The Rainy Ride

Woohye went to the CEO's office to tell Eun-ju everything. Getting her approval would be no problem at all.

She and her employer were playing their roles, but it was all fabricated. Still, she couldn't let Je-hyeok catch her in a lie, so she would have to put on a real performance begging the CEO.

It was exactly then that she turned the corner at the end of the hallway.

The sound of footsteps approaching leisurely from behind reached her. Je-hyeok had already caught up with her steps and grabbed her wrist. For a moment, the two of them nearly stumbled and fell hard.

The grip on her wrist was firm, which was a relief, but the wrist itself ached from being held so tightly.

Je-hyeok pulled her along, leading her somewhere. Not toward the CEO's office.

"Where are we going?"

"Where are we going?"

"Woo Je-hyeok, where are we going?"

"I already told you. It's urgent."

The answer made no sense. Je-hyeok's tone had none of the urgency. Yet since more questions seemed unlikely to yield a real response, Woohye followed him anyway, pulled along by his pace.

He moved with a relaxed air but took long, unyielding strides. He showed her no consideration whatsoever, leaving her scrambling just to keep up and not fall on her own.

Je-hyeok took her to the table in the hall where he usually sat. Two men and a woman seated there looked up in surprise at her arrival.

"I'm leaving first."

Je-hyeok downed the remaining clear liquid in his wine glass in one swift swallow. He gave a quick nod to the restaurant manager waiting nearby, who then came close.

"Do you need something?"

"Can you bring my coat?"

"No, the problem isn't that I'm leaving first. It's that woman next to me... wasn't she that pianist from earlier?"

"And I'll tell the CEO that I brought Miss Shin Woo-yeon here. I'll pay for tonight's tab myself."

The manager's eyes darted back and forth between Woohye and Je-hyeok in clear confusion. Woohye stood quietly, gazing at Je-hyeok's back as she digested the man's words about paying the bill.

"It's not like the performance isn't over anyway?"

"Understood. I'll relay it to the CEO."

"Wow, you kid. You were so petty earlier, and now you're doing this again."

Myeong Eun-ju let out a wicked laugh. He waved goodbyes with a tease about enjoying himself, then stood from his chair with a sudden "Whoops."

"Here's my card. Tell the CEO I begged her for it. If you need help, think it over and let me know."

Myeong Eun-ju's cheerful smile shone brightly. He looked like a man struggling with a forced expression.

Since there was no need to refuse and stir up more trouble, Woohye obediently accepted the card. In that moment, Je-hyeok, now wearing his coat, turned to look at her.

"Let's go."

It was a perfectly blank expression, as if nothing whatsoever had happened.

'...I won't let anyone become a part of Woo Je-hyeok's world. If he suddenly needs to talk to the CEO, I'll say something appropriate and come back. You don't have to worry.'

Only later did Woohye realize how ridiculous her own words sounded.

Reputation was something Je-hyeok didn't care about at all. Shin Woo-yeon was just some nobody who couldn't even touch him. She also understood that no matter what happened to Shin Woo-yeon's reputation from working at the restaurant, he wouldn't give it a single thought.

She was no longer surprised by such behavior from Je-hyeok. She had simply realized once again how light and vile his nature truly was.

"Yes, let's go."

She answered a little too late. Je-hyeok approached her. He had only stopped right beside her, yet her body stiffened without her realizing it. He seemed to notice the change, and a faint smile crossed his lips.

For some reason, everything felt like it was falling behind her whenever she was in front of this man. He read every move before she could. So she had to stay alert. She firmly resolved it inside herself.

The rain had started falling.

When they boarded Je-hyeok's car, it was only a light drizzle, but soon the rain began to pour down in earnest. It was a typical moody autumn day.

The street outside the window looked chaotic from the sudden downpour. People without umbrellas ran for cover, and the eight-lane Yeongdong-daero was jammed with slow-moving cars.

Woohye sank into the red leather seat. A cool, refreshing scent rose from the leather, one that didn't match the bold color at all. It was similar to the scent that always clung to Je-hyeok.

She glanced at the passenger window, where Je-hyeok's reflection was visible. One hand gripped the steering wheel while the other rested against his chin. His expression was unreadable.

He had suddenly taken her to the car and announced they would have sex, then fallen completely silent the entire time.

'Didn't you just drink alcohol earlier?'

'It was non-alcoholic.'

That conversation had been the only one they shared before getting in the car.

Water droplets slid down the window in streaks. Beyond the rain-smeared glass, the road outside had taken on a gloomy atmosphere. The taillights of the jammed cars formed a red glowing trail.

A forest-like scent still emanated strongly from the man beside her. It was a scent she found both comforting and irritating.

Yet Woohye could feel an inexplicable tension tighten her lips. Thinking about actually having sex with Je-hyeok made her tremble a little. Could she really do it with him? He was the man her half-sister liked. He was the man she was supposed to marry.

"He plays the piano really well."

She turned to look at him. Je-hyeok was staring at her sideways, his expression oddly mischievous, as if he had already prepared to tease her more.

Watching him, Woohye steadied her own heart again.

Sex was nothing. Men were nothing. What did Jang Ha-rin have to do with any of it? In the end, Jang Ha-rin would never marry this man. She ruthlessly suppressed her emotions, common sense, and morals.

"I couldn't play it properly. But it was better than that anyway."

"Why couldn't you play today?"

"...Because Woo Je-hyeok suddenly appeared. I was too nervous and couldn't play properly."

Je-hyeok laughed at her answer. It was mocking. He didn't seem to believe a word she said. His face showed no trace of doubt, as if her lies were completely irrelevant to him.

"You used to play better than that?"

"Yes."

It was a lie. The piano had only been learned as a hobby since childhood. The performance today had been embarrassing even in her own estimation. Je-hyeok had to know that. He was simply mocking her.

"Even though you couldn't play, a lot of people seemed impressed."

After the performance ended and she stepped off the stage, several men had approached her. They asked for her number, handed over business cards, or made pointless small talk.

"...So you were jealous?"

Je-hyeok's laugh grew a little bigger this time. The look on his face said it was impossible, and that she must be irritated for asking such a question.

"What are you doing on the weekend?"

Je-hyeok changed the subject to something irrelevant, as if her answer didn't matter at all.

He was the kind of man who did everything in a way that was disgusting. If Woohye had truly loved him, she would have been hurt by every action.

"I was going to practice the piano."

"Why practice?"

"Someone complained to the label."

"Ah, there are still such issues even now?"

"...I didn't know, but I heard there are."

"Then you won't be able to play with me."

She already knew he had no intention of playing with her. It was just another one of his spiteful remarks. He offered no time at all on the weekend, yet gave her just enough response to toy with her feelings.

She had now realized that he enjoyed such behavior. She had simply noticed it naturally.

The more she realized he was a useless, bad man, the more she felt like scratching at him. That was the problem.

"Where do you live?"

"In Seodaemun."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-two."

Je-hyeok's lips, which had been moving smoothly, stopped. He raised an eyebrow and asked in obvious disbelief.

"I don't look that old?"

"People tell me that a lot."

Je-hyeok leaned his upper body toward her. He closed the distance between them and openly searched her face.

The length of his gaze was too long for estimating age. Eventually Woohye turned her head away shyly first. A soft "heh" escaped from the man beside her.

"I don't believe it, but I'll let you."

She stared at the taillights of the slow-moving cars ahead. After a moment of thought, she asked back.

"What about you?"

"Thirty-one."

"...You're so young."

"Yeah, and you're old."

She already knew his age, but she had to pretend not to. She had only asked to see his reaction.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

She had been taken to the car solely for sex, yet now he was asking such a question with an odd sense of ethics.

"If I did?"

The sound of the hummed 'hm' was strangely ominous.

"Either finish it or do it together."

Do it together? Do what? The answer was garbage.

She knew it was a joke, but since the one asking was Je-hyeok, a part of her felt he might actually mean it. She corrected her answer belatedly.

"No. If I had one, I wouldn't have gotten in this car."

"Ah, you have more principles than I thought."

She had said exactly that the first time they met. She looked sideways again.

"You must be bored."

During this, the man had taken out a cigarette and lit it. He exhaled a stream of smoke and looked at her sideways.

"Why?"

"I only ask when you don't."

"Because the car is badly jammed."

His expression had become completely blank. The reddish-brown color in his eyes had dimmed. He really did look bored.

Raindrops clung thickly to the driver's side window. Just watching it made her whole body feel damp.

For a moment, she had no words to say. The sound of rain tapping the window and Je-hyeok's smoke-filled breathing were all that filled the space. She couldn't just leave the man's boredom alone. But how was she supposed to draw out his interest?

So Woohye simply stared at him. A snake-like trail of smoke rose from between the man's teeth.

"I want to kiss."

"What...?" The words were barely out when her cheek was grabbed. The man's upper body leaned over. With his strong force, Woohye's lips parted and his tongue entered her mouth.

His thick, soft tongue filled her entire mouth. The man who had forced his way in pressed his tongue against her insides without mercy.