The Price of Impulse (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 3

I couldn’t sleep properly all night. Se Kyung, having just finished her shower in the bathroom, stared into the mirror with hollow eyes.

“What am I going to do?”

She pressed a fingertip firmly against her reddened skin. There were scattered marks where her neck met her shoulder—

evidence of Tae Jo sucking and biting her all night. Covering her face with both hands, she let out a deep sigh.

“Haaah…”

She couldn’t understand why she’d done such a thing.

Even if he’d been drunk, she hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol herself.

“What should I do…?”

Would he be awake by now?

Her heart fluttered anxiously—what if CEO Jin called her about what happened at dawn?

She’d even jolted awake in fright earlier at the sound of her phone’s alarm on the bedside table.

Ring-ring-ring—

Suddenly, the phone rang in the silent room. Swallowing hard, Se Kyung checked the caller with a tense expression.

Fortunately, it was Je Hoon, her manager.

Hearing he’d arrive in ten minutes, Se Kyung quickly finished getting ready and left the room. As she stepped out of the hotel’s front entrance, a cool breeze tousled her damp hair.

Just as she leaned toward the road, wondering if his car had arrived—

“Yoon Se Kyung.”

At the familiar voice, Se Kyung flinched. Slowly turning her head, she saw Tae Jo standing there in a deep navy suit.

“Oh… CEO…”

He looked almost like a grim reaper approaching her.

She hadn’t expected to run into him this early morning, even though they were staying at the same hotel.

Her panicked mind spun dizzily.

What would she say if he asked about what happened at dawn?

“I’m sorry—it was an accident.” Or, “I must’ve gotten caught up in the moment…”?

While running through every possible excuse, she suddenly remembered something Director Song had told her long ago—

that countless actresses had confessed their feelings to CEO Jin, and every single one of them left. How exactly had they ended up again…?

“Those actresses who confessed? Who knows. They all left. Some didn’t even finish their contracts.”

Didn’t even finish their contracts…

A dark shadow fell over Se Kyung’s head.

What if Tae Jo realized how she felt because of last night? What would she say if he asked why she’d slept with him?

“Because I like you, CEO…”? But what if he turned cold toward her after that…?

Then her confession would be meaningless, and she might never see his face again.

“…”

Watching Tae Jo draw closer, Se Kyung clenched her fists tightly.

Maybe she should strike first—before he even asked.

Tell him last night was a mistake, that it wasn’t because she liked him, that he’d been drunk and she might’ve been a little tipsy too.

Just as Se Kyung, who’d spent the whole night tossing and turning over a moment of reckless impulse, was about to open her mouth—

“Why are you here, Se Kyung?”

“…Huh?”

She looked at him with a blank expression.

Just a few hours ago, they’d been tangled up passionately in each other’s arms. Yet now, Tae Jo looked at her as if she were a stranger.

“I mean, why are you at the hotel so early? Reporters might misunderstand if they see you.”

“Oh… um…”

Caught off guard by his reaction, Se Kyung stammered.

What was this? Did he want to pretend that nothing happened at dawn?

She glanced subtly at his face.

Was he pretending not to remember, or testing her? But looking at his completely normal expression, it seemed he genuinely didn’t recall anything that had happened between them.

“I’ve… been staying at the hotel since two days ago.”

“Since two days ago?”

She nodded at his repeated question.

While she’d lain awake all night over it, he acted as if he knew nothing at all—it made her let out a hollow laugh.

“Yes. My apartment’s being remodeled, and the previous place I lived in reached the end of its lease.”

“Oh, so you’re staying here long-term?”

“Yes.”

“Why not stay at your mom’s…? Oh, right—she’s in Jeju.”

As if remembering belatedly, Tae Jo changed his sentence mid-way. Se Kyung looked at him, slightly surprised.

“Why?”

“Well… I didn’t expect you’d even know my mom’s in Jeju.”

“We talked about family when we signed the contract, didn’t we?”

“True, but it’s not common for CEOs to remember every detail like that.”

A bitter smile tugged at Se Kyung’s lips.

Her previous management agency’s CEO, whom she’d first signed with at nineteen and stayed with for seven years, had only ever schemed to make money off her—he never even cared where her family lived.

She’d never once received a holiday gift from her agency in all those seven years, so when her new company sent her mother Hanwoo beef for Chuseok two years ago after she switched agencies, her mom had even asked her, “Is it really okay to accept this?”

“Last year, my mom really liked the Hanwoo you sent.”

“Oh? Then I’ll have to send some again this year.”

“But why are you here, CEO?”

“Waiting for Managing Director Kang. My car’s parked somewhere else.”

Se Kyung glanced quickly at his outfit. Someone must’ve brought him fresh clothes—what he was wearing now was different from yesterday.

Then again, he couldn’t possibly wear those clothes again.

Unbidden, the memory of last night—or rather, dawn—rushed back, making her face flush hotly.

Turning her head away, Se Kyung fanned her cheeks with her palms to cool down. Watching her, Tae Jo reached out his hand.

“Here.”

His fingers touched the bandage covering Se Kyung’s neck.

Startled by the sudden contact, Se Kyung jerked away at lightning speed and covered her neck with her hand.

“Oh—did I scare you by touching you out of nowhere? Sorry. I just thought you might be hurt.”

He’d only been worried—but he hadn’t expected this reaction from her, so Tae Jo apologized, looking awkward.

“It’s… just a little scratch.”

Afraid even the tiniest mark might show, Se Kyung kept her hand firmly over the wound on her throat.

“…”

“…”

The silence grew uncomfortable in the awkward atmosphere.

Just as she was wondering what to say, Se Kyung remembered something she’d brought along—just in case—and held it out to him.

“CEO… this is for you…”

Tae Jo looked at her curiously, as if asking why she was giving it to him.

Then, a familiar car pulled up from the street. Se Kyung waved, and the black van stopped right in front of her.

After greeting Tae Jo, she got into the car. Je Hoon, gripping the steering wheel, rolled down the passenger window and called out,

“CEO. Good morning.”

“Yeah.”

Tae Jo gave a casual reply, then shook the drink in his hand and met Se Kyung’s eyes.

“Thanks. I’ll drink this well.”

Se Kyung nodded in acknowledgment and closed the car door.

As the van carrying Se Kyung drove off, Woo Hyun’s car emerged from the parking lot and stopped in front of Tae Jo.

Tae Jo, now in the passenger seat, reached for his seatbelt. Woo Hyun, stretching his neck forward, glanced at the drink in Tae Jo’s hand.

“What’s that?”

“No idea.”

Tae Jo looked down absentmindedly at the drink Se Kyung had handed him.

She’d taken it out of her bag, so he’d wondered what it was…

Could this be something he liked?

“Her taste is really something.”

What she’d unexpectedly pressed into his hand was

“Endure It, Hovenia Tea”—a popular hangover remedy.

***

He didn’t remember.

Se Kyung gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Back at dawn, after being intimate with Tae Jo, she’d briefly considered the possibility that he might not remember the moment.

After all, he’d been so drunk he could barely stand.

If Tae Jo had been sober, he never would’ve even held her hand, let alone kissed her.

Still, maybe she’d secretly hoped he would remember.

After all, she’d spent the whole night awake, worrying he might realize her feelings from what happened.

And this morning, when he spoke to her with a completely clueless expression—

Se Kyung felt both relief and disappointment that he didn’t recall anything.

Who was it that held her tightly and kissed her all night? Did only she enjoy it? He’d clung to her, saying he liked it too…

Remembering it now, her neck stung where he’d bitten her. Touching her heated neck, she turned to her manager and spoke.

“Je Hoon.”

“Yes, noona?”

“Have you ever blacked out from drinking?”

“Blackout? Happens all the time. Back in my freshman year of college, I was really into drinking. One time, my last memory was at a beer pub, but when I woke up, I was in my dorm—and also my club room. I couldn’t even remember if I’d walked there on two legs or crawled on all fours.”

Je Hoon met her eyes in the rearview mirror and laughed sheepishly.

“So, do you remember blackouts later on?”

“Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Either way, it’s always fuzzy. Only after someone who was there tells me, ‘Yeah, you did that,’ do I finally go, ‘Ah, there goes another dark chapter in my life.’”

“I see.”

Se Kyung nodded. Then, maybe Tae Jo would remember today’s events after some time had passed.

“But why are you asking? Did you blackout, noona?”

“No… I just got curious all of a sudden.”

The car, which had stopped at a red light, began moving again. Se Kyung turned her gaze back out the window and replayed her conversation with Tae Jo in her mind.

He clearly had no idea they’d spent the night together—or even that she’d entered his room last night.

That probably meant Seok Joo hadn’t mentioned running into her.

If there was no need to bring it up, maybe it was better to just let it stay buried. But to do that, she first needed to make sure Seok Joo kept quiet.

[Sunbae, is Mom okay?]

Se Kyung scrolled through her contacts and sent Seok Joo a message. His reply came quickly.

[Yeah, she’s fine. Did anything happen to you last night? CEO Jin was saying weird stuff this morning.]

Se Kyung gripped her phone tightly. The words “anything happen” and “weird stuff” stood out sharply.

[What kind of weird stuff?] [Well, he asked if he’d come in with a woman. I mean, yeah, you were with him—but I was so busy handling hospital admission paperwork this morning that I didn’t mention you.]

From Seok Joo’s message, she sensed he was feeling uneasy.

Tae Jo’s question about coming in with a woman clearly carried another layer of intent.

Of course, since she’d been the last one to leave, Se Kyung understood exactly why he’d asked.

Her shirt had been off, and she’d covered herself with only a bathrobe when she left… No wonder he’d found it suspicious when he woke up.

[Actually, I ran into the CEO at the hotel entrance this morning. He didn’t even remember seeing me at dawn.] [Figures. He was too drunk to think straight. How could he remember anything?] [Yeah. So, sunbae… could you not tell the CEO you saw me at the hotel?]

His usual quick reply paused for a moment.

[Why?]

Though it was a short question, Se Kyung hesitated before answering—afraid Seok Joo might catch on to something.

[He seems not to remember, so I played along like I didn’t either. It’s fine for me, but the CEO might not like others seeing him in such a disheveled state. And if he hears you mentioned it, he might get the wrong idea.] [Come on—it’s not like I did anything but help out a drunk guy. What misunderstanding could there be? Fine, if that’s what you want, I won’t say anything. But seriously, nothing actually happened, right? I’m just worried he might’ve made a mistake while drunk.]

His repeated question was full of concern. Se Kyung pressed the keypad with a bitter smile.

[No. He didn’t make any mistake.]

The mistake was mine.

Swallowing the rest of her sentence, she hit send.