Min Woo’s headache persisted despite taking more painkillers than the recommended dosage.
Unable to find relief even with medication, he gulped down cold water, but the throbbing remained.
‘Ha… My head feels like it’s splitting open. What do I need to do to clear it? How much did I drink…’
But Min Woo knew.
The headache wasn’t just from a hangover.
He had been so distracted during the morning meeting, he could hardly remember how he got through it, consumed with thoughts of Kang Ji Hyun.
‘What did Kang Ji Hyun say…?’
“Kang Ji Hyun, why are you coming out from there…?”
Ji Hyun’s eyes flitted about, reflecting her panic, at Min Woo’s probing.
“Well… You were very drunk yesterday, sir, and vomited on my clothes. They were in such a state that I had to send them for hotel laundry. I had no choice but to stay here. I just got my clothes back and was about to change and leave. I’m sorry if I startled you. I’ll see you at the office, Manager.”
“Wait, Kang Ji Hyun, Kang Ji…”
Ji Hyun poured out her words and then, without waiting for a response from Min Woo, left his room.
“I vomited on my clothes, so they were laundered, and she spent the night here?”
Disbelieving her absurd excuse, Min Woo got up roughly from his seat.
But then, he understood.
Kang Ji Hyun’s cute lie.
He might not remember precisely, but he knew he wasn’t so out of it that he wouldn’t know if something had happened to his body.
‘I definitely spent time with that woman last night.’
He turned on the shower and stared blankly at the stream of water, trying to recall the previous night, but the vague memories were no help.
He only faintly remembered the dream about Eun Ji Yeon.
But if it wasn’t a dream. If those were the things that happened with Kang Ji Hyun…
The thought alone was so horrifying that he shook his head unconsciously.
At least one good thing was that Kang Ji Hyun’s ridiculous excuse meant she also wanted to pretend it never happened.
It was what he wanted too.
Unintended connections should not continue.
“Ha… What a mess, Cha Min Woo!”
He shouted under the pouring water, but only the echo of his own voice responded with no answers.
He found himself zoning out more than usual.
Earlier on the way to work and again when he returned to the office, he realized he hadn’t seen Kang Ji Hyun. Was it intentional? He pressed the speakerphone.
Avoiding the issue wasn’t going to solve anything.
It had to be properly concluded.
Rrr—Rrr—
“Yes, Manager.”
Kang Ji Hyun’s voice came through the speaker.
“Come in for a moment.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Knock—Knock—
Ji Hyun entered Min Woo’s office promptly after knocking.
“Please, have a seat.”
Ji Hyun nodded and sat on the sofa Min Woo had indicated.
“Deputy Kang, you seem to have an idea of what I’m going to discuss…”
“I’ll ensure it won’t trouble you. I consider it… a mistake on both our parts,” Ji Hyun responded, her face visibly flustered and flushed.
“A mutual mistake, indeed. A mistake I have no recollection of. Deputy Kang, why exactly did you come to my room?”
“What do you mean…”
“I clearly instructed you to leave work first. Why did you find it necessary to follow me to my room?”
Min Woo’s tone was subtly probing.
It almost sounded like an accusation – ‘Why create this mess when I didn’t ask for any of it?’
“Manager… I had neither intention nor reason. I stayed only because Mr. Moon, the driver, seemed to have difficulty taking care of you alone. The events that followed, as I’ve said, happened by accident,” Ji Hyun replied.
Min Woo’s gaze was laced with a chill and censure.
Confronted with his demeanor, Ji Hyun fought back a surge of unjust tears.
“I won’t act unbidden again. And I apologize for last night. May I leave now?” she managed to say, struggling to maintain her composure.
Min Woo, visibly annoyed, waved her off dismissively.
Ji Hyun bowed slightly and turned to leave, her tears flowing freely now from the indignity and frustration.
‘I hope Kang Ji Hyun doesn’t cause any more trouble…’
In the midst of this, Min Woo stumbled upon the text message from Se Ah sent the night before, filling him with a sense of revulsion.
Why now, Jeong Se Ah? Why now of all times!
Min Woo, anticipating that Se Ah would come to the office if he didn’t respond, decided to dissuade her and agreed to meet at his home instead.
“Please enter, Manager.”
Leaving the office earlier than usual, Min Woo came across Kang Ji Hyun, her eyes red and swollen, perhaps from crying.
He felt an unwelcome pang of concern but chose to disregard it.
There were too many other issues demanding his attention.
Upon opening the front door of his home, the rich aroma of delicious food filled the space.
“Did you arrive? I thought we could have dinner early, so I was preparing your favorite dish.”
The scent was delectable, but the aftermath of last night’s excess and this morning’s stress soured his stomach.
The very thought of eating now seemed likely to induce vomiting.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
