Inside the elevator of Dongtaek’s main building, Jung Woo readjusted his phone with an expression as if exhausted by the person on the other end.

“So resolve it properly. I told you to do it properly, not use tricks.”

– How can you say that in this situation? When you’re not even going to help solve it.

“I warned you. Tae Ha is not to be taken lightly. Don’t you know that after experiencing it?”

– I know, I know. I just lost my mind for a moment. Then at least tell me what to do. What exactly is this proper way you mentioned, Jung Woo?

“Even if you have to kneel.”

– Are you crazy!

“I’m hanging up. Next time you want to ask for something, come when you’re less crazy. Don’t call after making a mess.”

Ding. The elevator opened.

The dark interior briefly revealed itself in the elevator light before fading back into shadows. Except for the soft glow of garden lights flooding through the full-length windows, no other light could be found.

Jung Woo put his foot on the first step of the spiral staircase, then withdrew it.

[I think Eun Seo has feelings for Tae Ha. They’re going to see a musical together. Tae Ha is a man too. No matter how unsuitable, you never know.]

Had Tae Ha lowered his guard?

He remembers Tae Ha coming out of Eun Seo’s room not long after arriving here.

Was that when the barrier was broken?

Suddenly seized by a strong desire to open Tae Ha’s door, Jung Woo changed direction.

On this night, opening Eun Seo’s door would be rude, but there was nothing difficult about opening Tae Ha’s door.

If asked why, he could just say he was craving a drink.

His steps towards Tae Ha’s room were neither fast nor slow.

The hope that Tae Ha would be asleep. And the reluctance to confirm Tae Ha’s absence with his own eyes.

Those two feelings mixed completely, churning his insides.

Song Eun Seo. He had only watched her play the piano occasionally. He had only paid attention because Tae Ha seemed interested in her.

The woman was truly kind.

She was well-mannered and so polite, always saying things like “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.” For some reason, he wanted to hear her say other things too.

He liked her unadorned fingertips. He liked that she had nothing to hide from someone who had much to hide.

While Jung Woo was thinking this, his feet had already reached Tae Ha’s door.

He placed his hand on the doorknob and applied pressure. The handle went down quite far.

After briefly relaxing his grip, he pushed on the door with renewed force.

The room was empty. There was no one in the bed.

The corner of his mouth quirked up.

As if he had already expected it, a weak laugh escaped him.

* * *

“Why did we come here?”

Looking at the star-studded sky, Eun Seo asked as she hurriedly followed behind Tae Ha.

“To get closer.”

“To get closer?”

Tae Ha nodded casually as he placed his finger on the doorlock keypad.

“There are several ways for a man and woman to get closer. First, tempt with food – already done. Second, spend money recklessly for no reason – also done. Third, I was thinking of trying now.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door opened. Part of the wide marble-finished entrance came into view.

“What’s the third?”

In front of Eun Seo, who was on guard like a meerkat, Tae Ha leaned against the doorframe and nonchalantly gestured with his head.

As if to say, ‘Come in and you’ll find out.’

Tak, the sound of the door closing dangerously struck her ears.

The orange sensor light suddenly came on in the dark entrance. At the same time, Tae Ha’s face filled her entire field of vision.

Bending his upper body deeply to match Eun Seo’s eye level, his eyes were infinitely calm.

They were eyes like the dark night. Perhaps a winter night. No, a summer night.

Eyes that could suit any season, sometimes cold and sometimes hot.

So cold that it would be fine to freeze to death, so hot that it would be fine to burn to death.

Those black pupils slowly and tenderly scanned Eun Seo from head to toe.

It seemed as if he was worried she might be frightened.

Eun Seo thought she understood. What the man intended to do.

The two hands gripping her arms were so hot, it felt like they were burning her clothes and boiling her blood.

“The last way for a man and woman to get closer is this.”

His straight lips moved towards her earlobe and whispered like a breath.

“Let’s sleep together.”

At the man’s words, exhaled like a breath, every hair on her body stood on end. The tension that started from her toes climbed up her spine, waking every part of her in a tumultuous rush.

Not a single word, no words at all came out. Her feet were stuck to the entrance floor, unable to move.

Her knees felt weak, as if she might lose consciousness, but Tae Ha was gripping her arms, so Eun Seo barely managed to support herself.

A large hand tangled into her black hair. The firm palm cupped the nape of her neck in one motion, and his thumb slowly traced her lips.

Tae Ha pressed down the urge to kiss those red lips, rubbing his own lips with his finger instead.

“You don’t like it?”

Eun Seo shook her head. It wasn’t that she didn’t like it.

“It’s my first time.”

She seemed a little afraid.

“Me too, it’s my first time too.”

Those exploring eyes, that profound gaze moved smoothly like a brush stroke from her forehead to her nose, to her lips.

“Why…”

A surprised exclamation escaped from Eun Seo.

If she wanted to ask why a man like Kwon Tae Ha hadn’t had a woman until now, then.

“Because there was no woman like you.”

The answer was simple.

“But now there is.”

In the dim light after the entrance light went out, only Tae Ha’s eyes burned blue.

Click, his large hand undid the first button.

“What will you do?”

“……”

Click, his hot hand undid the second button.

“Will you sleep with me?”

“……”

Click, even the third button came undone.

Click click, with each button that came undone, her heartbeat unraveled dizzily too. Her heart, which had been beating regularly, started racing wildly as if the reins had been loosened.

Would she die if her heart burst like this?

Afraid that this trembling would be transmitted to him through the air, Eun Seo bit her lips tightly.

Tae Ha’s gaze lingered on her heaving bosom.

The dazzling skin above the white underwear filled his vision dizzyingly. Tae Ha clenched his fingers with all his might, wondering if he had ever experienced a moment like this before.

The fierce veins on his forearm bulged visibly.

“It’s up to you to decide. Whether you discard me, or have me. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“What I want?”

“Decide. If you tell me to stop, I’ll stop. If you tell me to go, I’ll go. But if we start now, I’ll finish it.”

Eun Seo raised her trembling hand and covered Tae Ha’s hand that was gripping her clothes.

“What I want is Kwon Tae Ha.”

Rip. The remaining buttons were torn off at once.

Their lips met.

Tae Ha lifted Eun Seo into his arms and strode towards the bedroom.

In the bedroom bathed in blue moonlight, a white sheet-covered bed in the center.

Tae Ha laid Eun Seo down on it, then loosened his tie and threw it to the floor.

Then he slowly undid the buttons of his own shirt as well.

His solid body covered her small one like an avalanche. His agitated muscles writhed, driving Eun Seo to her limits.

Their eyes set the air ablaze. The heat transmitted by their hot skin felt like it would melt away the fingerprints on their palms.

An intense trembling towards each other.

When Eun Seo felt the terrible pain of a blast furnace being implanted in the center of her body, she bit her lip and tightly embraced his neck.

She was now slowly sinking hotly into the season of ‘him’, leaving behind the cold season.

When the heat that felt like it would explode finally burst, and wave-like convulsions covered everything, all became quiet.

The cracked voice, the creaking bed sounds, the hazy vision clouded by heat – all disappeared.

Below the still sticky bed, her slender arms sprawled out, nearly exhausted.

The last thing Eun Seo saw before falling asleep was Tae Ha’s warm eyes. He was still holding her, firmly trapping her in his arms with his muscles and sharing his body heat.

His steady gaze was so warm that Eun Seo felt cozy. She probably smiled.

Some time later, Eun Seo’s body that had been placed on the bed was lifted gently.

Tae Ha wrapped Eun Seo tightly in a warm blanket, put her down on the floor, and neatly tidied up the disheveled bed. Then he placed her back on the bed.

After that, he turned her body towards his side and kept patting her back.

* * *

Near dawn, Tae Ha opened his eyes. Peeking through his narrow eyelids, he saw it was still dark outside.

The moon was still hanging on the tree branches.

When he flexed his arm, the woman’s light body easily followed.

Whether tired or exhausted, Eun Seo didn’t stir at all. She seemed to be in a deep sleep.

Her hair, damp with sweat, was clumped together and stuck to her forehead and cheeks. Traces of their embrace.

Finding that sight so pretty, Tae Ha sat up and leaned against the headboard to look more closely.

How cute.

Tae Ha carefully brushed away her hair with his fingers. Her short black eyelashes twitched briefly beneath her round forehead.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even feed her.

Feeling somewhat apologetic, Tae Ha stroked her hair as if to say sorry. The way her hair curled around his fingers was touching.

He too had barely eaten during dinner with the executives, worried about Eun Seo. He couldn’t bring himself to touch the colorful dishes of food arranged on various plates.

This kind of worry was a first for him. Everything about her was a first.

“Mmm. Nngh.”

Eun Seo shifted uncomfortably. The blanket slipped down, exposing her smooth collarbone below.

Again.

At the intense heat suddenly gripping below his navel, Tae Ha furrowed his brows.

This is maddening. I can’t just recklessly pounce on her.

Troubled, Tae Ha ran a hand over his face and got out of bed, leaving Eun Seo. Then he went into the bathroom.

When he lifted the shower lever, ice-cold water poured down. Tae Ha finally felt like he would survive as the chill flowed over his entire body.

Pft, he let out a hollow laugh.

I only realized how good this feels now. You’re in big trouble, Kwon Tae Ha.

About 20 minutes later, Tae Ha came out wearing a bathrobe and holding a towel soaked in warm water. He intended to at least wipe Eun Seo’s arms and legs.

Eun Seo was still sleeping soundly, breathing quietly.

Tae Ha sat down on the edge of the bed by Eun Seo’s feet. Then he took her white foot that was sticking out from under the blanket and carefully wiped it with delicate movements.

Her small foot and ankle that wouldn’t even fill one hand, her slender calf, her dazzling thigh.

Then past her pubic bone to around her iliac crest.

On her left iliac crest was a band-aid the size of one finger, carelessly stuck on.

[I got scratched a little.]

That’s what Eun Seo had said when Tae Ha stroked the band-aid with his finger. Then she had pulled Tae Ha’s neck with her arm to find his lips.

That band-aid now looked like it would fall off soon.

Tae Ha carefully covered her with the blanket again, then immediately rummaged through the master bedroom drawers.

Where were the band-aids?

When he opened the third drawer, he saw the first aid kit. Tae Ha opened it and took out one band-aid. Then he approached Eun Seo again.

“I’ll put a new one on for you.”

Smiling, he covered her upper body with the thin blanket and peeled off the wet band-aid stuck to her iliac crest.

He thought the spot where it came off looked very white.

Suddenly, Tae Ha’s brows furrowed sharply. A blue light flashed fiercely between his narrowed eyes.

What is this?

In the spot faintly illuminated by moonlight, there was a dim inscription.