Lee Seung Oh’s expression twisted, then barely straightened when Kyung Jun set down his glass with a thud.

He seemed quite offended in his own way. Seo Ha rolled her eyes pretending not to know what to do, and carefully pushed a glass of water in front of Kyung Jun.

“H-here, have some water.”

Kyung Jun took that glass too and drank it all in one go. And then something surprising happened.

“Thank you.”

Kyung Jun said this while smiling brightly, looking straight at Seo Ha. And with such a gentle voice.

Seo Ha immediately noticed that smile was fake. Unlike his cold appearance, Kyung Jun smiles a bit mischievously. At least, that’s how he smiled at the clam restaurant in Eulwang-ri and on the rooftop deck.

Not sure what he was thinking, Seo Ha instinctively smiled back, playing along with Kyung Jun’s act.

“I’m the one who should be grateful. Always.”

Their fabricated smiles and grins met. Strangely, for a moment, it all felt genuine.

I don’t even know what came out for the rest of the courses. I wasn’t interested and it wasn’t tasty. I wondered if the chef had changed. Back when I loved Lee Seung Oh, everything tasted wonderful no matter what I ate.

“Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.”

When the last dessert was finally finished, Seo Ha gave a polite greeting. The sake that came out earlier had barely half emptied, now cold.

“I’m glad it suited your taste. How was it for you, Secretary Ryu?”

“It was fine.”

Kyung Jun replied in a strictly businesslike manner as he reached for a napkin. Seo Ha, sitting closer to the napkin holder, quickly pulled out two and handed one to Kyung Jun, then used the other to lightly dab her mouth.

“I’ll call a designated driver. I’ll take Ms. Jo Seo Ha home, so please go back comfortably, sir.”

Lee Seung Oh seemed displeased about something. Whether he knew this or not, Kyung Jun went out first, saying he would wait after paying.

“Looks like I didn’t need to worry.”

A moment after the door closed, Lee Seung Oh grinned as he filled two glasses.

“Let’s have just one drink, when it’s just the two of us.”

Seo Ha silently picked up her glass, clinked it against his, and took a sip.

It was bitter and pungent. It was amazing how different the taste could be, eating the menu they often had at the restaurant they frequently visited together, drinking the sake they often drank.

“Looks like you can’t drink much. Seo Ha.”

“As I said earlier, because of my condition…”

Lee Seung Oh leaned across the table and grabbed Seo Ha’s chin. Seo Ha barely held back a scream that almost burst out from the horrible, disgusting feeling.

“Sir.”

“It was my order, but still. Watching it makes me feel dirty.”

Lee Seung Oh glanced at the closed door and pulled Seo Ha’s chin a bit more.

“Jo Seo Ha is sincerely interested in me, right? Not Ryu Kyung Jun. Isn’t that so?”

She wasn’t anxious. It felt like Ryu Kyung Jun would call for her before Lee Seung Oh got any closer. It was a groundless belief.

Lee Seung Oh tilted his head slightly to the side. At that moment, the groundless belief came true.

– Knock knock.

“You can come out now, sir.”

Lee Seung Oh clicked his tongue.

“Impeccable timing.”

Lee Seung Oh let go of Seo Ha’s chin and stood up, leading the way to grab his jacket. Seo Ha followed, getting up and opening the sliding door. Just being in an enclosed space with Lee Seung Oh was extremely unpleasant.

Two cars that Lee Seung Oh and Ryu Kyung Jun had arrived in were parked side by side in front of the store. After Seo Ha said goodbye and got into the back seat of Kyung Jun’s car, Kyung Jun naturally sat down next to her.

Bang, the door closed.

Through the dark tinting, Lee Seung Oh’s displeased expression was visible.

“Looks like you were having quite an interesting conversation with Lee Seung Oh.”

The meaning of Kyung Jun’s words as soon as they got in was obvious. Still, Seo Ha tried to play dumb, just in case.

“What do you mean?”

“That nonsense about liking me earlier was because of that, right?”

The meaning became too obvious. Seo Ha coolly dropped the act.

“That’s right. I’m sorry about that. Anyway, since you didn’t accept it, I guess there was no loss.”

“As expected, you’re shameless. Quite the audacious one.”

“Don’t say that like it’s a compliment.”

“So, what exactly was the deal?”

At this point there’s no need to keep it secret, but still it weighs on my mind. As Seo Ha hesitated, a faint wrinkle formed between Kyung Jun’s brows, gradually deepening.

“Must have been quite an important deal. Important enough that you can’t tell me.”

“It was… an important deal.”

After hesitating for a while longer, Seo Ha finally gathered her resolve and lifted her chin shamelessly.

“He asked me to seduce you.”

Kyung Jun snorted. Even though he’d heard about it earlier, it seemed quite outrageous.

“And?”

“He wanted me to find out your weaknesses or secrets. Said he could get good terms in an important deal that way.”

“What was the reward?”

“He did offer a reward. I said I didn’t need it.”

“What kind of reward was it?”

“Said he’d make me like Lee Ji Soo. Give me a team leader position, dress me in luxury brands.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Kyung Jun burst out laughing.

“Is that all? The reward for seducing me and successfully getting a good deal is just team leader and luxury goods? Lee Ji Soo? And Jo Seo Ha, you actually said yes to that?”

“When did I say yes? I told you I said I wouldn’t take the reward!”

“You know people like you are the most dangerous?”

Kyung Jun suddenly leaned in close. Seo Ha reflexively tried to back away, but there was a limit to how far she could retreat in the confined space.

The faint scent that was like soap suddenly poured out like lilac fragrance all at once, choking her breath.

“W-what?”

“I can’t tell what you’re thinking behind that innocent face. Actually, I was fooled for a moment. Your acting was so good, I really thought Jo Seo Ha liked me.”

Words failed her.

That was acting. But can I say it was completely acting?

Under the night sky of the shining city with artificial satellites, when the soap scent drifted on the gently blowing wind, who can guarantee there wasn’t even a tiny flutter?

Seo Ha’s eyelashes slowly lowered and raised. In the couple of blinks, Kyung Jun had moved a little closer.

Sharp, long eyes, a high and straight nose bridge, slightly thin lips that looked irritable.

What would it be like to kiss this man?

Suddenly, an absurd thought occurred.

Seo Ha’s eyelashes lowered and raised twice more. Kyung Jun drew closer again, as slowly as that blinking.

“Shall we make a deal too?”

Kyung Jun moved his lips very low and monotonously. Mixed with the cold scent and soap fragrance was the strong smell of the sake from earlier.

“Go on.”

“Keep acting. I’ll pretend to fall for it willingly.”

“Why?”

“Because it sounds fun.”

The corner of Kyung Jun’s lips twisted crookedly.

“I f***ing hate that bastard. I want to see his expression when he gets backstabbed while eagerly racking his brains and snickering behind the scenes. That bastard has probably backstabbed others, but never been backstabbed himself.”

Ryu Kyung Jun was also there when Lee Seung Oh backstabbed.

Again, unnecessarily grateful. Who else would take Yoon Seo Ha’s side like this now?

“What’s in it for you?”

“Nothing. If Jo Seo Ha really wants something, I’ll do whatever it takes to grant that one wish.”

“Alright.”

Seo Ha raised her hands that were gathered defensively in front and placed them on Kyung Jun’s cheek. She felt him flinch at her touch, but he didn’t push her hand away or back off.

“Kiss me.”

As the command-like whisper flowed from Seo Ha’s slightly parted lips, Kyung Jun chuckled.

“Out of necessity?”

“For a successful deal.”

“Fair enough.”

Kyung Jun devoured Seo Ha’s lips as if crushing them.

The imagination of what it would be like to kiss this man came true too quickly. It was a kiss as cold as a flame burning in ice, and also so hot.

Kyung Jun grabbed the back of Seo Ha’s head with one hand to pull her closer, while searching for the window button with the other. Seo Ha opened her eyes slightly and glanced at the side mirror.

The designated driver who had just arrived and Lee Seung Oh were talking, but stopped to look at the two of them.

She thought of the pink macaron she had just taken a bite of.

Damn macaron.

Seo Ha bit Kyung Jun as if biting into the macaron. At the stinging pain, Kyung Jun let out a small groan, then slowly pulled his lips away.

“The window opened.”

Who called whom shameless? He calmly nodded towards Lee Seung Oh, then pressed the close button.

“Stupid bastard.”

Kyung Jun muttering quietly was like a villainous villain from a drama.

“Satisfied?”

“Not yet.”

There was a knock from outside. It was the designated driver wondering if it was okay to get in now. Kyung Jun lowered the driver’s side window slightly and nodded.

“Let’s do well. Double agent.”

Kyung Jun’s laughter rumbled low beneath the driver’s voice asking where to go.

The entire way to Seo Ha’s rooftop room that reeked of extreme poverty, Kyung Jun kept his head turned, looking only out the window.

Seo Ha didn’t feel particularly keen on striking up conversation either, so that silence was rather comfortable.

“Please stop in front of those stairs over there.”

Kyung Jun pointed out the parking spot with familiarity. Seo Ha, who was naturally about to get out alone, waved her hands when she saw Kyung Jun also getting out as if it were natural.

“Just go straight back. I’ll go up alone.”

“I’m going to see Chairman Kang, so don’t get the wrong idea.”

Kyung Jun handed 30,000 won to the designated driver and strode up the stairs ahead. Behind the flickering orange streetlights, shadows stretched long, and artificial satellites shone brightly in the night sky as always.

As Seo Ha walked, stepping on Kyung Jun’s shadow, she firmly pressed down her uselessly fluttering heart.

Sorry about this, Jo Seo Ha.

Her lips, still tingling, felt strange as if they belonged to someone else. Strictly speaking, they did belong to someone else too.

Seo Ha lightly rubbed her lips with the back of her hand.

Still, I’ll use you a bit longer, Ms. Jo Seo Ha. I need to figure out how to wake you up after I wake up.