Chapter 8
Yuri arrived at the penthouse in Hannam-dong, riding in the car Taeshinwoo had sent.
For a moment, she was at a loss for words at the modern interior that so clearly reflected his taste.
Even though he wasn’t here yet, it felt as if she had stepped into his world.
“Isn’t this a bit too much for a place you just ‘use occasionally’…?”
According to the driver, this wasn’t his main residence—just a place he stopped by from time to time.
But contrary to that explanation, the place had six rooms and five bathrooms.
To be honest, the fact that he owned a place like this and didn’t even use it often felt like an unbelievable luxury.
“…Ha.”
Taeshinwoo, who said he would arrive soon, was still nowhere to be seen.
Did he even realize how slowly time passed for the one who had to wait…?
Fear and anxiety about what lay ahead stirred uneasily within Yuri. As time dragged on, those feelings only grew heavier, more suffocating.
Left alone, Yuri continued to look around the spacious interior, which seemed nearly a hundred pyeong.
Was it because it looked like something out of a movie or drama? It felt like she had stepped into a model home.
“There’s even a wine bar…”
It was truly a place that lacked nothing. Yuri stopped in front of the wine bar.
There was a wine cellar, various kinds of liquor neatly arranged, and rows of glasses.
Enough that she could drink a glass and no one would ever know.
Ordinarily, Yuri would never do something like this. Even pouring herself a glass of water in someone else’s house felt difficult, yet now she felt a strong urge toward the expensive-looking liquor. It seemed she was having trouble accepting this situation with a clear mind.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally picked up a bottle of liquor without the owner’s permission.
Not even knowing the alcohol content, she filled a glass to the brim and gulped it down.
“Ugh.”
The moment it went down, a burning pain tore through her throat.
Even when she tried to cough it up, it only heated her insides further. As if it had already been absorbed, an unfamiliar dizziness began to wrap around her body.
“Ha… ha…”
She had barely taken a few sips, yet her vision was already spinning.
If it were just physical pain, it might have been better. Instead, her anxiety only intensified, threatening to swallow her whole.
“Ha…”
She wasn’t confident.
She didn’t know if she could endure spending a night with a man she didn’t even have feelings for.
The thought of their skin touching made her feel as though everything in her life would change.
No—she feared that she would be consumed by his dark gaze, unable to do anything, dragged along helplessly.
But…
“No, Song Yuri. Get a grip.”
She had no choice.
Even if his proposal destroyed her, she had to accept it.
Only then could she protect the children at the orphanage. Maybe even Yuhan.
“When is he coming…?”
The deeper her fear grew, the stronger the alcohol took hold. She splashed cold water on her face and even slapped her cheeks, but it did little to help.
“Ha…”
Biting her lip, her eyes slowly began to droop.
She needed somewhere to sit and lean. Leaving the bathroom, she staggered over and sat on the canopy bed.
I’ll just sit here until the alcohol wears off… and if he comes in, I’ll quickly leave…
How long had she endured like that?
Just as she felt she couldn’t hold on any longer, the quiet house was broken by the sound of the door unlocking.
Before long, the car pulled into the parking garage. Jaeik stepped out immediately and opened the back door.
Shinwoo got out, exhaling deeply as he lightly adjusted his collar.
“Go home.”
“…Yes. See you tomorrow.”
Leaving Jaeik’s polite farewell behind, Shinwoo headed straight to the penthouse.
Only Jaeik and his driver knew about this place, which he kept as a second home.
A space no one else knew about—his private hideout.
And yet, he had revealed it to that woman.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have even considered it. This, too, had been an impulsive decision.
The moment he unlocked the door and stepped inside, he felt a tension different from usual.
Even in the quiet stillness, her presence was unmistakable.
Perhaps it was the unfamiliar scent lingering in the air—it was the distinct fragrance that belonged to Song Yuri.
Soft, with a faint sweetness.
As Shinwoo moved slowly forward, he was seized by a strange feeling.
Something almost unreal.
He was the one who had called her here, yet the fact that she was in his space felt oddly fresh.
He had expected to find her anxiously waiting in the living room, but the fact that she was nowhere in sight was intriguing in itself.
Still, she had left subtle traces of herself here and there.
An opened liquor bottle and a glass not even half empty.
He let out a quiet chuckle at those small signs.
Quite bold. I thought she’d be more cautious.
It was almost baffling—drinking as if it were her own home, then crawling off into a room.
“…This is ridiculous.”
Why was it that this audacious side of Song Yuri amused him?
It felt as though a new kind of stimulation had finally entered his monotonous life.
He couldn’t even imagine what she might be doing in his room, or what kind of expression she might be wearing.
Reaching the door, he turned the handle and stepped inside.
There, leaning against one of the canopy bedposts, was Yuri, dozing off.
He couldn’t hide his disbelief.
“Mm…”
At the faint noise, Yuri, who had briefly fallen asleep, stirred awake.
Through her blurred vision, she recognized him and rubbed her eyes.
“Taeshinwoo…?”
“How much did you drink?”
“…A little.”
“Why?”
He stepped closer to her.
Looking down at her dazed eyes, Shinwoo reached out and tilted her chin upward.
Her moist lips kept drawing his attention.
Would they taste like alcohol if he licked them? The faint scent of liquor in the air was enough to make one dizzy—something this naive-looking woman was now teaching him.
“Hmm?”
As his thumb brushed her lower lip, she flinched at the unfamiliar touch.
As if she had never experienced such raw contact before, she tried to pull away from his grip.
“I asked why you drank, Song Yuri.”
He had no intention of tolerating that innocent resistance. Holding her chin firmly, he pressed her for an answer.
In the end, Yuri gave in, letting out a quiet sigh before parting her lips.
“It’s just… being sober…”
“You didn’t want to be in my arms while sober?”
At his confirming question, her body trembled slightly, as if frightened.
Even so, her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol, her warm breath coming out in soft pants.
Even that faint reaction made it hard to look away from her—such a strange woman.
“N-No, that’s not it…”
Did she not realize how she looked right now?
Her long arms and slender legs swayed weakly before she suddenly leaned into him.
“I thought maybe if I drank… I’d feel like being with you…”
It was a rather bold statement, but there was no need to listen further to the ramblings of someone drunk.
In one swift motion, Shinwoo pushed Yuri down onto the bed.
“You hate the idea of being with someone like me that much?”
He hadn’t even washed up yet, but her careless answer had already stirred something inside him.
A strange desire overtook Shinwoo—the urge to consume this small woman before him completely. The realization twisted his lips into a crooked smile.
Meanwhile, Song Yuri herself had resorted to alcohol just to endure being in his arms.
And yet here he was, clinging to her like a beast in heat—pathetic, really.
“Ugh, no… I don’t want to…”
Even so, his intention to take her right now didn’t change.
Caught off guard by the sudden force, Yuri struggled against the bed.
But his gaze made it clear—he had no intention of accepting her refusal.
As she felt his knee press between her legs, tension slowly built within her.
“What should I do?”
“…”
“Unfortunately for you, Miss Song Yuri… this is going to be the worst night of your life.”
With his heavy voice pressing against her ear, her T-shirt was swiftly pulled up over her head.
