Chapter 6.2

Su-eon fully woke up in the late afternoon. She was alone on the massive bed, which seemed as wide as two king-sized mattresses pushed together. Her gaze moved from the serene-colored walls, where a single piece of traditional Asian art was hung, to the hanok-style window made with traditional latticework.  

A secondary shutter was installed over the window, drawn down deeply, allowing only a faint light to seep through. Feeling the peculiar sense of calm that the hanok provided, Su-eon turned her body. The rustling sound of the bedding as she moved softened her mood.  

After tidying up the bed and taking a light shower, Su-eon opened the door to the room. Seung-jo’s house was a remodeled hanok. Its exterior and structure retained the distinctive curves of a traditional house, while the interior had been modernized for the owner’s convenience. The remodeled hanok emphasized the beauty of empty spaces, with each area connected by wide, simple straight lines.  

The first time Su-eon arrived at Seung-jo’s house, following behind him, she had stared at his back in disbelief, wondering if they had come to the wrong place. It felt contradictory that a man who looked like he belonged in a state-of-the-art, ultra-high-rise penthouse was living alone in a house with high stone walls and a tiled roof.  

However, after spending the weekend there, she realized how perfectly the house suited Ki Seung-jo.  

Admiring the view of the wooden veranda and yard beyond the living room’s glass window, Su-eon headed to the kitchen. As expected, Seung-jo was there.  

“You’re awake?”  

Hearing the sound of her footsteps on the polished wooden floor, Seung-jo turned to look at the approaching Su-eon.  

“Yes, did you sleep well too, Senior?”  

When Su-eon lowered her head and greeted him politely, Seung-jo stared at her with a slightly incredulous expression. Tossing aside the oven mitts he had been wearing, he approached her.  

As she looked up at him, wondering why, Seung-jo cupped her face and quietly examined her cheeks.  

“…Why?”  

“They’ve healed a lot.” 

Just as Su-eon was about to respond, Seung-jo leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was light and fleeting at first, brushing against her lips before pulling away, only to return again as if it wasn’t enough. Then, he parted her lips and slipped his tongue inside.

For a brief moment, the sounds around them faded, and it felt as though all her senses had paused. When Su-eon’s eyes began to glaze over in a hazy daze, Seung-jo finally let her go. Feeling dizzy, Su-eon reached out and grabbed his arm.

“…What was that, all of a sudden?”  

As she questioned him, her lips still tingling, Seung-jo wiped them gently with his fingertips and smiled devilishly.  

“A greeting for a good sleep.”  

“…”  

When Su-eon stared at him in disbelief, Seung-jo leaned in again. This time, she quickly covered her lips with her hand, refusing to let him catch her off guard. Finding this amusing, Seung-jo chuckled and pulled her closer.  

Caught awkwardly in his embrace, Su-eon tried her best not to show how flustered she was. Overnight, the distance between them had completely vanished, replaced by a tension so thick it could only exist between two people who had shared the most intimate sides of themselves.  

Unlike Seung-jo, who seemed completely unbothered, Su-eon felt like she was the only one fumbling. She kept reminding herself to act maturely, though judging by his reactions, it didn’t seem to be working very well.  

“Why do you keep laughing?”  

Su-eon asked, trying to sound composed.  

“It’s just… every time you act all prim and proper, it’s like you’re a real princess.”  

“I told you not to tease me.”  

“How is calling you cute teasing?”  

Seung-jo’s smile was as bright as spring sunlight, but Su-eon looked at him with a skeptical glare.  

How is it not teasing when you’re smiling like you’re having the time of your life? 

She thought. But instead of whining like a child, she decided to show him what true maturity looked like.  

“Stop laughing and let me go.”  

“Alright.”  

Seung-jo wrapped his arms tighter around her neck, pulling her even closer. Su-eon, now completely drawn into his embrace, had to crane her neck all the way back to look up at him.  

“I said to let me go. What are you doing?”  

“Just realizing how small you are.”  

Seeing the irritation flare up on Su-eon’s face, Seung-jo grinned.  

“You’re adorable.”  

“…I’m not small. You’re just big. For your information, I’m taller than the average height for women in Korea.”  

Having never been called small in her life, Su-eon’s voice rose in indignation. But no matter how much she protested, Seung-jo’s smile only grew wider.  

“How tall are you, then?”  

“I’m not telling you.”  

Seung-jo chuckled again. Su-eon muttered under her breath about how he laughed too much before turning the question on him.  

“How tall are you, then?”  

“I’m not that tall.”  

Seung-jo shrugged nonchalantly.  

“193, I think.”  

“…”  

He wasn’t lying, but it was the kind of answer that made her want to hit him.  

As Su-eon’s expression soured, Seung-jo, still smiling, reached out to ruffle her hair before heading back into the kitchen. Sliding on his oven mitts again, he turned to her and asked,  

“Abalone or steak? Which one do you want?”  

“Steak.”  

Without hesitation, Su-eon gave her answer, and Seung-jo smiled knowingly, as if he had expected it.  

“A die-hard meat lover, huh. You’re not someone who can’t eat abalone, right?”  

“I can eat it.”  

“Right, but your preference is clearly meat.”  

Nodding as if he fully understood, Seung-jo began setting the table with practiced ease. He moved casually around the spacious kitchen, taking plates from the shelves and rummaging through the refrigerator. No matter how many times she saw it, Su-eon thought she would never get used to the sight of him moving so naturally in this space—just like the time he inserted a long key into the lock hanging on the hanok’s front gate.  

“Sit down. It’s almost ready.”  

“Oh, then I’ll at least get the utensils—”  

“It’s fine, just sit.”  

Her attempt to help was gently dismissed, and Su-eon sat at the table, watching Seung-jo move leisurely on his own.  

The same man who had driven her to the edge over and over again with his steel-like body, pushing into her with relentless force, now looked composed and restrained, wearing proper clothes after leaving the bed.  

She already knew he was polite, and his skills in bed were undeniable. She had assumed that once his s*xual desires were satisfied, he might act indifferent, as if nothing else mattered. But as both a man dealing with a woman and the host welcoming a guest into his home, Ki Seung-jo was flawless.  

Compared to herself—who constantly failed in personal relationships and found dealing with people outside of business contexts extremely difficult—he seemed to exude a level of experience and composure that felt worlds apart.  

She found herself envying him for a moment before a heavy cast-iron pot was placed in front of her. The delicious aroma wafting from it immediately stimulated her senses. Su-eon looked up.  

“Can you open it?”  

Seung-jo lifted the lid for her. Steam billowed out, revealing a perfectly cooked steak with a vibrant reddish hue, laid beautifully on top of rice alongside mushrooms.  

“Wow…”  

Hands clasped together, Su-eon could only let out gasps of admiration before glancing at Seung-jo.  

“Can I take a picture of it?”  

Seung-jo chuckled softly, brushing the back of his hand against her forehead. With his silent approval, Su-eon took out her phone and snapped a photo. As he poured her a glass of water, Seung-jo asked,  

“Do you post on SNS or anything?”  

“Don’t worry, I won’t upload it.”  

Her answer slightly missed the point, but she was too focused on taking the picture to realize.  

“I thought you’d find taking pictures and stuff like that annoying.”  

“You’re right. I usually don’t bother with things like this.”  

“Then why now?”  

“This is the first time I’ve been served a meal like this.”  

“…”  

“I feel like I should save it for posterity.”  

Satisfied, Su-eon put her phone away and spoke. Just as she was about to pick up her spoon, she noticed Seung-jo staring at her intently.  

“Why are you looking at me like that?”  

“I suddenly feel like I want to see your photo gallery.”  

“There’s nothing special in it.”  

“Even if there’s nothing special, there must still be moments of your ‘firsts’ in there.”  

Seung-jo pushed a small bowl of sesame sauce toward her with a spoon, stirring it lightly as he spoke.  

“If you don’t mind, show me sometime.”  

Su-eon nodded. There really wasn’t anything special in her photo gallery, but the way Seung-jo spoke made it feel as if there might be something meaningful hidden in it.  

Following his actions, she added the seasoned sauce and mixed her rice. The grains at the bottom of the pot sizzled, blending with the egg yolk. After transferring it to a bowl and letting it cool slightly, she took a bite. The fragrant aroma of the scallions spread through her senses.  

“It’s delicious, Senior.”  

At her honest reaction, Seung-jo smirked slightly and gestured toward his untouched pot of rice.  

“Want to try this one too?”  

“What is it?”  

“Sea bream.”  

Looking at the pot with its white fish fillet laid neatly on top, Su-eon gave a polite glance before shaking her head. Seung-jo chuckled silently, commenting on her rather firm preferences.