F10

“This should help with the hangover.”

Her heart pounded in her chest and her fingertips trembled. She managed to take the coffee from Woohyeok, glancing at him nervously before raising the cup to her lips. But she couldn’t contain her impatience when he turned away.

“Aren’t you curious? Why did I suddenly do that?”

“I respect your privacy.”

Soobin followed Woohyeok, who spoke indifferently as he walked out of the room.

The bright sunlight made her head throb and she winced and sought shelter under a parasol.

The pool house again.

This was the third time she had woken up in the same place. She glanced at the main building in the distance, then took another sip of coffee.

“Did you… carry me here?”

Woohyeok, who had been gracefully sipping his coffee, looked at her.

His eyes were dark and unreadable. But she sensed a hint of reproach in them.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I would get drunk so quickly.”

“If you’re sorry, compensate me.”

“Compensate you?”

“Take it off.”

“What?”

Woohyeok slowly raised his coffee cup to his lips, drawing out the uncomfortable silence, then tilted his chin towards her.

“Take them off. Your clothes.”

“You did that last time. Do you enjoy making people undress?”

“I’m thinking of making it a hobby.”

Woohyeok’s expression remained impassive at her defiant tone.

What kind of person is he?

A few moments ago he had seemed concerned, but now he was the complete opposite.

His excessive coldness could be traced back to his past. His domineering behavior during sex could be explained by a strong need for control.

But the way he treated her like an object, humiliating her on a whim, was unacceptable.

“I’ll take my clothes off if you tell me why you’re doing this.”

“……”

Soobin’s lips pressed into a thin line as she stood.

“Don’t treat people like this. I didn’t get involved with you, Jeong Woohyeok, to be treated like this. A hobby?  Seriously?” 

“Then…”

Woohyeok leaned back in his chair, a smug look on his face.

“Tell me why you hang out with me.”

His lifeless eyes bored into hers.

“You said it wasn’t for money, so I assumed it was for pleasure. You seemed to be enjoying yourself. But if it’s not that, what is it?”

Soobin’s throat tightened, unable to answer.

Her pride had gotten the better of her.

A man who treated the women who approached him as mere entertainment, who enjoyed them for a day and then discarded them without hesitation. A man who didn’t bother to question their intentions, who treated them like objects in his secluded ‘pool house‘ and then tossed them aside.

Soobin was desperate to be more than a fleeting encounter in the pool house. She had been carefully navigating the precarious edge. But Secretary Kwak’s manipulation and Woohyeok’s dehumanizing treatment had forced her hand.

In order to escape this mistake, Soobin decided to take a gamble. 

“Why are you hanging out with me, Woohyeok-ssi? You don’t usually keep women for so long.”

“Because you’re obedient.”

“……”

“And you fit in well. It’s been a while since I’ve had an accessory that fits so well. I was thinking of keeping you a little longer.”

Soobin continued, desperate to change the subject.

“Do you treat the accessories you like so cheaply?”

“If I treated you so cheaply, you wouldn’t be standing here. I don’t intend to make a hobby of bringing trash into the house.”

“So telling a woman to take her clothes off isn’t treating her like trash? What is it then?” 

Soobin instinctively stepped back as Woohyeok stood up.

Soobin clenched her fists, her instincts telling her to retreat, but she planted her feet firmly on the ground. She lowered her head to meet Woohyeok’s jet-black eyes just inches away. 

“Your body is more pleasing to the eye than those flimsy clothes. I told you, it’s compensation. I just want what’s more pleasing to the eye. Are you ashamed to show your body? In front of me?”

She couldn’t tell if he was treating her cheaply or like a valuable possession.

Had there been any inflection in his voice, she might have been able to discern his true intentions, but his monotone was unsettling.

“Now that I’ve explained my reasons, Yoo Soobin…”

Soobin started to unbutton her blouse. She let her trousers fall to the floor, then walked over to Woohyeok, her red underwear exposed, and placed her hand on his chest.

“What can you give me?”

“What can I give you?”

“How far can you satisfy my curiosity?”

“Curiosity…”

He had expected a different answer, but this… intrigued him. Curiosity. An interest in him as a person. It was a subtle challenge to his reluctance to be questioned.

If she had planned this, she was clever. If it was improvisation, she was cunning. If she had really been chosen, they had chosen well.

Woohyeok slid the strap of her bra off her shoulder.

“Interesting answer.”

He slid the other strap off, exposing more of her smooth skin.

“Turn around.”

Soobin turned as Woohyeok instructed, instinctively gathering her hair and sweeping it towards her chest. She felt his hot breath on her neck and her eyes flickered. 

“If you’re this obedient…”

His seductive voice sent shivers down her spine.

“Your curiosity will be satisfied beyond your wildest imagination.”

Soobin felt a shiver run down her spine as his hand moved from her waist up her back. The sound of a hook unfastening and her bra falling to the floor sent a fleeting rush of heat up her neck. 

“Take the rest off yourself. Slowly. In this position.”

She had no choice but to bend over, exposing her buttocks.

She bit her lip and straightened up. Her body trembled as she felt his presence behind her, even though she couldn’t feel him.

“The water is warm today. Enjoy yourself.”

Woohyeok sat in the chair, admiring Soobin’s white back. Even though it had been a few days, the faint trace of his mark remained on her shoulder blade. 

He picked up his coffee cup as she slowly stepped into the pool.

Her naked body glistening in the sunlit water was a mesmerizing sight. He watched her swim, the image erasing the remnants of the nightmares that had plagued him.

 

***

 

Soobin forced a smile when Hyeong-cheol rushed up to her as she entered the house.

“I haven’t seen you at home the last few days. Is something wrong?”

“No, Dad. I just… met someone. Don’t worry about it.”

Soobin didn’t want to face her father with Woohyeok’s marks still visible on her body, so she offered a vague excuse.

“Is it something to do with Secretary Kwak?”

He stopped Soobin and asked carefully.

“No, Dad.”

“Are you doing something I should be worried about? She said it wasn’t anything serious, but if it is something difficult…”

“I told you it’s nothing. I’m tired. I’m going to take a shower and rest.”

Soobin gently pushed her father’s hand away and hurried up to her room. As soon as she entered the room, she shut the door and sank to the floor.

She could never tell her father what she was doing. He had only heard from Secretary Kwak that she needed some help and if he found out, he would definitely make her quit.

She didn’t want to imagine what would happen if she did. She couldn’t lose him like that.

Her body was already tainted. There was no going back, and she didn’t want to. All she could do was fight to escape.

“Soobin.”

Soobin’s shoulders slumped at the sound of her father’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Dad will take responsibility. Just in case…”

“Don’t worry. I told you it’s nothing. Hurry up and go downstairs. I can’t even take a shower because of Dad.”

Soobin opened the door, took her father’s arm and turned him towards the stairs.

“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m twenty-five years old. I can take care of myself. So stop worrying and go downstairs. Okay?”

Hyeong-cheol reluctantly agreed and slowly descended the stairs, glancing back at her several times.

Soobin maintained a forced smile until he was out of sight. Then her expression crumbled.

 

***

 

Woohyeok’s unexpected appearance after a long time caused a stir in the lobby. Not only had he arrived unannounced, but he had entered through the main entrance instead of the private entrance used by executives. The staff at the information desk were in a frenzy.

Woohyeok ignored the staff rushing towards him and headed for the elevators.

The employees waiting for the elevators quickly stepped aside, exchanging nervous glances. Within seconds, he was alone.

“Executive Director, which floor…”

One of the information desk staff, feeling obliged to accompany him, started to follow him into the elevator, but was stopped by his cold stare.

“Is the staff at the information desk supposed to be leaving your post?”

“Y-yes? N-no, sir.”

“It seems you’re preventing the elevator from moving.”

The information desk staff quickly withdrew his foot and the doors slowly closed.

Woohyeok pushed the button for the top floor – 44 – and walked past Chanseong’s secretary, who greeted him as soon as the door opened.

Before the secretary could catch up with him, Woohyeok opened the door of the office wide and gave a curt nod to Chanseong, who looked up.

“What brings you here unannounced?”

“I felt bad about my rudeness last time.”

Chanseong scoffed inwardly at the sight of Woohyeok sitting on the sofa as soon as he entered his office, and got up from his chair.

Woohyeok waited for him to sit down. Then he leaned forward slightly.

“I’m going to the memorial service.”