Chapter: 17
If It’s Not Madness, It’s Magic
Tae-yeon’s body, consumed by the climax, trembled and continued to spasm lightly. Hyeon-seo’s eyes, watching her as she rode out the pleasure, were filled with satisfaction.
“That’s one,” he murmured.
But she had squeezed her eyes shut, seemingly having fallen completely into sleep.
“It’s only the beginning, Manager Min.”
He shook her face, and she opened her eyes again. Hyeon-seo immediately began to kiss her once more.
“If you’re going to provoke someone, shouldn’t you see it through to the end? I’ve agreed to take your money, so I plan on doing the job properly.”
Hyeon-seo flipped her over from where she lay sprawled. He quickly replaced the condom, grabbed the waist of the prone Tae-yeon, and lifted her body.
“Min Tae-yeon-ssi. Manager Min.”
No matter what he called her, she didn’t stir, only turned her face, still pressed to the bed, to the side. Rubbing her pretty face against the sheets like that, she looked like a puppy in heat, and it was endearing. As he stared at her round face and gently bit her cheek, Tae-yeon, who had been lying face down, snapped her eyes open.
Her soft flesh was red and swollen. Even so, heated by the just-begun intimacy, Hyeon-seo’s lower body swelled tautly. He positioned himself at her entrance and pushed his body firmly inside.
“Ugh.”
At the sound, Tae-yeon’s moans grew louder. As her small body was rocked, the pleasure emanating from her delicate form felt different again. It seemed tonight would have to be a long one. Who would have thought the aftermath of his long abstinence would explode like this?
Why did she have to provoke me? I was keeping my distance just fine.
Gripping her firmly below the waist, Hyeon-seo thrust powerfully from behind.
“Hold on tight, Manager Min. Since I’m giving you a good time, make sure you pay up properly tomorrow.”
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh.”
Before she could even properly answer, Hyeon-seo began a relentless rhythm from behind.
Tae-yeon clutched the bedsheet with both hands and rubbed her face against it. Even so, nasal moans continued to flow from her lips like a song. Thanks to this woman who was pleasing even his ears, it looked like he was in for a truly sleepless night.
The next day, when Tae-yeon opened her eyes, bright sunlight was streaming in deeply. She couldn’t remember where she was or what time it was. Then, vaguely, the thought that she’d had a wedding ceremony came to mind.
That’s right. There was a wedding ceremony, and this is the hotel.
And then, involuntarily, she squeezed her eyes shut. An image flashed in her mind: a man and a woman, shockingly naked, tangled together. Suddenly, her eyes flew wide open as the realization hit, and Tae-yeon gasped. As the memories of the previous night’s tumultuous lovemaking flooded her mind, she sat up in shock.
Wrapped in the bedsheet, she lifted it to examine her body. Below her neck, red and purple marks were a sight to behold. The area around the bed was a mess too. Torn condom wrappers, used condoms tied and tossed aside, crumpled tissues.
“Ha! I’ve lost my mind.”
She looked around, but she was alone. There wasn’t a single part of her body that didn’t ache. Tae-yeon got up and looked at the floor. She kicked at the condom wrappers scattered here and there, clenching her teeth. She couldn’t understand what had happened.
Choi Hyeon-seo was nowhere to be seen. That was a relief, at least. What would she have done if she had woken up looking like this and had to face him immediately?
She went out to the living room. Room service food was laid out on a beautiful table. It seemed he must have ordered it and left.
She couldn’t quite remember how things had unfolded. Strangely, the one-night stand with him from way back was still vivid in her mind, but she wasn’t sure what had happened yesterday.
“These things happen in life, I guess,” she muttered to herself.
It was in the past, after all. Resigned, she was about to turn away when suddenly her own voice echoed in her memory.
“I’ll pay you.”
“I said I’d give you money.”
“Try your best to satisfy me.”
“Can you guarantee you’re worth the money just because you earn a lot?”
What was this? What money was she talking about?
Crazy. If you’re going to go crazy, do it properly. Trying to use money to act high and mighty with Choi Hyeon-seo. Making a scene, trying to be his employer!
Wanting to erase the traces left on her body, Tae-yeon went into the bathroom. Standing under the shower stream, she deliberately set the water to a cool temperature and began to wash.
The more she looked, the more she saw he’d bitten her thoroughly and skillfully. The tips of her breasts were red and irritated, and even the insides of her thighs were embarrassingly marked. After showering, she put on a robe, wrapped a towel around her head, and went back to the living room.
There was no trace of him anywhere. They had agreed to stay at the hotel for just two days or so because of the wedding, his busy work, and the child. And it seemed he had already gone to work.
Come to think of it, it was the same the morning after their one-night stand. She must have dozed off for a moment, and when she woke, Choi Hyeon-seo had vanished without a trace. That night had been unforgettable for her, a night she’d remember until she died, but for Choi Hyeon-seo, it seemed to be a night he didn’t even recall.
“That’s why he never said a single word about it all this time,” she realized.
It was a fresh, stark reminder that there was nothing between them except the contract.
“Right. Raising Yoon-woo well is my job. So what was last night? What was that? It’s simple. I bought that man. How much am I supposed to pay him, anyway?”
Tae-yeon sighed. She sat down at the table and lifted the lids. He had ordered a lot of different things.
“Who’s supposed to eat all this?”
Sighing again, she took a bite of the omelet to gather strength. Every part of her ached. She’d had a passionate night, but she’d drunk so much that almost nothing remained in her memory.
So in the end, it was a night driven purely by physical desire, a night where only bodily pleasure had passed through. Since she hadn’t expected much from this wedding night anyway, was this perhaps acceptable?
“Did Choi Hyeon-seo fall for me? No. No way. Get a grip,” she told herself firmly.
She took another bite of the omelet. The soft, melting texture made her realize how ravenous she was. As she ate some orange salad, she thought back; it seemed she had experienced multiple powerful climaxes. Well, judging by the number of condom wrappers strewn on the floor, there were more than four.
“Is he a man or an animal? He doesn’t look it on the outside.”
Tae-yeon mumbled, chewing her salad.
“Anyway, when will he come today? And when he does, how am I supposed to look him in the face!”
Even though she vaguely remembered him calling her ‘Manager Min’ and ‘Min Tae-yeon’ in between, Tae-yeon just sat on the sofa and closed her eyes.
A year ago, when her mother started kidney dialysis, money became a huge issue. Adding the interest on the loans she’d already taken out, working her day job just wasn’t enough. So, through an acquaintance, she started working at a wine bar.
She figured she could roughly pay off the loans if she did it for about six months, but it turned out to be harder than expected.
Hard, yes, but the money was good, and she stubbornly endured the six months. That day was her last day, having completed the six months.
And that’s when Choi Hyeon-seo walked in. Choi Hyeon-seo, the heir to Miu Group.
She thought she’d only seen him in person once at the company. She’d first seen him in a PR team photo and fallen for him at first sight. Then, seeing him from afar as he walked through the company lobby, she’d fallen for him a second time.
He was a man from a height she couldn’t even look up to. Yet, she couldn’t easily forget him. She’d always thought she didn’t have a specific ‘type’ when it came to men, but after seeing him, she knew.
So this is my type: a man like Choi Hyeon-seo!
She just thought that and let it go. After all, loving a celebrity is like loving a star in the sky, untouchable. To Tae-yeon, Choi Hyeon-seo was a star too. An ideal man for a one-sided crush that made her happy just thinking about him.
But on her last day of part-time work, Choi Hyeon-seo came to that wine bar alone. He sat by himself, drinking, with just wine and fruit snacks in front of him, apparently with no companion. For some reason, she wanted to do something for him.
Wasn’t that only proper, considering her long, secret crush?
She wanted to give him something, anything, and secretly convey her feelings, unknown to anyone. That way, even later, she could find comfort in the thought that she had at least expressed herself somehow.
Quietly, Tae-yeon placed a cocktail in front of him.
“A Manhattan? I didn’t order this,” he said, his voice a mid-low tone.
Tae-yeon made her voice deliberately brighter.
“It’s a gift from me. Because you’re my ideal type.”
At her words, spoken as if she’d never seen him before, Choi Hyeon-seo stared intently at Tae-yeon. She could never forget the look in his eyes then. Without another word, he downed the cocktail and set down the glass. Then, looking at Tae-yeon, he asked,
“Then what should I do for you?”
Her heart pounded like crazy. After all, after tonight, she’d never come to this bar again. And of course, he wouldn’t seek her out either. But madness, too, is all about timing!
Pushing down on her heart, which felt like it might burst through her ribs, she took a deep breath and spoke.
“Well… How about spending the night together?”
At that moment, it must have been one of two things: she was either under a spell, or she had simply lost her mind.
