That day was impulsive and dreamlike.

Once the reins were let loose, the impulses kept coming incessantly.

“This.”

Eun Chae held up the ring case pointlessly.

“No one knew where it came from. I thought Ki Joo might know. Did it arrive today?”

She wasn’t really curious. Whether Han Seung Yoon sent it or not, she had no interest. What she was curious about was Ki Joo’s reaction. He briefly looked at the case and then met her gaze again.

“Yes.”

Eun Chae muttered dryly, as if to say he should have given it in Jeju if he was going to anyway.

“It was custom-made, received today.”

“How do you know that?”

Ki Joo snatched the case, opened it, and took out the ring. He ignored her look of ‘what are you doing’ and studied it intensely, blatantly.

“I ordered it.”

Eun Chae saw restraint in his eyes. There was longing, hope, and excitement. In response, she remained composed. She was enveloped by the impulse to shatter his remarkable self-control.

“So, Ki Joo is treating me as his second choice?”

Her deliberately provocative question made Ki Joo’s lips twist wryly.

“Think about it.”

“…….”

“How can I do that kind of treatment. You’re smart, Eun Chae. So you make good use of me.”

“That’s….”

“I’m the second one.”

Saying this, Ki Joo slipped the ring onto her right ring finger. Eun Chae’s pupils flickered slightly.

“Doing this won’t make you first to me.”

“To me, Song Eun Chae is the first.”

He continued nonchalantly and indifferently. Eun Chae’s trembling pupils suddenly expanded, then calmed down. She looked at his hand, still lightly holding hers, and grasped it tightly.

The atmosphere in the room shifted. His chest rose and fell sharply with each breath, even though it seemed steady. Eun Chae boldly spread her fingers to interlace them with his.

As if it were a signal, he reached out with his free hand to firmly grasp her nape.

Pulled by the neck, she willingly wrapped her arms around Ki Joo’s neck. They rushed towards each other’s lips. The shadows on the curtains entwined into one.

Despite their fervent embrace, he gently parted her lips. He drank in her irregular breaths like holy water. He persistently brushed her teeth and caressed the tender breath inside her lips.

Her body trembled uncontrollably. Overwhelming desire, excitement, and a sense of betrayal coursed through her, making her feel like everything would melt away in the heat.

Unable to withstand the intense sensations, Eun Chae’s body kept collapsing. He gripped her thighs and pulled her up. Despite the barrier of clothing, the thrill of their skins touched each other.

She parted her lips to catch her breath. At that moment, Ki Joo muttered something lowly, a curse. The feel of his hot breath and words against her ear was thrilling.

Overwhelmed by a strange sense of joy, Eun Chae curled her lips into a smile. She enjoyed seeing him lose control unreasonably.

“Did I ever say that?”
Suddenly asking, Ki Joo’s lips curved into a subtly reckless smile.

“The smell.”

“…….”

“Seems like you’re about to turn.”

He noticed the perfume, something she thought he wouldn’t even be aware of.

As Eun Chae was about to make an excuse, Ki Joo’s breath became entangled with hers in a turbulent manner. It was intense, as if he was devouring her to the root. Reality seemed to fade away, creating a world where only they existed, a thrill as if they were the only two in an unreachable world.

Her heart floated uncontrollably, like a balloon slipping from her grasp. Overwhelmed with exhilaration, even the fear of not touching the ground was consumed.

Then, she seemed to understand.

We, who rush into the fire knowing it will burn us.

Are like moths to a flame.

Sunlight streamed through the window. Waking up, Eun Chae was still in a daze. She wondered if last night’s events were a dream, and instinctively touched her lips. There was no trace, yet she searched for one for a long time.

Reluctantly, she got up, went to the bathroom to wash up, and after dressing, she noticed the ring on her right ring finger.

It was beautiful.

Eun Chae held it up to the sunlight. The gentle light attacked her sight, but she smiled anyway.

Picking up her viola case, she felt no weight today. Her steps down the stairs were unusually light.

That’s when she heard the staff whispering.

“I saw a man leaving the main house last night.”

“It must be a bodyguard. The chairman often calls him.”

“After midnight? And the chairman went to bed early yesterday. He was asleep when I brought him tea, Mi Kyung said.”

Midnight. The time Ki Joo left her room. She hadn’t expected witnesses that night.

Her heart raced as if a thief’s foot had been caught, but she didn’t feel remorse. Deciding to break up the gossip, she deliberately made noise descending the stairs, and the employees quickly dispersed.

Outside, another bodyguard was waiting. Eun Chae stared at him, and he tactfully spoke.

“Team Leader Kwon was on duty last night, so he will come to work this evening.”