Chapter 3.6

Su-eon’s eyes widened as she quickly began eating the ice cream. Scooping up a large spoonful and putting it into her mouth, she tasted the refreshing mint flavor mixed with bits of chocolate.

It was Su-eon who had chosen mint chocolate. Since Seung-jo had said he didn’t care about the flavor, she had picked one that matched her preferences without hesitation. Even if he turned out to dislike mint chocolate, she figured it wouldn’t be her problem.

What she hadn’t expected was that she’d end up eating it herself. Chewing on the Oreo pieces sprinkled on top, Su-eon savored the delightful taste spreading through her teeth. Seung-jo, meanwhile, watched her leisurely, still sipping from the straw.

Her wariness remained, though her fear had noticeably lessened.  

He still didn’t understand why she found him so frightening, but it was these rare moments when her rigid guard relaxed that made it impossible for him to look away from Ji Su-eon.

Did she really not realize how much she drew attention to herself? 

From the days when she had dashed forward like a doll in full sprint, Ji Su-eon had always attracted the gaze of others, no matter where she was. It was as if the space she occupied was bathed in a special spotlight, making it shine like iron filings drawn to a magnet.

Some might attribute it to her pretty face, while others might find it in her seemingly aloof and indifferent demeanor. There probably was no else who could embody the nickname “Haughty Princess” as perfectly as Ji Su-eon.

But for Seung-jo, it wasn’t any of those things that drew him in. It was something different—those fleeting moments when her usually indifferent gaze sparkled for just a moment. Even when she said something entirely unrelated, her brown eyes would glow warmly whenever she mentioned Jung Cho-ah. That was what Seung-jo wanted to possess.

How could he make it his?

“I won, Executive Director.”

Su-eon called out to him in a voice tinged with excitement. Her brown eyes, which had been casting sidelong glances at him with a cool and reserved air, now sparkled brightly, completely unguarded. Yes, this was it.

“See? I’ve already finished…”

Seung-jo reached out as if to seize the sparkle. He surrendered without resistance to the desire that pulled him in, as though drawn by a magnet. His shadow fell deeply over Su-eon’s face.

“……!”

She felt the minty scent vibrating on her lips as he bit down alternately on her upper and lower lips. It all happened so quickly that she had no time to react. Her lips parted, and her tongue was drawn in. Her breath heated up in an instant, scattering with the warmth.

Seung-jo wrapped his hand around Su-eon’s frozen head and pulled her waist closer. Trapped entirely in his embrace, Su-eon felt the intense force stirring inside her mouth. She had thought of him as a cold person, but every place he touched burned hot.

There was no other way to describe it—she felt as though she was being devoured. The man sucked on her lips, pulling at her tongue with such intensity that their saliva mingled deeply. The ferocity made her forget they were in the middle of a park where people came and went.

As his hand, which was wrapped around her waist, moved slowly and brushed down below her sternum, a tingling sensation shot through the space between her legs. Su-eon trembled silently, pushing against Seung-jo’s chest.

“……Stop.”

His athlete-like, firm body didn’t budge, but the force swirling inside her mouth eased. Soon, the hands that had encircled her neck and waist released their grip. Their deeply interlocked lips parted, leaving faint kisses at the corners before pulling away.

Su-eon raised her head, panting shallowly. Her gaze, filled with shock, confusion, and a hint of disappointment, turned toward Seung-jo.

“See? In the end……”

“My body was your goal?”

Seung-jo met her cold, piercing stare without flinching. If not for the lingering heat in his jet-black eyes, it would have been hard to believe that this was the same man who had just showered her with such a kiss.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I said no, would you?”

“…….”

Seung-jo lowered his gaze to Su-eon’s hands, which were gripping his shoulders tightly. They seemed to be pushing him away, yet at the same time, clinging to him for support. The pale backs of her hands revealed delicate bones beneath the skin that had turned white from lack of blood flow.

“Did you hate it?”

Seung-jo wrapped his hand around the back of Su-eon’s hand as he asked.

“Didn’t you feel even a little like wanting more?”

His vividly colored eyes focused on Su-eon. As she looked into them, Su-eon thought of the deep sea.

“……I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

Seung-jo let out a small laugh. The leisurely curve of his eyes felt as if they were whispering, ‘Frog in a well’, and Su-eon’s face stiffened even more.

(T/N: The phrase “frog in a well” is a metaphor for someone who is narrow-minded or has a limited perspective.)

“Fine, then. Keep thinking about it until you figure it out.”

Seung-jo pulled Su-eon’s hand toward him and bit down gently with his lips. Feeling the heat flowing through her fingers, Su-eon quickly pulled her hand away from him. As she stepped back, her guard fully raised, Seung-jo’s eyebrows curved cynically.

“You became a pervert with just one kiss.”

Seung-jo smirked crookedly.

“You’re definitely ordinarily pretty. But that’s not why I want to sleep with you.”

Su-eon squinted her eyes. She should have gotten angry or cursed at him, but she needed to figure out which part of his words annoyed her more. Watching her reaction, Seung-jo let out a low laugh.

“Do you want to date me?”

“No.”

Su-eon cut him off sharply without hesitation, and Seung-jo’s smile deepened.

“Then do you want to marry me?”

“No.”

Su-eon looked at him as if he were insane. Seung-jo’s eyes curved mischievously.

“Then what do you want to do? s*x?”

“……!”

At the blunt word, Su-eon’s face froze coldly. Watching her reaction, an impish smile spread across Seung-jo’s lips.

“I don’t want to do anything with you, Executive Director.”

Su-eon, returning to her usual composed and expressionless demeanor, declared in a stiff voice.

“Fine, then. Let’s just go home.”

Seung-jo replied lightly and stood up. Su-eon grew angry again. Watching him stand as if nothing had happened after stirring her up so much left her feeling like she’d been toyed with. 

Why? Why was he doing this to me? 

The irritation was unbearable.

“Do you like me?”

Su-eon tilted her head up and asked provocatively.

“If I said yes, would you believe me?”

“No. It doesn’t make sense to feel that way after meeting only twice.”

Su-eon coldly dismissed him, looking at him with a sarcastic gaze.

“Just be honest and say you want to sleep with me. Depending on the timing, I might even humor you.”

“You won’t believe me if I say I like you, but you’ll believe me if I say I want to sleep with you?”

“……!”

“Cute.”

Watching her cheeks turn pale and rigid, Seung-jo laughed. He reached out and slowly traced Su-eon’s lips. Pressing gently against her plump lips with his fingertips, the moist red flesh beneath was faintly revealed.

He imagined holding her hand like this, taking her to the nearest place, and thrusting himself deep into her wet flesh. The vivid image of himself burying his length all the way to the base, ej*culating repeatedly, filling her with his seed, and greedily licking the space between her legs, stained white, played out in his mind.

Drunk on pleasure, wrapping her legs around his waist, moaning uncontrollably, and doing it until dawn. As he envisioned the moment of ruthlessly invading inside her, Seung-jo slowly pulled his hand away. Her lips, now released, swelled back to their original fullness.

Feeling the unresolved desire rise like a blazing fire, Seung-jo let out a languid breath.

“Shall we leave now?”

“You go ahead. I’ll stay a little longer before heading back.”

“Suit yourself, then.”

Seung-jo glanced down at Su-eon’s defiant face for a moment before letting out a small laugh.

“Don’t run.”

“…….”

Su-eon regretted sharing her secret with him, but it was already something she couldn’t take back.  

With a relaxed demeanor, Ki Seung-jo nodded and turned his back. Before he disappeared from sight, Su-eon shifted her gaze to the river. When she looked back much later, only the empty chair remained, as if he’d never been there to begin with.

This was all it would amount to. No man would keep holding on to a woman who said no. She knew this, yet her mood sank, settling like sediment. She shouldn’t have let him touch her in the first place. The heat on her lips, where Ki Seung-jo’s hand had touched and retreated, still lingered.

A fresh breeze blew, shaking the summer trees adorned with green leaves. The rustling sound of the leaves echoed the turmoil in Su-eon’s heart. A desire with no clear end sprouted like the buds of early summer flowers.

Even if she didn’t want it, the flowers would bloom at their own pace, spreading their petals. Eventually, they would sway in the fierce winds, fall, and fade into colorless decay.

But Su-eon was not a flower. She wouldn’t leap into the fire carrying straw on her back, only to run away like her mother had. She didn’t even have such passion within her.

As if to calm her restless heart, Su-eon gazed at the Han River. The lights of the cruise ship rippled across the black water. Soon, the deepened night would cover all the colors with darkness.