Chapter 118

“I hope you never ever call me like this again. I, too, clearly go to work like your son, and I do not have such free time to answer these kinds of calls.”

–  Kim Na-Yool!

“All I did was report being beaten by your son because I was beaten, and state that I was almost raped because I was almost raped. Not a single thing was made up, so—”

–  How could you report him as not only a criminal but a sexual offender for something that did not happen!

“I’m hanging up.”

Na-Yool put down her memo on Seung-Jae’s desk as she ended the call. Yet another call from the same number came in, but she hung up and swiftly blocked it. Then, as if to somehow relieve her frustration, she walked off.

Even pretending to say hello to passing colleagues was stressful right now. She eventually stopped when she reached the vending machine located in a remote corner and stood in a daze.

Come to think of it, she did not even have any money to get a drink. Realizing she had to go back to her desk for it, Na-Yool was so annoyed that she stared at the vending machine for a while, before finally sinking into the chair next to it. It felt like shortly hearing the woman’s voice was enough to drain all her energy out of her body. Her dead eyes repeatedly gazed at the wall, then at the screen of her phone, which was turned off.

Who knows how many minutes she sat there. Then, as if possessed, she turned on her cell phone screen and pressed the call button to Si-Jin’s number. The call was quickly rejected, but Na-Yool was not disappointed as she looked at her cell phone.

[We’re in the same building, why call?] 2:44 PM

A small smile appeared on Na-Yool’s gloomy face.

[I am in front of the vending machine, but I don’t have any money] 2:44 PM

[You can’t be asking me to bring it to you?] 2:44 PM

Her mood sensitively fluctuated to every small detail, a slight disappointment cracked in her expression.

As though he had sensed it, another message from Si-Jin arrived.

[Wait for me] 2:45 PM

Na-Yool was finally convinced of at least one thing. Si-Jin might put on an expression of complete indifference, but his actions were always the exact opposite. Even if he pretended not to be, in the end he was a man who always compromised for her sake.

It might be common in the early days of a relationship anyway, but there is no reason you cannot enjoy it now just because you know it is going to end someday. Na-Yool’s low mood cleared up in the blink of an eye.

Maybe it was the satisfaction of successfully bothering the busiest man of the company over such a trivial reason as her personal laziness. Or maybe it simply was an excuse to see his face.

“…I seem to have let you pick up weird habits, Ms. Na-Yool.”

A bright smile spread across Na-Yool’s face as she looked up at Si-Jin.

Contrary to the words spoken in a businesslike voice, there was not a hint of annoyance on his face looking down at her. Na-Yool accepted the bill he handed out. Si-Jin had apparently never used the company’s vending machine. It was a 10000-won bill, and this vending machine only accepts 1000-won ones. But it did not matter anyway.

For what it is worth, maybe she really just wanted to see him.

“So what, you do not like it?”

“No, actually, I’m rather satisfied.” Si-Jin frowned, like he himself felt puzzled. Then, as though something cleared in his mind, he added with a twisted smile, “…Only by ruining your habits one by one will you not go to someone else.”

“……You are so openly wicked.”

“So what, you do not like it?” Si-Jin threw back the same question as hers as he gently ran his fingertips under her chin. As Na-Yool looked up at him without saying a word, he lowered his hand from her chin and gently wrapped it around her neck. A strange smile formed on his lips. “Me, I will do whatever you ask.”

“…Really?”

“I told you. The gist is to mess up your habits.”

With him acting so brazenly sly, the less Na-Yool could put up a front. She looked up at him with conflicted eyes. Just as she lowered them with a sigh, he lifted her face up again.

“So, what’s going on?”

Si-Jin asked straightforwardly, in one swift shot. As it appeared, he had pretended until now not to notice her mood. Her brows furrowed, Na-Yool answered in an odd tone.

“Nothing, I came to get a drink at the vending machine and did not have money.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

Na-Yool shook the 10000-won bill she was holding.

“This thing only operates with 1000-won bills.”

“……”

“Mr. President, you have never used the company’s vending machine, right?”

“…I don’t usually drink this.”

Sure you are! Na-Yool internally scoffed, not surprised by his ‘I don’t trust any drink unless I make them myself’ attitude.

“Yeah, I guess you would rather gulp down a whole jar of sugar than drink these.”

“My point exactly.”

“And only fools would enjoy such drinks.”

“Precisely, yes.”

“I drink them every day though?”

“Well, everyone has the freedom to choose.”

A quick change of attitude. Just like with Seung-Jae and the sushi. Na-Yool smiled lightly, and Si-Jin gently shook her shoulder and caressed her cheek.

“For example, you have the freedom to be a bit more stupid and drink something like this every day.”

“If you are going to change your words, at least say something nice, Mr. President.”

“Can’t do. You rather not drink those things and live a long life.”

Gradually, the caller’s voice was put out of mind, as if no call was ever answered. Si-Jin was still wearing his usual blunt face, but Na-Yool looked up at him with a thoroughly relaxed expression.

He suddenly let out a low sigh.

“Wait here.”

“Why?”

“I’ll bring it to you. 1000 won.”

Would this man even carry around such a thing? Na-Yool shook her head.

“Forget it, I’ll pass on the drink and keep the 10,000 won bill.”

“Good idea.”

She expected Si-Jin to at least nag her for slyly stealing his money, and he instead appeared rather proud of her. She felt like a well-trained puppy. Although one might wonder what puppy would extort people’s money this way. Na-Yool was puzzedly looking at Si-Jin casting his gaze far beyond the hallway leading to the office, when he suddenly lowered his head. The next second, their lips met.

“Not here… it’s not proper…”

“You’ve done worse.”

“……”

It was an irrefutable truth. What a strange thing being in a relationship is… The establishment of their dating status was the only change, and yet everything she daily did with him felt anew.

“…At least wait for when everyone went home, and in your office… What the heck am I saying…”

“I like when you sometimes crazily let go like this.”

“……”

“And even more that you’re a pervert.”

She could not deny it anymore. She could not, so her head remained shamefully down.

“…Still, I cannot beat you to it, Mr. President.”

“You’re a great female too. You can be proud of it.”

It most likely was too late to feel skeptical about such a dubious encouragement. Instead, Na-Yool cautiously asked in return:

“……Surely that is not the reason you like me, is it?”

“If I did not like you in the first place, I would not even care about a lewd lady running around in panties.”

“I would never do that.”

“Ah, but then I would have fired you.”

“Precisely, which is why I would never.”

“So, I’m like this because I like you.”

“……”

This man, since when did those words came out so easily…

“That’s why, even if you cover yourself from head to toes, I keep getting hard like a sex maniac. Because I like you.”

A clear, naked self-acknowledgment, ruined by the fact that the pervert seemed rather proud of being a sex maniac.

Faced with such self-righteousness, Na-Yool almost felt like a drama heroine, but the feeling did not last.  She squinted her eyes at Si-Jin.

“…Are you sure this is the only cause?”

“Do you expect I would get a boner anywhere I go?”

Aren’t you getting hard pretty much anytime anyway… Si-Jin frowned at Na-Yool’s suggestive expression.

“Am I a beast?”

Did you not call yourself a sex maniac earlier? As Na-Yool rolled her eyes in answer, his lips came down again. The touch was more tenacious, closer to a kiss than the smooch from just before. Her heart beat jumped, in fear someone might appear any moment at the end of the hallway and run into this scene.