She hadn't even tested her abilities yet! Did they come with a manual? An expiration date? Was he going to wake up and sue her?
"What do you want to eat?" Shin's deep voice interrupted her spiral.
"What's available?" she muttered, massaging her temple.
He handed her the menu from Brizola, the most exclusive restaurant near her university. You couldn't even look at the building without a reservation.
How did he get a table?
Yeri mumbled an order while mentally prepping for legal action. Surely, he wouldn't hit a woman. Or believe in... mind control.
Right?
Shin was studying her. Without makeup, she looked soft and innocent—unlike the possessed flirt from last night.
"What are you doing today?" he asked casually.
"Sleeping."
"Tomorrow?"
"Studying. Then sleeping."
"And the day after?"
Why is he taking notes? Does he want to be her Human Calendar?
"Classes."
"And then?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you interrogating me? I'm not your employee."
Shin gave her a wicked smirk. "Strange. You're the one who planned on sleeping with strangers every day."
Yeri: "..."
How does he know these things?!
She blinked, stunned. Shin's eye twitched. Was she really not joking last night?
"Yeri Zhi," he growled, "don't even think about it again."
"What am I thinking?! You're the one taking advantage of a drunk girl. What else did I say last night?"
"You said you remembered. Were you lying?"
"..." It was so hard lying to a capitalist.
At that moment, a stocky man with a dignified mustache arrived with a food trolley. Henry Wayne, the restaurant's co-owner, smiled nervously as he served them.
"Enjoy your meal, Young Master Keir. And Miss...?"
Shin shot him a death glare. "No need to know my woman's name."
Yeri's eyes bulged. Excuse me??
She smiled sweetly at the manager. "Hello, I'm Yeri Zhi."
Henry gave his name and bowed—visibly sweating from Shin's frosty stare.
So the young master does like women, he thought. He's just extremely... possessive.
After the manager left, Shin continued to glare at her like she'd insulted his ancestors.
"You've got such a charming personality—why didn't you give him a hug too?"
"..." Childish.
Rumor had it that women lined up for this man like he was giving out free designer handbags, and yet here he was—picking a fight with her. What was his endgame?
"You don't like what you ordered?" Shin frowned, watching her poke at the steak like it had personally offended her.
"I like it... I'm just too lazy to cut it."
With a sigh that screamed spoiled brat, Shin took her plate and sliced the meat.
'What a prince,' Yeri sneered internally. "Young Master Keir, why did you say I'm suspicious?"
"You suddenly blocked me in that hallway. How do I know it wasn't deliberate?"
Yeri frowned. She remembered running into him in that dim hallway... but blocking him? Competing with his strength was like arm wrestling a freight train.
"That was a misunderstanding. Besides, I had a date last night."
To be honest, Yeri had a good impression of the guy she met—nice chat, decent vibes. Not as gorgeous as Shin, but still her type.
Shin grimaced, recalling the 'big cockroach' she'd danced with. "That guy?"
Yeri gave a reluctant nod. "Supposedly. But how did we end up together?"
Shin's face darkened, and the poor steak on his plate took the brunt of his mood. "Then what about me?"
Yeri instinctively swallowed. Was he about to chop her into pieces too?
As a succubus, her charm stirred desire—not clouded reason. So... what did he want?
"I can't afford Young Master Keir," she said coolly. "Let's just chalk it up to a beautiful mistake."
"Beautiful mistake?" Shin scoffed. "Shall I crack your skull open and check if your brain's tangled in there?"
"..." Mother, I think I just offended the villain.
"Yeri Zhi," Shin said coldly, "just because you forgot doesn't mean you're innocent. How long have you been dating the cockroach? Does he know you're cheating on him with me?"
Big cockroach?!
Yeri felt her scalp go numb. She hated cockroaches. Date one? Never.
"And don't twist it. You were the one who forced me to sleep with you. So either compensate me... or take responsibility."
"Forced?" Yeri raised an eyebrow. "What is this, insurance fraud?"
A man of his size was forced by her? Why not call the cops while he's at it?
Shin smiled like a devil in a nightmare. "Can't admit you were desperate for my body?"
Desperate? Her gaze drifted—blame the succubus instincts—but no, she refused to believe she'd forced him. He had ravaged her like a limited-edition buffet, and now he wanted compensation?
"So... Young Master Keir regrets doing it with me?"
"It wasn't bad," Shin replied flatly.
"Then it was mutual. No need for compensation."
"No, no. I gave you my time and my body. Of course I expect something in return."
Yeri gave a strained smile, thinking. "What are you, a gigolo?"
She wanted to say he just happened to be there and if it had been someone else, that someone else would've done just fine. But, alas... offending the big boss wasn't a smart move.
"Young Master Keir is rich and I'm just a student. What kind of compensation are we talking about?"
Shin, watching her flustered expression, decided to stop teasing. "Let's date."
"Pass."
Shin blinked. "Why?"
"Because you're rich and famous."
"..." Was that... a problem?
Shin had never been close to women, but he wasn't clueless. He knew his looks, status, and net worth could turn heads like rotating billboards.
"Care to explain that logic?"
Yeri nodded solemnly. "I'm aware of the class gap. I'm not ready to get hacked by your family, friends, admirers, and the occasional bored heiress."
Just then, Manager Henry Wayne returned with the enthusiasm of a man walking into traffic.
"Young Master Keir, Miss Zhi, apologies for the interruption! Here's our VIP Infinite Card. It grants exclusive privileges like no-reservation dining, private rooms—"
"Is that the only reason?" Shin cut in smoothly. "Or are you just upset you can't flirt around anymore?"
Yeri nearly choked. He really weaponized capitalism against her in broad daylight!
Poor Henry Wayne felt the room temperature drop and realized too late—wrong place, wrong time.
The piano music in the background tried its best to maintain a romantic mood, but the tension was enough to choke a pianist.
"VIP card?" Yeri grinned at Wayne, then hissed at Shin, "Unfortunately, someone thinks the meat wasn't good and wants compensation."
Shin smirked devilishly. "You heard wrong. I said it wasn't bad. In fact, let's try well-done next time."
Yeri shivered. Next time? What kind of trap was he planning now? "No need to suffer through it on my account."
"I don't mind, if it's you."
Hah! Didn't you just say you were forced, you lying peacock?
Henry Wayne stood awkwardly, regretting every life choice that led him here.
"If the steak isn't to your taste, we'll have it redone—"
"No need," Shin said. "Leave the card with her."
Wayne did not wait for a second invitation. He dropped the card and bolted.
Yeri could feel Shin's gaze drilling into her forehead.
"You want to date me?" she asked, deadpan. "That's... quite the honor. But I need to know. Why me?"
"It's just compensation," Shin said lightly. "If you're my girlfriend, I'll protect you."
Yeri had never met someone so exasperating. But that annoyingly perfect face was... sigh-worthy.
So, compensation? He was either bored, petty, or both. She'd heard scary things about Shin Keir—but maybe she was lucky he wasn't out for blood?
"Fine. Let's date. But it has to be a secret. I really am scared of getting hacked. Also, you owe me compensation too."
Shin leaned on one hand, amused. "So now that we're dating, I trust you won't be fooling around anymore?"
"..." Why is he so obsessed with that?
"I never said it, never thought it," Yeri muttered.
Shin raised a brow. "Then what was a high school girl doing in a club last night?"
"Celebrating my birthday," Yeri replied, laser-focused on her juicy steak.
Shin blinked. Birthday?
So she just turned 18? That meant he'd almost slept with a minor.
A crime of passion and poor timing!
And if he hadn't been there that night? Someone else might've swooped in and—
The cockroach again. His mood nosedived.
"Going to a club on your birthday and drinking like a fish—what were you thinking? Were you hoping to get laid? How long have you known that bug to trust him like that? What if he filmed you? What if he posted it? Your reputation, woman! You date that guy? Are you blind, or do you just have no standards?!"
"..." Yeri was speechless under the verbal assault.
It wasn't about having no standards. She was just being practical.
If every woman treated Shin Keir as the bare minimum, society would collapse into spinsterdom.
Yes, maybe she'd overdone it. But that "cockroach" was a harmless simp. She didn't think he'd actually hurt her.
Shin wasn't done. His glare was practically lethal.
"If I hadn't been there... were you seriously going to sleep with that insect?"
Yeri felt like a cheating wife caught in the act. What was his deal?!
Trying to make her feel guilty? Please.
"You're giving me too much credit. You really believe the words of a drunk girl? And I have excellent judgment. That guy's not as bad as you think."