Desperate for a Catch (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
“My poor baby, what am I to do? What am I to do?”
Grandmother wailed on the floor in a low, choked voice. Woo Yeon swept her reddened eyes across the surroundings.
The sharp scent of incense, white chrysanthemums, people dressed in black.
Even those weren’t many.
A shabby funeral.
The stale sorrow of someone left alone.
Memories from that day surged like waves, haunting Woo Yeon even in her dreams.
“Ugh… mm.”
When she half-opened her eyes through hazy consciousness, she found herself in a familiar hotel room.
She soon realized it was the same space where they’d once sat neatly across from each other, sharing tea.
Why am I here?
She was certain she’d just been drinking with Seo Ji Woo at her place moments ago.
Ah. She must’ve cried without realizing it—and Cha Tae Kyung caught her.
She’d been sad, had cried… and after that, she couldn’t remember a thing.
“You’re awake?”
Tae Kyung, whose gaze captivated like a figure in a classical painting, gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.
Woo Yeon opened her eyes wide and asked,
“Why am I here?”
“You fainted.”
“…”
“Slept quite comfortably in my arms.”
You must be out of your mind.
Woo Yeon exhaled a quiet sigh and tried to get up from the bed, pulling back the blanket.
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize.”
“…”
“Drink this.”
He handed her a hangover remedy. The absurdity of the situation was so overwhelming that Woo Yeon, who rarely joked, even made a weak attempt at one.
A faint chuckle escaped her.
“You said never to accept anything carelessly, right?”
“Who said that?”
“My grandmother.”
“The one who passed away two years ago?”
“…Yes.”
Damn it, Head of Division. Of all people, why bring that up right in front of CEO Cha Tae Kyung?
Woo Yeon grimaced and downed the offered drink as nonchalantly as she could.
This time, Tae Kyung laughed.
“Guess you didn’t listen to your grandmother all that much, huh?”
“She’s gone now.”
“…”
“Sorry, but what time is it?”
Tae Kyung glanced quickly at his wristwatch and answered her promptly.
“It’s 4:14.”
“Oh. It’s late.”
“Stay and sleep.”
“…”
“It’s already late.”
Woo Yeon bit her lip. She must’ve slept quite a while—longer than expected.
Since she’d left Seo Ji Woo’s place before dawn, she apparently had been lying here obliviously all this time.
Now that her mind had cleared, every memory from that night flooded back.
Why on earth had she started crying right there? And worse, why show that pathetic face to Cha Tae Kyung?
“I’m exhausted, CEO.”
She’d even thrown out that cheap line.
Woo Yeon squeezed her eyes shut, writhing in shame.
It was all because she’d foolishly searched for Kim Min Joon and Jo In Young’s engagement photos right after leaving Ji Woo’s place.
The moment she saw In Young’s beaming smile—brighter than anyone else’s—her tears just burst out uncontrollably.
It felt so unfair, so heartbreaking. In the fairy tales she’d read as a child, the kind sister always lived happily while the cruel one got punished.
Cinderella met her prince and lived happily ever after, while the wicked stepmother met a miserable fate.
But real life wasn’t like fairy tales at all—and that’s why she cried.
Was it the spring air intoxicating her? Or the fact she’d drunk far more than her usual limit?
Or maybe… it was Cha Tae Kyung’s wistful eyes that met her in that desolate night.
…She didn’t know.
She always drew firm lines with other people—so why was she hesitating now?
She felt strange.
She hadn’t wanted this. The situation was deeply uncomfortable and embarrassing—yet, somehow, she didn’t hate it.
She didn’t want to go home alone tonight.
Just for one day.
Just for one day—to gather the courage needed to carve out this night.
Woo Yeon looked at Tae Kyung with slightly quicker breaths.
“Okay.”
He narrowed his eyes, apparently surprised by her unexpected answer.
Tae Kyung, who’d been seated on the bedside chair sipping tea, set his cup down between his fingers.
Woo Yeon didn’t miss the shifting complexity in his gaze.
He spoke.
“If you answer like that, I might just get brave.”
“Go ahead.”
“…”
“Go on. Be brave.”
His eyes slowly traveled from the top of her head to her toes as she sat perched on the bed.
He let out a laugh, seemingly amused by the absurdity.
“Didn’t I just clearly say I don’t raise fish in Yoon Woo Yeon’s pond?”
“That was sincere. Once today passes, I’ll send you away.”
“…”
“No confidence?”
“Confidence in what?”
“In leaving.”
“Of course not.”
His hand, which had gently brushed her ear, slid slowly down her shoulder, teasing her further.
She didn’t try to hide how stiff her body had become.
Yoon Woo Yeon at twenty-two might have been foolish—but Yoon Woo Yeon at twenty-nine wouldn’t be.
So close their breaths mingled, Tae Kyung whispered,
“You’re trembling.”
Ah. So he noticed. Yet Woo Yeon feigned ignorance with a slight smile.
“It’s just cold.”
“Cold?”
“Yes.”
“How cold?”
“…Very.”
Woo Yeon’s lips parted slightly. Heat radiated from his tousled hair, raising her temperature as if he were sprinkling embers over her skin.
Her vision was still slightly blurred—she hadn’t fully sobered—but his face came through with piercing clarity, stirring her deeply.
She swallowed again. This time, she feared he’d notice—since they were far too close.
“…CEO.”
“Don’t tremble.”
“…”
“I’ll hold you soon.”
Even at this moment, he was a wave—a vast, blue wave ready to swallow her whole.
Yet she desperately wanted it.
…Wanted him to sweep everything away.
Her pounding heart finally dropped heavily. Their feverish breaths pulled them together without either needing to move first.
Their lips met, and his scent drifted into her nostrils.
It was an intense fragrance—so potent it clouded her thoughts, making her wonder what perfume he wore.
Maybe she’d been waiting for this moment all along.
His kiss left such a deep impression that even a single touch echoed long afterward.
She’d deliberately pushed those memories away, yet they haunted her from time to time. Maybe that’s why she’d needed to confirm it once more—
his kiss,
this unbelievable heat,
the very essence of this maddening sensation that electrified her core.
It would vanish with time—as it always did.
But just once, I wanted to be held by you.
His hand cradled the back of Woo Yeon’s head. Her body naturally slid toward the foot of the bed until she fell back.
What had begun almost like a lie shifted in intensity, and Woo Yeon briefly gasped for air.
Tae Kyung’s bold motions left her half-undressed.
Her shoulder was exposed, and he kissed her with unmistakable intent. Caught off guard by the intense stimulation, Woo Yeon furrowed her brow and averted her eyes.
“Yoon Woo Yeon.”
“…”
“You have to look at me.”
He smiled faintly as he removed his shirt, revealing broad shoulders and finely chiseled muscles—perfectly proportioned.
His gaze, as damp as a rainforest, swept over her entire body—hot and clinging.
Woo Yeon watched him, swallowing dryly.
She might regret tonight—but she couldn’t ignore the instinct pulling her toward him again and again.
There’d be no turning back now.
That’s fine.
Nothing will change.
Absolutely nothing will be different.
Woo Yeon tightly shut her eyes.
Tae Kyung opened his eyes just past nine in the morning.
He usually woke precisely on time—no alarm needed.
When the ever-punctual man failed to appear at the usual hour, Team Leader Han grew concerned and called, jolting Tae Kyung fully awake.
Before he could even register the absurdity of oversleeping for the first time in his life, he realized Yoon Woo Yeon was gone.
CEO?
At Team Leader Han’s voice over the phone, Tae Kyung scratched near his temple.
“I’ll wrap things up and leave within 30 minutes.”
He tossed his phone onto the bed and stood quickly—his eyes catching traces of Woo Yeon all around.
Every moment after dawn had been electrifying. Not a single second had felt dull.
When their eyes met as he pulled her toward the foot of the bed, he’d been seized by an indescribable euphoria—as if piercing through his entire life.
“…CEO, ni-im.”
He’d always known she was stunningly beautiful—but Yoon Woo Yeon in bed was a body crafted to drive men mad.
For someone who’d dated Kim Min Joon for two years, she’d been surprisingly inexperienced.
The contrast—between her fierce demeanor when the red button lit up and her clumsy innocence in bed—only fueled Tae Kyung further.
In the end, she broke into tears. The moment her usually controlled pronunciation slurred and sharp cries slipped out would be unforgettable—etched beneath the name “forever.”
From their very first meeting to now, the pleasure of dismantling this fiercely composed woman had been intoxicating.
As Woo Yeon weakened with time, Tae Kyung only pushed harder.
“Sl… slow… just a little slower… please.”
She pleaded; he refused. Yet their pleasure felt strangely similar.
Only when he plunged deeper did Woo Yeon realize—as if awakening from a long, desperate thirst—that she clung fiercely to his body.
This night’s electric blend of pain and cries might well have been the ancient craving they’d unknowingly missed all along.
“You’re… so… hot.”
And that was a good thing, wasn’t it?
After all, this was Yoon Woo Yeon—the same woman who’d trembled, claiming she was cold.
She’d drawn him in instinctively from the start. It was already too late to distance himself from her—and resisting the approaching climax now would be foolish.
“I don’t think once will be enough.”
“…”
“Let’s do it again when we wake up tomorrow morning.”
At his suggestion, Woo Yeon gave a faint smile. Smile? He stared down at her, eyes glinting darkly—and then the night filled once more with chaotic scents and sweat.
Thus, Yoon Woo Yeon drifted between crying and laughing several times before finally falling asleep.
“…And yet she ran away.”
His head snapped up.
She hadn’t been the only one drinking heavily last night. Park Min Kwon, who normally drank fast, had been unusually quick.
Tae Kyung had matched his pace and ended up drinking a fair amount himself.
Still, it hadn’t been a night driven purely by alcohol.
Though the effects lingered, he hadn’t held Yoon Woo Yeon while drunk.
She’d entered with the spring night’s charm beyond the gate—their eyes meeting, gazes entangling, lips touching…
The sequence replayed in Tae Kyung’s mind like lingering frames from a film.
One moment she’d been pushing him away, the next she’d burst into sudden tears and thrown herself into his arms—her tactics far too contrived.
He hadn’t been desperate enough to fall for such clumsy seduction.
That’s exactly why he’d asked, “Am I that easy?”
But still.
It felt strange.
“Why the hell do I feel like shit right now?”
That venomous bitch.
Tae Kyung smirked faintly as Park Min Kwon’s words echoed in his mind.
That Yoon Woo Yeon—
who’d left without even a tacky note,
who’d cleaned the room meticulously—as if their frantic, messy night of mutual hunger had never happened—and slipped away.
Her audacity infuriated him beyond words.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
So she is missing him so hoping what happens next!