I sit quietly on the couch, still sniffing from all the crying tonight. My fingers twist together nervously in my lap as I stare down at them with unusual intensity, as if they might suddenly grow an extra pair just to make this night even stranger.
Footsteps echo softly from the hallway, and I look up immediately. Lee Ye Jun walks into the living room holding a glass of water. His expression stirs something in my chest. I have never seen him look this openly worried before. Usually, his face is controlled and unreadable, like a perfectly polished statue that reveals nothing. But tonight… it is different.
Tonight, I can read him. Concern is written clearly across his handsome face as he approaches me. He hands me the glass without a word before lowering himself onto the couch beside me. The entire time, his eyes remain fixed on me so intently that my nerves immediately begin to misbehave again.
I lift the glass and take a small sip.
He is still staring.
I take another sip.
Still staring.
And then, because my body clearly enjoys humiliating me, I choke on the water.
Lee Ye reacts instantly. He takes the glass from my hand and sets it aside before patting my back firmly.
"Careful." He murmurs.
I cough a few times while he continues rubbing my back in slow, steady circles. When the choking finally subsides, I look up at him.
Our eyes meet. And suddenly… I smile.
I do not even realize I am doing it until I see the faint shift in his expression. The corner of his lips lifts slightly, as if my reaction has amused him.
"Why are you smiling now, Ahn Seo Yeon?" He asks in a teasing tone.
My eyes widen immediately, as if I have just been caught doing something inappropriate. Embarrassment floods through me so quickly that I nearly jump off the couch.
The movement makes his hand pause against my back, and I suddenly become very aware of his palm resting against the fabric of my crotchet jacket.
Heat creeps up my neck, and I quickly look everywhere except at his face.
He sighs softly before withdrawing his hand. And to my absolute surprise, I feel disappointed when the warmth disappears.
But the next thing he does catches me completely off guard… He reaches forward and gently takes both of my hands in his. I look down at our joined hands in shock before lifting my gaze to his face again.
"You've been through a lot today, Ahn Seo Yeon." He says quietly.
My heart begins racing. My lips part, but no words come out. I can only stare at him, stunned by the softness in his voice.
"Most importantly," He continues gently, "I'm glad your grandmother is okay. That's what matters."
Fresh tears instantly gather in my eyes as the fear from earlier rushes back to me all at once. The panic, the helplessness, the terrifying thought of losing the only family I have left.
But alongside those feelings is another realization. I was not alone tonight. He was there. When the world felt like it was breaking me all over again… Lee Ye Jun stayed.
Seeing the tears building again, he suddenly pulls me into his arms. The hug is firm and warm, wrapping around me like a shield. My heart melts instantly. Instead of crying, I find myself smiling against his chest. His hand moves to the back of my head, gently patting my hair.
"Oh," He murmurs thoughtfully, "you're smiling again. I must be doing something right."
I jerk slightly and look up at him. I am still in his arms—very much still in his arms—and now I am painfully aware of just how close his face is to mine.
Neither of us says anything. We simply stare at each other. His gaze slowly moves across my face as if he is studying it, memorizing every detail. My breath catches when his hand slides from the back of my head to my cheek.
His palm cups my face gently. The warmth of his touch makes my eyes drift closed for a moment. When I open them again, the intensity in his gaze nearly steals the air from my lungs. It feels as if the entire world has disappeared and only the two of us remain.
And then, a horrifying thought hits me: What if this turns into another almost-kiss?
My brain immediately flashes back to the embarrassment of the last time… and the time before that.
Wait.
Is this the third time now?
Absolutely not. Not again.
Determined to protect what remains of my dignity, I quickly try to stand up.
Unfortunately for me, that plan fails spectacularly. The moment I lift myself from the couch, Lee Ye's arm tightens around my waist and pulls me back down. Except this time, I do not land on the couch.
I land on his lap.
My eyes widen so dramatically that they probably look like two full moons. His arm is wrapped securely around my waist now, holding me in place like a decorative belt. When I look at his face, I notice the slow smirk forming on his lips.
Oh no.
His other hand slides back to my cheek before moving behind my head, gently guiding me closer. The sudden closeness makes me hiccup.
Yes. A Hiccup.
His face is now barely an inch away from mine.
For the first time, I realize that I have never seen his face this close before. His eyelashes are ridiculously long, and I can clearly see the tiny beauty mark near his jawline—one I've seen in close-up shots of him, but somehow never in person until now.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asks softly.
My brain completely shuts down. I blink rapidly, my lips parting as I attempt to form a sentence, but nothing happens. Not a single intelligent thought survives inside my head.
I am losing my mind. My heart is beating so loudly that I am convinced he can hear it. For the first time in my life… I have absolutely no idea what to say to this man.
His expression grows more serious as he studies my face.
"I'm going to kiss you now." He says quietly.
My brain explodes.
"You have two seconds to leave if your answer is no."
WHAT.
THE.
HELL.
Two seconds?!
My internal clock immediately begins screaming.
One second…
Two—
Before I can even finish panicking, he pulls me closer, eliminating the last breath of space between us until… his lips finally crash against mine.
My eyes fly wide as he moves with an effortless, practiced ease that leaves me breathless, my eyelashes fluttering against my cheekbones as the reality of the moment crashes down on me.
Lee Ye Jun is actually kissing me.
My resistance dissolves instantly. My eyes flutter shut, and my lips part, an unspoken invitation. I feel him smile against my mouth, a brief, triumphant warmth before his tongue slips past my lips. The sudden, deep intrusion sends a jolt of surprise through me, turning my knees to water.
His grip on my waist tightens, anchoring me as he claims every inch of my lips. The kiss turns hungry, desperate, as if he has been waiting a very long time to do this. A shiver ripples through me when he nips gently at my lower lip, only to soothe the sting by grazing the same spot with his tongue.
He moves with a dangerous precision. His hands abandon my waist to roam freely up my back, his palms gripping the fabric of my jacket as if grounding himself. The friction of his touch against my skin sparks a heat that pulls a low moan from the back of my throat before I can stop it.
Then, he suddenly stops.
His body goes still. When he pulls back just a few inches, his eyes have gone dark—heavy with a desire that is impossible to mistake.
Lee Ye Jun wants me.
I see a spark of hesitation in his gaze, as if he knows that if he goes any further… he might not be able to stop himself.
A wave of warmth washes over me. I reach up, gently brushing a small strand of hair that has fallen across his left eye. A soft smile spreads across my lips as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into a tight hug.
"I understand." I whisper softly.
He is silent for a heartbeat.
And just as I begin to feel confused, about to start pulling away, his arms wrap around me, pulling me back in as he caresses my back.
"After all," His deep voice vibrates against me, "I am only a man."