“It’s not the first time going to my house anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

Startled, the eyes that had been fixed on the card key were pulled up to the fullest.

The focus that had been shaking in confusion quickly found its place.

I knew very well what he meant by that.

Of course, there was no impure intention, but we were already attracting enough attention from the employees, so I had to decline.

“My position now is very different from when I was in college. Back then, there were other seniors with us, but today you’re telling me to use the house alone without you, Representative.”

When he was in college, Nam Do Hyun’s house was sometimes used as a hangout for the student council.

Student council members usually drank or did assignments there. Joo, being a freshman class representative, was inevitably dragged there too.

“Position, you’re not in a position to question such things.”

There was not an inch of retreat.

One would think he would give up on the proposal after being rejected to this extent, but Nam Do Hyun was standing firm.

The characteristically leisurely atmosphere emanating from Do Hyun strongly pressured Joo.

“I can’t accept it, Representative.”

It was the second rejection, but the card key was not taken back.

“It’s a courtesy as a college senior.”

“……”

“A junior from the same department who looks appropriately pitiful.”

That’s why I disliked it even more.

My hair was drenched and drooping, and the sky blue blouse clung to my upper body, adding to the icky feeling.

Just standing in front of Nam Do Hyun like this was a bundle of agony.

Swallowing a bitter sigh, I earnestly requested.

“Please treat me as a subordinate employee at the company. I beg you.”

Nam Do Hyun’s arm, which had been floating in the air, finally came down.

Shin Joo’s house was located somewhere in the alleys of Seoul’s moon village, which took at least an hour by car.

That’s why Nam Do Hyun thought Joo would head to his house without being stubborn.

But that was a huge mistake.

Although she clearly looked unsightly, she was sticking to her principles without bending them.

Being so straight made him want to break her somehow.

“The lobby was drenched in water of unknown use, and employees who came out to watch in the lobby during work hours must have flooded the company bulletin board. Saying they had a very fun time watching.”

Do Hyun sent an unprecedentedly cold gaze and recited item by item. As if representing his annoyed mood, the blame on Joo was quite sharp.

“If unlucky, reporters will write a few articles with the company name.”

“……”

“You think I’ll take in an employee like that?”

He told her in detail how much she had dirtied this company with fitting words.

Joo, who had been confronting Nam Do Hyun head-on until just now, closed her lips.

Her cheeks felt hot and stinging.

“I would have kicked you out, drenched in sewage, without even letting you into the office.”

Nam Do Hyun’s leg, which had been sitting on the edge of the desk with the tips of his feet crossed, unfolded.

As Do Hyun straightened his body, his gaze, which had been half-sunken, was raised.

“The very fact that you’re standing in front of me right now is an exception.”

There was nothing wrong with what he said.

It was because she was Nam Do Hyun’s junior that she could stand in this position.

She didn’t want this kind of biased treatment. But she couldn’t quit this job either.

She had to diligently earn money to pay back the company loan she had taken out not long ago.

“What will you do?”

Nam Do Hyun’s arm, which had been below, was raised once again.

It was the last chance.

“Will you accept it?”

“……”

“Or will you leave my company, Shin Joo?”

Joo realized that this was not something she could be stubborn about anymore.

The will to overpower Nam Do Hyun was broken.

She raised her hands that had been attached to the side of her skirt and grabbed the card key with the rounded end.

“I will buy the clothes and go in.”

The size difference was large, so there would be no fitting clothes anyway.

Above all, she didn’t want to create a situation where she borrowed Nam Do Hyun’s clothes and had to return them.

“Do as you please.”

Joo, who had bowed her waist briefly and raised it, left the CEO’s office.

The two secretarial staff sitting in front of the desk turned their eyes to Joo.

They were talking among themselves, but Joo clearly felt that they were paying attention to her who had come out of the CEO’s office.

Joo pressed the card key tightly against the hem of her skirt and got on the elevator.

Only after the tiresome gazes of the employees fell off did she let out a held breath.

“It wasn’t this uncomfortable before.”

Nam Do Hyun probably couldn’t even imagine, but Joo had felt awkward with him for quite a while.

Joo knew very well what the turning point was.

She just covered it up because she didn’t want to bring it up for no reason.

As she became the representative of the freshman class in the business administration department, she joined the student council and met Nam Do Hyun there for the first time.

Until then, like others, Do Hyun was the epitome of an idol to Joo.

Until that incident… that was the case.

The past that Joo had been covering up with all her might quietly raised its head whenever she saw Nam Do Hyun.

So, even after joining the company, Joo had been avoiding Do Hyun with all her might.

For nearly a year, she didn’t create any situations to bump into him, and she had been doing well, but suddenly it started to creak like this.

Forget it. I have to forget.

Because Nam Do Hyun doesn’t even remember it.

Across the street from the company building, walking two blocks, there was Do Hyun’s apartment.

Under the scorching sun, the asphalt was boiling.

When she thought it was just right to collapse in the heat, she arrived in front of the apartment.

Either he had received a prior contact from Do Hyun, or the card key served as a free pass.

As Joo entered the apartment, she was guided by the security staff to the elevator connected to the penthouse.

Getting into the elevator surrounded by silver, the elevator reached the top floor at once.

She came out to the corridor and stood in front of the penthouse with no room number attached.

When she brought the card key to the door lock, the closed door opened.

Her feet that had lingered at the entrance wouldn’t move to enter the owner-less house. After hesitating for a while, Joo cautiously stepped inside.

“It has changed a lot.”

It had been about 6 years since she had come to Nam Do Hyun’s house.

During that long time, Nam Do Hyun’s house had also changed a lot. Not only the space and furniture but also the arrangement was completely different.

The interior that had accents in bright colors was now entangled in beige and gray tones.

“This is not the time for me to do this.”

There was no time to casually look around the house.

She didn’t want to create the misfortune of running into Nam Do Hyun by taking a late shower for no reason.

Joo, who went to find the bathroom, first took off the clothes she was wearing.

After washing the sticky clothes in the sink, she entered the shower booth.

When she lifted the shower head lever, lukewarm water washed over her body.

After urgently resolving what was immediately needed, worries belatedly rushed in.

When she goes home, people from her hometown will be waiting for her.

She thought she should at least go to a motel, but she couldn’t waste the money she had on motel fees.

“What should I do?”

She was stuck both in front and behind, with no place to escape.

In the end, she couldn’t come to a conclusion and came out of the shower booth.

By the time she had put on the white T-shirt and jeans she had randomly chosen from a nearby clothing store, there was a presence outside.

Nam Do Hyun had returned.

Without even properly drying her hair, Joo hurriedly brushed her hair a couple of times with a white towel.

She put the damp blouse and skirt she had been wearing into a paper bag from the used clothing store and left the bathroom.

Nam Do Hyun, who had taken off his jacket and put it on the sofa, had not yet noticed Joo.

Joo, who took a step closer to Do Hyun, made her presence known.

“You’re here?”

At the neatly flowing voice, Do Hyun turned his eyes.

The expressionless lips tilted to one side and made a chuckling sound.

“That was a bit strange just now.”

“Where?”

While loosely untying his tie, Nam Do Hyun stared at Joo’s moist lips.

“That greeting, ‘You’re here?'”

“……”

“For a very brief moment, I thought I might have a hidden wife in this house.”

Thump. A strange sound came from Joo’s heart.

What was that? She had to hold back wanting to brush off her stuffy chest.

Since it was an ambiguous thing to answer, Joo hesitated and bowed her head.

“I used the bathroom well. Thank you.”

“I’m glad if you used it well.”

“I’ll be leaving first.”

Nam Do Hyun just nodded his head slightly without answering.

Joo was proud just by the fact that it ended without any special incidents in this house.

Because she would be able to keep her distance from Nam Do Hyun again.

Trying hard to hide her faintly rising lips, Joo passed Do Hyun.

She went to the entrance and was putting her feet into the black shoes that were still intact.

Ding dong.

As if mocking Joo’s carelessness, the doorbell rang loudly inside the living room.

Who was supposed to come?

Or was it something like a delivery?

The moment she turned around to withdraw her hand that had reached out to grab the doorknob.

Nam Do Hyun, who had clearly been in the living room, was standing behind Joo’s back at some point.

As she stepped back half a step, Do Hyun’s chest and back collided.

Joo, who had involuntarily raised her gaze, was about to say something before Do Hyun lowered his head.

Diagonally, at a distance where their lips seemed to touch.

The scent of the shampoo she had just used was also coming from Nam Do Hyun.

It was a very strange feeling.

“Re-”

It was when Joo parted her lips to call Do Hyun.

Nam Do Hyun carefully covered Joo’s lips that were trying to open with his palm.

The soft lips were crushed inside Nam Do Hyun’s palm.

The eyes that had widened roundly were pulled up toward Do Hyun.

Without even giving her the right to speak to ask what the hell he was doing, Do Hyun asked unilaterally.

“Did you play hide-and-seek when you were young?”

“……”

“You must have been good at it.”

Without even asking for her intention to participate.

“If you don’t want to be a real hidden wife.”

Suddenly, isn’t this something you shouldn’t do?