Chapter 264 - The Practical Master
Exhausting.
A cheerful notification chime sliced through the silence of the office.
Kang Minseo, who had been packing up to leave, flinched, his shoulders jerking toward his ears.
Reflexively, he snatched his smartphone off the desk.
Two words flashed on the screen.
[Hayoung Noona]
In an instant, Minseo's pupils trembled. Ji-won, who was gathering her things beside him, had her eyes fixed on him, but he didn't have the luxury to worry about her reaction.
Like a man who had been burned—and without a second of rational thought—his thumb jammed the call button.
It was a habit engraved deep into his bones. Or perhaps, an irresistible conditioned reflex.
"Uh... Noona."
A low, strained voice escaped his lips.
The person on the other end was the Mafia Boss who ruled this territory: Baek Ha-young.
Minseo swallowed hard. He was terrified Hayoung might say something incriminating while Ji-won was within earshot. A drop of cold sweat trickled down his spine, and the sound of his heart hammering against his ribs echoed in his ears.
Fortunately, the voice on the other end was calm.
— Minseo. What are you doing this evening?
Her tone was affectionate, but Minseo instinctively sensed the chilling command hidden beneath the surface.
"Huh? Oh... I was just going to go home and rest—"
— Then come to my house.
Refusal wasn't an option.
Minseo's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape that didn't exist.
"R-right now?"
An unmistakable tremor bled into his voice.
— Yes. Come as soon as you're finished. I'll be waiting.
Click.
A short, final dial tone.
Minseo stared blankly at the darkened screen. A summons he couldn't decline. A premonition that tonight would be anything but smooth washed over him.
"Haa..."
He let out a heavy, resigned sigh and looked up.
At that moment, a sharp gaze pierced the side of his face like a dagger.
Yoo Ji-won.
She was glaring at him with narrowed eyes—a look thick with contempt, suspicion, and a complex, unidentifiable emotion.
The gears in Ji-won's head were spinning fast.
The way he talks on the phone... that's definitely a girlfriend.
Her brow furrowed.
The blonde woman at the mansion, Lee Ji-ha. Han Chae-ryeong in the alley yesterday. And now the woman on the phone.
Three. There were at least three.
The corners of Ji-won's mouth twisted. She'd never even had a proper relationship in her life; she practically vibrated with nerves at the thought of just holding a man's hand. Yet here was her pretty-faced superior, not just juggling multiple women, but weaving a goddamn spiderweb. And in the most promiscuous, filthy way possible.
The afterimage of yesterday flashed through her mind.
The alleyway in broad daylight. Minseo's disheveled shirt. The way his body had reacted to Han Chae-ryeong's touch while he gasped for breath.
Disgusting.
To her, romance was sacred—a communion shared with someone you loved. But to Kang Minseo, women seemed to be nothing more than tools for pleasure or toys to validate his own charm.
Of course, the truth was a swamp far deeper and more cruel than she could imagine. To the current Ji-won, Minseo was nothing more than a perverted playboy living off his looks.
God... what did I do in a past life to deserve this?
Ji-won pressed her fingers hard against her throbbing temples.
To be the bodyguard for a guy like this. If it weren't for the down payment, I'd quit right now.
A fire raged inside her. Just as she let out a sigh heavy enough to sink the floor, she felt a stinging gaze on her.
Ji-won snapped her head up. Minseo was staring at her with vacant, hollow eyes. There was a strange look in them—something like worry, or perhaps he was just checking her mood.
"Ji-won-ssi... are you feeling okay?" he asked cautiously. "You look a little pale."
Ji-won's gaze lingered on his face. A white bandage was stuck across the bridge of his straight nose—the mark left by the punch she'd thrown earlier.
"No. I'm fine," she replied bluntly, quickly averting her eyes.
Her heart sank.
Damn it. Why does that thought come back the second I look at him?
The moment she saw his face, the seal on her suppressed memories shattered. His naked body. The beads of sweat rolling over his smooth, pale skin. His eyes, hazy and unfocused, caught between pain and pleasure. And between his legs...
Crazy, crazy Yoo Ji-won! Get a grip!
Ji-won bit her lip hard. Her brain was clearly rotting. It should be loathsome, so why did that scene keep playing back in slow motion? A wave of confusion surged over her like a tsunami, the kind that felt like it would take days of bed rest to recover from.
Then, Minseo spoke up hesitantly.
"Um, Ji-won-ssi."
"...Yes?"
"It was your first day, and you worked hard. You should head home now."
"Pardon?" Ji-won's eyes widened. The wall clock was only just hitting five.
"It's not time to leave yet."
"I have an appointment... no, I have some business to attend to, so I'm heading out too. Please, go ahead."
Minseo gave her a faint smile. It was harmless—a smile so bright and pure it was hard to believe it was directed at the person who had punched him. Ji-won's brain stalled at that smile; it felt like it held the warmth of the sun.
Ugh...
Her face flushed a brilliant red.
Did he seduce three women with a face like that? He's a total cheat code.
She should despise him, but her instincts kept reacting to that face. She felt pathetic. She felt like some kind of disaster would strike if she stayed a second longer. Just making eye contact was suffocating.
"Then..." Ji-won grabbed her bag. She had to escape. "I'll be going first. Good work today!"
Practically shouting the greeting, Ji-won bolted out of the office without looking back. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the room.
Left alone, Minseo stared blankly at the closed door. He tilted his head.
"Hmm..."
It was certain. That woman hated him. Intensely.
"Why does she hate me so much...?"
What had he done wrong? Not only did she punch him earlier, but now she was running away as if he were a ghost. Minseo scratched the back of his head. No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn't figure it out—having no clue she had witnessed every "shameful thing" he'd been subjected to.
Minseo packed his things with a bitter expression. Whatever the reason, it wasn't the priority. An even scarier "Master" was waiting for him.
*
The outskirts of the city.
A mansion rose up like a massive fortress. Inside, the bedroom was bathed in soft lighting, filled with a quiet but heavy atmosphere.
Minseo and Baek Ha-young were sitting side by side on a high-end leather sofa.
"I'm telling you, Noona, it's really weird."
Minseo raised his voice, sounding genuinely aggrieved. He was in the middle of pouring out his frustrations to Hayoung while hugging his knees.
"I mean, was I going to eat her or something? I just tried to be friendly and talk to her, and a punch comes flying! Right in the nose! It still throbs."
Minseo whined, pointing to his bandaged nose.
"It was the same today. The moment our eyes met, she ran away like she'd seen a ghost. She definitely hates me. Isn't that a bit much?"
Hayoung was leaning back diagonally against the sofa. Grey silk pajamas softly draped over her body, the line of her collarbones chillingly beautiful whenever she moved. She lightly swirled the wine glass in her hand, the dark red liquid clinging to the transparent glass.
"Is that so?"
Hayoung took a sip and swallowed. A mysterious smile spread across her lips.
"I can't really tell just by hearing your side of the story, Minseo."
"What? Noona, you said you'd probably know."
Minseo pouted, his disappointment obvious. Hayoung rested her chin on her hand and gazed at him intently. Her silver hair shone like cold moonlight in the dim room. Her eyes were like an abyss, their depths impossible to read.
"I might not know why she hates you," Hayoung said, her voice dropping an octave. "But I can tell what type of person Ji-won is."
"What type?" Minseo's eyes widened, his curiosity piqued.
Hayoung set down her glass and leaned toward him.
"Perhaps... Ji-won has absolutely no immunity to men."
"Immunity?"
"Yes. The type whose emotions go haywire just because a man gets close. A total novice, in other words."
Hayoung's analysis was sharp. She had the insight to pierce through an opponent's essence after a single meeting—the very power that had put her at the top.
"Eh, no way. She's a bodyguard." Minseo shook his head. Her skill in slamming people into the dirt was no joke; how could she be a novice with men? It didn't add up.
Hayoung smirked.
"It's even worse when a pretty man like you is the one approaching."
"What am I—"
Just as Minseo was about to retort—
clink.
Hayoung set the wine glass on the table. As if that sound were a starting pistol, everything moved in a blur.
"Ack...!"
A powerful grip wrapped around Minseo's waist. Before he could resist, his upper body was yanked toward Hayoung. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late.
They were so close their noses were almost touching. Hayoung's face filled his entire field of vision.
"Eut..." A short groan escaped him.
The look in Hayoung's eyes had shifted. The lethargy from moments ago was gone, replaced by the gaze of a predator about to devour its prey. The thick scent of wine on her breath invaded his lungs.
Slowly, Hayoung's fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt.
Pop.
The first button came undone effortlessly.
"If a man this pretty approaches her, her heart probably pounds even harder. Don't you think?" Hayoung whispered, her breath tickling his ear.
Minseo gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing hard. His heart thudded as if it were trying to break out of his chest. A thrill—he couldn't tell if it was fear or excitement—raced down his spine.
Hayoung's gaze traveled down his neck, lingering on his exposed collarbone. She slowly ran her tongue over her red lips. It was blatant desire. He was a prize she hadn't tasted in a while.
Her hand delved inside his shirt, and Minseo flinched at the cold touch. Hayoung lifted her head, staring straight into his eyes. The ruler's command was issued.
"What are you waiting for, Kang Minseo?"
"......."
"Hurry up and get on the bed."