SMBM 15

Chapter : 15 

Cinderella

This man kept breaking through her defenses at every moment.
He didn’t even ask for her heart—just for her time—yet Chaekyung stupidly found herself fluttering again.

If he had asked for her heart, she might have ripped it out and handed it to him.
That absurd image flashed through her mind.

She shook her head hard.

Avoiding Kangwoo’s smirking face, Chaekyung turned her back and walked ahead.

“Once we finish this walk, what should we do next?”

She ignored his suggestion of a date and instead checked his next schedule like it was business.

She needed to keep thinking, or she’d lose control of this man’s pace.

“The sun’s setting. Let’s eat.”

He quickly caught up and grabbed her hand.

“L–let go of my hand.”

Flustered, she even stuttered.

“Pathetic Min Chaekyung.”

“At that pace, the whole date’ll be over before we get anywhere.”

Why did he have to keep saying date?
Just that word alone made her anxious.

His wide back looked endless.
His hand, clasping hers in the cold weather, was so warm it felt like her whole body heated up.
They hurried to a nearby restaurant.

They ate, had tea, and went for a drive.
Just like a brand-new couple, Kangwoo led her around naturally.

Before long, it was close to midnight.
They headed back toward Seoul, speeding down the freeway.

He drove toward the address Chaekyung gave.
When they arrived, Kangwoo got out with her.

“Thank you for seeing me home.”

“There are still ten minutes left.”

“Do we really have to use up every minute?”

“Yeah. Time is money.”

He wasn’t wrong, so she shut her mouth.
She swallowed the thought that she had nothing to do with him for ten more minutes anyway.

He lifted her laptop bag from the car.

“Which one’s your house?”

“Why do you need to know…?”

“I said it was a date. A guy walks a woman to her door.”

“We are at my door.”

Chaekyung blinked.

Kangwoo looked ready to escort her all the way into the building.

With no choice, she dragged her feet up the stairs to the second floor.
Her steps felt impossibly heavy.

“Thank you. It’s here.”

She reached for her laptop bag.

Kangwoo didn’t move.
He didn’t look like he had any intention of handing it over.

“Open the door.”

His flat tone made her blurt the question before thinking:

“Sorry?”

Was he planning to follow her inside?
Her mind ran wild.
Afraid he’d notice her imagination, she looked away.

“I need to see you go in with my own eyes.”

“Is that really necessary…?”

She was dumbfounded—and embarrassed at where her own brain had gone.

She bowed and tried to yank her bag away, but Kangwoo didn’t step back.
Frozen, she couldn’t even enter the door code.
He approached her.

“W-what are you doing?”

“We need to finish the date properly.”

Smiling like a picture, he cupped her face and brushed their lips together.

Whether it was because he’d lived abroad or not, he kissed her like it was the natural ending to a date—like it meant nothing.
Otherwise, who could kiss like that?
A kiss deep enough to steal her soul.

Chaekyung’s eyes widened.
She backed up—and bumped into the door.

She tried to push him away, but he only moved closer.
Tilting his head, he forced his tongue into her parted lips.

“Mm—”

The kiss pushed hard enough that she rose onto her toes and dropped her laptop bag.

She pounded weakly at his chest, but he only pulled her deeper.
One hand wrapped her waist tight; the other gripped her nape, fixing her in place.

The air around them filled with strange heat and wet sounds.

Caught in his grasp, she couldn’t move at all.

Her knees weakened, her pushing hand clenched in his shirt.
Her mind blurred, filled entirely with his warmth.
His lips left hers and nibbled her earlobe.

“Ah—”

“Min Chaekyung, you’re so sensitive.”

A shiver shot down her spine.
Before she could gather herself, his mouth slanted down her neck.

Heat pooled low in her stomach, startling her.

It was just a kiss—yet every nerve in her body flared awake.

She swallowed a sound trying to escape her lips.

His tongue traced her collarbone, exposed by loosened buttons.

“Nnh—”

Her breath burst out, beyond her control.

Kangwoo smirked at her response.
His gaze darkened.
He tugged at her blouse; buttons snapped.
His hot mouth mapped every inch of her collarbone, leaving bites that made her jerk.

He pulled her tighter by the waist—and something heavy and solid pressed against her stomach.

Chaekyung squeezed her eyes shut, trembling at the heat rolling through her.

She needed to snap out of it.
With the last bit of willpower, she raised her wrist—
Midnight. Exactly twelve.

“It’s twelve.”

Chaekyung tore herself out of his arms, breath shaking, eyes refused to meet him.

He was breathing just as hard.

Gathering what sanity remained, she scooped up her laptop bag and punched the door code fast.

Without a word, she opened the door and slipped inside.

She was scared.

Scared she might cling to him—ask him to hold her.

Scared she wouldn’t want him to leave.

This desire—something she’d never felt in all her years with Junheon.

A feeling she had never known twisted her heart.

Her legs gave way and she slid down the door, biting her lip.

Chaekyung returned from the Daejeon business trip with a dark expression.

Her guilt toward Junheon grew heavier—and she hated herself for being unable to reject Kangwoo.
The guilt toward him weighed on her too.

Just before quitting time, Yuna called.

I’m waiting in front of your office today. We’re meeting tonight no matter what.

Yuna had been checking on Chaekyung ever since Junheon died.

After meeting Kangwoo on the second anniversary of his death, Chaekyung had been too busy—and too afraid—to explain him to Yuna.

Maybe she was avoiding her.

But today, she couldn’t run.

Okay. I’ll finish up and come out.

Chaekyung rushed to wrap up work.

She cheerfully greeted Wookyung.

“I’m heading out first.”

“Wow. First time I’ve seen you leave on time.”

“My friend’s here. See you tomorrow.”

“Have fun.”

As Chaekyung walked toward the lobby, she spotted Yuna sitting in the rest area.
Seeing her friend after so long made her smile widen.

Yuna waved and stood up.

Chaekyung walked over—but suddenly the entire lobby buzzed.
Kangwoo strode across with several executives trailing behind.

As a multinational company, MOT saw constant traffic—and strict security.
Every employee had restricted access, and multiple checkpoints required badges.

But wherever Kangwoo went, the rules ceased to matter.
Guards opened every door he approached—like he had a universal pass.

Returning from external business, he passed through the lobby with Chief Shin.
His gaze flicked to Chaekyung.

Her face burned as yesterday’s kiss flashed into her mind.
She quickly bowed her head.

His determined stride slowed for just a moment—then continued past her.

Behind her, Yuna’s voice rose sharply.

“Junheon sunbae?”

Chaekyung froze.

Yuna called again, louder.

“Sunbae!”

Even Kangwoo turned his head at that.

Chaekyung rushed toward Yuna.

“Yuna!”

Kangwoo frowned slightly at Yuna, then stepped into the elevator.

Yuna stared after him, dazed.

“Isn’t… isn’t that Junheon sunbae? He looks exactly like him.”

“Yuna. No.”

“No? Really?”

Chaekyung grabbed her arm and hurried her outside.

“Get a hold of yourself. Come on.”

The cold wind helped Yuna regain her senses.

“Who is he? He looks too similar. And you bowed to him!”

“Let’s go somewhere. I’ll explain.”

She never expected to start the night talking about him.

Her heart felt heavy—but she couldn’t avoid it anymore.

They headed to a nearby restaurant.

Yuna still looked blank, and Chaekyung rushed to order food and warm sake.

“Chaekyung, he looks exactly like Junheon. I may be bad with faces, but his I could never forget.”

She was right.

Yuna had been part of Chaekyung and Junheon’s lives throughout college.

“They look a lot alike, don’t they?”

“A lot? It’s practically identical. Spill it.”

After steadying herself, Yuna pressed for answers.

“Remember how I said a new strategy planning team was formed?”

“Why bring that up now?”

Ignoring Yuna’s frown, Chaekyung continued.

“The company brought in a new vice president from HQ. That’s why the team was reorganized. The man you saw is Vice President Ji Kangwoo.”

“What? So you work under him?”

“Yeah.”

Her throat felt parched as she gulped water.

Yuna stared wide-eyed.
Chaekyung had never looked so calm.