Even though she was fuming and pouring it all out, this man had no response whatsoever.

“Even you think you went too far, right? You messed up, didn’t you?”

“It looks good.”

Hyena’s eyes widened at the unexpected reaction.

“I’m regretting not leaving more.”

His eyes, which had darkened at some point, turned toward her. Sensing danger, Hyena slowly backed away.

“I’m going to shower. I’ll be back after showering.”

Gunwoo leisurely followed Hyena as she scurried away. Caught right in front of the bathroom, Hyena had to accept his caresses disguised as helping her shower. In the end, she only escaped from Gunwoo after climaxing several times.

“Wait here. I’ll bring you clothes.”

The very person who had shredded the t-shirt Hyena was wearing said this without a shred of guilt.

“I don’t have the energy. I’ll just go out like this.”

“What if you catch a cold?”

“I’ll give it to you.”

Gunwoo gave a brief kiss to her lips as she spoke those wicked words and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he draped the only bathrobe around Hyena’s body. 

Her body was lifted up next. It happened without any chance to refuse. Hyena, giving up, buried her face in his broad shoulders.

“I can’t do more today, so you should know that.”

“What?”

“The thing you’re crazy about.”

“I don’t know what you mean when you say it like that?”

Gunwoo played dumb as he opened the bathroom door. Hyena glared at him and shouted.

“s*x.”

At that moment, a voice that shouldn’t be heard from here rang out.

“Hyena.”

Hyena looked toward the sound with startled eyes. Between the living room and kitchen, both mothers were looking at them. 

Only then did she remember they were supposed to bring clothes today. And that she’d told them to open the door and come in if there was no response.

Hyena squeezed her eyes shut. Gunwoo was the first to regain his composure.

“I’ll come out after getting dressed.”

Gunwoo’s heart, touching her cheek, was pounding wildly. He seemed quite flustered too.

Gunwoo carefully set Hyena down in his room, treating her like the most precious thing in the world, and whispered.

“Stay here.”

“But…”

Before she could finish, lips touched her forehead. It was a soft and warm kiss.

“I’ll handle it.”

She had no choice but to nod at his more serious attitude than ever. Gunwoo quickly threw on clothes and went out of the room.

Hyena, who had been pressing her ear to the door trying to hear outside, let out a long sigh. No matter how hard she listened, she couldn’t hear any sound. 

While wavering between hiding like this or facing them confidently, Hyena steeled her resolve and reached for the doorknob.

With exquisite timing, the door swung open.

“Where are Mom and Aunt?”

“They left.”

Hyena’s eyes widened. Jeongseon wasn’t the type to back down like this, so something was strange.

“How…”

Instead of answering, Gunwoo held out his hand. When Hyena approached, he wrapped his arms around her so she couldn’t move.

“Whew.”

A deep sigh from his core brushed the top of her head. His heart, pressed against hers, was still pounding wildly. 

She wasn’t the only one nervous, it seemed. Feeling sorry for him, Hyena patted Gunwoo.

An unexpected question came then.

“Where should we go first?”

“Huh?”

“My house, or yours.”

It was an unkind explanation. But there was no way she couldn’t understand what he was trying to say. Hyena pulled away from Gunwoo.

“Do we have to go?”

“It’s something we have to face eventually.”

She knew that. But she didn’t know what face to show her mom.

“Can’t you just go alone?”

“Mmm…”

Gunwoo smiled with an unreadable look. A smile more chilling than when he was angry.

“Should I tell them we have s*x but don’t think about the future at all—what you’d call f*ck buddies, if we had to name it?”

Hyena’s eyes widened at the expl*cit expression.

“Isn’t that what you mean by going alone?”

“Wow, it’s really all or nothing.”

“That’s right. All or nothing.”

Gunwoo added with a more serious face than ever.

“So you decide.”

“Do I even have a choice?”

“Maybe?”

It was scarier than saying no.

Suddenly Gunwoo’s hand approached her face. The touch sweeping across her lips was so soft it was almost sweet. He quickly bit her hand and licked his thumb. The sight was like a painting—she couldn’t look away.

“If you really can’t decide, just follow me.”

An unreal face, an unreal voice.

Hyena had to admit once again. That she had fallen completely for Do Gunwoo. And that she would never be able to escape from it.

“Let me be clear—I’m not being dragged by you. I’m going of my own will.”

“…”

“What can I do? I like Do Gunwoo too much.”

Hyena even let out a deliberate sigh before adding.

“It means Do Gunwoo can never escape from Yoon Hyena’s hands now.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard?”

Hyena smiled at his answer, completely devoid of playfulness.

***

The closer they got to the house, the more the tension grew. Moistening her parched lips with her tongue, Hyena suggested the best solution.

“Can’t we just go next week?”

She couldn’t muster the courage to face her mom after just one day.

“If we do that, they’ll come to your place.”

Would that be okay?

A sigh escaped at the casually added words. Hyena stared at Gunwoo.

Unlike her, who was extremely tense, Gunwoo looked perfectly fine. Even though they were going to her house, not his.

That indifferent face without even a trace of nervousness, that nonchalant attitude. Something seemed very wrong.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“I wonder.”

Hyena rolled her eyes prettily at the vague answer.

“We’re going to get permission to date. Isn’t it normal to be a little nervous?”

“You’re mine anyway. Because I taught you.”

Before she could refute, more words were added.

“I’m yours too, so isn’t it fair?”

To say such shameless things so casually! Her face flushed without realizing it.

“Why? I didn’t teach you.”

With bad timing, the car stopped at a red light at that moment. Gunwoo captured Hyena completely in those deep eyes.

“You taught me.”

Her clueless heart raced.

“First wet dream, first kiss, first s*x…”

Hyena screamed and raised her hand to cover Gunwoo’s mouth. That was a mistake.

His large hand grabbed her small hand like he’d been waiting for it. *Smooch, smooch.* Lips pressed against her palm.

She was reflected in his slightly upturned eyes. Like a scene from a movie.

‘Is this what it feels like for your heart to melt?’ 

Right now, she felt like she’d follow him even if Do Gunwoo took her to bed right away. His hand fell away and his gaze dropped.

Gunwoo started the car again and whispered.

“Hold on. I’ll f*ck you when we get home.”

She could hear the touching feeling from moments ago crumbling to pieces.

Facing her parents, Hyena couldn’t even lift her head properly and just stared at the floor. 

She’d come with firm resolve, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet her mom’s eyes. The silence was an extremely burdensome moment. After basic greetings ended, Gunwoo broke the awkward silence.

“I want to officially date Hyena.”

“…”

“I’m not saying this lightly.”

Gunwoo, who had been speaking, made eye contact with Jeongseon.

“I’m thinking about the future too. Of course, when Hyena is ready.”

She could feel completely how much Gunwoo, with his strong possessiveness and desire for exclusivity, must have agonized before saying those words.

“It’s fortunate it’s not a light feeling, but I’m not sure. You two are already in that kind of relationship…”

Jeongseon let out a short sigh, seemingly still flustered thinking about it again, then continued.

“…Even so, as a parent, I can’t help but worry.”

Hyena clenched her fists. She fully understood her mom’s feelings. Myungwook, who had been quietly listening beside them, also voiced his concern.

“Actually, I’m a bit worried too. That the relationship you’ve maintained until now has changed like this.”

Both of them had the worst-case scenario in mind.

“That’s why I gave up and gave up again. My situation…”

Gunwoo stopped.

“Isn’t normal like others, so I worried whether I might hurt Hyena. Whether things might not work out and we’d never see each other again.”

“…”

“In the end, after going around and around, it was Hyena. I didn’t know that then.”

That was perhaps not words for Jeongseon and Myungwook, but a confession to Hyena. So she had to answer that confession.

“Mom, Dad, I understand what you mean. But I’m not taking this lightly either. Actually, I’ve liked him for a very long time. Not as an oppa, but as a man.”

For the first time since arriving home, Hyena made eye contact with her parents and conveyed her firm feelings. Gunwoo’s hand overlapped her clenched fist. 

The warmth he gave melted her body that had been stiff with tension. It was possible because it was Do Gunwoo.

“I’ll love her more and cherish her more to make up for the time we sadly let slip away. I’ll become Hyena’s solid support like that.”

Jeongseon, who had been quietly watching their overlapping hands, finally nodded.

“If you two like each other, what can I say? Date seriously.”

The permission she’d so desperately wanted was granted.

After visiting Gunwoo’s parents too and returning home, Hyena sat blankly on the sofa. The fact that both families had permitted them to date took on another meaning.

‘Now Yoon Hyena and Do Gunwoo can no longer be just oppa and dongsaeng.’

Hyena jumped up from the sofa and approached Gunwoo, who was preparing a meal.

“Will you really wait until I’m ready?”

Gunwoo, who cleverly understood the omitted words, answered without hesitation.

“Yeah.”

“What if I say I’m never ready?”

“I’ll have to accept it.”

“Isn’t that giving up too quickly?”

Hyena said sulkily. Gunwoo turned toward her.

“We don’t necessarily have to be bound by the institution of marriage.”

“…”

“Whatever form it takes, the fact that we belong to each other won’t change.”

It was a confident tone. Her heart raced. Gunwoo had approached right in front of her at some point.

“So do what you want to do.”

Gunwoo whispered low and lowered his face. Soon their lips overlapped.

Falling completely into the sensation only Gunwoo could give, Hyena thought.

That she’d have no choice but to give him what he wanted soon.