✽008

“Hmm.”

Shin Min-kyung casually shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it over the sofa. He placed his thumb and forefinger beneath his chin, propping his right elbow with his left arm. Fixing his gaze on Kang Ju-wan, he began to circle him slowly, like someone examining an old sculpture or priceless piece of art. It was the same kind of gaze Ju-wan had often received back when he worked at the brothel. Suppressing his discomfort, Ju-wan forced a smile.

“And how old are you, Shin Min-kyung?”

Shin responded with a faint smirk.

“I think I’m younger than you, Kang Ju-wan.”

“What?”

“Did you wash already? Or should we wash together?”

Ju-wan bristled, about to snap back with ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’ but clamped his mouth shut when the second, even more absurd suggestion hit him. What is wrong with this lunatic? And why on earth was he planning to marry a woman? In dramas these days, marriage wasn’t a requirement anymore, yet here he was, having tried it. Sure, everyone had their circumstances, but at this point, it seemed Seo-yeon had dodged a major bullet by breaking off the engagement.

With a grimace, Ju-wan took a step back from Shin Min-kyung.

“I’ll go wash first.”

“Sure. I’ll be in the other bathroom.”

“…….”

Damn bastard. Of course, he’d known there were two bathrooms all along.

Even under the stream of hot water, Ju-wan couldn’t begin to figure out what was going through Shin Min-kyung’s mind. He just wanted this insane situation to end so he could get back to his normal life.

A short while later, Kang Ju-wan emerged from the bathroom with his hair still wet, casually wrapped in a large white bathrobe tied loosely around his waist. Shin Min-kyung was already seated at the table, dressed in light navy silk pajamas, pouring wine into two glasses with an air of nonchalance. He looked as if this scenario was something he had experienced countless times before, completely at ease.

Ju-wan, on the other hand, stopped in his tracks when he noticed Shin Min-kyung’s damp hair hanging loosely. He couldn’t help but be startled. With his hair down, Shin looked noticeably younger than before.

‘Could what he said earlier be true?’

It seemed Shin deliberately styled his hair to appear older. Ju-wan observed him for a moment in silence. Without his usual sharp presence, the man looked surprisingly pleasant.

Then Shin Min-kyung glanced briefly at Ju-wan’s bare torso, his gaze flicking to the cross-shaped silver necklace resting against his chest. As he poured the wine, he spoke.

“Is that a cross?”

“What? Oh, this?”

Ju-wan followed Shin’s gaze and looked down at himself. The silver cross necklace, which he wore out of habit, gleamed against his skin.

“Ah… yeah, it is.”

“…Unusual.”

“Isn’t it pretty common?”

Ju-wan tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the comment.

Shin’s voice, however, seemed to turn a shade colder as he responded.

“Sit. I poured the wine—you should drink it.”

“…Oh, uh, okay.”

“You’re just going to drink like that? Must be cold. Truly dedicated to your profession.”

At the same time, Shin Min-kyung’s eyes slithered over Kang Ju-wan’s upper body like a snake, scrutinizing every inch. It was just a gaze, yet Ju-wan felt as though he were being dissected, piece by piece.

“I-I thought we were going to… just get straight to it. One second.”

Retreating into the room, Ju-wan slipped on the silk pajamas neatly laid out on the bed. Wait a second… Did I just get intimidated? By a human? It wasn’t just the lack of clothing; somehow, Shin’s presence made Ju-wan feel like he was losing ground.

By the time he returned, Ju-wan found himself unintentionally matching Shin Min-kyung in a set of couple-style silk pajamas, sipping wine Shin had poured for him. What bothered him most was that as time passed, he seemed to be drinking more than Shin. Every time his glass was filled, he drank it all, and now a warm buzz was starting to creep in.

Although he wanted to storm out of there, Ju-wan knew he needed to keep Shin in a good mood to ensure his hypnosis would work effectively. To break the awkward tension, he tried making conversation.

“Do you like wine?”

“No. I assume you like it, since you ordered it.”

“Huh? Oh… well….”

Ju-wan was momentarily flustered. He’d never met anyone who disliked expensive alcohol. Shin, however, spoke again.

“I’m not much of a drinker. People who enjoy it can drink it all. You picked a pretty pricey one.”

For a brief moment, Ju-wan’s expression betrayed his embarrassment. Shin caught it and smirked.

“Why? Were you trying to get me drunk?”

“No.”

“Then why do you look so startled?”

“I’m just red because of the wine.”

Shin stared at Ju-wan’s face intently. His gaze was so unrelenting, so direct, that Ju-wan didn’t know where to look. It was like being constricted by a snake. After a moment, Shin muttered to himself, almost as if testing the waters.

“…Does it get red?”

The look in Shin’s eyes wasn’t lustful, but it carried a different kind of hunger, something colder, sharper. Ju-wan felt as though he were being studied, not seduced.

‘What is this?’

A shiver ran down Ju-wan’s spine, prickling the back of his neck.

Kang Ju-wan found himself growing increasingly tense in front of the man. This moment would’ve been perfect to use hypnosis, but a deep, primal instinct warned him against it. His gut told him that if he tried now… he might not make it out alive. He couldn’t explain why, but the feeling was undeniable.

Then, just as Shin Min-kyung’s face was uncomfortably close, his piercing gaze fixed on Ju-wan, he suddenly leaned back, settling into his chair with a smirk.

“You’re fine with the lights staying on, right? I prefer them on.”

“What? Oh… uh, yeah. Sure.”

What a damn pervert. With every word Shin Min-kyung uttered, the carefully constructed mystique Ju-wan had of him was shattering into pieces. Shin stood from his chair, letting out a scoff.

“Well, we’ve had enough wine. So, what’s it going to be? Are you going under?”

Ju-wan, his face already flushed, sprang to his feet, startled by the suggestion.

“You said you wanted to know how much Seo-yeon noona enjoyed herself, right? Then obviously, I should be the one on top!”

“I don’t know… does it really have to be that way for it to feel good?”

Well… he wasn’t wrong.

Caught off guard, Ju-wan blurted out whatever came to mind.

“You don’t look like you’d be any good at it.”

Shin Min-kyung responded with an incredulous chuckle, as if the statement was too absurd to warrant a real reply.

“Fine. Do whatever you want, then.”

His expression was one of pure amusement, as though he were merely observing Ju-wan out of curiosity, eager to see what he would do next.

“Wow, Kang Ju-wan. You must have a lot of experience with men, huh? No wonder they call you the ace—you’re nothing short of a professional.”

Ju-wan responded with his trademark business smile, the kind he wore when suppressing the urge to curse someone out. Women had always been adorable, no matter what they said, but this tall, dark man seemed to hit all the wrong notes with every word that left his mouth.

Shin Min-kyung, with his sharp features, pale skin, jet-black hair, and navy silk pajamas, looked like the cold, self-assured male lead of a drama. The type who oozed charisma. But Ju-wan wasn’t into that type. He preferred someone gentler.

“Get on the bed,” Shin said matter-of-factly.

“Fine,” Ju-wan replied.

With long strides, Shin walked over to the bed and dropped onto the edge with a casual thud. Ju-wan was dumbfounded.

“Is this how you want to start?”

“Why? Can’t handle it?”

“I mean….”

What a crazy bastard. Ju-wan sighed deeply, bracing himself as he leaned toward Shin. At least he’d had enough wine to dull his nerves.

Testing the waters, he lightly pressed his lips to Shin’s warm cheek before pulling away. The man didn’t even flinch. He might as well have been tickling a stone. Feeling suddenly insecure, Ju-wan muttered:

“Hey… can we turn off the lights? It’s too much pressure.”

“Sure, go ahead. Leave the lamp, though.”

Shin didn’t seem to care. In fact, he almost looked bored.

Grateful for the permission, Ju-wan switched off the main lights, leaving only the soft orange glow of the lamp. The dim lighting instantly made him feel more at ease. Not having to face Shin’s cold, unyielding gaze was a relief.

Like a prisoner walking to his execution, Ju-wan carefully climbed onto Shin’s lap, straddling his solid thighs. The bed’s springiness felt exaggerated, and every slight movement made Shin’s firm muscles press against him.

Placing a hand tentatively on Shin’s chest, Ju-wan muttered a silent prayer. Then his eyes widened.

‘What the…? His heart’s racing.’

Outwardly, Shin seemed as composed as ever, but inside, he was clearly on edge. Ju-wan couldn’t help but recall how this same man had shattered his solar plexus with a smile that could have melted glaciers.

‘Ah… so he’s the type who doesn’t let it show on his face.’

But the body? The body didn’t lie. Realizing that Shin was just as nervous gave Ju-wan a surprising boost of confidence. Now that he was paying closer attention, he noticed how Shin’s body stiffened slightly every time Ju-wan’s touch or lips brushed against him. It wasn’t the reaction of someone enjoying himself.

‘Oh, this guy didn’t think I’d actually go through with it. He hates it, but now he’s too prideful to back down.’

A wave of satisfaction washed over Ju-wan.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of superiority, Ju-wan suddenly felt the urge to take control, to mess with Shin for daring to say things he didn’t mean.

‘You shouldn’t have said things you didn’t mean. I’ll give you something to remember before I wipe it all away.’

Growing bolder, Ju-wan began to sway his hips deliberately on Shin’s lap, his movements slow and teasing. Gripping Shin’s shoulders lightly, he trailed kisses along the man’s neck and behind his ear, before unbuttoning Shin’s navy pajama shirt.

Perfectly sculpted muscles came into view, so well-defined they could’ve belonged to a statue. For a brief moment, Ju-wan almost whistled in appreciation.