Impure Among Friends (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
I’ve been avoiding Kang Sa Jun for yet another week now, using my busy schedule as an excuse.
Tae Hee lay sprawled on her bed again today, wriggling like a grub.
“Should I just go? Or forget it?”
Once a week, her little escape to Club Geo on Friday nights felt as sweet as an oasis in the desert to Tae Hee.
In truth, it wasn’t even that much of a rebellion—just watching cheerful people and enjoying a light drink.
But for Tae Hee, who spent her whole week tightly wound, that was her only joy. Geo was the only place where she could drink without worry.
Yet now, for the second week straight, she couldn’t enjoy this small but sole escape.
Because the owner of Club Geo, the place she always went, was Kang Sa Jun—her male friend of thirteen years.
Embarrassing as it was, though everyone praised Tae Hee as sharp and sociable, the truth was she didn’t really know how to form genuine friendships.
Thus, even at age twenty-nine, Kang Sa Jun remained her only friend—male or female. He was the only person she ever met up with, and the only one she could chatter to freely.
That was why she always went to Geo—but now, because of that very reason, she couldn’t go.
“Ugh, I’m seriously going crazy.”
Tae Hee let out a deep sigh and yanked the blanket over her head completely.
Lately, every time she saw Kang Sa Jun, her heart would race uncontrollably—as if it were about to explode. Precisely since that day a month ago, when she’d cried bitterly in his arms at his Ilsan home and he’d comforted her.
His warm fingertips gently wiping her tears away, his large hands cradling her cheeks as if she were precious, his deep, intense gaze locked onto hers, and his low, soothing murmurs in her ear, repeatedly whispering, “It’ll be okay.”
That vivid memory made her hyper-aware of every detail about Kang Sa Jun, and even a mere glance sent her heart pounding.
It was a pink-tinged, unfamiliar flutter she’d never felt in all thirteen years.
Of all the men in the world, Kang Sa Jun was the one person she absolutely shouldn’t fall for.
Tae Hee was the type who needed to resolve problems immediately, or she’d never rest easy—but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t find a solution this time.
And certainly, hiding alone in her apartment wouldn’t solve anything either.
As this thought crossed her mind, Tae Hee bolted upright in bed.
“Ugh, whatever! He’s not psychic or anything. What are the odds he’d spot me among all those people?”
Besides, the guy hadn’t even called once in two whole weeks while she ghosted him—such an indifferent jerk.
After showering, Tae Hee began getting ready to go out, repeatedly reminding herself inwardly countless times that it absolutely had nothing to do with Kang Sa Jun, even though she spent far more effort on her looks than usual.
[This is the timeline separator]The elevator doors slid open, revealing a long marble hallway.
Unlike her legs—slender and walking with the elegance of a model—Tae Hee’s eyes burned fiercely.
Just as Tae Hee had expected, Kang Sa Jun wasn’t psychic—but there were far too many people at Club Geo who’d gladly act as his eyes and ears.
The result? Before she’d even stepped inside Club Geo, she’d been caught red-handed by the manager, Hae Sung, and was promptly redirected right here.
Standing in front of Suite 2502—the room Kang Sa Jun treated like home in Seoul—Tae Hee didn’t pull out her keycard from her wallet. Instead, she pounded on the door with her fists.
“Kang Sa Jun, open up!”
After several more knocks, the door finally cracked open, revealing him.
Kang Sa Jun, her male friend of thirteen years.
True to form, he was once again bare-chested—but at least he’d put on pants; maybe she should be grateful for small mercies.
“…You came.”
His voice, husky and tightly restrained, scraped along the floor like gravel.
Despite his overwhelming presence filling the doorway, his half-lidded eyes were red—from lack of sleep, apparently.
Tae Hee stared at him with eyes completely devoid of sympathy, icy cold.
“Hey, Kang Sa Jun—how many times have I told you not to mess with my Friday nights?”
“If you didn’t want to run into me, you should’ve gone somewhere else.”
Tae Hee’s gaze followed his lazy hand as he swept his hair off his forehead.
Even those long, smooth fingers were part of the problem.
How could a man possibly have such pretty hands? Grumbling inwardly, she shot back sharply.
“Am I some criminal? What’s wrong with going where I want, of my own free will?”
When Tae Hee retorted sharply to Sa Jun’s comment, the sly fox smoothly changed the subject.
“You woke me up. I’d just finally fallen asleep.”
“Were you even sleeping?”
Tae Hee snorted dismissively.
Don’t act like you were peacefully asleep—more likely tossing and turning from insomnia.
“I was right on the verge of sleep. Now that you’re here, read me a story.”
At his shameless lie, Tae Hee’s eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched, and with a defiant flip, she yanked open her neatly buttoned coat.
Haughtily lifting her chin as if to say “Look properly if you’ve got eyes,” she planted her hands on her narrow waist and struck a pose, one foot crossed over the other.
“You’ve got great eyesight, so take a good look—see how much effort I put into getting ready for tonight.”
The tight black dress with its deep neckline clearly revealed her slender yet supple figure. And it wasn’t just her outfit—her deeply smoky eyes, glowing fair skin, glossy red lips, and the waves of her hair cascading from her waist.
In other words, her message was clear:
She hadn’t spent two hours getting prettied up just to come read some boring book in a hotel room.
But Sa Jun’s detached gaze—acting as if he had no idea how much effort she’d made—made Tae Hee clamp her mouth shut tightly.
Right. He didn’t see her as a woman.
Realizing this once again, her fingers lost their strength as she slowly re-buttoned her coat.
Watching indifferently as her stunning figure disappeared back beneath the coat, Sa Jun spoke.
“You’re the one who’s been ignoring me for over two weeks under the excuse of being busy.”
“That’s because…!”
Because I’ve been acting way too weird lately.
She swallowed the rest of her sentence with difficulty and stared up at Sa Jun before her, studying him intently.
Even with her 9-centimeter heels adding to her 165 cm height, she still had to look up at his towering frame and perfectly proportioned, toned physique.
But above all, Kang Sa Jun’s crowning glory was his face—his small, sharply defined features looked like a final masterpiece God had created in a fit of inspiration.
Not only was his appearance unfairly blessed, but his background was even more absurd. Though he now lived freely as the owner of Club Geo, he was, after all, the heir to the prestigious Seo Mun Group.
His father was chairman of the Seo Mun Group, and his grandfather had served as Prime Minister for three consecutive terms—a hidden power player still pulling strings in politics.
To Kang Sa Jun, who already had everything, heaven had also gifted him an exceptionally brilliant mind.
Was there truly any woman who could look at such an obnoxiously perfect man and feel no desire?
Just a month ago, she’d confidently believed she was that one woman.
But she’d been wrong. It wasn’t that she felt no desire—it was that she hadn’t recognized her own feelings until now.
Now that she was aware of them, she couldn’t act around Sa Jun the way she used to. She needed time to think things through and sort out her emotions—yet that was something she could never admit, even if it killed her. Hiding her tangled feelings, she waved her hand dismissively, feigning annoyance.
“Forget it. Let’s not talk. What would I even say to you?”
It’s surprisingly common for friends to become lovers—but for them, it was absolutely impossible. Ever since their unusual beginning thirteen years ago, their relationship had long been firmly defined as one that could never cross that line.
Yet, for some reason, Tae Hee felt deeply resentful—and shot Sa Jun a sharp, stinging glare.
Noticing the hostility in her gaze, Sa Jun gently furrowed his brows.
“What’s with that look?”
Tae Hee scowled right back.
Right now, what bothered her most was precisely those eyes—so indifferent. He’d carelessly poked at feelings she’d never known existed, making her realize them—yet acted as if nothing had changed.
Even if that was done unknowingly, there was one thing he definitely owed her an apology for: making her come all the way up here, expecting her to read him a story like it was nothing, after she’d spent so much effort getting ready despite having no prior arrangement.
“Kang Sa Jun, apologize. I spent two whole hours getting ready and—”
“I’m sorry.”
But before she could even finish, his apology slipped out—and that only made Tae Hee angrier.
“Hey! I wasn’t done talking yet!”
“You’d rather hear the apology quickly anyway, right?”
Kang Sa Jun’s ridiculous logic was always so baffling—somehow making her feel like she was the one bowing to him, even though clearly he was the one supposed to yield.
“You don’t even mean it! Show some sincerity!”
“What do I have to do to seem sincere? Why don’t you, the brilliant Min Tae Hee, tell me?”
To Kang Sa Jun—who already had everything—sincerity was meaningless. Thinking it would only hurt her own mouth to explain to someone like him, Tae Hee shook her head slightly.
Just then, Sa Jun slowly leaned forward, resting his face against her narrow shoulders.
“Tae Hee, my head hurts, and I can’t sleep.”
They’d often leaned on each other like this before—but now, unlike in the past, Tae Hee couldn’t stay unaffected.
The low, even breaths brushing her ear, the rich scent of him filling her nose, the gentle—but definitely present—weight resting on her shoulders.
Her traitorous heart started pounding foolishly again.
I’m seriously losing it.
Gritting her teeth, she muttered under her breath—but Sa Jun continued in a sigh-like murmur.
“So, please help me fall asleep.”
Seeing him cling to her like a child, Tae Hee let out a small sigh of her own.
For three years now, she’d read to him whenever his insomnia got bad. Back then, unaware of her feelings, she’d done it without a second thought—but everything had changed now. Until she could sort through her emotions on her own, she desperately wanted to avoid being alone with him in such an intimate space as a bedroom.
So, feigning annoyance, Tae Hee pushed hard against his chest with both hands.
“Stop bothering people and just take sleeping pills.”
Sa Jun chuckled deeply, as if she’d told a hilarious joke.
“Pills build tolerance. But you—you never cause tolerance or side effects.”
“Then go find someone else! You’ve got plenty of money; just hire a voice actor with a nice voice.”
Besides, the books he picked were always boring—about management or real estate—so much so that she’d sometimes fallen asleep first while reading. And when she woke up, she’d occasionally find herself in his bed. There were even a few times when, just from lying in the same bed, her heart would sink so violently that she’d quietly slip away before he noticed.
Thinking back, maybe she’d already been aware of her feelings for him back then.
Wait—so when exactly did I start liking him?
The thought made Tae Hee’s irritation flare up again.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Sa Jun answered earnestly.
“You know I’m socially inept, right? I can’t sleep at all if there’s a stranger around. You’re literally my only friend—and I don’t want to ask Jin Won hyung to read to me. And Tae Hee.”
He lifted his head, leaned closer, and locked eyes with her.
“I really like hearing your voice.”
Tae Hee couldn’t tear her eyes away from his handsome face right in front of her. Their breaths mingled, their lips almost touching.
Now that she thought about it, this was exactly why she wanted to go to Geo—to see this face.
Her chest had felt tight, her body restless—all because she hadn’t seen Kang Sa Jun in two weeks. And the extra effort she’d put into her appearance today? All because she wanted to look pretty for him.
I’m seriously insane.
Falling for Kang Sa Jun—my thirteen-year male friend—and worse, falling for the forbidden fruit that is Kang Sa Jun.
This was entirely Kang Sa Jun’s fault.
He’d stirred up and made her realize this impure feeling she’d never have discovered otherwise.
Just like right now.
Annoyed by Sa Jun’s relentless, pheromone-like charm radiating at all hours, Tae Hee viciously kicked his shin with the pointed toe of her heels.
“If you’re gonna flatter me, at least put some spit on your lips first.”
“Ugh! Min Tae Hee, you seriously—”
Watching him hunch over with a low groan, Tae Hee finally couldn’t help but smile.
Serves him right. That’s exactly why I wear pointed heels.
“Seriously—were you gonna let me finish my sentence?”
Only then did Sa Jun slowly straighten up and say to Tae Hee with utter seriousness.
“You’re irresistibly attractive—enough to drive a person mad.”
Seriously? When you need something, you suddenly grovel soullessly again. Yet this time, his soulless line didn’t feel as grating as before.
“Let me make this clear: starting today, I’m reading for no more than thirty minutes. If you’re not asleep by then, I’ll assume it’s useless and stop. And as soon as you fall asleep, I’m definitely leaving. I’ll also avoid Hae Sung oppa and keep my phone turned off. Got it?”
Marching inside while delivering utterly toothless threats was Tae Hee’s last shred of dignity.
As she brushed past him, a pleasant, low chuckle reached her ears.
Sa Jun rarely ever laughed out loud. Curious despite herself, Tae Hee couldn’t help but glance back.
And instantly regretted it.
Leaning lazily against the wall, his gorgeous bare torso on display—it looked like a scene straight out of a fashion spread. His eyes and lips drawn into a relaxed, radiant smile—it bloomed like a flower.
Seriously, even just breathing is cheating for this guy. Grumbling under her breath as she walked away again, she heard the door close behind her.
“Be that way.”
That single sentence, slowly drawled out by Sa Jun.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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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.
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What mother isn’t charmed when she hears someone speak so lovingly of her child? Irresistible.