Chapter 31: Will you kiss me

“They say there’s no such thing as a favor without a reason, but… is a favor with a reason really okay?”

Every time Yoo Seoa extended countless favors under the belief of trying to win her over, what Jung Hwayoon kept thinking of was that very question.

‘I came to win you over.’

‘Just trying to turn my life around.’

Maybe it was even more confusing because Yoo Seoa herself openly revealed the reason behind her kindness.

Because it was such a materialistic, blunt reason, it was hard to believe, and so she kept dismissing it as a joke.

There must be another reason.

There must be another motive.

Otherwise, it just doesn’t make sense…

‘Top student at Korea University… she must have been really smart.’

To believe that all of Yoo Seoa’s kindness was simply to woo Jung Hwayoon—Yoo Seoa was far too intelligent for that.

There was no way she didn’t know that the person she was trying to impress was a rotten rope.

A parachute executive director at Yeryeo Hotel, appointed solely because of her bloodline as a member of the Jung family.

A precarious person whose only support was her aging grandfather.

That was all.

Though Jung Hwayoon was working hard to be able to protect Yeryeo Hotel with her own strength, the instability of her future was undeniable.

Once her grandfather passed away, a swarm of hyenas would come to take her position.

So for Yoo Seoa to say she was treating Hwayoon well for the sake of her own future—it was nonsense.

Even Yoo Seoa herself must have known that didn’t make sense.

‘If you’re okay with it, you can lean on me a bit. What do you think?’

‘This may be presumptuous, but if there’s anything I can do to help, I will.’

‘You can ask me again next time too.’

And yet, the chain of these foolish acts of kindness continued without end.

Because of Yoo Seoa’s persistent affection, Jung Hwayoon eventually opened up enough to share a glass of wine with her.

Again, and again…

“Even now, just looking at you like this… Seoa, my chest… it hurts.”

She was confused.

Were these feelings of gratitude toward Yoo Seoa?

Trust?

Affection?

Love?

Or was it just… a misunderstanding?

Had she really come to like Yoo Seoa?

She kept telling herself no, that it couldn’t be.

But maybe her heart had already fallen.

“I think I really do like you, Seoa… but this chest pain, it’s strange… I mean, I like men…”

In the end, the only words she could utter were ones soaked in doubt.

She could clearly hear her own heartbeat.

How could someone as smart as Yoo Seoa not know that Jung Hwayoon was a hopeless case?

And yet, Yoo Seoa kept pursuing her.

Hwayoon’s heart kept wavering.

The final blow came from something she’d heard just moments ago—Yoo Seoa’s answer, saying she liked her just because she was Jung Hwayoon.

“Even I don’t know… why I’m doing this… what on earth for…”

Yoo Seoa’s presence, ballooning inside Jung Hwayoon’s heart, had become too vivid to ignore.

The fact that she was now drunkenly spilling all the things she’d held in her heart was clear evidence that she was being swayed.

At some point, she found herself just looking at Yoo Seoa, who listened silently to her rambling.

With no coherent context, she began to confess the thoughts she’d been hiding.

She tried to let them out.

But the moment their gazes met—Jung Hwayoon’s trembling eyes and Yoo Seoa’s calm ones—
She became aware of something for the very first time.

“…Executive Director?”

‘…Miss?’

“…Uh, Ra…”

At some point, she had been overlapping her with someone else.

The one from her memories.

Someone who had been on her side even before she realized it.

Someone who always felt like they’d be on her side, no matter what.

Come to think of it, even their way of speaking was similar…

“…Uhm, Raah…”

Thump.

Thump.

The chaos of emotions began to crystallize into clear, unmistakable heartbeats.

It couldn’t just be the alcohol making her heart race—breathing itself was becoming difficult.

What came to mind was an old memory.

A vague first love from childhood.

A time so innocent she had even fantasized about marrying that person, not knowing it could never come true.

‘Mister~. When are you going to win me over?’

A girl no older than nine, wishing to be in love with someone for the very first time.

“Was this… my type…?”

Ah, so that’s why.

That’s why she couldn’t stop noticing her.

Maybe she was someone Hwayoon was bound to fall for from the start.

Ache.

A dull wave of pain rose from deep within her chest.

Yoo Seoa’s face, so close, filled her field of vision.

Calm, soft eyes.

A defined nose.

Gently closed lips.

A face so beautiful that even another woman might fall for her.

Though her childhood love had been a man, there were uncanny similarities.

And that made her long for her even more.

She couldn’t look away.

Before she knew it, she was getting closer.

Though they were already close enough.

“…Are you going to kiss me?”

Even the usual soft-spoken voice sounded alluring now.

They were close enough to hear each other breathe.

Just a small tilt of the head, and their lips would meet.

Even though Yoo Seoa must have noticed what Hwayoon was about to do, she didn’t move—just watched.

Maybe she felt the same way.

Or maybe she was just frozen in shock.

No, that’s not it.

You were the one who kept tempting me.

You said you came to win me over.

Weren’t you prepared for this?

“…Don’t you want to?”

Maybe it was because she had finally realized the feelings she had unknowingly harbored.

Even Jung Hwayoon herself was surprised by how bold she had become.

The courage, likely driven by the alcohol, surged up in her strangely.

And finally—she gently leaned in, toward that familiar face right in front of her.

And at the same time, she slightly moved to the side.

Smack—

Yoo Seo-ah’s warm lips brushed not Jung Hwa-yoon’s lips, but her cheek.

Feeling the soft sensation on her cheek instead of her lips, Hwa-yoon dazedly shifted her gaze, and that same quiet voice she always heard returned.

“Let’s stop here for today. You might regret it later and say it was because of the alcohol.”

“No, that’s not…”

But before she could finish her sentence—thud.

Overwhelmed by the continued alcohol consumption, Jung Hwa-yoon’s consciousness finally gave out and faded into darkness.

“…Haa…”

A soft sigh.

Then an arm supporting Hwa-yoon’s shoulder.

Despite stumbling, in the end, it was a back that carried her.

Even though she had already lost consciousness, everything still felt so vivid.

Though her body was limp, unable to move even a finger, her senses remained sharp.

“…Ahjeo…ssi…”

Was it just her imagination, or did Yoo Seo-ah flinch for a moment at the muttered words that escaped unconsciously?

Being carried like this—this whole moment—felt so familiar.

She had missed it.

In many ways…

***

Beep beep beep…

Pause.

“It would be strange if Yoo Seo-ah knew the passcode, right?”

A penthouse in a high-rise building.

At a place she was visiting for the first time as “Yoo Seo-ah,” she paused just before entering the door code and looked down at the unconscious Jung Hwa-yoon on her back.

Half-lidded eyes.

A faint blush.

Mumbling lips.

‘Anyone seeing this would think I’m a boss burdening a junior colleague…’

Seeing Hwa-yoon looking clearly drunk, Yoo Seo-ah made an awkward expression.

But standing out in the hallway like this was worse.

So she ended up pressing the intercom beside the door.

A crisp chime.

Soon, footsteps approached from inside, and then—click—the door opened.

“…Seo-ah?”

“Hello.”

Yoo Seo-ah greeted with an awkward smile.

Seeing her with Hwa-yoon on her back made Jung Do-yoon’s face briefly show confusion.

They said they were going out for dinner together.

Why did she come back in this state?

Then the strong smell of wine from Hwa-yoon struck Do-yoon’s nose.

His brow furrowed slowly.

Naturally, he tried to lift Hwa-yoon off Seo-ah’s back to prevent her from being a further burden.

But the moment he grabbed Hwa-yoon’s shoulder, her arms tightened around Seo-ah’s neck.

She didn’t want to let go.

“Ahjeo…ssi… don’t gooo… I don’t want… to…”

“…Haa.”

It was awkward.

Uncomfortable.

To be honest, a bit embarrassing.

It wasn’t enough that someone at her level behaved like this—she was even clinging like a child to someone else.

It was clear that she needed to seriously confront Hwa-yoon.

But before he could say anything, Seo-ah spoke first.

“I’ll just lay her down and go. May I come in?”

Not only had she brought Hwa-yoon home, but she even offered to carry her to bed.

All Do-yoon could do was nod.

And so, naturally, Seo-ah began ascending the marble stairs to the second floor.

‘…Did someone tell her it’s the second floor?’

Watching her head straight to Hwa-yoon’s room, Do-yoon showed a puzzled expression.

This was supposed to be her first time here.

Did Hwa-yoon tell her where her room was?

While Do-yoon stared intently at Seo-ah heading off in the distance, click.

She opened Hwa-yoon’s bedroom door and entered, gently laying her down on the bed.

“…I’ll be going now.”

With that short farewell, Seo-ah turned to leave the room.

She tried to leave, but—

Tap.

Jung Hwa-yoon’s hand briefly grasped Seo-ah’s wrist.

Seo-ah, caught off guard by Hwa-yoon looking at her with half-lidded eyes, fell silent again.

A hush filled the room.

Then, as she slowly looked down at Hwa-yoon’s face, Seo-ah noticed a fine hair caught in Hwa-yoon’s lips.

Flick.

She gently reached out and removed the hair.

At that moment, something on the bedside table caught Seo-ah’s eye.

‘That’s…’

A small teddy bear she had given a young Hwa-yoon as a birthday present long ago.

She’d claimed it was from Hwa-yoon’s father, Executive Director Jung Hee-baek, but the lie was exposed not long after.

Hwa-yoon had played with it so much it broke multiple times, and Seo-ah had sewn it back together herself.

Now, it was worn and frayed, parts of it sagging or torn. Seo-ah gazed at it.

Maybe that’s why.

Or maybe it was the slight buzz she still felt from the alcohol.

Rustle, stitch.

With a dazed look in her eyes, Seo-ah took out a sewing kit from her bag and began mending the worn teddy bear.

At some point, Jung Do-yoon had come into the room, but she couldn’t really hear what he was saying.

“That… that’s Hwa-yoon’s… most precious…”

Stitch, rustle, slip—

“…You shouldn’t just… she’ll get angry… if it breaks…”

Stitch, rustle.

Drop, slip…

“…%@#@$@$%@#$%···.”

How much time passed after that?

“…Done…”

Before they knew it, the teddy bear had been completely transformed—almost unrecognizably so—and caught Jung Do-yoon’s eye.

Almost simultaneously, Yoo Seo-ah placed the teddy bear on the table and gave a slight bow to Jeong Do-yoon.

“I’ll… be going now…”

“Se-Seo-ah, wait a moment.”

Jeong Do-yoon tried to catch up with Yoo Seo-ah, who had staggered just a little, but before he could, Yoo Seo-ah opened the front door and disappeared into the elevator.

In the end, he was once again left in silence.

That night, he spent hours lying awake, troubled by the rising questions.

The next morning.

“Uh, uh… huh…?”

Jeong Do-yoon, with slight dark circles under his eyes, had to listen to his younger sister’s startled voice early in the morning.

Despite sounding like she had a hangover, Jeong Hwa-yoon pushed her teddy bear toward Jeong Do-yoon, and a mix of emotions tangled in his mind.

“Did… did you… do this, oppa?”

“I… don’t know anything about it.”

He was sincere.

He still didn’t understand what had happened.

He only knew that Yoo Seo-ah’s stitching was similar to the person in his memories.