“Why?”
As he opened the car door, he turned towards me with his legs hanging outside. A cigarette was already placed between his long fingers.
“Is that dissatisfaction? Do you desperately want to use the hotel in a more hotel-like way?”
“…No.”
“If that’s not what you mean, you can have a meal and go to your room. Should I make a reservation on our way to the lobby?”
It was a mocking question with an obvious answer. Fumbling for words, I hesitated to open the car door. As I descended, he tossed the keys lightly, caught them, and locked the door as he walked ahead.
Arriving at the familiar hotel lobby, I hesitated once again. Leading someone to the room and laying them on the bed after making them feel safe was something he was perfectly capable of doing. As we entered the hotel lobby, I once again felt a mixture of hesitation and doubt. I stared at his fingers as we stepped into the elevator. Pressing the close button, he casually glanced down the two rows of numbers above, then turned to look at me. I stood behind, on guard, near the back of the elevator.
“How can you not trust your superior so much?”
He looked down at me and faintly smiled. His finger, passing by 16, landed on 21. The red light lit up, and the elevator began to move. Still, I didn’t lower my suspicious gaze until we passed the 16th floor, and only then did I relax when the elevator doors opened on the 21st floor.
Entering the restaurant with high ceilings, it was precisely 9:30. The atmosphere was quiet, perhaps due to the time being past dinner.
The reserved seats we were guided to by the waiter were counter seats in front of a long wooden table. Smooth stone cutting boards were placed at each seat for plating sushi.
“There are three reasons I chose sushi.”
He spoke slowly as he pulled out my chair. As I sat down on the leather seat, the confusing feeling subsided a bit.
“Would you like to hear all three?”
“…Do I have to hear all three?”
He raised the corner of his mouth again as if finding it amusing. He kindly conveyed the menu to me.
“Is there anything I say that isn’t useful?”
“Team Leader, here…”
It was expensive. As I opened the menu and scanned the prices, I blinked. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever had sushi in a proper restaurant like this in my entire life. That’s why I hadn’t considered that the food would be this pricey.
“Order whatever you want to eat.”
Han Team Leader said generously. When I looked up at him, there was a hearty laughter in his eyes.
“Unfortunately, I can’t treat your lower lip this week, so we should at least treat the upper lip, shouldn’t we?”
“Team Leader-”
“You can leave it; just eat until you’re full. If it’s hard to decide, isn’t it better to order a variety?”
He took the menu again. To cool down, I turned my gaze elsewhere. Beyond the window, the Han River’s night view spread out.
In the meantime, he seemed to have made a decision. As he called the waiter and explained the order, I stared down at the smooth surface of the cutting board. A pale face, neither smiling nor crying, reflected. Belatedly, it felt awkward and complicated.
“What are you thinking?”
He leaned back comfortably in his chair. Despite working all day, whether I was the only one who became like melted lead, or he was still relaxed, I couldn’t tell. His shirt sleeves and hem were neat without any wrinkles. When I raised my gaze to meet his face, he raised his eyebrows. It was an urging to respond.
“I’m curious about the reason.”
“All three?”
It wasn’t about the reasons for choosing sushi but why he wanted to treat me. Nevertheless, he insisted on listing the reasons, pointing with his fingers.
“First, for Lee Seodan with a small mouth, it seemed better to have a small quantity but a variety of types.”
“….”
“Second, it seemed like Lee Seodan would prefer not to sit face to face and eat.”
It was a persuasive reason armed with consideration. I was captivated by the meticulous and sensible listing of thoughts, pretending not to see the trap and tentatively putting my foot down.
“Third…”
“The third is because it seems quite enjoyable to watch Lee Seodan, who will tear the rice apart with his lips after the meal.”
And of course, I fell deep into the marsh. He lifted the corner of his mouth when he saw my expression and kindly offered further explanation.
“There are other restaurants in the hotel, but Lee Seodan, with a small mouth, suits dishes that fit in one bite.”
“Team Leader…”
My head hurt. He reached out and lightly wiped away the remnants of the tears from my eyes that were still stained with makeup.
“Eat comfortably. I’m not asking you to worry.”
It was bothering me. It kept bothering me. Throughout the meal, I couldn’t bring myself to show my face to him. At that moment, a Japanese chef with a tall hat appeared behind the counter. Han Team Leader, as if asking when he had teased me, returned to a formal posture.
In front of me, small rice balls were densely packed. Fish slices were appetizingly placed on top, and sauce was drizzled over. He pushed my cutting board forward to the chef first.
“Team Leader first…”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Eat. Don’t worry about me.”
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“Is it delicious?”
He focused on me eating without saying a word. Whenever he casually asked, I nodded without hesitation. Even if it didn’t taste good, I would have said it was delicious, but in reality, I couldn’t remember the last time I had eaten such food.
“Chew it well. Don’t rush.”
“Team Leader…”
“Stop worrying and eat since I’m also eating.”
The quietly flowing music produced the sound of piano keys. Following his words, I chewed the rice grains firmly. Beyond the window, there was a night view, and in front of it was a lush potted plant with green leaves. It felt like consciousness was floating up to the high ceiling. Strength drained from my sluggish body.
About twenty minutes seemed to have passed. As I started to feel full, I sat down, and Han Team Leader, who hadn’t looked at his watch even once while watching me eat, became curious.
“If you take me home and go to the company… When will you sleep?”
“When did Lee Seodan start worrying about me?”
Although it echoed from the morning, his voice after a whole day lacked its usual poison. He offered a napkin, saying, ‘You got sauce on your lips.’ As I wiped it away, he momentarily gazed at the window with a view of the night scenery.
“Work overnight at the company, sleep on the plane.”
“Then you should be working now, but I…”
It felt awkward to detain someone with no time to spare for a leisurely meal. He tapped the cutting board lightly with chopsticks, saying, “Let’s eat.”
“We usually discuss business while eating. It’s part of the job to eat together.”
“Yes.”
“Unlike Lee Seodan, I know my limits precisely, so you don’t need to worry. Have you finished eating? If you’re full, get up. If you can eat more, eat more.”
After eating two more pieces, including what was on the plate, I looked at him. As he stood up, he helped me pull my chair back again.
“I’ll be outside. I’ll pay and leave.”
“Team Leader, I…”
“No need for that expression. Considering that I even bought triangular gimbap for you, if I think about it, I might get an ulcer even if I sleep, so please, just eat without saying anything.”
With a calm voice, he pushed me away. I couldn’t find a reason why he would buy me a meal, no matter how much I thought about it, but I had no ability to resist him verbally. I watched him leave and felt increasingly complicated.
Perhaps this was a carrot and stick method of Han Team Leader. I knew that if I let my guard down like this, he would find a way to surprise me again. Maybe he enjoyed raising expectations and then cruelly dropping them from a high place. So, I reminded myself not to forget that today’s favor may not reflect his true intentions and not to let my guard down.
And in less than a minute, I realized how careless I had been. The elevator stopped instead of going down. Thinking it was a bit early, I raised my head, and the red light was on 16.
The door slid open. As the familiar corridor came into view, I couldn’t control the warmth rising in my eyes.
“It’s easy to make you cry.”
Leaning against the wall, Han Team Leader looked at me and muttered indifferently. I took a deep breath and wiped my face with the back of my hand somehow. I didn’t want to cry, even if it felt unfair. Why did I say it like that when I had planned to do this from the beginning? Now, there was no room for complaints. However, the sense of relief and excitement I had initially felt, was mercilessly shaken. If I looked at him now, I felt like I might really cry out of betrayal and sadness.
“Do you dislike sharing a room with me so much?”
He reached out and pressed the close button. As the door closed, the elevator began to descend again. Breathing rapidly, I happened to meet my reflection on the wall. It was the face of a pitiful child about to cry.
“I was just teasing you. I didn’t reserve a room in the first place.”
“Uh…”
“This is a public place. I understand if you feel upset, but can’t you wait until you get in the car?”
His voice was calm like a clear sky. The elevator stopped at the lobby floor. I followed him, breathing heavily, and inadvertently met my tearful reflection in the bright lobby. I lowered my head and silently swallowed my tears. When we went down to the underground parking lot and got back into the car he opened, all that remained was an unstable breath.
Han Team Leader locked the car door without starting the engine. The heat from the heater blurred the windows.
“Buckle up.”
After a moment of silence, he spoke in a calm tone. I fumbled to fasten the seatbelt with trembling fingers. He started the engine, stepped on the accelerator, and the lighter clicked, emitting a strong scent of cigarettes. I closed my eyes and tried to regulate my breathing.
I should tell him the address so he can find my home. When we ate, I had planned to send him back to the office and take the subway from here. However, I couldn’t say a word, and it felt like I couldn’t breathe. The well-eaten meal now twisted and turned in my stomach.
It might have been better to get off on the 16th floor, by now I would have been better off lying on a bed with him. It was a chilly silence, just enough for me to think briefly.
The path to return to the office had already passed. Han Team Leader skillfully drove off the highway and entered the neighborhood where I lived. As the familiar straight road unfolded in front of me, he turned to me and casually asked.
“Can I stop by the convenience store?”
“…What?”
“I ran out of cigarettes.”
“…Yes, I don’t mind.”
He turned the car. Parking was smooth. As someone who had only obtained a driver’s license but never properly driven a car, my attention was momentarily taken away by his neat hands turning the steering wheel.
Tak, he opened the car door. Fastening my seatbelt and sitting quietly, I turned to him. He glanced at me and gestured with his chin.
“Get off.”
“Me too?”
“Don’t throw up, let’s get off.”
I hurriedly followed him, who had already entered the convenience store. Under the bright convenience store lights, I felt self-conscious about my pale face due to nausea, but he didn’t look at me and was already standing next to the counter. With a click, he pushed open the door of the glass display cabinet and pulled me by the wrist behind him.
“Choose.”
Looking down, it was ice cream. I looked up in confusion and met eyes with the part-time worker behind the counter.
“Don’t you like sweet things?”
“…I do.”
“Then eat.”
He randomly picked something up and pulled it out. Pink, yellow. He gestured for me to take it, so I took it first and followed him back into the store.
“Why?”
“…I’ll… I’ll pay for this. And Han Team Leader’s cigarettes…”
“I’ll take a red pack.”
This time, he directed his words to the part-time worker instead of me. He put the wallet back into his pocket and, without hesitation, turned around and said, “Buy it and come out.”
Ding, the door made a sound as it closed. Watching his back for a moment, I pulled out the pink ice cream and placed it on the counter.
“Cigarettes, two packs, please. Uh…”
Would he eat ice cream too? I couldn’t imagine it, but just in case, I picked up the yellow one.
“And….”
A display shelf with hot drinks caught my eye. There were various canned coffees, but he didn’t seem interested in any of them. As I browsed through, I noticed a fatigue recovery drink bottle underneath. Without hesitation, I took one out and placed it on the counter.
“Please give me these. No need for a bag.”
Holding two ice creams, two packs of cigarettes, and one bottle of fatigue recovery drink in my arms, Han Team Leader, about to get into the car, furrowed his brow for a moment after seeing me.
“Are you tired?”
“No, this is…”
“Why would you buy two ice creams in winter? Do you want to freeze to death?”
Earlier, he had told me to buy them. Perplexed, I kept my mouth open as he started the car. The small glass bottle between my thighs felt warm.
I reached out with both hands to offer the cigarettes, but he shook his head. I opened the glove box and neatly placed the cigarettes inside. Perhaps due to the heater, the ice cream in my hands was melting. I felt tense, thinking that it would be unthinkable to spill ice cream in this immaculately clean car, free of even a speck of dust. Taking out the long ice cream bar from its wrapper, I involuntarily pushed it deep into my mouth. It was sweet.
“Eat the rest at home.”
He spoke briefly when I offered the remaining ice cream. His gaze remained on the road.
“Oh, I…”
“What?”
“The address…”
“I know. Speak faster.”
We were almost in front of my apartment. Since his words were harsh, I closed my mouth and silently sucked on the ice cream. Between my legs, the fatigue recovery drink was lukewarm. I felt blocked, unable to hand it over. Since leaving the hotel, he had been distant. The face that had noticeably softened during the meal was now closed off and unreadable. The silence, which clearly indicated my fault, was suffocating.
He stopped the car right in front of the entrance to the apartment. I quietly exhaled while looking at the condensation on the front glass.
Unbuckling the seatbelt, I hesitated for a moment.
“Aren’t you getting out?”, he spoke with an evenly-toned voice.
“…Thank you.”
I said softly. He didn’t respond or even look at me; he just held onto the gear stick, waiting for me to get out.
Gathering my belongings, I opened the door and stepped outside. The cold air touched my cheeks, feeling brisk. In my hesitation, I unknowingly closed the door. The lamplight dyed his profile through the glass, darkening it intermittently. I could see him shifting the gears. A subtle shadow danced on his cheek.
In that moment, I urgently tapped on the window with the palm of my hand.
“Team leader, wait a moment!”
“…Why?”
My side of the window slowly lowered halfway. Han Team Leader cast a sideways glance with an annoyed expression. I hastily pushed my hand holding the fatigue recovery drink bottle through the gap.
“This… ”
“…Did you buy this for me to drink?”
“If you won’t have it, you can throw it away… Thank you for the delicious dinner. Have a safe business trip.”
He reached out, took the bottle, and withdrew his hand. When I tried to retract my arm, he gripped my wrist.
“Team leader?”
“Get back in.”
“….”
As he let go of my arm, I opened the car door again and awkwardly settled onto the warm seat. The car fell silent as the door closed. My heart raced again. What did I do wrong this time? While pondering, he suddenly spoke.
“Do you know that I’ve been quite lenient with you today?”
“…Yes.”
“Well, this time, don’t cry.”
“What do you mean ‘this time’?” I thought, and as I did, he reached out, cupping both sides of my face in his hands and pulled me closer. Just as it felt like our faces were about to touch, something warm and soft pressed against my lips.
“….Uh.”
My head hit the headrest. He extended his tongue, dragging it sensuously across my dry lips. Swiftly, I lowered my fluttering eyelids. Lips parting, his hot tongue invaded wildly.
It was an unrelenting and rough kiss. Han Team Leader grabbed me, pushing me down, wildly penetrating with his tongue, assaulting my neck where he had marked it with his fiery kisses before. He forcefully explored my mouth, preventing me from closing my lips, engulfing me as if he wanted to swallow me whole. It was intense. Unbearable heat surged from his aggressive tongue and the soft flesh inside my trembling cheek. Changing angles multiple times, he chewed and devoured my lips. Sharp fangs nibbled at my lower lip, and his pointed tongue delved into the delicate area under my tongue. Saliva mixed, clinging to my chin.
“Uh, uh….”
Unable to breathe, I tapped his shoulder. He momentarily loosened his grip as I gasped for air. While breathing through swollen lips, he gently licked the wounds at the corners of my mouth. Matching his lips with mine like a feather, he whispered softly in my ear.
“Open your mouth. I’ll tease you with my tongue. Open wide. Hold onto me… That’s it.”
“Uh, yes, ah, ah… Yes….”
His fingers ruffled through my hair, softly probing. A tingling sensation sent shivers down my spine. Moaning, I leaned against him, circling my arms around his neck. The resumed kiss was intense and gentle. Every time the tip of his tongue tickled the area connecting the roof of my mouth to my throat, my waist jolted upwards. He swallowed the moaning sound emanating from my throat. Lips detached, then brushed and stuck together again, creating wet sounds. I unconsciously formed a circle with my lips around his tongue.
Swiftly, like a penis exploring a wet opening, he slowly withdrew his tongue from the red passage. Leaving only the tip, he teased before forcefully thrusting it back in. I involuntarily whimpered from my throat. The friction made the inside of my mouth burn. My head felt hazy.
“How does Seodan not… know how to kiss?”
He said with a locked voice. Pronunciation was distorted with our lips pressed together. Tickled by his tingling breath, I convulsed shiveringly.
“I can taste the ice cream flavor.”
“……”
“From Seodan’s tongue.”
He gently brushed my cheek with affectionate fingertips, sending a tingling sensation through my abdomen. With closed eyes and sensitive eyelids, his lips moved over my eyes. His tongue persistently licked between my eyelashes.
His fingers, toyingly, slowly grabbed my ear and caressed it. Each touch made the toes in my shoes curl tightly. My body, clinging to him, trembled.
“Stick out your tongue.”
He said while kissing my earlobe, his words lingering affectionately.
“I’ll suck on it. Stick it out. Yes, a bit more.”
“Uh, hm, uh, yes.”
“You’re pretty when you listen well.”
He lightly bit the tongue I slightly protruded between my lips. The tingling and stinging sensations scratched my chest. The tips of our tongues touched, gently brushing against each other. Unable to endure the flood of overwhelming sensations, I escaped. In an instant, his thick fingers were shoved between my swollen lips. Holding my breath, Han Team Leader, with fingers forcefully gripping my parted tongue, pressed and tormented the part of my tongue crouched in the back. The sensation, facing each other, was so hot that my body felt like it would unravel. Though saliva dribbled down my chin, I couldn’t afford to pay it any attention.
With a squelching sound, our lips finally parted. He wiped the prolonged saliva and exhaled a short breath. Blinking my eyes, I opened them, my vision hazy. Right in front of me was his face. My arms were still wrapped around his neck. Awkwardly pulling one arm away, he leaned backward. The weight that had pinned me to the seat lifted. As the snug warmth vanished, the now empty space felt desolate.
“Suddenly.”
He spat out in a low voice, tightly gripping the steering wheel.
“I’m starting to hate going on business trips.”
“If you’re tired, take a short nap first, then…”
The pronunciation was distorted. My rapidly moving lips were swollen and hot. Although my breathing gradually stabilized, my heart continued to race, and the inside of my mouth tingled coldly.
Without responding, he released the lock on the car door.
“Get off. Sleep well.”
“Team leader too… Well, have a good day at work.”
Awkwardly holding the door, I greeted him. My heart was pounding too much, and the words came out on their own. He nodded silently without saying anything.
As I tried to get off, my legs kept losing strength. Finally closing the door and taking a few steps back, the car immediately started moving. I stood there, staring blankly, until the red taillights disappeared from the parking lot.
Slowly entering the apartment, I thought absentmindedly. It seemed like it should have happened at least once, but no matter how much I thought, I couldn’t remember. There were times in college when I accidentally bumped lips while drinking, and when I was younger, occasionally with my parents, especially my mom, and my younger sister… No matter how hard I tried to recall, this was the first time my lips touched someone else’s.
I pondered this until I entered my home. The tremors didn’t subside throughout.
Oh maybe the ML is finally showing some actual feelings he has for MC and not just lust. MC still hasn’t learned how to speak but maybe we will get there one day.
Thank you for the update!
Idk but I feel like the ml likes the mc since the beginning or idk maybe mc’s his type lol