Upon receiving it, she found the white, fluffy rabbit incredibly cute and soft to the touch.
“Thank you. It’s really cute.”
She smiled as she stroked the rabbit doll.
“Did you pick this out yourself, Director?”
“Yes.”
Imagining him choosing this rabbit doll brought a smile to her face.
“It really doesn’t suit you, Director.”
“…It’s a lucky rabbit. It brings good luck.”
“Oh, really?”
A smile crept onto Yeo Woon’s lips.
Though she wasn’t sure if this small, adorable doll would bring luck, she was genuinely grateful to Min Ji Wook.
He must have chosen it, hoping something good would happen to her.
“Actually, I came to apologize.”
Yeo Woon looked up, puzzled by his sudden words. She gave him a questioning look as he continued speaking.
“I used to believe that being kind is foolish, but I was wrong.”
“Ah…”
When rumors had circulated on set, Min Ji Wook had told Yeo Woon that being too nice would make her an easy target.
But it was Yeo Woon’s kindness that had eventually quelled those malicious rumors.
Her good deeds had paid off, even when no one was watching.
Yeo Woon gave Min Ji Wook a small smile.
She had known even then that he was worried about her, so there was no need for an apology.
“I was worried. Thought you were seriously injured.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Because of me, the filming schedule became a mess…”
“No.”
His reply was quite firm, surprising her. As she looked at him, she saw his brown eyes looking intently at her.
“It means I don’t want you to be hurt, Yeo Woon.”
“Huh?”
A bit flustered, Yeo Woon stared at Min Ji Wook.
He doesn’t want me to be hurt?
Why would the director…?
Then, Min Ji Wook’s lips formed a slight curve.
“Take it easy, will you? What’s this? Bandages all wrapped around your arms and legs.”
“Huh?”
Yeo Woon’s eyes widened. If she was seeing correctly, Min Ji Wook was smiling.
Not a stern or emotionless face, but one comfortably smiling.
Captivated by his unusual expression, Yeo Woon found herself staring at Min Ji Wook, who abruptly dropped the corners of his mouth.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Wow, you look pretty when you smile, Director.”
Seemingly flabbergasted by Yeo Woon’s comment, Min Ji Wook’s eyes momentarily widened before a wind-like laugh escaped between his lips.
“Who’s calling whom pretty?”
Muttering, Min Ji Wook shifted his gaze to the window, then back to Yeo Woon.
After silently staring at Yeo Woon for a moment, he opened his mouth.
“When you’re discharged, let’s have a meal….”
“Director?”
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind. Turning her head, Yeo Woon saw Seol Ji Oh leaning against the door with a stern expression.
Min Ji Wook also turned his head upon hearing the voice and looked at Seol Ji Oh.
For a moment, the gazes of the two men collided in mid-air, and the atmosphere surrounding them instantly grew icy.
Sensing the subtle shift, Yeo Woon spoke with wide eyes.
“Ji Oh? You’re early!”
While Yeo Woon greeted Seol Ji Oh, his gaze shifted past Min Ji Wook and onto a doll in Yeo Woon’s arms.
His brow furrowed in an instant.
“What brings the Director here?”
His tone was somewhat rigid.
“Worried. And what brings you here, Mr. Seol Ji Oh?”
At Min Ji Wook’s question, Seol Ji Oh approached with a leisurely smile.
“Well, I’m close to Yeo Woon.”
As he said this, he stroked his hair, giving off a vibe as if to say, ‘You can’t do this, can you?’
Min Ji Wook slightly furrowed his brows and ran his tongue over his lips.
In that brief moment when his red tongue appeared and retracted, he changed his expression and spoke to Yeo Woon, altering his original question.
“I’ll buy you a meal when you’re discharged. As an apology.”
“Huh?”
“I’m going. Take care.”
“Uh, take care!”
Min Ji Wook gave Yeo Woon a faint smile and left the room.
Once Min Ji Wook had left, Seol Ji Oh turned to Yeo Woon with a disgruntled expression.
“What does he mean, apologizing? Why would he buy you food?”
Yeo Woon tilted her head.
Truthfully, Min Ji Wook hadn’t done anything wrong to her. He had offered her advice, but it was more like helping than criticizing.
If anyone should buy food, she felt like she should be the one buying for Min Ji Wook….
As Yeo Woon briefly explained what had transpired between her and Min Ji Wook, Seol Ji Oh’s expression turned nasty.
Then, he tried to snatch the doll from Yeo Woon’s arms. Startled, Yeo Woon hugged the doll tightly and asked,
“Ji Oh, what’s the matter?”
“Don’t you know what it means when a guy gives you a doll?”
“Huh? No, it’s not like that!”
“Sure it is. He shows up all dressed up, gives you a doll and even says he’ll buy you food.”
Yeo Woon blinked. Now that he mentioned it, things did seem a bit odd.
Unusual attire, an unexpected rabbit doll, and words of concern.
Was it not just simple concern?
Ah, but surely….
Seol Ji Oh let out a deep sigh, then pulled Yeo Woon into a hug and muttered,
“I’m anxious. I can’t stand to show you to the world, Yeo Woon.”
“Ha, what’s there to be anxious about? I have you.”
“Just be careful around Min Ji Wook. Don’t accept anything from him, got it?”
“…Yes.”
Yeo Woon answered, then suddenly remembered she hadn’t washed her hair today and hastily pulled away.
Could it be… did she smell?
“What’s the matter?”
At Seol Ji Oh’s question, Yeo Woon awkwardly stretched her neck and shook her head.
Regret filled her. Even with an aching hand, she should have washed her hair before Seol Ji Oh arrived.
Seol Ji Oh squinted as he spoke.
“Why. Did you get something from Min Ji Wook again?”
Huh? Why did the conversation jump to that?
Faced with persistent questioning, Yeo Woon confessed the truth—that she hadn’t washed her hair. So he shouldn’t come near.
At this, Seol Ji Oh chuckled dismissively.
“I’ll wash it for you.”
And so, Yeo Woon found herself entrusting her unwashed hair to Seol Ji Oh’s hands.
Seol Ji Oh placed a chair in front of the sink and sat Yeo Woon down. Then he had her lean her head against the sink like at a salon.
Feeling an inexplicable tension, Yeo Woon nervously glanced up at Seol Ji Oh. He rolled up his sleeves to the elbows, then turned on the showerhead to adjust the water temperature.
“Customer. Is the temperature alright?”
Upon Seol Ji Oh’s sweet inquiry, Yeo Woon smiled and nodded.
He really does enjoy role-playing.
Just then, Seol Ji Oh’s muscular arm hovered above Yeo Woon’s face, captivating her gaze.
She found herself holding her breath.
Such overly developed arm muscles just for washing hair, isn’t it?
Seol Ji Oh grinned as he foamed shampoo between his palms, and then began to gently rub it into Yeo Woon’s scalp.
“Ah.”
It tickled. And his gaze, as he looked directly down at her while rubbing her scalp, was slightly embarrassing.
As Yeo Woon shut her eyes, the sound of Seol Ji Oh’s soft laughter reached her ears.
His profound gaze that she felt even with her eyes closed. And his touch that felt even more stimulating with her eyes shut.
Then, Seol Ji Oh muttered softly.
“When you’re this defenseless… it makes me have bad thoughts.”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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