Chapter 21

A luxurious officetel with a panoramic view of the Han River.  

For a bachelor’s home, it was excessively spacious, to the point of feeling desolate. This was Ma Tae-oh’s residence.

The interior of the officetel was spotless, reflecting the personality of its owner. Its gray-and-black color scheme perfectly mirrored Ma Tae-oh himself.  

However, the owner of this pristine space seemed thoroughly displeased.  

‘I got fired because I liked you, didn’t I? So, if your current assistant likes you, she’ll be fired too, right?’  

His meeting with Gu Yu-na had clearly struck a nerve. His steps toward the dressing room were heavy with irritation.  

Tae-oh irritably threw off his suit jacket, his frown deepening.  

By the time he emerged from the dressing room dressed in a black sleeveless shirt and training pants, he looked far more relaxed. Yet, his inherent sensuality could not be hidden. His broad shoulders and well-defined chest, seemingly sculpted through years of exercise, were enough to draw admiration.  

“Hah.”  

A deep sigh escaped his lips. Running his hands over his face, he leaned back against the sofa. When he closed his eyes, a memory immediately surfaced.  

It was none other than her.  

“Jin Seol-rin… What am I going to do with you?”  

Nothing had been resolved. His heart was in turmoil. That night, though he had been so drunk he could barely stand, the memory only grew clearer with time.  

‘Professor Ma Tae-oh.’

‘Yes, Miss Jin Seol-rin.’

‘Please call me Seol-rin.’

‘…Seol-rin.’

‘Ah… I’m melting.’

Her flushed face, her soft voice, the slight trembling of her body—all of it was etched into his mind. The sweet scent that enveloped them as they exchanged saliva, the pounding of their hearts as they touched—none of it was insignificant.  

‘Professor.’  

‘Yes, Seol-rin.’  

‘Can I… kiss you?’  

It had been a blatant attempt at seduction. Tae-oh knew it was a temptation, yet he willingly gave in to her. Perhaps he had wanted it too—her, Jin Seol-rin, as a person.  

He was a competent professor, especially in the field of philosophy. Guiding his students toward the right path in life was a mission he took seriously.  

Though Seol-rin wasn’t directly his student, her status as his assistant made it impossible for him to approach her freely. Yet, he couldn’t help but be unusually conscious of her.  

“Jin Seol-rin.”  

He called her name again. It felt as if his heart was creating a strange rhythm, just like that night when they had shared each other’s warmth. 

After deliberating for a long time, Tae-oh took out his phone. He opened the messenger app and searched for ‘Jin Seol-rin.’ Her profile picture showed her smiling brightly. Seeing her photo, the frown on his face gradually turned into a smile.  

“You’re beautiful.”  

He muttered to himself. He couldn’t let things continue as if nothing had happened. He decided he needed to talk to her. Tae-oh stared at her photo for a long time.  

***

“Ugh…”  

A bright morning. Seol-rin groaned as she stirred. Even though she was tightly wrapped in her blanket, she shivered from the cold.  

Feeling something was off, she sat up, only to be horrified.  

“W-what is this?”  

The edge of her blanket was soaked. 

Could I have wet the bed? At my age? 

Her pale face turned even whiter as she touched her pajama pants, but they felt completely dry.  

“What…?”  

Her eyes darted around, landing on a puddle of water on the floor.  

“Why is there water…?”  

Water was dripping—no, streaming—down the middle of her cramped rooftop room. It felt so surreal that she wondered if she was dreaming, but she quickly snapped back to reality.  

“The washing machine!!”  

She screamed and jumped to her feet. Sure enough, the area around the washing machine was completely flooded.  

Because the building’s facilities were so outdated, she had left the water running slightly to prevent the pipes from freezing. But last night, she had forgotten to turn it off. Dirty water was now soaking her white feet.  

“I-I need to get out of here.”  

Fearing an electrical accident, Seol-rin quickly turned off the circuit breaker. Grabbing some clothes, her wallet, and her phone, she hurried out of the house.  

“Ugh, I probably smell.”  

Unable to take a proper shower, she headed to work with a sullen expression. Her greasy face and unkempt hair made her look like a mess.  

“Achoo!”  

The cold from the night before had clearly gotten to her. She was sniffling and sneezing nonstop.  

“Ugh, where am I going to sleep for the next three days?”  

After calling her landlord, she was relieved to hear that the pipes would be repaired at no cost to her. However, the repairs meant she couldn’t stay in her room for three days.  

She couldn’t go to her parents’ house in the countryside, and staying at a hotel felt like a waste of money.  

“Should I just go to a sauna? Ugh, it’s so cold. Achoo!”  

All she wanted at that moment was to take a shower. Deciding to use the university’s shower facilities, she quickened her pace.  

“Assistant Jin.”  

It was then that a voice, deep enough to make her heart drop, called out from behind her.  

‘No way…?’  

She stiffly turned around, like a robot. Sure enough, standing there was a man who looked like he had stepped out of a magazine.  

Why did he have to look so stunning today? 

His perfectly tailored suit made her feel like she might get a nosebleed.  

“Assistant Jin, can we talk for a moment?”  

“T-talk? About what…?”  

Tae-oh took a step closer, looking down at her. The light behind him almost made it seem like he had a halo. His lips parted gracefully.  

“That night.”  

‘That night?’  

She immediately knew he was referring to the night they had shared a passionate kiss.  

Though she already understood his intentions, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Avoiding his gaze, she stammered.  

“That… that night? I’m not sure what you mean…”  

“Are you saying you don’t remember? Or are you pretending not to?”  

“Remember…?”  

Of course, she remembered everything. The problem was that she remembered it too vividly. Ever since that night, she had been obsessively analyzing his reactions, trying to figure out if he was moving toward her or pulling away.  

And now…  

“Let me ask you directly. Assistant Jin Seol-rin, are you interested in me?”  

She hadn’t expected him to confront her so boldly. In her 27 years of life, she had never been this nervous. Her lips curled into an awkward smile.  

“Well, um…”  

Her mind went blank. 

Should I just confess my feelings outright? 

But looking at his cold expression, she felt like that would be the wrong move.  

“I’m not sure how to answer… Achoo!”  

At that moment, she sneezed uncontrollably, breaking the tension.  

‘Now that I think about it, I’m bare-faced right now, right?’

Realizing that she hadn’t even managed to wash properly, Seol-rin’s face turned even paler. She thought to herself that even if she were a man, she wouldn’t want to receive a confession from a woman who looked like this.  

“P-please wait, Professor. Let’s talk about that night later.”  

“When is ‘later’?”  

“A-at the end of the workday…! I’ll head upstairs first!”  

In the end, Seol-rin bolted, leaving Tae-oh behind. Left alone once again, Tae-oh let out a hollow laugh.  

Some days, she would approach him so provocatively that it left him utterly disoriented. Other days, she would act as though nothing had happened, eager to escape from him. Tae-oh had thought that nothing in the world could be as ambiguous and unclear as the philosophy he taught, but right now, Assistant Jin Seol-rin felt more complicated than anything else.  

“She’s difficult.”  

Tilting his head slightly, he began walking, following after Seol-rin.