“Yes, team leader.”

Su Young pulled away, seeming uncomfortable with Ga Young’s approach.

“Let’s have a drink together over there. We’re family, don’t be so distant. Stop clinging to Han Bo Mi’s side like you’re her nanny.”

“CEO Ha Su Young! Over here!”

The Hwangdo Resort team staff waved boisterously. Su Young gave Bo Mi an awkward look.

“Don’t worry about me, go ahead.”

“Don’t drink alcohol.”

Su Young got up after confirming Bo Mi’s glass was filled with water.

“Okay. Don’t worry.”

In college, Bo Mi had once passed out after just three shots of soju.

No one realized Bo Mi was drunk since her face didn’t change color until right before she fainted.

When drunk, she would become bolder than usual or suddenly collapse asleep anywhere. Her unpredictable drinking habits were well-known among those close to her.

Being weak with alcohol made business difficult, so they brought in senior Jung Hoon as the sales manager, but who knew he would disappear with the invested funds from various sources…

Bo Mi felt like all of this was because of her low alcohol tolerance.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Don’t drink alone sadly, have a glass.”

The managing director of Dowon Distribution pushed a bottle towards Bo Mi.

“Yes, sir…”

As Bo Mi reached for her glass, the managing director held out his own glass.

“Drink it down in one go and pour me one too.”

“I… I’m not good with alcohol.”

Bo Mi hesitantly accepted the glass, unsure what to do.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Don’t be so stiff, at least pretend to drink.”

A Dowon Distribution employee nudged Bo Mi’s side. It was a signal that there was nothing to gain from irritating the managing director.

Bo Mi resigned herself and emptied the glass. In her current condition, she could handle up to two glasses. As the CEO, she couldn’t be afraid of this for Narae Creative’s sake.

Bo Mi defiantly held out her glass, pretending to be fine with a smile.

Ga Young was delighted, seeing things going better than expected. Getting the managing director riled up through Assistant Manager Kang Seon Young was a stroke of genius. Han Bo Mi would have surely been wary if Ga Young had directly offered her drinks.

Just as Bo Mi brought her second glass to her lips, Su Young abruptly stood up.

“CEO Ha Su Young.”

Ga Young spoke nasally, getting up and pulling Su Young’s arm.

“I think I drank too much… Could you support me?”

Su Young couldn’t bring himself to shake off the stumbling Ga Young. Knowing Ga Young’s dislike for Narae Creative, he couldn’t risk causing more resentment here.

The project was projected to last 6 months short-term, up to a year long-term, so if Ga Young’s harassment intensified, Bo Mi wouldn’t be able to endure much longer.

“Where are you trying to go?”

Su Young let out a short sigh. He thought they’d just go to the bathroom, but where was this woman trying to take him?

“I was going to the bathroom… But I can’t. Huh… Just a moment. I’ll call my driver.”

While luring Su Young towards the door, she checked with her eyes that Bo Mi was drinking. After guiding Su Young up the stairs, Ga Young called Ga Jin as promised, pretending to call her driver.

“Driver? I… Whew… I think… I’m very drunk, so come pick me up.”

Ga Young hung up the phone with a troubled expression after speaking in a slurred voice.

“He says… it’ll take some time to get here.”

“Ah… Then let’s go back inside.”

Su Young wanted to return to the gathering, worried about Bo Mi.

“No!”

“Pardon?”

Ga Young, sensing she’d lose the chance to pull Su Young away again if she missed this opportunity, racked her brain. Leaning her head against Su Young’s chest, she whispered softly.

“I think I’d feel better if I bought and drank some hangover remedy from the convenience store across the street…”

“Shall I go buy it for you?”

“No… How could I ask CEO Ha Su Young to run an errand… Huh. Let’s go together. I’m scared to cross the street… Ah. The ground is coming up! What should I do?”

Ga Young acted drunk with the most pitiful and forlorn expression she could muster.

She wondered if she should have become an actress instead, as even to herself she looked like someone with a few screws loose.

“You’ll come with me, right?”

Su Young hesitated for a moment, looking worriedly at the live fish restaurant sign. Refusing here could mean Bo Mi would be bullied even more harshly tomorrow.

This is all for Bo Mi’s sake.

Su Young squeezed his eyes shut.

“Then could you wait just a moment? I’ll go tell CEO Han Bo Mi and be right back.”

“Hah… Do you need to report going to the convenience store?”

When Ga Young raised her tone as if offended, Su Young regretted possibly touching a nerve.

“Ah… No. Let’s just go.”

“Alright. I’ll just send a text to my driver. Saying we’re going to the convenience store.”

“Okay. Please do.”

Ga Young messaged Ga Jin while not letting go of Su Young’s hand.

As if determined not to let Han Bo Mi have any chance of escape.

It was only a matter of time before Bo Mi got drunk. By now, Assistant Manager Kang Seon Young should have replaced the water in the bottle with alcohol… She had no choice but to get drunk even drinking water.

When Ga Jin arrived, Seon Young would make a fuss as planned and hand Bo Mi over to Ga Jin, then it would be Ga Jin’s job.

Crossing the street, she looked around trying to spot Ga Jin’s yellow sports car.

I’m counting on you, Yeon Ga Jin. My life’s pest control. For the sake of my marriage.

Ga Young leaned on Su Young, the corners of her mouth curling up crookedly.

Bo Mi felt distressed as she sensed the tingling alcohol flowing down her throat.

It was definitely a water bottle… Did the alcohol she drank from the managing director numb her taste buds? She had gulped it down thinking it was water, without even noticing the smell of alcohol.

She made a mistake. Her head was spinning.

It would be dreadful if she passed out here with so many company people around. Bo Mi tried to get up and grab her bag, but lazily waved her hand in the air.

Su Young would take care of Bo Mi’s belongings when he returned.

While still conscious, Bo Mi wanted to find a place to lie down. She straightened her body and leaned against the wall. She began walking out of the store with difficulty. Her body felt impossibly heavy and the world swayed as if the ground was rising before her eyes.

Would Narae Creative have grown more if she could drink well?

She felt at a disadvantage just because of her low alcohol tolerance.

In a development company, you should compete with skills, why talk about weakness?

Bo Mi chuckled.

I hope our child takes after Won Il and has a high alcohol tolerance, not after me. As she stepped out of the store, the cold night breeze brushed against Bo Mi’s skin.

She was reminded of the night drinking makgeolli with Nakwon in the yard. They shared a jug of makgeolli brought from the grandmother next door. Won Il, knowing Bo Mi’s low alcohol tolerance, seemed to have drunk most of it, but it was Bo Mi who was swaying from intoxication.

‘Lean on me.’

Using the excuse of being drunk, she leaned against his broad chest. Whenever Won Il laughed softly, her ears tingled.

‘Won Il. What if I pounce on you in my drunken state?’

Bo Mi gently lifted her head and looked up at Won Il’s face. The moonlight shining down made the shadows on his handsome face even more distinct. Bo Mi slightly raised her body with parted lips.

‘Please pounce on me.’

Won Il interlaced his fingers with Bo Mi’s and kissed the back of her hand. Pulling her close, he whispered in her ear with a sweet voice.

‘I’ll obediently submit.’

Bo Mi felt her ears getting hot for no reason. She smiled, wrapping her arms around Won’s neck.

Won’s face came closer.

‘The smell of alcohol…’

‘You smell like spring.’

When their lips softly touched at the edges, a ticklish sensation seemed to resonate all the way to her heart.

The heat that had gathered in her ears spread across her entire face as her heart rate increased. It was a different kind of heat enveloping her whole body, beyond what could be attributed to the effects of alcohol.

The deeper they delved into each other, the more intoxicated they became with Nakwon’s scent, making even the smell of alcohol sweet.

The moonlight in the night sky blurs, overlapping with the neon sign lights.

A night that will never return. Bo Mi’s eyes grew hot. As she rubbed them roughly with the back of her hand and looked across the street, a familiar car caught her eye.

Yeon Ga Jin’s yellow sports car.

Bo Mi thought from the first time she saw that car that he was driving something that looked just like him.

The car door opened and Ga Jin stepped out unsteadily.

Bo Mi staggered, still feeling nauseated from the alcohol.

Ah… Of all times. This is dangerous.

He was one of the people she least wanted to meet at this moment.

She thought she should run away, but Bo Mi’s legs felt tied down by fear and wouldn’t move.

Ga Jin had gone to study abroad in England during high school and only returned during vacations.

Compared to the times when he and Ga Young joined forces to bully Bo Mi, it was a period that gave Bo Mi some breathing room.

It was the summer vacation when she became a college student. Bo Mi opened her eyes to the sound of thunder and lightning striking outside the window. She noticed someone standing in the room.

The man who had been staring down at her by the bedside was Ga Jin.

Bo Mi was paralyzed with fear to the point where even breathing felt frightening. Ga Jin just stared at Bo Mi without saying a word. Thinking she shouldn’t be caught, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Outside the window, she could feel the flashes of light through her eyelids as loud noises rang out.

Ah… Please let this be a dream.

She was terrified that Ga Jin might touch her.

She struggled not to reveal her trembling body.

How did he get in when she had definitely locked the door?

When she felt hot breath on her ear, goosebumps rose all over her body.

‘I know you’re not sleeping.’

At that moment, Bo Mi jumped out of bed screaming. Even now, thinking about what might have happened to Bo Mi that night if CEO Hwang Min Jun hadn’t been staying at the house makes her hair stand on end with fear.

Ga Jin was saying something to the parking attendant while paying for parking. For a moment, Bo Mi had the illusion that their eyes met when Ga Jin turned his head. Did he see her?

Bo Mi instinctively thought she should avoid Ga Jin.

Her legs weakened from the tipsy feeling enveloping her body.

Not Yeon Ga Jin!

As she saw Ga Jin crossing the street, Bo Mi desperately searched for a place to hide.

Stay calm, Han Bo Mi. He hasn’t seen you yet.

Normally she wouldn’t be so flustered, but her brain didn’t seem to be working properly with the resurfaced trauma and the effects of alcohol.

It was at that moment when Bo Mi was trying to hide her body in the alley next to the fish restaurant.

“Ah…!”

Someone grabbed Bo Mi’s wrist as if snatching her. Bo Mi staggered, pulled by that force.

“Let… Let go!”

“Shh! We’ll be caught.”

A familiar low voice rang in her ear.

“I came to pick you up.”

That familiar scent drenches Bo Mi once again. Nakwon… He was her one and only love.

“Won Il.”

Bo Mi’s voice trembled finely as she confirmed the man’s face.