The white goose down comforter emitted a faint citrus scent.

In a penthouse with seven rooms, and not just one bedroom, Taeseok deliberately laid Summer down on his bed.

Deliberately. Why.

‘Why ask a question when you can’t decide the answer.’

Ignoring such trivial doubts, he sat on the bed and looked down at Summer. He instinctively reached to tidy her disheveled bangs but recoiled, startled at his own action.

‘What am I doing?’

Yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She slept so soundly.

There had been a time when she was carried in like this after a gathering with Manager Hong and their college friends. He had taken off her hair tie to make her comfortable, changed her into comfortable clothes, and even washed her feet.

Memories from when Choi Summer was solely Seo Taeseok’s. Those moments came to mind.

He smoothed out her furrowed brow with his finger and looked closer. Then his finger traced down her face. If he couldn’t resist and kissed her, trailed down her neck persistently, she would probably wake up. Just like before.

Taeseok’s finger had already reached Summer’s lips.

A night when he wanted to try something bad, just once.

A light touch of the lips wouldn’t even be noticed by her.

Taeseok swallowed dryly.

He gently tidied her hair tickling her face. Her pale cheeks were flushed with red from alcohol. Her reddened cheeks were endearingly lovely. He felt pathetic for experiencing such a painful emotion again.

‘Hated her for two years, yet it collapses in a moment.’

A breath escaped through her slightly parted lips. Even the scent of alcohol from the sleeping Summer was like flowers.

‘Sleeping so well on my bed, unaware of what could happen.’

He imagined letting go of his reason and kissing her right there. The moment their lips met, thousands of sparks would burst. He knew it. It would feel like being struck by lightning, a tingling sensation coursing through him.

Eventually, he’d kneel before her and confess, wanting to start again.

Taeseok quickly withdrew his hand from Summer’s lips.

‘I want a proper apology.’

Again, he resisted. Already fallen, yet pretending not to know.

Pretending to be calm while his blood boiled.

He remembered the day they played on the emergency stairs. He was sure she was somewhat swayed by him then. Hoping she’d be swayed a little more. That someday she’d feel the same as him.

At the end of such thoughts, he unknowingly kissed her forehead and left the room.

Considerable time had passed.

The doorbell rang.

‘Hong Manager. Why is he back?’

Taeseok frowned, contemplating. Then quickly dismissed it. If it were urgent, he’d enter the code and come in. No need to respond.

But the bell rang more insistently. Irritation surged. He would have ignored it until morning if he were alone, but Summer was sleeping. He didn’t want to disturb her rest.

‘Hong Minwoo. What is he doing?’

He walked to the front door.

“Hey, if you’re drunk, just go sleep off your… Huh?”

There was a woman standing at the door, a stranger to Taeseok. He scowled, obviously not in a mood to be polite.

“What do you want?”

“Hey, oppa. Is that how you greet someone?”

The woman spoke in a bright voice, twisting her body. She was still a stranger to Taeseok, even upon a second look. He tried to close the door.

“Oppa! I’m Jin Hyeri. Don’t you remember? The heiress of FL Group. You saw me last time with Kang Yeol oppa!”

It seemed familiar. Or maybe not.

“My friend lives in this apartment. Just stopped by to say hello.”

The woman held the door firmly, stopping Taeseok from closing it.

“Oppa! Can I have just one cup of coffee? I’m cold. I want to come in.”
With a coquettish voice, the woman tried to step inside, but Taeseok pushed her shoulder away with just a finger.

“Don’t come in.”

It was clear she was dressed for attention, not warmth.

“You’re barely dressed, almost as if you’re naked. You knew it would be cold and still chose to wear that.”

Taeseok looked at her with disdain.

Earrings, necklace, bag – she was draped in luxury brands worth a car’s price, yet her clothes seemed like an unfinished piece. The sight of her wearing something so small it could barely be called clothing was pitiful.

Taeseok did not appreciate such exposure. He only welcomed a woman’s exposure when he was in bed, loving her.

“Huh? This is the latest trend! Don’t I look pretty?”

Her top was deeply cut, revealing her cleavage, and her skirt was dangerously short.

As Taeseok blatantly scrutinized her from head to toe, the woman flirtatiously tried to charm him.

“You’d look pretty.”

“Stop messing around and leave.”

He remembered her. A fan who had been so persistent that he had agreed to share a table with her once.

“How did you find out where I live?”

It was a gathering he couldn’t refuse, being friends with actor Yoo Gangyeol. They had just shared a few meals together.

“If I want to, I can find out anything.”