Chapter 85
[Prospective Thug Seo Do-gyeom’s Obsession Level Has Risen by 10.]
Suddenly, the clauses the player had emphasized to her came to mind.
First, witnessing an undeniably happy ending.
Second, witnessing a truly happy ending for the female protagonist.
Third, adjusting the male protagonist’s level of cruelty.
‘Will simply raising trust levels really resolve this?’
Seo Do-gyeom was a man raised in an entirely different environment from an ordinary Baek I-hae. Even though he was trying his utmost to accommodate her and act affectionately.
What should he do when he unwittingly showed this coercive side of himself, like he was doing now? Should he point it out each time and correct it step by step?
‘What if he acts on his own in ways I don’t know about?’
Like with Jang Seul-gi and her father, or like with Baek Yeong.
He might even try to deal with anyone who posed a threat to her without her knowledge.
And from there, he might start threatening anyone who showed interest in her.
What if Baek Yeong hadn’t been the boss of the Baek faction? If he’d been an ordinary man, would blocking his number have been enough? It was doubtful.
“……Loving someone means we’re on equal footing.”
Still, Seo Do-gyeom didn’t want to give up on her expectations of him. Until now, he’d tried to listen to whatever she said and make changes.
‘Right, then I’ll listen to Seo Do-gyeom and make an effort too.’
Even if it took time, Seo Do-gyeom would surely avoid doing anything that could make her hate him.
“I want you to respect me. I don’t like putting myself in danger either. But I don’t want to sacrifice innocent people for my safety.”
“There are limits to what I can protect you from.”
As he stroked her cheek, which was only just beginning to heal, Seo Do-gyeom frowned as if he were the one in more pain.
“Not like this time…… I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll get stronger and be more careful. I can just learn self-defense from you diligently!”
“You can’t fend off a surprise attack from an adult man with self-defense alone. Honestly, blocking Baek Yeong’s number was largely for that reason too. Someone targeting Baek Yeong might see you as his weakness.”
“What if I still don’t follow your opinion?”
Seo Do-gyeom blinked slowly, as if caught off guard.
“Well. I don’t want to resort to extreme measures with you.”
Baek I-hae felt the same.
‘Of course. Even if he says that, there’s no way Do-gyeom would act like he does in the game with me.’
If compromise failed, she could just ignore his demands. Baek I-hae decided not to overthink it and shake it off.
Perhaps she also wanted to avoid subconsciously engaging in a battle of wills with him.
“Anyway, I’ve made my opinion clear, so think it over carefully. I’m stepping out for a bit.”
“Where to?”
She’d meant to step out to give him time to think, but a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. The large hand gripping her wrist firmly sent a strange sensation through her.
Back when they were students, he’d always held her lightly, as if afraid she’d get hurt.
“……To have dinner with I-heum unnie. She felt bad since I left her place so suddenly.”
“If you go, Baek Yeong will be there too.”
“Probably.”
The grip on her wrist tightened. Baek I-hae frowned and said,
“I get that you’re worried, but don’t you trust me? Nothing you’re concerned about will happen.”
“If I said I don’t trust you, would you not go?”
“……”
She must be in bad shape if she found even that serious face of his cute.
‘But that subdued gaze of his is unsettling somehow.’
Cuteness and unease. The conflicting emotions swirled chaotically inside her.
Baek I-hae shook off Seo Do-gyeom’s arm and looked at him squarely.
“No. I told you, think about it on your own. If you ignore my opinion, this is your chance to realize I have no reason to listen to you either.”
With that, she turned and slipped out of Seo Do-gyeom’s room before he could grab her again. Only then did the strange tension in her body ease.
‘Tension?’
Tension in front of Seo Do-gyeom, of all people.
Baek I-hae paused for a moment, then shook her head and headed downstairs.
Time passed swiftly after that. Fortunately, Seo Do-gyeom didn’t act so coercively again. In fact, seeing him try his best for her like before put her mind at ease.
“The distance from home to university is quite far, so maybe the dorms would be better. I do want to try living alone, but Old Man Oh would probably oppose it.”
Setting aside her worries about Seo Do-gyeom for the moment, Baek I-hae was looking up information on her phone about the university she’d soon attend.
Commuting from Seo I-heum’s house had inconvenient transit and took too long. And she didn’t feel confident driving herself.
‘If I talk to Old Man Oh, he’d probably assign someone to me.’
But that came with its own discomforts, so Baek I-hae groaned in frustration as she pondered. Then she suddenly remembered that one of the universities she’d applied to was near Baek Yeong’s house and muttered without thinking,
“Well, it was one I applied to thinking I’d commute from the boss’s place originally. But I can’t exactly go back to staying there now.”
She’d keep it as a last resort for now.
Just as she was about to apply for the dorms, there was a knock. When she said to come in, Seo Do-gyeom entered the room.
“I-hae, can I rest here?”
Seo Do-gyeom, who had started studying to get into the same university as her, was wearing glasses.
His basics were lacking, so it seemed nearly impossible, but he was following along more diligently than expected.
“Yeah, of course. Want to come over here?”
Baek I-hae set her phone down and patted the spot beside her on the bed. He came over and lay down. Facing him up close, she let out a deflating laugh.
“You look even more like Old Man Oh with the glasses.”
“Yeah?”
“Yep. You’re handsome now, but if you take after him, you’ll stay handsome even when you’re older. I’m already jealous.”
Seo Do-gyeom chuckled at her playful words. He took off his glasses for a moment and set them on the bedside table. As he moved her phone aside, his eyes lingered on the screen just briefly.
But Baek I-hae, who missed the moment, smiled happily as he pulled her into his arms after clearing the space and lying back down. His warm embrace enveloped her gently.
“You’re beautiful too. So much that I don’t want to show you off to anyone else.”
“You’re wearing rose-tinted glasses.”
“It’s the truth.”
His firm declaration didn’t sound bad, so she smiled. As if he’d been waiting, his soft lips met hers. It had become quite familiar by now.
The only issue was that it no longer ended with just a kiss.
As his kisses naturally trailed to her nape, Baek I-hae glanced at the door and pushed him away.
“No.”
“No one’s on the second floor.”
“Are you crazy? It’s still the house.”
When Seo Do-gyeom’s lips pursed in dissatisfaction, Baek I-hae laughed softly and pressed her lips firmly to his like stamping a seal.
His smile gradually spread.
“If we go to the same university, want to live together then? Not the dorms…… Just wait one year for me.”
“Huh?”
Only then did Baek I-hae realize he’d seen her phone screen. No wonder it felt like he’d caught her trying to sneak out.
‘Living alone with Seo Do-gyeom.’
That didn’t sound so bad.
After a brief moment of thought, Baek I-hae nodded. His face lit up.
“Then you have to study hard and get in. If you don’t, I’ll move into the dorms right away.”
“Got it. I’ll work hard.”
“Good. I’ll help you. I want to go to the same university as you and study together.”
Baek I-hae nestled into Seo Do-gyeom’s arms. His strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. It was a reassuring embrace.
‘That day might be delayed a bit, which makes me anxious…… but it couldn’t be.’
In his arms, Baek I-hae tried her best to ignore the unease.
