Boiling Desire (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
Ha Joon had dried Seo Ah’s hair somewhat and come into the powder room.
It was time to blow-dry her hair.
This time, fortunately, he stood behind her to dry it, but Seo Ah couldn’t bring herself to look at his reflection in the mirror and kept her eyes tightly shut.
Thanks to that, Ha Joon could freely gaze at her.
Her head looked so small and delicate that even slight pressure might hurt—so he stroked it as gently as possible.
As her hair dried, he wasn’t sure whether its soft, fluffy texture tickled his hand… or his heart.
“It seems done now.”
“Yeah. Looks like it.”
Ha Joon couldn’t hide his disappointment, but it was time for him to wash up and get ready too.
He turned off the dryer and turned toward the bathroom—but paused briefly when he heard her soft voice from behind.
“Thank you.”
Ha Joon found himself smiling unconsciously. Seo Ah didn’t see it, though.
While Ha Joon was showering, Seo Ah painstakingly finished her makeup with her still-awkward hand.
Soon after, she entered the dressing room to change clothes—but grew fidgety.
Ha Joon was already there, adjusting his outfit.
Normally, she’d only start getting ready after Ha Joon left for work, so their paths had never crossed like this before.
“Um… Could you leave once you’re done?”
“Why should I?”
Caught off guard by his unexpected reply, Seo Ah’s eyes widened. Had she known this would happen, she’d have changed clothes while he wasn’t around.
She needed to change quickly and fix her hair—arguing was pointless, so she gathered her clothes and headed for the door to change in another room instead.
But Ha Joon blocked her path.
“What’s the big deal between husband and wife? I’ll just change right here too.”
“But…”
She’d never actually seen him undressed, yet somehow she felt certain he’d openly watch her. That would be far too embarrassing!
“M-move aside. We’re running out of time.”
“Hmph.”
Ha Joon let out a quiet chuckle—and surprisingly stepped aside without further protest. Probably because being late would only hurt him; they had to reach the airport on time.
After changing, Seo Ah sat back down at the vanity.
Traces from Ha Joon the previous night were faintly visible—and though she could probably hide them with her hair, no one else would notice, yet she couldn’t stop worrying about it herself. She also feared a breeze might expose her neck completely.
Just then,
Ha Joon, who had quietly approached, slipped one hand deep beneath her hair and wrapped a scarf around her neck.
Startled by the sudden warmth and size of his hand, Seo Ah flinched all over.
“Anyone seeing that might think I’m about to devour you. How can you act sweetly on screen if you jump at something like this?”
Ha Joon finished tying the scarf and spoke in a low voice.
“…You’re quite skilled at this.”
Of course not. There’d been a reason Ha Joon had blocked her path earlier and then stepped aside so readily—he’d noticed the mark he’d left behind.
When he’d bathed her, she’d had a towel covering her neck, and while blow-drying, he’d stood behind her and hadn’t seen it.
He’d wondered how best to conceal it—and thought a scarf would work well. Wanting to do it himself, he’d even looked up how to tie it properly.
Unaware of this, Seo Ah felt sour. How could this young master, accustomed to everything being done for him, tie such a perfect knot? Had he done the same for other women—covering their marks too?
He’d even picked a scarf that perfectly matched her outfit. Clearly, this wasn’t his first time.
Come to think of it, even bathing her and drying her hair felt like things he might have done identically for other women. Though clumsy and awkward, it had all seemed like acting.
At that thought, the excitement she’d felt just moments ago cooled completely.
She’d been thrilled at the idea of her first trip alone with Ha Joon—even if it was just for show, simply dating him had felt wonderful. Now, she needed to regain her composure.
“No excessive physical affection—just holding hands or resting a hand on your shoulder is fine, so stop jumping every time. You can even link arms first if you’d like.”
“I will.”
Ha Joon was baffled by her sudden coldness again.
He’d put up with her restless sleep the night before, bathed her that morning, and even tied a scarf for her own sake—what more could she possibly be unhappy about?
In the car headed to the airport,
Ha Joon suddenly wondered why cats knead with their paws—thanks to Seo Ah’s restless sleep the previous night.
Humans and cats were obviously different, but it was just idle curiosity.
“Secretary Kim, you said you have a cat, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you happen to know why cats knead like that?”
Seo Ah, who had been gazing out the window, turned to look between Ha Joon and Seok Hoon with a puzzled expression at his random question.
“There are several reasons. It can be an imprinted behavior from when they nursed—pressing their mother’s belly to stimulate milk flow. Sometimes it’s to create a safe, comfortable spot to sleep. And occasionally, female cats do it to attract males.”
Female cats attracting males?! Flustered, Seo Ah quickly looked back out the window. She found it strange that Seok Hoon could speak so casually about something potentially awkward.
Ha Joon, too, was slightly thrown by the unexpected explanation. Maybe he should’ve asked when Seo Ah wasn’t around?
Regardless, Seok Hoon continued answering his boss’s question faithfully.
“It’s also a way to mark territory—so owners love it when their cats knead them.”
Seok Hoon smiled fondly, thinking of his own cat.
For some reason, Ha Joon’s face grew warm.
Of course Seo Ah’s behavior couldn’t possibly stem from the same reason—but part of him wished she’d done it because she saw him that way.
“But why ask that all of a sudden? Are you thinking of getting a cat?”
“No. Just got curious out of nowhere.”
“Just…?” Ha Joon wasn’t the type to ask pointless questions. While Seok Hoon looked puzzled, they arrived at the airport.
Seok Hoon opened the door, and Ha Joon stepped out first, offering his hand to Seo Ah.
She placed her hand in his without hesitation, and Ha Joon gently clasped it.
Holding hands for appearances was something he’d done naturally since childhood.
Yet whether then or now, Seo Ah’s heart raced wildly—as if he were clutching her heart instead of her hand.
She clearly felt wronged by him, yet her heart still fluttered. She felt pathetic.
“What’s our schedule today? Will we stay at the hotel the whole time?”
As reporters began taking photos, Ha Joon casually started a conversation. Walking silently with a blank expression would look too unnatural.
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
“Have you thought about what to do tomorrow?”
“There is somewhere I’d like to go…”
“Where?”
“The equestrian center.”
“Horseback riding?”
Ha Joon looked at Seo Ah in surprise. She didn’t seem like the active type at all—but seeing her slightly flushed expression, he guessed she must enjoy it.
“Do you know how to ride?”
“I’m not very good, but… in my third year of middle school, I went on a graduation trip to Jeju Island. There was a horse I met there. I don’t know if it’s still around…”
After that, she’d gone to study in France, so she’d never had a chance to visit again. She’d been thinking about it ever since Min Jung invited her to Jeju.
“Alright, then.”
Seo Ah brightened visibly, a full smile blooming on her lips. She’d assumed this was just a staged date and that she’d have to go along with whatever he wanted.
Ha Joon glanced at her and a faint smile touched his lips too.
Meanwhile, their affectionate moment was already spreading online in real time.
Just then, a woman approached.
“Oh? Ha Joon.”
“…Where are you headed?”
That was Ha Joon’s reaction upon seeing her—no greeting, just asking where she was going. They must be really close, Seo Ah thought, struggling to keep her expression neutral.
“What’s with no greeting? When you see someone unexpectedly, you’re supposed to say, ‘Wow, what a surprise! I’m so glad to see you here!’”
“Well, ‘what a surprise’ just means something happened, so I asked where you’re going. Besides, I’m not that glad—and we saw each other a week ago.”
A week ago? What kind of relationship did they have? Had they met alone? Seo Ah’s pupils flickered slightly.
“Ugh, honestly, you never change.”
Giving up on a warm greeting, the woman turned her attention to Seo Ah.
“Nice to meet you. You know who I am, right?”
Seo Ah’s eyes darted nervously. Was she supposed to recognize her? Could she be Ha Joon’s relative? Or someone connected to Tae Sung Group?
Seeing Seo Ah’s discomfort, Ha Joon spoke up.
“You only saw her briefly at the wedding—how would you recognize her?”
Ah, the wedding! Seo Ah scrambled to recall. Back then, she’d exchanged greetings with countless unfamiliar faces and couldn’t remember a single one.
She hadn’t even recognized her own relatives until later, when she studied photos to memorize them. This woman definitely didn’t ring a bell…
“What if I said I’m the one who’ll inherit Hyo Sung Gallery?”
“Oh! Are you… artist Kim Ji Young?”
Seo Ah’s expression brightened again. She knew of Kim Ji Young from Hyo Sung Gallery—though she’d never paid much attention to her face.
“That’s right. Ha Joon and I have been classmates since kindergarten through elementary, middle, and high school. Now that I say it out loud, it sounds exhausting. We just kept ending up at the same top-tier schools—it couldn’t be helped.”
Seo Ah knew this well too. Most children of wealthy families attended a set list of elite schools.
Though such schools were inaccessible to most, as the daughter of a chaebol family herself, she could have attended if she’d wanted—but she lacked the confidence to compete fiercely with them.
Sometimes, watching how close they were, she’d felt envious.
“Anyway, are you going to Jeju?”
Ji Young’s gaze shifted to Ha Joon’s hand holding Seo Ah’s, then lifted her head again.
“Oh… You’re on business, then?”
Seo Ah’s heart sank a little. They were holding hands, yet Ji Young asked if it was business. Wouldn’t most people assume it was a trip or a date?
“We should go now. Let’s go.”
Ha Joon, sensing no need to respond, tugged Seo Ah along by the hand.
Ji Young paused briefly, then quickly followed them.
“I’m going to Jeju too.”
“Okay.”
“I booked the same hotel as you.”
“Okay.”
Ha Joon kept walking, replying indifferently.
Ji Young, unfazed by his attitude, kept talking as she followed—leaving Seo Ah bewildered. Either Ji Young was naturally talkative, or she was extremely close to Ha Joon. Somehow, Seo Ah suspected the latter, leaving her feeling unsettled.
“I’ve got loyalty, you know. This is a secret from Chan Woo.”
Chan Woo was the heir apparent of DK Hotel, Tae Sung Hotel’s rival.
“I wouldn’t have minded staying at DK, but people who are meant to come will come anyway. Making them want to come—that’s what our hotel does. And you came because you wanted to, right?”
“…Are you sure you’re not making me *not* want to come?”
For the first time, Ji Young’s ever-smiling expression twisted slightly.
“That’s your call to make.”
Ji Young stopped in her tracks, but Ha Joon kept walking without a second glance.
Caught between them, Seo Ah grew anxious. To keep up with Ha Joon’s slightly widened stride, she had to scurry alongside him.
On the other hand, she was somewhat relieved—his coldness wasn’t reserved just for her. He treated other women the same way too.
On the plane to Jeju Island,
Seo Ah, exhausted from waking up in the early hours to get ready, had already fallen asleep. Ha Joon unfolded the blanket he’d set aside and gently covered her.
Bright sunlight illuminated her face, making her already fair, clear complexion glow even more.
He wanted to admire her a little longer, but the sun was climbing higher—its rays heading straight for her eyes.
She might wake up blinded by the glare, so he lowered the window shade for her.
Still, he was worried. How were they supposed to share a hotel room for two nights? With so many watching eyes, they couldn’t book separate rooms—or even a room with two beds.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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He is soon cold 🥶 why he can’t just be honest with her