I Don't Recommend a Blunder with a Male Friend (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
“Meow.”
General Tto Ri meowed once again.
As if that sound had the effect of melting ice, time—which had stopped—began flowing once more.
Ji Seo Jun brushed the spaghetti stuck to his face with his hand and flung it onto the dining table.
“Sorry…”
I apologized to him in a barely audible whisper.
Despite my apology, he showed no change in expression and simply stood up from his seat and headed toward the bathroom.
It was clear that Ji Seo Jun, the neat freak, wouldn’t let me off easily.
I seriously considered sneaking out of the officetel right then and there.
But before I could make a move, Ji Seo Jun had already finished washing his face and stepped out of the bathroom. Then he picked up the bowl of pasta he’d been eating and dumped the leftovers into the food waste bin.
“Hey! You hadn’t even eaten half of it yet… What a waste!”
I startled and tried to stop him, but the glare he shot me made me shut my mouth and sit quietly.
Watching Ji Seo Jun carefully, I shoved another forkful of the still-plentiful pasta into my mouth and chewed thoughtfully.
Honestly, wasn’t it half his fault too?
Ji Seo Jun—the arrogant, prideful jerk—actually apologizing? Even now, I wondered if I’d misheard him.
I chewed my food vigorously while watching him silently tidy up in the kitchen.
Once he’d finished cleaning up, he briskly shook out the dishcloth, hung it up, then opened the fridge and poured himself a drink. He placed it in front of me.
“Do I have something to do after drinking this?”
Anxiously, I asked Ji Seo Jun while looking at the drink.
“No. Just drink it. And don’t spit it out again.”
“Huh? Uh… yeah…”
Even as I drank, I kept sneaking glances at him.
Ji Seo Jun sat quietly in front of me until I scraped the last bite off my plate. Then he took the empty dish and washed it spotlessly clean.
“Are you really mad?”
At my question, Ji Seo Jun let out a deep sigh.
“Not mad.”
Liar.
He looked utterly irritated—how could he say he wasn’t mad?
“I’ll keep my mouth shut tight while eating from now on… I just got startled because you suddenly apologized.”
“Is my apologizing really that surprising?”
“Well… You’re apologizing for something that happened over ten years ago…”
“…”
Ji Seo Jun wordlessly stood up and sat down on the sofa. General Tto Ri was crunching on kibble from his food bowl. After watching the cat for a while, Ji Seo Jun finally spoke.
“I didn’t know.”
“What?”
“I didn’t know you’d been bullied because of the lie I told… I only found out today from what you said.”
Huh? He didn’t know? Hadn’t I already told him?
I tried hard to recall something from over ten years ago, but I couldn’t even remember what I’d had for lunch yesterday, let alone that incident.
“Is that so? Did I not mention it?”
“Yeah. You never said a word.”
“That can’t be right… Knowing my personality, I must’ve whined to you about it.”
“You whined every day, just not about being bullied because of that incident.”
Ah, so I really had been whining every day.
“I’m sorry again.”
“It’s fine. It’s all in the past.”
Embarrassed by Ji Seo Jun’s apology, I focused even harder on watching General Tto Ri eat.
“By the way, why did you call me over today?”
Only now did I realize he hadn’t yet explained why he’d summoned me.
“General Tto Ri.”
“Huh?”
“You like cats, right? Just look at General Tto Ri.”
I did like cats.
But my mom had a cat allergy, and she always insisted I couldn’t even take care of myself, let alone a pet—so she firmly opposed getting one.
“Did you call me just to look at Tto Ri?”
“Yeah.”
Hearing that, I smiled faintly and turned my gaze back to General Tto Ri.
Having eaten enough, the cat glanced cautiously between Ji Seo Jun and me before slipping under the living room table.
“Not much like his owner, huh? He’s awfully shy.”
“Yeah, definitely doesn’t take after Nam Jun Mo.”
And so, the two of us just sat there, watching General Tto Ri from afar. In the old days, I’d have demanded comfy clothes and stayed over without a second thought—but now we were in a grace period. I couldn’t bring myself to be that bold.
Reluctantly, I dragged my heavy butt up and left Ji Seo Jun’s officetel.
Ji Seo Jun followed me out and watched until I got into a taxi.
As the taxi pulled away, Ji Seo Jun grew smaller and smaller in the side mirror.
I was still somehow managing to go to work without Ji Seo Jun finding out.
My grace period with Ji Seo Jun had less than two months left. It felt short if you thought about it one way, long if another—but right now, my feelings were simply “I don’t know.”
Honestly, I really didn’t know.
Sometimes he felt like a friend, sometimes not; sometimes like a man, sometimes not. Trying to solve this unsolvable puzzle gave me a pounding headache.
And another source of my headache:
Strange rumors had started circulating at work.
They were about Ji Seo Jun—after the word spread that Yoo Na Ra had been dumped, it quickly escalated into speculation that Ji Seo Jun had a girlfriend. All sorts of wild theories followed.
His girlfriend was rumored to be a famous celebrity, then a chaebol heiress, then a successful career woman in the U.S., and most recently, even a rich middle-aged woman.
“Deputy Moon, who on earth is Researcher Ji Seo Jun’s girlfriend?”
“Are you really that curious?”
“Yes! Everyone’s talking about it. Some even say she’s a rich middle-aged woman… That seems a bit…”
We sat in a quiet corner of the company cafeteria eating lunch. Lately, half of all office chatter revolved around Ji Seo Jun—even Baek In Ha, sitting across from me, was no exception.
“Don’t our coworkers have anything better to do? Why are they so obsessed with other people’s love lives?”
I grumbled irritably.
“Well… but honestly, isn’t it natural to be curious about the girlfriend of our Team Leader from Research Support?”
Our Research Support Team Leader, who’d just turned forty, was the company’s quintessential bachelor.
“But the fact that Researcher Ji Seo Jun rejected our legendary ‘Goddess Yoo’ because he has a girlfriend… makes you wonder.”
I shook my head firmly and gulped down some soup.
“Deputy Moon, aren’t you curious at all?”
“No. Not in the slightest.”
At my reply, Baek In Ha pursed her lips and gave me a pouty, innocent look.
My steps felt light as I headed back to the office after lunch.
Today was Friday—meaning tomorrow was the weekend. Just a little longer, and my beloved weekend would be waiting for me.
“What are you doing this weekend, Deputy?”
“I’m meeting up with some friends I haven’t seen in a while.”
I was finally reuniting with Go Joo Yeon and Lee Ra, friends since middle school.
After brushing me off for so long with “I’m busy,” they’d finally granted me the ocean-deep grace of agreeing to meet.
Those ungrateful jerks.
I’d been planning to visit General Tto Ri if they stood me up again—but thanks to their last-minute confirmation, I’d postponed my audience with the General to the next day.
“You must be meeting after ages. Your face just lit up, Deputy.”
Baek In Ha beamed at me.
“Yeah. We’re super close.”
I smiled brightly back at her.
“Moon Da Yul. Long time no see.”
Lee Ra spotted me sitting alone at the café and greeted me warmly.
“You came early?”
“Yeah. Didn’t want to hear Go Joo Yeon nagging.”
“Haha.”
Lots of people had used me to get close to Ji Seo Jun.
Lee Ra and Go Joo Yeon were the only ones who’d never approached me using him as an excuse.
They were the friends who’d comforted and held me when I was hurt and crying.
“Go Joo Yeon said she’ll be a bit late?”
“What?”
Lee Ra, who was always late to appointments, had actually arrived early today—but now the punctual Go Joo Yeon was running late, and Lee Ra began huffing in annoyance.
Soon after, Go Joo Yeon arrived, and Lee Ra scolded her endlessly. Anyone watching would’ve thought Lee Ra was never late—but among us three, she was actually the biggest offender.
Though we hadn’t seen each other in ages, it felt like we’d met just yesterday, and we had a wonderful time.
We went to a restaurant famous on social media but left disappointed by the underwhelming food, then headed to our usual pub.
“Caterpillars have to eat pine needles. Since when do we chase after trendy spots?”
Joo Yeon gulped down her beer and declared.
“But at least I got some good photos.”
When I showed them the mouthwatering food pictures on my phone, Go Joo Yeon snorted dismissively.
“I hate things that are all flash and no substance.”
Go Joo Yeon said, and Lee Ra vigorously nodded in agreement.
Watching droplets slide down my cold beer glass, the phrase “all flash and no substance” made Ji Seo Jun’s face pop into my head.
“I’ve got something to tell you guys.”
“What?”
I already knew exactly how Joo Yeon and Lee Ra would react once they heard about my grace period with Ji Seo Jun.
Better start from the beginning.
I downed my beer in one go and began.
“I slept with Ji Seo Jun.”
“What?!”
Predictably, Joo Yeon and Lee Ra reacted dramatically, and I broke a sweat trying to calm them down.
“So… the thing is… I’d been drinking…”
I explained how things had happened between Ji Seo Jun and me. When I finished, Lee Ra quietly took my empty glass.
“And you’re still able to drink so easily today after something like that happened because of alcohol?”
“If I stick to a different type of drink, it should be fine, right?”
At my words, Go Joo Yeon grabbed her head in frustration.
“So, how much time is left on this ‘grace period’ of yours?”
“About a month… and three weeks? Maybe?”
The chicken on our table was getting cold.
“What do you think of Ji Seo Jun?”
Lee Ra gripped my empty glass tightly and asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been friends since birth. Do you really see him as a man now, just like that?”
“Well, Ji Seo Jun is a man… Not a woman…”
I poked aimlessly at the chicken with my fork.
“You don’t even know your own feelings yet.”
Go Joo Yeon hit the nail on the head.
“I do have a good idea, though…”
“What?”
My eyes widened at Lee Ra’s words. She gave me a sly grin and filled my glass to the brim with beer before handing it to me.
When I took the glass, I urged her impatiently.
“Spill it already.”
“It’s simple. Sleep with him again.”
I grabbed the cat treats I’d bought in advance and headed to Ji Seo Jun’s place.
“What? Sleep with him again? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard…”
The night before, I’d ranted at Lee Ra—from verse one all the way to verse four—before finally calming down enough to go home.
Just as I’d expected from that lunatic Lee Ra, I shook my head firmly.
“Your Excellency General Tto Ri, this humble servant has arrived.”
The moment I entered Ji Seo Jun’s apartment, I bowed low and requested an audience with the General.
General Tto Ri, already comfortable in Ji Seo Jun’s place, lounged lazily on the sofa and stared blankly at his pitiful, groveling subject.
I knelt on one knee, pulled out a cat treat, snipped the end, and squeezed it out smoothly.
“Please partake. This humble feast was prepared with great difficulty.”
General Tto Ri, as if granting a favor, rose from his seat with a delicate hop—then immediately pounced on the treat in a frenzy.
As I watched happily, Ji Seo Jun’s voice came from above my head.
“Still not back to your senses after last night’s drinking?”
“What are you talking about?”
I ignored him and focused all my energy on serving His Excellency.
“When’s General Tto Ri’s next appointment?”
Having finished his snack, General Tto Ri now seemed annoyed by my presence and moved away, flicking only his tail.
“Next week.”
As I hesitated whether to open another treat, Ji Seo Jun nudged me lightly with his foot.
“What?!”
I pressed my foot firmly onto his and shot back.
“Let’s go to the movies.”
“No way. Today’s the day I serve His Excellency General Tto Ri. I must strive to become his right-hand…”
“Argh! Enough!”
Clearly, he’d had enough of my dramatics and snapped in frustration.
Yeah, you’ve held back long enough. Where else would that temper go?
“What movie?”
When I asked, Ji Seo Jun showed me his phone and explained.
“This is a documentary, right? You go watch it alone.”
“I hate superhero movies too, but I still watched one with you.”
“Did I ever ask you to watch it with me?”
I turned my back to him with a sneer.
“So that’s how it is, huh?”
He smiled wickedly, then stood up and walked toward the bookshelf.
Like I’d care what he did. I scoffed loudly.
But the moment I saw the flyer he waved in front of me, I jumped to my feet.
“Let’s go! Where’s the theater? Did you book tickets? Oh no—we can’t be late! Hurry up!”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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