Trying to hide his letting her win was so obvious. Eun Chae playfully hit Ki Joo’s arm and led him to the coin karaoke room, knowing he would just let her win again.
In a spacious coin karaoke room, Eun Chae handed him the remote to pick songs, but he refused, claiming he didn’t know any songs.
Eun Chae ended up booking songs she would sing herself. As she sang, Ki Joo intently watched the karaoke screen and occasionally Eun Chae singing shyly.
Her voice was plain and clear, but she couldn’t distinguish if it was really her voice echoing around, feeling just nervous. His presence, overwhelming in the cinema and here, didn’t diminish.
If it had been a viola performance, it might have been better. The nervousness decreased as she sang, but the pleasant thrill continued.
“I now have to let you go. I won’t say I’m sorry…….”
After singing her favorite ballad, Eun Chae hurriedly turned off the screen showing the score. Ki Joo then turned his head toward her.
“You’re not talking to me, right?”
“Huh?”
“The lyrics have been strange since a while.”
Eun Chae suddenly realized her mistake. She had sung only ballads, and their contents were mostly sad.
“Ah, I like ballads, but they’re mostly sad. No particular meaning intended.”
She wondered why he was so fixated on the screen. Eun Chae chuckled, meeting his gaze.
“You thought the songs were hinting at a breakup? That would have been funny.”
“Funny, indeed. As if a mere song could make me leave.”
Of course, that’s not likely. Not his style to accept it so easily.
Eun Chae burst into laughter and squinted her eyes.
“You’re not belittling my singing skills, are you?”
“Even your cursing would sound pretty.”
“Seriously. If I really curse, it would be scary.”
“Ah.”
The short response from Ki Joo seemed like an acknowledgement but was almost like ignoring. He was already heading out, carrying the things they bought from the prop shop and Eun Chae’s bag.
“Really now.” Eun Chae muttered in frustration but followed him, her lips still curled up in a smile. The pleasantness of the entire day made her wonder if she had made a mistake.
“Aren’t we being too carefree? We could be under surveillance…”
“That surveillance is me.”
As long as their relationship remained a secret, Ki Joo was officially still her watcher. Eun Chae, momentarily forgetting this fact, felt relieved and stopped in front of a claw machine outside the store.
“This looks fun.”
Ki Joo, without complaint, pulled out cash from the arcade winnings and handed it to her.
“Go ahead, you try first.”
He inserted the bills into the machine and lightly grasped the joystick.
Would he excel at this too? Eun Chae watched tensely.
He didn’t try to grab the doll in one go but rather used a method of stacking and dropping them. However, due to the weak grip of the claw, it was a series of failures.
Finally, Eun Chae pushed Ki Joo aside and took her turn. She didn’t expect to succeed and casually tried, but to her surprise, she actually won a doll.
Hugging the fallen mummy doll, Eun Chae rested her chin on its head.
“There’s something you’re not good at.”
Ki Joo laughed as if incredulous but didn’t deny it.
They moved to a quiet park nearby. The trees were bare, but together they still created a wintery atmosphere.
Eun Chae, exhaling white breaths and fiddling with the doll, alternated glances between the plush toy and Ki Joo.
“Do you like dolls?”
“Not that I dislike them. I had many at home when I was little.”
Her attention piqued when he suddenly mentioned his childhood. Just when she thought the conversation would end there, he continued.
“My brother liked robots and dolls.”
“…….”
“I used to throw tantrums wanting those because I never saw them before meeting my brother.”
Noticing Eun Chae’s quivering gaze, Ki Joo spoke casually.
“He wasn’t my blood brother. I’m adopted. I had a time before entering the orphanage when I was an only child, so I guess that’s true too.”
He briefly averted his eyes, correcting hi
“When did I ever ask for permission…”
Ki Joo, covering his mouth, chuckled lightly and then tenderly cupped Eun Chae’s pale cheek, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“Do you pity me?”
Feeling the tickle of his breath on her forehead, Eun Chae slowly blinked her eyes.
“If that’s the case.”
“It’s not bad.”
“…….”
“Because then, Song Eun Chae won’t push me away.”
“It’s not out of pity that I stay by your side…”
Eventually, the weight of sadness constricted her throat. As Eun Chae struggled to swallow her rising emotions, Ki Joo leaned in closer, parting his lips slightly.
“Me too.”
“…….”
“I like you. I never tire of saying it, no matter how many times.”
Finally, Eun Chae bit her lower lip hard. Tears stung her eyes as he kissed her. In that moment, she deeply nestled into his embrace.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
