Impure Among Friends (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10

‘You should date for me too.’

Because of that proposal Kang Sa Jun made, Tae Hee’s daily life, which had been running regularly for 5 years, was falling apart.

It had already been a whole week.

She couldn’t focus on work and kept spacing out, wasting time for no reason.

The guy who left after saying “think about it”—Kang Sa Jun—hadn’t contacted her even once since then.

Today again, Tae Hee, who had slammed her forehead onto the desk, muttered quietly.

“……I should have rejected it right away.”

But she couldn’t.

Because Kang Sa Jun had been so unusually gentle that day, so charming that her heart was thrown into complete chaos by it.

So she had to reject him now.

She knew that—really, really knew it. It would all be over if she just said she couldn’t do it, whether by phone or message.

Yet Tae Hee had been hesitating for an entire week.

Writing a message, deleting it, hovering over the send button—repeating that dozens of times.

Reason urged her to call him right now and say it, while instinct sweetly whispered that life is short, just go for it.

In the end, Tae Hee was barely clinging to her slipping rationality.

If Kang Sa Jun acted absurdly gentle again and looked at her like she was the only one in the world, she might actually fall for it—this was a dangerously urgent situation.

So she absolutely could not meet Kang Sa Jun to reject him.

By phone, or by message, and today for sure.

Tae Hee suddenly stood up and grabbed her phone.

[I’m going to reject that proposal you made. No matter how much I think about it, it really doesn’t feel right.]

While diligently typing the message to Sa Jun, Tae Hee muttered with determination.

“Act indifferent, like it’s no big deal, like I don’t care at all—just send it casually.”

But once again, her finger never pressed the send button.

Putting the phone down, Tae Hee clutched her head and pulled at her hair.

“You idiot, why can’t you send it? Why can’t you press it?”

Sighing so deeply it felt like the desk would collapse, she checked the time—thirty minutes past quitting time already.

[This is the timeline separator]

In front of the company’s main gate, a group of female colleagues and some unfamiliar women had gathered on the street.

“Isn’t that sports car the multi-billion-won one that actor Nam Tae Hyeon drives?”

“I don’t even notice the car, to be honest. That guy is way more handsome than Nam Tae Hyeon. Isn’t there a camera around here?”

“I don’t think there’s a camera. But seeing him waiting over there… does he know someone from our company?”

Feeling a faint curiosity, Tae Hee stopped walking and followed the women’s gazes.

The early summer sun lingered long.

The long afternoon sunlight poured fantastically over the sleek, bright-red body of the sports car.

But the man leaning casually against the car was even more fantastical.

Tall height, jet-black hair, jet-black sunglasses, simple black knit and slacks.

From head to toe, the man was all black.

Yet the fist-sized face behind the sunglasses and the sneakers worn slightly exposing his ankles were pure white like snow.

It was a stunning contrast of black and white.

Even Tae Hee, who was usually immune to looks, let out a quiet gasp—just then the man used his fingertips to lower his sunglasses and loosely rested them on the bridge of his nose.

The moment those pitch-black eyes above the sunglasses turned toward her, Tae Hee’s mouth fell open a little.

“……!”

She stared blankly at the man walking slowly toward her.

Unless her eyes were broken, it was definitely Kang Sa Jun.

Sa Jun, who had stopped right in front of Tae Hee, tapped his wristwatch with his fingertip and spoke calmly.

“You said you’d leave right on time, but today you’re thirty minutes late.”

I can’t exactly say it’s because I couldn’t concentrate on work because of you. Tae Hee replied sulkily.

“……I had a lot of work. But what brings you here?”

“What brings me here? I came to pick you up.”

Tae Hee’s eyes widened in shock at Sa Jun’s words that made her doubt her ears.

Kang Sa Jun had never once come to the front of her company on his own.

She had sometimes wished for it, but that miracle had never happened.

He never contacted first, never replied, never came to pick her up.

It was one of the unspoken rules naturally formed between them over the years.

Yet today Kang Sa Jun had casually broken another one of their rules—right after that kiss.

And of all days, on this day when her heart was already a complete mess.

While Tae Hee was wondering how to process the situation, Sa Jun whispered softly into her ear.

“But Min Tae Hee, I tried to dress as neatly as possible today—why is everyone staring?”

The soft breath tickling her ear made Tae Hee want to scream.

Why does he have to whisper in my ear when he could just say it normally—what the hell is he doing?

Covering the ear his breath had touched with her hand, Tae Hee quickly stepped back.

“It’s not the clothes that stand out—it’s your face and your body.”

“So I look bad right now?”

Sa Jun asked for Tae Hee’s opinion with a completely serious expression, looking like a big obedient puppy listening to its owner.

As if Tae Hee were his owner.

The feeling wasn’t bad, so Tae Hee answered with a sigh-like tone.

“Well… you do look neater than usual.”

It was obvious he had made an effort to dress neatly because he was coming during rush hour.

Not only the clothes were neat—he had removed every accessory from his neck and arms except for one earring.

Perhaps annoyed by all the stares, Sa Jun pushed the sunglasses back up and grumbled.

“This is why I turn nocturnal.”

He really hates people. While grumbling inwardly, Tae Hee accidentally made eye contact with one of the female colleagues.

Judging by the look in her eyes, tomorrow was going to be exhausting. Friend or boyfriend—either way exhausting.

Still, she didn’t particularly want to run away or hide Kang Sa Jun. Having a great-looking friend is a skill in itself.

“But why did you really come to pick me up?”

“Because I missed Min Tae Hee?”

You jerk. Stop saying things like that so casually.

“So why?”

“We haven’t seen each other for a week.”

“Are you kidding? If there’s a reason, it’s normal not to see each other for a week.”

“I can’t do that. I have to see you at least once a week.”

It seemed he had made up his mind today—Sa Jun was coming in hard without mercy.

Tae Hee was starting to become genuinely afraid of Sa Jun.

It felt like this guy who had targeted her was now seriously going all in.

Otherwise none of this made sense.

There had been plenty of times they hadn’t seen each other for over a week.

But Kang Sa Jun had never once contacted her or come looking for her—he had always been indifferent, acting like he didn’t care whether she came or not.

In their relationship, it had always been Tae Hee who felt the lack. So she was always the one to contact first and go see him.

Yet now he says he has to see her once a week? Since when was that a rule between us?

Sa Jun pulled two tickets out of his back pocket and held them in front of Tae Hee’s eyes.

“An acquaintance opened a restaurant and gave me meal vouchers.”

“…….”

“The only person I can comfortably sit face-to-face and eat with is you, Min Tae Hee.”

Wiiiiiing—an alarm siren blared inside her head.

Kang Sa Jun’s level of temptation had risen, so today she absolutely had to avoid him.

Yes, let’s avoid him today. Just avoid first. So…?

“Let’s go.”

Sa Jun casually took Tae Hee’s hand and led her away.

Holding hands was another thing he had never done before.

So it was absurd and ridiculous—normally she would have shaken it off.

But strangely, right now it didn’t feel bad. The fact that Kang Sa Jun, who hated even people looking at him, was being affectionate and comfortable with physical contact only with her.

The women watched Tae Hee being dragged along with envious eyes.

Receiving all those gazes made a ridiculous and horrifying imagination pop into her head.

The image of herself looking enviously at the woman holding Kang Sa Jun’s hand.

Sitting in the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt, Tae Hee grumbled as Sa Jun got into the driver’s seat.

“You’re really only allowed to do this today. From now on, if you want to go somewhere with me, make a reservation in advance. I have my own schedule, you know?”

Sa Jun let out a short laugh as if he had heard something funny.

“Oh my, keep playing hard to get with the absolute top?”

“That’s totally lame.”

“If it’s lame, then just date me.”

In a completely unexpected moment, Sa Jun struck again without warning.

Unable to find an appropriate response, Tae Hee just opened and closed her mouth while Sa Jun’s playful expression had completely vanished.

“Then you can be the absolute top.”

After saying that, Sa Jun started the car.

Looking out the window, Tae Hee muttered to herself.

Kang Sa Jun is totally lame and cunning.

Because for Tae Hee, who had always been the weaker one for 13 years, that proposal was simply far too attractive.

[This is the timeline separator]

Tae Hee had completely fallen for the dish called buldojang, which she was trying for the first time.

“This tastes really mysterious. At first it was a bit stuffy so I didn’t like it, but the more I eat, the more I crave it?”

“Then eat mine too.”

Sa Jun pushed his own bowl toward Tae Hee.

“They say this is really good for the body, right? Then you should eat it too.”

“What am I supposed to do with getting even better than now? I’ve got no place to use the overflowing energy.”

As if she had heard something she shouldn’t have, Tae Hee’s eyes widened.

Now even his brain had turned lewd—because what Sa Jun just said sounded pretty suggestive.

This was all because she had properly looked at Kang Sa Jun’s body, which she had never paid much attention to before.

Rock-like forearms and thighs, perfectly chiseled abs, explosive dynamic energy filling every muscle in his body.

Feeling her face burning, she fanned herself with her hand, and Sa Jun teased her.

“Why is your face turning red again?”

“I-It’s not! It’s because the restorative food is making my body heat up!”

Baffled, Tae Hee quickly blinked, then belatedly looked at Sa Jun’s plate.

Dozens of courses had come out, yet once again Sa Jun hadn’t touched the food at all.

Still, just looking at his expression, he looked like a predator that had just finished a satisfying meal—relaxed and content.

Come to think of it, whenever they ate together it had always been like this. He never touched the food yet always had that look and those eyes.

At this point Tae Hee became curious.

“Kang Sa Jun, is there any food that actually tastes good to you?”

“Not really.”

“Anyway, thanks. Thanks to my good friend I get to eat such expensive food.”

“Looks like it suited your taste.”“Yeah, a lot.”

After eating delicious food to her heart’s content in a fancy place, her mood loosened up.

So Tae Hee smiled brightly for the first time in a long while.

As if responding to that smile, Sa Jun also melted into a flower-like smile.

“I’m glad it was good. Should I let you eat like this three meals a day?”

Tae Hee almost nodded as if possessed.

Not realizing Sa Jun had just indirectly said “Will you date me?” by rephrasing it as feeding her three meals a day.

If she had nodded, Sa Jun would have pounced like a hyena and interpreted it however he wanted.

He really was persistent and meticulous.

To think he’d now stoop to seducing her with food.

She’d have to stay sharp until Sa Jun gave up.

“I’ll pass. I don’t like feeling indebted after getting expensive treats.”

When she firmly put up her wall, only then did Sa Jun openly show his true feelings again.

“If you hate feeling indebted, then just date me. Then it’ll become just a tiny part of the rightful benefits you deserve.”

As expected of a lifelong single, Kang Sa Jun had definitely eaten romance with rice—it was gone.

There’s no woman who dislikes romance, and Tae Hee was a woman too. Even if it’s fake dating, wouldn’t it hurt to propose a little romantically?

Proposing dryly like signing a contract instantly hardened the heart that had softened from his recent gentleness.

The romance-illiterate Kang Sa Jun, unaware of that, spoke again.

“I can give you anything you want.”

That might have been true in the past, but not anymore.

The only thing she wanted from Sa Jun right now had become the one thing the “I’ll do anything” Sa Jun absolutely could not give her.

She really hated Kang Sa Jun, who kept wagging his thousand-year-old nine tails without knowing her feelings.

“Kang Sa Jun, are you trying to sign a contract with me or something?”

Sa Jun narrowed his eyes as if asking what she meant.

“Then just say you like me and ask me to date you.”

“…….”

“What? You’ll give me anything I want so let’s date? How much is it? Are you imitating some drama male lead’s famous line? Did you think I’d go ‘Oh wow, sure, let’s date’? I’m speechless.”

Tae Hee had planned to lightly brush it off and reject him. It was also ridiculous to keep responding seriously to Sa Jun’s proposals.

Hit by Tae Hee’s blow, Sa Jun looked as if he’d been properly punched for the first time in 13 years.

That made her feel a little sorry but also slightly thrilled. Afraid her true feelings would show, Tae Hee quietly averted her eyes and missed it.

She didn’t see that when Sa Jun slowly closed and opened his eyes once, his gaze and expression had changed completely, as if it were a lie.

“And I don’t like Han Bin, okay? I told you—I absolutely love handsome guys……”

“I like you, Min Tae Hee.”

A heavy, low voice cut through the air and abruptly stopped Tae Hee’s words.

Wait, what did I just hear?

Slowly turning her head, Tae Hee saw pitch-black eyes containing a massive storm.

“So date me.”

That storm swept over her, ready to swallow everything.