The Doll's Night - Chapter 1

The founding anniversary of Jae In Group, the undisputed number one in the Korean business world.

Befitting its stature, the dazzlingly lavish party venue was filled with famous figures from politics and business.

However, the gaze of those enjoying the party with laughter and chatter suddenly turned towards a man who had just entered through the entrance.

The man possessed strikingly handsome features that were impossible to miss.

A face more handsome than most actors, a tall stature of at least 185 centimeters, and a sculpted physique with toned muscles to match.

Exuding masculine charm, the man oozed an innate noble arrogance from head to toe.

It couldn’t be helped. He was none other than Kim Yi Hyun, the second son of Jang In Hwa, chairman of Jae In Group and host of today’s party, and a notorious playboy in the business world.

Whether people’s whispers and glances clung to him or not, Yi Hyun’s languid eyes lazily scanned the spacious party venue.

Eyes that had been looking at Yi Hyun with admiration or contempt hurriedly scattered here and there, lest they meet his gaze.

Yi Hyun’s lips curled up crookedly at their behavior.

Just then, his older brother Il Jun, who had spotted Yi Hyun, approached him with furrowed brows.

“Why are you so late?”

“Because I’m a playboy.”

“I’ve become CEO as you wished. Isn’t that enough now? How long are you going to keep this up?”

“Just a little longer. I need to change slowly. It would be strange if a person changed too suddenly, right?”

As Yi Hyun chuckled, Il Jun shook his head as if he really couldn’t handle him.

“Drink in moderation. I’m sure you’ll do well without me saying it. And Mother is waiting for you.”

“I guess I’ll have to hide.”

“And you.”

“Stop nagging, brother! I’m disappearing.”

Yi Hyun quickly fled from Il Jun.

The corner of his mouth curved into a satisfied smile as he glanced at Il Jun being surrounded by people as soon as he left.

Yi Hyun went straight to a secluded spot and picked up a glass of champagne.

After drinking one glass of sweet, bubbly champagne and setting it down, he reached for a second glass. At that moment, a small, pale hand grabbed the champagne glass he was aiming for.

Yi Hyun’s gaze unconsciously turned to the owner of the hand. A beautiful woman in a plain black dress that didn’t look particularly expensive picked up the glass and immediately went to stand in the most secluded corner by the wall.

A very beautiful face, but nothing particularly special about the woman.

Her expressionless face, devoid of any emotion, and her quiet movements that were barely noticeable strangely caught his eye.

Like the faint ripples spreading from a tiny feather thrown onto a calm water surface, a strange wave stirred in his cold heart.

The woman’s lack of expression was remarkable. Her eyes were empty.

Yi Hyun couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought that this must be what an android would look like drinking alcohol.

The woman emptied her glass at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. Then she came back to the table with the champagne glasses, set down the empty one, and picked up a new glass brimming with alcohol.

And the same behavior repeated. Yi Hyun’s curious eyes continued to observe her.

“Is she a metronome?”

Another incredulous laugh burst out. In the meantime, the woman had grabbed another new glass of champagne.

“Five glasses. Her alcohol tolerance is quite high for her looks.”

Yi Hyun’s Adam’s apple bobbed deeply at the sight of her luscious red lips parting to let the liquid flow in through the transparent glass. He felt strangely thirsty.

Yi Hyun simply couldn’t take his eyes off the wax doll-like woman. It was truly strange.

He kept watching the woman. Before he knew it, the number of champagne glasses that had passed through his hands had increased to match the woman’s.

A pleasant buzz started to rise, just enough to feel good. The pretty wax doll-like woman’s cheeks had also flushed a rosy pink, perhaps from the alcohol. Her eyes seemed to have become a bit languid too…

Nevertheless, there wasn’t a single trace of what could be called emotion on the woman’s face.

Yi Hyun suddenly felt curious.

“I wonder… if that doll is always so expressionless, anywhere and everywhere?”

Suddenly, he wanted to see a human-like, emotional expression on that doll-like woman’s face. And at the same time, he wondered if he had gone crazy.

Yi Hyun was not someone who took interest in others, except for his family and a few close friends.

He was a person who received attention and goodwill from others, not one who gave it. There was no reason or need to, and it was just bothersome.

Especially women who approached him wanting something were the worst of all.

“Ha, am I drunk just from champagne?”

Otherwise, how could such absurd thoughts occur to him?

Yi Hyun dismissed the unfamiliar emotion he was feeling for the first time in his life as simply the effects of alcohol.

But at that moment, the woman set down her empty champagne glass on the table and turned to walk towards the exit.

Yi Hyun’s feet followed her without him even realizing it. This too was an unexpectedly quick reaction that he couldn’t understand himself.

Alcohol. Yes, it’s all because of the alcohol. That’s why I’m doing something I never do.

Yi Hyun justified his actions to himself like that, following the woman’s back with his eyes and moving his long legs.

The woman, who had gone straight out through the hotel lobby, looked at the taxis for a moment before turning towards the bus stop for the nearby subway station.

And she came face to face with Yi Hyun standing behind her.

Despite the appearance of a stunning man not easily seen anywhere, the woman still had no expression. She just stared at him silently with indifferent eyes.

However, contrary to her expressionless face, her insides were quite noisy. In fact, this was the first time in her life she had drunk so much, so quickly, and she was quite tipsy as a result.

The woman, Ha Jun, looked at the man who approached her with an insensitive gaze while feeling dizzy and nauseous.

An expensive suit, a large and sturdy body, and a handsome face that could be mistaken for an actor’s.

The man was attractive by anyone’s standards, and his smile was even dizzying.

Was there such a man inside?

A faint curiosity arose. For her, who had no interest in men at all, this was quite unusual.

“…”

However, she habitually suppressed her emotions and tried to just pass by Yi Hyun. But at that moment, the man made an unexpected proposal to her.

“Would you like to have another drink with me? You seemed to handle your alcohol well earlier.”

Drink, drink…

Ha Jun’s eyes turned back to Yi Hyun. She had wanted to drink more, but she had to leave before the last train, so she had left with regret.

But now he was asking to drink more, as if he had read her mind.

Ha Jun looked at the dreamlike man in front of her. She felt a strange tingling sensation in her chest, but outwardly she remained expressionless.

Ha Jun nodded without trying to clear her blurry vision from the alcohol. Since she had decided to get drunk anyway, having one more drink wouldn’t be bad.

By the time she finished drinking, the first train would probably be running. It was a bold thought she would never have had normally.

Besides, having such a man as a drinking companion was quite excessive compared to her usual situation.

Yi Hyun chuckled at the small nod. He led Ha Jun towards where the taxis were parked.

After opening the back door and letting Ha Jun in first, he got in beside her and closed the door. The taxi started moving.

Yi Hyun silently gazed at Ha Jun’s profile as she sat rigidly next to him.

Her snow-white face was really small. In proportion, her small lips were plump and shining a bright red, and her clear black eyes sat above a straight nose bridge. Even her long eyelashes above her slightly downcast eyes were neat, and her small round forehead was smooth.

She really is like a doll. Everything about her.

If it weren’t for her occasionally blinking eyelids, one could believe she was truly an expressionless doll.

But why did he want to keep looking at that expressionless face? It was incomprehensible.

The place they arrived at was an elegant bar located inside a luxury hotel in downtown Seoul.

“Do you have a favorite drink?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll have to choose for you.”

Yi Hyun didn’t take his eyes off Ha Jun’s expressionless face. From the taxi until now when they had entered and sat down, there hadn’t been the slightest change in the woman’s expression.

A moment later, when the ordered cocktails arrived, Ha Jun immediately brought it to her lips. Yi Hyun silently watched as the transparent liquid flowed continuously between her bright red lips.

Ha Jun emptied the cocktail glass, which was neither small nor large, in one go. With her usual expressionless face.

“…”

“That’s quite strong, but you drink it like water.”

“Is that so.”

At Ha Jun’s calm response, Yi Hyun silently raised his hand to order another cocktail for her.

Ha Jun drank without saying a word. Yi Hyun also drank silently. His eyes remained fixed on Ha Jun’s expressionless face.

The more he looked, the more curious he became. About the woman in front of him. And he was amazed. By that unbreakable expressionlessness. And… an impulsive desire suddenly raised its head.

Would this woman be this expressionless in bed too? He wanted to see.

“Is something wrong, perhaps?”

“…”

Something wrong… Was there ever anything good in my life? When another huge quagmire is waiting for me tomorrow?

Ha Jun inwardly sneered. And she looked at the man in front of her. An incredibly relaxed expression, eyes full of confidence.

“Tell me. Who knows? I might be able to help.”

Help… me?

It was an unfamiliar kindness to Ha Jun, who had no friends or real family. But strangely, the man’s words were appreciated. So Ha Jun unconsciously blurted out her honest feelings.

“What if there is? If I want to feel better, can you make that happen?”

“Well… if you don’t mind any method, it might be possible.”

Yi Hyun laughed softly. Ha Jun quietly looked at his elegantly curved lips.

His smile is really handsome.

“Shall we go? To make you feel better?”

A sweet temptation gently wrapped around Ha Jun’s ears.