste of alcohol.
Yet in the end, it turned sweet.
Yeon Woo couldn’t even breathe properly and simply followed Tae Han’s movements.
“Haa, haa.”
But she couldn’t take any more. She felt like she might faint from lack of oxygen.
When Yeon Woo pushed him, Tae Han surprisingly stepped back obediently.
He watched her gasping for breath with narrowed eyes, then met her gaze as she bit her saliva-slicked lips and lifted her head.
“Caught your breath?”
From his eyes, his voice, the energy radiating from his entire body, Yeon Woo instinctively knew tonight wouldn’t end with just a kiss.
If she was going to stop, it had to be now.
If things went any further, it was obvious that it wouldn’t be him who got deeply hurt—it would be her.
Yet Yeon Woo nodded. As if possessed, she didn’t push him away.
As expected, Tae Han crashed his lips against hers again.
She had never imagined that the lips which only ever gave work orders could be this hot, this soft, this blissful.
The kiss continued endlessly, and Yeon Woo practically melted into his arms.
She felt like she might cry.
Faced with this first-time experience, her emotions no longer felt like her own.
She was shaken by Tae Han, precariously close to bursting the moment he decided to crush her.
The long kiss finally ended when they were both out of breath.
Their ragged breathing scattered. Facing him so closely, Yeon Woo felt a dizzying sensation she had never experienced before.
It was an emotion closely tied to instinct.
Tae Han gazed intently at Yeon Woo, whose lower lip was trembling from tension, then murmured with still-narrowed eyes.
“I’ll take you home.”
His pronunciation and voice didn’t sound drunk at all, which somehow made her heart pound even harder.
“…It’s okay.”
After kissing him so passionately, she didn’t have the courage to casually accept a ride in his car.
She was still dazed and needed time to sort out what on earth had just happened.
Tae Han stared straight at Yeon Woo, as if trying to read her thoughts.
Then, as if he might kiss her again at any moment, he slowly traced the delicate lines of her face.
“Seo Yeon Woo.”
Like a lie, her name came from his lips.
“Do you have to go home tonight?”
The Tae Han asking that had eyes that were more than just a man seducing a woman.
She knew everything—what he wanted, what he intended—yet Yeon Woo still hadn’t been able to answer.
Because truthfully, she didn’t hate it.
Even though she was scared and afraid, rejecting him simply wasn’t an option for her.
“…No.”
Her answer was small, but he heard it clearly.
The moment she noticed his eyes change, Tae Han straightened up.
“Call Driver Park. Tell him to leave the key and go home.”
Yeon Woo’s heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe.
***
The Tae Han she felt that night left Yeon Woo with a sensation she could never forget.
She had never known a man’s body could be this strong and beautiful.
“Yeon Woo.”
In his arms, Yeon Woo experienced an indescribable, intense thrill.
The sweat that kept seeping in only made her burn hotter.
But she didn’t think he felt the same way. It was just that he had drunk a lot, and by chance, she happened to be by his side.
Thinking that way made it easier to calm the body and heart that had been swept away all night.
***
Ring—ring—ring—
Early in the morning, the alarm rang energetically.
Morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains she hadn’t fully closed.
“Haaa…”
Yeon Woo let out a long sigh and pressed her hot, swollen eyelids—she hadn’t slept all night.
She had a dream she hadn’t had in a long time.
From the day she first met Tae Han to the night their child was conceived.
Yeon Woo took a deep breath, stopped thinking about it, and got out of bed.
It looked like another nice day. The yellow sunlight hitting her face was blinding.
While preparing to go to work, her phone rang. For some reason, the caller was Sun Ok.
She had been planning to contact Sun Ok once her resignation was finalized anyway.
“Yeah, Mom.”
—Daughter. Did you sleep well?
Hearing that ever-gentle voice, Yeon Woo’s expression softened.
But at the same time, her heart felt heavy because she still hadn’t told her mother about her situation.
She couldn’t predict how Sun Ok would react.
Even knowing this call wasn’t about her circumstances, Yeon Woo couldn’t help feeling a sting in her chest.
“Yeah. I slept well. How about you, Mom?”
—Mom always sleeps well. Anyway, can you come home this weekend?
“Is something going on?”
She visited Cheonan once a month, but it was rare for Sun Ok to ask her to come first. She had just stayed there on vacation not long ago.
—The professor is apparently coming to Korea for the first time in a while.
“Huh? The professor? The lady I know?”
Her eyes widened at the unexpected topic.
The person Sun Ok called “Professor” was their former neighbor who had looked after the two of them like family when Yeon Woo was young, and who was also Gyu Bin’s mother—the one whose photo still sat on Yeon Woo’s desk.
—Yes. You remember her too, right? We talked about Gyu Bin not long ago.
Of course she remembered.
Back then, feeling sorry for Yeon Woo growing up in a single-parent home, she had constantly brought over rice, eggs, and all sorts of things, saying there was extra at home.
They had parted ways when she suddenly moved to America around the time Yeon Woo started high school.
—She adored you so much when you were little, and the first thing she asked about was you.
“When did she arrive in Korea?”
—I think the day before yesterday. Fate really is fate. We’re planning to meet this weekend, and I thought it would be good if you came too.
“Of course I should go.”
She had thought they lost contact completely and felt sad about it, but thankfully there had been a neighbor who stayed in touch.
—Gyu Bin is coming too.
“Really?”
Yeon Woo’s face immediately lit up with joy.
“He must have grown so much. I’m curious how he’s changed.”
Gyu Bin had been her classmate and best friend. In middle school they had even been desk partners, so the time spent with him was an unforgettable part of her life.
“Then I’ll head straight there after work on Friday. I should bring some tasty treats.”
—Okay. You know those Korean desserts you always pick out well—bring a lot. She’s been in America so long she probably doesn’t know them.
She had thought it would be a heavy morning, but the good news lifted her mood a little.
“Got it. See you Friday, Mom.”
—Sweetie, even if work is busy, sleep well and eat properly, okay?
“Yes.”
It was the same advice as always, and Yeon Woo was about to say she had to get ready for work when—
—Everything’s okay though, right?
“Huh?”
Suddenly Sun Ok asked something unusual.
“Everything’s fine… Why?”
—Oh, nothing—it’s just that I saw you in my dream last night. And not just once, a few times, so I wondered if something had happened.
When the flustered Yeon Woo couldn’t answer, Sun Ok laughed lightly and continued.
—If something had happened, my daughter would have called me first. Since you didn’t, I wasn’t too worried.
“Uh-huh…”
Yeon Woo’s heart trembled.
But she quickly forced a bright voice.
“Nothing’s wrong, so don’t worry. I’ll bring the things you like on Friday too.”
After saying goodbye, Yeon Woo hung up and stood there for a long while.
Guilt for keeping this from Sun Ok.
But she couldn’t stay buried in emotions forever.
She had to go to work right now.
Which meant seeing Tae Han’s face again in one hour.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
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aah, serim really messed up.
claimed to know everything but in reality know nothing.
allergic reaction could be really dangerous.