When I stared blankly at Yoon Taeo, he looked back at as if to say, “What’s the problem?”
The black ceramic bowl, as if specially treated, shimred with an unusual luster.
I didn’t know what kind of artistic purpose it was made for, but placed in front of Yoon Taeo like this, it did sohow look like a ran bowl, just as he’d said.
He did seem like soone who should be eating ran out of a bowl like this.
“You went all the way there just to buy this?”
“Is that a problem.”
“Well... You do tap your cigarette ash into blue-and-white porcelain, so I guess there’s no reason a one-billion-won ran bowl wouldn’t work... I an, sure....”
Following Yoon Taeo’s lead, I picked up my chopsticks and began eating.
I was just about to sneak into the kitchen to make myself a late-night snack anyway, so there was no way I could ignore the ran tempting my nose for long.
Still, I had to be careful not to scratch the ceramic with my chopsticks.
“Gah...!”
But the mont I put one bite of noodles in my mouth, I nearly passed out.
“...What’s wrong.”
“It’s... way too good? Have you ever made ran before?”
It was insane. The flavor was so deep I couldn’t believe it was instant ran.
The noodles were springy, like fresh ones.
I prided myself on being a decent cook, but eating Yoon Taeo’s ran filled with a sudden wave of self-loathing.
“Didn’t I tell you I have a good eye? I just copied what I saw you making last ti.”
The way he said it so nonchalantly made it even more infuriating.
It was just ran, but watching it go into Yoon Taeo’s mouth looked more like he was savoring so high-end gourt al.
“No wonder... your standards are so high....”
It made sense. If he could cook sothing this good on his first try, no wonder he was unimpressed by most people’s food.
Maybe it wasn’t that he had a picky appetite, but that he just had an exceptionally refined palate.
“Rember how I made it and cook it like this for next ti.”
“Ah... sure.”
You could say I devoured it like a man possessed.
It was extrely late and extrely good, so I didn’t even breathe—just inhaled the noodles.
And just when I was scraping the bottom of the bowl, Yoon Taeo finally spoke again.
His own bowl, once again, wasn’t even halfway finished.
“...You don’t seem to like ran that much....”
It was the sa last ti, too.
He barely eats it—so why bother making it?
Well, I guess ran and Yoon Taeo really don’t go together.
“Want a drink?”
“Oh... yeah, thank you.”
Of course.
His real dinner nu finally appeared.
He poured amber whiskey into a clear crystal glass and returned to the table.
“I’ll clean this up real quick.”
“Leave it. Take your ti.”
As I tried to take the bowls away, Yoon Taeo stopped .
But I couldn’t exactly drink whiskey with a ran bowl in front of , so I brought the dishes to the kitchen and ca back with ice, water, and a few snacks.
“You’re still hungry? Trying to eat more?”
“I’m just trying to make it look right....”
Guys like you are the only ones who drink whiskey straight, you bastard.
It’s true that whiskey suits him more than a ran bowl.
His unusually long, slender fingers wrapped around the glass like it was an accessory made just for him.
His entire existence feels like a cheat code.
“How long do you think I should wait.”
The mont I took a sip of the expensive whiskey, following his lead, Yoon Taeo suddenly dropped one of his trademark out-of-nowhere lines.
“Well...”
But for once, I understood what he ant.
It had to be about “firsts.”
As he swallowed the whiskey, he looked straight at with a curious gaze.
This bastard could tell I understood exactly what he ant.
“Maybe... sleeping in your room...?”
“Also.”
“...The porridge? That you brought ?”
“Not exactly wrong. And...”
“...There’s more...?”
What the hell. How much did he do?
I’d been trying to figure it out since the auction, but nothing else ca to mind.
Yoon Taeo’s the type who hates sharing his space with anyone, so it wasn’t hard to guess that it was the first ti soone had slept in his room.
At least as far as I or Baek Sieon’s mories go, he’d never let anyone sleep there before. Sa with the porridge.
“What else could there be...?”
Now I was getting curious too.
I only rembered passing out in the car because I wasn’t feeling well that day.
I’d brushed off everything that happened after that way too lightly.
Now that I think about it, it wasn’t the kind of situation to take so casually.
“Curious, aren’t you?”
“Y...yes...? Actually, I feel like I’d be better off not knowing.”
But seeing that smirk tug at his lips made not want to dig deeper.
I had a feeling nothing good would co from learning the rest.
“K—Kim...”
“Baek.”
“Secretary Baek is wise.”
This guy’s seriously a goldfish.
He’s so different from how he acts—he actually has a weirdly... cute side to him.
I wonder if people know. That Yoon Taeo, who seems perfect, has this stupid flaw.
That when he calls soone “hey” or “that one,” it’s actually because he doesn’t know their na.
The long-ti secretarial staff are vaguely aware of this, but for so reason, it’s a fact I don’t want to share with anyone.
“Still! I—I do appreciate it... really... You took care of ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) , after all.”
“Then be more sincere about it and really show your gratitude.”
Never mind.
Every ti he opens his mouth, he becos more insufferable.
Soone should sew his damn lips shut.
If Yoon Taeo weren’t the main character of a drama, he’d have been taken out long ago—definitely because of that mouth.
“And about that bet from before—I’m not letting it slide.”
“That wasn’t! Even my fault...?”
“You stole the Beta I was seeing, acted like you had no idea, bought him clothes and shoes, ate als together every chance you got. Kept telling him he was nice and pretty and flattering him?”
He ans Han Yejun.
“...Why are you suddenly bringing up stuff that’s already over...?”
Didn’t I predict this once?
That this stubborn bastard would one day drag up every excuse in the world to bla for Han Yejun not falling for him.
Even if, in my mind, it was just work.
“Didn’t Secretary Baek say you were sure? That he wasn’t a lover or soone you had those kinds of feelings for?”
“...Yeah, I did....”
“But that was just your feeling.
In the end, that guy did say he was interested in Baek Sieon.”
I had a lot to say.
But for now, I just took another sip of whiskey and decided to hear him out.
“You seem to have a lot of complaints.”
“...Honestly... not exactly complaints....”
“Just, from now on, I’d prefer if you didn’t act so kindly to just anyone.
It can cause misunderstandings.”
...Well, I’ll admit that part.
I’d ignored both of their feelings and set up those etings, all for the sake of pushing Yejun and Taeo together.
If Taeo already knew that Yejun had zero interest in him at the ti, it’s no wonder he didn’t take it well.
If I were him, I probably wouldn’t be too thrilled either.
“I think... even if that wasn’t my intention, it was a mistake on my part....”
“And?”
“Can I ask you sothing too?”
“What is it.”
Should I ask?
Whatever the case, my plan to escape this world had collapsed in the most pitiful way.
Han Yejun suddenly showed interest in , and Yoon Taeo didn’t show the slightest obsession toward Yejun.
“Did you... not like Han Yejun?”
In the original story, he’d shown quite intense emotions, so I was curious why it hadn’t happened this ti.
Of course, if he had been obsessed, I wouldn’t be sitting here safe and sound.
No doubt, I’d have had to pay for seducing Yejun with my life.
It was a relief, but still—I figured knowing why could help later.
“Didn’t Secretary Baek say sothing last ti.”
Yoon Taeo put down his empty glass and got up first.
“Say what...?”
He didn’t finish the conversation, just started walking.
As he passed , he spoke again.
“I have preferences too.
I don’t just fall for anyone like that.”
And with that, he walked past the living room and disappeared.
It was hard to tell if he was joking or not.
I couldn’t tell if he was being sincere.
I downed the rest of the drink in my glass in one go.
With the ice lted, it didn’t taste like anything anymore.
Only that faintly sweet, floral scent I’d slled before filled my mouth.
“Oh, and.”
“Y-Yes?”
I jumped up at the sound of him calling from in front of his room and looked over.
“The penalty for losing the bet—you’ll take it later.
Don’t try to weasel out. I’m not feeling generous.”
Sure... go ahead and chop off my damn wrist, you bastard.
“Use the gift well, with a grateful heart, Sieon-ah.”
Before I could even say thank you, Yoon Taeo had already gone into his room.
Why does he keep calling in such weird ways...
Every ti sothing cos out of Yoon Taeo’s mouth that doesn’t suit him, it just feels wrong.
❖ ❖ ❖
I was a simpler person than I looked.
I tended to accept whatever situation was handed to a bit too easily.
That’s why I’d never experienced insomnia in my life.
Once I lay down, I’d be asleep instantly.
Even that ti I fell asleep in the car with Yoon Taeo right after being kidnapped—though I guess that might’ve been passing out.
But tonight was strange.
No matter how much I tossed and turned, I just couldn’t sleep.
“Haa...”
I couldn’t quite pin down a reason, but if I had to point to the biggest thought rattling around in my head...
It was, without a doubt, Yoon Taeo.
Yoon Taeo, who’d acted weirder than usual today.
I kept thinking about him even as I wrote my mandatory secretary log—which was basically part of the job.
I was supposed to record his every word and action in detail, but I ended up writing and deleting over and over again until all I had left were dry, official lines.
I couldn’t bring myself to write down the part where he bought clothes or gave a watch.
Or how he wrapped his arm around my waist and shoulder at the party.
Or how he escorted around.
Even at ho, he’d cooked ran for himself, and handed over that ridiculously expensive bowl like it was a gift.
Maybe to him, it was all just playful nonsense.
He’s always been the type who never considers how others might interpret his actions.
But still...
His words kept echoing in my mind.
“I have preferences too. I don’t just fall for anyone like that.”
I knew better than anyone that those words couldn’t be true.
Aside from being a bit scrawny, Han Yejun’s appearance fit Yoon Taeo’s type pretty closely.
At least, according to the Yoon Taeo character data.
And yet, for so reason, he said otherwise.
I didn’t know why.
And I didn’t know why that was what kept from sleeping tonight, either.
So many thoughts swirled in my head, but I couldn’t find a reason for a single one of them on this sleepless night.
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