At those words, Ye Rin widened her already round eyes noticeably and turned her head.

“You always exceed expectations.”

“It’s because I’ve received a lot from you, I Hyun.”

“You know that statement makes me want to give you more.”

“Pardon?”

“Because if I give you something, I feel like you’ll try to gradually close the distance.”

Unable to deny the truth, Ye Rin simply bit her lip.

She had learned that there is no kindness without reason.

Ye Rin’s father Pyeong Hun said free things are the best in the world, but Ye Rin didn’t think so.

She knew all too well that the more you receive without giving, the harder it becomes to bear.

Worried that I Hyun might buy excessive things and thrust them upon her as he just said, Ye Rin quickly drew a line.

“I Hyun, just letting me see my mother today is enough for me.”

“It’s not enough for me.”

“Pardon?”

“Let’s get out first.”

I Hyun quickly got out of the car and came around the large vehicle.

Then he naturally opened the passenger door and waited for Ye Rin to come out.

I Hyun’s heart raced dizzily because of Ye Rin smiling at him as brightly as the spring sunshine.

Usually when working, Ye Rin was a secretary who didn’t show much emotion on her face.

However, during private time like this, she tended to become honest as if she were a different person.

It was just a smile like that.

Yet it kept flickering before I Hyun’s eyes even on his way home after parting with her.

Thinking it was truly a serious case, I Hyun walked together with Ye Rin.

Both of their steps were light as they climbed the dark stairs together.

They entered after Ye Rin unlocked the door to the house where she lived.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Ye Rin saw the brightly lit bathroom and hurriedly went to turn off the switch.

Tilting her head, she pondered for a moment if she had left the bathroom light on this morning.

She couldn’t remember because it had been such a hectic day.

I Hyun asked curiously towards Ye Rin who was standing blankly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Thinking she must have forgotten to turn off the light while rushing to leave for work, Ye Rin dismissed it and put her bag down on a kitchen chair.

“I Hyun, please sit here and I’ll bring you some warm tea right away.”

As she was about to pass I Hyun and head towards the cupboard.

He suddenly thrust his body forward, blocking Ye Rin’s path.

“Do you need something?”

Ye Rin took a step back after confirming I Hyun’s face at such a close distance.

“I don’t want to drink tea.”

“Ah, then is there perhaps a drink you’d like? I’ll go out and buy it right away.”

I Hyun slowly shook his head.

“There is something I want, but it can’t be bought outside.”

“Is that so?”

Thinking it might be an expensive drink only sold at department stores, Ye Rin was about to give up.

However, she suddenly became curious about what that drink was.

Thinking it might be useful to know when assisting I Hyun in the future, Ye Rin spoke in a sweet voice.

“Can you tell me what it is?”

It was Ye Rin asking with an innocent face.

I Hyun saw that and chuckled.

He tilted his head slightly and slowly licked his lips languidly.

I Hyun’s heated gaze was fixed on Ye Rin’s face.

“Are you curious?”

“Yes.”

Whether he didn’t want to tell or it really couldn’t be bought even at department stores.

I Hyun was silent for a long time.

Just as the small house was about to be filled with silence.

I Hyun slowly opened his mouth.

“Han Ye Rin, you’ll be very surprised if you hear it.”

It seemed to be a drink with a price beyond imagination.

By this point, she became extremely curious what it could be that was so hard to obtain and would surprise her to know its identity.

Ye Rin smiled once again and straightened her back.

“I’m confident I won’t be surprised.”

“Is that so?”

I Hyun raised his eyebrows slightly as if intrigued.

Then he slowly bent down.

He brought his lips close to Ye Rin’s ear and whispered softly.

“What it is, is this.”

Ye Rin tensed up at the hot breath hitting her ear.

“I’ve been thinking I want to taste your lips.”

And once again, Ye Rin froze like a rock at I Hyun’s words.

Unlike the flustered Ye Rin, I Hyun had a very relaxed expression as he slowly straightened up.

Taking a step back, I Hyun smiled slightly at Ye Rin who was staring with wide eyes in shock.

“See? Didn’t I say you’d be surprised.”

“Ah, I’m not surprised, I’m just…”

Ye Rin couldn’t finish her sentence and just moved her lips.

“You’re right. I was surprised.”

Unable to meet I Hyun’s eyes, Ye Rin slowly took a step back.

Catching that movement, I Hyun pulled out a kitchen chair with a scraping sound and sat down first.

Then he pointed with his chin at the empty seat across from him, telling Ye Rin to sit.

It was a situation where the roles were clearly reversed, as if I Hyun were the owner of this house instead of Ye Rin.

Ye Rin exhaled briefly and sat down.

She neatly tucked her hair that had fallen to cover her face behind her ear and raised her head.

She was startled upon meeting I Hyun’s dark eyes, but pretended to be calm as she spoke.

“Since when have you been thinking that?”

“What thought? That I want to kiss Han Ye Rin?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been a long time.”

“…”

Ye Rin swallowed hard.

“I see.”

I Hyun leaned back deeply in the chair and crossed his arms.

Then he asked leisurely.

“What about Han Ye Rin?”

“Pardon?”

“Have you ever thought like that?”

She couldn’t answer this time either.

She had.

The memory of that night spent with him tormented Ye Rin from time to time.

Because she still remembered that heat that had burned like fire.

However, telling the truth felt like something would happen right away.

But she couldn’t lie either, as her voice would tremble.

Watching the hesitating Ye Rin, I Hyun spoke in a pleasant baritone.

“Han Ye Rin made physical contact with me twice without asking my opinion, right?”

It was about that day when they drank wine at his house.

“Yes…”

She had touched his lips without asking I Hyun’s consent.

And held his hand without permission.

So I Hyun had said he would make physical contact with Ye Rin twice without warning too, she belatedly remembered.

Ye Rin unconsciously raised her hand to cover her lips.

Could he be warning in advance that he would kiss her?

She couldn’t let things flow that way.

What was truly ridiculous was the fact that a faint expectation arose, wondering what if I Hyun actually kissed her.

Ye Rin hurriedly spoke up.

“I Hyun, the reason I asked you to come up to my place today was…”

“I know well. You said to negotiate the contract.”

“Yes.”

How could someone who claims to know well suddenly talk about wanting to kiss and shake a person up like this?

“So shall we get to it quickly?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

I Hyun chuckled once again.

“While knowing you meant to negotiate the contract terms.”

I Hyun slowly loosened the necktie that was choking his neck and pulled it off.

“I keep hearing what I want to hear.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean I got excited for a very brief moment, thinking you meant to kiss.”

Ye Rin belatedly realized she had spoken unkindly.

“Ah, the contract! I meant let’s look over the contract.”

Ye Rin quickly took out the contract she had put in her bag and placed it on the table with a thud.

“What I was trying to say was…”

Feeling the need to change the subject quickly, Ye Rin was in a huge rush.

Watching Ye Rin speak without even breathing, I Hyun burst out laughing.

“Why are you laughing?”

“I won’t do it. Not today.”

“You won’t revise the contract terms?”

“No, I’ll do that. The action that flustered Han Ye Rin just now. I won’t do that today.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”

Ye Rin awkwardly smiled and bit her lip.

It truly was a relief.

She felt a bit resentful about why he teased her like that when he had no real intention of doing it.

But it was fine.

Although she had decided to open her heart to I Hyun, if there had been passionate physical contact between them today, it would have been awkward to face him tomorrow.

I Hyun rested his chin on one hand and gazed intently at Ye Rin.

“Aren’t you too happy about it?”

“No, that’s not it. I’m just… not mentally prepared.”

Ye Rin blurted out her true feelings without even realizing what she was saying.

Not missing that moment, I Hyun asked.

“Does that mean you’ll accept it when you’re mentally prepared?”

“…”

He was accurate.

Because of I Hyun’s sharp probing, Ye Rin froze, forgetting even to breathe.

“That’s how it sounds to me.”

Yes, once she was mentally prepared and they became closer, she did intend to engage in some skinship even if it was a fake relationship.

I Hyun remained still as if waiting for Ye Rin’s answer.

Unable to bear the awkward silence any longer, Ye Rin opened her mouth.

“Yes. That was my thought.”

“But?”

“I literally need to be mentally prepared…”

“You don’t intend to not make that mental preparation until our contract period ends, right?”

“What? Yes, of course not.”

Of course that was her intention.

But because I Hyun asked so matter-of-factly, Ye Rin’s soul left her body and she reflexively denied it.

She tried to salvage the situation belatedly, but it was already too late.

“That’s a relief. So I’ll try to hold back today.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ye Rin was just glad she could get past this tense atmosphere today.

“Then shall we start our negotiation?”

“Let’s do that.”

Although it had already been an hour since they entered this house, the two were only now realizing their original purpose.

“I’m a bit concerned about setting a time limit. How about removing that restriction?”

“Are you saying one hour a day is too much?”

I Hyun slightly furrowed his brows as if he couldn’t concede on that point.

Ye Rin quickly waved her hands and continued speaking.

“No. Actually the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

Wanting to help make I Hyun’s fake dating business as smooth as possible in return for what she’d received, this was a clause she wanted to revise.

Ye Rin hesitated a bit before speaking in an elegant voice.

“I want to spend more time with you, I Hyun.”

I Hyun’s pupils slowly dilated at the unexpected words.