Chapter 25

The next morning.

Bo Bae’s eyes snapped open.

Where was she? A strange ceiling, unfamiliar lighting, and even a peculiar scent. This was…

"Ah, the container. That gave me a scare."

Realizing she was inside the container, Bo Bae let out a sigh of relief.

Then again, she was the type who could drink her weight in alcohol and sleep outside without a scratch. Was it during a college festival? She had once fallen asleep on a bench while drunk.

A male student had approached her to try his luck, only to end up being carted away in an ambulance. He had been so persistent that, despite her drunken state, she focused her mind and gripped his hand tightly. Because of that, the guy ended up hospitalized. In moments like those, she felt like her electrical powers were a sort of guardian protector.

"Wait. But how did I get here?"

Her memory only went as far as drinking with Ho Rang while watching the stars pour down. They had talked about this and that, and she even recalled hearing about his mother’s conception dream… but she couldn’t remember anything after that.

"What is this? This ominous yet unpleasant 'feeling' of a feeling?"

The memories were gone, but a foreboding sense that she had done something major began to coil around her.

"What was it? What could it be? I definitely feel like I did something…"

It was then

["Don’t worry. I’ll charge you up."]

A flash of memory, of her lunging at his lips while promising to "charge" him—struck her like lightning!

"I’ve lost it! Why on earth would I charge him out of the blue, why!"

She had only been away from Ho Rang for a few hours yesterday. They had been together from morning until late at night. That meant Ho Rang’s battery was plenty full, and he certainly didn’t need a charge, especially not a 'rapid' one.

"So why did I go and give him a rapid charge! Did I really hit on him because I was drunk?"

No matter how much she thought about it, that was the only explanation. Being drunk, she had thrust her lips at Ho Rang, who didn't even need charging.

"I mean, why was Mr. Baek Ho Rang so sexy yesterday of all days, setting a woman's heart on fire?"

As luck would have it, Ho Rang had been sexier yesterday than ever before. He was always equipped with a baseline of handsomeness and sexiness, but yesterday felt a little different from usual.

If he usually felt sharp, like a king of the jungle wary of countless enemies, yesterday felt like catching a glimpse of the loneliness of a king left all alone. Plus, the 'wall-slam' incident from that morning had played a part too.

"I'm crazy, I'm truly crazy. What possessed me to thrust my lips at that man? With his personality, he won't just let this slide."

Just as she was kicking her blankets in agony while lying in bed, a knock sounded, followed by Ho Rang’s voice.

"It’s me."

Startled, Bo Bae, feeling as though he could see her even through the closed door, crawled under the covers and barely managed a response.

"Wh-what is it?"

"Are you awake?"

"Yes."

"Come over."

"Why?"

"You'll know when you get here."

With those blunt words, the sound of Ho Rang’s footsteps retreated.

Once she was sure he was gone, Bo Bae started frantically kicking the blankets again. It seemed he was calling her to interrogate her about last night's events.

"What do I do?"

She had an ominous premonition that instead of a 10m restraining order, she was about to be slapped with a total ban on approaching him.

~~~~

"Eat."

Moving over to the main house, Bo Bae couldn't quite grasp the situation.

She had expected a barrage of nagging, things like, 'Are you crazy? Do you know what you did to me yesterday? Is hitting on people a habit? I told you I hate scrawny bodies! Starting today, stay 100 meters away!' But instead, what was with this feast?

"I don't know how to cook, so I just heated up what was there."

Contrary to her expectations, a lavish hangover spread was set before her. There was short rib soup that looked like it would warm her to the core, appetizing kimchi and radish kimchi, and even glistening white rice.

Did he put poison in the rice? Why is he being so nice?

"What are you doing? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Oh, no. I should eat. I'm going to eat."

Bo Bae quickly sat down and picked up her spoon. Although she was at the table, she was so conscious of Ho Rang that she couldn't bring herself to reach for the food right away.

Bo Bae slowly lifted her eyes to study Ho Rang’s face. He looked impeccably neat, making it hard to believe he had been drinking until late last night. With his hair swept back perfectly, his crisp white shirt, and that radiant face...

'Why is he even more handsome today?'

Her own face surely looked as bloated as ramen that had been sitting in broth all night, yet this man was consistently handsome. Far from being puffy, his skin was fair and flawless, as if he’d just received a massage. Just looking at a face like that every day felt like it would make her full without even eating.

Bo Bae began to admire him, forgetting all about her meal. She liked his neatly combed hairstyle, his glowing skin, and his chiseled neckline... wait. Hold on!

As Bo Bae’s gaze swept over Ho Rang, it stopped at his neck. On his fair, pale neckline, wasn't there a vivid red mark?

'What is that? Could it be...?'

Judging by the shape, angle, and size, that was definitely...

'A hickey?'

The circumstances made it certain. As of yesterday, his neck had been purity itself, fair, white, and flawlessly clear. But that mark...!

'Did I do that?'

Bo Bae’s mouth felt bone-dry. To think her wicked lips hadn't just coveted his mouth, but his neck as well.

She had to check. She had to confirm if she really had pounced on him and left a mark on his neck.

"Um... nothing happened yesterday, right...?"

When Bo Bae asked, Ho Rang’s eyes narrowed.

"It’s not that I drank that much, but my memory is a bit hazy, so I wondered if I made a mistake or something..."

"You didn't."

Ho Rang answered that nothing had happened, but his expression said otherwise. She felt certain she’d made a mistake, and his denial only made her feel more uneasy. Especially that red mark on his neck.

"Do you have a schedule today?"

Bo Bae, who had been staring intently at his neck, was startled and answered loudly.

"Huh? Oh, no. I don't."

"Then come out with me later."

"Go out? Where?"

When Bo Bae asked with trembling eyes, Ho Rang replied with narrowed eyes.

"We have to clean up the mess you made yesterday."

The mess I made? Clean up?

As expected. He was definitely calling her out to take responsibility for yesterday. But, how was she supposed to take responsibility for that? Lunging at his lips and leaving a hickey on his neck under the guise of 'charging' him was wrong, but she was at a loss as to how to fix it.

As Bo Bae looked at him with a worried expression, Ho Rang spoke with a look that asked why she was so intimidated.

"You said you're my secretary, didn't you?"

Secretary? All of a sudden?

"That jerk Choi Do Yoon is definitely going to come check."

Only then did Bo Bae realize that the 'mess' Ho Rang referred to wasn't the kiss, but the secretary lie.

"I think you need to at least act the part of a secretary for a few days."

"Ah... but where are we going?"

"The department store."

"Why the department store?"

When she asked what a secretary had to do with a department store, Ho Rang set down his spoon and spoke.

"Choi Do Yoon said it yesterday. What kind of secretary shows up to their boss's house in a tracksuit?"

"That was because I came straight from the container..."

"But, now that I think about it, you’re always in a tracksuit or jeans."

"Was I?"

Well, it was true. The only places she ever went were her house or a café, and since she preferred comfortable clothes, it was only natural.

"Even when you meet me."

Bo Bae’s eyes widened again at Ho Rang’s sudden remark.

'Even when you meet me'? Did that mean she should have dressed up to meet Ho Rang? Why?

"What do you mean...?"

Just as she was about to ask what he meant by that, Ho Rang hastily stood up from his seat.

"Eat slowly and get ready to go."

He spoke bluntly and headed for the second floor.

Neither Bo Bae nor Ho Rang noticed that the nape of his neck turned red as he turned away.

Only the mosquito that had flown around the spacious house and bitten Ho Rang’s neck knew the truth.

~~~~

For Bo Bae, who spent most of her day in front of a desk, pretty clothes were a luxury. Since her life revolved around tapping away at a keyboard, reading books, or watching TV, comfortable tracksuits were far more practical than flowy, ornate garments.

Actually, the broadcasting station wasn’t a place that strictly cared about formalities either, so she usually wore neat slacks or a shirt when meeting PD Jang. The only days she truly dressed up were for weddings.

However, the place Ho Rang had brought her to displayed nothing but clothes that were worlds apart from her usual style. They were the kind of clothes with fluttering lace in colors as beautiful as spring flowers.

"Why don't you try one on?"

When she continued to merely graze over the items without trying a single thing on despite browsing several stores, Ho Rang spoke with a hint of irritation in his voice. Then again, it was understandable for him to be annoyed after circling the department store several times. But, Bo Bae didn't particularly like any of the clothes she saw. Besides, they were so expensive.

"Even if I buy clothes like this, I don't think I'll wear them more than a few times. Isn't it such a waste?"

When Bo Bae spoke while looking at a price tag, Ho Rang, as if he couldn't take it anymore, picked out a few outfits and thrust them toward her.

"I’m not buying these for your benefit. It’s to deceive that jerk Choi Do Yoon."

"It's a bit too expensive for a deception..."

"If you're my secretary, you should at least wear this much."

"I don't think a secretary’s salary would cover this."

"You seem to have forgotten that your boyfriend is a chaebol."

At the sudden mention of the word 'boyfriend,' Bo Bae looked up at him. But, why did her eye level have to land right on his neckline? The sight of the vivid red mark caused Bo Bae to imagine a neck kiss she had no memory of, and her face flushed deep red.

"I’ll... I’ll go put it on."

As flustered Bo Bae hurried into the fitting room with the clothes, Ho Rang finally sat on the sofa with a satisfied smile.

Buying her a single outfit shouldn't be this difficult.

Choi Do Yoon was just an excuse, and the 'secretary look' was merely a pretext.

Ever since morning, he had agonized over what kind of face to show her and what words to say to start the day. Yet, when he saw her appear with her hair in a messy bun and wearing a T-shirt with a stretched-out collar, he couldn't understand why he felt such a surge of anger.

He felt pathetic for having dressed himself up since dawn just to look good for her. No, what made him even angrier was the fact that Bo Bae remembered nothing from last night.

'How dare she not remember the kiss we had?'

That was what truly baffled him. She used to cling to him, begging for just one kiss, and now she couldn't even remember a kiss that intense. It was all because of that contract. Now that the seal was pressed, Bo Bae’s heart had changed.

'Right. I'm just a caught fish now. Is that it?'

No matter how much he thought about it, that was the only way to interpret it. So, he had brought her out on a date under the guise of dealing with Choi Do Yoon, and all she could talk about was worrying about money.

"What does she take me for?"

A moment later, the fitting room door opened. The door was ajar, but since no one emerged for a long time, Ho Rang called out to her.

"Come out."

"It's embarrassing."

"You're going to come out eventually anyway."

At his indifferent voice, her feet, now in high heels, appeared first.

Her slender legs wobbled, unable to find their balance atop the heels. Seeing her looked as if she might fall, Ho Rang reflexively stood up. However...

"How is it?"

Bo Bae, having finally found her balance, revealed herself. Upon seeing her, Ho Rang was left speechless.

He hadn't had a single drop of beer today, so he was perfectly sober, yet he couldn't understand why this woman with her awkward smile looked so beautiful.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"..."

"Is it that weird?"

Feeling the need to say something, Ho Rang racked his brain, which had seemingly short-circuited, and managed a reply.

"It’s not unbearable."

When Bo Bae pouted at his blunt response, Ho Rang whipped around, walked to the counter, and held out his black card.

"From here to there. Please ring it all up."

Nobody noticed that the nape of his neck had turned bright red as he paid.