A gentle smile that seemed to embrace everything formed on Sungjun’s lips.
When Sungjun accepted the apology graciously, Yura felt a sense of relief.
“I’m sorry. You must have felt frustrated because I didn’t respond to your messages or calls, right? I’m really sorry. I didn’t know how to apologize, and I couldn’t give you an answer.”
“Ms. Yura seemed to be feeling that way, so I came to see you. I thought we should calmly talk about it together.”
From Sungjun’s perspective, it must have been uncomfortable to be involved with his female friend’s friend.
He probably wanted to meet directly to neatly settle the unfortunate incident before it leaked out.
‘Yes, let’s wrap things up properly and move on.’
Bowing deeply, Yura apologized.
“Is there anything to talk about? It’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”
“I’m really okay, so you don’t need to apologize anymore.”
His warm voice was full of consideration.
Suddenly, Yura felt an inexplicable and subtle emotion and looked intently at Sungjun.
Sungjun calmly continued, “About that kiss, did you mistake me for Mr. Seong Jihoon?”
“Yes. It might sound like an excuse, but it was a mistake I’ve never made before.”
“I see.”
“Before I started dating, I never engaged in physical contact. It just happened because I drank too much.”
Sungjun nodded as if he completely understood.
“Creating relationships without responsibility is not my style. I always take responsibility if I engage in physical contact.”
“Ah, I see.”
‘Well, I’ve already restored my image to some extent.’ Yura listened to Sungjun’s words without much thought.
Now, all that remained was to finish things cleanly.
With a hesitant smile, Yura cautiously spoke.
“Director Kim, let’s agree that my mistake from that time never happened. Naturally, it’s an absolute secret from Jaeyin and Team Leader Cha.”
“I can’t agree.”
“What?”
Yura’s eyes widened at Sungjun’s unexpected reaction.
On the other hand, Sungjun had a calm face without a hint of hesitation.
“I didn’t make a mistake.”
If it wasn’t a mistake, then what?
Yura asked, bewildered.
“What are you saying?”
“Since we kissed, I’ll take responsibility for you, Ms. Choi Yura.”
Who, and what would he take responsibility for?
Yura felt a sudden surge of clarity, as if she had been struck on the back of her head.
“Since then, Ms. Yura, you’ve been on my mind. Perhaps it’s because of that kiss after a long time…”
“Stop! That’s enough!”
Yura blushed and hastily interrupted Sungjun.
This guy!
“Director Kim, are you easily looking down on me just because the man I liked ran away?”
“No.”
“But why are you acting like this so boldly?”
“I mentioned it a while ago. It’s my principle to take responsibility if there’s any physical contact.”
Yura was taken aback by Sungjun’s sincere gaze.
Sungjun continued with a slight smile, “And if we talk about looking down on someone, isn’t it you, Yura, who kissed first?”
“Excuse me, Director Kim…”
“It’s Kim Sungjun. Call me ‘Sungjun’ like the first day we had pig trotters.”
How could he make such a chicken-skin request so politely?
Yura thought she might get swept away if she didn’t be careful and snapped back to attention.
“Okay. Sungjun, of course, the kiss was my fault. I’ve already apologized for it, and Director Kim has accepted my apology. Right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then isn’t the conversation over? It’s not like it’s the Joseon era, and taking responsibility just because we had some physical contact doesn’t make sense.”
“I’m a bit old-fashioned, and besides, I liked the other person very much. The kiss was really good.”
Because of Sungjun, who threw provocative words without batting an eyelid with a courteous face like a nobleman, Yura lost her words.
Suddenly, Sungjun moved to sit next to her and asked, “Ms. Yura, don’t you like me?”
…!
Honestly, Sungjun was charming, gentle, and handsome, and his face was exactly Yura’s type.
The problem was that he looked exactly like Seong Jihoon.
It was too short to call it a relationship, but it was a bit awkward to start dating a man who looked exactly like the one she broke up with just a few days ago.
It wasn’t even a subway transfer.
Yura firmly rejected, moving her body backward.
“I have zero interest in Sungjun. And it was just a mistake to confuse you with someone else, so you don’t have to take responsibility.”
“That’s awkward. It goes against my principles.”
Ah, frustrating!
Yura burst out without realizing, feeling like her insides were going to explode.
“You’re not a child, and are you really acting like this just because of a little kiss?”
“A little kiss?”
Consistently maintaining a calm demeanor, Sungjun furrowed his brow without losing composure. Yura, taken aback by his first expression of anger, found it oddly attractive, momentarily silencing her.
‘Not the right time. Focus! Focus!’
Yura adjusted her uniform and pushed forward forcefully.
“Not the right position to say this, but I didn’t really like it. So…”
Ssuck!
Interrupting Yura, Sungjun politely sealed her lips with his.
While Yura’s eyes widened, staring, during the repeated moments when the moist lips touched and parted, Sungjun withdrew, asking, “How was that?”
With a tempting and subtle tone, Yura’s heart fluttered.
Instead of pushing away the man in front of her, getting furious, and storming out, she inadvertently blurted out an instinctive remark.
“Too short to judge… but you’ll come to take our order soon, right?”
Sungjun raised the corner of his lips, saying, “I instructed you to come in 30 minutes after making the reservation. We need to discuss something very important.”
“Ah…”
The eyes of the two locked together as if in a frenzy.
Then, without anyone saying anything, they embraced each other deeply.
Meanwhile, Dohyuk was transforming in a corner of the multipurpose room at the Starlight Love Childcare Center with Jaeyin.
“No! Absolutely not!”
“Team leader, there’s no one else to do it but you!”
“But I don’t want to! Tell that Yoo Sihwan or whoever to do it!”
“Sihwan oppa won’t do it; the kids will notice.”
“Whether he does or not!”
“If you said you’d do anything for my favor.”
“I didn’t know it’d be this! It’s too much!”
Dohyuk looked at his discontented face reflected in the mirror.
Bright red Santa outfit, a fake belly sticking out,
“If you said you’d do anything for my favor.”
“I didn’t know it’d be this! It’s too much!”
Dohyuk looked at his discontented face reflected in the mirror.
Bright red Santa outfit,
A fake belly sticking out,
Messy wig and beard.
Right now, he found himself in a situation where he had to play the role of Santa Claus, something even he hadn’t expected.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
